Step 1

We have selected the movers. I am already sick of thinking about the move and how much I am going to get screwed by anyone we pick. So Harrington Movers are going to pack and move us. They are part of National Van Lines. Bottom line is that MLW and I felt that they were going to screw us less.

After spending close to 30 minutes on the phone with a Mayflower affiliate in NY, I came to the conclusion that the estimate that anyone of these companies provides is basically complete BS. They either lowball you trying to get the business and then they stick it to you with "well, you never told us that you use these closets to store actual stuff" or they estimate high and give you a 1% discount at the end.

At the moment, I'm planning on asking for the exact weight of my shipment to try and minimize our pain. Let's see how successful I'll be. rest assured that there will be more posts regarding this, including any flaming of Harrington and its owner Jeff, who actually did the estimate.

I want a reality show

With our move to the west coast, I think I deserve a reality show. It seems like everyone living in SoCal has a reality show -- Snoop Dog, Kardashians, even housewives in OC -- so why not Armodad? As a side business, viewers can bet on what Armodad will do next. Odds on the cable guy showing up on time: 10 to 1. Odds Armodad will lose it when his internet doesn't work: 7 to 5.

Now you don't see that on American Idol. Of course Armodad will be the house, so it's a revenue stream for the show and there will be actual winners to keep the audience coming back.

I won't feel like I'm a true Angelino unless I get my reality show. So what are you waiting for Hollywood? You can start with the move as a pilot.

Moved by moving

Since 2001, I have moved 4 times and am about to move once again. Initially, I get really excited about it; planning the logistics, picturing myself in the new surroundings, and beginning a new chapter in my life. All very nice things. But as I get closer to the move itself, I begin to feel the same way when one stares up at the night sky full of stars.

When you move, you're forced to put all your belongings in boxes, inventory and number them. You get rid of things that you couldn't even remember getting in the first place. You have to make "life or death" decisions about objects and belongings; do they continue to live with you or have they given all they have. Your stuff shrinks and fits in boxes. It then gets loaded up into a truck and pulls away.

Does my life really fit in a U-Haul? Is that all I have to show for myself? That feeling lasts only for a couple of hours or beers, whichever comes first. I soon remind myself that the stuff needs to get un-packed at the other end. Oh boy! I hate unpacking.

First day of (pre) school

With great anticipation we welcomed September 2nd, the first day of school for S. We were running late so we skipped the bus and took a cab to get to school exactly at 9. Imagine our surprise when the Director of admissions tells us "you're too early". Apparently, one of the 239 mailings we received over the summer was the schedule for the first 3 days. As it turns out, we were not the only parents who had not gotten the mailing.

So we had to kill about 1.5 hours AND it was only a 30 minute session for kids to get acclimated. Granted our S has been attending summer camp and has no separation anxiety, but is this type of thing really necessary? 30 minutes yesterday, then 1 hour today, with the official first day of class being Thursday. Whatever, this is a Montessori school and I'll go along with it.

What really got to me was the way they "welcomed" us as first year student/parents. Their attitude of "you're early", "you should have gotten it", "the letter is somewhere in the pile of letters while you were away". Basically, it was our fault that we did not get the mailing and showed up early.

As I read this, it sounds whiney. This is my blog so I can whine if I want.

Shoulda gone all the way

I read on the BBC web site about a man in Nigeria who is going to divorce 82 of his wives. The kicker is that he's going to keep 4 of them. The report doesn't say who are the lucky 4; The first 4, last 4, or "the best" of 86.

I would hate, hate, hate to be in his shoes. Imagine if you will, wedding number 56:
Soon to be wife #56: How about a July wedding?
Bello: Aaaakh. What is it with you women and July weddings? I've gotten married in July TWENTY-SEVEN times already. I gotta tell you, it's hot in July in Nigeria. Really hot! How about January?
STBW56: Isn't Dora, your 17th wife's, birthday in January? I want our wedding to be special and don't want that skank's birthday to ruin it.
Bello: It will be special my little macadamia, but forget July. Let's make it September. That way little Stephie, my 23rd daughter, can be the flower girl and we'll have Aaron, my son from wife number 53, be the ring bearer. You see 23 and 53 are both prime numbers. Prime numbers for my primo bride. What do you say?

BTW this guy is only 84 years old, so must have married 2 women in the same year MORE THAN ONCE. Shit! US Governors of eastern states have nothin' on this guy!

So now the worst part: After many years of blissful marriage(s), Bello has to first pick the 4 to stay with and then tell the other 82 that things are just not working. Imagine this guy's legal bill. Hooooooly.....

AirBART sucks

Generally I like public transportation. I live in NY and don't own a car so by default I have to use the services that the MTA offers. I've been quite happy with the services offered in NY, with the exception of lack of direct subway service to the airports.

I was interested in taking the BART from Oakland airport to San Francisco yesterday. As you can tell from the title of my post, I did not think highly of it. To be more clear, these guys don't know what the hell they are doing. Sure they can take people form point A to point B without crashing the bus, but the whole thing sucks. Let me lay it out for you:

a) It costs $3 to ride the bus from Oakland airport to the BART station. No problem there, except you need exact change.
b) All the signs pointing you to AirBART make no mention of the exact change caveat. I would have appreciated a sign that says "AirBART <- $3 exact change required Change machine ->"
c) Which brings me to the fact that there is no change machine by the bus, in the terminal, or anywhere within a 3 mile radius of OAK. The change machine is conveniently located at the BART station, at the end of your bus ride!
d) There are no signs as you approach the AirBART bus that you need exact change. There is a little sign as you are boarding the bus that you need exact change.

So basically, I walked all the way to the bus, waited in line as people boarded the bus, got 10 feet from the sign that was obscured by the people waiting in line to get on the bus, and then had to go get change, come back and wait in line again for the next bus.

Yo, BART!!! Spend a couple of bucks and put signs up along the way that say:
AirBART $3
Exact change only

That's all I ask, people.

The Dark Knight

Word to all dads: do not take your sig-ot to a movie that she herself doesn't pick. I have done it a total of 3 times in 6 years and I hope to make my latest one stand. Suffice it to say that The Joker does not die at the end of the movie, robbing MLW of much needed closure.