Did You Miss Me?

I predicted I'd be back to blogging on "Tuesday." Oh well, I was only 16 days off the mark. What a nightmare of moving and then fighting to get my DSL service turned on in the new apartment. Until I spent literally six hours on the phone arguing Monday, the turn on date was March 22nd. Amazing what can be accomplished when you make yourself a royal pain. Since I've been away, I've...

1. Moved a one bedroom apartment, including 107 boxes of books, DVDs and CDs.
2. Changed my cell phone provider because my old one (Sprint) had so many dead zones in my neighborhood and T-Mobile takes sim cards so I can use it in Europe cheaply when I go to Cannes and London. Turns out T-Mobile ALSO has dead zones in my neighborhood. I can use it in my new apartment if I stand in the living room and hold it up in the air. It doesn't work anywhere else with consistency. At least the plan is half the price ($50 for 1500 minutes instead of $100 for 2000 minutes.) I've switched my home phone to a flat rate so I pay for unlimited long distance at home and my cell phone for less than my old cell phone bill alone.
3. Struggled with my cable -- my stereo still isn't hooked up properly.
4. Scoured the town looking for cheap shelving for my two storage units in the basement. Unsuccessfully.
5. Spent days on the phone struggling to get DSL installed.
6. Spent days trying to hook up dial-up service while waiting for DSL only to find out that when my phone company turned on the phone, they didn't turn on the jacks, heaven forfend. I had to pay another $100 to get them to come out and do that.
7. Spent $127 at Kinkos to file the few stories I could get done over the last two weeks.
8. Freaked out over the awesomely exciting season finale of "Battlestar Galactica."
9. Watched the only "Idol" I had a crush on get eliminated before the final 12. (No reason to go see them on tour now.)
10. Read the following:

The Adventures of Pinnochio by Carlo Collodi/translation Nicolas J. Perella) ***
Children of the New Forest by Captain Marryat ** 1/2
Writing Home by Alan Bennett *** 1/2
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen ****

11. Went to the following shows:

The Music Teacher by Wallace Shawn *
Lesley Gore at Joe's Pub ***
Ring of Fire on Broadway *
Hedda Gabler with Cate Blanchett at BAM ***

12. Saw the following movies/DVDs:

Lady and the Tramp *** 1/2
The Ice Harvest *
Murder, She Said **
Murder at the Gallop **
Murder Ahoy! ** 1/2 (all Miss Marple movies)
Dave Chappelle's Block Party ** 1/2
Shadow Boxers *
Keane *** 1/2
Liza With A "Z" at the Ziegfeld *** 1/2

13. Listened to the following CDs:

Linda Ronstadt: The Best of the Capitol Years -- but really listening over and over to last 10 tracks that comprise Heart Like A Wheel a **** album.
James Hand -- The Truth Will Set You Free *** 1/2
Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs -- UnderThe Covers Vol l *** (but could go higher)
Mott The Hoople -- All The Young Dudes *** (but I need to play it louder)
Marley's Ghost -- Spoooked **
Crosby Stills and Nash *** 1/2
The Little Willies ** 1/2

14. Got 19 out of the 24 Academy Award picks right (you'll have to trust me since I couldn't post my picks) but didn't care since the only one that mattered Best Picture went to my least favorie movie, "Crash."
15. Missed my friend Robin's birthday.
16. Missed the premiere of a new mass by a talented young composer.
17. Enjoyed spending the afternoon with my cousin Jonathan, visiting from Canada.
18. Got an estimate for putting in shelving in my storage units and two alcoves in the apartment. For $3500. Bought a carpentry book.

Will you forgive me for being gone so long? I'm going to be going through my 1199 emails now. I'm also hoping to install new software next week that lets me post blogs autmoatically so I can keep the updates coming without being tied to my computer. Look for serious blogging to begin Monday since I still haven't unpacked.

Michael