Today it was back to work. I was feeling my age. I felt good, just achy from all I had done this weekend. Too much time in my knees, even for me.
After work, there was much to do. I went by the store to pick up some stuff, and got a disposable duster. I’ve always been skeptical of new-fangled cleaning gadgets, and disposables seem wasteful to me. But my house is a dust disaster. I can dust one day, and two days later you can write your name on all the furniture. Plus if you dust with a cloth, you rub a lot of the dust right back on to the furniture you’re trying to dust. So I succumbed. Billy had told me what kind to get. They had the refill pack, but not the dusters themselves, at the BiLo near my house, of course. That store can be relied upon to NOT have at least one thing I need every trip – one of the reasons I try not to go there. So I went to Kmart, where they have two lines open whether they need them or not. Of course according to the rules I got stuck in line behind some woman who was buying all the Easter basket stuff for her dozen children or something.
I took the opportunity to call Justin. I was hoping he was having an egg-dying party this year. Jeff and James are having it, but they’re having it at their house, with an egg hunt the morning after. I won’t be able to be there Monday since I have to work, but I’m invited to the egg dying party anyway. Last year’s party at Justin’s house was a hoot and a holler. Plus that gives me something to look forward to next weekend.
By the time I got home the last thing I felt like doing was cleaning house. Monday night is usually my night off. But I persevered. I cleaned the light fixture in the bathroom, changed the batteries in the smoke alarms and the furnace filter, and then started in on my main chores tonight. I had to clean the toaster oven. Once again something I rarely do because it’s a pain in the ass, and because the toast is suspended on a rack over the filth and really isn’t affected by it one way or the other (except for that toaster oven that caught on fire – but that’s another story). But it did look bad, and Mom was coming, so I got stuck in and did it. Then I cleaned the microwave. It wasn’t that bad, but Mom’s is always spotless. So that’s done. I took a moment to admire the shining surfaces in my impressively clean kitchen before I turned off the light. It really does look good in there. Now if I can just keep it that way for about 48 hours!
I’m falling off the diet thing. I had half a frozen pizza for dinner tonight. I just couldn’t face salad, and there was nothing fixed at the house. I looked at the grocery store, but didn’t see anything I wanted that didn’t have to be cooked. So right now I’m too busy. Then when Mom’s here I’ll be eating out with her. Then this weekend I’ll be eating in restaurants in Atlanta. So that’s pretty much a week of cheating. I’ll just have to do the best I can, but I am so thinking that 20lbs is not coming off this way.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
A post in which I clean the kitchen, and take a break
Well it wasn’t as pretty today, which was actually fine. I didn’t need the temptation. But I did need to go to the flea market for fruit. Because it was overcast, that motivated me to go on over there. I loaded all the recycling and Goodwill stuff before I left and hauled it off first.
I got some beautiful apples at the flea market. I walked around just to see what was there. I didn’t see any glass, but I did get a GREAT new backpack for only $5. It has a big padded pocket in the main compartment (for a laptop, I guess) that will be a perfect plate holder for when I buy glass. I was pretty stoked about that.
I ran by the grocery store, then got home and took the garbage out before it got too wet outside. Then I put in a movie, ate some breakfast, and moved in to my new backpack. I took a nap (I had been up early) for about an hour or so.
When I got up, though, I knew it was time to get stuck in and do something. I cleared out the kitchen and scrubbed the floor in there, doing the baseboards, washing the cabinet doors, and moving all the appliances out. I had the house boy move them out when he did the kitchen in December, but I suspected he hadn’t done much once he moved them. I was wrong. He’d done a good job.
The floor dried and I moved everything back in. I was congratulating myself and deciding what to do next when the phone rang. Miss Kat invited me over. I was really hoping to do something this evening, which was why I was trying to get my chores done. There is plenty more to be done, but the big stuff is done, and I met my goals for what I wanted to finish this weekend – with the exception of cleaning the toaster oven, and that can easily be done tomorrow.
I gratefully accepted the invitation, did a load of laundry, got cleaned up, and ate a light supper before heading over to MK&’ds house.
It was great to see them, as always, and we had a very nice evening chatting and smoking. I’ve been pretty good about my diet this weekend, but when dana made some cookies I just couldn’t resist. Sigh. They were really good though.
Unfortunately, it was a slippery slope. When I left their house I was just ravenous. I went through the impossible to access Taco Bell on White Horse Road (nearly having a wreck in the attempt) and got some of the new shrimp tacos they’re advertising at the mo. They were nasty. So not only did I cheat, I cheated by eating something that wasn’t even good. That just pisses me off. But I was hungry, so I ate them and went to bed, fairly disgusted with myself and with them.
I got some beautiful apples at the flea market. I walked around just to see what was there. I didn’t see any glass, but I did get a GREAT new backpack for only $5. It has a big padded pocket in the main compartment (for a laptop, I guess) that will be a perfect plate holder for when I buy glass. I was pretty stoked about that.
