Year 2 - Day #100

Let's take a moment to celebrate a milestone - it's now been a 100 days into year two of the pandemic or since I began working remotely.

Got the mammogram today. Finally. I'd been procrastinating. A long time. It's been almost two years since the last one. But I've an Aunt who had breast cancer, several friends in remission, and an acquaintance in fourth stage metasized breast cancer.

It took forever. Appointment was at 4:15, I didn't get it until almost 5pm. AnAt first there were no seats, and I was standing in the hall-way with two other people. You could stand upstairs and wait outside - but I was afraid I wouldn't hear them. Also it was cooler in the room, and I'm vaccinated, and everyone was wearing masks. I eventually got a seat - all of which are six feet apart or with tall plastic dividers between them. The exam itself was the least painful, I've had. The radiologist technician, Nurelean, was lovely. I adored her. I want her again.

Walked to the grocery story and to the Carroll Stop - which is further. Also got myself a treat - ice cream. Good ice cream. Gourmet ice cream.
Jenny's Coconut Cream Coffee Ice Cream (Dairy Free), and McConnell's Peppermint Stick ice cream (my favorite flavor). Small pints. Sashmi and rice paper wrapped spicy tuna rolls for dinner.

On way home, walked by the classiest outdoor dining establishment that I've seen to date. It had had cushioned armchairs, a rug, nice outdoor tables, a couch and various armchairs to wait around on, all arranged nicely under a canopy, with flowers attached to it.



I'm betting it's pricey. Eh, not bad, also no gluten-free deserts. Or rather it depends on whether you think $27 is a lot for a lobster roll. So maybe not.

Wales texted that there's a little Asian Row of Restaurants between Bergen and Pacific Streets. Also the movie theater is open now and showing movies - it had been closed down for over 18 months. Both movie theaters are open. So too are the retail stores. And there's new restaurants and stores up now - while others have disappeared. One, I did a double take - Lift/Next Level Floats - what's so odd about it - is well, it is located "above" a restaurant. And I think its water immersion therapy. I checked - it is water immersion therapy. You go into a sensory deprivation tank and just flow without an external stimuli. I don't know, it looks kind of claustrophobic? I can see myself freaking out.

Also passed, where the dry-cleaners used to be - a cookie and coffee place. People are opening all sorts of businesses post pandemic. Dizzy's in Park Slope closed, but in Windsor Terrace near Night Hawk Cinema, actually that might be Park Slope, Brooklyn - another place is popping up - Hot Dogs and Fries.

All these twenty-somethings quit their jobs and decided to start up their own businesses together? During a pandemic? I mean I'm sure they're convinced it is over - but I don't think it is over. People are still dying. We had over 1,000 people die in the US of it this week alone.

What's interesting - is how different Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens (my old nieghborhood) is to Kesington/Windsor Terrace/Ditmas, and how much it has changed since I moved in 2014. For one thing - it's wealthier and more upscale. You still can't get a one bedroom apartment below 2000, or a not so great one at 1975. Much better prices where I'm at. Also younger. But also, not as many people are wearing masks. And it's far more crowded. And the outdoor dining is annoying - you have to navigate around all of it. And it's rare to see anyone older than 45. Everyone is in shape, wearing expensive clothes, and looks very cool. Clearly been gentrified. But it also has some interesting restaurants and new stores.

Also? 80% of the people aren't wearing masks - even though they are more clustered together. In my neighborhood - stark contrast, about 80% are wearing them. I'm talking about "outdoors". Indoors - unless it is a restaurant - everyone is wearing masks. And they do still have various protocols in place - shields at cash registers, six feet distancing, etc. The grocery store was great because there was hardly anyone shopping - they were all hanging with their friends at the restaurants.

**

The subway ride home was hard. It's more full now. And finding a seat with even distancing, not easy. There were seats - but you'd have to sit next to someone else. Also there were people taking up three seats due to this rule. Two of them were medical staff - still with their scrubs on.

But they are safe. Everyone wears masks on the subways now. I don't see anyone without them. A big change from last year at this time. It's as if we've all gotten used to wearing the masks most of the time?

***

Anyhow, mother informed me that my niece is taking Amtrack back with her boyfriend - to Providence, Rhode Island - where they will stay with my brother, his wife, and their friend John at his parent's place on the beach, with his girl-friend and their two kids.

My brother and niece appear to be living my dream life.

Some people aren't hating 2021, and had a rather decent 2020, come to think of it.

**

Soap was pre-empted by the Derek Chauvin sentencing hearing. [He's the cop who killed George Floyd last May, in case you were hiding under a rock and honestly who could blame you?]

( he was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for murder )

[People wanted longer - but honestly, I think this is the best we could hope for. Also keep in mind, the man is a cop. Prisons are hell on steroids for cops.]

While struggling to get a bunch of work related materials written - I read an article or rather an interesting interview with Kathleen Turner. She's refreshingly honest and blunt. Also it explained why she looks so different. Apparently she was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in the 1990s. And the medications they put her on - resulted in her physical body changing dramatically. She was on steroids and other meds. It's now in remission. But for a period there - she had extreme pain. This also led to abuse of alcohol - as a pain killer. She thought it would work. (It does, but has horrible side-effects.) The steroids resulted in the weight gain. Frustrated by the limitations on screen roles - she went into the theater. It's an interesting, and somewhat angry interview. Hollywood like the rest of the world is not nice to women.

Now I want to finish watching the Kominsky Method S3, which is the finale season. It wasn't supposed to have a final season, but Chuck Lorre got bored, and Michael Douglas wanted closure for the character. Also they just pulled in Turner to replace the departing Alan Arkin. Apparently Douglas and Turner have been close friends for 40 years.

It was an entertaining distraction. I feel like I've been trudging through waist high muck this year for some reason. My body is changing right out from under me (Menopause Manifesto says that's menopause transition - your body is kind of transitioning into a reverse puberty, and everything is changing. How you eat, exercise, etc.). My workplace is changing. My parents are changing. It's all changing. And I just want to hide from it all. I can't of course - but it is what I want to do. I honestly think in a previous lifetime - I was a turtle. I have a lot of characters in common with turtles.