Friday

I am stunned that today this stupid blog came on without any problems. That means I have no reason for another outburst.

Today is Good Friday and there was no school. We could have slept late but instead got up at around 7:20 and drove to the place to have those bumper guards installed on the new car. Being a holiday there was nobody before us and this way we were the first costumer. The work took about an hour and a half and now the car looks totally protected.

My wife didn't let me park the car on the street because she was afraid somebody might hit it. But now with those tank bumpers it is OK to park them outside during the day. Anyway, the stuff look good.

Then just so things wouldn't go totally easy this afternoon the saleslady called and asked if we could bring the car in tomorrow (Saturday) morning because there was some kind of recall that needed to be fixed by the dealer's service.

This means that there will be no late sleeping tomorrow, either.

Going back to the bumper. This place where we went is doing a pretty good business. They are able to do any car model and as far as I know they have everything in stock. The stuff cost about $500 per car and there is always a line of cars waiting. They also have a large working area and that means they are able to do two or three cars at a time. I think they are making a bundle.

Never a dull moment.

Thursday

This blog is seriously getting on my nerves. There are very few things aggravate me in this life but the organization that does this blog is on the top. I do very little complicated exercises on the computer and nothing irritate me more than when one thing works one day then with no explanation it will not work on the next.

The same thing happened to this blog. With no explanation it just disappeared and I was ready to give up my writing career. But then I prevailed because I thought the multitude of my readers would feel abandoned. And I do not want to let anybody down.

Anyway, today it is back and tomorrow is another story.

Tomorrow morning we will take the car to a shop where they will install front and rear "bull guards". That is the name of those metallic bumper guards. We had them on the 2014 model and kind of got to like it. And now my wife wants it and I'll do anything to make her happy. We found a place not far from us and not too expensive so tomorrow we are getting up early and taking the baby there.

Tomorrow being Good Friday there will be no school so Abigail will be able to sleep as long as she wants.

By the way, it was proven again that some foods taste better the second day. Tonite we had the leftovers from yesterday's lunch and man, they all tasted just fantastic. There is also a belief that on the second day they are not as fattening!

Wednesday

Today is Wednesday and aside from the fact that yesterday Donald Trump won the Arizona GOP primary and leading in the delegate count we also had a very good day.

Today we had the first official invitees to our new home. My bestest friend and his wife visited us and we just had a great time. Since him and I are like brothers it is a very easy and honest relationship we are having. My wife and I were happy to have them. As I mentioned it yesterday we had a Hungarian food festival.

Menu:

Chicken ragout soup
Spicy sausages and blood sousages
Pork chop with roasted tomatoes and mashed potatoes
Cabbage with smoked meat (lucskos kaposzta)

Dessert:

Poppy and walnut filled roulades (beigli)
Fruit cakes
Napoleon
Cottage cheese filled Hungarian crepes (palacsinta)
Apple pie

Drinks

This was such a success that we might take orders.

Tomorrow we will start our diets!

Tuesday

I am kind of anxious to install the new computer but we just never got to it. It is still sitting in its box and from there smiling at us. I guess we'll get to it later today.

I hope it is simple to get it started. I don't like complications. Take the darn thing out of the box, plug it in and it should work. Anything more I can't deal with.

But we will overcome any obstacles I'm sure of.

We are a little delayed in doing this because my wife is in deep preparations for receiving our first visitor to our home. My bestest friend and his wife are visiting us on Wednesday. The apartment is being cleaned, and she has started to prepare the food. I won't say what we will eat but I'm convinced everybody will like it. We all like Hungarian food and this is promising to be a Hungarian food festival.

Something else.

It is interesting how the sleazy car salesmen behave when they see a costumer or should I say patsy.

The manager in the place where we bought our car went to all lengths to explain why this two year younger model is different and better than the one we had. Different headlights, better tires and over all just better.

Sunday when we went back to hand over our car I told him that he was full of baloney. I drove the car for two full days and there was not one thing that was different the positive way. There were changes from the 2014 model but they were minor and certainly not betterment.

This just proves that they would sell their grandmother as a young maiden if there were any profit in it.

Monday

Today is Monday and early morning we did have snow. Not much but it was the real white stuff. In a few hours it was only a memory.

