When you hit middle age you really only have two choices: you can get fat and lazy until you roll over and die, or you can can get off your ass and do something, like maybe ride a bike.
Bluntness
Sunday, December 10, 2023
Royalty
Saturday, December 9, 2023
Letting Go
There's dense fog outside my window. The temps are going to fine today, but no sun, and tomorrow? When they're forecasting 100% chance of rain you know there's not going to be a break in the clouds. And the rain? It might be torrential at times. This being said, it's also a Sunday, usually a slow day in retail, and I have to work. Oh, Joy!
Yesterday, I went to the store and when I got home realized I'd not put a few things on my list, so I'll be heading out again this morning after I finish this entry. One of the things I picked up yesterday was a piece of beef for London Broil. Pricy! I've decided to start a holiday tradition where I'm going to be having London Broil on Christmas day.
I spent some time sanding down the door frame from the dining room to the kitchen yesterday, now there's dust everywhere, so a decent cleaning will take place this morning as well. And, speaking of the kitchen, I realized that the painting will soon be coming to an end, that leaves a bit of tiling to do, and then the floor. The tiling is going to be easy, and I bought enough of the same tile so I don't need to concern myself with running out.
The final draft for The Body in Motion might be finished this afternoon. Then I'll need to print it off and read through it one more time. I once worked with a man who wrote a non-fiction boon on autism. He had an editor he was paying very handsomely, who kept wanting changes, on changes, on changes, at least that what this author told me. Truthfully, there are some people who simply can not let things go, which I suspect was the case for this author. After working on his manuscript for years, I suspect it wasn't a demanding editor he was dealing with, but rather the editing process had become a crutch upon which he leaned upon so much that he was just afraid to let go. I don't have that problem. I'm to interested in moving onto the next project.
That big harrumph you heard last week was Bob when he found out Time had named Taylor Swift as it's person of the year.
Friday, December 8, 2023
Creativity
Well, it's Friday. This is my 5th day off in a row, and I'm off tomorrow as well. The 2 week are pretty much the same. Christmas weekend I only work on that Saturday, and then again on Christmas Eve for 5 hours, after that my hours pick up.
Weather wise, today's supposed to be partly cloudy with highs climbing into the low 50s (F). I'm ready for the partly sunny, though honestly, sunny would be so much better. The days are so short this time of year, a bright sunny day is an event to celebrate.
I have about 60 pages of editing left before the final draft of The Body in Motion is complete. That in itself is exciting, but I will also be excited to get it into the hands of those readers who note, and comment, and suggest changes. Sharing in the creative process is so much fun. I find that the reliance on other voices and other opinions is essential. This is how life is, people working together for a common cause, even if it is something as simple of helping me prepare a manuscript for publication. Too many people out there don't even try to be creative, perhaps because they're afraid of failing, or possibly it's because they're so accustomed to relying on the creativity of others. Anyway, I saw quote from Kurt Vonnegut and thought it appropriate.
Thursday, December 7, 2023
Free Cardio!
We have Snow! When I got up, the temp outside was 30 (F) and Accuweather was predicting snow, heavy at times, for the next 40 minutes, and as I opened the back door to let Lily to do her morning business several kamikaze snowflakes flew into the house. Depth wise, it's not much, maybe half an inch but it's nice. Once again, I remind people that snow = free cardio!
I was surprised I got as much accomplished yesterday as I did, no painting, but the living room tank got cleaned. I also put in some time on the treadmill, as well as get in a dumbbell workout. Today I'm hoping to get in an kettlebell workout, as well as some time on the bike. And maybe paint the window frame in the kitchen.
This is an odd week for me, I don't work Saturday. It's all about the hours. Because the Orange Home Improvement retailer I work for is not hitting their budgeted profit, they're going to be cutting part-time hours. This doesn't mean they aren't making money, they are, by the billions, they're just not hitting their forecasted figures. I don't doubt that at sometime, something will cause Wall Street to crash badly, and at that time all those greedy billionaires will have a WTF moment, just before they jump from one of the high floors of their corporate headquarters.
And, did I say we have snow? This is what it looks like.
