Steam Punked!

Today, just about 10 minutes after I boarded an uptown 6 train at Grand Central, or 42nd and Lexington Avenue, a steam pipe exploded at 41st and Lexington. Unfortunately, one person died from a heart attack and others were injured. The commute tomorrow will be complicated by this recent explosion.

Meanwhile, I was moving some boxes around tonight and one was magically hiding a dead mouse/rat. It was either a smallish rat, or a largish mouse. Regardless it provided an answer to an important question, "What in God's name is that smell?" Some paper towels and a lot of rubbing alcohol later, I performed a roadside burial for my guest. It had its own white trash bag full of garbage to take with it to the afterlife. Give my regards to whatever rodent Charon ferries you across Rat River, little friend. Drink deep from your mousy Lethe and thanks for the smell. Now I just have to wait a few weeks to see if my guest gave me the hantavirus as well.

I got a lot done after work today. Bought comics, washed laundry, worked out, cleaned bathtub, cooked dinner, washed dishes, disposed of dead rat and I packed a box for shipping stuff to my parents home. As far as money goes, I may have figured out a fun way to reduce my Chicago debt by doing my own version of the Food Stamp Challenge, which I'll discuss later. The majority of my charges today were groceries and laundry. Let's do this....

THE DAILY BREAKDOWN

Starting Balance: -$74.25

In: $10

Out:
Yogurt & Apricots: $3.50
Laundry: $3.50
Latex gloves: $2

Balance: -$73.25

Oh and the photos are courtesy of Mario Tama/Getty Images
and Lynda Churilla/Associated Press.