28 Sep 06

Time:

Actually started lifting (back day - after trying to hunt down the title of the mumbly "all right" song) 1127, left weight room 1201.

Caught local at Astor Pl 2004, switched to express, arrived home station 2017.

Money:

$1, Pepsi from the gym.
$not very much, chow for class tomorrow.
$13, "Fajita Pita" from Caliente Cab Co. (It was pretty darn good.)
$10, cinnamon PB sandwich and PB cookie, Peanut Butter and Co. (Of course.)

More interesting things:

Added one more message to my New Yorkers ARE Polite Campaign when a middle-aged guy in a suit dashed through the door at Trader Joe's and nearly gave himself whiplash trying to make sure that I didn't need him to hold it for me too.

Spotted - since I did not, in fact, need to go through the Trader Joe's door at that particular moment - a very tall leprechaun. He didn't have red hair, and if there was a pot of gold involved I didn't see it, but: he wore a vivid pinstriped suit (and that's impressive, since it was just black with white stripes), brown velvety-looking shoes, a BRIGHT green-and-purple striped shirt, a kelly green tie, and... a green fedora. You just do not see enough green fedoras these days.

Wished good luck to an ambulance that blew past me as I waited outside the store, and, on a happier note, realized that I probably knew where it was going. (To Beth Israel down the street. And I'm sure that's very good. But it was just kind of cool to realize my grasp of this town's geography is starting to get a little firmer.)

Perused the salt options at Trader Joe's, which were extensive - there were kosher, black, AND red (but, curiously enough, no gray, and that's the one "colored" salt I'm a little familiar with.) This was fairly interesting by itself, but Anne and I examined the black salt more closely and noted - out loud, which is important - that it had charcoal in it. I announced, just for GP, that it would be good to eat some if you had too much to drink, and a young woman behind us first agreed and then expounded on the topic, adding that it was good for any toxin, because your body doesn't process it. So I made a comment about fish tank filters, the charcoal-lecturer concurred and walked away, and Anne - with the best comment of all - finished the whole thing off by quietly intoning, "Only in New York." True story.

Stood by, highly amused and half-engaged in a conversation with Professor Number Four, as Anne threaded her way into his office and began sorting our chow supply into cold and not-cold. He was a little confused, so we took advantage of that to poke fun at him (gently, and he was enjoying the whole thing, to judge by the way he kept it up with us). When Anne's vitamin C jar appeared on his table, he asked if she was getting sick, she told him it was just preventative, and then Professor Number Four went to his desk drawer and pulled out his very own supply. He offered one to Anne, which (after asking whether they were really chewable and having Number Four underline the word with his finger) she took, and then to me, whereupon I sort of stepped back and shook my head. But Anne convinced me that they tasted fine, and he shook one into my hand as well before taking one himself. So: this was a long story about educators' attempts to prevent colds, but well worth recording; I can't say I've ever eaten a faculty-endorsed and -provided vitamin before, and who knows if it'll ever happen again?

Stored the cold chow not in the refrigerator at first - it was occupied by going-away party supplies - but, at her enthusiastic and very carefully considered suggestion, on top of Professor Number One's air conditioner. She was quite invested in helping us out, and even left the door unlocked so we could get back in when we could move them to the fridge. Very... well, cool.

Visited Professor Alpha, since we were waiting for Jenn on that floor. He invited us in, telling us to "Take a seat! Well, first get my shit out of the way." So we chatted for just a minute before the third amigo arrived, but it was long enough to find out that Professors Alpha AND Bravo "need [my] help" next week. I'm definitely looking forward to this event, but I'd bet that, because I am a tremendous nerd, my hands will be a little sweaty right about 1000 on Thursday. Okay, but I'm still looking forward to this event. (I wanted to mention that last because it really, really outweighs anything else... I wonder what I'm going to do? What THEY'RE going to do?)

Stood with the two amigos in the always fascinating campus Starbucks line. Jenn ordered an iced chai, which I said I'd never tried, and the Line Commander jumped in with, "Oh, it's really good! It's the only kind of chai I'll drink!" Since I have a strong tendency to barge into other people's conversations myself, I always appreciate a chance to be on the receiving end of the barging. It goes along with that Big and Definitely Un-Lonely Apple thing I was talking about a few days ago.

Walked to the train from the peanut butter store, and got the first good look at the (bright, crescent-y, three-dimensional) moon that I can recall having since I've been here.