New Year's limbo

Until today, I always assumed the holidays promptly ended after Christmas. Uncle Mickey informed me that people are traveling into the city for the Christmas break (I assume because they couldn't get away until now). This may explain the stop-and-go traffic coming back into the city. Mom had trouble with traffic on her trip back, too; Tuesdays have a special bus schedule because of all the old people going to matinees.

Mom's trip was horrid, which i no surprise since she was hell-bent on being miserable. I don't feel like delving into that again, but I suppose I might want to write it down for posterity. To summarize, she didn't get the back pay that she wanted, possibly because Principle Litt didn't sign off on it. No surprise given how he's had it in for mom ever since she dragged him to the hearing. Characteristically, I predicted doom and gloom on that topic. I'm usually correct. But people capitalize on my poor memory!

My visit was perfunctory but nice. For one thing, we weren't staying in a motel but a hotel: The Holiday Inn. (They changed their logo to a green "H". I think the green floodlights are an odd signature for their buildings.)

Predictably, I got there late. You see, the super posted a notice that they'd be by that day to check the wiring. Mom interpreted this for the worst, again. She thought the super would just let himself in and root through the messy apartment. Of course, when he finally came, I opened the door and had to catch him from sprinting in the opposite direction down the hall. They didn't care. He just checked the fusebox for an instant and booked. Mom made me remain at the house until she got back at around 1:00. I guessed I would arrive at 6:00, which turned out to be a lucky guess.

Well, anyway. Not to drag out the details. I had a good time with Mick and Cathy. Lee and my mom apparently got an argument, though mom denied that she "yelled", as Lee claims. "I don't even like McCain!" Mom did confess to some bubbling animosity toward Lee and, generally speaking, their childhood in Tom's River. She was also stressed out about the back pay, the super, and her failed life. Watching the Mark Twain Awards celebrating Meryl Streep did her mood no favors. Finally, she ended up grinding her teeth again in her sleep, leaving her with a toothache and another crown in her future, maybe. What a wreck of a woman.

Anyway, Lee talked at length about TV, which is why I think we three tried to steer the conversation away from anything television related. On any other subject, Lee was at sea, so I felt a little self-conscious about that. We talked for a few hours about Ohio Schools, which are a lot worse than they reported to mom. Apparently, a good deal of Columbus High students are heroin fiends and car thieves. The city is a drug capital. All of this materialized with the last year. A few rednecks threatened Uncle Mickey ("We know where you live") but he just smiled blithely at them ans replied, "You and what army?", which spooked them off. They can't tell anybody when they're planning to leave town, lest somebody leak the information to a kid and he robs their house.

I must say that I was literally dizzied by the amount of space in my room, and in particular bathroom. I've been living here too long. Sad when a chain hotel bathroom makes the phrase "how the other half lives" pop in your head.

I watched cable until about 4:00 in the morning. There was nothing on during prime time (except SVU, where they broke the news about Stabler leaving the show, finally), so I watched some Rizzoli & Isles (not bad), Chelsea lately, then The Postman. Which is just as terrible as they say. It started out fairly well, but skipped it's logical conclusion and just kept grinding on for hours. Also saw Kiss of the Dragon, Shoot Em' Up (very good), and a couple episodes of Justified. Network TV is really pathetic in comparison. Sigh.

I had my heart set on IHOP, but I think Mickey was averse to the idea because his cholesterol has gotten worse. So we went to some IHOP-lite place called...uhh, I forget the name. Begins with "P". It was pretty good. I noticed a tendency in myself to talk very rapidly and without much cohesion. No wonder I'm so poorly understood. Must make note to look up tips on public speaking and delivering jokes.

Mom wasn't as depressed when I got home as I expected. Tonight, she brought up the food stamp application again, and seemed more open to the idea of just mailing it. I got furious, as I always do on the s subject. I acted petulant and whiny, and fumed at all the pornography I couldn't buy because my Christmas money is all earmarked for other expenses, including those incurred by not getting food stamps. It's a mess. Tomorrow I have to set up an appointment to meet with them; if I can't get one soon, I'll just mail the fucking thing. Then I have to deposit some cash and get a new ATM card to replace the revoked one (my balance was too low for an extended period).

Kerri wants me to come over for New Year's. I feel guilty about spend the cash (ironically, on friends). Also, I feel I owe Julia for her money and getting me an internship. Kerri is unhappy. Frankie is busting her balls for trying to date his friend. We agree he makes her problems his own, usually for no reason at all. I decided that Frankie is so used to showing contempt for the Braiotta women that the mask has become hammered on, and now everything Kerri does annoys him. I'd like to be there to back her up in front of Frankie's friends at their party, but I hate going up there. And I just got back from a big trip already.

Tomorrow I go back to work. I already dislike Christina. I suspect she looks down on me, and that makes me resent her. Also, that office doesn't need more help. They're overcrowded as it is. She doesn't need the work experience any more, so why can't she fuck off? I may mention it.