Today we didn't do much. Returned the license plates to the Department of Motor Vehicle and upon getting home I cancelled the insurance on it. It seems I will be getting a refund. So will I from the Motor Vehicle because over here everything is prepaid. They have no trust in people at all. Companies much rather give a refund than trying to collect overdue bills.

After all this heavy duty stuff my wife and I had a few quiet hours to ourselves.

Abigail is fighting a nasty cold and I am trying hard to stay out of her way because that is the last thing I want to catch. So far this winter I was lucky and survived it without any problems but since she is so sick there is a good chance that I'll catch some of it.

Today we were working on this computer when we agreed that this one is getting slower and slower and it is time to look around. I have a very poor record with just looking around. I don't look around, I buy the stuff.

On that thought we went out and looked around for a new computer. Looking ended up buying. We wondered into an Apple store and wound up buying a 27" iMac computer. Me Mister negative told my wife that I hate Apple. They are only good for eating but she didn't want to hear my objections and said I will learn to like it. By the time we left the store I changed my attitude. Now I bitched about how heavy the darn thing was.

Never a dull moment in this house.

Sunday

Today was the big day for cars in our household. Until today we were a two car family but from today on we are a one car family. I'm not saying that I miss the second car but it gave me a secure feeling that there always was an alternate vehicle around. Well, that is no more.

Today we brought back the 2014 Santa Fe to the dealer and left in the new car. When we went in for "just for a few minor details" we thought it would not last long. Those minor details lasted over two hours. But hopefully everything was ironed out and there were no problems remaining.

This afternoon we drove the new car and it worked very nicely. There is really no change between the 2014 and 2016 model except that we now have a tailgate that rises and closes automatically. That's about it.

I'm writing this at ten o'clock at night and there is no trace of any snow they were forecasting all day long. An other false rumor again. The GOP opposition will probably say that Trump did it.

Saturday

This world is now, culturally speaking without borders. I became such an international person that I even amaze myself.

Yesterday we went to see a Spanish or more accurately Andalusian flamenco festival in Manhattan. After the show we went to a Brazilian restaurant for dinner. I have to mention that on Wednesday we bought a Korean (South not North) car.

Today we went to a Polish delicatessen but before that we visited a Romanian butcher store where they sell great cold cuts and most of them are Hungarian style. After the butcher store we went to a German supermarket and all that was before the sun went down.

To keep up the international spirit my wife and I went to dinner to a Peruvian restaurant. I never ate Peruvian and if this was that I am very satisfied. Yesterday's Brazil was so-so but that might have been our fault.

For two Hungarians this was like trip around the gastronomical world.

Friday

We were supposed to take the car to the dealer today to complete the entire setup but because we had other things to do that was postponed until Sunday. Like I said before the GPS needs to be setup and the dales lady has to go through the car and show us how things work.

Now that's a laugh. By that time we'll have the car for three days and if we don't know how things work by that time we'll never learn. But I guess that is the process.

Today we were very busy. We had family visiting until early afternoon and when my wife's son is here he always helps with the electronic things in the house. With these computers there is always something to complain about.

Tonight my wife and I are going into Manhattan to a Flamenco dance festival. My wife saw several in Europe and I saw one here last year and got to really like it. It is so full of activities that even if one finds it boring it is impossible to fall asleep because of the insistent tapping and the music.

Now here is an idiotic thing. Monday is supposed to be the first day of Spring and here in New York they are expecting snow. It is an absolute crazy season we are having. A few days before it was summery warm, people took out their light clothings and now we have to look for the warm and heavy winter stuff again.

The only one who does not care about the weather is Abigail. She wants to dress according to the calendar. Every morning before she is off to school there is an argument about what coat to wear. She wants a light one her mother wants a warm one. I think Abigail has Eskimo blood in her because there was no cold this winter when she would had admitted that it was really cold.

Oh, the young ones of today.

Thursday

I have a very good excuse why yesterday's writing was skipped. At least for me it is a good excuse.

A few weeks ago I wrote that we were contemplating getting rid of both of our cars and getting a new one. One only.

Well, yesterday was the day that this thought became a reality. Around three o'clock in the afternoon we went to the dealer and told her that we were seriously interested in getting a new car.

That was at three and around ten thirty we drove out in our new car. By the time we left us and our saleslady were the only ones left in the dealership. We were all exhausted, mainly I. We drove a hard bargain but I think at the end we succeeded. (At least I believe it.)

