Yelp!!

I don't think I mentioned that I just started "Yelp"-ing a few days ago. I'm not really well versed in restaurant reviewing, but you have to start somewhere, right? I usually feel compelled to review a place right after I've had some anger inciting restaurant experience, but I'm hoping that this will eventually progress into more placid reviews inspired by good experiences and hopefully, avocados.

Here's what I've written so far: http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=vyMQiSTfNc8aC-dVd74ngA&fsid=KfiIQhLtKIPXpVlnM0XeRg

Animal farm

I've written a total of 21 posts since joining the Blogosphere, and not once, until now, have I mentioned my cat. This is because, contrary to popular opinion, I am not a crazy cat lady. Somehow my sister escapes this branding, even though she has TWO cats, one of whom is fatter than your mom (sorry).

The reason I bring up my cat, Charlie, or "Chubs," is because he drools. When I come home each night, he slobbers all over me, making sure to bury his little face in my hair while doing so. When I haven't been home for one night or more, the intensity of the drool increases into a St. Bernard (Beethoven)-esque pool of grossness. In the same way that I google or WebMD all of my ailments to conclude that I am dying of an incurable disease, I googled "cat drool." And I found that my dear Chubs awaits the same deadly fates that I do. It's either gingivitis, or impending kidney failure, or possibly just an emotional reaction to the stress caused by my periodical absence. I'm going to go with the latter, because I can't afford the others. Possibly gingivitis, but if I start brushing my cat's teeth, then I'm definitely a cat lady.

Also on the subject of animals...my Aunt's accidentally promiscuous horse had another baby this morning. This means my horse, Aesop, in Florida, has a sibling. Cute. I'll get to see the happy family in April.

Here's the drooling fool:


And, a little fuzzy (pun intended), but here's the little guy, Blaze. This guy was born THIS MORNING. And he's that big. I'm glad I'm not a horse mama.

On second thought

I take back the total excitement of my last post. I forgot how Mr. Softee likes to park directly below my window and play his not so sweet anymore chimes over and over and over again.

We all scream

Spring is here!! Know how I know? Because I just heard the sweet sweet chimes of the Mr. Softee truck. Yee haw!

That's it for now...

No Sleep 'Til...

I had a really awesome Brooklyn kind of day on Saturday. On the way to go to the Brooklyn Museum for the first time, we stopped at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, not because we hadn't been there before or even really wanted to go, but because it's free before 12pm on Saturdays! And it was 11:45am, so who wouldn't want to stick it to the man (I guess) by going anyway?

In one of the greenhouses, I learned that the word Bonsai, as in Bonsai trees, is actually pronounced "Bone-sigh." Who knew? I've been saying Bon-zi my whole life. Knowledge!

Then, the Brooklyn Museum. A good time. I saw the installation "The Dinner Party" by Judy Chicago. Lots of representational vaginas. Then on to the Hernan Bas special exhibit. Interesting, but not my favorite. I'm not sure how to explain that, so go see for yourself.

After a long day of walking, we ended up at the Brooklyn Library to finish the Brooklyn trilogy of events. I picked up a ridiculously tattered copy of Paul Auster's "Moon Palace," which I was reading in August when I left it on a plane in Minnesota en route home from Alaska. I finally got to finish the last 50 pages of the book while sitting next to the boy who is from the Twin Cities where I left my copy. All while sitting under a large photo of Jonathan Lethem peering down on me. Probably judging me for not liking his book. Coincidences.

Served! Again.

Over the last 3 years, I have served as a standby telephone juror 3-4 times, always during holiday weeks, and I also receive "eligibility for jury" questionnaires on what seems like a bi-monthly basis. So, on my last questionnaire, I decided to be a brat and write a comment expressing my irritation. I mostly wanted to know if there was some glitch in the system, because I thought that once you served, you had at least a year or 2 of peace before they bugged you again. That was about a month ago. Last night I got a jury duty summons in the mail. I should have known...

So even though St. Patrick's day isn't really a major holiday like the Thanksgiving and Christmas weeks that I usually spend dutifully calling the courts after 5pm every evening, it's still in line with King's County courts trying to put a damper on my holiday fun. I figure if I show up with a beer and slur some words about everyone being guilty, they'll let me off the hook pretty quickly.

Random

These signs on the subways and buses have been getting to me lately. Don't be stupid and go assaulting the MTA personnel. We all know that. I know the monthly pass fare is about to go up, but don't take your frustrations out on them. But, if you do, fear not. The maximum amount of time you will be in prison is 7 years. No longer than that. So if you can handle 7 years (maybe even less than that!) go right ahead??Same with the "no smoking" signs in elevators that assure you that your fine for doing so will NOT exceed $25.00. So, if you're in the elevator, and you really need that cigarette, just rest assured that you will not be charged more than $25. Phew.