16 Oct 06

Time:

?

Money:

$13, the usual lunch, the usual place.
$5, coffee of some sort - iced mocha? - from the fabulous campus Starbucks.
$15, skin antibiotics (hooray.)

More interesting things:

Noticed, for the first time, the enormous clock on the side of the building with the big lit-up sconcey-looking thing on top across from the gym. It was accurate, too.

Paid closer attention to the sculpture on the front of the... I think it's the Virgin Records building? across from Union Square. I should know what the name of it is, because that at least I pass by at an appropriate reading distance almost every day, but it was nice to be on the other side of the street for once, with a chance to appreciate the, like, steam emanating from the middle of it.

Visited the Union Square Farmer's Market. It was, to put it concisely, awesome. Pumpkins, cider, autumn flowers, Indian corn, fresh bread, concord grapes, organic brown eggs, custom-cut beef, muffins... you name it. I cannot believe I've gotten this far in life without having visited this thing, but it was probably good for my plans to get to school at a certain hour each day. Oh well - I'm just going to have to build in some extra time every now and then.

Walked up Union Square West, past the dignified statue of Marquis de Lafayette holding a bronze sculpted sword in one hand and... a ladybug umbrella in the other. This is very much in the theme of giant floating Chinese food boxes and the migrating Space Odyssey obelisk, because someone a) had to find the right umbrella and b) climb like 12 feet up to attach it to Lafayette's index finger. I'm sure he appreciates it, but even if he doesn't I certainly do.

Read yet another notice about the filming of I Am Legend somewhere on the perimeter of the park; this one was interesting mostly because it described how cars left inconveniently in the way of shooting would be "relocated" rather than "towed." There IS a substantive difference, of course - relocation doesn't have any fines associated with it - but I wonder if the police department has someone whose whole task is to word their publications at an appropriately inflammatory (or uninflammatory, in this case) level.

Thought about the LTC when I realized that the lines involved somehow with scaffolding on one or another of the particularly tall buildings I pass looked very much like so many unusually exciting rappelling lanes. (And now, of course, I'm thinking about the whole water tower episode....)

Saw that at least one Crunch - a hip but pleasant-seeming gym chain - is giving to new members: Halloween candy. I guess it's not that different than my home gym handing out wings and pizza and stuff, but it still strikes me as a bit incongruous. (Then again, maybe it's just a nice indication that they manage to believe in both physical fitness AND Hershey's, which is actually a pretty good combination.)

Spotted a girl in a Hofstra sweatshirt, and wondered if she'd ever done The Hop on their stage.