Afterthoughts: This Past Month

Boy, this month has gone by fast, and it's been packed.  It's time for the update.

Tuesday, October, 1, On Sunday I grabbed one Roma tomato so that I could make huevos a la Mexicana today.  Mission accomplished.  I think they came out yummy, and they were fairly easy to make.  The only problem are the darn tortillas that fall apart in my hand.  These gave me problems when I was making taquitos a couple of weeks ago, because they broke apart.  If I ever try to make anything with tortillas again I need to get some that don't fall apart as soon as you look at them.  Still, my huevos came out tasty.

We had our quarterly all staff meeting today online.  I thought it was next week, but just as I was going to cook myself breakfast I got an alert on my phone.  I logged in shortly after that.  Today's meeting was the epitome of the phrase, "This could have been an email."  The director of the library trust showed up to introduce himself to the staff.  He mentioned that he was not going to be staying long, and that he was just the interim director while they find a permanent replacement.  Gee, thanks for that information.  He said he wasn't planning on changing anything.  Because why would he?  Since he's already half way out the door.  Jeez.  It doesn't matter anyway, since I never see the fruits of the trust's labor.

I got my new iPhone last night, but there is still no sign of the case for it.  I checked the tracking number but the website is not updated very often, so it shows results from yesterday.  That update said it was still in China.  FML. When I get a new phone I specifically order the case so that it will arrive before or right with the phone.  My timing was really off this time.  Now I have no idea how long I'll be without a case, and it's frustrating.  I don't want anything happening to my new fancy phone.

My car is from 2011, so it doesn't have all the modern bells and whistles that new cars have.  For example, bluetooth connectivity.  What it has is a USB that connects to the radio.  That connector has worked with every phone I've had since I got the car.  When connecting my old phones it would display "iPod" on the screen.  I switched the old lightning cable for a new USB-C connector, because the new phone has that.  Instead of "iPod" showing up on the screen, what it showed on the display was "iPod: No Song."  I could not get the car stereo to play any of the usual apps I use while in the car.  This was devastating, because what keeps me sane in the car is the ability to listen to music or my favorite show while I drive.  Without that I'm afraid I'll turn into the freaking Hulk.  At work I did a web search and found that I needed to have Apple Music on the phone.  I don't use Apple Music, so I didn't have it on the phone.  I downloaded it and sure enough it worked like a charm.  Whew!  Crisis averted.

I took myself up to the Getty Center this morning to check out a sister exhibit to one at the Brand library.  Well, sister in a sense that The Getty and JPL are sponsoring many exhibits around the city all related to the ongoing Pacific Standard Time.  I wanted to check out the abstracted Light exhibit on experimental photography.  Little did I know that it included one of my favorites, Man Ray.

The visit was a great way to test out the new phones cameras.  I think they did well.  I especially liked how they handle low light.  I will add that it's nice to now have an actual zoom on my phone cameras. 

I went to the Getty today specifically to see the abstract photography exhibit that's part of the whole Pacific Standard Time.  The Getty is sponsoring all over the county.  One part of that exhibit is at the Brand library right now.  Sometimes when I go to a museum the main exhibit is not the one that I find the most memorable.  Sometimes an exhibit I didn't know was there turns out to be really fun.  Today was that kind of visit.  There was an exhibit called Lumia and it featured the work of Thomas Wilfred.  Wikipedia says, "He is best known for his art of light, which he named Lumia."  That's a very simple way of explaining something that has to be seen to really understand.  I took a video (shown above) that shows his work.  It's pretty damn cool.

It was a busy day at Casa today, but not for me.  The rest of the gang was moving things around in preparation for the new furniture that's coming on Thursday.

There was a point in the day when this little girl came into the library and ran a lap around the building saying, "BEST DAY EVER!"  Followed by, "I'm at the library!"  It was absolutely wonderful, and so genuine that I had to smile.  Our serial complainer patron, Mr Lars, did come up afterward to sorta complain about the noise.  I told him, "She loves the library... can you blame her for being so happy?"  He just smiled and walked away.  It was such a pure moment that even a curmudgeon like him couldn't help but agree that it was OK.  Just before leaving she did another lap repeating her statement.  Lovely.

Wednesday, October, 2, I woke up and checked on the status of the phone case and the website shows that as of yesterday it, "Has entered the country of destination."  I guess that means it's close.  Who knows where it entered.  One shouldn't assume it arrived on the West coast.  It could be in Kentucky for all I know.  Point is, when I looked at the date, October 1, it felt like it was already mid-October.  This month already feels long.

It's no surprise that I have to spend time on my route mornings fixing the mistakes of the dopes that sort the books into the bins the night before.  I came to find out that it was Sarah that put the new teen books all the way up to the brim of the bins.  This time it was her, other times who knows who overdoes it with the bins.  Whatever!

This is Latin awareness month.  As such, the library puts out material pertaining to Latin artists and writers and basically any other famous people.  The thing I notice is that when it comes to painters it seems that the library only ever focuses on one artist - Frida Kahlo.  I don't think I've ever seen a book about any other Mexican artist except for her.  Sometimes there is a mention of Diego, but only when associated with Frida.  What gives?  To be truthful, I don't know many Latin painters either.  But my ignorance comes from not being exposed to Latin art.  I can only think of one other artist I know off the top of my head - Alberto Vargas.  But I never see books on him at the library, just Frida.  The only Mexican painter... ever.

I checked my phone at around 3pm and the battery was at 63%.  That's incredible.  My old phone would normally need a second charge by lunchtime, which is usually around 1pm.  It would easily be around 30% by lunchtime.  I don't have to tell you that I love not having to recharge my phone so many times during the day.  Even yesterday after taking a bunch of pictures at the Getty my phone didn't need to be recharged until I got home.  And even then it was around 40%.

It was really warm today, and it didn't really get cool by dinner time.  TheGirl mentioned we should go to the Dog Haus, because its location affords it shadows for most of the afternoon.  The office building to the west of Dog Haus is about four stories high, so it casts a shadow that helps keep that location cool from the afternoon on.  While other locations with patios would most likely still be warm, Dog Haus was just right for Cheyenne.  I got a few nice shots of Cheyenne with my new phone.  I love how it got her paw just as she was telling me that she wanted more tots.

The new phone got some really nice pictures of Cheyenne tonight.  Look at that face.  And check out the details in her paw.  Adorable.

Thursday, October, 3, Every time I go in the bathroom I find the floor completely filthy with dirt from my aunt's shoes.  Her shoes are like Pig Pen's shoes.  I took a picture of the dirt I collected using a baby wipe.  All that dirt was on the floor from my aunt's shoes.  She used the bathroom last night before I did this morning.  Just look at all that dirt.  I don't know how she collects so much dirt.

I was told earlier this week that many of the tables and chairs at Casa were going to be replaced with new tables and chairs.  Insert eye rolling emoji here.  The tables and chairs at Casa are made out of wood... actual wood.  They will likely be replaced by some jerk ass plastic chairs and particle board tables.  Alas, this is what's called progress.  I kinda wanted to take one of the tables home with me, but that would mean having to get a truck and I don't have one.  I guess I could have "borrowed" the delivery van.

One of my favorite former Disneyland attraction was the Adventure Thru Inner Space.  It's been gone for nearly forty years, but I still think about it.  I have a shirt with an image from the attraction.  Today I wanted my lock screen on my new phone to have that same image.  I was able to find a good version of the snowflake from the entrance queue.  In a few minutes I had it on my phone and viola, it was on my lock screen.  I love it!

My phone case finally arrived.  I have to say that it was a bit anticlimactic.  I thought they were going to include the screen protector for free, but there was only the case in the mailer.  I guess I could make a stink about it, but I really don't have the energy for this.  But I should.  Even though it was supposedly included for free they did promise me a screen protector.  Guess I better email somebody.

Friday, October, 4, Despite going to bed early I woke up so tired this morning.  After my shower I felt better, but as I write this it's Friday evening and I'm pooped.  I wasn't super tired during the route, but this morning I didn't want to get up.  I struggled, but I eventually got up and made my way to work.  I was back to normal.  Now I'm tired again.

This morning I saw that my aunt turned the little basket where I keep my toiletries.  I don't know why she would turn it, but it was moved.  Why must she mess with my things and then not return them to how she found them?  I know, it's a minor thing, but it just irks me.

I plan on using my old iPhone as an iPod for the work van, so I can keep my phone free to do everything else.  I had an Android phone doing this recently, but that thing is old and slow.  My old phone is not that old, but it was slowing down.  However, since I'm going to just keep the needed apps for me to listen to Stern and my music, it should be plenty good for those tasks.  It worked like a charm today.  I still have to do some things to the old phone, like take out notifications and apps that I will exclusively be using on my new phone.

