After doing a ton of stuff last night, I mean, I didn't even mention the purse suitcase I found in the dumpster and went through, finding a few useful things, or that I'd found 100s of "master technician" patches at a place, which I bagged up in 5's which I'll list for $5, making us $200 or so. And practice was a decent time, over an hour.
I'd set my alarm for 2:00 and woke up at that time (1400) and cleaned up, ate, had coffee, did various things to get prepared, and took off at 4. I did the usual things like drop off trash, buy a couple of hard-boiled eggs and a can of coffee at Nijiya, drop off a couple of packages at the post office, and deposit my check in the bank, where I learned that last week's check had bounced.
After a couple of calls Ken called me back, and I told him last week's check had bounced, and could he please make sure this week's doesn't bounce, and next week, he can just write me a check for two weeks' pay instead of one and that will make everything work out right.
Also the guy at the bank said the ID they have on file for me is expired and I ought to do something about that. So it's about time I set up an appointment with the DMV and get my "Real ID".
I really need to get set up so I can leave here with 2-3 weeks' notice. That gives me time to resolve final things, buy a plane ticket enough in advance that I won't pay a high price for it, and would not be horribly expensive in a hotel if things break down here badly enough that I have to make a complete exit.
After talking with Ken, I locked the bike and got on a #22 bus for Mountain View. I had the Yamaha 14E mouthpiece with me, which Craig at West Valley Music said I could trade straight across for a 16E, and the idea was to take it there and turn it in, as the less time it's in my hands the least it can be considered a "used" mouthpiece.
It was almost 6:30 when I got there and Craig was out for the day. I looked at the books for a bit and then someone said Oh, Craig's still here just doing a lesson. I said I'll just wait, and look at the books. I found an interesting book published by Yamaha with a bunch of their sponsored players talking about their "pet" ideas and techniques, and decided to get it - it was almost $30. Craig showed up and I turned in the mouthpiece and the 16E will come in in a week or two. I said no hurry.
I talked a bit with a tall thin young gal who had brought in a saxophone - that had last been worked on or seen or something, in 2002. While I was doing my thing the estimate was being done, and when I was done, she was ready to leave, with it in its case. She said the estimate was about $700 and for that she could buy one. I asked what brand, and it was an "Antigua Winds", from 2002 or earlier. Bleh. I really talked up Yamaha saxophones, and how they can rent-to-own one to her, even a new one, and there are plenty of Yamahas on line for sale too.
I hopped back on a bus and went to Han Kook Market where I got 9 rolls of packing tape because they had 9 rolls on the shelf. The tape from there last something like 3X what the stuff Ken buys from Uline does, which is pretty amazing. Yeah I'm spending my own money, and I need to sell some of the stuff here that has to be sold in person, to defray some of the costs.
Then it was back on another bus back to Whole Foods, where I got some chicken and a little rice (the closest thing to a vegetable I was able to find) and a bottle of Guinness I again only drank half of. And watched our right-wing fascist asshole hockey team lose 3-1 to Calgary. Once the game was over there were tons of hockey fans streaming out and I said things like "Whoohoo! great game!" which was pretty entertaining.
The crowd was so bad I took the "back way" home along Hedding and back here. I honestly don't know how so many people can own and afford to operate cars, or go to things like hockey games, buy those idiotic jerseys with the name of some young, fit hockey player on them when they're old, fat, and sickly-looking, etc.
I don't even know if *this* week's check won't bounce! In all the years working for Ken I've never had a pay check bounce, nor have I had the power out for nonpayment. As I'll keep saying, I'm trying to white-knuckle it and hold out until September of 2027 when I'm turning 65, then I'm out. But depending on how fast things are collapsing, I may have to compress that schedule a bit.
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