Recap-a-mundo

After reviewing this week's posts, I realized that I have yet to have shared with my readers what all I did last weekend, while I was in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Of course, live has been so amazingly busy this week, so I feel like I have an excuse, and with yesterday's day off, Wednesday's Purple Line Fire, my doctor's appointment, and this morning's CTA problems, I've got a bit to say. Let's set the way-way back machine for last Friday.

I took the train down to Midway, swung into the horribly understocked bookstore, bought a crossword puzzle book, and had a seat at my favorite airport bar, Reilly's Daughter for a couple pints before my flight. I sat, kept to myself, and drank my Guinness and did crosswords. Quite the relaxing time. The flight itself was uneventful, although the woman sitting next to me hadn't flown in almost 20 years, so she was a little nervous, but I'm a pretty good traveler, so I was happy to do those little things, like offer her a piece of gum to help her ears pop.

After landing, it was a bee-line to my friend L's house, where were dropped off our stuff and headed out to the Dubliner, my favorite pub with the best Guinness in the whole of Mpls/St. Paul. Good times, live music, and happiness. Joining us were some high schools friends, K and A, and drinks were had, catching up was done, and it was a really good time, save for the women's room being out of order for 3 hours. There were some tense moments, but we got through it.

Saturday, I went shopping, got a couple shirts, then we were heading to lunch before trekking up to my mother's house, on the shores of Lake Pokegama, just outside Pine City, MN. We stopped, of all places, at an Arby's by my father's house. After placing my order, someone came out and slapped me on the arm. I turned, and it was, lo and behold, my stepsister M, who was working. We gave her a ride back to my dad's house, and crashed the wedding shower preparations, chatted, then finally got on our way.

Once we got there, I got to catch up with my grandparents, an aunt and uncle, mom and step dad and my brother and his wife. Unfortunately, I haven't spoken to my grandmother since the breakup, so she wanted to talk about that. I, of course, didn't, but I did anyways. She was understanding, as always, as grandmothers are, especially for the oldest grandchild. My mother flatly refused to take me out on her boat, after this trip, when she scuttled her boat on some rocks while taking me for a tour of the lake. I, naturally, still sing the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald every time I see her. L's son, Gabe, my youngest partner in crime (women love to see a man with a toddler, even if he doesn't look a thing like you!) had a blast playing with my step nieces and nephews. Later on that night, I had a couple drinks with A again before heading to bed.

Sunday, I needed to sleep in, but I didn't. I had reservations for brunch with, K, L, S, K, Gabe, L, J, and my step mom and dad at Fabulous Ferns, a regular stop for me when I'm up there. Very, very good food. Afterwards, we took Gabe and K bowling. Fun was had by all. Eventually, it was time for me to come back home, to my life and my cat, who was so eager to see me, she was half out the door when I unlocked it.

So, that was last weekend, fun, but way too busy. I need a vacation type vacation, where I just sit around and drink. Something like that.


Wednesday, after work, I headed to the train, as I am apt to do. I got on (brown arrow) sat down, opened my book, and started my evening decompression. Once we had traveled to the stop at Clark and Lake(green arrow), the conductor announced that the train was going to continue drive around the loop, and that if we needed to head north, we needed to go to State and Lake (blue arrow) to catch a Red Line North. Of course, the brown line travels counter-clockwise, so his announcement, the first he had made about this subject, came a station too late. Needless to say, I wasn't too amused. I then decided to go to the next station and catch a purple line out, but that train was out as well, so I went around to the Library station, and transferred to the Red Line at Jackson (purple arrow). All told, it took me 92 minutes to get home, a trip that usually takes me about 40 to complete. Of course, I didn't know about the fire at the time, but that didn't make the lack of communication any better.

I took the day off on Thursday for a doctor's appointment to finally get my cholesterol checked. Unfortunately, my doctor was really busy, so I waited 45 minutes to see him. Aggravation ensued.

5 minutes ago, I got the phone call. While my liver enzymes are finally back to a respectable range (read: normal), my bad cholesterol is still a whopping 251- way, way, way too high. My good cholesterol, however, is still good, though. So, we've got mixed results, and guess what? Time for a new medication. Fucksocks.

After my appointment, I was starving, as I am required to fast for at least 8 hours prior to the test. I got home, took the last of my medication, and headed to the Globe for lunch, where I spent the remainder of the afternoon, keeping the bartender company and watching Jeopardy!. I went home, and started to feel the effects of stopping my medication- stomach cramps. So bad, I barely managed to eat dinner.

Later, it was off to the Empty Bottle to see one of my favorite bands, Smog, with my friend T. Great show, but it started too late, and I was out too late, and the opening band was a waste of the space they collectively used up while on stage. Fast-forward to this morning. I hungover, tired, 4-hours-of-sleep-getting Dave is walking miserably to the train, when a woman stops me and says "it's not running." Shit. There's a train sitting on the platform, too, my train. I needed it to be running. I call the office, tell them I'm screwed, but going to take the bus to the Blue Line to come to work. This is, of course, an untested method of going to work, so I have no idea how long it will take.

Now, of course, I know. It takes an hour.

So, I was 30 minutes late today, and seriously considering riding my bike to work everyday, as twice in one week is just too much for me. Naturally, there's also no news on what the hell was wrong with my train this morning, either. I need a nap. And a drink. And a miracle on the cholesterol front. Soon.