Ryan $handra is known for habitually harassing my coworkers, especially my female coworkers.  He has been twice banned for a year.  His last ban was over in late March.  He came back and seemed to be on good behavior.  But he wasn't, I just hadn't heard about his antics.  I saw him in admin last week complaining that he is singled out by the staff, and that he feels that if he does something minor he is banned while others get away with doing the same without being banned.  He's crazy.  If anything he has been singled out in a good way.  Yes, a good way.  The administration has often bent the rules to accommodate him.  First it was the conference room times.  He was allowed to stay longer.  Then it was the computers, which again, he was allowed to stay on longer.  Many times he complains admin gives in, because they don't want to deal with him.  Each time they do this all they do is make the monster bigger.  Well, he was banned again yesterday for ninety days.  He went on Yelp and wrote a review of the library.  Here it is (typos and all).

I go here to use the computers and do my auditions. Corrupt and unfair.  If they don't like you they will make up things, out of thin air, to get you banned.  It is blatent descrimination at the highest form.  They favor women and their deranged homeless patrons the most who are like pets to them.  If you're a reasonable, intelligent straight white male, they are ready to ban you for any slight occurrence or complaint about you.  I got verbally attacked by a patron who was clearly mentally ill, unprovoked, and that patron has stalked me around the library, feared for my safety, and nothing was done.  Hes still there.  Even the staff has also yelled and screamed at me, multiple of them at once even, for no reason.  It is an insane asylum not only for their homeless sick patrons but also the staff that works there as well.  They do not like me because I am sane and reasonable, and they like the mentally ill homeless because they are psychotic abusive degenerates just like them.  One big happy home for deranged jealous evil envious pychopaths.  It's big but it's like a prison here.  You can't even talk to anyone unless you're one of the demographics I talked about.  Do NOT recommend!

The Staff to avoid or complain about:
A middle aged middle eastern wanna be muscular guy that works there is basically a woman in a man's body. Super moody and bi polar.  Constantly up and down.  Thinks he's tough cause he drinks protein shakes and has a Crunch membership.  Talks down to you, has yelled at me and tried to intimidate me and it never works which pisses him off even more.  Tough exterior but very weak, insecure and fem on the inside.  Loves to abuse the pathetic little bit of power he has there.  Is a bully.

Filipino security guard:
Also a bully. Mindless hateful probably racist grunt that is absolutely terrible at his job and also very rude.  Also thinks he's some type of tough guy when he's scrawny as hell, old and very stupid.  About as unlikeable as a human being can get.  Will let most ppl do whatever the hell they want but will turn into the scrawny little third world tough guy that he is when someone he doesn't like, likely a white male, does the slightest thing he deems wrong.  He also likes to try to be intimidating by staring at you.  Not intimidating in the slightest.  Your 120 pound lil bro can take him.

More to come

What a douche.

Stephanie is attractive in form and in personality.  We were both in the kitchen at Brand today.  There was a point where she stood next to me while cleaning her dish in the sink.  She put her hand on her hip.  That's when I told her to freeze and I took her picture.  I would love it if she posed nude for me, but I can't imagine that ever happening.  I just know that I like watching her walk around.  She has a unique dressing style, and a nice body.

When I got back to Central there was some schmuck talking on the phone on the employee door path.  Following this dummy was a baby squirrel.  It must have been hungry, hence it following this douche.  I call him that because NOT ONCE did he acknowledge the squirrel at his feet.  The baby squirrel was following him everywhere he went.  I went inside and found some Ritz crackers to give to the little squirrel.  I showed the squirrel the cracker, but it just turned away and started to go back to the douche.  So I threw it at it and sure enough it started to eat it.  I shared three more crackers with the little squirrel, but then it went away and I had to go home.

Saturday, October, 5, I wanted to get some Panda Express for breakfast this morning, but I was thwarted by the app.  The last time I tried to order Panda the app said that there was no ASAP ordering.  It would give me some time in the future.  LIke today it said 10:45am, while I was ordering at 10:10am.  That's not that long, but I was hungry.  I could have just gone there and ordered, but I'm silly.  I've gotten used to mobile ordering.  I know, womp womp... first world problem.  The screen cap was not taken at the time I was trying to order, but it does show how I wanted to order at 10:40am but it said the next available time for pick-up was 11:15am.  That's thirty-five minutes, when I know in the past they would have the food ready in less than ten.

Here's the thing, I ordered Panda for dinner and the app said it would be ready in ten to fifteen minutes.  As I went to get my bag so I could drive over to Panda I received a text saying my order was ready.  Ah huh.

I ended up ordering breakfast from Taco Bell.  There was an online review of a new hot sauce called Disha Hot.  I googled it and here's what the Disha Hot website says.

Omar Apollo is a first-generation, Mexican-American singer, songwriter, and producer from Northwest Indiana.  Omar started releasing music in 2017 and has generated billions of streams since then Omar's parents immigrated to the US from Guadalajara and started a Mexican restaurant called El Super Taco, but sadly they had to close it after Omar was born. The recipe for Disha Hot has been passed down for generations and it has always been Omar's dream to share it with the world.

OK.  How does it taste?  Good, but it's nothing special.

I don't understand the concept or appeal of Instagram reels, and/or stories, whatever they're called.  Case in point, the screen cap above.  It happens to be from TheRose's feed, but it's typical of many reels/stories that I see.  I don't like that the usual format is to have a smaller picture in the reel/story.  The text is often obscured by Instagram controls.  I just don't like them.  Especially when a cute girl posts something and their picture is the size of a postage stamp.  Like the screen cap above.  Useless.

I wanted to do another screen cap of Ryan's review of the library, just so I could show it here.  When I went back to Yelp his review was gone.  Ah huh, coward.

Sunday, October, 6, I forgot to mention this before, but the other day Grayce (the school librarian at Pacific) told me that she had a friend that she wanted to fix me up with.  OK.  These statements usually don't go anywhere, if the past is any indication.  I remember Cindy from San Marino telling me she had a friend that she wanted me to meet.  She never mentioned her again.  More recently I was introduced by Erin (former librarian at Brand) to one of her friends.  We only chatted a few times online.  Instagram to be exact.  She seems like a lovely woman, but I guess it wasn't kismet for either of us.  Now I have to wonder what Grayce's friend is like.

I don't remember saying this in one of my more recent journal entries, but I do miss sex.  I jerk off nearly every night, but I mean sex with a woman.  The last time I had sex was on my birthday like seven years ago.  At least I think it was seven years ago, it might have been longer.  I checked, it was eight years ago in 2016 that I last had sex.  I REALLY wanted to get to know Lisa from the market, but things don't work out the way I want them to.  Ever.  I guess I'll see if Grayce follows up.  But then what?

TheGirl suggested we go to the Smoke House for brunch.  I woke up early in order to get showered and start my laundry, and to go to the market.  I got all that done and hot footed it to TheGirl's place so we could go stuff our faces with food.  I thought they would have chilaquiles, but I was wrong.  They had pretty much everything else.  I had three plates of food, and that was enough for me to not be hungry the rest of the day.  Ilsa will often tell me that she didn't have breakfast and hadn't eaten all day.  I don't get that, unless you had the amount of food I had today.  And I'm sure I didn't even eat as much as some of these gluttons did.  Still, it was a good time.

What if... what if the lady that Grayce introduces me to doesn't appreciate my friendship with TheGirl?  Then I'm fucked.  Especially if this new woman is sleeping with me.  I can't turn away from a friendship that I've had and cultivated for over a decade for anyone.  Right?  TheGirl gave me Chandaka.  That's not insignificant.  I guess I'll figure this out... somehow.

As I write this it's just past 9pm.  I'm outside in my backyard chillin and wishing I had another day off.  TheDesire told me the other day that her commute is making her question whether she should quit or stay at her current job.  She says that her commute is just over an hour.  I don't remember where she is living now, but it's somewhere in Sunland or Lakeview Terrace.  If I remember correctly.  She makes much more money than I do, and yet she's miserable.  I count my lucky stars that my commute is only fifteen miles, and is going against traffic.

At brunch today TheGirl informed me that she can't make it to Enchanted Forest at Descanso on December 7th.  She asked if I could somehow change the date on our tickets.  When I got home I checked and of course all sales are final.  That means I either go by myself, or with Grayce's friend.  Or I consider it a donation to Descanso.  Sorry, not sorry, I want to go.  It's too bad that I don't have a go to back-up to ask.  I suppose I could ask Lisa from the market - if she wants to go.  Buuuuuttttt, what if?

Do you remember Adray's?  There used to be an Adray's in Encino that I would frequent.  I don't remember how many years ago Adray's closed, but it's been a LONG time.

Last night I was jerking off.  Every time I jerk off I find some video of a girl who looks great, and is getting fucked like I want to fuck a woman.  Last night it was Lily Hall (pictured above).  I don't know what tiggers certain thoughts in my head that say, "This is the hottest woman I've ever seen."  As I was saying, I was jerking it while saying this is the hottest woman I've ever seen.  In the first video I saw her in, she had fake boobs.  They looked great.  I found another video, which was made before she had her implants.  Even hotter.  I don't know.  I think I'm just a horny guy that misses sex.  My track record isn't very good with women.  I know that the relationships I've had ended because of my inequalities.  I was not taught how to love someone correctly.  It's not my parent's fault.  They didn't have the tools either.  I don't know how to give more of myself to the entity that is a relationship.  This is why I've been single all my life.  This is probably why I will remain a bachelor for the entirety of my life.  That and I'm hideous.

