"This is no time to be a chickenshit."

Last night, I watched Under the Tuscan Sun, which provided me much enjoyment. The scenery of course is gorgeous, and the dialogue is quite entertaining, as you see above.

I dined on extra-cheesy macaroni, 'kids champagne' (sparkling apple cider), and a tripe-chocolate ice cream. I had a nice long talk with my mom, about school, teaching, family, education, etc. I played a whole bunch of Spider. Went to bed at 1.30, woke up at 9.30.

In one dream, I was in an auditorium with some other people, and I kept forgetting where my locker was and what the combo was. My locker was #366. They were yellow half-size lockers, all in banks pushed together on one side of this big room. I had a piece of paper with me that had the combination it. I don't think that I ever actually got around to getting into the damn thing. Just off this large room, I must have had a dorm room or something, because I went away and then came back quickly with two purple dresses. One was the hippie-looking one that I got when I was about 14, with a filmy overskirt thing. I don't know what the other dress was.

In another dream, I was hanging out with the Habitat gang, but they were trying to pack or something. I was not exactly in the way, but it wasn't a good time. They were game about it, but I knew that I probably shouldn't have been there.

Once I woke up and got showered, I set out to town. Dropped books and movie at the library and then decided to just get a cab to UPS. This is at least the second package I haven't been able to receive, since of course I'm never home during the day. So I figured that today would be a good day to head out there and pick it up. By public transportation I would have had to take three buses, and probably an hour, so, since Yahoo told me that it was only 5 miles from here, I figured a cab would be okay.

The cabbie was not unpleasant, but the fare was $18.90, because he had no idea where to go. I had brought printed directions and my atlas book, but he was still all confused. When I gave him a $20, he heaved this big sigh. But excuse me, it's not my fault it took so long to find the stupid place. That is actually his job, to know how to get places.

You know that quote from Pulp Fiction that goes, "Assumptions make an ASS out of U and MPTION"? Yeah, it's totally true. I finally got to the UPS center, and the damn place is closed. I was utterly shocked and dismayed. Dammit! Twenty bucks right out the window! A fruitless waste (huh?) of at least twenty minutes. Ten minutes freezing my not-bundled-up-enough butt off in the clear but chilly and windy air. DAMMIT!

This has taught me a two-part lesson that I had really hoped I'd already learned: DON'T ASSUME ANYTHING and ALWAYS CALL TO MAKE SURE. Don't let my dumbassedness go to waste people; please take this lesson to heart for yourselves.

A bus came in a bit, and I then got a train into the city. I went to Herald Square, ate a quick lunch at Wendy's, popped into H&M. So cheap! So fun! I got cozy and cheap black knit stretch gloves, pink fleecy hat and red cowlneck sweater. Then I braved Macy's. Holy crap. TONS of people. I got much bolder than I normally am, just pushing past people. There's no time to dither behind slow pokes and/or people who are standing just in your way.

I spent awhile in there, on several floors. I ended up spending $188!! I got a pair of tan corduroys, a so-soft-and-cuddly pair of pink Polo sweatpants, a rich purple sweater, a white knit turtleneck with those buttons down the collar, one half-price bra mostly the kind I've been trying to find for six months, and a full-price bra that is similar but a different brand. Whew!

Got the F home, and completely dozed off between Roosevelt and 71st. Guess I really am tired.

I feel all weird, because I haven't done any work. But that's because I still have two full days off!