07/03/2016

 The mood is up.

 I work for the government. Which means this is a three-day weekend.

 I was concerned that all I'd do is hide out in the house with the blinds closed, read, occasionally eat, and sleep most of the time. Yes, I've had a number of holiday weekends that turned out that way.

 But it didn't.

 I had texted back and forth with Nice on Friday about possibly meeting on Saturday for sushi but she has her kids this weekend so there was little chance she'd be able to get away.

 So I went out by myself.

 Actually it was more of a “Take An Author To Lunch” kinda thing. I went to little Weis in East York because I forgot freezer bags and tin foil on Friday when I was buying “hiding out supplies”. Those supplies consisting of charcoal, meat, milk, and bread...oh, and soda, of course.

 So I got the stuff I forgot then went up the street to the full-service car wash. It used to be called Cloister but someone felt a nice, cheesy name like “Mister Car wash” would be more suitable. Okay, so they picked a stupid name but the service is exactly the same.

 I have four or five car wash coupons that I bought from my coworker Benita. It was a charity promotion, eighteen bucks for a full-service wash. I like to donate to things like this so I would buy one or two every payday for a couple of months.

 On Friday, Benita gave me a coupon for free. Yes, I have those kind of people around me. As I've said many times...I'm very fortunate.

 It was a very nice day on Saturday so the car wash was crowded. I was only in line for ten minutes or so and I had the A/C on so I was comfortable. Once I turned The Thingy(my car) over to the vacuum people, I went through the building and out the other side. I sat on a low brick wall in the shade and read for a while.

 It was nice.

 After the car wash, I went across the street to Ginmiya to get some sushi. I like that place because it's familiar. Back in the mid 1980's, while my best friend Billy was still in town, he would insist on going there when I was passing through on leave, usually on my way overseas.

 At that time I was of the opinion that sushi was just a hipster thing and I just wasn't interested but I would go anyway. Billy showed me how to use chopsticks, what that little square bowl is for, what the ginger is for, and how to show appreciation to the sushi chef.

 So it stuck with me. And I actually developed a taste for it. I always order individual rolls from the menu because I like to try different things and there are a lot of rolls to choose from. I got one spicy tuna, one smoked salmon, and the 'Crouching Tiger' roll which had shrimp tempura, eel, and avocado.

 Magnificent.

 I like all of the flavors and textures when I bite into it. This is not something to rush through. Each piece was a work of art in its own right. When I'm eating alone I bring a small wooden stand for my Kindle. Lunch was about three chapters.

 When I got home I took the time to reflect on everything. It was a very good day. I wasn't the least bit agitated or fearful. Comfortable.

 Out there.

 With everyone else.

 Kinda like a real person.

 Thanks for listening.

It seems that car wash on East Market is bought out every four or five years.

I remember a Mr Car Wash in Panama City.  I'd never gone there so I'm not sure it was a chain.

07/20/2016

 The mood is relaxed.

 Surprisingly relaxed. I could get used to this.

 I've been thinking about elephants. Mostly about how versatile they are. Elephants are a part of everyone's day to day life...but many don't know this.

 If you've left your house recently, you've encountered the Natural Elephants. Also called The Elephantal Forces of Nature. That's be the wind, the rain, the thunder and lighting...you know, The Elephants.

 There's that elephant that people try to have on their side...The Elephant of Surprise. The Elephant of Surprise will frequently be found with The Elephant of Danger. Sorry, that's just how people are.

 If, like me, you're a devoted reader or if you watch a lot of movies you frequently encounter The Elephant of Suspense. This elephant will also frequently be found with the other three.

 For those who'd like to find out more, there is something called The Periodic Table of the Elephants which is supposed to list every known elephant...kinda on a molecular level, didn't really understand it myself.

 I went to another bunko game on Friday.

 I guess this is like the caseworker's version of a bingo crowd. It's a dice game, sort of a truncated version of Yahtzee. Three dice, four sets of six, keep track of wins and losses. I went with Bad Wendy, got to meet some folks I'd not met before. Laughed, had a good time.

