As shown in the previous post, my iPhone didn’t come back from Rehoboth the same way that it left. Luckily, it still works. Even the touchscreen aspects are still functioning properly although there is a little bit of “scratch” on some parts of the screen. It’s not enough to scratch my finger but it’s still friction.

This is how it happened:

We all woke up on Saturday and did the normal routine: coffee and computers on the back deck. It’s such a great time, those mornings, usually nursing a slight hangover, bedhead, clacking away on keyboards, talking & laughing about the previous evening’s activities.

We decide to head out for breffus and we go to Sunshine in Dewey Beach. There I have a gyro omelette, which sounds crazy but was delicious. Afterwards, we split for errands. Christopher is going to do some shopping so I decide to hang out with him, driving around in the top-off Jeep. Well, I’m texting, checking status, etc while we’re stuck in traffic and instead of putting the phone into my pocket which I normally do I put it on the seat, between my legs, figuring that I’m only going to be breaking out to do something else soon. Of course I forget about it there when we stop in the parking. I open the door, slide out of the slide and crash goes the phone on the pavement. Crakt.

After much cursing I decided to not let this incident destroy my beach weekend. It works, deal with the mess later.

Now, dealing with the mess later, I’m exploring options on what to do about this. I first go the Bethesda’s Apple Store because I could secure a quick appointment the afternoon of “The Crash”. I hadn’t been to that one before so it would be an adventure. I even saw cutie John King from CNN there at the Genius Bar. But the Genius told me it was $200 for a glass screen/sensitivity chamber replacement which is the cost for a new 3G/S. Next.

Then a friend sent me notice of takeitapart.com which is a great little site that demonstrates how to, um, take things apart. In true Web 2.0 fashion there is a YouTube clip with each instruction so you can watch along. Really nice. But unfortunately the first generation iPhone is as easily accessible as the newer ones and the voiceover on the instructional video was “yeah, this is kind tender here… don’t do this unless you’re really sure… ” something like that. I check the price of the parts and they’re practically $140, which is comparable to the cost of a new model.

Now what to do?

I’m at the beach. I came down with Eddy (and full-grown yet little dog Buddy) yesterday; Chris & Jeff came down the day before.

Last night was making the usual rounds at Aqua for cocktails and then Nicola’s for pizza w/ extra sauce and extra cheese. Then back home for True Blood and standup comedy. It may sound rather bland and routine but that’s the way time is spent at the beach and it’s relaxing and carefree.

For instance, our mornings are spent drinking coffee and Facebooking/surfing on the back deck. Sometimes we have to piece together the previous evening but since there are only four of us here I don’t think things are going to get too out of hand. But you never know. It’s exactly noon now and half of us are still on the back porch: Chris is watching True Blood on Hulu and I’m writing this. Our afternoon hasn’t been planned out yet and that’s the pace at which things go. It’s nice.

Just now, a notice from Eddy to get showered, our day is starting to move forward.

I was trying to pick a CD to take with me for driving to Charlene’s services yesterday, and I stumbled upon Journey’s Escape, purchased with my first year roommate at UofH, when we both joined one of those music clubs to get 11 CDs for a penny. I thought Journey would be a good pick for the era that Char and I were good friends; we graduated in 1982.

I was surprised (and only a little embarrassed) to discover I knew practically all the words to every song, even the ones that weren’t radio hits. The biggest mistake was when I pulled into the funeral home’s parking lot Open Arms was playing and I was a big blubbering mess.

After the service (and decompressing at home) I went to dinner with Goldy and since she had missed her bus I told her I would take her out to Herndon where she can pick up her car from the commuter lot. Driving back into town around 11:30, with Thomas Dolby and Depeche Mode’s Speak and Spell blaring from the speakers I had an odd sense of déja vu. Twenty or twenty-five years ago I was taking the exact same route, probably at the exact same time on a Friday night, to go downtown and party. Destinations at the time would have been Winston’s or Poseurs in Georgetown, Lost & Found or maybe Badlands in Dupont. A-ha, Hall & Oates or Arcadia would most definitely have been blaring from the “tapedeck” at that time. Or maybe Styx or Journey.