I ran by the grocery store, then got home and took the garbage out before it got too wet outside. Then I put in a movie, ate some breakfast, and moved in to my new backpack. I took a nap (I had been up early) for about an hour or so.
When I got up, though, I knew it was time to get stuck in and do something. I cleared out the kitchen and scrubbed the floor in there, doing the baseboards, washing the cabinet doors, and moving all the appliances out. I had the house boy move them out when he did the kitchen in December, but I suspected he hadn’t done much once he moved them. I was wrong. He’d done a good job.
The floor dried and I moved everything back in. I was congratulating myself and deciding what to do next when the phone rang. Miss Kat invited me over. I was really hoping to do something this evening, which was why I was trying to get my chores done. There is plenty more to be done, but the big stuff is done, and I met my goals for what I wanted to finish this weekend – with the exception of cleaning the toaster oven, and that can easily be done tomorrow.
I gratefully accepted the invitation, did a load of laundry, got cleaned up, and ate a light supper before heading over to MK&’ds house.
It was great to see them, as always, and we had a very nice evening chatting and smoking. I’ve been pretty good about my diet this weekend, but when dana made some cookies I just couldn’t resist. Sigh. They were really good though.
Unfortunately, it was a slippery slope. When I left their house I was just ravenous. I went through the impossible to access Taco Bell on White Horse Road (nearly having a wreck in the attempt) and got some of the new shrimp tacos they’re advertising at the mo. They were nasty. So not only did I cheat, I cheated by eating something that wasn’t even good. That just pisses me off. But I was hungry, so I ate them and went to bed, fairly disgusted with myself and with them.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
A post in which I have a clean bathroom!
OK, today was the day. It was time to roll my sleeves up and get to work. I got up early and made coffee with the best of intentions. Only I really, really didn’t feel like it. It was gorgeous today. It was warm and sunny outside. The proverbial (and literal) birds were singing. But I had work to do.
I would head for the green room to do some work, but then would get distracted. I went through the basket of mystery on the end of the kitchen bar where everything I don’t feel like dealing with right at the moment ends up getting piled. There were things that went back three years. Then I cleaned off the kitchen bar and the table. Good, but not exactly getting any floors wet.
I had thought I was going to have to give the yard a miss this weekend, despite it’s being in need of a spring trim, but serendipitous fate stepped in and the yard guy knocked at the door. So I set him to work, and then tried to do the same for myself. Even watching How Clean is Your House? wasn’t working, and usually that’s guaranteed.
Well it didn’t work right away. But I did get a bit inspired, and decided to work on the various dried deposits of Crooner-snot on the woodwork. They will come off, but they take a special product and patience. I usually skip them when I’m doing the other cleaning because they break my rhythm. But I got them today. In one case part of the paint went with it, but onward and upward.
It seemed to be a day for small jobs that I had been putting off. I got distracted sorting through checking account statements I’d been needing to go through. Then I installed the floor mat holders in the car, and put on a bumper sticker I’d been meaning to get to. I filled out some surveys that needed to be returned. When I came back in, the house smelled sour. Since it was such a beautiful day I threw all of the new windows open to give the house a good airing. All little needling things that needed doing, but I had big jobs I needed to get cracking on.
Finally, I put a plan in my mind and started. First things first, I needed to get the rest of the old everyday dishes packed up so I could put stuff in the attic. I did so. I put them in the attic, and finally put Christmas away! Just getting all that junk up out of the floor made the house look so much tidier. The curse of having a small house with no storage space is that you are forced to have a clear out – pretty often – or it just junks up on you. I sorted through all the boxes I had left and put them with the recycling. I hate to throw away a good box. I just know I’m going to have a use for it. But I don’t have the storage space.
Then it was on to the main event today – the bathroom. I hate to clean the bathroom. It is my most hated chore. Not because of the grossness or anything, I don’t mind that. It’s the fact that my bathroom is white and both cats have black hair. I just despise trying to get wet cat hair off of white porcelain. It takes forever. You wipe and wipe, and there’s just always another hair stuck on there. But I got the floor of the shower cleaned and the floor scrubbed. As much as I hate cleaning it, that’s how much I love it when it’s clean. I felt much better getting that done.
I stopped and had some supper. I had gotten so much done today I gave myself the rest of the evening off. I called Miss Kat and dana, but they were having couple time tonight. Russ and Billy were out of town. I settled in with the computer to watch Lawrence of Arabia on TCM. I love Peter O’Toole, but I just couldn’t get in to the movie. I hate political intrigue, and I can only take Omar Sharif in small doses. Plus it was making me so thirsty. They're in the desert dying of thirst half the time. I wandered into the kitchen for something to drink, and then noticed the stove.
