My computer just shut off while I was checking my e-mail. This second handed computer’s days are definitely numbered. I better do a quick blog entry before it over heats.

Yesterday (Monday), I started the day with a relaxing soak in the bathtub. Then on an impulse, I decided to go to the nearby mall here in Yonkers. I should have been cleaning my apartment, but procrastinator in me just will not die. Usually, I like to go to the Jersey City Mall. I am a creature of habit. Although it takes a couple of hours and about 3 or 4 trains, since I learned how to go to Jersey City Mall, I usually go there. Anyway, I decided that since there is a mall about a 10 minute distance (by car), I should just go visit.

To go, I started out at 12:50 from my apartment at the bottom of a steep hill. The bus (at the top of the hill) arrived at 1:03. Up here in Westchester transfers are not automatic. I had to pay $0.25 for the transfer. Another thing, the bus stops don’t line up. I had a choice of where to get the connecting bus, one block down hill to the Metro North station, or about 2 blocks up hill to the bus stop at the Getty Square shopping area. This area is the area I’ve mentioned in previous entries when I wrote about walking 30 minutes to the nearby shopping area. I choose the Getty Square. Actually, it was a little old Spanish lady who helped me make the choice. When I got on the bus I asked the bus drive for the location of the transfer…he was no help. He just mumbled something about over there. It was the Spanish lady who actually spoke up and explained about the bus stop locations. Since she was going to a vegetable stand nearby, she offered to take me to the bus stop in Getty Square.

At the bus stop, I had about a 20 minute wait. Buses were on a Saturday schedule due to President’s Day. Just when the bus arrived a bunch of loud young people came. They all got on the bus, cursing, threatening, and laughing like they were the only ones on the bus. Apparently, one of the boys was having a conversation about defending his girlfriend’s honor because someone called his girlfriend a Ho. Another girl was discussing the condom she liked. The other girl wanted to know why she was using a condom with her boyfriend. The girl’s response was that she did not want to get pregnant. Then the girls conversation turned to on girl explaining about how someone was “bitching” to her mother, and her mother was bitching to her, so she started bitching back to her mother. I had a 20 minutes bus ride of this nonsense.

Once we arrived (everyone apparently was going to the mall), I got off quickly hoping to get away from the noise (they were giving me a headache), Unfortunately, the direction I had chosen (at random) was the same path they had chosen. I ducked into a bookstore. I was sure they would not be going there. I was correct. I kind of let myself get lost in the books. I browsed for a while. It is almost time for me to choose a new book. I am currently reading the “adult” edition of the Chronicles of Narnia. That basically means they took all of the childrens’ edition (7 in total), and put them into a single book with the picture of a scene from the movie. The book must weigh about 3 or 4 pounds. I am about 2/3 of the way through. The book is a bit soft and sappy, but I am enjoying it.

I really don’t know what my next book will be. I really enjoyed the “Eragon” series. I haven’t seen the movie, but the movie looks stupid. And the reviews were not great. I seemed to keep edging towards “Wicked” and “The Son of the Witch” each time I go to the book store. Both books are sequels (or prequels) to the Wizard of Oz. Wicked is also a Broadway show. I was never a big fan of the Wizard of Oz, and the books sound fairly stupid. And yet, I keep eyeing those two books. Anyway, I passed on buying a book yesterday. All of my recent books have been bought at Target store (they are cheaper there), I’m planning to go to Target today, so I’ll see what they have there.

After the book store, I went to Burger King. I had medium meal with orange juice, and no cheese on the hamburget (my lame attempt at eating healthy). Yes, yes, I know, if I was eating healthy, then I would not have been in Burger King.

After BK, I went to Macys to look around, and then from there I went to SEARS. I bought a pair of dress casual shoes for work.
From SEARS, I realized there was not much to see at this “open mall”, and besides, the last bus, yes, last bus was at 5:30. I did not want to pay for a taxi. I was there one time before, I know there is a movie theater somewhere around, but with the snow, and cold, I was not in the mood to explore.

The bus ride back was much nicer without loud youths onboard. Am I sounding like an old man? I nodded off on the bus, and before I knew it, I was back at Getty Square. I did a little bit of shopping in the area. I bought window blinds for the kitchen ($3.88), and a couple of white thermo long undershirts. I wear the white thermos under my white shirt, so that I don’t need to wear a jacket or a sweater over my white shirt. I then went shopping in the 99 cents. I guess you can figure out the kind of “shopping” area from the places (discount furniture, imitation 5 & 10, and 99 cent store). At the 99 cent store, I bought 4 rolls of Bounty paper towels, dish detergent, plastic spoons, and a pack of big restaurant Styrofoam cups with plastic lids. Those cups are good for both hot and cold things. In the past, I’ve missed breakfast because I was running late. A couple of times I put my oatmeal into a bowl to eat on the train, or hot green tea in a mug to drink on the train. However, I would then have to carry the used dishes around until I got home. With the Styrofoam cups (with lids), I can put the hot oatmeal in one cup and the hot green tea in the other. The Metro-North ride is about 12 minutes, so that is my breakfast time without rushing.
After the shopping in Getty Square, I walked home. Now the walking time is about 20 or 25. The more I do it the faster I can do it. Once home, I watched King of Queens. Then I forced myself onto my rowing machine. I told myself that I would start exercising again. After rowing for about 40 minutes, I showered. I was so tired that I told myself that I would lay down for a couple of minutes, but I ended up falling asleep with nothing on but a towel, and very little heat in the apartment. Strange, when heat was not needed, they had me sweating up a storm, but now, the heat is barely on at times. The rowing was okay, but next time I need to push myself a little more. My heart rate rarely went above 100 during my workout. I bought one of those heart rate monitors that wears like a wrist watch.