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Fluries
The temps were 30 (F) when I got up and there was snow in the forecast... well, not snow precisely, flurries is what they were predicting. It's a good thing I don't crave the white stuff; sitting by the window for the past 45 minutes nary a flake has drifted by. What a shame this winter thing is going to drag itself out until at least March. Then, warm temps will be upon and they'll race by until once again we're left with the winter dark.
I thought of putting up my Christmas (all season) tree. That's about as far as it went. There was a time when I did decorate, but not anymore, and not for any holiday, it's not just Christmas. Decorations need to be appreciated by many eyes, and, as I told Jon (the PT), I just don't invite people over anymore. I prefer going out. The invitations I get are nice and I usually attend, but over the past few years I've decided I really don't want people coming into my house. Being a host requires extra time and effort that I'm no willing to give up. Maybe, as I grow older, I'm simply getting selfish with my time. I figure I may have what? Possibly 30 years left, and I want to spend it with me.
Still no flurries.
All of the cabinet doors have been hung in my kitchen renovation. There's a bit more painting that needs to be done, a bit of caulking, some backsplash added to the sink, and then I get to the floor, meaning I'll be spending a lot of time on my knees.
Tuesday, December 5, 2023
Cutting 34 pages
I understand Maddie's buying Liz Cheney's book. I hope she enjoys it. I disagree with a lot of her opinions, but Liz, but Liz is far more aware of the the evil the Orange Anus and the destruction his re-election would bring to the United States. A day doesn't go by that he doesn't spew out exactly how he'd use his hatred of Democracy in an attempt to make himself a dictator. The warning signs are there. Let's hope that enough Americans see and understand them.
Monday, December 4, 2023
Fallout
Sunday, December 3, 2023
Destined for Failure
Outside there is a constant drizzle. It's a rainy Sunday, so I slept in a bit longer than usual. This happens sometimes. The weather is not supposed to improve until sometime later this afternoon. I work, so that'll happen when I'm sitting at the flooring desk.
I worked yesterday. That's when the drizzles began. When I got to the store at 1 PM, the store was relatively busy and thought, "gee, this is what the day's going to be like," and it was for about an hour. My first customer was difficult. A man in his late 40s, possibly early 50s, who was replacing the carpet in his bedroom with cheap vinyl planks. He'd been in last Sunday and dealt with one of my fellow associates. The reason he was replacing the carpet? His girlfriend was angry that he spilled wax on the bedroom carpet. I heard that line last week, and I heard it again yesterday. Right. He felt it was important for me to know that the carpet was in his bedroom, and that he'd spilled candle wax on it (doesn't come out), and that he was doing this for the "girlfriend." He asked many of the questions he'd asked last week. Wanted to know why the installation might take 2 weeks (his transition piece needed to be ordered), and why we no longer stored everything in massive warehouses. Every explanation I gave him got the same response, "well, I just don't understand why it's not done this way," or "that doesn't make sense to me." In the end he purchased, and since his installation was small, one room, I had him take most of the product he needed when he left. Except for the transition piece, so I told him to call Tuesday, when I wasn't working, so we could give him an ETA on that piece.
Every now and then my fish do things that are interesting. Here's my algae eater doing his job on the thermometer in my tank.
Saturday, December 2, 2023
Whiners and Losers
Well, a happy Saturday to all you weekend readers! The temps outside are a near balmy 42 (F) and they're predicted to hit 60 (F) by this afternoon. Yeah, keep in mind that this is still Autumn, or Fall, depending upon which noun you prefer. Accuweather has issued a Fog Watch until 1130, though when I look out the window there's not much for me to watch.
Yesterday was productive. Only 2 cabinet doors remain to be hung, not because I didn't want to hang them, but because I'm waiting for new hinges. The previous hinges were brown metal, which would stand out terribly against the white cabinets so white hinges were ordered. They should be hear Monday. Some of the cabinets got their 3rd coat of paint, and some of the trim was finished as well. This coming week there will be more painting, in fact, that's all that's left to do... oh, and of course, the floor. That's going to be a real pain in the knees and hips.