Mom has a thing about the burner pan/liners being clean. I never pay the slightest bit of attention to them. They’re under the burner, so it’s way too hot for there to be any germs or bugs in them, plus the food is never going to be down there (if it’s going to be eaten anyway). I wipe down the range top regularly, but I could just care less about what’s under the eyes. In fact, the only time I clean the burner pans is when Mom’s coming. And they needed some attention. When Mom came for my surgery I just threw them out and got new ones, and really hadn’t looked at them since. So I took them off to soak overnight. Then I noticed under them, etc. In short I ended up getting out the Bon Ami and polishing the entire range top and stove hood, then raised the range top and cleaned all under there too. The stove looks great. I decided to go to bed. Everywhere I look all I can see is stuff that needs to be cleaned.
The life on an internet stud, I’m tellin ya.
I would head for the green room to do some work, but then would get distracted. I went through the basket of mystery on the end of the kitchen bar where everything I don’t feel like dealing with right at the moment ends up getting piled. There were things that went back three years. Then I cleaned off the kitchen bar and the table. Good, but not exactly getting any floors wet.
I had thought I was going to have to give the yard a miss this weekend, despite it’s being in need of a spring trim, but serendipitous fate stepped in and the yard guy knocked at the door. So I set him to work, and then tried to do the same for myself. Even watching How Clean is Your House? wasn’t working, and usually that’s guaranteed.
Well it didn’t work right away. But I did get a bit inspired, and decided to work on the various dried deposits of Crooner-snot on the woodwork. They will come off, but they take a special product and patience. I usually skip them when I’m doing the other cleaning because they break my rhythm. But I got them today. In one case part of the paint went with it, but onward and upward.
It seemed to be a day for small jobs that I had been putting off. I got distracted sorting through checking account statements I’d been needing to go through. Then I installed the floor mat holders in the car, and put on a bumper sticker I’d been meaning to get to. I filled out some surveys that needed to be returned. When I came back in, the house smelled sour. Since it was such a beautiful day I threw all of the new windows open to give the house a good airing. All little needling things that needed doing, but I had big jobs I needed to get cracking on.
Finally, I put a plan in my mind and started. First things first, I needed to get the rest of the old everyday dishes packed up so I could put stuff in the attic. I did so. I put them in the attic, and finally put Christmas away! Just getting all that junk up out of the floor made the house look so much tidier. The curse of having a small house with no storage space is that you are forced to have a clear out – pretty often – or it just junks up on you. I sorted through all the boxes I had left and put them with the recycling. I hate to throw away a good box. I just know I’m going to have a use for it. But I don’t have the storage space.
Then it was on to the main event today – the bathroom. I hate to clean the bathroom. It is my most hated chore. Not because of the grossness or anything, I don’t mind that. It’s the fact that my bathroom is white and both cats have black hair. I just despise trying to get wet cat hair off of white porcelain. It takes forever. You wipe and wipe, and there’s just always another hair stuck on there. But I got the floor of the shower cleaned and the floor scrubbed. As much as I hate cleaning it, that’s how much I love it when it’s clean. I felt much better getting that done.
I stopped and had some supper. I had gotten so much done today I gave myself the rest of the evening off. I called Miss Kat and dana, but they were having couple time tonight. Russ and Billy were out of town. I settled in with the computer to watch Lawrence of Arabia on TCM. I love Peter O’Toole, but I just couldn’t get in to the movie. I hate political intrigue, and I can only take Omar Sharif in small doses. Plus it was making me so thirsty. They're in the desert dying of thirst half the time. I wandered into the kitchen for something to drink, and then noticed the stove.
Mom has a thing about the burner pan/liners being clean. I never pay the slightest bit of attention to them. They’re under the burner, so it’s way too hot for there to be any germs or bugs in them, plus the food is never going to be down there (if it’s going to be eaten anyway). I wipe down the range top regularly, but I could just care less about what’s under the eyes. In fact, the only time I clean the burner pans is when Mom’s coming. And they needed some attention. When Mom came for my surgery I just threw them out and got new ones, and really hadn’t looked at them since. So I took them off to soak overnight. Then I noticed under them, etc. In short I ended up getting out the Bon Ami and polishing the entire range top and stove hood, then raised the range top and cleaned all under there too. The stove looks great. I decided to go to bed. Everywhere I look all I can see is stuff that needs to be cleaned.
The life on an internet stud, I’m tellin ya.
Friday, March 19, 2010
A post in which I fulfill a promise to myself, and lay back a bit
Work was quiet today, which was nice. Little Boots was off, which was a pleasant surprise.
When I got home, I felt like giving myself a treat. But of course I’m not supposed to eat anything. I found some good popcorn in the cabinet, made some, and settled in to finish my book. I had promised myself that I would tonight no matter what. It didn’t take nearly as long as I figured.
I have a weekend of cleaning ahead, and a very busy week next week.
Mama’s coming in to town on Wednesday night, and the house has to be up for that. Then on Friday I leave for a glorious weekend in Atlanta with the Kindred, which I am really, really looking forward to. Plus I’m feeling good so I know I’ll be able to play an enjoy it. Plus Rhonda’s going to be staying with me, and I am SO looking forward to spending some time with her!! So lots of good stuff coming up. But, as usual, lots of work to do first. So tonight was a chance to relax for a bit.