After passing through the toll plaza I see the cars exit that are heading north and south on the Beltway but I and several other cars keep going, taking the most direct route into town. I wonder if they’re coming into town to do what I was doing years ago. Possibly.

Today I’ll head back out to Annapolis for Charlene’s former funeral service. I’ll bring the Escape CD with me again but I’m really wishing I had Paradise Theater or something by Heart or Pat Benatar. Wait, I’ve got it: Go-Go’s Beauty and the Beat!

Right now I am on am Amtrak train (79 Carolinian) headed south to have supper at a Golden Corral. Yes, apparently some of the steakhouses from the 70s still exist. I’m going to Fredericksburg for the day to celebrate my paternal grandmother’s 90th birthday, which was actually on Thursday.

After a restless night of sleep, it was a bolt to make it to the train station (eight minutes to spare). Since I’m going to need caffeine jolts to keep me going, I decided to stop by Jacob’s on the way for some coffee. The people in line in front of me, I swear they were ordering milkshakes for breakfast. I could have sworn one of them said “scoop of vanilla ice cream”. Their total for three milkshakes coffees and a couple of muffins was $18.72. My large French Roast was $2.08.

I make it to the train with eight minutes to spare. Yikes, that one was close. The only double-seat available is on the sun-side of the car (I know these things). But luckily there’s no window, a structural element is there so hopefully I won’t be in the sun and won’t bake on the ride down.

//Message over train’s PA system: Do not stuff diapers into the toilets. This will render the restroom inoperable.//

A note about Golden Corral, for those of you who don’t remember or were brought in the time of casual dining (Bennigan’s). GC was where you’d take the family “out” for a dinner in the 70s. It’s a steak & baked potato for $3.99 kind of place. When vegetarianism spread outside of California, circa 1977, they added a salad bar. But back then everybody ate meat and they liked it. There was also a similar competitor, Ponderosa. Notice how both have cattle ranch-inspired cowboy themes? The waitress uniforms in the 70s undoubtedly consisted of embrodered denim skirts and red gingham shirts, complete with scarf and cowboy hat. And possibly a toy pistol.

Today’s GC is totally different. I was still expecting to order a t-bone or fillet steak, but it was one big buffet cafeteria with all different kinds of  foods. It was definitely grab-a-plate and go. Plate #1 was definitely head to the salad bar section to fill up on that first. Plate #2 was a small steak with traditional sides: mashed taters, carrots and mac & cheese. At least I stayed away from the onion rings and the fried shrimp.

There was a lot of family there, of all different ages and generations which was nice. After everyone ate we had cake & ice cream and took the requisite each generation with Mama Della pictures. One thing about Mama Della: she has always had the kids call her this, even the kids from the neighborhood. So even people who aren’t related to her know her and address her using this moniker. I’ve always thought that was kinda cool.

People are doing the simplest things for me, and it is so greatly appreciated. For example, last night after a grueling cardio class, I mentioned to Bernice that she could drop me at the Safeway on the way home (she had given me a ride to the gym) and then I’d walk home from there. I’m used to that walk three times a week, right? She pshawd that and she she’d wait in the parking lot or go fill up her gas tank while I was shopping. She also gave me a Hamilton to pick her up a 6-pack of Sam.

I do my shopping, come outside and load everything into her car. I give her the change (a dollar + coins) and she said to just keep it, then she gives me a Jackson and tells me to keep that. While getting a direct cash gift makes me a little uncomfortable, I tell her I will put the money towards establishing a margarita/quesadilla fund for the next time we make it to Banana Cafe after class, which we would do sometimes in the banner year of, say, 2008.

Then, as I’m running the groceries into my apartment I discover that Bernice has slyly snuck two of her beers into one of my bags. How nice is all of that?

