What a flurry of phone activity early Friday evening in obtaining Pearl Jam tix. [These were "pre-sale" tix & passwords were obtained via Krock, as well as other sources.] They'll be starting their North American tour in early April, then a break in May, followed by more gigs in June and ending the tour at Madison Square Garden in early July. Going to my first gig in two months up in Albany, NY and then the two MSG shows. Yahoo! I'm so excited! Many thanks to those who helped me with tix ... hugs and lots of my homemade rumballs to Michelle [MT], Josee [Ottawa] and dear Michelle [my brothers main squeeze]. Also ... thanks to Erica in TX and Kerensa at 10 Club. You ladies totally rock! It'll be Pearl Jam party time, in July, when a whole group of us converge here in NYC. Natually I'll be reporting all the details here in my journal.

Lets see ... any other news ... well ... the usual stuff going on ... such as sessions with my personal trainer, work, shopping, chiropractor visits, etc, etc. This coming saturday I'll be heading up to Yonkers to do my volunteer work at ferret shelter. Looking forward to seeing the furkids again.

Yeah, I know, this is a short entry. I'm trying to focus, but its damn difficult when one is hungry. Just noticed the time and no wonder I'm itching for food. Its past 1pm! Okay ... I'm outta here ... time to purchase some grub. Later....................Peace!

Oh My Gosh! Got a day off from work yesterday due to the blizzard that whipped thru our area and dumped 20 inches of snow. WooHoo!

Called my office voicemail late Sunday night and they said office would be closed on Monday. Hurray!! I woke up anyway at 6am on Monday, looked out the window and it was fiercely wicked outside. Checked my office voicemail again ... nothing ... sweet. Went back to my warm bed and slept until 8am. Got up and called my parents to see how their doing. All is okay and Dad heard back from the doctor about his colon test [ie: to see if he had cancer] and he's in the clear. This is a huge relief ... not only to Dad, but rest of family too. Mom had to go in later that morning to her foot doctor for surgery. Removal of a small, non-cancerous tumor under her big toe nail. Yeah, I know, yucksville. Their news made me feel better, as I was quite anxious for the results. If it was your parents, you'd be too.

Anyhow ... after chatting briefly with them I threw on layers of clothes et al and went outside for about 5 to 10 minutes. Yah know ... to see what it all looked like while the blizzard raged on. Well, let me tell you, it was bitterly cold ... 5 foot high snowdrifts and fierce winds. Mon dieu! Not much activity going on ... just a few people shoveling their areas or idiots trying to drive their SUVs thru a foot of snow. Geez!

Back indoors I took off all those layers and warmed up with a cup of herbal tea, plus homemade pancakes. Yum! Did lots of puttering around the apartment throughout the day, phone calls with friends, cooking, emails, reading, painting, listen to music, take out garbage, emergency run to grocery store and chatting with my neighbors. Called my friend Sarah in Toronto, but she wasn't home, so I left a message with her brother. Looking thru my address book I came across Pat C's name. We've known each other since 1981, when we hung out at BARNUM. [Broadway show starring Jim Dale.] Those were fun days. Pat and I email or snail mail each other, but haven't spoken on the phone in ages. Got her number via information and called her. We had a great conversation on a number of topics. Finally crawled off to bed around 11pm and had to deal with a slow commute to work this morning. I hope it improves before I head out of here in 1/2 hour. Off to the gym to work off some steam doing some intense cardio. Today I called Josee in Quebec to chat about Pearl Jam and other topics. Plus I received a parcel from Andrea with Pearl Jam goodies. Yahoo!!

Gotta jet ... time to do travel plans for one of my bosses. Peace on Earth!

Oh my god! Amazing experience yesterday!

I participated in my first Peace Rally ever! Yeah, I know, starting abit late at my age. But ... yah know ... what the hell! You don't have to be young or in college to participate in a protest or rally. No way! If you feel very strongly about something, well then, go out and participate or volunteer with a particular organization. There were all ages there yesterday. Folks with their children, as well as people on up thru their 60s. All race's and religions too. Had a interesting conversation [while waiting on line for bathroom in Mexican restaurant] with a small group of Buddists [co-ed]. Also met up with a really nice couple [David & Carolyn] from MA [about 60 years of age] who basically took me under their wing. They met at a protest during Nixon's 1972 inauguration and been involved in events ever since then. Mostly conversed with Carolyn and her personality is so infectious, bubbly and sincere. I orginally started out on 3rd Avenue and 52nd Street at 11:45am. Already there was a huge gathering and we were walking uptown. At 3rd Avenue near 56th or 57th Street the cops pulled back the barricades to let us cross to 2nd Avenue. While walking down the residental street students were chanting "who owns the street" and the response from all was "we do". Then we headed up 2nd Avenue and stopped at 63rd Street. We refused to budge until finally the cops opened up the barricades and we marched down towards 1st Avenue. It was amazing and the spirit of it all was very high, despite it being bitterly cold. Down the avenue, near 58th Street, we viewed a huge video screen, which was displaying the speakers at 50th & 1st Avenue platform. Some gals near us had huge boomboxes atop their heads. From the boomboxes a radio station was broadcasting it all live. [The speeches were all very inspiring.] There was OVER 200,000 people on 1st, 2nd and 3rd Avenues within a 20 block stretch. All I can say is WOW!!!!!!! Give peace a chance and dump Bush's government. Eat some duct tape you goddamn twisted cowboy!!