I finished Obsidian Butterfly, which was an excellent read, but flagged just a bit on the finale. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I started on the next also, called Narcissus in Chains, but was kind of distracted by the fact that they introduced a new character in the front of the book that I can’t help picturing as Tim Curry in drag (a la Rocky Horror) in my head. Plus they’re all tangled up in the pack politics of various were-animals again. I really like the ‘hunt-the-monster’ books better than the ‘what-were-animal-is-going-to-further-complicate-the-story-line-so-I-can-sleep-with-them’ books. But still, even a poorer Laurell K Hamilton book is better than about 90% of what’s out there.
When I got home, I felt like giving myself a treat. But of course I’m not supposed to eat anything. I found some good popcorn in the cabinet, made some, and settled in to finish my book. I had promised myself that I would tonight no matter what. It didn’t take nearly as long as I figured.
I have a weekend of cleaning ahead, and a very busy week next week.
Mama’s coming in to town on Wednesday night, and the house has to be up for that. Then on Friday I leave for a glorious weekend in Atlanta with the Kindred, which I am really, really looking forward to. Plus I’m feeling good so I know I’ll be able to play an enjoy it. Plus Rhonda’s going to be staying with me, and I am SO looking forward to spending some time with her!! So lots of good stuff coming up. But, as usual, lots of work to do first. So tonight was a chance to relax for a bit.
I finished Obsidian Butterfly, which was an excellent read, but flagged just a bit on the finale. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I started on the next also, called Narcissus in Chains, but was kind of distracted by the fact that they introduced a new character in the front of the book that I can’t help picturing as Tim Curry in drag (a la Rocky Horror) in my head. Plus they’re all tangled up in the pack politics of various were-animals again. I really like the ‘hunt-the-monster’ books better than the ‘what-were-animal-is-going-to-further-complicate-the-story-line-so-I-can-sleep-with-them’ books. But still, even a poorer Laurell K Hamilton book is better than about 90% of what’s out there.
A post in which there are a couple o things that are up my butt about a MILE right now
iCarly
I don't know what idiot thought this show up. Before I watched some of it, I thought Drake and Josh was bad (I still think so, but that awfulness has been eclipsed). I understand I'm not the demographic they're trying to attract. But if we are growing a generations of mush-brained goofy idiots, this show would be an excellent example of why. I catch the opening of this show by accident at times when I'm watching Spongebob. I can feel my IQ start to drop just seconds in. As much as I would ordinarily applaud a show for young people with a female protagonist (consistent research shows that girls will watch shows where a boy is the main character, but boys will not watch shows where a girl is the main character - I understand the gamble), is this the best we have to offer the young women who will be growing up to lead this nation? The inane bibble-babble of two dunderheads? I know that every entertainment doesn't have to be cerebrally stimulating, but it shouldn't be brain-rotting either. I can't help but think that this show both illustrates and contributes to the new sexism - that it's 'cute' for girls to be (tee-hee!) stupid. Not to mention joining the growing and frightening wave of anti-intellectualism that says it isn't 'cool' to be smart - for either sex. Scary to think that the doctor who will someday be treating me grew up not studying because they didn't want to be a 'nerd' (not to mention cultivating a generation with a larger portion which lacks the intellectual tools to deconstruct 'birther' arguments and the like). I am ashamed that such a show ties up valuable air time that could be used for informercials. An infomercial would contribute more to society than this mind-numbing idiotic pablum. At least someone might get their closet organized or their plumbing leak stopped.
The continuing obsession with a germ-free toilet
Who in the world needs a germ-free toilet? Can anyone answer this question for me?? I have written about this before but there is yet another ridiculous commercial pandering to this phobia right now. It starts off explaining to us that bleach doesn't really remove stains, it just whitens them. What? I thought removing stains was whitening them! The commercial then goes on to show a special dye being sprayed onto a toilet to reveal "hidden stains". What the hell is a hidden stain? Who thought this up? I have never introduced dye to my toilet looking for hidden stains. Nor has any guest I've ever had. My friends just have better things to do (or indeed more important and pressing matters to tend to in that room anyway), and it is indeed one of my fondest wishes that an obsessed toilet-dye sprayer is not numbered even among my acquaintances. If however such a person and their vial of dye did get into my home, I would hope that they would find hidden stains to satisfy their obvious obsession. I would then, of course, never invite them over again. I will close by saying that honey, if you got stuff in your toilet that straight bleach won't kill - you got much bigger problems than "hidden stains".
