New drug names are laughable

Whenever I see a new drug advertized on TV, the names seem really outrageous and stupid. I don't know what it is for, but a new one is Latudo.

The lowland (audiobook), by Jhumpa Lahiri. Not wonderful, but I listened to the entire thing. Did it get better as it went along? Not sure. Two brothers, living in Calcutta, India. One goes to the states to study and live (Rhode Island) and the other one stays at home, gets married, is involved in revolutionary secretive activities and dies. The other brother marries his wife and takes care of his child, but everyone seems to be hidden and silent and unhappy. This problem continues into the next generation.

Good things about retirement:
- you don't have to set the alarm
- you can appreciate the fine days during the fine hours
- you don't have to rush out and get your car fixed in order to get to work
- you don't have to be rushing and speeding all the time
- I don't have a boss

Monday update

Rose Gold (book) : an Easy Rawlins mystery, by Walter Mosley. Was glad when this book was over. He gets a bit carried away with all of the characters...so many to keep track of.

Enjoyed starting off the week with yoga at 10:30 AM. Gained a pound of two so I was feeling quite sluggish. Also no exercise over the weekend. I would like to count the dancing I did at a wedding Friday.

Did get a few things done staying home all afternoon and evening on Sunday. I needed to be home since I have something to do every night until Saturday. And I don't really LIKE to go out at night. But not reading anything really engrossing now and that is primarily what I do after dark. It is getting unpleasantly cold. But the winter nightgown and socks and the two blankets were a bit much. Woke up HOT in the middle of the night.

It's better if I stay home

Had to go pick someone up yesterday in an unusual place since she is living with her son. Started out following my MapQuest directions as I was trying to find a shorter way to get there than the one she suggested. First problem is I run into a TRAFFIC JAM on a highway where I usually just tool along at 65 miles per hour. They were repaving Route 55 and not only was it slow, they had CLOSED MY EXIT. So, I was really stewing and cursing and wishing for an anxiety pill and had to drive about 15 minutes to get extra far from my destination. Then I underwent a sudden panic attack and had to pay $2.99 for 24 hours of Sprint Navigator on my phone. I was suddenly very unsure about where I was and where I was going. So, it took me about an hour of driving to get to the first phase of my journey. Then another hour to get to Philly and was forced to drive fast due to fears of being late for the theater. Two setbacks in Philly....my street was closed and then more streets were blocked off due to the annual OUTFEST. The play was good (Rapture, blister and burn), the dinner was good and the drive home long and dark. More streets blocked off but I overcame it. Was in a bit of a snit about the whole thing. The entire expedition took me from 11:30 AM until 8:15 PM. At least I got home in time to watch the Eagles beat the Giants. I had to turn it off at half time cause I can't stand to watch the sacking and the grandstanding. Happy that the Eagles did well anyway.

Those darn squirrels! (book), by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri. Spoke to my condition as I have a squirrel living in my ceiling. A very cute children's book about a man trying to defeat the squirrels and then giving in and appreciating them.

Younger next year...for women (book), by Chris Crowley and Henry S. Lodge. Got this book on interlibrary loan. So hard to follow their advice which is to exercise HARD 6 days a week and don't eat crap. Already, I feel my will to exercise today sinking. Their philosophy is that you are either growing or deteriorating and the only way to grow is to move. I agree but it is so hard.

Feeling invisible

Sometimes feeling invisible is bad and sometimes I WANT to be invisible. A woman of a certain age gets to feeling invisible. Flirting works better with infants than with men these days. Also feel like a follower not a leader, an attender not an organizer.

Things that make me feel old:

- the restaurant where my 60th birthday party was held has been torn down
- my mother and two friends that were present at that party are dead
- I still think tattoos are LOW CLASS
- I am still LEASING a telephone
- I have never spent money on a television

There is a lot of new music I want to hear/get - Stevie Nicks, Jackson Brown, Prince, Leonard Cohen. Right now am enjoying a new album on Hoopla
- 24 karat gold - songs from the vault (album) by Stevie Nicks. Especially loving the songs Twisted and Lady!

A very self-indulgent day

Had a manicure AND a pedicure AND a chiropractic adjustment AND an hour massage all in one day. Plus, eating out all day, which is very self-indulgent and not so healthy.
Now I don't feel like going to the training I was going to go to tonight. But, I guess I should since it is only one hour. Training to work with the homeless this winter for the CODE BLUE program. Sheltering the homeless only when it is really cold or really wet. I SHOULD get involved, but do I really WANT to?

I work at a public library (book) : a collection of crazy stories - - from the stacks - - ., by Gina Sheridan. First, let me say that I should have written this book. It is filled with some of the outrageous, stupid, unbelievable, annoying, surprising things that can happen while working with the public. Nothing I really highlighted but some laugh out loud moments, for sure.

Feed (audiobook), by M. T. Anderson. Quite clever book for teenagers making me reevaluate my dislike of science fiction. Fast forward to the future, to the post-print society, when all information is beamed directly into your brain by "the feed", including peppy music and advertizements all geared to your interests. You can shop online, chat with your friends, watch TV, get high and so on. Titus meets a more serious girl on a trip to the moon (which is on the way to becoming the 51st state). Her old fashioned attitudes ruin his good time and make him think.

Headphones on.....

Enjoying Youtube....Train and 50 ways to say goodbye. Using the computer at the Millville Public Library. I enjoy the quiet sounds of a library. Had to get out the headphones when I started fixating on woman sniffling, patron with that really annoying bird-like phone cheep, other ignorant, too loud patrons conversing.

Tuck everlasting (audio book), by Natalie Babbitt. Has been on my list a long time, not sure why. Charming tale of a young girl who meets a rather strange family. They tell a tale of living forever and try to convince her it is not a good idea. Who will learn and use the secret?

Yikes! I tried to get into the library before the school kids. Now they are driving me a bit crazy.

It has been four days since I got online. My pile of things to do is growing, as my piles are wont to do.

The never-ending two-for-one deal

So, I go to MacDonald's, buy something and fill out the survey form on the Internet. For doing this, I get two for the price of one. When I go to pick them up, I get ANOTHER receipt and fill out ANOTHER survey and get yet ANOTHER two for one deal. It may be that this campaign has an end...otherwise I am trapped in this endlessly repeating cycle! I spend a lot of time filling out surveys online and so far I have not won any free movies or any sweepstakes. The best thing I got was a free chicken sandwich at Chick-fil-a and I didn't even have to buy anything. It was a bit salty and came with only a pickle and some white bread but the price made it extra delicious even though it is not the most healthy choice and I shouldn't really be frequenting Chick-fil-A at all due to their anti-gay stance.

Aimless love (audio book), by Billy Collins. It was only one CD but I LOVE Billy Collins. He is just so accessible as a poet. My favorites are The trouble with poetry and The golden years.

Hanging out at my previous place of employment today. Trials and tribulations there. I call it "the law of untended consequences". They are getting a new roof, but a recent rainstorm FLOODED the place where the roof hadn't been very well finished. Upgraded the memory on the computers, but now they are printing an extra blank page at the end of everyone's documents for which they need to be reimbursed. The best laid plans.....