It’s still freezing out. It never went above 15 degrees today as far as I know. It was cold cold cold. Still a bitter wind blows. On one street in the city you can be fine, but when you turn that corner, man you get stabbed in the face by the wind. I woke up earlier than usual thinking it was time to get up. It was only ten minutes and by the time I noticed I was ten minutes early, there was the idea to go back to sleep but I decided to shower instead. Turned out to be a good idea.

Bill didn’t make coffee for me this morning which was a slight disappointment, but nothing that I couldn’t do for myself. I also poured some cereal into the bowl, before I showered knowing it would be nice and mushy when I would finally sit down and eat it, reading the news about Hoboken in the Hoboken Reporter. Apparently some kids in Hoboken High School have been up to no good beating up people on the street. They were apprehended and made the front page of the local paper. 15 minutes of fame and maybe a guest spot on Cops beckon.

Soon enough I was out on the street, making sure I had my cell phone on me as I had left it behind yesterday. I noticed that yesterday when I was two blocks away from the apartment. I nearly turned around but decided it wasn’t worth climbing up four flights of stairs only to go back down those same stairs mere seconds later. I try to have it on me most times, but felt I could do without. I did reach for it repeatedly throughout the day which must have looked somewhat lewd to passerby. And the wrong passerby at that.

Work was fine. No complaints. Most everyone in as expected, everyone passing comment on the weather as they came in. I noticed this being the second one in today. I did more data entry, losing myself in the mundane and enjoying the fact that I’m not picking up after any limeys after watching them leave garbage. President Naomi asked me to do a favor, to ship something FedEx and I offered to drop it off during lunch so she could save some money. Yes it was bloody cold but I really didn’t mind. A chance to go out, away from my desk is a great way to break up the day. And it was only a couple of blocks away.

Naomi gave me the wrong address and when I got to the correct address I then had to deal with the security bureaucracy that is the Morgan Stanley headquarters only to find out that I could drop off this gift at the messenger center. Fine with me as I did just that then walked out once again into the bitterly cold yet sunny afternoon. I even ran into the Virgin Megastore to warm up midway back and I picked up ABC, ‘The Lexicon of Love’ from 1982. A classic pop album from 1982, which I first heard at Forest Hill Tennis Stadium with Stan Bogdansky waiting for Talking Heads on the Speaking In Tongues tour which eventually turned in the Stop Making Sense film.

I got back to the office and warmed up again knowing that this errand took an hour total and then it was time for my daily salad. The day flew by after that and I left the office around 5:45. I walked over to the Port Authority and got on the very long line of people heading back to Hoboken. I ran into my friend Lois DiLivio and as we sat next to each other I told her all about the past year or so, employment wise. She laughed though most of it, it does play good when said aloud. Maybe thats what I should do with this blog, turn it into performance art. I know. How eighties.

It’s Monday and of course that means back to work. Bill spent the night at his folks last night because he had to take his father to the VA hospital again for more tests. Everything is ok, but his father is 84 years old and check ups should be more frequent than they have been the past couple of years. Everything went well until Bill started butting heads with his mother, causing Bill to leave the apartment and head out into the cold streets of Stuyvesant Town. He didn’t go too far, just dropped in on his cousin and her family to see how they were doing.

What with all that is going on around him, Bill is turning into a most stable kind of fellow. Which is good. A step up. We all have our moments to be there for other people and now it is his turn and he’s handling it quite admirably. It was bitter cold out this morning, the morning news shows kept repeating the temperature of 9 degrees and how it’s actually going to get worse before it gets better. Once again I wore my late fathers silk long johns, which is a bit creepy but as long as he’s not in them it’s ok and I know Annemarie washed them before she gave them to me.

It was brutal waiting in the bus shelter for the bus. Strong winds stabbing you with cold air, no matter how many layers you might have on. Soon enough the bus did arrive and I assumed my place in the back of the bus. I really don’t talk to anyone until 8:30 when I get to the office. I walked the streets, listening to Neon Bible by the Arcade Fire which is sounding more and more incredible with each play on the iPod. I loaned the leaked version to Julio on Saturday night though he didn’t remember getting the first cd which I loaned him a few months previous. I guess I’ll burn a copy for Annemarie when the time comes.

Work was ok. Everyone seemed low key. Occasional comments about the Super Bowl floated around but no in depth discussions which was more than fine by me. Never much into football. My parents used to have season tickets to the Giants home games and they would drag me against my will. I never wanted to go. Too cold and boring, though when puberty hit, I usually found some reason to watch the field through a pair of binoculars which would be returned somewhat fogged up. And if I wasn’t watching the field, there was usually an alpha male in the vicinity to check out, sometimes close enough that binoculars wouldn’t be necessary.

At work, Stephen Daedalus was setting up a program so I could do work at home. The data entry work which is piling up despite my earnest attempts, could be done at home on my own time after work and it would add to overtime which is a good thing. It would be ok with me to do some data entry here, I tired a few times but never had the proper authorization, so after I write this, I have to log off and then back in as an administrator to see if I can get that ball rolling. Overtime is good, and overtime at home, while on my time seems to be much better. So I’d better get on that. Cheers!