The Activia "challenge"
You can hardly have telly on for five minutes these days without Jaimie Lee Curtis coming on to tell you all about the "Actvia Challenge". I have problems with this on several levels. First of all, eating some yogurt so you can take a dump is not a challenge! If you are so constipated from an indulgent diet of Western processed foods that you can't even shit on your own, that's pitiful. It's a symptom that some major life changes are needed. If you are so coddled in vanilla suburbia that you actually find it a challenge to eat some yogurt and take a dump, that is even sadder. And how dildonic is the language!! The grateful recipient of Activia's myriad gifts (i.e. shitting) reports that she had become 'sluggish'. Are we so insulated and isolated from our bodies that the word 'constipated' is too indelicate to say? Is the same society that applauded Beavis and Butt-head going to be frightened by so banal a term? I find that very hard to believe. I'm also kind of saddened to see such an empowered and independent woman as Jaimie Lee reduced to selling laxative yogurt for a living. I mean, if she wants to take the money, that's her business, but can't we find something better for such a cool and talented actress to do? Climbing a mountain is a challenge people. Having to eat yogurt so you can take a shit is a symptom of a greater problem. Personally and societally. And another thing. The "challenge" is that you eat yogurt every day for two weeks, and if you "aren't satisfied" they'll give you your money back. OK, if you don't shit for two weeks, you will be dead. You will have much bigger problems than getting the money back on some dubious yogurt claim. Of course, they know you'll poop in two weeks. What is the risk to them? Plus, that damn girl that tries to sing "Activia" to the tune of their jingle can't fucking sing. It's not homey. It's not charming. It's nails on a chalkboard to anyone with an iota of musical appreciation in their body. If shit-inducing yogurt is important enough that we need an actress with Jaimie Lee Curtis's talent to tell us about it, the we need at least Carly Simon to sing the jingle, OK?
Dildonic corporate-speak
This one has been on my nerves for a while, but I'm overloaded with it this week. Our company forces us to complete an entire banquet of bullshit as part of our performance appraisals. (Of course they aren't called that any more, those words still have some meaning attached to them.) The theory is that if you have a 'voice' in the process then you feel more empowered. In actuality, it just means one more aggravation, one more hoop to jump through, and more work to do before you get the raise your supervisor has already decided on anyway. So it's a completely useless and pleasureless masturbatory exercise. The woman in charge of our corporate training programs apparently has very fancy degree. She loves corporate-speak. In fact, we don't have a training department any longer. We have a "Knowledge Transfer Center". Yeah - they seriously call it that. By the end of the class I was so confused that I was ready to run amok, because none of the headings mean anything. They have been so washed of meaning that you can't figure out what you're even supposed to be doing. Performance is now "talent". (What am I supposed to tap-dance or something? I could sing...) The evaluation has been dropped completely. I don't have a problem with my boss evaluating my work - that's what they pay me for. Why is this so traumatic that it has be couched in meaningless drivel? I go to eat my lunch in our cafeteria, where many impromptu meetings are held. If I hear one more word about "engaging in dialogue"!! Why not just fucking talk to someone? And using 'impact' for 'affect'. This doesn't make you sound more dynamic, it just makes you sound more dildonic - as if you are some soulless corporate drone who can't think for yourself at all any more, only sporadically regurgitate meaningless drivel you have imbibed at some great corporate teat. I will issue a plea now - please stop burying me in meaningless words! Say what you mean, in clear language!!
Whew - it feels good to get that off my chest.
A post in which I spend a quiet evening at home
Knitting a flag... no of course not.
I made it through the day today with no Ibuprofen! That's been a long time coming. I was pretty damn beat when I got home though.
It was a most stimulating afternoon, if not particularly good for my blood pressure. I had a fraud guy try to get one past me today. Now that hasn't happened in a long time. Apparently he had acquired a defunct company to use the credit history as a front, but hadn't done his homework very well. The company he acquired had lousy credit. So he spent a good portion of the afternoon alternately yelling at me and trying to sell me the snake oil to get shipments going out. That in itself isn't particularly unusual on my desk, but he was just so URGENT about the whole thing. When I got off the phone, I thought to myself hmmmm, he was acting like a fraudulent account... I did some checking, and sure enough, the 800#'s they gave me rang to nowhere, his cell phone was un-traceable, and the website was a dummy with no content. It was so unbelievably ironic that he had chosen me of all people to try to get past that I was very amused. (I am the resident fraud buster and go-to guy on our staff. I also have kind of a rep within the industry. Trying to defraud me with that pitiful setup is kind of like attacking the US Navy with a paper boat.) When I told one of my co-workers about the incident, his comment was "That would have looked really bad on your performance review if he had gotten past you." Which of course it would have. Hilarious.
I stopped by CVS on the way home to get some stuff I forgot yesterday and pick up my allergy prescriptions. Usually there are five people working there, milling around and doing whatever the hell it is they do, but no one will actually give you your stuff. Today there was one on the counter, one on the drive-through, and the sexy pharmacist. He never condescends to speak to the public. I noticed as I was waiting today that he graduated from the University of Florida. He looks the part. I'm sure he was a stud on campus. I had plenty of time to think about such things because of the woman in front of me.