 The neat thing about the games is that they rotate from person to person to host. The host usually digs up four card tables or any suitable substitutes. They also do a dinner and a dessert. Dinner before the game and dessert at the break at halftime.

 This game was at my coworker Karen's house. She did nachos with all the trimmings and a white or light-colored cake with a whipped cream frosting...and some M&M's.

 Since the host is hosting, they get to decide what the winning categories are for the games. They're things like “first bunko, last bunko, most wins, most losses”, each category gets a prize. We all put in 10 bucks to play and the pot gets divided up by the host.

 I have this annoying habit of having exactly the same number of wins as I have losses at the end of the game. I'd always said if there's a category for most mediocre I'd win big. So Karen did a category for mediocrity...and I didn't even come close.

 Looks like The Elephant of Luck was no where in the building.

 So I didn't win anything this time but I got to spend some quality time with Bad, got to meet a new friend, and felt safe and comfortable...almost for the whole time. Got very quiet at the end of the evening. I was very tired and my talkativeness was gone.

 I'd gone straight to Bad's house from work so I still had to go from Wrightsville to Windsor. It was dark, around 10:30 or so. The drive is just beautiful. The road that ends at Bad's house runs right by my house. Just get on, drive, and you're there in about 25 minutes.

 Anyway a stretch of the road runs right alongside the Susquehanna River for about 10 miles the begins curving up and down as it gets toward Windsor. It was a warm night and there were boats out on the river, the lights looking like faint stars against the shroud of the trees lining the bank.

 I was sorely tempted to stop and watch for a while but I likely would have woken up there, stiff as hell, at five in the morning.

 I kept on, got home okay, and slept wonderfully.

 I don't get a lot of days like this.

 Another small joy.

 Thanks for listening

Okay. The first part of the e-mail below came from my spam folder.

 For some reason, if you express an interest in the free trial with one of those online dating services they sell your contact information to these e-prostitution services.

 If they become especially annoying, I send a reply like the one below.

 Oddly, I rarely hear from them again.

 "Kelley's" letter is between the lines, my reply starts after the second line.

 There were some imaging links which I had no interest in using, that's why the 'I saw you on FB' sentence is at the bottom and the formatting is all screwed up.

   --------------------------------------------

  On Fri, 8/5/16, Neighbor Kelly ;) <1bc60fjhsonn24xdjev079@5e3d8d8.ballstalltall.com> wrote:

 Subject: I live a few streets over wanna chat?To: nearlife1@yahoo.comDate: Friday, August 5, 2016, 7:15 PM
 Hey it's your Neighbor Kelly ;)

   I saw you the other day so I had to find you on fb andmessage you.


 ------------------------------------------- 


 Wow, nice to finally talk to you Kelly.

 I've been looking through your windows with a telescope for about three years so I feel like I already know you.

 I just want you to know that I'm okay with they birthmark. Yes, it's huge and having it right between your breasts means that that is the first thing all of those guys you've been having sex with notice.

 I've seen ti hundreds of times so I won't be shocked like they are.

 By they way, what are the pigeons for? I've seen them delivered with the other stuff you order from Do-Me-Baby.org (asm) but I never see them leave afterward.

 The cameras I have hidden in the tree in your front yard are recording 24/7 so, naturally, I'm curious.

 Okay, anyway, when would you like to get together?

 And would it be okay to invite a few friends along?

 You seem to be into that sort of thing.  

Please feel free to e-mail or text or you can just wave while you're in the shower, I'll be able to see it.

 

I am autistic.

 I do not announce this to everyone I meet because you have the annoying tendency to treat me as if I'm not competent or intelligent.

 I will say or do things that fall outside what you consider an acceptable social norm.

 I will frequently interpret what you say literally.

 I am not insensitive, thoughtless, or cruel.

 I am not trying to embarrass you. I am not angry at you. I do not dislike you.

 This is what I am and what I have to live with.

 If I give offense, please tell me. I will not be upset.

 I want to understand.