Here's a bit of a funny from the UK: Jimmy Dyson, you know? Dyson vacuums? He filed a libel suit against the Daily Mirror claiming they said terrible things about him that weren't true. Hhhmmm, what sort of terrible things? That he was a great supporter of Brexit, and that it if the voters of the UK passed it, it would be boon to the economy... except, once Brexit passed Jimmy decided it would be better financially if he moved his business headquarters and everything associated with that headquarters somewhere else... other than Britain, someplace like Singapore. Jimmy didn't like it when the Daily Mail called him out on it, saying he was a phony, so he tried to punish them by suing them. And... the courts decided that the Daily Mail hadn't libeled Jimmy by reporting the truth, basically telling Jimmy that his whining really sucks.
This is what 23 (F) did to my roses.
Friday, December 1, 2023
Moms for Liberty menage a trois
Well, we had a really red sky this morning, that means we should be ready to hunker down because of bad weather. We shall see. The temps didn't drop below freezing; the warmer they are the better for my heating bill. Speaking of heating, I got an email yesterday from UGI, my natural gas provider, that a big price drop is coming in December. How much? My bill should drop around $10 a month. That's good. Every penny saved is a penny spent on paying off the kitchen.
Because it's supposed to be a cool, rainy day, I've decided I'm going to be making New England Calm Chowder. For about 2 minutes I was torn, thinking I might make Manhattan Clam Chowder instead (I like both), but the New England is more a cool, drizzly weather kind of dish while the Manhattan is fine for cool summer nights.
I'm also going to be hanging 2 more cabinet doors in the kitchen today. Two more hinges need to be order for me to hang them all. The baseboard, at least some of it, will also get a painting today. The final coat is going on some of the cabinets, too. The time is approaching when I'll have to spend hours on my hands and knees putting in the new floor.
And of course, a lot of people are talking about this:
Thursday, November 30, 2023
The Consequences of Public Opinion
This Thursday morning the temp was 23 (F) when I jumped out of bed. To celebrate our drop into the lower to mid 20s (F), I pulled out my wool blanket. Now, I know a lot of you think wool is scratchy, but this wool is soft and supple. Here's an interesting bit most of you don't know. Tuxedoes are made from wool. Yep, 100%, at least the good ones are. They also started off as a variation of a military uniform, beginning with the peak lapel tailcoat.
Yesterday was one of those ho-hum days. I took care of some chores, but mostly putzed around doing dishes and laundry. I did get some quality treadmill time in and am hoping to get more in today.
I'm also halfway through the final edit of The Body in Motion. One thing that's changed about the process is that the changes are mostly being done in Word. I used to sit down, read the manuscript making manual changes. While I still like to do that, it turns out that I usually end up ignoring my notes and the changes that are being made are more spontaneous. This doesn't mean I'm skipping the read through from a hard copy, just that I'm not relying on those notes for changes and rewrites.
I saw this bike being advertised this morning while reading through the Washington Post! Wow. Believe me, if I weren't paying for the kitchen, this baby would be ordered! I did print off a screen shot and will probably wait until sometime in the spring.
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
This is Spinal Tap
Well, this morning it was cold: 21 (F). I'm betting that's going to kill off the rest of my roses. As long as my furnace is working, I've no problem with the cold. The temp in the house is set at 70 (F), and I find that comfortable. However, if we end up with an extended period of cold weather I usually crank that up a few degrees because there is absolutely no insulation in the walls.
I stayed up late watching TV. The final 2 episodes of Only Murders in the Building took up over an hour. I signed up for the cheap Hulu / Disney package. That means there are commercials. Added together, there are about 5 minutes worth in each 36 minute episode. In shows like that I find it acceptable, however, when I watch a movie I don't want to deal with interruptions. We shall have to see how that goes. Most of the movies I watch are on Netflix and Prime Video, with an occasional foray into Paramount / Showtime.
And, speaking of movies, probably the one sequel that I was pleased to see being made is for This is Spinal Tap. Since it was first released, I've probably watched it 5 or 6 times, possibly more. I mean, what's not to like about a mockumentary about an inept heavy metal band. Here's the trailer for the first film. The second has some musical luminaries lined up... like Paul McCartney, and Elton John.
