Didn't sleep very well last night, which there is nothing unusual about that, but I had a big interview this morning. Trotted out a nice light grey suit. Ipod cooperated and played some nice upbeat stuff through traffic. The interview went well and was free of the bullshit questions and actually talked about the job instead of my greatest weakness (blue eyes and a killer smile). Makes you want the job just because of the freedom from the nonsense. Interview finishes with me getting enough time to get home to change before the actual work day gets going. I hit the road and the Allentown Trading Company is stocking Aero Bars. Rapture! I know you can get em elsewhere, but seeing them (an awesome candy bar) on the shelf was a sign.

Got back in the car and the IPOD cranks up my u2 Buffalo Bootleg for the jaunt down the 290.

These are positive signs.

For the past six years or so, the ex and I have been splitting the cost of a membership at the Holiday Inn on Delaware. They have a pool club that for a flat rate you get unlimited swimming pool access from 10am to 10pm, Memorial Day through Labor Day. It's not a bad deal and we can get cooled off with the hassle of the border or packing cars like you're temporarily moving. Basically, throw your suit on and go. The fact that the hotel bar delivers out to you helps too. Previous summers had us ordering LaNova for dinner and getting drinks from the bar.

I do wonder about the buffoons who own the place. They had a watermain break near the pool that put a serious crimp on operations out there. Shit happens, I understand that. They are getting ready to open the pool for what is left of the summer. Since two thirds of their usual swimming season is shot, the Hotel isn't going to run a pool club since the fucksticks in management couldn't come to any kind of consensus on how to price it. Two thirds of the season is gone. Deduct two thirds from the price, doesn't seem that hard to me. That sort of logic made me the befuddled male I am today. It's that sort of muddleheaded thinking that just pisses me off. You'd think they want to cultivate previous pool club so we all come back in 08.

Jerkasses.

In other news, here's a sign that I spent too much time fixing computers of the weekend. Simpsonized myself

My sisters are both long time manhattan residents and probably wouldn't be happy in any other city, each resenting that the other is on their turf. That said, whenever stuff happens they've got a story about it. The Steam eruption happened right outside my elder sister's design firm. She got shooed off her balcony by an air quality guy this am.



They saw the "Big fun" start, but nobody in her place could be cool to run a camera. Can't say I blame em. Boss got her a car service home tonight though.

I know "Paris" is old news, but this seems like one of the few appropriate takes on that whole embroglio.

Took a tour of the Italian and Canal Fests today. The Italian fest is so trapped in time I'm pretty sure they are serving cannoli from two years ago. I had to work it for Adelphia a few years ago and hadn't been back since so after finishing all my domestic responsibilities I took a stroll. And it might have been 2005. It's all in the exact same place. The only going achieved was a little badly needed sun on me and a reinstatement of my waryness of any carnival ride still attached to its delivery truck.

Canal fest is another matter. Maybe it's being down on the water, maybe it was the entire bag of sugar inside my lemonade (it was really good), maybe it was hitting two baskets and coming home with a three foot tall Homer Simpson, but I liked it. I hung out on the one bridge between the goings on, watching the boats, quietly appreciating the women in same and felt very peaceful. Proper funnel cake has that effect.



The aforementioned tasty lemonade

Seagulls in search of fried dough nuggets

An unenthused Walgreen's, at the rate the new stores have been opening, this one should have had a sidewalk sale taking place

Curb your duck ( I think that is me and my shadow taking their picture from the bridge)


The view from the river bridge (essentially neutral turf between the Tonawandas)


Oh to have a water bike. What a good thing

In spite of the fact that the band was playing Pink Floyd songs (Nothing wrong with that, just didn't seem uptempo for carnival fun). It was worth checking out.

Since it is close to where work is these days, I may make a mid week return jaunt. It's a parade of mullets to be sure, but it's a hoot to people watch.