Speak softly, and carry a big . . . well, just speak softly

Good morning all!  How was your weekend?  It’s Monday morning – fleh! – but I had a great weekend and I have a full mug of coffee sitting in front of me, so things could be a lot worse.

I did have one slight mishap yesterday, though; I kind of scared one of the nice women at the shelter.  MH has arthritis and asked for help opening a bottle of bleach.  I twisted the cap off for her, but the stupid little plastic “pull to open” tab defeated us both.

“I’ll go get a knife,” MH said.

“Oh it’s all right, I’ve got one,” I said, and pulled my folding knife out of my pocket.  It’s a very basic spring-loaded knife with the Marines logo.  I quickly stabbed through the plastic, yanked it off, wiped the knife on my pants and stuck it back in my pocket.

“Oh my god! She’s got a switchblade!” MH half-laughed, half-yelped.

“Oh, come on, it’s not a switchblade,” I corrected smilingly.  “It’s just a spring-loaded knife.”

“Better not bring that into Boston,” she warned me.

“Yeah I know, how stupid are those two-and-a-half inch rules?” I shook my head.

She didn’t shy away from me the rest of the morning, but somehow I don’t think MH would be interested in a range trip.

How was everybody’s weekend?  Oh, and does anyone near Lissaville need a kitty?

Double Ow!

Owwwwwwww ow ow ow ow ow!

Long-time readers knows that I am not a fan of exercise for exercise’s sake.  I ran track and played soccer throughout high school and continued playing soccer casually through college and beyond.  I love being in shape, but I often get bored on the silly elliptical and since I’m naturally lazy, the couch and the book too often wins out over going to the gym.  Double that when my workout partner is in Charlotte!  I tend to go through periods of “being good” — i.e. exercising regularly at least three times a week — that will be alternated with long periods of not going at all.

I ended one of those long periods by going to the gym with Mike yesterday.

Holy cow I hurt.

I didn’t do that much — 35 minutes on the elliptical — and my legs and butt are fine, only a tiny bit sore.  It’s my arms that are killing me.  While I walk at a VERY brisk pace at least fifteen minutes a day (as brisk as I can possibly do, because, honey, it’s COLD out in Boston!!), apparently I don’t work my arms on a regular basis.  Combine that with a trip to the range yesterday afternoon, and I woke up this morning going OW OW OW.

*whimper*

The second ow?  Mike and I got our W-2’s this past week.

OW OW OW OW OW OW.

I’m not going to tell you how much was withheld for taxes, only that I felt a serious reaming in the direction of my backside.

Tell me, dear readers:

Have I mentioned that I hate Mondays?

I believe I have, and yet . . . eat sh*t and die, Monday.  (Just in case.)

Somehow, my computer at work refused to change my password and I ended up logging five calls with the Help Desk of Ye Olde Financial Firm as they tried, over and over, to fix it.  Only took an hour and a half, yay!

Oh, and how’s this for unfair?  I get to sit on my hands and fight with my computer (yes, while sitting on my hands.  I’m cool like that) while Mike ends up with a day at home.  Hmph.  (Just kidding, he’s making me dinner and baking bread and vacuuming and doing manly things like getting rid of an old coffee table.  It’s just that . . . why couldn’t MY building lose power too??)

Enough griping.  I’ve got a busy few days coming up because an old friend from NYC is coming for Thanksgiving.  It’ll be awesome to see her, but Much Cleaning must be done!! 

P.S.  I know, this was an extremely boring post.  Go here for something more interesting.  Then write over and over again, “I shall not hotlink nor plagiarize.  I shall not hotlink nor plagiarize.”  (H/t Cold Fury)

Monday thoughts 9/22/08

Good morning!  Boy, what a difference a week can make; this morning it’s chilly and cloudy and threatening rain and dark.  A week ago today it was about seventy degrees and sunny.  Who says change is so great, again?

Speaking of which, did y’all watch the 60 Minutes last night with McCain and Obama?  I did — but only because I was assembling chili and thus was afforded distraction.  (I’d much rather have tears in my eyes from chopping onions, than from banging my head against the coffee table while moaning, “Politician talking!  Politician talking!  Blah-blah-blah OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD SHUT UP!!”  Isn’t that how you watch speeches?)

Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised by the show;  at this point, I’m conditioned to believe that McCain will not get a fair rap, but he did.  You might even classify the coverage as friendly, or at the least neutral.  I thought they hit Obama at least as hard as they did McCain; Mike thought the Obama coverage was actually harder.  True, there were some questions I’d have liked to see develop further — e.g., when Obama pointed out that Phil Gramm is McCain’s financial advisor, I’d have liked to see the reporter counter that another co-sponsor of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act has formed the Republicans for Obama group — but it was NOT all flowers and unicorns. 

Truthfully, I think both candidates held up well.  The background on McCain was respectful without being nauseating (I thought the convention coverage was a bit over the top, but I know I’m not the intended audience) and McCain came across honestly.  Obama answered with less details and more platitudes than I would like (although I’m not his intended audience either), but I thought he carried and expressed himself well. 

You can call this presidential race many things, but boring is not one of them 🙂

Monday morning poll!