I had thought when I came in that I was in luck. There was only one person in line at the counter, which is just unheard of. Apparently, however, this woman had the sickest child in the world. She had a pile of prescriptions in front of her on the counter, and was on the phone for ten minutes trying to figure out what they were missing, and if the kid could make it through the night with only the foothill of drugs she had, rather than the mountain they apparently had on order. (The kid didn't have cancer or anything, he has bad allergies and an upper respiratory infection. He's prone to whooping cough.) OK, now I have sympathy that the child is sick and all, but Lordamercy wouldn't you bring a list if you had that much to keep track of? Of course since there was only one person working the counter, I just had to wait. Never mind that both of my prescriptions were on auto-refill (Wouldn't this be another option you would look in to with a kid with that much wrong with him? I mean it wasn't like it was a surprise that he needed this stuff..), and that it would have taken me about 45 second to check out if I could just have gotten up there. Of course when they finally worked it all out that they had enough to get by on, she wrote a calligraphy check, etc. And she had the nice counter lady. And of course having the nice counter lady she wanted to tell the whole story of this kid's medical history, life from the incubator, and conception. Actually, had she actually discussed the conception I would have at least been entertained during the eternal wait.
When I finally got out of there, the combination of the stimulating, yet tiring day at work, and the extra energy required to keep from just yelling "OH, COME ON, ALREADY!!" in the pharmacy had me completely sapped. Then I remembered I had to go to the grocery store. I didn't have fruit for tomorrow.
I fed the yowling cat and resignedly put my pants back on. I was feeling very put-upon that I couldn't even get myself a treat for being a good boy and going to the store (since I'm supposed to be on this diet.) But I knew if the sofa got me at this point there would be no escaping it. So I did the errand. Fortunately all the slow people thought I was in for the night and didn't come out to get in my way.
When I got home I poured something to drink, put on my jammies, and opened my book. And that's what I did. I did finish a load of towels and put them in the dryer. But I didn't turn on telly or the computer. I had to force myself to go to bed. This book is so good it's like ripping out my own placenta (if I had one) to close it. I promised myself I could stay up and read as long as I want tomorrow night, and turned in.
I made it through the day today with no Ibuprofen! That's been a long time coming. I was pretty damn beat when I got home though.
It was a most stimulating afternoon, if not particularly good for my blood pressure. I had a fraud guy try to get one past me today. Now that hasn't happened in a long time. Apparently he had acquired a defunct company to use the credit history as a front, but hadn't done his homework very well. The company he acquired had lousy credit. So he spent a good portion of the afternoon alternately yelling at me and trying to sell me the snake oil to get shipments going out. That in itself isn't particularly unusual on my desk, but he was just so URGENT about the whole thing. When I got off the phone, I thought to myself hmmmm, he was acting like a fraudulent account... I did some checking, and sure enough, the 800#'s they gave me rang to nowhere, his cell phone was un-traceable, and the website was a dummy with no content. It was so unbelievably ironic that he had chosen me of all people to try to get past that I was very amused. (I am the resident fraud buster and go-to guy on our staff. I also have kind of a rep within the industry. Trying to defraud me with that pitiful setup is kind of like attacking the US Navy with a paper boat.) When I told one of my co-workers about the incident, his comment was "That would have looked really bad on your performance review if he had gotten past you." Which of course it would have. Hilarious.
I stopped by CVS on the way home to get some stuff I forgot yesterday and pick up my allergy prescriptions. Usually there are five people working there, milling around and doing whatever the hell it is they do, but no one will actually give you your stuff. Today there was one on the counter, one on the drive-through, and the sexy pharmacist. He never condescends to speak to the public. I noticed as I was waiting today that he graduated from the University of Florida. He looks the part. I'm sure he was a stud on campus. I had plenty of time to think about such things because of the woman in front of me.
I had thought when I came in that I was in luck. There was only one person in line at the counter, which is just unheard of. Apparently, however, this woman had the sickest child in the world. She had a pile of prescriptions in front of her on the counter, and was on the phone for ten minutes trying to figure out what they were missing, and if the kid could make it through the night with only the foothill of drugs she had, rather than the mountain they apparently had on order. (The kid didn't have cancer or anything, he has bad allergies and an upper respiratory infection. He's prone to whooping cough.) OK, now I have sympathy that the child is sick and all, but Lordamercy wouldn't you bring a list if you had that much to keep track of? Of course since there was only one person working the counter, I just had to wait. Never mind that both of my prescriptions were on auto-refill (Wouldn't this be another option you would look in to with a kid with that much wrong with him? I mean it wasn't like it was a surprise that he needed this stuff..), and that it would have taken me about 45 second to check out if I could just have gotten up there. Of course when they finally worked it all out that they had enough to get by on, she wrote a calligraphy check, etc. And she had the nice counter lady. And of course having the nice counter lady she wanted to tell the whole story of this kid's medical history, life from the incubator, and conception. Actually, had she actually discussed the conception I would have at least been entertained during the eternal wait.
When I finally got out of there, the combination of the stimulating, yet tiring day at work, and the extra energy required to keep from just yelling "OH, COME ON, ALREADY!!" in the pharmacy had me completely sapped. Then I remembered I had to go to the grocery store. I didn't have fruit for tomorrow.
