I've discovered that one of the best things about working from home is being able to sing really loud the best songs that come on WFUV, especially since I work somewhere near Paterson ...


Transit by Richard Shindell
from the album Somewhere Near Paterson

The merge from the turnpike was murder, but it’s never a cinch
It was Friday at five, and no one was giving an inch
They squeezed and the edged and they glared
Half them clearly impaired by rage or exhaustion
The rest were just touchy as hell

Somewhere near Paterson everything slowed to a crawl
The all-news station was thanking someone for the call
It’s a van from St. Agnes's choir
There's a nun out there changing a tire
By the time they got by her, tempers were out of control

So they all hit the gas in a dash for position
Bobbing and weaving and flashing their high beams
Flipping the bird and screaming obscenities
A well-insured hoard hell-bent on Saturday

And so they continued westbound and into the sun
Law and decorum constraining nary a one
By then it was devil-may-care
Not one even vaguely aware
That they had come all the way to the Delaware Water Gap

But how had it happened? They had all missed their exits
How had it happened? Was it some kind of vortex?
And in they all went, bumper to bumper
Faster and faster, no sign of a trooper
In they all went, like sheep to the slaughter
Bankers and carpenters, doctors and lawyers
And in they all went, families in minivans
Ashcroft republicans, weekend militiamen
They followed the river, and rounded the bend
Between Minsi and Tammany and into their destiny
Lying in ambush right their before them
The angry old sun right on the horizon

Sister Maria tightened the bolts of the spare
She said a quick prayer and put the old van into gear
Thank God that the traffic was light
If she hurried she might not be late
For that evening’s performance at the state penitentiary
She entered the common room and their was her choir
Altos and baritones, basses and tenors
Car thieves and crack dealers, mobsters and murderers
Husbands and sons, fathers and brothers
And so it began in glorious harmony
Softly and tenderly –– calling for you and me
With the interstate whining way off in the distance
And the sun going down through the bars of the prison
They poured out their souls, they poured out their memories
They poured out their hopes for what’s left of eternity
To sister Maria –– her soul like a prism
For the light of forgiveness on all of their faces

Good news to report, fair people. Not only did the new power supply work, but it was much reduced in price thanks to the impending closing of ye olde CompUSA stores in NY and NJ, the service center of which, you might recall, is my tech repair nemesis, and thusly I will not shed a tear to see them go away, prithee posthaste.

In other good news, I have secured excellent seats to both Genesis and The Police. Huzzah! Freelance is going well, and other plans are coming together.

Now if only my phone were working, it would be a very good week ...

No one should fear that I'll be posting every day now that I am working at home ... but I just wanted to say how much I hate computers. Or maybe I should say that I find much joy in a quick, powerful WORKING computer but pure choler for a computer that decides to crap out. That computer happens to be my "relatively" new, well-stocked computer. The one that for the past 6 months or more rebooted constantly, especially when I was about to save something important or read a work e-mail message or send something to someone. I tried many tricks I read on boards and heard from friends in the field. Tonight we had a posse here to try the old System Restore disk as one of our last resorts, and of course my old faithful kept rebooting during the system restore. This led me to start thinking of all kinds of new words that I could spit at it, but in the end I was just too worn out to spit or even whisper. I have determined that it must be a teenage girl computer with lots of hormonal issues and misdirected crankiness. Those are just the vibes I get.

Next we will try replacing the power supply, and then if that does not work, I am calling the company for more of their suggestions (the first was to system restore, and that worked well, didn't it?). Knock on wood, I do have a backup computer now, so I am working on that in the meantime. I did transfer all my files to that system through my flash drive, so at least all is not lost. Otherwise I'd be curled up under the covers with no plans to come out. Did I mention that computers make me crazy?

I also must say that my access to a new and good Mac (on which I write this right now) has not convinced me to go over to one myself for a permanent next system. I can't stand the keyboard commands (perhaps adjustable), and my freelance work is harder for me with this system. Without going into detail, I just work better on a PC.

In any case, I was able to get more done on my second day working at home. And tomorrow I should be in full swing.

"I’d be overwhelmed, but it’s just one more thing to do."

Yesterday was a fresh start. I got up the same time I always do, showered, had breakfast, and sat at my work computer to take up my new freelancing life. The radio was on, the edits were flowing, and I was feeling good.

About 2 hours in, my friend D stopped by with flowers and creme cakes -- gifts for the new corporation. :) Very sweet. After she left, the phone rang. Mom checked in. I said I'd be taking my "lunch hour" to run errands, and she suggested that since I'd be in the area, I could stop by for lunch with her, dad, and my uncle. We talked a bit, I checked things with her on the net, and then I hung up. I worked another half hour and then jumped in the car to head out.

I spent an hour at the parents' house lunching and chatting, then headed over to the closing-up "last-job" office building to pick up some sample copies that will help me in my new work but didn't seem to get packed in my car on Friday. My friend A had come in also to finish up some packing and work, and we talked for a while about the trip we are planning, now delayed, and work life and other things; then I picked up some copies and headed back out.

I hit the bank, post office box, and CVS, then headed back home. Four hours later.

I quickly jumped back on the computer, then the cat quickly jumped on my lap (10 minutes petting), then I spent about an hour editing before R came home and asked how my first day went.

"It was like orientation," I said. I just have to get used to the newness of it all. And try not to leave the house!

A few months ago I saw a piece on the NYC restaurant Blossom on Food Network, and I scribbled down the restaurant name on a sticky note, thinking that once February came around, I could take my favorite vegan out for a birthday lunch. So Feb. 25, we were off to 9th Ave.

K was completely excited, rarely finding an entire menu from which she can order anything (and it's all organic too!). She likes Millennium in SF, but how often can she go there? And even that is just vegetarian.

So in keeping with the mood of the day to save and protect living things, we hopped on the bus and took the half-hour ride to Port Authority. We caught a cab in front of the Ralph Kramden bus driver statue and made our way over to the restaurant. We found the cozy place near the corner, and we followed instructions to ring the bell at the white door next to the restaurant. And we waited. And waited. Finally I called the restaurant and asked the waitress to let us in, because the door was locked and we were freezing! She apologized, and the mysterious white door opened.

The place was warm, with a modern fireplace and amber and black decor. The waitress was friendly and took our order:

K
The BLT (southern fried tofu, tempeh bacon, lettuce, tomato, & chipolte aoili on ciabatta bread)
Fries
Mashed potato side (one side for both of us to try. Yes, we are potato heads!)

A
Sweet potato soup
Field green salad (mixed greens, grilled pears, miso tofu, candied walnuts, shallot vinaigrette)

And both of us, for dessert ... chocolate ganache (on a long, thin, white rectangle plate, from left to right, two large circles of raspberry sauce, a scoop of a type of chocolate gelato, and the rich ganache cake. Heaven.)

Everything was very good: My grilled pears were perfectly done, and the walnuts were sweet and tender. The mashed potatoes were creamy and infused with a warm garlic flavor. But I'd get a sandwich or stir fry next time, which I think better shows off what they can do with organic vegan. At least, after having tried K's delicious sandwich, it seems that way.

I'm sure we'll end up going back, but perhaps for dinner next time, and certainly not until after baby K comes into the world. In the meantime, here's to mass transportation and meals sans animaux.