Well it’s Boxing Day in most English speaking countries, but not here. Would be nice, but if it was going to happen, it would have happened already. Last night was very mellow, just relaxing, watching the telly. Not much else to do. Which was just as well since I had to go to work today. I was hoping to do nothing this week, but there were going to be one or two in the office and they simply could not be there on their own. So being the new guy, since April, it was up to me to come in. I decided not to hustle as I usually do on actual work days. It wasn’t going to matter anyway, and I arrived in the office only a half hour late, getting in at 8:30.

Of course, no one was in, and I set about starting up machines, making coffee and changing tapes. There were stacks of mail from Friday and Monday that needed to be attended to so I set about that, also gathering the various presents for Annemarie, Rex and Earl that I had shipped to the office, so that I could ship them from work this week. Elizabeth, one of the managing partners made it into the office, did whatever she needed to do and said good bye an hour later, also saying that I should leave too. I had no problem with that and after a few more things that I needed to do I was out of the office shortly after 11:00.

I was basically in for two and a half hours, which I would have spent sleeping otherwise, at least partially. The only people walking around midtown Manhattan today were tourists it seemed, a lot of people had taken the day or the week off. I have to go in to work tomorrow, for a few hours again, and it doesn’t bother me really. Still some odds and ends to look after. Tonight promises to be a mellow night again.

Interesting thing, yesterday as I was writing the blog I found myself thinking of being attacked by a tiger, in an office no less. In my mind I was picturing myself, trying to find something in an attempt to kill the tiger before it killed me. The classic tiger in the office scenario, I know, such a tired cliché. When I posted, a while later I was watching the news and word of a tiger attack, in California, but not in an office. I just thought that interesting. Now the latest vision is of me winning the lottery. Let’s make it happen! I obviously need some tiger repellent.

I may go up to Otisville on Saturday. Pedro asked and I’m free so why not. It would be good to get out of town, the two hour train ride is not so bad either, so long as I have something to read, and thanks to the double issue of the New Yorker I should be caught up in no time, plus I still have the Oliver Sacks book to finish. I kept the one I was going to give my sister in law, but I showed it to Elaine on Christmas, specifically the Aphasia and Music Therapy chapter. I also showed it to Frank, but he has difficulty reading books since he had the stroke, but I’ll lend it to them once I finish it. Annemarie can read Rex’s copy since I’m still sending a copy to him, thanks to a really good price online.