Purchase: $25.97
EBT Card Balance: $63.84
Club Card Savings: $11.07 (30% of purchase)
M/Q Fund: $21.29

After going to bed around 12:30 last night, I woke up at 3:00am and couldn’t get back to sleep. It is now 7:40 and I’ve given up on falling back asleep so I’ve gotten up and made coffee. But I still feel tired.

Last night I was giddy with the prospect of going to La Lomita with Melba, my first dining-out experience in the last two months. I had a $25 gift card which paid for most of my portion so I was able to rationalize the expense of going out. It was a great meal, with great conversation, and I practically licked my plate clean. Hopefully it won’t be another two months until I can return.

Usually after our nights at LL I would wake up at some point in the night, smacking my lips together and needing to hydrate from the split pitcher of margaritas earlier in the evening. Maybe that’s what woke me up last night, maybe not. For when I did wake up, it was with the abruptness of what’s-her-name in Pulp Fiction when she gets the adrenalin styringed straight into her heart. I wasn’t having a dream, at least not one that I can recall, that shocked me awake. Then I just couldn’t get back to sleep.

Now I’m counting down (and hoping I can stay awake until) brunch today. A good friend from NYC, Nancy, is down this weekend and offered to take me to brunch. See how the love is flowin’ y’all? We’re meeting up at Rosemary’s Thyme which I have never been to. Oh! Let’s check out their brunch menu. I think egg’s benedict (always a favorite) or maybe the cured salmon. Or maybe the spinach ravioli from the lunch menu?

I went with the eggs benedict. They were good, but not as good as the eggs neptune at Busboys & Poets that I had a couple of weeks ago. Also joining for brunch was Glen, and also down from New York. He’s a freelance web designer and combined with Nancy’s ad agency experience they really sparked me up on the New York job market and are going to return home and see if they can dig up any contacts or job opportunities up there in the Big Apple.

They had a couple of hours before their train left so we scooted over to the National Building Museum. We visited the Detour exhibit: new and unique rest stops and pit stops along Norway’s National tourist Routes; and Green Community: pollution-contaminated urban spaces and their steps towards turnaround to a viable, livable and public-transit-friendly communities. The Detour exhibit had great models and photography and we discussed how great it would be if our government’s “stimulus package” would incorporate some clever, unique designs instead of awarding the contract to the lowest bidding contractor. Probability factor: not likely. The Green Community exhibit had some really cool electronics in it, including traffic lane entrances that while you walked forward, the vehicle you were standing over (I ended up in the bike lane) would move with you and give you information on that mode of travel. At the end of the exhibit was this wonderfully animated touch-screen of an evolving community and the choices that can be made to improve it and why those options are beneficial. Fun stuff.

//this was written last saturday, the 10th, and i just now realize it was never posted//

Today I am doing free things.

I was up this morning and farting around: having coffee, surfing, reconnecting with EFP about last night’s videocam test and subsequent abrupt passout. A lazy morning and afternoon were in effect.

Then I get a text from Robamos who’s getting his haircut (and checking out the Marines, no doubt) down on Barracks Row. R’s offering a free take on breffus and my dilemma: be a lazy fuck all day or get my ass in gear? I decide to bolt for the shower.

I was assuming we’d do brunch somewhere on the Hill, somewhere local, but as I get into Rob’s truck he throws out options that I hadn’t considered, neighborhoods away. Such a sweetheart.

We decided on the new Busboys & Poets, which is in Rob’s ‘hood and in the same building as the new Results, which I’ve never been to. I ordered a bloody mary and eggs neptune, which is basically eggs benedict, but with crab lumps instead of ham. Delicious. Afterwards we drove around a bit and Rob showed me about the new up-and-comings in the neighborhood. It was amazing how much that area has changed in the last couple of years. Give it five more and Wow.

After coming home and napping I met up with mcG and Siri after their show at the National Theater. We were gonna go and have some drynx and catch-up, mcG said he’d buy me drynx all night. Another friend coming in strong. We were walking up and decided to cut to Green Lantern, Siri had never been and I hadn’t been there in a couple of years. Luckily, it was pretty vacant and we were able to get a wrap-around banquette where we could actually carry a conversation. It was nice to catch up with each of them. And Robamos, too, earlier in the day.

