Book Accidents

I wonder how many Columbia University library books accidentally end up on the subway tracks of the 116th stop on the 1 line.

Debris.

I manage a small boutique in Nolita. Every day, before I open the store, I sweep the sidewalk. Some days are messier than others, but generally the litter strewn about is not all that interesting.

Today there was a concert ticket stub in the pile of trash I was sweeping together. I was curious to see what concert this stub was from, so I leaned down close to read it. It was a concert for the band Squeeze.

Squeeze? When have they played a concert recently? I wondered. So I looked to see where the concert had taken place: The Academy.
And then I saw the date of the concert: 1995.

Man, some debris has quite the life span.

whine.

I'm a big journal keeper. Been writing in journals since I was seven or so, and I still have all of 'em.

All except one, that is.

Two nights ago, I stupidly left my journal behind at a bar I go to a lot. Been writing in this puppy since December, and it was nearly full. Tried calling the bar, tried calling friends I saw there that night, even went to the bar myself to look around with a flashlight...
My journal is gone.
I am sad.
But I will move on.

I do wish ill things to the loser who picked it up, however.

I just got health insurance, and now I need PHONE insurance, too?

I've always been very aware of how many people seem glued to their cell phones as they're walking down the street, but today that awareness took on an extra clear sharpness. You see, for the first time ever, today I lost my cell phone.

I work at a small store in Manhattan, and I had my Motorola RAZR sitting next to the register as I rang up our customers. At one point, with a sinking feeling, I noticed that my phone was no longer next to the register. I am pretty sure my RAZR left the premises with a customer, who inadvertently grabbed it thinking it was her own, OR with a NON-customer, which would be just...evil.

Ever lose a cell phone before? There are so many annoying things about the whole experience, not the least of which are the following two:
1) the ridiculous expense of buying a new phone while not in my "free upgrade" time window (this one's especially fun, having just moved AND having just replaced my recently-crashed laptop. Yay!)
2) the process of attempting to retrieve all the phone numbers I lost (does anyone keep a hard copy rolodex these days, besides my mother? Perhaps now's a good time to start...)

I don't consider myself the most "connected" lady in the world, but I do enjoy my share of text messaging, and it's painful right now to have that activity missing from my life. Thank goodness for my new neighbors' open wireless networks...at least I still have email until I scrape together the funds for a new phone.

I hope the new owner of my RAZR is enjoying the phone photos of my cat.