Tuesday, November 28, 2023
Zooming in on the Wall
Can we all say hello to a brisk Tuesday morning? Temps outside my window are a cool 31 (F), which is borderline cold. We had snow flurries earlier. They surprised me by blowing in my face as I opened the back door to let Lily out. She did her did her morning pee and was back in the house in a snap. This is what happens when the temperatures drop this low. Our high today will be in the mid 30s, though tomorrow we're supposed to start a warming trend.
Yesterday was slow in the flooring department, in fact there were only 3 busy departments: Hardware, always a seasonal favorite since every dad wants a Tool; Appliances, this is the best time of the year to buy that new refrigerator you want; and, of course, Garden. Artificial trees have been more popular than real trees for some time, and that's true again this year. I've always like the natural look, but let's be honest, unless you're setting the tree up on a tile or hardwood floor, needle cleanup, when you take it down, is a real bitch, and those decorative skirts you put around the base don't seem to do the job well.
Also, in case you didn't hear me, I climbed onto the scale yesterday morning to see how much damage I could blame on Thanksgiving... Holy Crap! The time has come to start burning off calories, at least until Christmas, which is a few short weeks away.
Don't know if I told anyone or not, but I signed up for TikTok and amazingly everyday some new sex worker lovely, young woman starts following me, even though I haven't posted anything. As a result, I've decided to post short videos of my books. You never know, maybe one or two of those sex workers lovely, young women might have a hidden urge to read. Maybe, for the first one, I'll zoom in for a closeup of the wall.
Monday, November 27, 2023
Rotation
Monday has arrived, and so we begin another week. For some, this means the end of a 4 day weekend as you head back to toils and tribulations for a 40 hour work week, where your schedule is set by your employer, whose rules and regulations might temper your outlook with chagrin. Patience. Someday you, too, will be semi-retired and will only have to contend with a few measly days of work, probably in a job that lets you practice your social skills, like mine. That's sort of a windy way of me saying that I work today.
Outside, it's dark. The temps is 37 (F), and we might be getting some snow showers tomorrow. That's be nice. I don't work.
I worked yesterday though, and a surprising thing happened. They were playing rock & roll as the music du jour. No Christmas music... notice I say music rather than carols since much of what we're forced to listen to in this season of joy are songs that pop artists wrote for this season of joy because every time one of their holiday ditties gets played, they hear the Ca-Ching of cold-hard cash clattering into their bank account. Creativity and greed do not always go hand in hand. Now, I know there are some out there who claim to love Christmas music, but they usually don't have to listen to the same song rotation over, and over, and over again.
Digging into the archives: here's a picture I took in a Buddhist temple while I was in Japan a long time ago.
Sunday, November 26, 2023
Loudly Boiling Over
Welcome to Funday Sunday! Is it going to be fun? Heck if I know. Lily went out for her morning pee in 30 (F) temps, so I suppose it steamed a bit. Our afternoon temps are supposed to be in the mid to upper 40s (F), which is probably right for this time of year, we are, after all, less than a month away from winter. One good thing to keep in mind is that immediately after our winter solstice the days begin to get longer.
The store was busy yesterday morning and early afternoon, but around 3ish the crowd began to thin out. I did get a measure, so that should keep mgmt. happy. Sales were so, so in flooring. Our appliance show room is hopping. I always tell people that if you're going to need to buy a washer, or dryer, or refrigerator, this is the time of year to make your purchase.
I got over 7 hours sleep last night. The same thing happened the night before. Normally, I'm up a lot earlier. All this sleep? I hope it doesn't mean I'm coming down with something. There's always the possibility I'm doing more than I used to do during the day and making myself super tired, though I haven't change my regime, so that's probably not the reason. Maybe I'm just more tired than I used to be.
And, probably thanks to Climate Change and Global Warming, my yard is filled with winter roses. I took this yesterday before work.
Saturday, November 25, 2023
Rake This
Well, it was cold enough outside this morning to chilly your willy off, a crispy cream 28 (F) cold, should you be foolish enough to have him face that freeze. On the flip side, our temps are heading back up to 50 (F). There's not a lot of rain in the long range forecast, however, and we sure could use some. That soaker we had last week help a little but not a lot; one of those every week for the next 5 weeks would be fine.