I fed the yowling cat and resignedly put my pants back on. I was feeling very put-upon that I couldn't even get myself a treat for being a good boy and going to the store (since I'm supposed to be on this diet.) But I knew if the sofa got me at this point there would be no escaping it. So I did the errand. Fortunately all the slow people thought I was in for the night and didn't come out to get in my way.
When I got home I poured something to drink, put on my jammies, and opened my book. And that's what I did. I did finish a load of towels and put them in the dryer. But I didn't turn on telly or the computer. I had to force myself to go to bed. This book is so good it's like ripping out my own placenta (if I had one) to close it. I promised myself I could stay up and read as long as I want tomorrow night, and turned in.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
A post in which I navigate a sticky social situation
I woke up feeling great this morning. I slept like a rock. I wonder if going to bed with a book last night instead of a movie made that much difference? If so I’m going to have to wean myself off the DVD player. I mean I really felt like myself. That was a refreshing change. I had forgotten how good it feels just to be healthy. I had a little talk with God on the way to work. I explained that if the last six months were an object lesson to make me appreciate my good health, then the message had been received.
Mom emailed me today about next week, again telling me not to start cleaning house. Yeah right. She always says that, but if she saw my bathroom right now, she’d take me over her knee. All unspecified pounds of me. And the toaster oven would send her screaming for the hills. But she’s nice to say that. It’s become like a ritual we go through before she visits now. She wants to go someplace special for dinner Wednesday night. I always try to take her to a new place when she comes to Greenville since she doesn’t come that often, and try to spoil her a little because her visits are a special occasion. So I’m taking her to The Peppermill. I’ve already told her I’m paying and I’ll hear no static about it. She’ll be upset that it’s expensive, but you only go around once, ya know?
They had free corned beef and cabbage at lunch today, but of course that didn’t do me much good. But one of the sales groups had fancy Chinese brought in, so I snagged some vegetable noodles and had a free lunch anyway. The noodles, of course, weren’t whole wheat, so by the time I got off work I was starving. I really, really wanted to stop and get some Mexican food on the way home. I was just drooling for some enchiladas. But I’m not supposed to eat them of course. Since Sunday (I know, big woo, two days ago) I have tried to be good. This is the first time in I can’t remember when that my fridge contains not a crumb of cheese. Plus I really didn’t feel like going home to eat salad that was going to go to the bad if I don’t eat it. But that was the virtuous thing. So I turned Gracine homeward.
On the way home though, I had decided to finally stop by CVS and buy a new beard trimmer. My ancient one finally bit the dust a couple of months ago, and since then I’ve been kind of doing the Grizzly Adams thing in between visits to Russ. To the point that he noticed and commented on it. Also, since spring is coming (I can feel the air warming, and George seems to be coming out of hibernation right on schedule) I need a beard trimmer to go down to and maintain the little chin beard that I typically wear in hot weather.
While I was at the CVS, getting the new trimmer and trying to ascertain from its taciturn packaging what manner of power it took to make the damn thing work, Miss Kat called me. They had just had their floor installed, and would I like to come see it? Well of course I would. They’ve worked so hard on that kitchen, and come out of the far side of a long tunnel. I know how that feels, and how excited you are when you get done. Plus they offered to feed me. And I knew they were going to have something better than ‘bout-to-turn salad.
I got there to view the floor. I had forgotten about what they had picked out. Miss Kat had showed me the sample a couple of weeks before, and before I even thought about it, I started laughing. They had picked out 12”square gray industrial tiles - The Official Flooring of lesbians everywhere, for some reason. Hey I don’t make the rules. But I was stupid enough to share this with Miss Kat, who was most nonplussed to hear it.
So I unexpectedly came face to face with a beautifully laid gray 12” square tile floor. Again. I didn’t laugh this time. The episode where I had shared the knowledge of the particular predilection lesbians have for this flooring had blessedly slipped my mind as well. But it had not slipped Miss Kat’s mind. “See, this doesn’t look like a lesbian floor!” she said. Uh-oh. So I’m standing there in the midst of this social dilemma. Miss Kat is my friend, and I don’t want to hurt her feelings or make her unhappy with her new floor, which as I say was very nice and quite serviceable. On the other hand, I didn’t feel right outright lying to her either. It’s just not in my nature. So I just said “OK.” And let it go. I thought.
One of the reasons this was so funny was that Miss Kat, although involved in a relationship with dana, doesn’t identify as a lesbian. She’s a Domme whose submissive just happens to be a woman. She really doesn’t put off lesbian vibes to me either. Other than being a pretty picky eater (another marked lesbian trait for some reason) (and no, I’m not going there), putting down this floor was the first really lesbian-like thing I’ve ever seen she and dana do. But she did not have any sense of humor about it at all when I mentioned this earlier.
They did come back to the floor later, and asked me if I really liked it, and wasn’t just being polite. It was a perfectly fine floor, just not what I would have chosen. But I knew that answer would make them unhappy. I love Miss Kat and dana. I managed to demur, but it was most uncomfortable. Would that I were a better liar. My life would be so much easier.