We handed back my 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe and traded in my wife's 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander for a brand new fully loaded 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe. This car is not much different from the one we had but this is not a lease, this is ours. We won't have to watch the monthly mileage allowance because it is our car.

This car has all the electronic features the previous car had except it also has a self opening/closing rear hatch. That comes very handy when there are packages to put in the back and it is raining cats and dogs.

The interesting thing for me was that we made the deal and a few hours later we were able to drive the car off the lot. I know in some other states this is a usual thing but I never saw in in New York.

Anyway, the car is in the garage and it did get a welcome reception.

Abigail

Just a little more about Abigail. She is 13 years old and three months shy of 14. She seemed to be smitten by a boy also thirteen. She doesn't want to admit it but whenever she has a chance she talks about him.

It seems that these kids have a serious communication problem. Abigail told us that she and the boy skype or talk on the phone A lot but when they are face to face they can just not communicate. Abigail is shy and I guess the boy is also shy. Abigail gets excited when I call the boy boyfriend saying that she has no boyfriend. She claims she has a boy friend. And that is a big difference.

Well, for someone who is just a friend the boy seem to occupy a lot of her time.

This girlfriend boyfriend thingy is getting to be a very big subject of their lives. She keeps telling us which girl of her circle has a boyfriend and who likes whom and so on.

Now, remember again these are 13/14 year olds. This friend thing does not go outside the school. These kids don't go on dates. These kids can not cross a street without a parent present. Their relationships are strictly limited to inside the school.

But interestingly this is now a major subject between these boys and girls. It looks to me like some kind of an awakening.

Monday

Today the new gas oven was installed and I can now breathe with a sigh of relief. The work was completed this morning with less complications than I expected. Actually, two screws were left out and we are waiting for the super to come back and fix the stuff.

My wife's son came over this morning and helped with moving the monster fridge. At the same time he took the doors off to make room for the super to work. While the doors were off my wife decided to have the swing of the fridge doors reversed. Good thing that the son was here. I supervised it.

Speaking of the good life.

Abigail's class today went to an arcade place to play electronic games all day instead of school. I really don't know what the educational value of this is but I do know that the cash value was $40. This trip again was for the entire eighth grade which means there must had been a lots of kids there.

As far as I know there are two more trips before the year ends. One is a baseball game and the second and last is the senior trip. I have no idea what this second one is about and neither does she.

This is the good life.

Sunday

Tomorrow is promising to be a very difficult day in our home. As I might have noted earlier when we moved in we brought with us a monster of a refrigerator and a gas/electric oven. Aside from these the apartment was equipped with brand new appliances. But ours being also new we decided to keep all of them.

Right now we have two fridges and two ovens. Actually both fridges are pretty full and this way they justified their existence. But the ovens are another story. While the refrigerators only needed to be plugged in the extra oven has to be connected to the gas line.

And that's where our problem lies. Although the building super said it was not a major job, only about an hour's worth I am terrified of it. He said he would do the work tomorrow but we will have to move the monster fridge and empty out from under the sink.

When a super tells you it is only an hour's work it will be about half a day if we are lucky. For us to move the fridge we will have to remove its doors because that thing was fitted in its place with a shoe horn. And then when everything is done, move it back and replace the doors.

I am also convinced that the tight kitchen will just get tighter. But we will have another working oven.

The lengths a man will go to make his wife happy!

Saturday

There is an American custom that I think is stupid and wasteful, and that is the prom dance. It seems to me that at the end of a particular school term it is usual to hold a prom.

Like at the finishing middle school, finishing high school and finishing college. As the ages advance these events take on different approaches. Probably the most innocent one is at the end of middle school while the wildest one is at the end of college. High school is somewhere in the middle.

Today we were hunting for a prom dress for Abigail. I could not imagine anything more exasperating than finding a dress that everybody liked. The criteria was that it had to be a certain color, it needed to be fashionable, it could not look like an old lady type, it needed to be the right shape and it had to be twirlable. Twirlable is my definition for a dress that twirls the right way when its wearer dances.

We went to Macy's and looked and searched high and low. What we liked she did not like and reversibly what she liked we didn't think was nice enough. It got to the point when I just gave up and sat down and told them call me when it was time to pay.