Perhaps I should use this brain to figure out this thing, as I use it to figure out all the things I don't understand.

Monday, October, 7, My photo feed this morning featured some pictures of Talia from 2005.  I know I keep posting pictures from the past.  Especially Talia and the Silmarillion.  Well, here I go again.  I remember Talia taking me to the abandoned mansion up in Bel Air.  She had a nice top and she wanted to pose for some pictures.  This was when she was at the height of her beauty.  By my calculations she was twenty-six, maybe twenty-seven, years old.  I think she looked amazing, but alas her beauty and our relationship was not to last forever.

I went to Treasury with only two bags today, but one bag had four transmittals.  Michelle usually does all those, but today she needed to go somewhere and I got to have Marie help me with the last transmittal.  We were talking about the new museum that's being built by the library.  Marie is so nice.  Alas, another one that I have zero chance with.

My aunt made chicken tortilla soup yesterday.  She must have made at least a gallon of soup.  I had other plans for my lunch this week, but I was glad that she saved me the effort.  I shouldn't have been surprised to find that the soup was bland.  She didn't add any salt.  I wanted to have her use some bullion, but I wasn't home when she was making the soup to slip it in when she wasn't looking.  Today at lunch I doctored it up with some Tabasco and Bob's Big Boy seasoning salt.  That helped.  The salt on the tortilla chips helped as well.  She claimed that she did salt the soup, but the taste says different.

"Thicc" girls have always been in fashion.  OK, maybe not always, but certainly the majority of the time that there have been cameras.  I found the photo above in a book.  See, that's the kind of photography I should be doing.  Lisa and Marie have big butts, like this lady does.  It would be a dream to experience either of them.

Tuesday, October, 8, I had to take a break from my Tuesday morning adventures to take my aunt to the DMV.  She had to renew her ID.  She couldn't just send the form in, because she had to take a new picture and have her thumbprint recorded.  I made the appointment for 9am, and got all the pre-visit stuff done at home days ago.  I figured that would mean it would be fast in and out.  While it was faster than not having an appointment, it wasn't just in and out.  It took us about an hour.  Which is fine, I guess.  Still, my buddy mentioned meeting up at Bill's burger right up the street from the DMV.  I thought I would be in and out, and back to Bill's in time to meet him.  Nope.  Next time, perhaps.

I haven't eaten at Jinky's in about two years.  They make good chilaquiles.  The last time I ordered them they were really spicy.  Perhaps someone complained that it was too spicy, because they were not super spicy today.  They were still good.  My aunt ordered a tuna salad sandwich with sweet potato fries.  In addition to my chilaquiles I ordered a cup of chili and an Arnold Palmer.  My aunt ordered coffee.  When I saw the receipt I thought to myself that it was highway robbery.  The total was $63!  My chilaquiles and my aunt's sandwich were nearly $40.  The chili was $9.50 and our drinks were $4.50 each.  Add taxes and a living wage surcharge of $2.20 and you have the grand total of $63.46.  I left $12 for a tip.  The only good thing is that neither of us were close to finishing our plates.  I'm pretty sure that I can make two breakfasts out of my leftovers.  Still, $63 is nuts.

I bought new tickets to Enchanted Forest for December 12th.  I hope I can go with someone on December 7th.  Last time I tried to offer tickets that I couldn't use no one took me up on my offer.  Boo!  That's $90 that are going to be flying out of my pocket without anything coming from it.  Well, not nothing.  Descanso wants me to consider it a donation.  Yeah, well, I guess.

Wednesday, October, 9, A pretty patron came into the library last night asking about a book that has been in transit for a couple of months now.  I saw that it was coming from Central, so I told her that I would check it today.  True to my word, I went to the stacks first thing and what did I find?  Yes, the book, right on the shelf.  Inside was a routing slip.  The date was August 1st, 2024.  Someone goofed.  I put it in delivery.  We are human, and my coworkers are going to make mistakes, same as me.  I can't beat them up too much, but someone should have caught this.  Oh well, what's done is done.

Meryl from marketing emailed me yesterday about the new library cards needing to be distributed amongst the library branches.  That's what I did today.  Boy, where to start?  A few weeks ago we were all asked to vote from a list of possible candidates.  A couple of them featured pictures I took.  Alas, none of the ones I wanted to win were picked.  I guess these two looked good online, because in person they look terrible.  There is so much wrong with them, but I'll focus on a couple of things.  The font is all wrong.  One the city one, the letters should be in the sky, because they get lost in the view of the city.  Same thing on the library building card.  It looks like they put on a tiny amount of drop shadow.  Like perhaps one or two pixels.  Rendering it useless.  The city logo is so small that you can't tell it's the city's logo.  I could go on, but I'll leave it at that.  In short, I think they're both awful.

Bobby from graphics often talk about how they have professionals that do graphics, but that the library always wants to go at on their own.  These are the results - a fucking mess.  That's Glendale.  I have to point out that the lettering gets totally lost in both cards.  I don't like the city image at all.  It looks like smog.  I know we do have a lot of smog, but why take a picture of the smog?  Take the picture after a rainstorm, for fuck's sake.  Whatever!  These suck.

Yesterday I asked Junior about her new guy, Paul.  She told me to check him out online.  He's famous.  Well, famous in Korea.  My jaw dropped when I saw the guy (see above).  Her fella is supposedly this Korean actor/singer.  Ah, what?  When I saw his picture my first thought was that she was being scammed.  How can I check up on this guy?  How can I save Junior from her own self?  Why should I?

The above picture was taken with my new phone.  I do love that it has a zoom.  5x isn't a lot, but it's more than I had before on my old phone, which was zero zoom.  The reason I was taking the picture was I was trying to get a picture of the guy in the pink overalls.  But once I saw the girl in the black skirt I totally forgot about the man.  The reason why I was to take a picture of the man is that he was wearing pink overalls that didn't quite fit him.  He looked a bit comical.  But he stood behind the light pole, so I missed him.  When he walked by the car, TheGirl and I noticed a small wet spot by his balls.  We don't want to know what that was.

TheGirl and I went to Wood Ranch for dinner tonight.  We usually can't go there when the sun sets late, because the sun is in our eyes.  Now that the sun sets earlier we can go to Wood Ranch, and various other restaurants that have patios.

Thursday, October, 10, I was logging onto the number two computer at Casa this morning when I noticed a piece of plastic on the desk.  I knew what it was immediately.  It was one of the feet on the keyboard that lifts it up.  I know some people like their keyboards a little higher, some want it lower.  I'm not sure what nut took the feet off the keyboard though.  The feet literally retract out of the way.  Idiots!

The Los Angeles public library has this thing called Discover and Go.  The LAPL website describes the program as such.  "Discover & Go is a program provided by your library that offers free and low-cost passes for museums, science centers, zoos, theaters, and other cultural destinations."

Since I don't start work until 1pm on Tuesdays I figured I would go to some of these places that I want to go, but never let myself have the time to go.  In the last month I've gone to the Getty, the California Science Center and Descanso Gardens.  All of which have been technically free.  The California Science Center charged me to view their special di Vinci exhibit, but otherwise it would have been free.  Today I used this program to get tickets to the Aquarium of the Pacific.  The tickets for that cost nearly $45.  I'm going for free.  Last week I reserved tickets to the LA zoo in December.  The zoo tickets cost $22.  I'm going for free.  I love this program.  I did pay for the Arboretum, but that was only $15.  I have a few other places I want to go, but I have to see if I can secure the tickets online.

My aunt has some bullshit calendar that she always reads wrong.  Today she said that she was doing yard work.  She came inside and checked out her calendar.  She claims that the calendar said that today was not a day for labor.  Yom Kippur is coming up, but that's not until Saturday.  Another thing that she said was that it was a half moon tonight.  Nope.  It's a quarter moon.  But her calendar says it's a half moon.  Shake my head.  She can go outside and see for herself, but she will look at it and still declare it a half moon.

Friday, October, 11, I was talking to someone about how we are truly entering the post Covid era.  That's not to say Covid is gone.  It's not.  I'm just saying that the last of the things that made Covid Covid are going away.  Social distancing has been over and done with for a while now.  But I would still see many signs that people didn't take down that reminded people to stand six feet from others.  The Perkin's building had these stickers on the floor that were six feet apart.  Today I went into the building and all I could see of the old signs was the outline of the clean spot under the stickers.  Gone, and forgotten.

I speculated that since Albert was working many of the hours that TheNewCute was working that perhaps they would move him into her old position at Brand.  Today Misa told me that the reality is much worse.  They aren't going to hire a full timer for that position.  They are just going to hire a part timer.  That is such shit.  Some questions come to mind.  Is the part timer going to work twenty-five hours or more a week?  The old part time limit was twenty-five hours a week.  Because of Covid the city has ignored that limit.  That doesn't mean the new part timer will work thirty-nine hours a week.  Does it?  What exactly will be the duties of this new part timer?  Will they be a Customer Service Associate?  They don't have Customer Service Representatives anymore, so they can pay this part timer less.  It's a dick move by the city.  But it does fall in their form of not wanting to fully staff positions that used to be full time.  Assholes.

