patchouli makes me nauseous.

some guy was wearing it today, in the 85-degree august heat. i've never liked the scent--smells like something someone would splash on to cover up bad b.o.

so, i got lost going to the beach today. i had to take 4 subway trains, and I kept missing them. On a sunday morning, you're lucky if the G, L, and A come every 15 minutes. Then I took the wrong A to the wrong part of Queens, and had to backtrack and wait another 25 minutes for the right A. But hey, no complaining on a beach day. and what a lovely beach day it was!

some weird guy came over to my private space on the sand--asking to apply my suntan lotion. Of course, I said, "no," but I was kind about it--and I listened to him go on and on about his Puerto Rican/Jewish heritage, his first eye-brow threading (don't ask me why this guy gets his brows threaded...lol!), and his upcoming trip to the D.R. Finally, he went away after I told him that under no circumstances would I swim in the ocean with him.

then, coming home, the cherry on top of my day: I drove the train. Okay, I'm embellishing a bit. I met the conductor, Larry--and I guess he took a slight liking to me. Claims to like mulattos a lot *sigh*, and I didn't have the heart to tell him that we no longer go by "mulatto." it's kinda like calling a chinese person "oriental." oh well. so, i technically didn't steer the train, but Larry did give me the ins and outs of subway driving--buttons, valves, lights, switches, and lots of other gadgets and knobs, and he let me ride up front with him for four stops. i hope he doesn't get fired. i told him i was writing a book, when he asked "what do you do?" he gave me his email address and asked me to keep in touch and maybe let him know how the book is going. I doubt i will...but hey, who knows.

p.s. congrats to ellen and portia.