Gotta cut to the chase: I’m walking west on Mass, up to and thru Dupont Circle and I’m getting this strange feeling like this is my last trip through here. After 25 years, when first hanging out here was Smalltown Boy’s dreams, just waiting for it all to come true. Well the time is now and maybe all of those dreams have not come true. What do you to? Do you hold them tight or do you let them go?

I walked over here without listening to headphones, I’m thinking that this maybe one of my last opportunities to actually listen to DC at night and hear what it sounds like.

The bus driver, on the second-to-last bus of the evening, speeds by me knowing that there are no passengers except those losers that need to get home late at night. I have to run half a block and repeatedly whistle to get him to stop. He doesn’t seem remorseful as he opens the door and I get in, I sit in the back, as usual, and he drives fast throughout the city. I’m hoping he’s not speeding past those who don’t know how to whistle.

Here it is: I was laid off on Tuesday. Technically Monday, but as I was still recooping from the weekend’s germ-fest I didn’t get the news until I went in Tuesday morning.

I was fearing this would be happening, but didn’t really think it would. But then it did. Five others were also laid off, cutting the studio staff by 20%. That’s a pretty big cut. I figured that if any of the production managers would be cut that it would be me, considering the year I’ve had.

So now what to do? I’ve been taking this week and sleeping in (except for today) and taking it easy. I’ve looked into (and when I say that, I mean I investigated some websites) receiving unemployment benefits and after advice from friends, signing up for food stamps. Which apparently are not really stamps anymore, but are issued in credit card form. I guess that will help alleviate some embarrassment at the checkout line but I’m sure the cashiers know. The unemployment place is on Rhode Island Ave in Brentwood and the food stamp place is at H St NW & North Capitol so that will be a fun day of running around on the bus system. But not today because it’s raining and cold and nasty out.

I’ll get my final paycheck at the end of the month, so that will at least pay rent thru January. I’ve already told friends that I’m not going to be going out for dinners or even one drink and I’m counting my quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies. Jeff took me out to dinner at Argonaut on Tuesday which was really thoughtful. And Goldy showed up on Wednesday with some groceries which I thought was really just the sweetest thing to do. She included pastas/sauces, soups, clementines, toiletries, even a bag of Funjuns. Now I’ve got to make sure I eat all my perishables first and stretch out what’s in my cupboard as long as I can.

I also have to quit my gym membership because that’s too expensive to hold on to while I’m pinching costs elsewhere.

I’ll go in this weekend to clear out my office, which has over eight years of personal and goofy stuff that has accumulated. I’ll need to clean off my hard drive too of mp3s and photos and other stuff; this will probably take longer than cleaning out my office.

December has not really been my favorite month. Let me take that back. Sometimes it can be bittersweet but it’s never really fun. There’s too much gift-buying shopping anxiety, too many obnoxious commercials on the television, too much faux joyousness.

And there’s always The Birthday. I don’t think I’ve ever liked having been born during the holiday season. There’s always the question: “Does your birthday sometimes get overlooked because if the holidays?” to which my response is always “Duh.” It could be worse: Brandon’s birthday is on December 31, and you know he never gets any respect of privitization with that date.

So when your birthday falls on a Wednesday during holiday season, and you’re my age, it’s really not a big deal.

I was planning on getting some friends together for cocktails at a new swanky joint on Pennsylvania Ave SE. I had previously talked with the owner about having a drop-in from 7–10 and getting a couple of bucks off from drink prices for those invited. I followed up with an email and didn’t get a response. I went back there last week to check in again and it seemed all deals were off the table so that soured me on that proposition.

I tried to figure out other options but nothing was really coming to mind. Being late in the game to send out invites (although it still would have been a very casual evening) and getting an invitation from friends for a non-birthday related cocktail party on Thursday, I threw in the towel and decided to do nothing. Melba did coax me out though to one of our fave places, La Lomita, for some birthday tacos and margaritas. It was a low-key evening but one that was still very fun.