More Rambling

Bad news: On my way into my building tonight, I managed to catch my headphones in the door, neatly separating the part that goes on your ears from the part that plugs into an iPod or radio or whatever. I have another set of headphones (though they're starting to die, too; they require constant fiddling with/holding one of the earpieces), but I'm pretty sure I gave my iPod-supplied ear buds to Chuck, because I've never had a set of in-ear listening devices that worked for me. Mutant ear canals, I guess. This gets slightly more complicated, in that my iPod is starting to go, too; the battery won't hold a charge. I don't think I want to buy a new one, to the tune of $249 plus tax, even though I'd get new earphones AND a new remote; they'll "refurbish" one (i.e., send me a refurbished one and keep mine) for about $70, I think, plus headphones and a remote, and we're talking about another $65, maybe. So, $135 versus $275 is a pretty easy calculation, unless I wanted to spend an extra $140 for the most up-to-date iPod, versus the several-years-old model I own (and love, mind you; it doesn't have pictures or movies or anything like that, but it plays music, which is what I want it to do). I think I'm going to use the failing headphones for awhile and ponder this.

But the good news: I bought a new, $75 30-day transit pass last week in anticipation of needing it today, but I could not find it in my wallet this morning. I had to get out of here, so I paid the fare with a cash transit card, then bought a 7-day pass, figuring either I'd find the 30-day pass at home, in which case I'm out a couple of bucks extra for getting that pass, or I wouldn't find it, in which case I'd have six more days to use this one and get a replacement or get the automatic-loading transit card, which I've been resisting for years (because I don't like the trackability of it) but which will be replaced if you lose it or it's stolen. But I found the 30-day pass when I got home, so I can defer that decision a little longer.

I still don't have health insurance. Bossman is trying to solve that for me, or, rather, his wife tried but has not yet been successful; he was going to call the agent and try to figure out what was going on. I try not to get too anxious about it, but it's completely anxiety-provoking. I think we need to put that in the "bad news but . . ." column.

In the "might be good news column," the bar to which I go every Tuesday night is also open for breakfast--they have pastries and coffee and free wi-fi, but I don't know how much business they do. Last night I asked the bartenders who did their breakfast stuff, and it turns out they're looking for some new stuff. Turns out we do all kinds of breakfast stuff and we already deliver to a place not all that far from the bar. And it turns out the fancy downtown hotel (where the Brazen Tart works) that has been getting their dinner rolls from us for a little while now might maybe could use some help with their breakfast pastries. I don't think they've mentioned anything to Bossman, but hey, a little box of samples might not be a bad idea. And the more of this stuff I do, the more valuable I become.

We're not going to do any samples until we get new flour, however. We couldn't get our regular flour for some reason, so this week we've been using some bleached, bromated shit that has neither elasticity nor extensibility. Yesterday's dough was an interesting exercise, too: Brad mixed it for me Monday afternoon. All day yesterday I was picking shreds of paper towel out of it; a piece must have gotten into the flour or the mixer or something, and it was well-distributed through the dough. What a pain in the ass--probably added an hour and a half to my day yesterday. Today was long, too, not least because Brad asked me to do some sweet trays (which, okay, no problem, even though they wanted the Good Stuff) but then also told me to help Phil with some dinner rolls, which took probably 45 minutes. I don't mind helping Phil, in practice or in principle--when I'm not trying to get my own damned work done. Brad offered to stay and help me with my croissants later in the afternoon, but I sent him on his way; he was getting on my last nerve today, and I just wanted to do them properly and get out of there. (Despite my multiple requests that he place a newly shaped croissant directly onto a sheet pan--because you're supposed to minimize the number of times you handle them--he insists on rolling them all and then putting them on pans, meaning you touch each piece an extra time.)

Even when I get health insurance, Bossman said it's pretty basic coverage, which means I'm going to be spending some money for health care. I haven't been to the dentist in about two years, and I can tell I need new glasses/contacts, so I got me some health care expenses coming up, no matter what.