Eat; Sleep; Listen

Yesterday, I had lunch at Chili's, one of those Tex-Mex chains. Tile floors, ceiling fans, plants in terra-cotta, light fixtures made from copper kettles, assorted flea market paraphernalia on wall shelves. Different from my normal Chinese places. As I waited for my food, I watched the scurrying servers, hustling bus folk, and wandering customers. Lots of groups of people on business lunches: one or two would arrive, then another, and so forth until there were five or six or seven. I decided I was possibly the only person eating alone. And I've noticed that if you eat alone, people are too busy with their own group to pay you much attention. Especially if you appear to be reading the paper or a magazine. I'm certain that I've overheard hundreds of conversations this way. Maybe I could rent my services out to the highest bidder.

As usual, my sleeping patterns are out of whack again. So I'll not be able to go to sleep until 2 or so, then be awakened at 5 by the felines, then go back to sleep and wake at 7:45. Then make a befuddled bolt for work. But last night I drifted off at 9, work up at midnight, then again at the customary 5 but did not go back to sleep. Wonder of wonders, I scampered off to work at 7:30.

I've been switching net radio channels again at work. I've had to give up on GoGaGa, which has become very unstable; I'm thinking because it is so busy. 3wk has the best audio quality, but seems too automated, and I've noticed a tad too much rotation. WFMU in New Jersey has the broadest, most eclectic selections, but it varies from dj to dj. (Note to Andy: "Butch it up!")

For the last few days, I've been trying Virgin UK. The music is part contemporary, and part past mix. Although the songs are familiar, it is the spoken words that intrigue - djs, commercials, call-ins. Sometimes, I have no idea what is going on. (I've read of a movie that was done several years ago in Cockney that was so indecipherable that subtitles were added.)

PAX!