...and Pablo is standing on the back of the couch barking his head off. Seems like ever since the hurricane, anytime the big siren across the street goes off for any reason, he takes it personally and barks up a storm. This, from a dog who my mother swears never barks.
As for the siren, I have no idea why it does what it does. Tonite it just did the standard siren sound, several times up and down the scale, then a few minutes later the fire department (or at least part of it) went by with their own sirens on. So maybe this one was a call to the volunteers to get downtown and go on a call.
Then on other occasions, it does something that vaguely resembles those chimes that grandfather clocks do, only very much electronic and fake sounding. And very loud.
And sometimes it blows in different patterns, with no discernible reason. I personally think it might be nice if someone official one day would explain what the various sounds indicate. When I lived in Ohio, everyone knew what the various types of sounds meant, and most of them had to do with tornadoes. Here, where I don't think there has ever been a tornado, they blow the siren for different reasons, but I don't know anyone who knows what they are trying to tell us. So if they sounded a tsunami alarm, for example, I doubt anyone in town would have any idea they were about to momentarily be wiped off the face of the planet.
Maybe it's better not to know? Considering it is highly unlikely that one could do anything about it anyhow....geography is not exactly our friend here. We're on a peninsula of sand about a quarter mile wide at its widest point, with the ocean on one side and an estuary on the other. So if that tsunami did come for us, we'd be gone before you could spell check it. Gives new meaning to living on the edge.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Weather and social media
Are those two things actually related? They seem to bear some similarities, I think. Around here, the weather is something that is almost constantly on one's mind. The last few days have been very cold and extremely windy. Brings up the question of how to get the dog out of the house to do his business, and whether I actually can bear to take him out to do it. I suspect if there is not a human on the other end of the leash, poor Pablo would blow away in the gale. And he looks as though he is freezing to death, even in his warm coat.
On other people's minds, but not on mine, social media seems to be the object of a lot of attention. I am getting barraged by requests to "friend" people I've never even heard of - and this is on a Facebook thing that I don't do anything with, I only made a login so I could look at something a real friend of mine put up there. Then there are the people (some of whom I actually do know personally) who want to attach to me with Linkedin. I frankly have no clue what one does with either of these things. Aside from not having the time to find out, I have little to no interest in learning.
Bottom line - if you want to be my friend, pick up the phone and call me once in a while. I usually answer the phone, and unless I choose to unplug the whole apparatus, my calls follow me on my mobile, so I am almost always available. Except when I'm in the opera house, then I shut the thing off entirely. If for some reason I don't answer, leave a message. That's what voice mail is for. And yes, I do know how to listen to my voice mails. I'm not that old fashioned.
On other people's minds, but not on mine, social media seems to be the object of a lot of attention. I am getting barraged by requests to "friend" people I've never even heard of - and this is on a Facebook thing that I don't do anything with, I only made a login so I could look at something a real friend of mine put up there. Then there are the people (some of whom I actually do know personally) who want to attach to me with Linkedin. I frankly have no clue what one does with either of these things. Aside from not having the time to find out, I have little to no interest in learning.
Bottom line - if you want to be my friend, pick up the phone and call me once in a while. I usually answer the phone, and unless I choose to unplug the whole apparatus, my calls follow me on my mobile, so I am almost always available. Except when I'm in the opera house, then I shut the thing off entirely. If for some reason I don't answer, leave a message. That's what voice mail is for. And yes, I do know how to listen to my voice mails. I'm not that old fashioned.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
One week in...
...and it looks like 2012 is going to be more of the same. Hot and cold mixed at very short intervals - it was down to 10F and up to 63F this week. Tried to rain with little effect. Mostly cloudy, but mostly sunny, not at the same time. WINDY....one night I was convinced the entire north side of my house was going to loose its siding, and I would be dragging it back from the middle of Ocean Ave in the morning. It didn't get quite that bad, but I spent a good day fretting over it, and trying to find one of my many handy-persons who might be able to stop by and reattach what was trying to leave. In the process I broke three nails and skinned two knuckles, my fretting being accompanied by numerous attempts to put in the fix myself, (all of which blew away) even to the extent of trying in vain to drive a nail thru the vinyl to make it stay. It stays about as good as the dog does, which is to say, not very well.
It gets exciting around here, but rarely the type of exciting one might actually wish for.
When my handy-person finally got here, there was much cursing and a bit of banging, and I think he actually glued the siding together so the wind couldn't get under the overlap and tear it asunder again. Considering the wind was still going at about 50 mph when he was doing this, plus the temp was in the low teens, I can't say I blame him for cursing just a bit.
So it looks as if we might be in for a new siding job, come spring. Well, after tax season, anyway, which I suppose puts us nearer to summer. I wonder if it might be possible to have the house covered in Lego bricks? It would certainly be colorful, which appeals to me, and the interlocking brick effect would seem to be sturdier than the traditional siding. With super glue to hold it together, it might just last forever.
The problem is deciding on a pattern. Should it be random, or ought I have someone design a series of murals for it? Would I need a special permit for the murals? Does the town (or the neighbors) have rights of approval for an artistic treatment?
Sigh. Too many questions, far too many possibilities. If this goes the way of most issues which have too many potential answers, it too will not get done in my lifetime. I am good at deciding between a and b. Once you throw in c thru z as options, I can't make my mind up, and generally wind up doing nothing. It's safer that way. Less exciting, yes, and definitely safer.
It gets exciting around here, but rarely the type of exciting one might actually wish for.