I told Vagabundo that the Algorithm is having a good laugh about TheNewCute's old job being converted to part time.  It's like in a chess game when you think you have an in, and you or your opponent makes a move and suddenly you're at a loss.  Yeah, that's how this feels.  I shouldn't ever think that this place is fair in any way.  Well, I will say that I was having my doubts about that job anyway.  I was pretty sure they would just move Albert in there, but they had other plans.  Like I said, this is way worse.  They will expect more work from Misa, for one.  And as I just said, they will pay out less money to the new person because they will probably have a lower salary and no benefits.  Fuck their job.

I follow a lot of pretty ladies on Instagram.  One that I only recently started following has such a gorgeous ass.  I know Grayce's friend doesn't have a body like this girl, but it sure is nice to think she might.  Either way, I love this girl's ass.

Speaking of Grayce's friend... she hasn't mentioned her at all since that initial time last week.  And it's not like we didn't have time to talk today.  We talked for about ten minutes, and not once did she bring up her friend.  Oh well.  These set-ups never come to fruition for me.  I'm sure Grayce showed her a picture of me to this lady and she was like no way.

Saturday, October, 12, I never ask anyone for a favor - ever.  My friend Sunnye needed my help today.  Well, she needs my credit.  I had to drive her over to a storage facility so she could get a moving van to get her things into storage.  What followed was a two hour clusterfuck.  She didn't bring her insurance for the free moving van the storage place was providing her.  After today I don't want to have much involvement with Sunnye.  I think she lied to me about her car insurance.  She was scrambling in her bag to find it.  I finally had to put the van on my insurance.  Not OK.  After today I need to move away from this woman's life.  I can't take this drama.  I don't like drama.  I don't like asking people for favors.  I rather jump off a bridge.  There's more, but I don't have the energy to relive this in this journal.

I got an email telling me that the screen protector that I thought was going to arrive with the phone case is apparently on its way now.  I guess it is better late than never.  I had given up on the screen protector all together, so it was a pleasant surprise to know it's on its way.

Why is it that I get phone calls when I'm about to have lunch or dinner?  Somewhere in my live I learned that I should not have phone calls during dinner.  These days I don't want to talk to anyone, regardless of my eating status.  Sunnye called me while I was having dinner, and I let it go to voicemail.  Because, I find it rude to be at the dinner table and take a phone call.  I know that any "rule" like this is totally made up.  And is something that some other human declared is a "rule."  But, big BUT, I don't like to be interrupted while I'm eating.  For one, there is a choking hazard when you are trying to eat and talk at the same time.  This is why I hate when my aunt used to interrupt me when I was having dinner.  Don't you know that I don't want to listen to your bullshit?

Where was I?  Oh yes, interrupting me while I'm eating.  Go fuck yourself.  I need to set my phone's settings to not take ANYONE's call.

Because I'm going to Disneyland tomorrow I had to do many of my usual Sunday chores today.  Such as going to the market and doing my laundry.  Easy, right?  It turned out to be less drama today, because my aunt didn't interfere in any of my activities.  What I mean by that is that while I'm outside napping she will often take my laundry and fold it.  I do appreciate that, but at the same time I like her to stay out of my business.  Today she didn't even try to touch my laundry.  I didn't realize why, until I remembered that today being Saturday, and her sabbath, she doesn't do any work.  She was still annoying, but it was nice that she didn't mess with my stuff.  So the key might be to do more things on Saturday.  Like if I made my lunch for the week on Saturday rather than Sunday, she wouldn't try to help me.  I may have found her Achilles' heel.

Sunday, October, 13, I haven't been to Disneyland since last year.  This trip taught me some lessons about the current state of Disneyland.  Ilsa convinced me to get the Lightning Lane thing, but that was bullshit.  Next time no Lightning Lane.  Also, I can't go with Ilsa again.  She's always late.  I'm paying a lot for my ticket, I want to get on as much as possible.  I didn't even get to go on the one thing that's special this time of year, the Haunted Mansion.  That's both Disney and Ilsa's fault.

Anyway, the first thing I did when I got into the park was eat a corn dog.  I was hungry, and I knew from what Ilsa was texting me about her status that I would have to wait for a while for her to show up.

Ilsa and I agreed to meet at Disneyland at 9:30am, I knew, based on her previous track record, that she would be late.  I decided that I would get there as early as I could.  Not early enough for rope drop, but at least at 9am.  I was there close to 9am, and sure enough Ilsa told me she was running late.  That's when I decided that I would try to go on as many attractions as I could before Ilsa told me that she had arrived.  If it wasn't for me doing this I wouldn't have gone on many rides.

I went on the Autopia, the Monorail and I tried to get on Mickey's Runaway Railway.  That last one crashed just as I was about to board.  I then went on the Omnibus.  I think I could have gone on one other attraction, but I didn't want to chance it.

I went on the Autopia, the Monorail and I tried to get on Mickey's Runaway Railway.  That last one crashed just as I was about to board.  I then went on the Omnibus.  I think I could have gone on one other attraction, but I didn't want to chance it.

Once Ilsa arrived things slowed down.  We were trying to get on things via the Lightning Lane, but that thing isn't meant to help.  I now feel that it's a waste of money.  I paid an additional $30 and for what?  So I could get on one ride early?  We ended up going to rides that had short lines, like the Mark Twain, Snow White and the Adventureland Treehouse.

We didn't even get to go to the Haunted Mansion because of some cockamamie "Virtual Queue" that I couldn't get on until Ilsa arrived in the park.  Since she was super late, the next queue time was noon.  Not to enter, but to enter the queue.  Our number was two hundred seventeen.  We left the park, but I continued monitoring the queue even after I got home.  I didn't get a go ahead for the queue until nearly 10pm.  I was practically in bed at that time.  Fuck this shit.  So many new lessons learned.

Our reservation for Carnation Cafe wasn't until 4:10pm, but by 3pm I was already starving.  If I don't eat on time my stomach starts acting up and I get all gassy.  Funny thing is, if I do eat on time I get gassy.  I just get gassy.  I was starving by the time 4pm rolled around.  I was thrilled to be there, but my stomach was about to explode.  I had so many farts queuing up, and I couldn't just let them fly.  I tried going to the bathroom and using the stall, but it was packed.  After dinner I was able to use the bathroom.  I didn't expect to poop, but I did.  That helped me clear up and feel better.  Because before that my stomach was feeling so pained with gas.

At dinner I went to charge my phone, but stupid me packed the wrong cord.  I grabbed a cord that I had on my desk.  In my haste I failed to notice that one side of the cable was lightening.  The other was USB-C, but the new phone doesn't have lightning.  So, we were stuck.  Both of our phones were dying.  I was at 15%, but Ilsa was at 8%.  I tried to find a store on Main Street that sold the right cable, but no dice.  I told Ilsa that we could go out to the car and come back to the park after we grabbed the cable.  Well, by the time we got to her car we were both ready to call it a night.  Now that I think about it, I should have let her go and gone back into the park for a little while longer with my charger in tow and a fresh set of downs.  I got on more rides when I was by myself.

Monday, October, 14, I've mentioned the news ladies on the morning shows I watch before I go to work on various occasions before.  I have to showcase a trio of them this morning, looking amazing.  FML.

I want to get rid of all the old and ill fitting hoodies I have at home, and get myself a jacket instead.  Or a hoodie that isn't super large on me.  Marie from Treasury was wearing a jacket kinda like I want to get.  I told her that her jacket looked good.  She tells me, "It's my boyfriend's."  Just super.  Once again I'm deflated.

I decided to have my lunch out in front of the Brand library today, since it was so nice out.  About five minutes into my lunch I found that I was getting a little cold out in the shade.  I spent the rest of my lunch feeling chilly, but not wanting to move either.  I have now grown to love the cold.  I used to say that I would rather it be hot, because it was easier to cool down.  But, not having grown up with central air I didn't know how nice it was to be cool in the Summer.  Now I dislike the hot Summers and love the cold of Winter.  Winter in Los Angeles, which is not that cold at all.  I survived my stint in the cool shade under the trees alongside the Brand library.  And lived to write about it.

Jack in the Box has a new menu item, just in time for the Halloween season.  It's something they call the Mummy Wrapped Monster Taco.  It's a monster taco with a flour tortilla wrapped around it, with cheese sauce and bacon bits in between.  Sounds crazy, if you ask me.  I wish they would add the bacon to the monster taco and have it at that.  The end product wasn't that much better than a regular monster taco, but it wasn't bad either.

