caroworld

The focus group tonight was much more enjoyable than last time. There was a woman moderating it and her personality was more inviting and not as pushy. Also, I had a lot more to say about the topic -- the internet. I liked pretty much everyone in the room. It was a lot of fun. I almost wanted to exchange emails or something with some of them. One of the best ways to earn 75 quick easy bucks.

I'm doing my nightly stretch. I definitely need the weights there now. Not just 10 pounds, either. I have the 8 pounds criss-crossed with the 10 pounds. That's 18 pounds per leg. And my stupid desk is still in the way.

It seems I'm stretching pretty well tonight. The hot shower really helps. So do the weights. Although now it's a bit painful.

Last night I learned some french while I stretched. I have a CD (for computer) that has pictures, drills, tests, and audio for english / french. One of those very useful but not often used items. So my plan is to use it when I practice my splits, now that I've deleted a bunch of garbage and it actually runs on my laptop.

Only tonight, it's so painful the best thing is to keep thinking and concentrating on what I'm writing. Seriously. Besides, the CD is too far away to reach.

About the focus group...

It was in SF, on Sansome St. My plan was to walk to BART, take BART, and walk there -- it's 5 blocks from the Montgomery station. But I couldn't find the paper with all the info -- you need it as your "admission ticket" -- so that ate up some time and I ended up driving to Bayfair BART and taking a 5:37 PMish train. So at 6 PM, around the West Oakland station, I called them and told them I'd be late, sorry, did they just want to cancel me out? This guy gave me another number to call and then we were disconnected -- no service.

So I got off at Montgomery and called the other number and they were really nice about it and waited for me. (Ahem...I did say I had to stay late from work, which was partially true.)

I told you it was fun -- so afterward, I picked up my check at the counter. Yay. Then I started walking back toward the Montgomery station and saw a Washington Mutual. What luck. I ducked under a building entrance and filled out my deposit slip for my Douglas paycheck and this one and deposited them.

Then I planned to go to Union Square and buy xmas cards and birthday cards. I walk and walk and walk down Market and suddenly I'm aware that the San Francisco Port something-or-other is in front of me. Oops.

Well, I wasn't about to retrace my steps. Why not have an adventure?

There's an ice-skating rink near the sculptor-pond. It's pretty small and costs $7.00 or $7.50 Fridays and weekends. I walked along the pier to Pier 39. It was raining but I had my red umbrella. Because of the rain, the streets were empty, but it wasn't too bad temperaturewise. (For instance, I felt colder at work than I did tonight. Although I did have a sweater-vest, coat, and scarf on tonight.)

At Pier 39, around 10ish, all the stores were closed. I poked around a little and headed to Fisherman's Wharf. It's nice to see SF at night up close, rain or no rain. Lots of lights and flava.

I found the In N Out and had one hamburger well done with onions. Yum. And I was very good -- no soda, just water. I'm trying to cut back on sugar.

I checked out Ghiradelli Square and some of the art galleries they have around there. Ghiradelli Square -- nice lights but everything was closed -- now past 11.

I started following the cable car tracks up the hills. I hit that one very big hill and certainly worked off the burger. At the top was Lombard, the crookedest street in the world, on my left. And behind me, a cable car! What luck! So I hopped on -- as it slowed for me, but didn't completely stop, that was fun -- and enjoyed an outdoor ride back to Union Square.

I got off at Union Square intending to go to the Borders there and possibly get those xmas cards and b-day cards but nooooo. I walk in and a guy tells me he's sorry, they just closed. I kinda laughed, story of the whole night.

Then I went home.

I'm really tired now. I will be a zombie tomorrow at work.