i finally went to bed around 6:00, waking up a few hours later. the fact that i didn't receive any distressed phone calls ("i missed the plane!" or "i forgot my passport!") meant my roommate was safely on his way back to nanjing. now that he was gone, i could take the time to see what he left behind. basically a lot of sandwich ingredients, which was what he ate while he was here since i never saw him doing any cooking (unless you count boiling water or using the microwave).

he did leave behind two things that he brought from china: a package of beef and tomato instant noodle (you mean spaghetti?) and a bar of chinese laundry soap. the soap smelled really nice (mo li - jasmine) and looked to be a kind of glycerin soap, but i don't think it'd make a good shower soap (unless i showered with my clothes on).

my roommate also left a cache of cheeses in one of the crisper bins: 3 variety of blue cheese (fourme d'ambert, gorgonzola, and an unidentified wedge), some swiss, and 3 slices of cheesecake.

the next two days look to be good naturing weather but i decided to stay local today and then hopefully go out tomorrow. i went to supermarket to get some groceries, particularly a package of glazed donuts i've been craving for about a week.

the insurance company called me in the afternoon. the agent told me they finally came to a decision based on the claim adjustor's damage estimate and they deemed my motorcycle as a total loss, since it'd cost more to fix than to just junk the bike altogether. as part of my settlement they'd be willing to pay me $1800. i'd just have to send them the endorsed title and they'd send someone over tomorrow to tow the bike away. there were many scenarios in my head but junking the bike wasn't one of them. i thought maybe the insurance wouldn't pay at all, or they'd pay some lowball amount if any. even then, i didn't think the bike was worth more than $1000, so the amount they were willing to pay was more than i expected. but junk the bike? hadn't i been riding it for the past few weeks? it makes mysterious rattling noises but nothing that can't be repaired, right? it seemed like an unnecessary solution for the sake of convenience. a busted 2000 honda rebel might not mean anything to the insurance company, but the motorcycle has sentimental value for me. the bike and i have been through some good times and bad times. there's been plenty of sunny rides, some rainy ones, and even a few snowy trips. so instead of getting my bike repaired, it looks like i'm going to lose it completely, with the caveat that i'll get some money to buy another one.

i went to the cafe to help my father rearrange some furniture in that empty bedroom i was painting last week. although the room looked nice and clean, i couldn't help noticing a few tiny spots on the wall where i didn't get good coverage, or the fact that the trims don't have semi-gloss paint on them. the furniture themselves are a mismatched collection of hand-me-downs and sidewalk salvages. the room itself is pretty big and gets plenty of southern and western light. my father will be picking up the new tenant later tonight, another astrophysicist researcher.

after letting hailey out into the backyard, i went out again to ben franklin in cushing square in an unsuccessful search for glass-top mason jars. i came back to watched the federer vs. del potro us open match. it started around 4:00 and didn't end until 8:30, with federer (whom i was rooting for) losing to del potro. for dinner we had rice noodles and imei honey cake for dessert (basically a pound cake). i brought along some of that fourme d'ambert cheese for everyone to try: the general consensus is that it's a very savory blue cheese.

i felt sad returning to cambridge, knowing this was my last time riding the honda rebel before the insurance company takes it away tomorrow to the salvage yard. i'll need to remove the license plate tomorrow, as well as a few accessories, like the custom sissy bar. i just had the tires replaced! and i filled the tank just yesterday! i already made some inquiries on craig's list for used bikes. there's somebody in somerville selling a 2001 honda rebel with low miles and a pair of saddlebags for $2000. i talked to guy over the phone to schedule a time tomorrow night to see the bike. he told me he hadn't been riding it for a few years (he downgraded to a scooter) and there was some backfire issues, so i'm a little leery. elsewhere, in the north end, an italian guy is selling his 2008 yamaha virago for $2000 as well. at that price it's a steal, but am i ready to switch brands? i'm also seeing him tomorrow night as well. never bought a used motorcycle before, it'll be an interesting new experience.

it felt like a sunday because there was so much sports on television. besides the tennis match, there was also the patriots-bills monday night football game. i caught it in the 3rd quarter, surprised to see new england down. fortunately i caught the game all the way to the end because the patriots pretty much stole the game from buffalo in the final few minutes. in between commercial breaks i switched channels to watch the brand new jay leno show. basically a rehash of his tonight show, including the lowest-common-denominator jokes, with a more casual set that forgoes the host desk in lieu of armchairs. it's a bit disconcerting when i can the bottom of the guest's shoes, but this similar format worked miracles for arsenio hall. not sure if i'll follow the leno show but if he has cool guests on i'll definitely tune in. it's basically a 10pm talk show; all that talk about revolutionizing the way people watch television was just hype.