Admittedly, today started out gloomy.  But the gloom went away by midday and the rest of the day was sunny.  When I got home it was getting dark, and I found that my aunt was in the front yard getting her brigade of buckets ready for I don't know what.  See, she has some wild ideas about leaks around the house.  Like the phantom leak in the living room that last appeared like three years ago.  But every time it rains she still puts buckets under where it used to be.  Even though the handyman repaired it.  I get out of the car and she says it looks like rain.  Ah - no.  I tell her that there isn't a cloud in the sky.  Now I admit it was a little hazy, but that's all it was - haze.  There really wasn't a cloud in the sky.  Never wanting to think I'm always right, I checked the forecast on my phone, just in case my aunt saw something on the news about an impending storm.  Nope.  Clear skies.  Granted, the app isn't accurate outside of three days from now.  Even that's a stretch.  Still, my aunt is nuts.  She is one of these people that live in their own world, where the things they think are reality.  Her mind has her own reality that does not comport with reality.  That's just the way she is, I guess.  Nothing is going to change her now.  I need to learn how to just let things go with her, because she will drive me crazy.  I should say she's already driven me crazy, but I'm just tired of the stupidity.  I don't know if I mentioned it, but the other night she came into my room and sat there while I was in the kitchen.  She saw that I was annoyed when I entered my room.  She called me out on it, and I told her that it was because every time she comes into my room it's always some stupid thing she wants to say to me.  I've been honest about my dislike of our interactions.  I don't want to talk to her.  I am forced to keep the peace, but I don't like her very much.

These days I like to be alone more and more.  I mentioned how since I'll never be in another relationship ever again I have resolved myself to get used to the fact that I'll be alone for the rest of my life.  That isn't a bad thing.  I watched a video today with some guy talking about the positives and negatives of living alone.  I may not get the change of knowing how it is to live alone.  All I know is that it's not going to rain tomorrow.  Or is it?

Tuesday, October, 15, This time for my Tuesday morning adventures I went to the Natural History Museum.  I love that place.  I remember going there on school field trips.  My favorite exhibit was the Abyss on the second floor.  That exhibit is gone now, but not forgotten by me.  There is an expansion going on, so they had people entering through the original entrance, and through the old rotunda.  Nice!

The gem exhibit was also one of my favorites back in elementary school.  Back then I didn't understand their value.  Today it's cool to be in that room with the lights all shining on the gems.  Ah, memories.

Going to these different places on Tuesday mornings is advantageous because I usually get the place to myself.  That basically happened today.  There were some kids that came in on a field trip, but they were small groups that I was able to avoid.  I ran into them here and there, but not a lot.

There is a big display of downtown Los Angeles in minature, I think circa 1947.  I love miniatures.  This thing used to be in the basement with the other history of California items.  They said that the new expansion is going to have much of that stuff there on exhibit, as well as the "Becoming Los Angeles" exhibit.  That gives the rest of the museum more room for different rotating exhibits.

This minature is quite detailed.  It has City Hall and the Central library.

One of the things I love about the Natural History Museum is that the museum itself is an exhibit.  Things like old staircases and drinking fountains are from a different era.  Case in point the above water fountain.  I saw another old fountain downstairs, but it had a water bottle filler next to it.  People now carry their water with them.  I remember drinking out of these fountains many times on school visits to the museum.  I think most people just walk by these things nowadays, never giving it a second thought.  I remember the fun times.

I knew I had a late shift ahead of me, so I wanted to get something to eat before I went to Casa Verdugo.  As I was walking back to my car I thought about eating the bacon wrapped hot dogs that are sold in front of the Exposition Park Rose Garden.  I worried that I might get food poisoning, so I passed.  I went online to search for a hot dog nearby, because I was craving a hot dog.  No dice.  I thought about going to Tommy's, but that deviation in my route could cause me to be late for work.  I then thought about the hot dog cart outside the Home Depot on San Fernando Road in Glendale as a good alternative.  I got there and ordered up a Polish hot dog with mustard, ketchup, onions and sauerkraut.  It really hit the spot.  It tied me over until supper time.

We are so short staffed at Glendale that if one person calls out there is a mad scramble for coverage.  Today we had two people call out.  Gitmo had to call a few people to see if they could cover.  The problem is that when staff leaves they are not replaced.  Often that position stays vacant, until the position is converted to something else.  Like TheNewCute's job being converted to a part time position.  I came to find out that Zehila isn't on the books anymore.  It seems that admin is determined to get people off the books.  They did that with Stacie as well.  Meanwhile, we are super short all over the system.  But the motto do more with less is what admin wants from all of us.  It's been like that for years, but now they seem to really tighten the belt.  Kerri was telling me that things are going to change in the city.  Major changes, but no details about what will be changing.  Knowing the dopes upstairs it won't be good.

Ilsa and I are going to Solvang for Thanksgiving.  I asked her a while back about dinner there, and I was going to book us a reservation.  But, as is her style, she didn't say if the place I picked was fine or not.  So by the time she said it was fine the reservations had all been filled.  Thankfully there are other options.  I was able to get us a reservation for a Thanksgiving buffet.  I think that's better, because there are more options than just turkey.  It should be good times.

Wednesday, October, 16, My aunt usually keeps her door open.  It's a thing that was started because my Grandmother didn't like closed doors.  She would always open my door.  Nowadays I like closing my door, and once in a while so does my aunt.  I don't mind that.

I usually get gasoline for the delivery van on Fridays.  I pulled up to the pumps to find them locked.  One of the garage guys told me that the pumps were busted.  They were working on repairs, but it would take a few days.  Fine.  That was last week.  I tried Monday and was told that perhaps the pump might be out until Friday.  Just great.  There is a pump at the other city lot off of Chevy Chase.  But, I've never had any luck working that pump.  No choice today, I had to make it work.  I was lower than a quarter of a tank.  No way we make it to Friday.

Mo used to work at the library, but now works in the Perkin's building.  I ran into him on Monday.  A few months ago he said that my coworker Tony and I should have lunch with him.  Tony never told us when he was free, so Mo and I figured that we would just have lunch on our own.  That was the plan.  Monday Mo said we should have lunch today.  I still got my lunch ready, because I figured that he would flake.  That's fine.  I'd rather just have lunch on my own.  Sure enough, he never followed up.  It's a good thing I had my lunch with me.

When I reached Montrose Kerri told me that she didn't make the cut for the literacy librarian job.  She also told me Grimace didn't get in either.  No surprises there.  Administration doesn't want either of them to have a promotion.  I know that the administration doesn't want me getting a full time job there either.  There are a lot of us that are on a blacklist.

TheGirl and I knew that we would be going to Don Cuco's, but we were originally going to go to the one in Burbank.  But, we couldn't go there, so we went to the Toluca Lake location.  I must have been hungry, because I cleaned my plate.  I did share quite a bit of my meat with Cheyenne.  She likey.

TheGirl and I knew that we would be going to Don Cuco's, but we were originally going to go to the one in Burbank.  But, we couldn't go there, so we went to the Toluca Lake location.  I must have been hungry, because I cleaned my plate.  I did share quite a bit of my meat with Cheyenne.  She likey.

Thursday, October, 17, My property tax bill came in the mail the other day.  It's just over $3,000.  The good thing is that my fund to pay for that is at just over $2,800.  I'm thinking of moving some money into that one account and just paying it all off now.  Well, next week.  That way I get it out of the way and I can start saving for next year's bill.

The moms that come to storytime on Thursdays sometimes come every week, and sometimes they seem to disappear after being regulars.  Today a new MILF came in with extra wide hips, and a nice butt.  Just nice.  I hope she becomes one of the new regulars.

I took a walk after lunch, for the first time in a long time.  The last time I walked the neighborhood must have been back in June.  I didn't get to walk far, because I wanted to come back a little early and cool down.  My work shirt is polyester, so it tends to make me sweat.  Next week I have to bring another shirt for my walk.

I woke up before my alarm went off.  I think it was a few minutes before 5am.  That's forty minutes before my usual wake up time.  No wonder I was so sleepy today.  I'm currently writing this in the library, while I fight the sleepies.  It's making this much more difficult than it should be.

I obviously don't live in Carmel, but I like checking out the Carmel Pine Cone newspaper every week.  Like I'm a local, to keep up with the local news.  Today I read a headline that stated, "Popular Marina business must cease operation."  A couple of years ago I saw that there was a cool attraction out in Marino California, which is about twelve miles North East of Carmel.  I thought of checking them out the next time I went out to Carmel.  But, I come to find out that the business is being forced to close.  In another article a few weeks ago I saw that the Coastal commission had allowed the building of a dedicated bus line along the same route.  Little did I know that the bus line would force the closure of the railcar attraction.  Sad.  The business is going to close October 31st.  If I don't suddenly win the lotto and have a chance at going up there in the next two weeks then I'll never get a chance to ride the rails.  There is a more local railcar experience in Ventura county.  Guess I've had to get my rail jollies there.

Friday, October, 18, When I woke up this morning I felt nice and chill in my room.  The thermometer showed that it was sixty-eight degrees.  How wonderful.  By my account this past Summer felt mild, but I still wanted the weather to turn cool.  Sure enough, it's turned cool and I'm loving it.  This is not the only reason why I love this time of the year, but it sure is a big factor.

