15-VIII-2000.
On yesterday's date I have some defg.ini file, which was supposed to be read, I guess, from defg.prg, in the APS directory... which rings absolutely no bells [specially why the pun - aps means 'arrest' in serbian]. Looking at it now (november 2023), I see I tried to make a HosTract for windowses, with which I dabbled from time to time until august 2001. No fruit from that tree, it never even worked properly, it was more a prototype, a wwibiiwb*, how would GenerAll look under a windowses. And it never did - some parts were translated, e.g. alert.prg, and the menu system was nicely transitioned into a treeview, but most of the rest was either unnecessary or I started on the wrong foot, having no clear plan in my head, so it got nowhere.
My visa being valid only until september, Greg asked around how to extend it the easiest way. Consulted Jack too, and got the exact instructions what to say to the guards, which door to go for, so we went to hit the INS straight at its lair, in NYC.
He drove his Saab to DC. Picked me after midnight, and off we went up the 23. Played a disc with some comedian's show, which would never cross my mind. Not to buy, but that such a thing would be made and then even sold. But there, it makes sounds, and someone likes to listen to it. Not that bad either, though it's the american humor.
He left the car in the garage on Union station, and we got seats in not quite the Acella (they love their latin, the Amers, specially when its a bit abbr'd) but the next fastest one, and saw daylight on the Grand central station, which is right below Madison's quadratic vegetable patch. We showed up on the Federal plaza (nope, it's not a piazza, not a marketplace, plaza is any intersection of more than two streets), got into the building, he mumbled some text with the guards and we found ourselves in a room on seventh or eighth floor, some ten rows of ten seats waiting room, right wall windows (to lookout... look, out), far and left walls windows (with clerks). Took a number and waited, less than an hour altogether, only to learn that we came to the wrong place, they don't do that, it's up to regional centres. We should just send the paperwork and ignore any delays in the process, the extensions are granted automatically anyway.
Made shot of the world trading center, this way, between other buildings. We dropped by Starbucks to have a coffe and for him to make a bunch of phone calls.
We ate somewhere, don't remember where nor what. Then some drizzle started, on and off, and we walked to his ex partner, who seems to have bought off his share and went on with the shop, selling hifilistics and other electronics. Checked now (2023) and it's still there and quite present on the webs. Somewhere near Yoonyen park, not far from Broadway.
Then to train again, about late afternoon, arrived at Deesee by dark. Made shots through the window, as far as I could, Agfa being not too sensitive so it was all long exposure, i.e. blurry. Some were good. He kept leafing through NY Times and the financial ones too, which is almost a kilo of paper altogether.
Took the car and went back to A-burg.
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* what would it be if it would be, translation of šbbkbb - šta bi bilo kad bi bilo
Mentions: Agfa, alert.prg, Annenburg (A-burg), defg.prg, GenerAll, Greg Reubenthal, HosTract, Jack Baran sr, in serbian
16-I-2023 - 17-XI-2023