For lunch on Saturday, (e:paul) wanted to go to Sato. He refused to ride a bike and I refused to drive a car, so we took the metro rail to the new University Heights location. I used to take it everywhere before I had a decent bike (I would still refuse to drive with people then) but I haven't taken it regularly in over two and a half years now.

Despite most of the stations looking worse than ever, the red subway tiles are still just as awesome.





The Sato menu at this location has new stuff like rice bowls. I had one with fried tofu and spring rolls - it was really good except for the ranch on it. Still not a fan of gross condiments.


Paul and his comically oversized ramen

The restaurant was very cute. I think I like it better than the Elmwood one, less fancy and more smiling food.

Paul wanted a shopping spree so we walked down a few blocks of Main Street, with a stop at Parkside Candy.

And this tiny shop (probably 10x20ft) called MerMaid and Weasel. It was supposed to be a shop for nerds. They didn't have much in the store but the owner was in there knitting little fox faces, which I liked. Paul got (e:mike) some candy cigs.

Why is a car dealership allowed to steal the sidewalk to sell their shitty machines? Pretty sure we



On the way back we took the Lasalle station home. It looks like water must be leaking in the tunnel at the top because some areas had a shit ton of paint peeling off the metal panels. Good thing we can get $40 million dollars of federal funds to put cars on three blocks of Main Street, but can't spare any for the NFTA!

Wednesday was the gay business meeting at Bourbon and Butter. It seems impossible that the Hotel Lafayette was ever a flop house with how fancy it is now.

The event was sponsored by (e:terry) and (e:heidi) via Allen Street Consulting. I've only mixed with people I didn't know at one of these before when I went to the one sponsored by Roswell (before I worked there) and it was definitely not business related.

(e:paul) and I got there late after work but they still had some amazing bread snacks.

After the event everyone came over to eat some pizza.

Just like people at our Halloween party, pumpkins stick around until they're drooling pumpkin juice on the floor. Until next year.

I'm really behind on posting. Last week I took (e:Paul) to get LASIK out in Amherst. it was really insane to watch.

I had gotten it myself three years ago because it was free, but I obviously didn't watch it. I saw them laser the flap in Paul's eye, down to the lens, and then cut around it then. When the doctor cut both eyes, they made Paul get up and walk to the actual ablation machine. it looked like he had cataracts.

the second machine had a TV so I watched the flaps get raised and smoothed. A second laser reshaped his outer lens in progressively smaller circles. 10 minutes later he was done. I still think he was cute with glasses but maybe he can ride bikes safer now ;)

Much to the hate of the probable hate of the preservation board, we now have solar panels! 17 panels are mounted on the south facing side of our house. 14 on the sloped roof, and 3 on the flat part. So long rooftop parties ;(. The installer, Solar Liberty upgraded the panels from 305kW to the newer 310kW panels, for a total of 5.3kW. We would have had 20 panels at 6.2kW, but the preservation board stupidly denied three. Now it's not symmetrical for the 30 feet you can see it.

The electrician will be here tomorrow to replace our panel box, add a ground, and connect the panels to our house. Old house, new technology!

It's so windy today, 60 mph gusts. (e:paul) is afraid the panels are going to blow off. I think it's a good first test.