When I got to the Brand library Misa had a magazine in hand.  On the cover was a guy named Ibrahim Maalouf that Misa thought looked like me (see above).  I kinda see it.  Now I have to take some time to check out his music.  From what I initially heard this afternoon he has a nice sound.

I've written about my coworker Stephanie a few times now.  Have I mentioned she is attractive?  Today she was wearing this low cut top that REALLY showed off her cleavage.  I know I've mentioned her behind before, because it has a nice shape.  I have mentioned her chest before.  I remember saying how one day she looked like she had a nice big chest.  I mean not like enormous, but certainly more than a mouthful.  Today she was showing the ladies off.  Thank the maker.

I wanted to get vaccinated as soon as possible, since there are people at work getting sick left and right.  I could have done this next week, but I didn't want to have any effects while I was at the Cicada Club with Ilsa.  I can't believe how fast days are blowing by.  I went to my local CVS and got my two vaccines.  I know, it sounds crazy to take both of them at the same time.  And truthfully, I don't know how the body works with two vaccines are introduced at the same time.  But, I did it last year and didn't have any bad reactions.  I want to be covered, because I hear a lot of dopes in the library coughing.  You think people would have learned to COVER THEIR FUCKING MOUTHS when they cough or sneeze.  But no.  My buddy Vagabundo states it pretty clearly when he says that Covid failed us.  It didn't take out the dummies, it took out the good people.  He's right.

When I bought my new iPhone I bought a new case for it.  That thing took many days to get to me from China.  I mentioned in a previous entry how in the past I would time it so that the case would arrive before or at the same time as the new phone.  This time I messed up.  I also mentioned that the new phone was supposed to come with a screen protector, but it didn't come with it.  It wasn't until I got a shipping confirmation the other day that I realized they were being shipped separately.  I got the package when I got home and after dinner I tried to put the screen protector on the phone.  My buddy Omri was coming by to pick up some newspapers for some project that he was doing.  I thought he would come another day, so his declaration that he would be over at 6pm was a surprise to me.  I ate dinner before he showed up, because he didn't say anything about staying and going to dinner tonight.  After dinner I figured I had some time to install the screen protector.  Wrong.  The pressure of knowing my buddy was coming over, combined with me trying to read the small print on the instructions made me hasty.  I will also point out that the instructions are confusing.  Probably because the way the screen proctor is installed is not intuitive.  I've seen other screen protector's videos online and they make it seem so easy.  Maybe those confused me as well, because I could not get anything right.  I was just about to try when my buddy said he was at my house.  After he left I tried to put the screen protector on the phone again, but the fucking phone kept on unlocking, and it made it harder to concentrate.  I turned on the phone, but after two attempts at installing the screen protector and having the damn phone turn on in the middle of the process I became angry.  I tossed everything in the trash and cursed the fucking company that sold me this piece of crap screen protector.

One eternity later.

Once I cooled down I went out to the trash can and took out the screen protector to try again.  This time I was much calmer, but the instructions were still confusing.  I finally got it, and I was able to make it work.  My screen is now protected.  I say that so calm now, but I was livid earlier in the evening.

Saturday, October, 19, My buddy Dane wanted to hang out today to celebrate his birthday.  Despite the fact that his birthday is actually next Friday.  I can't make it next weekend though, because I'm going to dinner with Ilsa at Cicada Club.  Last time Dane and I hung out I wanted to go to Langer's for lunch.  But, that was the day that my heart started racing and I had to go home early.  That's why I told him that we had to go this morning.  Sure enough, we got there early enough that we didn't have an issue getting a seat.  I say that, because when we left there was a line of at least thirty people waiting to get in.

Dane ordered a huge breakfast of eggs, hash browns and like eight strips of bacon.  Amazing.  I wouldn't have been able to put a dent in that breakfast, but he polished it up.  Good for him.

I ordered the famous number nineteen sandwich.  I haven't had that in a long time.  There was news about a month ago that Langer's was considering closing the restaurant due to the fact that the neighborhood is a fucking mess.  I don't know what the city can do to fix the problems in that area.  Perhaps sweep all street vendors off the street.  They could create a general patrol of people cleaning the streets, like they do downtown.  They have that in Glendale as well.  These people clean things up, but they are also like a patrol that informs the police if they see something.

My buddy Dane's birthday is on the 25th.  He suggested we hang out this week, forgetting that his birthday is actually next week.  I told him I couldn't make it next week anyway, since I have plans with Ilsa.  Originally Dane wanted to go to Pasadena today, but after Lander's he said he wanted to go to Santa Monica.  I'm fine with that.  I suggested Long Beach, but he said Santa Monica.  Cool.

We did a fair bit of walking around Santa Monica.  We went up to the pier and back to the promenade.  That place used to be a lot busier.

I was feeling a little of the effect of the two vaccines I had yesterday, so I asked Dane if we could rest in the shade.  There were some chairs in the middle of 3rd street, but they were in the sun.  We moved them to be in the shade.  Across the street was a bunch of ladies selling some gummy something or other.  I think they were vitamins in gummy form.  All I know is that there were a lot of nice ladies trying to give samples to those passing by (see above).  This one girl was hustling.

The costume party that Ilsa invited me to is coming up on Saturday.  Yet, I haven't found the time to try out my costume.  I told her that I would try it out tonight after I got home from hanging out with my friend.  True to my word I tried it on and it fit me just fine.  I think I won't use the bib thingie that came with it.  I rather just use an actual dress shirt and tie.  I even went ahead and bought a new black tie, because what kind of a man am I not having a black tie?  I do have one, but it's a skinny tie.  I need a proper black tie.  I'm going to also skip wearing the faux pants that came with the costume in favor of my own black slacks.

Sunday, October, 20, My aunt wanted to go to Costco about two weeks ago, but I've been busy on Sunday.  Two weeks ago I went to the Smoke House with TheGirl for brunch.  Last week I went to Disneyland.  I felt bad, so I told my aunt that I could take her this weekend.  Also, I wanted to combine it with an appointment to get her flu vaccine.

I don't like going to Costco, because it's a bloody mess to shop there.  Today there was a stunning girl working the checkout.  She wasn't the cashier, she was the one that packs the cart.  Be still my heart, her body was insane.  I have to describe her as thick, but a wonderful thick.  Sigh.  I will never see her again in real life... only in my fantasies.

Sherman Oaks had their street fair today.  Little did I know it was going on, or I would have scheduled my aunt's vaccination for another day.  We got there on time, but I had to travel the long way to get to CVS.  I do like how I can set everything up online and just walk in and check in.  I did that on Friday and I did it today with my aunt's vaccine.  That's how it should be.  I hear CVS is having troubles.  It's not like it's my favorite place, but I have been using them to get vaccinated the last few years.  And the process has been pretty simple.  Go online, enter the information and make the appointment.  I walk up and within a few minutes I'm vaccinated.

I came inside after chilling in my backyard for most of the evening to tell my aunt that our family in Mexico had gone out for the night.  That's why they weren't around when she tried to FaceTime them.  That's when she told me that she thought she was feeling the effects of the vaccine.  While this is possible, it usually takes about a day to really start to feel the effects.  That's what happened with me.  I had my shots on Friday, and on Saturday I was feeling achy.  That was when I was hanging out with my buddy Dane.  I asked him to get out of the sun, because I was feeling a little tired.  That's why I decided to get vaccinated on a Friday.  So I have the weekend to recover.  I'm sure she'll be fine.  This is the main reason why I didn't have her get both Covid and Flu vaccines today.  I'll ask her later in the week to see if she wants to get the Covid shot, if not I think she can skip it.  She doesn't go out that often.

I don't know why my aunt takes little wads of tissue paper and drops them into the bathroom sink.  I ask, because every time I clean out the sink stopper there are little wads of paper as well as hair.  My hair is usually too short to get stuck in the stopper, so this mess is mostly going to be from my aunt's head.  I now clean the stopper about once a month.  The sign that the stopper needs cleaning is that the soapy bubbles don't go down the drain.  So there will be foam left after I wash my hands.  I don't know why my aunt does half the crazy stuff she does.

Monday, October, 21, I was checking online and found a funny post that shows a burnt out employee costume.  Some of the items include bonus endless zoom meetings.  I don't have to look very far to find burnt out employees at my job.  Pretty much everyone is burnt out.  But, we have to eat.  So we chug along.

I went to Costco with my aunt yesterday, who told me to pick whatever I wanted.  The first thing I picked was a bag of almonds.  We both wanted cheese slices, so I figured I could have some cheese and nuts for my work snack this coming week.

What I also thought of making was a grilled cheese sandwich some time this week or next.  Yeah, that would be good.

I was finishing up lunch when I felt a pain in my right shoulder.  I didn't immediately know what move might have caused the pain.  I didn't really have anything that heavy in tow today.  As soon as I got back in the van to make my next stop I grabbed the ice sheet in my lunch pale and put it on my shoulder.  I also took an Advil.  Those usually take about twenty minutes before they kill any pain, so I was counting on the ice to help out initially.  It did feel a little better after a while.  I came home and iced it a little bit more.  As I write this it's nearly bedtime and it still hurts a wee bit.

