Trip, Creepiness, Coolness, Parade, Mungry, Postcards & Reservations

I got up Saturday morning, got ready, left the house at 5:30 am. I eventually got to Times Square, picked up McDonalds Breakfast and headed over to the bus station. $21 and 7 minutes later I was on my way to Philly. I had pretty much worn myself out before I had even left the apartment, I was soooo tired, I slept most of the way there. It was pouring down rain and cold the entire day. Got to Philadelphia about 9:00 am. The bus station is across from the Market Place Metro station. I went in there, got directions and walked 4 long blocks down to the Independence Visitor’s Center. I got a ticket to see the 30 minute tour that started 10 minutes later. Our tour guide ROCKED! She was so knowledgeable and told cool stories for everything and was just so passionate about history, which I totally dig. Plus I was her favorite because I knew all the answers to her questions. Walked across the street, saw The Liberty Bell, couldn’t get a decent shot due to all the Asian Tourists all wanting individual pictures by it, walked back out, picked up a chestnut that fell on Chestnut Street for my scrapbook, got some postcards then set off for the Ben Franklin Post Office. I stopped by Campos on Market Street and had a Philly Cheese Steak with a Dr. Pepper, which words cannot express the utter awesomeness of this meal. I then got on the Metro to get to The AMTRAK station across town. I love old train stations. They are like Grand Halls and you just feel fancy being there. For $8, I took a train to Atlantic City. In Atlantic City, they have free shuttles to the casinos called Jitneys. They are like the Short Buses. I went to Resorts Casino and Hotel, gambled, had a buffet (the atmosphere reminded me of a 1970’s Wyatt’s Cafeteria), gambled some more, lost my ass and decided to come home. I walked to the Taj Mahal, got to the ticket office for the bus back to NYC and to my immediate horror, I realized I had less money than I thought. The bus ticket back was $28. I had $22 with all my change. In my mind I had 3 choices: 1. I could go out behind the hotel and sell my ass on the street. 2. I could call Momma and ask her to wire me some money. (I honestly would have done #1 before I would have done #2) or, #3. I could go win some money. So, I did the only respectable thing I knew how and put a $20 bill in a slot machine. 2 tries and I was up to $30 and I cashed out and 5 minutes later was on my way back to NYC. God does exist Y’all.

Clint and I rented Rosemary’s Baby the other night. He had never seen it and it scares the urine right out of me. Before we even got to the main menu something scary happened. We put in the DVD and this still picture of a man in from of a white backdrop and contorted in a strange way and was holding his hands up to his face and making a box with his hands. No movwement, just this guy. Inside the box was shadowed. Clint got up and ejected the DVD, put it back in and it played regular and Viacom/Paramount “Hey, don’t be like Boot-leg Lady” warning came up and there was nothing on the whole DVD like that ever again. I am creeped out and it gives me goose bumps just thinking about it.

I also watched 10 Questions for The Dali Lama and it was awesome. He is very likeable and he makes a lot of sense.

Tonite is The Greenwich Village Halloween Parade. I may go, I may not. I don’t know yet.

I am having a huge craving for cupcakes and good pizza. Or Chinese food. Yeah, Chinese Food. And cupcakes.

If you want on the RICKI POSTCARDS List, send me your complete name and address and I will be happy to oblige. I love sending postcards when I go places. I am probably the worst at finding the right things to write. I sent Fanky a card in from my Sr. Choir trip that said something along the lines of (actual name not used to protect the embarrassed) :

Dear Fanky,
It is hot. I am having fun. Jane Doe threw up on the bus.
Wish you were here.

La U, Ricki

Kirsten’s birthday is Saturday. We are going to a pub and then out for Noodle. I can’t wait!

If you want to come up here and see me, you need to make a reservation now. Seriously, now that I am moving home, I am being bombarded by requests. Keep in mind I am not The Four Seasons nor any other luxury resort, or anything that vaguely resembles a luxury resort or even a Bed and Breakfast, but, I can let you crash, I will do my best to accommodate, but I cannot guarantee any more tours - Chick’s gotta work.

Pulling A Ricki

I am about to pull a Ricki.

Here’s the plan for tomorrow:

Catch a 6:00 am bus from New York Port Authority to go to Philadelphia, PA. Arrive at 8:00 am. Go see The Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. Catch a bus to The Edgar Allen Poe Museum. Do speed tour. Mail postcards. Grab a Philly Cheese-steak sandwich and board train to Atlantic City around 2:00. Get to AC about 3:30. Drink, gamble, schmooze. Board bus back to NYC about 2:00 am. Arrive NYC 4:15 am and see all the magic in Times Square at full throttle with virtually no people. Get to Astoria about 5:00 am and catch some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzs.

