A post in which I make some progress

They had announced earlier in the week that we had a big charity folderol at work today, and that we were all to try to look less like reprobates than usual because there would be TV cameras on site.  Now I didn't figure anyone would see me.  The credit department is stuck on the second floor in an off corner, and usually no one comes up here.  But to show that I'm a good do-bee, and because I had a Christmas-y tie that I hadn't worn yet, I got up this morning, ironed a dress shirt, put on my tie, and wore the soft-as-love flannel sport coat I bought, which I love, but which is close to too tight having scarcely been worn.  I looked pretty good, but I was devilishly uncomfortable.  Also, allowing to the elderly people who would be here as representatives of those being helped (I guess), they had raised the thermostat to somewhere around 'deep-fat fry'.  I was roasting.  The jacket came off as soon as I got in.  The tie made it until about noon, and the undershirt was shortly after.  My grandfather always said that a well-dressed man always wears an undershirt, but apparently that was back in the days before central heat.  Or maybe they were just thin-blooded.  My nipples showed through my filmy pinpoint oxford, but at a certain point I was just beyond caring.

Because my step-mother freakin' lives to wrestle me into a tie, I had a few pics made before I started taking stuff off.  I wondered briefly why it thrills women so greatly to see men suffering in dress clothes.  Then I thought about girdles, panty hose, shaving legs, make-up, hour-long hair-dos, and the cultural expectation to go through life thirty pounds or so underweight.  It was less of a mystery after that. 

There was a lot to do today.  I got started early, and was pretty productive.  I did my regular calls, finished the slides for the All Hands Nap, finished the write-offs, scared the crap out of a millionaire who is trying to steal $344k (he'll probably still be able to, but I caused him some anxiety today), and got some ISO done.  I'm dangerously close to finishing that crap.  That's one part of a three-part craptastic idea upper management had.  But at least that will be one part done.

We did have free Mexican for lunch again today, which was nice. 

I left work on time, since I wasn't getting anything else done at that point anyway.  My brains were fried out, and I had reached that stage where you are no longer productive.

Plus I had a cake to bake tonight.  I was on the way to the store, but detoured to see if I could find one last little present for tiny Rhondee.  I didn't really expect to find it, but I DID!!  I was so excited.  I just love to buy Christmas presents.  I am now more excited to give her the little gift than her real present.

Unfortunately, my Christmas glow was smirched by a guy in the parking lot trying to work me for cash.  Sigh.  I just hate it when they do that.  If I give them money I feel like a chump, and if I don't I feel like I've just told Jesus he can't have a dollar.  I didn't give this guy any money, but it harshed my buzz.  He looked pretty well-nourished, dressed, and clean to be destitute, plus he had cigarettes, so I figured he wasn't too badly off.  The deciding factor though, was that he didn't have his patter down.  He was going on and on, and I was standing there thinking I need to get home, so that's what I said, and I left.  But I thought about Matthew 25:40 all the way home: 

And the King shall answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these my brothers, you have done it to me.

Sigh.  I should have given him something I guess.  I was so conflicted I forgot to go to CVS on the way home. Again. 

But I got home, plugged in the computer, and put in Pee Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special, which I now watch every year.  I bought it upon the enthusiastic recommendation of my friend Justin.  Although I was initially under-whelmed, it's worth owning just to see the very odd appearance of k.d. lang.  It's from early in her career, when she was still trying to mainstream, and it's pretty - weird.  The special was taped at the height of the show's popularity, and there is quite a plethora of celebrity appearances. 

I got my cake in the oven and sat down to eat a large salad for dinner.  There is nothing on TV.  I mean nothing.  Amazing this close to Christmas - there weren't even any decent Christmas specials on. 

I finished up my salad, cleaned up the kitchen, and got the cake out of the oven.  The top looked a little done, but the batter was good, and it didn't fall, so it should be a good one.  I wasn't going to stay up to glaze it, so decided to leave it up to fate.  If I was up with insomnia (yet again) early in the morning, I would glaze it then, and if not I would just serve it plain.  That recipe doesn't call for the glaze - it's something I added.