I accomplished a lot yesterday, including the annual raking of the gingko leaves. While some rake theirs out onto the road for the street cleaner to vacuum up, my get gathered around the base of my gingko tree because during the winter they break down and become mulch (sort of).
I do have to work this afternoon. Mostly it will be to chat with my work friends, talk about Thanksgiving, and the approaching Holiday Party. It's in January, so there are the usual whiners who are complaining because it's not a Christmas Party... duh. We're retail. Our holidays, supposedly our busy season doesn't end until both holidays (Christmas and New Years) are over and it celebrates both holidays (Christmas and New Years). But then some people have small minds, just like the Cracker Jack Crazies who put the retailer I work for on the shit list because we use the word Holiday.
Anyway, here's the ring of leaves.
Friday, November 24, 2023
At the Rainbow Bridge
Well, if it's Black Friday and you're sitting here reading this, then Christmas shopping is probably not high on your list of things to do today. Me? I might buy a pair of slippers later; it's an image I'm trying to groom: old man wearing a cardigan sweater and slippers.
The weather's supposed to be nice today. Temps are predicted to be in the mid 50s (F). There's also a bit of yardwork in the forecast. I need to rake my gingko leaves around the base of the tree. Over the winter they decompose and I'm left with a nice, free, circle of mulch. There's also an aquarium clean on my chore list, as well as laundry. The first load has just finished. My, aren't I the expeditious one!
Thanksgiving dinner was at my brother's farm. Noah, his youngest, is in his late 20s, his oldest is nearly 40. When they were younger, we didn't talk, I'm simply not good with kiddie-speak. Now we talk. We have discussions. My one nephew is head union rep where he works, not something my brother's too pleased with, being the conservative that he is. I was a little concerned about driving home at night and it turned out to be a non-problem. In fact, I don't mind driving at all.
Yesterday turned out to be pretty good, except for the notice I got from Bethesda telling me there was no way they could give me back my 28 levels of game play. They sent me a survey. I replied honestly. I was hoping they'd be able to give me a magic bullet that would restore my character both his strength and prowess. They can't. So, very politely I told them I was extremely disappointed.
Breakfast this morning is spice cake with cream cheese icing.
Thursday, November 23, 2023
How to Carve a Turkey
Happy Thanksgiving!
Isn't it nice we made it to another one with only the expected, and rather major incompetency's from the majority members of Congress?
Today the temps are supposed to climb into the mid 50s (F). That's a plus. I'm having Thanksgiving dinner at my brothers. My friend Betsy reminded me that I will be driving back at night. That's fine. I drove from Allentown back to Harrisburg at 11 PM a little over a month ago and had no problems.
I'm taking a spice cake with cream cheese icing for desert. It's in a large cake pan, that way I can bring back the leftovers. The icing is tasty! I haven't tasted the cake yet since that would mean cutting it.
You all have an enjoyable Thanksgiving. Eat a little too much, just for tradition's sake.
Don't drink and drive.
And for those of you carving up the bird, here's a little video tutorial on how to carve a turkey.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Deflated
Yes, this entry is late, not because I slept over, rather it was that time of year to have my car to have it's state inspection. And, of course, it passed, but it does take some time, That means it's also time of my dealer to try and fill my shopping cart, so to speak, because they make their money from all of the goodies they try to get you to buy. Mine as more expensive than usual, the added expense being the cost to change out the old battery for a new one. That added $210.00 onto my bill. Having the tires rotated added another charge, and oh, let's not forget about the rear window wiper. But, look on the good side, now the battery is good for at least another 5 years, and the tire rotation will ensure the wear on my tires is balanced.
Anyway, it's the day before Thanksgiving. I'm not working, but then I never work on Wednesdays. I'm also off on Black Friday. I am now, and will possibly be until my last day with the orange retailer, available to work on any Friday, be it Good, or Black, or what ever.
I did roast a turkey breast yesterday, in fact I just had a turkey sandwich for lunch. Tasty.
For the 2.5 hours I sat waiting at the dealership for them to do inspect my car and do the required emissions test, I worked on The Body in Motion, writing little notes, and crossing out phrases, and sometimes whole paragraphs got the big question mark as to whether they are essential, or, and even more important, whether they could be improved. Believe me, there's always room for improvement. That's a problem with some writers, they sit back and in a very self-presumptuous tone, congratulate themselves on writing a book. This is why editors and readers are important. Good ones will be standing at the ready, pin in hand, waiting to deflate.
Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Millennial Me
Now I know there are those of you who'd like to cancel Tuesday because of the approaching rain, me, however, I'm looking forward to it, hanging around the house in my sweats while the rest of the leaves finally fall from the trees. At least I'm hoping they'll fall. Then I'll be able to rake into piles where they can spend the winter decomposing peacefully.
The temps are supposed to hover in the mid 40s (F) all day, and there is no reason for me to leave the house.
I stopped off on my way home from work and picked up a generic brand of allergy medicine with an antihistamine. Beside the frequent post nasal drip (every morning), there is also the drip, drip, dribble requiring me to constantly have a tissue near by. I took one before I went to bed last night and woke up to the familiar post nasal drip, however the dribble has ceased. This probably means I have some sort of crappy sinus infection that won't go away.
Yesterday was slow at work. In previous years this was usually caused by customer anticipation of the Black Friday sales we offer, however, most of our sales are now active and those that will happen on Black Friday will seem pretty meager.
Just because I'm not planning on going anywhere, that doesn't mean I'm doing nothing. Vegging out is rarely in my playbook.
For starters, I took this interesting test the Washington Post sent me. I suppose I should be pleased that even though I'm in the Boomer age category, my responses scored zero (0) for identifying me as a boomer. 49% of my responses say I'm a Millennial; 29% of them put me in the Gen X category, and the last 25% make me Gen Z, of course maybe all this means is that I'm a progressive thinker.
Monday, November 20, 2023
The Sin of Presumptuousness
Monday. The skies are clear. Temps are cool but not cold. According to Accuweather, we're getting rain tomorrow, my first of 4 days off. We need it. Everything is dry, the leaves cracking and crunchy beneath your feet. Usually, I mow them in the back yard, this year since the only ones going there are Lily and myself, I'm going to let them decompose, putting their nutrients back into the soil.
The specialty department was busy enough yesterday for me to get 2 measures and a lead. When I was asked if I had signed anyone up for a credit card and replied "nope," however, I got disappointment. There is this belief in retail that most people who sign up for a credit card are going to spend more, and while that might be true in some cases, people are much more savvy than that. Not that there aren't those people with multiple credit cards with balances on every one of them, but most of the people I talk to already have a preferred card, and many of them keep the balance very low because they realize that the interest will gauge out their bank accounts faster than you can blink an eye. The current rate on the card we offer is 24%. Ouch.
And Roselyn Carter died yesterday. I was sitting in our training room when that news flashed and I needed to take a few moments of silence. She was a very good woman.
Sunday, November 19, 2023
Safety Net
Okay, so it's Sunday. Temps are going to soar into the mid 60s (F). There is absolutely no precipitation in the forecast for the next a2 weeks. That can change. We all know how wishy-washy the weather can be.
Yesterday was extremely slow at the store. Not that there weren't the occasional customer, they just weren't interested. I had to talk to a manager from another store because the major software update the orange retailer rolled has lots of bugs that are need of being fixed. There is also the problem that this new software system was thrust upon thousands of specialists who received no training.
And, of course, this week is Black Friday. Our aisles are jammed packed with clutter, a mish-mash of name brand (Milwaukee, Ryobi, DeWalt) tools that are usually not available for sale because they are made for one day only... Black Friday. This doesn't mean that because they're cheap they're not going to last, but that possibility does exist.
The one bright spot yesterday was I gave away my old TV! One of our student associates is home for the holiday and when I mentioned that I was getting rid of my Sony Bravada, his eyes lit up. Because I had planned on dropping it off at the recycling center on Wednesday and didn't, it was in the back of my car. He's happy, and it saved me the $40 I was going to have to pay at the recycling center, getting rid of flat screen TVs is not that easy.
Back when I was in the Navy, during down times when we weren't launching jets, the flight deck was most ours to do with what we wanted. Some men worked on their tans. Not me. There was no way you'd have gotten me out into one of the wire safety nets.