When my handy-person finally got here, there was much cursing and a bit of banging, and I think he actually glued the siding together so the wind couldn't get under the overlap and tear it asunder again. Considering the wind was still going at about 50 mph when he was doing this, plus the temp was in the low teens, I can't say I blame him for cursing just a bit.
So it looks as if we might be in for a new siding job, come spring. Well, after tax season, anyway, which I suppose puts us nearer to summer. I wonder if it might be possible to have the house covered in Lego bricks? It would certainly be colorful, which appeals to me, and the interlocking brick effect would seem to be sturdier than the traditional siding. With super glue to hold it together, it might just last forever.
The problem is deciding on a pattern. Should it be random, or ought I have someone design a series of murals for it? Would I need a special permit for the murals? Does the town (or the neighbors) have rights of approval for an artistic treatment?
Sigh. Too many questions, far too many possibilities. If this goes the way of most issues which have too many potential answers, it too will not get done in my lifetime. I am good at deciding between a and b. Once you throw in c thru z as options, I can't make my mind up, and generally wind up doing nothing. It's safer that way. Less exciting, yes, and definitely safer.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
The longest train ride ever
I got on the train in 2011, got off it in 2012....
Ok, so I'm cheating a bit. It was only the usual not quite 2 hours on NJT in the middle of the night, it just happened to be New Year's Eve when I left NYC, ahead of the drunken raucous Times Square crowd, and consequently early morning Jan 1, 2012 when I landed at the station where my car was faithfully awaiting my return.
The crowd in Penn Station looked like a regular late night crowd, with the addition of a few dozen (or more) personnel in army garb and external flak vests, toting large automatic rifles and such. I got on the 11.07 train, neatly missing the revelers who were no doubt still occupying Times Square waiting for the ball (or is it still a rather large apple???) to drop.
I take pride in the fact that this is the first NYE I have ever spent in NYC, even including my time in college in the city. I am also proud of the fact that I have never done Times Square for The Event (it's such a tourist thing). Attribute that to the fact that I don't do well in crowds, both noise-wise and claustrophobia-wise.
Interesting that even the NYPD was decked out in full riot gear, sans helmets. I suppose they had the helmets tucked away in a safe yet easily accessible place, in case. In case of what, I don't care to speculate.
I spoke to one of the Army dudes, and he thought it was getting weird already. I advised him that this was just a normal looking late night at Penn Station, just wait a while. I have to admit, tho, that while I don't care for the feeling of being an occupied territory, it is kind of nice to have those people (guys and dolls) carrying heavy artillery keeping an eye out for who knows what. It's a bit of overkill for the run of the mill drunks. But if it deters some lowlife from trying to lift my wallet, fine by me.
So, as a result of my off-peak train ride, I was somewhere just south of Perth Amboy when the clock struck midnight. Contrary to popular belief, I did not turn into a pumpkin on the stroke of 12. Neither did my car, for that matter.
As far as I know, noone puked on the train, which is better than the usual late night ride. And only one man of whom I was aware slept through his stop (plus two after it), with a conductor standing over him yelling at him to wake up and get off the train. The crew was mostly the same guys who take the 12.05 down during the week. Nice people, tough if they need to be. Gotta say that about NJT, the people are good. It's the service that usually stinks.
So. Pablo is down the block with his third family, having an sleepover. I get to sleep alone. My feet will be colder than usual, but I won't have him shaking and scritching every time I turn over. I count my blessings, small as they may be.
Good night, and happy new year!
Ok, so I'm cheating a bit. It was only the usual not quite 2 hours on NJT in the middle of the night, it just happened to be New Year's Eve when I left NYC, ahead of the drunken raucous Times Square crowd, and consequently early morning Jan 1, 2012 when I landed at the station where my car was faithfully awaiting my return.
The crowd in Penn Station looked like a regular late night crowd, with the addition of a few dozen (or more) personnel in army garb and external flak vests, toting large automatic rifles and such. I got on the 11.07 train, neatly missing the revelers who were no doubt still occupying Times Square waiting for the ball (or is it still a rather large apple???) to drop.
I take pride in the fact that this is the first NYE I have ever spent in NYC, even including my time in college in the city. I am also proud of the fact that I have never done Times Square for The Event (it's such a tourist thing). Attribute that to the fact that I don't do well in crowds, both noise-wise and claustrophobia-wise.
Interesting that even the NYPD was decked out in full riot gear, sans helmets. I suppose they had the helmets tucked away in a safe yet easily accessible place, in case. In case of what, I don't care to speculate.
I spoke to one of the Army dudes, and he thought it was getting weird already. I advised him that this was just a normal looking late night at Penn Station, just wait a while. I have to admit, tho, that while I don't care for the feeling of being an occupied territory, it is kind of nice to have those people (guys and dolls) carrying heavy artillery keeping an eye out for who knows what. It's a bit of overkill for the run of the mill drunks. But if it deters some lowlife from trying to lift my wallet, fine by me.
So, as a result of my off-peak train ride, I was somewhere just south of Perth Amboy when the clock struck midnight. Contrary to popular belief, I did not turn into a pumpkin on the stroke of 12. Neither did my car, for that matter.
As far as I know, noone puked on the train, which is better than the usual late night ride. And only one man of whom I was aware slept through his stop (plus two after it), with a conductor standing over him yelling at him to wake up and get off the train. The crew was mostly the same guys who take the 12.05 down during the week. Nice people, tough if they need to be. Gotta say that about NJT, the people are good. It's the service that usually stinks.
So. Pablo is down the block with his third family, having an sleepover. I get to sleep alone. My feet will be colder than usual, but I won't have him shaking and scritching every time I turn over. I count my blessings, small as they may be.
Good night, and happy new year!
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