You will all be relieved to hear I have no kidnappings planned for this excursion. I am flying solo on this one.

I Never Thought I Would Say This. Again.

Earlier this year I watched The Painted Veil. It is a beautifully filmed movie taking place in exotic 1920’s Shanghai and the Chinese countryside starring Ed Norton and Naomi Watts. It’s a great movie and I jokingly said “If you like movies about cholera, then see this.”

Well, I cannot believe it, but for the 2nd time in my life, in the same calendar year, I am saying something profoundly similair.

If you like movies that have anything to do with cholera, then see this. It looks like such a lovely cry-fest. I can’t wait!

Love in the Time of Cholera

http://www.loveinthetime.com/

'Love in the Time of Cholera' 'Love in the Time of Cholera'

NFL, Atlantic City, No Smoking and October Heat

I started back at the NFL today. I love it here. Everybody I worked with before had a warm welcome for me from the minute I walked in the door. They are just damn good people. I must admit, I do miss my peeps over at Nick Jr. I hope all is well there and smooth sailing.

I am going to Atlantic City this weekend. It should be fun, as usual. If it wasn’t, I would not be going.

I have cut back on smoking so much in the last couple of months. I think the Universe is doing me a huge favor by making what little I do not as enjoyable as it could be. Of course it is hard to give up my favorite smoke – the first thing in the morning smoke with a cup of coffee. It is a moment of peace and quiet for me. It may not actually have anything to do with the ciggy, now that I think about it. Then I like the post-coital ciggy. I mean what the hell? If you are going to do bad things, then I think the ciggy is actually the least bad of those particular situations. In my life, anyway, in all its complexities. No, I guess Ricki can not just have a simple boyfriend situation like everybody else. You gotta throw in a bunch of this, that and the other. Someday I will look back on all this and be cool with it. It should make for a nice book filled with adventure, smut, deceit, international secrets, comedy, suspense, and drama. You will only cry at the end because you will wish there was more to read. Maybe I will even throw in some recipes and pictures.

It is my last October in New York City before I make the move back to The Lone Star State. This is generally my favorite time of year. This October has been hot and muggy since I came back from vacation, with the exception of 2 days. I have had the air conditioner on every night for a week. I am looking forward to having Central Heat and Air.

Last Day at Nick Jr., Rainy & movies, Movies, MOVIES!

So for my last day me peeps at Nick took me for sushi at Ruby Foo’s and it was fantastic! I am really gonna miss it here. It is seriously, just the best group of people anyone could ever work for.

It’s rainy today. I have a 3 day weekend to myself so it looks like it is gonna be, R&R with movies and comfort food and some cats.

There are so many movies out I want to see right now. Elizabeth, Jesse James, Rendition, 30 Days of Night, Reservation Road, Gone Baby Gone and a few others. Hopefully Bootleg Lady will be around this weekend but I doubt it since it is raining. She doesn’t like the rain.

Hitchcock Movie Ailment, Bad Bad Dreams, I Don’t Do Windows. Chinese Food and NFL

I have written before that I suffer from Vertigo. No. I SUFFER from it and I hate that it has gotten as bad as it has. It is not just a fear of heights. It is a physical ailment. I can be up and look out all the live long day. Right now at work, my view is exactly level with the place where they drop the ball at New Year. I cannot be high up and look straight down. I cannot even think about free fall. I can’t walk on stairs that have spaces between them where you see through them. Don’t even think of me walking over a suspension bridge. I get dizzy and cold, I physically cannot turn to the left and my palms start sweating like I just got out of the shower. Last night I was watching Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade and there is a part of the movie where he has to walk over this deep canyon on a very VERY thin stone bridge. Isis was sleeping in my lap and during this part I must have started petting her harder because she grumbled in her sleep and then looked up and gave me the evil eye. A few minutes later I reached to pet her again and her back was wet. She hadn’t moved, so I knew it was from my palms sweating.

I had bad dreams last night that Ian McKellen died. It had something to do with a race car.