Saturday, November 18, 2023
Republican Tools
Saturday morning is cloudy, breezy, and cooler. We did have rain over night, basically showers. We haven't had a good soaker in some time and while I haven't heard anything about a fire watch, I wouldn't be surprised if that happens, what with all of these leaves blowing around.
A lot was accomplished yesterday. Painting, (just about finished), cleaning the smaller tank, putting the garden hose down in the basement, making beef stew, and, of course working on The Body in Motion. There were also 2 loads of laundry and Lily's daily walk.
I'll be spending sometime at the orange home improvement retailer this afternoon. Fun stuff. I'm wondering if it will be any busier than it's been in the past.
I did hear back from Bethesda game studios, and while the response was nice, they are still recommending fixes that are simply unavailable at that point in the game. I sent them a nice response, asking them to do what I think they might say is impossible. We shall wait and see. Until then, I've bought 2 other new games, something called Immortals, and the latest in the Assassin's Creed franchise, Mirage. I find the idea of being a hunky assassin in Baghdad interesting.
Friday, November 17, 2023
Santos, not your run of the mill Pathological Liar
Happy Friday morning! The sunrise was on fire, which means sailors need to take warning. According to Accuweather, we have a 25% chance of rain today. After they pass through temps are going to drop a bit, but not a lot, back down into the 50s (F) for daytime highs. And yes, we are just a little over a month away from winter.
I worked yesterday and let me tell you, retail was slow. I did manage to get a bit sale, but are few and far between. How bad are they? On the schedule that was just written, which covers the week past Thanksgiving, I'm only working 2 days, 16 hours. Payroll is always the expense that gets cut first because it's the biggest liability a company faces, and in retail, that's the part-timers. Unlike me, many part-timers, especially seniors, are working to supplement their income, so losing hours is going to hurt them. This is why Trickle Down Economics fails, because those corporations that received Tax Cuts are still getting them, however American Capitalism dictates that they also need to have 5% growth and they have no problem cutting hours to achieve that goal.
So, in spite of the fact that they're cutting hours, the great orange retailer did see fit to give me a cap for Veteran's Day. This is why I don't wear hats.
Thursday, November 16, 2023
The Punch and Judy Show
Well, it's Thursday and that means I have to go in to work this morning. Can you see the excitement in my words? Actually, it's not that bad since for the foreseeable future I'll be back on my regular shift with Tuesday through Friday off.
Weather wise, our afternoon temps are going to be zooming up into the upper 60s (F) today and tomorrow, and for those keeping track, this would be our 2nd Indian Summer since our first frost. While our summer was fairly wet, the rain seems to have trickled away with us not getting occasional showers. That's not a good thing for this time of year, when a gazillion leaves have fallen from the forests of Central PA.
I talked to Amazon about the delivery situation for my TV, the fact that it was just left on my porch, and their customer service seems to think I clicked the wrong box when placing my order. I've revisited that screen several times to see if they're correct, and to be honest, it might have been my fault. I had done most of my research at work (yes, I do that when it's slow), so, when I was click, click, clicking to make my purchase, I may have clicked the button above the one ordering the free deluxe delivery. Still, they were nide about the whole thing, giving me a $50 credit.
An interesting aspect of this new TV is that I can now control my washer and drying from my living room, should I ever have the desire to do so.
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
The Sucker Elbow and other tales of Fisticuffs
So, is everybody ready for Wednesday? And it is Wednesday, I checked on my calendar. Temps are predicted to hit the low 60s (F). That's amazing when you consider we're only a month (and a few days) away from Winter. The long range forecast, if it's even close to being correct, is more of the same.
Yesterday was one of those odd days because I kept thinking it was already Wednesday. I have got to stop taking off Mondays since when I do, I'm a day ahead for the rest of the week.
The milkweed seeds arrived. They're going to get planted today. And my gingko leaves are going to get their first raking. I'm not expecting it to take very long, even though there are literally hundreds of leaves, I'm a fast raker. Some painting also needs to be done, though when it comes to painting the kitchen I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
And my new TV was delivered yesterday... evening. Originally it was supposed to arrive in the afternoon, that got pushed back to late afternoon and early evening, finally set at sometime between 4 pm and 7 pm. One of the reasons I bought it was because included with the delivery was set-up and haul away of the packaging. Well the delivery guy rang the doorbell, I answered and signed for the TV. Then I turned and made sure Lily was on the staircase. When I got back to the open door, I watched as the delivery men drove away, leaving my new, fairly expensive TV on my front porch. So, it was I who actually carried my new 65 inch TV, into the house, and I who unpacked it, and I who assembled it and put it on my great aunt's Hope Chest.
