even though this morning the temperature was 20 degrees (factoring in the 28 mph wind, that's 4 degrees with wind chill), it wasn't too bad when i left the house - that is until i walked halfway to the station, and my ears started to hurt. every single person that i saw had a hat on, except for me, only because i didn't want to mess up my hair. when i got to work, i saw that our office roomba had arrived, the self-guiding floor vacuuming robot. i was seriously considering going out for a run during lunch, but i don't remember ever running in temperature this cold, and i rather not get frostbite or hypothermia if i can avoid it. instead, when i got hungry enough, i wandered into downtown crossing in the biting cold. i bumped into kristine, hurrying back to the office after running some sort of secret errand. i had to shout her name several times and she was startled to see me. "it's cold!" she stammered. i ended up going to this new mediterrean "hole in the wall" takeout place, got the chicken gyro for $6. my hands, my ears, the tip of my nose were all stinging from the cold, i winced whenever the wind started to blow, i kept on exhaling to see my breath condensing in the air. goes without saying, no hat! the chicken gyro was very delicious and feels pretty healthy too, i'll add it to my lunchtime repertoire (although i really should be bringing in more food than eating out so much, to save money).

i wish there was more to see on my short walk from the office to the train station. maybe i should take the scenic route to another station just so i can encounter more photo ops. a lot of former office spaces (now all empty) are being converted into luxury condos. although i hate to see rich people getting a piece of this prime real estate area, i can't wait for the place to gentrify some more, if nothing else, hopefully the streets will be cleaner. it's not so bad at nights, because i walk in the streets, but during the day, when i'm on the sidewalks, it's like an obstacle course trying to avoid overturned garbage bins, smashed liquor bottles, and the piles of dog poop. it's a dirty part of town. surprisingly though, not a lot of people hang out there, it's dirty and dead.

i picked up my prescriptions at cvs before coming home. one of the prescriptions i was refilling before my current pills ran out so for some reason my insurance wouldn't pay for it, so what should've been $10 ballooned to something like $40. i told the pharmacist i didn't want it then, and just took the other prescription for atenelol, which i did need. this ironic saga of the high blood pressure medication is hopefully over.

once i got home, i figured i'd have a quiet evening of relaxing, read my new fish book that just arrived in the mail today ("you & your aquarium"), and maybe try out a new recipe, but alex wong called me up, "what're you doing?" which in alexspeak means, "i'm in the neighborhood, can i come over?" i said sure, he stayed briefly, but sort of got bored and left. no french bread pizza for him tonight! i ended up just heating a can of soup, my doctor's voice in my head, "tony, that is a high sodium food."

i'm getting used to this clean-shaven look, but the stubbles are already growing back, my face feels like a very fine sandpaper. by this weekend, that escaped convict look! or maybe lost on a desert island. i don't plan on shaving anytime soon.