Dammit to the Nth power

Last night while driving home i was on a conference call to Singapore - my position is going 'global' - love that - i hear the shopping there (and HK) is to die for...but i digress - upon arriving at home - my apartment seems unusually still - quiet - and dark - as i go to turn the hall light on - flick - nothing - no lights - flick flick - flick flick flick. Huh. Nothing. I drop my work bag (gorgeous large croc bag) in the hallway and head to the kitchen - i now go to turn the kitchen light on - flick - hmmm - flick flick - nothing - no lights...dammit. I search my kitchen for my handy flashlight - it's no where to be found - dammit again - so i light a candle and head for the fuse box. On off on off on off - i hit all the fuses - still nothing. I head to the living - AH-HA - the cable box is on - i try the tv - it works - i head for the lamps - flick flick flick - all go on - and i'm bathed in soft pink light...but what the hell - power to only half of my apartment? What is going on...i quickly check the bathroom light - flick flick - nothing...dammit yet again.

I call PG&E (pacific gas & electric) - tell them to get to my place pronto and find out what is going on. I go into the kitchen again - light some candles - and notice that the clock on the gas stove is blinking as is the clock on my cd player - hmm - power to only certain parts of my home - very odd. PG&E come by - check - recheck - turn on and off my power over and over again - the only thing they can come up with is a faulty breaker. Lovely. They know what is wrong - and how to fix it even - but they won't. I need to call an electrician. Fabulous. There goes my planned evening of some at home spa treatments and relaxing...

I walk across the hall to the bldg manager's apartment - who happens to be my landlord's son - and a doctor - so to catch him at home is a rarity - and of course - this is one of those times where he's not home. Fabulous. It's getting late and i'm getting tired - so i hop in the shower (interesting to shower by candlelight without someone else to share that rather romantic moment with...dammit squared) - dry my hair - call my honey and proceed to fall asleep. Ahhhhh. I'm suddenly and rudely brought out of my blissful slumber by the pounding beat of dance club music and peals of girlish drunken giggles in the apartment below me. I'm thinking - hmm - maybe it's 6ish and they're heading to Tahoe early - um no - it's 2:30 and they guy below opened up a make shift after hours lounge for his drunken friends - lucky me.

Now - as i try to incorporate the pounding beats into my attempt at getting back to sleep i can't - i can hear every word they're saying and i can feel myself getting upset. I have to work - i have major deals closing today - i need this sleep. And it seems i'm not the only who feels this way...i can hear loud knocking on their door - and either they're ignoring it or they're too drunk to distinguish it from the base line in the music...fun...this goes on for some time - and i don't know if they left or if i fell back to sleep - successfully integrating the thumping beat into a sleep inducing rhythm. I wake this morning - not so fabulously fresh (i'm seriously considering Botox) - and attempt to dress - do you know how hard it is to decide what to wear when you can't see your clothes and when your entire wardrobe consists of black - not easy - i then make a slap dash attempt at makeup and head for the door - once again trying the light switches - flick flick flick ... dammit. I call my landlord today - schmooze her for a bit - speak italian to her briefly - tell her about my predicament - she promises to call an electrician and have this taken care of. Wonderful. Perfect. Molto Bene Luciana.

I go about my day - close 2 deals - get aligned with 2 more - talk with my honey - make plans for the weekend - talk with my sister - usual stuff. I head home - it's still raining - field a few work and play phone calls and then pull into my parking spot - run into a neighbor - we discuss the Dance Party USA that we were all subjected to and head upstairs. I open the door and know immediately - the electrician wasn't there and i still have only half power. I call Luciana again - refrain from the schmooze and ask why this wasn't taken care of. She gives me some excuse - she was out - didn't get their call - something of the sort...i explain to her that it wasn't acceptable - and that i expect an electrician first thing in the morning. I think she understands. I've had to throw out much of the contents of my refridgerator - i'm not one to chance it - and i'm actually worried about the champagne i have in there - i hope it's not ruined - I knew i should have cellared it at my sister's house. Dammit once again...