Conversation With Some Guy While Waiting for the Train

This morning when I got to my train stop I checked Nextbus and saw that my train was 6 minutes away. I went to the bakery across the street from the stop to get a $1 coffee. I call it my "it'll hold me until I get to work and can get a decent cuppa joe" coffee. It's pretty bad and pretty weak, but it does what I say it promises; it works until I get a proper cup. (I'll have you know, while at the bakery I was very good and did not give in to the lure of the pork bun.)


After I got my coffee I sat down in my usual spot and waited for the train. A guy walked by me who I'd seen on the train before but never paid attention to.

Him - Why you be drinking that coffee all day?
Me - I'm not drinking this coffee all day. I'm drinking it right now.
Him - You go to work or school?
Me - Work
Him - Where do you work?
Me - Downtown
Him - Where downtown?
Me - Why do you need to know?
Him - Where did you get that coffee?
Me - Over there (pointing to the bakery)

Without saying a word he crossed the street without looking left, right and left again and went into the bakery. The train came. I got on the train and went to work downtown.

What Faction are You In? - Book Review

I just finished the Divergent series by Veronica Roth. OK, scratch that. I mostly finished the Divergent series by Veronica Roth.

I started the books in good faith. I even cut them a little bit of slack. I thought the story, while interesting in concept, took too long to tell and because of that, I made it about 1/3 of the way through the third book before I gave up and looked up the ending on Wikipedia.

So, the book is about a dystopian society where all the people are separated into 5 separate factions based on their talents and convictions. The main character, Tris, decides to leave the faction she was born into and join a more daring one. She meets a boy. They fall in teenage love. The world crumbles around them. They fight back, learn some secrets about the world they live in. They fight people. They foil plans. Some of them fall on their swords for the greater good. Some of them walk into the sunset, ready to fight another day.

I liked that this book had a strong female lead, rather than a wishy-washy one. Tris, the strong female lead, was in a struggle among duty to self, duty to state and duty to love. It was refreshing that the book didn't focus on a totally winey girl who couldn't decide between  a werewolf and a vampire to submit to or a hunter or a baker to conquer.

I don't mind long books. If given a series of books to read, I will read the whole thing as though it's one book. What I don't like is when simple plots take too long to unfold.

I will certainly see the movie when it comes out on streaming netflix.

Run Mac! Run! - A Book Review

What a messed up book. I was entertained by it, but what a messed up book.

So, The Boy brings home books every week from school. All of the books feature some kind of letter sound or letter combination they are learning that week. There's the book with -ing words, there's the book with long O words, there's the book with words that start with Ch. There are more, but you get the picture. Most of the time the stories are silly, but they get the concept across; Bill went up the hill and saw Jill. Jill works at a mill. Bill and Jill will dine with Phil . . . . you get the point.

The book he brought home this week caught me off guard.

So here's the cover of the book. The story is plagiarized for your reading pleasure below.

Tab is a sad cat. Tab has a pal.
His pal is Mac. Mac is a rat.
I got mad at Mac," said Tab. I ate Mac up."
"I did like Mac," said Tab. I am a bad cat."
Tab ran to get the vet.
I can save Mac," said the vet.
The vet made Tab take a nap. The vet made a hole in Tab.
"Mac is safe," said the vet.
"I am fine," said Mac.
"The hole in Tab is fine," said the vet.
I hope Tab can get up," said Mac.
"Wake up Tab," said Mac.
Tab woke up.
"I am fine," said Tab.
Mac gave Tab a hug.
"I like Tab," said Mac.
"I am not mad at him."
Mac and Tab ran home. It is time to take a nap.

What kind of messed up story is that?

Two friends, Tab and Mac. They get into a fight. Tab eats Mac. Tab swallows Mac whole. Later he feels bad about it so he goes to the doctor to have his friend removed from his gut. Mac comes out of Tab totally unharmed and not mad at all. Meanwhile, Mac was alive and well, fully aware of his surroundings; the belly of his best friend and he's not mad when he's extracted. In fact, he's concerned that his friend might not wake up. Tab does wakes up. Mac forgives him and then they go home and snuggle.

I, personally enjoyed the story, because that's the kind of person I am, enjoyable. But I admit the book is kind of off. I look forward to more adventures with Mac and Tab.

Dining with Royalty and Driving with Revelry - A Dream

I was on a plane sitting in first class. I was stoked to be upgraded. I was sitting next to Prince Charles. Prince Harry, The Queen and a corgi were sitting in coach. They were mad at Prince Charles for sitting in first class. Prince Charles was all "What, I'm a friggin' Prince. Why shouldn't I sit in first class?"

The plane was diverted and we had to land in Queens, NY. I was looking for a plane to catch so I could get all the way home and Prince Charles suggested I stay over and have dinner with him that night, but not in a creepy hitting on me way. I told him I had to work tomorrow. He told me that my boss would probably say it's OK because after all, how often does a 65 year old heir to the throne invite you out for dinner. 

We get to the hotel bar. I am tasked with finding a Japanese restaurant. We get to the restaurant and it turns out to be a house where the married couple who owns the house cooks and serves dinner. There are about 10 of us dining; Prince Charles, the president of Rutgers University, my boss from my last position at work, Hubby, Bean and a few other people.

Then I don't know why but I'm in a truck with Alyssa Milano. She is driving me to the airport. The road is really curvy and winds its way through a fancy residential neighborhood. She drives super duper fast and dangerously. I ask her to stop and she doesn't. I yell at her to stop and she does so by driving into a cul de sac, slamming on the brakes and crashing into a fence. I yell at her like I've never yelled at anyone before ever calling her all kinds of names and tell her she's a horrible and thoughtless driver who should never be allowed on the road ever again. I get in the driver's seat and drive back to the hotel because I'm late for having dinner with Prince Charles, which starts at 9:30pm.