There was a meme that I saw today that nails my situation right on the head.  I would leave this job if I got a better job, but no one is hiring me.  The only good thing is that I'm in a nice groove at work right now.  I just hope to stay off the radar and be left alone to do the job.

Tuesday, October, 22, For today's Tuesday Adventurers I went to the Los Angeles Arboretum in Arcadia.  I really took advantage of my new phone's camera, taking over two hundred pictures.  Before today I had never visited the arboretum in the daytime.  Always at night, to see the lights.  The place is huge.  At night the areas that are used are limited, for obvious reasons.  I ran into two coyotes while walking around.  I can't imagine it would be a good thing to run into one or more at night.

Overall there isn't much to say about my visit other than it was really nice.  I plan on coming back in the daytime some day.  I'll let the pictures tell the story.

One last little thing is that I went to the cafeteria to see if I could find something appetizing to eat before I went to work.  There were a few things that looked OK, but part of me was wary that any of them would taste good.  Just as I was checking out the pre-made wraps in the fridge, this lovely lady came around the corner from behind the counter.  She nearly ran into me, but I would have loved for her to plow into me.  She was lovely, and I should have ordered something JUST to be able to talk to her for a moment.  It was getting late, and I didn't want anything to eat.

It was slow at Casa after I arrived.  At one point I busted out my phone to play some old games on an emulator.  I then figured I could spend my time editing the videos I took at Disneyland.  But then everyone started to come up to the desk hak mir nisht keyn tschaynik.  I can't win.  Of course as soon as I put my iPad away no one showed up to bother me.  Every time I tried to edit the video, someone would come up to the desk.  I gave up on trying to do any work on the desk.  I really wish I had a keyboard case for my old iPad.  I could get a lot more writing done that way.  I should just buy one.

I don't know how many times these administrative dopes have emailed me about providing the date of my work anniversary.  A date they can look up on their own, for fuck's sake.  They have access to my Munis (the online time card program).  I deleted the email.  I don't want to participate.  Leave me alone.  I don't want my work anniversary celebrated.  Fuck you.

When I wasn't dodging patrons I checked out the menu at the North Burbank Dog Haus, because TheGirl and I planned on going there tomorrow.  They have Reuben tater tots for happy hour.  I want to try them, big time.  The portion looks big, so I may just get a corn dog instead of a burger this time.  Last time we went I ordered up a burger and some tots, and I could not finish the burger.  It was too much food.  The North Burbank Dog Haus is different form the one close to Warner Bros.  I've never been there, but TheGirl says that it has a nice patio and booze.  She also has a coupon for it.  I'm game.  I like trying new places.  TheGirl and I tend to go to the same places because we know what we're getting.  More importantly, we can go with Cheyenne.

Last time I was at the market I bought some Hebrew National pigs in a blanket.  I haven't had those in a long time.  But, now that I have an air fryer I can have these sorts of foods.  Boy, they tasted super.  I only heated up four of them, because I had other food to eat for dinner.  I do love this air fryer.  It lives up to the hype.  I think so, anyway.  I thought about maybe baking some homemade bread in it.

Wednesday, October, 23, When I arrived at Brand Misa was getting a text message from Junior.  Junior was telling her about her new boyfriend.  I wanted to ask Misa about Junior's new beau, because I have a fear that Junior is being scammed.  Not that a man who is twenty years her junior wouldn't find her attractive.  Anything is possible.  What gets me is that he's supposedly famous.

I told Misa that I wanted to help Junior figure out if this guy is a fraud.  Junior is all in on this guy.  She believes he is who he says he is.  After I left Brand I thought that perhaps this guy is a real guy pretending to be this actor from Korea.  I don't want Junior to get scammed.  I've had my differences with her, but I never want anyone to be hurt.  Especially in affairs of the heart.

I guess time will tell if this guy is for real.  You never know.  When I got back to Central Junior and I started talking bout my recent trip to Disneyland, and how she wanted to take Paul there.  She started saying that she might need to have one of the Disneyland ambassadors go with them while in the park, because he's famous and he might get mobbed.  OK.

TheGirl switched the script on me saying she was craving the Smoke House instead of Dog Haus tonight.  That's cool.  I told her that Dog Haus can wait for another day.

I ordered beef stroganoff for dinner.  I polished off my plate, even though I was thinking that I really wanted those tots.  Next week, perhaps.

Thursday, October, 24, I've been so gassy this week.  I'm always gassy, but it seems like I'm extra gassy this week.  It feels like no matter how much I fart there is still another fart queued up.  ARGH!  This is some bullshit.  I hate that the pressure builds up to the point that I feel I'm going to explode.  When I was at Disneyland last week, I had the urge to lay out a giant fart nearly the entire day.  The main reason why I wanted to leave the park early was because I had a truckload of farts just bursting to fly out before dinner.  I pooped after dinner, which really helped me feel better.  But not 100%.

I left home this morning at 8:19 am and I got to work at 8:57 am.  That's nearly forty minutes, and that's nuts for a fifteen mile commute.  I asked ChatGPT to calculate my average speed.  It told me it was twenty-two miles per hour.  The Covid days are over.  I will need to adjust my schedule YET again, to make sure I'm not rushing to work.

Wikipedia describes Cheeky as a, "... sex comedy directed by Tinto Brass, with Yuliya Mayarchuk in the lead role."  That pretty much covers it, since there isn't much of a plot, other than to serve as a reason to show naked ladies.  This is NOT a knock on this movie.  It's a great movie for that reason.  Earlier this month I got an email telling me that it was coming out on Blu-ray.  I immediately bought a copy of the new 4K transfer.  Woo hoo!

I have next Tuesday off.  This means the sky's the limit when it comes to my Tuesday Adventures.  I have a free ticket to the Aquarium of the Pacific.  Which means I should go there first.  But after that I have a unique opportunity to explore places I wouldn't normally travel to.  I know there are a few things on my weekend list that are in that area.  The weekend list was something I created about a decade ago that was a list of places I should go to on the weekends.

One of the original weekend adventures was going to the Korean Friendship Bell close to San Pedro.  There's also a sub shop down there that's supposed to be really good.

I looked up diners in Long Beach and found a few that had some really good looking food.  I'm going to try to make a day of it.

Friday, October, 25, Jade told me via text that the reason why the porta potty was in front of the Adams library was because it had been stolen from another work site, and abandoned in front of the library.  All these months, I would bring up the fact that the thing was super smelly.  If I didn't keep harping on the fact that it was not OK this thing would still be in front of the library.  Thankfully they finally listened to me.  When I drove up today the porta potty was finally gone!  Woo!  I don't make much of a difference in this world, but once in a while I get something done.

The route was pretty chill today.  Not much to report about it.

I was watching the Dodger game on my TV when I decided I wanted to retire to my backyard.  I figured I could listen to the game online.  Easier said than done.  I tried a couple of websites to stream the game, but once I was outside the stream didn't work.  I tried finding the game on the website for the radio station that carries the Dodgers.  Same thing - buffering.  So, I decided to get my old reliable radio.  I have this radio just in case of an emergency.  It's great.  It has flashlights and a clock.  But the best thing is that I can hand crank it to make it work.  I got to listen to the rest of the game.  And what a game it turned out to be.

Saturday, October, 26, I'm sure I've mentioned the Queen Arms, a restaurant in Encino that was a block away from my old apartment building.  My father worked there for a brief time.  Whenever I see an online post I save it.  Mainly because there isn't much information about that place online.  Same with a place called Harvey's in Burbank.  I can't even find a picture of Harvey's.

Ilsa invited me to dinner at the Cicada a couple of months ago.  Same as last year, and the year before.  I like these dinners, but next year I'm going to suggest we do something else.  I've had my fill of these dinners.  There isn't much to report about the dinner.  It was a dinner.  I dressed up as a gangster (see above). 

I spent so $250 on dinner tonight, and I think I shouldn't have spent this much.  I did have fun dressing up as a gangster.  My costume looked pretty good, but I think that I need to get better costumes in the future.  I come to find out that I like dressing up for Halloween.

Growing up I never went trick or treating.  Just like we didn't celebrate Thanksgiving, because it was never one of our home traditions.  Still, I get why it's fun to dress up.

After dinner Ilsa was going to another party, and she asked me to drop her off.  Her phone routed us to the 101 freeway, so we went North towards the Music Center.  As I took a left turn onto Temple street I saw what I thought was a naked man.  But the man didn't have a penis, just a bush.  After thinking about it, the person was a man with a naked body costume.  A la Slim Goodbody.  The screen cap above is a little grainy to see any details, but I know what I saw.

Sunday, October, 27, I went to the market, like I normally do on Sundays.  I hadn't seen Lisa in a while.  Today I ran into her, but I didn't see her until after she walked by me.  She didn't say hi.  That to me shows me that she isn't interested in me at all.  Like there was a doubt about that.  It doesn't matter, since I know I'm just going to be a bachelor for life.  I really wanted to get to know Lisa, and of course sleep with her.  I know that I don't have the charm for this to happen.  I don't have the looks for this to happen.  Like I've said a bunch of times before, I don't have anything to offer her or any woman.