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Laughable
So, here it is Tuesday, though I thought it was Wednesday until I looked at my work calendar on the refrigerator. This week is out of sync because I didn't work Monday, so in my mind Sunday would have been my Monday. It seems as though it's not the days of the week I remember as much as the days days that I either work or don't work.
There's a steady breeze shaking the branches of the river birch outside my window, and you'd think the leaves would be ripping themselves off since we've had some cold mornings, but nope. Temps are predicted to climb up into the mid to upper 50s (F) again today. While our overnight temps can drop down into the low 30s (F), our daily highs are always in the mid 50s (F). This is a nice autumn.
The cabinet doors got their first coat of paint yesterday. One more before they get hung, and then a 3rd around the top and on the front just to add a bit of toughness. Remember, paint is a finish and needs to be treated like one. The more coats, the more durable it is. That's a problem with those "one coat" paints people use because they're too lazy to do 2 coats. One coat is easier to scratch off.
Nestled in among the leaves, here's another rose from my garden.
Monday, November 13, 2023
Good Riddance
Hello Monday! It was cold this morning. According to Accuweather the temp was 29 (F) outside, that'll Definity put frost on the pumpkins. Afternoon temps, however, are again predicted to climb up into the mid 50s (F). One of these days I'll have to check out UGI (my natural gas company) to see how much money these warm temps are saving me. You won't find me complaining, as long as hot temps during the summer don't offset my winter's savings. This past summer we missed much of the heat and it did wonders for my electric bill.
The retail world was slow yesterday.
I'm off today. Usually Mondays are work days, but I requested off, firstly for a physical, but then that got cancelled because my countertop was scheduled to be installed today, but then they installed it a week earlier because...? Maybe because it wasn't a difficult installation? The installers were only here for bit over an hour. One thing they did that I truly appreciated was take the old countertop away. There was supposed to be a charge for that, but I was told not to worry about it as one of the men carried it out of the front door.
Another expense was added to my debt, a new TV. My old Sonia Bravia was over 7 years old (really 8 because it was a 2015 model I bouth 10/23/2016). Turning it on it meant a 2 minute wait just to load all of the tiles on the main screen. Two years ago, my Disney subscription needed to do an upgrade the TV could barely handle (I had to clean out the cache, and 2 other files). It happened again last week with Paramount +, it wouldn't download and upgrade. So, tomorrow, a new LG C3 arrives. It seems as though everything I have is beginning to break down due to old age. Rats!
I'm going to be planting milkweed! It's a great plant for pollinators and Monarch butterflies! It's going to be replacing the Burning Bush that was in front of my porch.
Sunday, November 12, 2023
Gingko Gender
Sunday's weather is a repeat of yesterday's weather, and it will carry on for the rest of the week and maybe into the following week. I'm reading that the current weather patterns are the result of El Nino, that could be. With climate change, El Nino may become more of a presence, rather than showing up every few years to bring warm weather to the east coast.
Retail was slow yesterday. When sales are down on a weekend management wants to blame sports. Yesterday Penn State played, so everybody stayed home, however the pattern of lower sales doesn't only happen during football season. During the summer they blamed it on Phillies baseball. The truth is that they're trying to look for a rational explanation. The fact that some retailers might have priced themselves out of competition in their desperate search for that 5% growth is never going to occur to them, mostly because upper management is conservative... and, how could conservatives ever be wrong?
I do get to work today. I will let you know if it's slow or not.
This morning, I went out and took a pic looking up through my gingko. The leaves are turning yellow fast. Soon they'll fall, all at once. Seriously. It takes an hour or so, but they all fall at one time. It's as though it's shrugging off a summer coat that's no longer stylish. Oh, and actually, this gingko is a female. How do I know? Male gingkoes have balls.