But eventually we found a beautiful dress that everybody agreed upon. Now only time will tell if she will wear it because the prom is still far away, in June.

Now, why in the world 14 year olds need to have a dance? They don't have any idea what goes on in the world but they need a dance. When I was 14 year old my school didn't have any dances. School term was over we went home and that was it. And, we were happy.

Friday

Today was an important day for me. I got a haircut. I go to get my hair cut once a month and it was today. It usually is the second Friday each month which is right after the second Wednesday of each month. The significance of the second Wednesday is that that is when my Social security gets deposited. So my SS and my haircut are umbilically connected. One will always remind me for the other.

Another thing happened today but this one really ticked me off. This one involves our glorious postal service, the USPS.

My wife and I mailed a certified letter from our house to Daytona Beach, Florida on March 5. The stuff was accepted in our neighborhood post office and by 10:51 pm it was in Manhattan in a large collection facility.

This is when the thing hit the fan. As of today that piece of mail is still sitting in that same Manhattan post office. It is sitting there when it was already supposed to be in Florida.

I called the P.O. and launched a complaint. Naturally they were not able to tell me anything new except that they would open a case and see what can they find out.

This is very upsetting because there is nothing we can do except grin and bear it. Their help line is as helpless as a two day old baby, but at least we are on record with this case.

Thursday

Ever since we moved into this apartment our downstairs neighbor has been complaining about us. She wrote a or more letters to the coop board complaining about the noise we were making. We eventually agreed to put some carpeting down and went as far as letting the super of the building to come up and inspect the apartment. Actually the coop rules say that the floor are a should be covered at least 85%.

I think we lived up to that requirement even though some carpets will have to be moved here and there to satisfy the 85% requirement. We have rugs and we also have carpets in the apartment. There is a difference between the two but I will not go into the explanation.

Anyway, we seemed to pacify the board and the building management because there was not a peep from anybody for a long time, until...

Today my wife and I ran into the woman who happened to live just below us and boy, she gave us a mouthful. It seems that we are very noisy people. We listen to the TV loud; we walk loud and stay up very late and then walk loud, we also vacuum the apartment loud and several times a day. She said that she was unable to sleep and her husband had to move into another bedroom because of us.

We really got pissed at all these accusations and gave it all back to her. This Russian bitch has nothing else to do but complain about us. We were standing on the street and arguing back and forth for quite a while.

But at the end we parted company smiling and promising that we will try to behave normal and I will learn to fly in order for my noisy feet not touching the ground.

Wednesday

It is a good country New York. And, it is nice to be an eighth grader here. For instance today, Abigail's class went to Broadway to see Finding Neverland. That is a Broadway musical where about 29 of her class was taken. They had two classes in the morning then school bus took the kids into the city to the theater.

This was a matinee performance starting at two pm so there was plenty of time before the show. The kids went to haunted themed restaurant that served them lunch then it was on to the theater.

I think they enjoyed it even though Abigail said that the first act was a little boring and she almost fell asleep. But then the second act made up for it.

The next excursion will be to a game parlor which is also for the eight graders. Two weeks ago the entire class went to the movies to see a film about Jesse Owens.

There will be one more outing, at least that I know of. And that is to Citi Field to see a baseball game with the New York Mets. I would much rather if they would take them to the Met in New York to see an opera. But no, it is a baseball game. Speaking of mindless sport.

I think by this time they gave up teaching the eight graders and that is why all these excursions are planned. I don't know if I said it these are all during school hours. Oh yes, and every single one of them cost money.

I think when I went to school we went to the movies once and that was a special student screening too. Once and that was it.

Good country, New York.

Tuesday

Today is Tuesday and aside from doing our weekly laundry not much else did happen. Well, we went here and there but those things are not contributing thankfully to our exciting lifestyle.

Actually I am not looking forward to much excitement in our lives. When least expected they show up anyway and there is very little we can do about it to prevent it. I love to have a quiet life without much complications. That will allow me to enjoy my new family, my new environment and mostly to enjoy the company of my wife.

Today is International Women's Day and to celebrate that on the way home from dropping Abigail off at school I bought single red rose for my wife. I think it was pretty romantic, wasn't it?

I really don't know what International Women's Day is but if it is to celebrate women then I am all for it. I am convinced that after men women are God's second greatest creation!

