Access-A-Ride.

Hello all! It has been a long time since I last posted. Much has happened since then.

I have been approved for the access-a-ride program. I rode the bus for the first time yesterday. I have mixed feelings about it's efficiency but for two dollars and twenty-five cents I do not feel that I can complain at all.

In the morning they were supposed to arrive at about seven thirty. They arrived almost ten minutes to eight. I am glad that I told them that I had to be at work at half past eight. After picking me up they picked up another passenger who had to go some where in downtown Manhattan. We then took a windy route to the West Side Highway and zipped up to my office. I got there just in time. In fact I am not sure if I punched in at nine or one minute after. The funny thing of it all is that in all this I forgot that I did not have to be in to work until ten. Lol!!

On the way home they were much more timely. They arrived at exactly seven. I learned the hard way that I need to schedule them for ten past seven. We picked up another passenger on the way back who was taken to some place near Coney Island Ave. By the time I was dropped off in front of my apartment building it was nine o'clock. I can't really complain as I pay only two dollars and twenty-five cents for the service.

I would rate the service a eight out of ten. I give it a ten out of ten for cost, a ten out of ten for convenience, and a five out of ten for speed. So overall I give them an eight out of ten.

I am strongly considering only using access-a-ride when I go places I do not normally travel, and when I am with the girls. For other more routine trips such as work I might use the subway unless the weather is inclement. However, I must say that the ride on access-a-ride was much less stressful than the ride is usually on the subway and this may decrease my overall stress level. Therefore, I still am undecided and will use access-a-ride for work until I decide.

Succos Week.

So I have been off from work for the last week. I will be returning to work on Monday. I had a great week with my girls. I had them for a full five days!! I still have not been able to convince the Ex to allow them to sleep over, but I sense that that is coming in the near future.

My girls have become addicted to Sprout. Their the cutest little Spoutlets!! Big girl was on Sprout's Sunny Side Up Show. I sent in a "Tella Chicka" message with her picture and they read it and displayed her picture. It was sooo exciting!!

On Monday we went to the Succos fair on Kingston Ave. The girls had a great time and they met two of their friends. One of the friend's mother invited us to join them the day after. On Tuesday we went to the friends house and had Dinner in her Succah. Afterwards we went to the nearby Chabad where they were having a Succah party for kids. They had Pizza, music, and crafts. They had a great time!!

On Wednesday we spent a quiet day at home. It was on Wednesday that Big Girl was on Sprout.

On Thursday, we had to go to the dentist. Big Girl had to have some fillings done. I am very proud of how well she did. She had the fillings done for the first time without sedation. She made a fuss at first but she calmed down eventually and was such a good, and brave girl. We have to go again next week for another set of fillings. I have begun to be more proactive about their brushing their teeth when they leave my apartment. I got them this pre-brush rinse called Agent Cool Blue. It dyes the plaque on the teeth blue so you know when you got all the plaque off. It is very cool. After the dentist we went to the Brooklyn Library. They played on the computers in the kids section and brought me books to read. We had a blast. After the Library we met with their friend and her mother at the nearby playground. Afterward, we spent a little time at my place before I brought them home.

Yesterday, we spent another quiet day inside. It was a very fun week, but I am bused.

One Break Delivered!

I have not posted for a while. In my previous post I spoke about how our landlord was trying to kick me out of the apartment I am staying at because of my dog. We had a meeting with the agency that owns the building and it came out of that meeting and a subsequent phone call that things were not as they seemed. It appears that the landlord has it in for my housemate that I sublet from. It was him who called into the management agency saying that there was an illegal sublet and that I had a dog. He did not bother to mention that Ruffles was a service dog.

Anyhow, the end result of all of the drama is that I will fill out some forms so I can be included in the lease. Also the dog is not an issue at all.

The bottom line is that everything appears to be working out just fine.

I also have to say that my housemate really pulled through for me, and I am lucky to have him as a housemate and friend. Most people who I have encountered over the last almost three years would have left me out in the cold. My housemate is a true mentch!!

I need a break!!!

Why is it that people can't cut me a break!?! My housemate from whom I am subletting told me today that I the landlord wants me to move out because of the dog.

I tried to explain to this landlord, which is the local Jewish Community Council, that she is a guide dog and protected under the law. They switched gears fast and said I had to leave because my housemates lease prohibits sublets. It's funny how it was never a problem for him to sublet his place until I moved in with Ruffles!!

I am gaining a distaste for sighted people who do not understand or seem to care about wht I am going through as I loose my vision.

In other news... my doctor fraked up and sent in a script for sleeping pills instead of my regular allergy medicine. In fairness to them, I used the wrong name, but then again they should have known that when I called in for a refill of my allergy inhalator Ambien that something was wrong. Yet, no red flags went up and now I have a full bottle of sleeping pills. Oddly convenient ..eh?

I have to pick up my girls at their school and take them into Boro Park for a dentist appointment. I do not know if I can do it. It is a new area and I am not familiar with it, and my nerves are taxed as it already.

Part of me wants to sleep and not wake up.

300

I am watching 300 for the second time in two days. I love this movie. You might think me twisted but it is very funny. Some of the lines that come out of the Spartan King's mouth just crack me up.

Also, I admire a leader willing to lead a army into battle. What happened to the old time spirit when King lead his soldiers into battle?? George Bush!! Ha!! I'd like to see him on the battle front leading an expedition of Marines in battle. Every President should be required to lead from the battlefield in the time of war. They never would! Cowards they are!

They send young blood to fight their battles never sacrificing an iota.

Pathetic!

Eharmony

I have decided to look for a life partner if you will. I can not go on living alone. I am not, by any means, miserable or even sad alone but I know that it is not natural for any person to be alone.

Eharmony is an interesting process. It seems a bit better that you average dating websites. They seem to put some consideration in what you need in a match and not just throw you what they have in a certain age range in your area. It is a slow process that takes a certain measure of patience. Not everyone works on the same schedule and goes at the same pace so sometimes one has to wait a bit for a potential match to respond. So far my patience has paid off. I have not met any one of the potential matches yet, but things are in the works.

I will post news as things progress.

Update

It has a been a long time since I last posted.

I am slowly getting used to the new apartment and the new neighborhood. It is only several blocks away from my old apartment but the neighborhood is drastically different. It is mostly African and Caribbean Americans. There are some Jews but not many. The streets are absolutely filthy. It is difficult to comprehend how people can live like this. Trash and old food is all over the place. I have to use a special harness on Ruffles called a halti in order to keep her away from discarded chicken bones and other things that would harm her. Over all I do like the new place, and my girls like it as well.

One thing that I have found to be a bit troubling is my reaction to my neighbors and the way they live. I have, until recently, felt that I have not been racist or bigoted but my recent views of my neighbors and the filthy way they live have changed my assessment. I am quite a bit racist. I have thought the N word several times. It is hard not to see them as animals when they clearly live like animals. In fact most animals live in cleaner environments than they do. I am not sure what to do about this.

Well there is much to write about and I can not do so in one post. More tomorrow.

Texting and Driving...