Check out ... http://www.unitedforpeace.org/

[Say NO to an America bent on destruction of the UN. And YES to an America committed to work with international institutions, appointed to improving them to the betterment of the world and the achievement of peace. Say NO to war with Iraq, with or without UN blessings. Say YES to containment, negotiation and disarmament.]

First of all ... remember that fella [Michael] I mentioned in last post ... forget about him. Never heard from him after he asked me for my phone number. Well, yah know, its his loss not mine. Men are always saying us gals are fickle and I'm inclined to think its the other way around. Anyhow ... enough on that dead-end topic.

Had an interesting, as well as amusing encounter Saturday evening. Was heading home from Manhattan around 7pm Saturday night ... when only 100 yards from my apartment building I ran into my upstairs neighbor [John]. He was walking towards me on the sidewalk after chatting with another neighbor. I could tell he'd had a few drinks, but seemed to be in a jovial mood. He was! I said "Hi John, how the hell are you dude"? He was like "hey hey, whats up"? I told him I was heading home to make some dinner and get out of the cold. John asked me what kind of dinner and I said a nice tossed salad. Well, that didn't sit to well with him. And proceeded to tell me that his live-in lady love and her granddaughter [Ashley is 8] were ordering Chinese food. He didn't want any of that and was going to get some Italian food. Before I knew what was happening, he took my arm and led me in opposite direction towards a nice Italian place. I tried to protest [ie: lack of funds, etc] ... but he wouldn't hear it and said "I'm treating you to dinner, since we've been good neighbors all these years". 17 to be exact. We had a fun time [totally platonic], many laughs, gossip, bitch about neighbors or world news and ate some decent food. We strolled back to our apartment building and respective apartments around 9:30pm. John is a character with a good heart and has always been a good neighbor to me.

Recently ran into one of my gym pals who was excited about an upcoming Peace Rally at the UN this Saturday. I'm very much against a war with Iraq and dislike Bush. Whom I think is a narrow-minded, stupid, smug, arrogant little shithead. I've been wanting to become more involved with protests and rallies for some time now, due to this Afghan and Iraq situation. Allyn [gym pal] will be calling me Friday night with all the particulars. Don't know what to expect, but I'm jumping in feet first.

Another couple of busy weeks at work, as well as a few social commitments et al, have kept me from making entries into my journal. Well, at least the weather isn't as bitterly cold as it has been. Wicked weather back in January ... burrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Have some free time and will convey a quick summary of latest events. Just recently started corresponding with a new fella and he sounds great. We haven't met yet, but from our few email exchanges, well folks, he sounds marvelous and I like his photo too. :-)

My friend Anni had a sweet, healthy, little baby girl [Rachel] on Tuesday, January 28th. She called me a few days after the event to briefly chat. Anni sounds happy, says the baby is sooo cute, her hubby a proud Papa and she's looking forward to going home. My co-worker [Lyra] is still out of office on short-term disability and we hope she'll be back in office on Feb 17th. She is due to have her baby in early March.

The office situation is abit improved from when I last made an entry on Jan 19th. That overly demanding, pain in the ass executive now has a different secretary and at a different location. Amen!

About 1 1/2 weeks ago I learned that Pearl Jam tix would be available via the 10 Club. These are special tix for fans and are usually situated within the first 10 rows at gigs. Yeah baby ... right there ... up close and personal. We members have to send separate money orders and state which gigs/dates we want. At first I was soooo excited about this news and calling PJ friends [emailing too]. Then the bad news ... I'd forgotten to renew my membership with the club back in October 2002. Oh my god! I was so upset about that and in tears. Made phone calls, sent emails and things seem to be resolved. So many wonderful, supportive friends who listened to my rants and helped me to work things out. I am so looking forward to meeting Josee and Michelle in July. Their coming to NYC to visit me and go to two PJ shows. I'll also get to meet up with Cynthia, Andrea, Erica and hopefully Sarah. Pearl Jam's first gig on their "Riot Act" tour begins this Saturday in Australia, then goes to Japan, followed by a break and then doing an extensive USA tour. WooHoo!

This past Saturday, February 1st, I went up to Yonkers and the ferret shelter. Always a joy getting to see the furkids. Several had been adopted since my last visit and Joanne mentioned at least four orphans coming in this week. Also got to see my new friend Aliza and her daughter Briana. They didn't have little Vanilla with them, as they'd just come from religious school & temple. While at the shelter they did adopt another ferret, as a cagemate for Vanilla, and christened this fella Chocolate.

At 6:30pm I have a session with my personal trainer and again on Thursday evening.

Yeah, yeah, its a short entry and I do apologize. Just noticed the time and need to wrap things up before I split. Peace!