Where would we be without them, I ask? The world would be a pretty lonely and sad looking place. So, since we have them might as well celebrate them.

Interestingly, I don't know anything about International Men's Day. I guess we do not deserve one day out of the 365.

Monday

Just a little politicking, again.

I have been living in this country long enough and have seen many elections but there is something I still don't understand.

Why should I as a "normal" voter should care which candidate the New York Times or any other organization or politician endorsed? The TV is full of super intelligent people voicing their comments on the chances of the candidates.

It seems that everybody thinks that the average voter is stupid or backward and have no idea what to do without guidance. The average voter has to be led to the voting booth and has to be shown how to vote. But there is a little controversy here. New York Times readers are usually a slice above the average. So, why they need to be told who to vote for?

Aren't they smart enough to make up their own mind? Does the paper think that their opinion or decision will be blindly followed? If so, then those souls should not read the New York Times.

That's about all I had to say tonight.



By the way, this is what we had for dinner last night.

Hungarian goulash (soup)
Roast chicken with bacon
Bean salad
French salad
Roasted potatoes

Dessert

Fruit torte
Jewish Napoleon

A small slice each. This very important.

Sunday

There is something to say about good friends. For one thing they are a lot and I mean a LOT better than relatives. Family members are there just because they have nothing else to do and their DNA put them there. Some of them just freeload because they think it is their right to demand others just don't give a hoot.

Now why am I going on this rant?

Because today the nicest surprise was happening to us. No, we didn't win on the Lotto.

Today my closest friend in the whole wide world wrote me something very surprising. This friend and I are so close that I am grateful that we think we are related but don't know how because I value our friendship as is much more than if we knew how we were related.

Today, three months after our wedding he wrote that his wife and him would like to pay for sight seeing day cruise while we are in Hawaii next July. It is such a nice gesture that my wife and I were speechless for a moment. And I don't get speechless too often.

When I came to, I wrote to him and thanked them for their generosity and told him if he really wanted to outdo himself and get the top prize he can pay for the entire trip. No response yet.

I am shameless!

Saturday

Just to expand a little on yesterday's events as far as Abigail's high school selection went she told us that there were kids who were not selected to any school. Now, since high school education is mandatory everything is not lost. Those kids have a second round chance to submit more schools and wait where they will be accepted.

Kids who found out that they were not accepted anywhere were naturally shocked and many of them were crying. She said there were tissues everywhere on the floors from all the crying.

When she came home her telephone didn't stop ringing. All her friends were calling trying to find out who and where were accepted. It was very interesting for me to watch the entire process.

I remember that when I went to high school in Budapest it was one particular school that I wanted to go. Actually, it was my parents' decision that I would go there. I don't think I had much input into that process. But I do remember that my parents used all the influence they had to assure my admission. Fortunately they succeeded. I think in those days parental influence counted a lot. It was not money but it was mainly who knew whom.

Friday

In the New York City Public School system before a student finishes the eighth or last grade it is required to select a high school where he or she wants to continue schooling. This selection is done around October of the last year and some specialized schools require special tests. Decision is made based on the these test results as well as the academic result of the student.

Abigail had her heart set on going to a high school that offers drama as part of the curriculum. In order to achieve this she took an audition in a well known high school not far from us. I was there with her and I was convinced that her audition was great. This is a New York City High School that is well known and has a respected history.

Her mother and I were really rooting for her to be accepted in this school. Abigail had her heart set on studying drama and we thought why not. This world needs more drama queens, right?

Along with this one school she listed two others on her application. Each equally good but not as good as the first one.

Anyway, today was the day when it was announced at her school who was accepted and where. And guess what!

Abigail was immediately accepted into her school of first choice where she will study drama among other things.

Naturally we are all very happy and proud of her.

I am happy for another reason. I don't have to get up earlier in the mornings because the school is not far.

Thursday

Today is Thursday and not much is happening. My wife and I went the gym for a little workout that was way overdue. Were not able to go for about two weeks and today was a little difficult for me because of the long absence, but I managed.

Currently our physical activities are limited to watching TV and the political programs. Tonight at 9 is the next Republican debate and even though it is limited to only four people only it is still more entertaining than anything else.

While it is entertaining it is also extremely annoying because since I am in this country and since I have been watching televised political debates I have never ever seen such a lowdown dirty behavior. The only thing missing is a fistfight but I wouldn't bet that it might not happen.