That little social black hole successfully circumnavigated (word of the week this week), we got on to supper. I had roasted potatoes and - salad, LOL. But at least their salad was really fresh, had lovely Catalina French dressing on it (which I won’t buy for my house because of the HFCS, but nonetheless LOVE), and CHEESE!! Lovely. I gotta get this cheese addiction under control. Apparently it really is going to be the death of me!
We had a very nice evening chatting and visiting before I toddled off home to bed.
Mom emailed me today about next week, again telling me not to start cleaning house. Yeah right. She always says that, but if she saw my bathroom right now, she’d take me over her knee. All unspecified pounds of me. And the toaster oven would send her screaming for the hills. But she’s nice to say that. It’s become like a ritual we go through before she visits now. She wants to go someplace special for dinner Wednesday night. I always try to take her to a new place when she comes to Greenville since she doesn’t come that often, and try to spoil her a little because her visits are a special occasion. So I’m taking her to The Peppermill. I’ve already told her I’m paying and I’ll hear no static about it. She’ll be upset that it’s expensive, but you only go around once, ya know?
They had free corned beef and cabbage at lunch today, but of course that didn’t do me much good. But one of the sales groups had fancy Chinese brought in, so I snagged some vegetable noodles and had a free lunch anyway. The noodles, of course, weren’t whole wheat, so by the time I got off work I was starving. I really, really wanted to stop and get some Mexican food on the way home. I was just drooling for some enchiladas. But I’m not supposed to eat them of course. Since Sunday (I know, big woo, two days ago) I have tried to be good. This is the first time in I can’t remember when that my fridge contains not a crumb of cheese. Plus I really didn’t feel like going home to eat salad that was going to go to the bad if I don’t eat it. But that was the virtuous thing. So I turned Gracine homeward.
On the way home though, I had decided to finally stop by CVS and buy a new beard trimmer. My ancient one finally bit the dust a couple of months ago, and since then I’ve been kind of doing the Grizzly Adams thing in between visits to Russ. To the point that he noticed and commented on it. Also, since spring is coming (I can feel the air warming, and George seems to be coming out of hibernation right on schedule) I need a beard trimmer to go down to and maintain the little chin beard that I typically wear in hot weather.
While I was at the CVS, getting the new trimmer and trying to ascertain from its taciturn packaging what manner of power it took to make the damn thing work, Miss Kat called me. They had just had their floor installed, and would I like to come see it? Well of course I would. They’ve worked so hard on that kitchen, and come out of the far side of a long tunnel. I know how that feels, and how excited you are when you get done. Plus they offered to feed me. And I knew they were going to have something better than ‘bout-to-turn salad.
I got there to view the floor. I had forgotten about what they had picked out. Miss Kat had showed me the sample a couple of weeks before, and before I even thought about it, I started laughing. They had picked out 12”square gray industrial tiles - The Official Flooring of lesbians everywhere, for some reason. Hey I don’t make the rules. But I was stupid enough to share this with Miss Kat, who was most nonplussed to hear it.
So I unexpectedly came face to face with a beautifully laid gray 12” square tile floor. Again. I didn’t laugh this time. The episode where I had shared the knowledge of the particular predilection lesbians have for this flooring had blessedly slipped my mind as well. But it had not slipped Miss Kat’s mind. “See, this doesn’t look like a lesbian floor!” she said. Uh-oh. So I’m standing there in the midst of this social dilemma. Miss Kat is my friend, and I don’t want to hurt her feelings or make her unhappy with her new floor, which as I say was very nice and quite serviceable. On the other hand, I didn’t feel right outright lying to her either. It’s just not in my nature. So I just said “OK.” And let it go. I thought.
One of the reasons this was so funny was that Miss Kat, although involved in a relationship with dana, doesn’t identify as a lesbian. She’s a Domme whose submissive just happens to be a woman. She really doesn’t put off lesbian vibes to me either. Other than being a pretty picky eater (another marked lesbian trait for some reason) (and no, I’m not going there), putting down this floor was the first really lesbian-like thing I’ve ever seen she and dana do. But she did not have any sense of humor about it at all when I mentioned this earlier.
They did come back to the floor later, and asked me if I really liked it, and wasn’t just being polite. It was a perfectly fine floor, just not what I would have chosen. But I knew that answer would make them unhappy. I love Miss Kat and dana. I managed to demur, but it was most uncomfortable. Would that I were a better liar. My life would be so much easier.
That little social black hole successfully circumnavigated (word of the week this week), we got on to supper. I had roasted potatoes and - salad, LOL. But at least their salad was really fresh, had lovely Catalina French dressing on it (which I won’t buy for my house because of the HFCS, but nonetheless LOVE), and CHEESE!! Lovely. I gotta get this cheese addiction under control. Apparently it really is going to be the death of me!
We had a very nice evening chatting and visiting before I toddled off home to bed.
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