Tuesday, December 30, 2003
from times square
i am on a yahoo internet station in the visitors center in times square. it's free. this post is just an excuse to blog from times square. i guess i might as well stop then.
Monday, December 29, 2003
post christmas post
well, christmas is over. so far so good. unlike old ash, it seems i bought most of my presents myself. a few i turned over to my parents (who seemingly hadn't found anything for me) to then wrap and give to me. they did provide cash though. (ole pop is an engineer and keeps a running total of the cost associated with gifts to ensure that they're roughly equal for each child.)
little bro i think was too lazy to pack and therefore avoided the annual sojurn to the less old york. here we do the ritual gift exchange, character sniping, judging, hugging, gaming, and eating common to most families. i got some cool relatives, but unsurprising to many - many are also rather unique.
well, there was a plan to meet up with a buddy who's with his family in the northeast on new year's eve in nyc. sounds good. the only problem is that i didn't write down his cell phone number. (i assumed it was in my caller id list...but didn't find it.)
i drove separately this time (first time we've tried this), so i have been left behind and going to be visiting the big forbidden city solo for the next day or two. on the eve, i should at least be able to meet up with a good friend who's now at nyu law. i may stay another day to see a different good friend (@ nyu for math graduate school) who'll be returning then.
right now, i'm at my grandma's. i drove her (and her dog) back from my uncle's where the horde congregated. apparently she does have working internet - but no local access number for earthlink (and possibly any major isp).
the plan is to get up at like 5 and drive to a place (supposedly about 45 mins away) i've never been with sketchy directions to go to a train station. there i'll hopefully be able to park and - after a two-hour trainride - arrive in nyc.
this whole idea may be a big failure, but at least i'm not kicking myself for not trying. i sure hope i can contact my buddy. the return trip would be much nicer with a passenger. i tend to fall asleep when driving.
little bro i think was too lazy to pack and therefore avoided the annual sojurn to the less old york. here we do the ritual gift exchange, character sniping, judging, hugging, gaming, and eating common to most families. i got some cool relatives, but unsurprising to many - many are also rather unique.
well, there was a plan to meet up with a buddy who's with his family in the northeast on new year's eve in nyc. sounds good. the only problem is that i didn't write down his cell phone number. (i assumed it was in my caller id list...but didn't find it.)
i drove separately this time (first time we've tried this), so i have been left behind and going to be visiting the big forbidden city solo for the next day or two. on the eve, i should at least be able to meet up with a good friend who's now at nyu law. i may stay another day to see a different good friend (@ nyu for math graduate school) who'll be returning then.
right now, i'm at my grandma's. i drove her (and her dog) back from my uncle's where the horde congregated. apparently she does have working internet - but no local access number for earthlink (and possibly any major isp).
the plan is to get up at like 5 and drive to a place (supposedly about 45 mins away) i've never been with sketchy directions to go to a train station. there i'll hopefully be able to park and - after a two-hour trainride - arrive in nyc.
this whole idea may be a big failure, but at least i'm not kicking myself for not trying. i sure hope i can contact my buddy. the return trip would be much nicer with a passenger. i tend to fall asleep when driving.
Wednesday, December 24, 2003
the cars
i intended to write up a few trivia night recaps. instead i have another automobile incident:
i went to a christmas open house. was quite a nice place. bro and i went to walmart (only place open) to try to find something for tother siblings. no luck. dropped him off and met up with a buddy. we end up going to wendy's and then he drops me back off at my car as he has to pack to leave in the morn.
i considering going into the restaurant where i'd parked - two attractive blondes had just parked and were walking in - but i decided to just go home. i pulled out of the parking lot and proceeded up to the stoplight. it's a pretty big intersection - two four-lane roads cross - and of course had turning lanes and stoplights. as i'm sitting there, i'm faced with four lanes. from left to right as i'm looking at it - the first two should have cars going in the opposite direction, two going my direction. instead it's "empty lane, car, car, empty lane." i'm staring at a car in my lane going the wrong direction, stopped at the light. when the light turns green, i expect the car to be rather embarassed and quickly turn and leave. i wait for it to do so, but it doesn't move. i then start moving forward (and move to the next lane).
as i pass the car, i look at the driver in the car going the correct direction and give the whole - what's with this guy look? i remember a red (not necessarily bright red), small car. i tend to think i saw a girl. anyway, i pass by and continue heading down the road.
about 30 yards there is a car blocking all of one lane and part of another (mostly perpendicular). i stop and ask if they're ok. there are two women - one older and one younger. they say they were just hit by a hit and run driver who was driving the wrong direction. the cops are called. the first cop that shows up asks where it went. we point and he floors it - literally tearing up the road as he accelerates.
as he turns and speeds off, we notice an ambulance heading the same direction with lights flashing. the ambulance is not headed towards the hospital. we wonder if the driver has been in another accident. the older woman doesn't seem to be doing too well. the accident itself doesn't seem too bad. it was a basic sideswipe; the headon collision was apparently narrowly averted. another cop shows up. this time it's a young woman cop. she gets my info (eyewitness and contact). i say adieu and head home...and post.
i went to a christmas open house. was quite a nice place. bro and i went to walmart (only place open) to try to find something for tother siblings. no luck. dropped him off and met up with a buddy. we end up going to wendy's and then he drops me back off at my car as he has to pack to leave in the morn.
i considering going into the restaurant where i'd parked - two attractive blondes had just parked and were walking in - but i decided to just go home. i pulled out of the parking lot and proceeded up to the stoplight. it's a pretty big intersection - two four-lane roads cross - and of course had turning lanes and stoplights. as i'm sitting there, i'm faced with four lanes. from left to right as i'm looking at it - the first two should have cars going in the opposite direction, two going my direction. instead it's "empty lane, car, car, empty lane." i'm staring at a car in my lane going the wrong direction, stopped at the light. when the light turns green, i expect the car to be rather embarassed and quickly turn and leave. i wait for it to do so, but it doesn't move. i then start moving forward (and move to the next lane).
as i pass the car, i look at the driver in the car going the correct direction and give the whole - what's with this guy look? i remember a red (not necessarily bright red), small car. i tend to think i saw a girl. anyway, i pass by and continue heading down the road.
about 30 yards there is a car blocking all of one lane and part of another (mostly perpendicular). i stop and ask if they're ok. there are two women - one older and one younger. they say they were just hit by a hit and run driver who was driving the wrong direction. the cops are called. the first cop that shows up asks where it went. we point and he floors it - literally tearing up the road as he accelerates.
as he turns and speeds off, we notice an ambulance heading the same direction with lights flashing. the ambulance is not headed towards the hospital. we wonder if the driver has been in another accident. the older woman doesn't seem to be doing too well. the accident itself doesn't seem too bad. it was a basic sideswipe; the headon collision was apparently narrowly averted. another cop shows up. this time it's a young woman cop. she gets my info (eyewitness and contact). i say adieu and head home...and post.