Back to the Vertigo thing, I was sitting here doing my work, doodle doodle do, when I looked out the window and saw something move. I started walking closer to it and then all of a sudden the huge window washer thing came up with this man. I fell backward and then closed all the shades. I could not do that job for all the money in the world. The very first job I ever had in new York was a law firm in Mid Town. I had a view of the Empire State Building and my first day there, they were cleaning the windows on the ESB. I had to move because I could not quit watching them and worrying the wind was going to sweep them off their platform.

The Chinese food in NYC rocks! I don’t know if I can ever do Chinese Buffet again.

Tuesday . . . going back to work for the NFL Y’all! How bout them Cowboys?!?!?

Autumn, Dogs, Job Search and The Country

Well, it certainly is Autumn up here, Y’all. The leaves are falling, I cannot tell whether I am hot or cold and Naked Cowboy was wearing thick socks today. He was also suffering from shrinkage, bless his heart. I mean SUFFERING.

I read some positive news today that was uplifting enough. They seized 49 dogs from the breeding kennel owned by Michael Vick (bastard). The ASPCA did evaluations on each dog and decided that 48 of the 49 dogs would be able to be adopted into homes, used to work in law enforcement or to be placed in sanctuary. Sadly, there was one dog that was not deemed fit for rehabilitation and was recommended for euthanasia. 48 out of 49 is extremely good for cases like these, but that one is one too many and it should never have happened in the first place. I am one of those people that is against the death penalty, I am pro-choice and I think there should be some sort of torture for people that commit animal cruelty. A torture so heinous (I hate that word, it sounds like anus and you should just say butt) in nature that no man would even come close to being cruel to any living creature, for fear he would suffer and live through the consequences.

I want to work for The Dallas Mavericks and that is all I have to say about that for right now.

I think I want to live in the country. Azle or Springtown. But here is the question – would my friends make the journey out there to see me? So, kindly let me know what you think about that.

Moving, Swaying and Shaking

I cannot wait to move. There is so much to think about I can’t get my head wrapped around it just yet, but I will. Oh yes, I will. The scariest thing is finding a place to live and getting a job. So if anyone knows of a super-cool job opening, please let me know.

I know for a building to be structurally sound it needs to be able to move a little. Well, I am currently on the 38th floor and it is windy today. The building is swaying ever so slightly. I can’t feel it but I know this because it sounds like I am in a 300 year old house with hard wood floors and it is in scary movie sound effects mode. It is a bit unsettling, but nobody else seems to care.

I had an ear ache this weekend. I cannot stand for my ears, teethe, feet or hair to hurt. Last night I took 2 Tylenol PM and some Theraflu. I slept so damn good. It felt like I had been asleep for about 45 minutes when in fact I had been asleep for 10 hours and 22 minutes. I am a little shaky and there is a definite blondeness factor going on here. Not quite retardedness, but more like an ignorance is bliss thing. And blissful it is, Y’all.

Ponderings

Vacation was AWESOME! I am moving home in May and I am so stoked. I am also so stressed.

1. I have to find a unique place to live that I can afford.
2. I have to get a job. I realize I may have to go down a few notches with the Cool Factor on this one. It’s the same shit everywhere, so I really don’t care where I work as long as I get paid enough.
3. I get to redecorate. Yeah!
4. I have to find a car. Before I was a car snob. Not so much now.
5. I have to get my 2 cats, Isis and Elwood, from New York City to Fort Worth. I have a feeling the 3 of us will all come to love sedatives by the conclusion of this little adventure.
6. I have to adjust to the conveniences of Texas. Seriously, this is harder than you may think. When I come to visit, things are so much easier there I kind of don’t know what to do with myself. I know a lot of people always say they want to live in New York City, but living here and taking a trip here are 2 very different things. New York is a daily struggle. Some can hack it, some can’t. I can, but I just don’t want to anymore.
7. There is a lot of New York City that I need to see before I leave.

Now a little story about my vacation. About 2 months before my arrival in The Great Lone Star State, one of the horses chased a chicken up from the creek into Roxanna’s yard. The chicken stayed and became such a loved pet. She laid eggs, jumped in your lap when you wanted her to, fed and took naps with the cats and even chased off a few strays, slept in a tree then roosted in a box in the garage, followed you to the pasture, walked up to you for pettings, and sat by the pool when you swam. She was so special. 2 days after I get back to New York, the dogs next door cornered her in the garage and killed her. I am so sad. I cannot move home fast enough. Everyone seems to be getting old, sick and yes, even dieing. I just cannot bare the guilt I feel. It is time.