I can't continue to take the subway. I am going to punch someone in the face one of these days. As a matter of fact, the next son of a bitch who slams into me because they are texting rather than watching where they are going, is getting a broken nose.
I'm going to have to walk from Grand Central, hip pain or no.
Damn I hate working in the city.

Snow snow snow! Great big fat flakes of lovely snow! Unfortunately it will not stick. I love snow. The more the better. If I'm going to have to put up with freezing temps, give me some damn snow to make it worth it. Several feet at a time would be nice.

So did you hear? Not that any of you would care, since you don't live or work in NYC, but the price of a single subway ride may go from $2 to $3.50
that means people will have to pay $7 a day to get to work and home. That's as much as many folks here make in an hour. They are also cutting out a few subway lines. Entire lines!! Some some folks won't even be able to GET to work (that's if they even still have jobs). So many people I know have lost their jobs lately. Thank the squirrels my GF looks like she'll be keeping hers for now (whew!), and mine is probably safe for the next 12 months or so.

Well, the insurance company has decided I have to break-up with my physical therapist today. Sniff sniff.
Since today will be our last session together, I thought I'd really get my moneys worth. For the first time since before the surgery, I walked from Grand Central to work in the West Village (2 miles). I had forgotten how much that walk used to improve my mood in the mornings. As I left Grand Central and crossed 42nd street, flurries started coming down. NYC is starting to get her holiday groove on, and lights are being strung in all the trees down Park Ave. Grand Central is setting up for it's holiday market and the laser show (they have a laser show all over the ceiling during the holidays, with music).
I am sure I will be in pain later after that walk, but I will also be less likely to smack the shit out of someone because of the better mood.

Live Journal says it is shutting down for several hours today while they move to different servers, so, see ya later?

After yesterday's painful ride into work with the nut-job female cabbie, I was reluctant to hail a cab outside the hospital after work in case the nut-job was lurking, waiting to save me from myself with her energy work. I am not opposed to energy work in general, just to sickly looking cabbies who offer to pull over to fix my energy when theirs is obviously in bad shape. I gathered up my nerve anyway and stuck my paw in the air to catch a cab. I was delighted when a Rasta-type guy pulled up with island tunes blaring and a phone in his ear. All the way to Grand Central he was screaming into the phone at what I think was his woman (since he kept calling her "stupid woman"), he only paused in his screaming at her to cuss out drivers he felt were getting in our way. Now THAT is how to travel!
In other news.. the hip (yes I am going to whine again)has something very wrong with it. Ya know that sensation you get when to sleep wrong and you can't turn your head without terrible pain? Like a nerve being trapped? Well, I used to get that all the time before the surgery, AND IT'S BACK!!!
I am working in the same O.R. as my hip surgeon today so hopefully he can do something about it for me.
My partner does not read this, she doesn't even remember I told her about this little blog thing, so this is not to score points (or just score), but I have to mention how fantastic my partner has been with this whole hip thing. I have had problems off and on with it for over a year, and have been completely unable to get around much for a few months now. She has done everything around the house, taken the dog on every walk (even after working 12 hour days), fetched me everything I need, pampered me, and never once complained or even made a face. When I tell her I am sorry she has to do everything, she gives me the warmest smile you have ever seen, tells me she loves me and that she doesn't feel like she's doing everything. how cool is that?
My neighbors have also been helpful, especially my Crazy Neighbor. When my GF works late they all check on me and offer to fetch me things or drive me places.
Well, I guess I had better get working, it looks like I'm going to need the health benefits a bit longer!

Good things;
Spring has sprung in NY.
NYC coffee-cart coffee. I love this coffee, and it's only 75 cents! Last week I only had a $20 and the guy didn't have change, so he gave me my bagel and coffee and told me to pay him next time. I had never been to his cart before, he had never seen me before(I paid him back when I saw him today). That was nice.

Sad things;
Today while I was walking to work, the sun had just come up enough, and the light was just right, that the sky turned the exact color of blue that it was the day the towers came down. It reminded me of the people I knew who didn't make it.

Today is the 3 year anniversary of the death of my canine soulmate, Katie (in the icon above). She was the best friend anyone could ever have. She was not only the best dog I have ever known, she was also the best soul I have ever known.
I think it was mark Twain who said "if there are no dogs in heaven, I want to go where they went."
I would have to agree.

Every once in a while I have a day where it is not so bad to be in NYC for work. Today would be one of those days. On my walk from Grand Central to the West Village this morning I passed many trees in bloom and flowers popping up in tiny gardens. Almost everyone was smiling. The best part? It's finally warm enough that all the apartment buildings and businesses are back to hosing down their sidewalks early every morning! The sidewalks are clean again! It really improves the smell.
I have found that when I walk from Grand Central rather than take the subway, I am in a much better mood when I get to work. I hate the subway. It smells bad and it is dirty. It is also full of odd people who don't bathe enough, or at all. And what the hell is with women of color talking to themselves on the train? Now these are not crazy people, these are people with jobs, in work clothes and make-up. I have sat down next to at least 50 of these people in the two years I have been taking the subway. Perfectly normal looking women, talking to themselves. Not rambling or mumbling gibberish, but vocalizing all the stuff they need to do that day or repeating some conversation they had with someone. They are not talking to anyone else, and they are not on the phone. It is almost always African-American women, but there has been a few Hispanic women too, but it is always women. It might be a cultural thing, like talking to the people on the screen in the movies (that really freaked me out when I moved out here and people did that).
Has anyone else run across this?