magid

This morning I stopped by the credit union ATM to get some cash. I did not think about denominations, which is how I ended up with a $100 bill when I’d expected $20s. Ack.

This gave me an excuse to buy lunch out (in addition to not having brought more than breakfast with me), which, now that Bakey has lost kosher certification, meant I headed to Milk Street Cafe to grab one of today’s specials (tuna-noodle casserole will always be comfort food for me, which I know is definitely not a universal opinion).

Previously, I had a great default route from the Downtown Crossing station to the restaurant through the 101 Arch St. lobby. Recent construction has closed that option off permanently, alas (the atrium is really pretty, with a multi-story internal spiral staircase (that I suspect is no longer used, but looks great)).

On the way back, I decided to avoid the exit I’d used on the way out, which had a bunch of pigeons fighting over chicken bones (I don’t really want to think too much about that…), so went through the non-Arch St. part of the lobby at 101 Summer St., which still has an entrance to Downtown Crossing. Except that the down escalator was blocked off for maintenance, and there weren’t any obvious stairs, which is how I found out that there’s an elevator. You know how when you get into a new-to-you elevator, you do a quick scan for which side has the buttons? Well, both sides had buttons, L for the floor we were on, and… different buttons for the lower level. I pressed M (I’m guessing for MBTA?), while the other guy who got in the elevator pressed L2 on his side. Why L2? why not just L, or L1? These are mysteries. Were there not enough L2 or M buttons to go around? Is this an office plagued with Borrowers? Was there previously an L1 level that aliens sucked out and wiped from our memories except for this one slip? Inquiring minds want to know!

Also, the long-closed Charlie Card Store at Downtown Crossing is no longer empty, but not open to the public, either: it seems to be a supplies depot for cleaners and possibly other workers?

90+ degrees yesterday, ugh. that's just too hot for april. actually, too hot for anytime, but especially too hot for april. why do so many people seem so pleased when it gets that hot?

at least it cooled down later in the day, making it nicer outside tha n the still overwarm inside. i went out to a playground, climbed on the jungle gym, swung on the swings. both of these are much easier with 2 hands... (i couldn't get very high on the swings one-handed :-( ). and i scored some pots for plants on the walk home (trash pickup is this morning), which didn't get me out of my mood, but helped a little.

did anyone else wake up for the thunderstorm? there was a long roll of thunder around 2:40 am, enough to wake me up and remind me i'd left the skylight open.... jump out of bed, get the close-the-skylight tool, close it before the downpour. there was some spectacular lightning, too, bright even with my eyes closed... followed a fraction of a second later with a huge boom of thunder.
things are definitely cooler :-)

i took buses to work today, walking to harvard, then taking the 71 to the 59 to the end of the street i work on. it took about one and a half hours, including walking, but at least i had plenty of time to do hand exercises.... oh, and i found out that they now have bus to bus transfers, so the trip cost half of what i'd expected (75 cents).

mood: virtuous public transportation consumer.
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(is anyone else having difficulties with odd characters showing up in their entries (um, that would be things-that-are-related-to-but-aren't-letters, not that man in purple with a chicken on his head over there in the corner....)? i've tried deleting the null set above, but nothing works. does this have something to do with now having other alphabets available?)