I think I mentioned that Misa said that I had a lot to offer a lady.  All she could say was that I was intelligent.  Yeah, I see the ladies breaking down my door because I'm supposedly intelligent.  Whatever!  I'm good.

I got a text today from a lady wanting to know my name.  Yeah, right.  A lady.  It's like the Algorithm is trying to have some fun with me.  It should send a real lady at me that is wonderful, that likes me, but can never be with me for some reason.  That would hurt.

Monday, October, 28, I don't know if it was my haste to get to work on time, or just being forgetful, but I forgot to bring Chan with me to work today.  Mondays and Wednesdays, Chan comes with me in order to be there when we visit TheGirl and Cheyenne.  I have forgotten Chan in the past, but it's been a LONG time since I last forgot hims.  I really felt bad.  When I got on the freeway I felt like I was forgetting something.  Obviously I didn't know what.  I told myself when I was just getting on the freeway that whatever it was that I forgot I couldn't go back home now.  I was committed to my commute.  When I got into the garage it hit me.  I was stunned.  I felt like such a dope.  It felt doubly strange when I went to TheGirl's in the evening.  A member of our family was missing.  Not good.  I have to put hims on the checklist.

When I arrived at work there were five city guys painting the back hallway.  They are getting the library ready for the upcoming opening of the new children's room and teen space in November.  Too bad they can't paint the joint every other year.  At least.

Last week I noticed a routing slip that said bookmobile.  OK, but where exactly does that go?  Does it go to one of the branches?  Does it go to the basement with the bookmobile?  Does it go somewhere else?  An email would have given me a heads up on the subject.  But Krishna isn't very good at her job, or following up.  I texted her on Friday, but she didn't get back to me until this morning.  She told me that the books go to the basement, where there is an area just for the books that are going into the bookmobile.  She also told me today in person that she would email my supervisor at Central to let everyone know that these books go to the basement.  She also mentioned that Jacklyn would be going to Central one day a week to check those books into the bookmobile officially.  The bookmobile now has a designation in the catalog program.

I wonder how long it will be until Krishna actually emails us about the bookmobile books.  I went ahead and told everyone at Circulation about the bookmobile books, because I know it will take Krishna some time to email us about this stuff.  If she ever emails us.

After I got home my aunt came into my room and asked me if I wanted to have some extra blankets.  Lady, I wanted to tell her, it's 68 degrees in my room and I'm sleeping in a tank top and boxers.  I don't want extra blankets.  I don't need them.  I'm loving the cool weather.

Tuesday, October, 29, The other night I checked my email and there was a message from the library saying that I needed to log in to their website to complete my purchase of my ticket to the Aquarium of the Pacific.  I thought the ticket was free, but it was actually a discounted ticket.  Ten bucks, but still.  Imagine the egg on my face if I showed up this morning with a worthless ticket.  I'm not sure the aquarium is worth $45.  I'm not even sure it's worth the $35 discounted ticket I got from the library.  $25 or $30 seems more like it to me.  With a child's ticket being no more than $20.  But, what do I know?  It's not like I didn't like it, but I'm glad that I got the discounted ticket.  There was no way I was going to pay full price for this.  I have to check my zoo ticket to see if that's also a discounted ticket or am I getting in for free?

It was a good time at the aquarium.  There is a lot to see, but it's not as cool as the Monterey aquarium.  That's the best aquarium I've ever visited.

Here is a short video of me walking around the Lions Lighthouse.

After the aquarium I had planned on doing a few things.  I walked around the aquarium, and then made my way to the Korean Friendship bell in San Pedro.  I thought I would have more time to do more things, but I told my aunt that I would be getting off work at 2pm.  I don't want her to know about my Tuesday Adventures.  That's none of her business.  This meant I had limited time, but I think I made the most of it.  I like Long Beach, and I think I need to spend a Saturday, or Sunday, exploring more of the sights.

Nearly twenty years ago I took a class in college named California geography.  One of the extra credit assignments was to visit the Korean Friendship bell.  I wanted to go back then, but I didn't have the time.  Well, I didn't make the time.  I was passing the class, so I didn't feel the need to get any extra credit.  It's a shame it's taken me this long to visit.  I overheard someone say that the park where it's located would be a nice place for a picnic.  While the view is tremendous, it's also super windy.  I'm not sure if anything would stay on the plate.  Mind you, it wasn't windy at the aquarium, but the bell is on a hill near a bluff.  All that wind rushes up the hill and gets pretty windy.

It was cool to check out the various birds hang gliding above the bluffs looking for food, I presume. 

Right below the Freedom Bell park I spied a lighthouse.  It was the Point Fermin lighthouse.  I went there after visiting the bell.  The park there was pretty nice, and was an even better place for a picnic.  No wind.  The lighthouse had tours, but the next tour was at 2pm, and I needed to be on my way by 2pm.  Next time.

I was just thinking about how I don't have an adventure set up for next week.  I best think of something.  I know I have the LA Zoo in December, but I have nothing for the month of November.  Better get cracking.  I like these Tuesday Adventures.  Mainly because most dopes are at work, and I don't have to run into that many people.  Good thing is that I have a list.

Wednesday, October, 30, After forgetting to bring Chan with me on Monday there was NO WAY that I was going to forget bringing hims with me today.  He was first in the car this morning.  I felt so different without hims in the car on Monday.  It's silly to say that, but it's true.

Marie from treasury was alone today, because Michelle had to deal with other business.  That meant Marie would have to process the money.  I'm OK with that.  I wish she was still the one that worked the front counter.  Alas, they gave her a promotion last year, and that means I rarely get to interact with her.  Her chest looked extra huge today.  She wore a really clingy grey blue top and a nice jacket.  She was participating in a audit later in the day, which is why she was wearing extra nice clothes.  I could almost see the outline of her bra, under her tight top.  I could have fainted.  I tried to get a picture of Marie, but I didn't want to chance it.

The children's librarian sent out an email last week asking if anyone could help out in the children's collection back to the children's room.  She sent out another email today - probably because she's desperate to find someone to help.  I'm sure no one said they could help.  Not only that, but the fact that we are running with a skeleton crew means there aren't that many people that could work those hours.  I would work it, but they would have to pay me overtime.  And they REALLY don't want to pay me overtime, because it would be $40 an hour.  I don't come cheap.

TheGirl and I like that the sun goes down earlier these days, because it means more restaurants are an option for dinner.  Tonight, however, we went to a tried and true Don Cuco's.  TheGirl suggested a burger, which Don does have one.  But, I went with the sopes instead.  Mainly so I could have some yummy meat for Cheyenne to eat.  It was actually cold enough tonight to have me put on a jacket.  It was a light jacket, but still.  Another successful dinner on a Wednesday.

Thursday, October, 31, As I was leaving this dummy lady was parking her car RIGHT in front of my trash cans.  I didn't have time to go back and place them in my driveway.  I figured that if the trash man can't pick them up, he could do it next week.  My aunt and I don't produce so much trash that we can't skip a week.  It's fine.  But I do wonder about the stupidity of parking in front of a person's trash cans.  Maybe from now on I need to place them on the street rather than on the sidewalk.

The MILF that showed up last week with the killer behind didn't show up to this week's storytime.  Boo!  For some reason some of our regulars have stopped coming all together to the Thursday storytime.  I wonder if they are burnt out.  Or are they just bored?  Oh well, what can I do?

I was talking to my coworker Vivian about TheNewCute not texting her back after she sent TheNewCute a text message recently.  I told Vivian that I have had the same experience.  I have sent TheNewCute a bunch of messages and all I get is a quick message back.  Or no response.  I told Vivian that I am always the one initiating the conversation.  She felt that it was wrong to ALWAYS be the first to text.  That's why I'm not going to text TheNewCute anymore.  I'm tired.  I have a limited amount of energy in my life to be using this much on someone that either doesn't want to hear from me, or can't make the time to keep in touch with.  So yeah, I told Vivian I'm done.

I've been testing out the new Siri with Apple Intelligence, and so far I find it a little lacking.  One time it did respond to my question about why witches are portrayed as riding brooms.  It gave me a good answer as well as a link to more information.  But on most of my inquiries Siri defaults to sending me to a website.  The answer has been on the sites i've been sent to, but I sometimes just want a quick verbal answer.  I did have Siri read me the page, because I was busy doing other things.  That worked like a charm.

One of the selling points of this AI stuff is the ability to tell the computer to make a picture just from a description.  My question is, who needs this function?  I played around with the function, but after a few minutes I get bored with it and I move on to something else.  I don't think anyone really needs to dictate a picture to a computer and have the computer make it for you.  Seems like a whole lot of nothing.

When I got home my aunt told me that she turned off the light in the living room, because she didn't want any trick or treaters thinking that we had candy for them.  Ah, the old tradition of turning off the lights on Halloween.