Speaking of Television. I used to watch certain shows religiously afraid to miss an episode or two. Now, I rarely have a chance for scheduled nighttime TV watching. But interestingly whenever I catch some of the shows I like and didn't see for a while I never have problem figuring out what did happened. The storylines are stretched so long that missing a slew of episodes do not make it impossible to get back in line and follow what is happening.

Slowly, very slowly I am getting used to the electronic bill paying. I thread very carefully and my wife is next to me directing traffic. That way the money goes out where it supposed to go out from and goes into where it supposed to. Check writing has been reduced to a minimum in our household.

Ain't technology great?

Wednesday

I think today, March 2, 2016 should be remembered in history as the death of democracy in the US. We are being ruled by two parties. The Republican Party and the Democratic Party with an occasional Independent sprinkled in. These parties claim to know what the American people want and if they don't want it they should. They also have the tendency to talk us into believing that they always act in out favor. They also swear on their bible that whatever they do it is for the benefit of the people.

Now, there is a presidential candidate by the name of Donald Trump who is not a politician and wo does not like politicians and also claims that he know what is good for American people.

The problem begins with the fact that the people believe him and do not believe the Washington politicians. As a result he is shoveling in the votes on his favor. Now what do the Republican leadership does?

They are mobilizing everyone and everybody in order to attempt to sabotage Trump's progress toward the Republican nomination. They even went as far as announcing that if it looks like he is close to capturing the nomination they would introduce a different candidate, or something like that.

This irks me enormously!

The Republican leadership showed that they really do not care one iota about what the people want. The people's interest is secondary behind theirs. To me this reminds me of the communist days when we were told who are the best to represent our interest and all we had to do was just nod and smile. The Republican leadership is doing exactly that.

They are so afraid that if Trump wins the presidency these people might lose their controls, their cushy positions and might just have to get acquainted with real life.

So I ask. Where is democracy? What is happening to our democratic society that these people are willing to go to any length in order not to lose their grip on the population.

If I were Trump I would reinforce my security detail because who knows how far his opposition is willing to go to destroy him.

I did not leave my old country for this. The way I see it in a democratic society if the person the population choses is not to their liking do not reelect him. If he is good give then him another term. I believe it is our choice and not some dirty politicians' in some smoky back room.

Trump is not planning to become a dictator but the Republican leadership is certainly on the way.

Tuesday

Today my wife and I spent at least a day and a half at Home Depot. In the morning the locksmith came to our home and installed the new lock and some other stuff we purchased yesterday. After he left we moved in to Home Depot.

I am glad we didn't buy a house. As is with the apartment we bought a lot of things. We will install window guards in all our windows, we bought touch up paint to touch up at places where the paint was smudged as the result of our moving in. We bought silicon caulking to fix some of the cracks that developed in the bathroom.

The people who sold us the apartment did a lot of fixing up and the place looked very nice. The problem is that a lot of those fixing ups are just cosmetic and are on the surface. They need adjustments and since we are here to stay all the adjustments are our problems.

The good thing is that we don't have to worry about the outside. No grass to cut, no hedges to trim, no gutters to clean. Not our problem and oh man I am so glad.

Tonight it is too late to start but I think tomorrow we will start some of our home improvements.

I can't wait!

Monday

My wife loves a clean house. Actually everybody love a clean house but she is very committed to it. She cleans every day and I don't mean just a little cleaning. She cleans very seriously. Dusting, slight vacuuming and floor washing. These chores are done daily with no exceptions.

It is a mystery why there is so much dust visible when the sun shines in and the place was just thoroughly dusted. If we wouldn't have so much sunlight maybe we would not have so much dust!

We re not permitted to wear shoes inside the apartment. There is a safety zone around the entrance door in which we can be without taking our shoes off but God saves the one who dares to step outside the zone.

Now, don't misunderstand me, I am not complaining. I do love to live in a clean environment and sometimes even without asking I offer my help in cleaning. Because of all the cleaning our apartment became such a hospitable place that we just hate to leave. Many times we don't have to argue about staying home or not. We love to stay home, relax and just enjoy our surroundings.

Something else.

Today is February 29. If I were born on February 29 I would be about one fourth or less old than as I am. Right?