Now I Worry I am Insane, or Being Stalked--the Hammer Reappears
I saw another hammer today. Was it the same one? I have no idea. The problem with seeing the hammer, it was in a completely different place on my commute. Yesterday's hammer was on I-65, today's hammer was at the beginning of the by-pass in Gallatin. I nearly ran right over it. So either I am hallucinating, or this hammer is following me, or I am the victim of a very strange coincidence...
(side note--I know that I am not hallucinating today as other cars also served to miss the thing so that leaved stalking or coincidence)
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Another Strange Sighting on my Commute to Work
This will be a very short post, but I nearly ran over a brand new hammer today on I-65. I could tell it was brand new because it still had the wrapper/tag around the handle. So my question is, how did a new hammer get onto the interstate? I can see someone putting it on top of the roof of their car and driving off, but this was the place where Vietnam Veterans By-Pass merges onto 65. Does that mean that the hammer stayed on the car at least since the last exit back, which would mean that it traveled successfully on the roof all the way through Rivergate (my speculation is from Home Depot or Walmart)? Or, did someone just decide to throw a brand new hammer out the window on a whim? And if that is the case, was it because of road rage or because of buyers remorse, deciding "no, I don't think I will hang that picture after all today, so I don't need this"?
Yes, this is my normal train of thought when I am driving by myself and not carpooling to work. A little strange, a lot random, and totally fun.
This will be a very short post, but I nearly ran over a brand new hammer today on I-65. I could tell it was brand new because it still had the wrapper/tag around the handle. So my question is, how did a new hammer get onto the interstate? I can see someone putting it on top of the roof of their car and driving off, but this was the place where Vietnam Veterans By-Pass merges onto 65. Does that mean that the hammer stayed on the car at least since the last exit back, which would mean that it traveled successfully on the roof all the way through Rivergate (my speculation is from Home Depot or Walmart)? Or, did someone just decide to throw a brand new hammer out the window on a whim? And if that is the case, was it because of road rage or because of buyers remorse, deciding "no, I don't think I will hang that picture after all today, so I don't need this"?
Yes, this is my normal train of thought when I am driving by myself and not carpooling to work. A little strange, a lot random, and totally fun.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Lessons Learned from the 1/2
So this is a post about things that they don't tell you in the handy-dandy literature before running a 1/2 marathon (13.1 miles for those that don't know).
1. Bring your own toilet paper (and possibly germ-x). I did luck out as the person beside me in line did think to bring a roll and was generous enough to share. But that many people, the two rolls originally in the porta-pottys were long since gone. The one porta-potty I stopped at along the way was not much better. Enough said on this one.
2. Sunscreen doesn't last. I used sunscreen, I promise--the waterproof, sweatproof kind. But I also applied it before I checked my gear, which was then bused to the finish line, to be seen several hours later. Of course at the beginning of the race it was raining and cloud covered. It was toward the end of the race that the sun came out--you know the time when the sunscreen was gone. I'm still not sure that I would have carried the stuff around with me though or taken the time to put it on.
3. Rain, Rain, Go away. When it is raining, runners will do strange things. I saw one man with a garbage bag over him--I couldn't tell if he was wearing any clothes as he was wearing short-shorts. And he had those hotel laundry bags over his shoes. I was happy to have brought along my poncho, which I ditched at the starting line a long with many other poncho's, trash bags and interesting toss-asides.
4. Marathons are trashy. My goodness there were so many things just thrown on the ground. Powerbar gel packets, Power beans wrappers. Don't even get me started on the cups thrown down at the water stations. This trashiness is of course including the disgarded trash bags and ponchos (see point #3).
5. Powerbar gel is disgusting. Just what I thought it would be. Thick goo. The flavor I happened to pick up--double latte. The flavor was as it said, it tasted like a latte. I don't drink coffee when I am running. And the goo texture. My goodness, it is reminescent of the stuff I would periodically clear out of my drain. If I didn't need that shot of energy or have water immediately afterward to wash it down, I don't think the goo would have been stomached.
6. Water stations are hazardous (esp. when further back with the walkers). I would be trucking along nicely and all of a sudden a walker would step in front of me and come to a near stop. I didn't, but I was so tempted to pour Accelerade down more than one person's back. Then going back to point #3 again all the cups that were thrown aside by earlier runners were slick. One had to tread carefully. I learned early on that the water stations were a good time to slow to a walk. This gave me a chance to rest (relatively speaking), dodge the slower walkers, I was able to navigate the slicker terraine and I was able to drink my Accelerade without choking myself on it.
7. There is nothing like see that finish line for motivation. I was exausted. I was tired, I had jogged a race that I had trained myself to walk. But I rounded the corner and I saw that yellow banner and I ran. I heard my Mom and Dad cheering me on. Racers that had finished already were cheering me on and I ran. I went from thinking I had no energy left to feeling like I should have done the whole thing. (And no, I am no longer crazy enough to think that the whole marathon is for me).
8. And if seeing the finish line is motivation, crossing the finish line is even better. I had been meditating on my favorite passage from Hebrews the entire race. "Since we are surrounded by such a great a cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and run the race with perserverence, fixing our eye on Jesus the author and perfector of our faith ..." I had thrown off my poncho, I had been freed from things that weighed me down and I ran the race. The real life lessons hit home as I crossed the finish line, having run the race alone, but with family and friends there cheering me on, keeping me going. I wept. I cried at the beauty that was the race, it was a cathartic moment. I released emotions that were dormant at the fact that I was free to pursue this goal and this dream without someone that had discouraged me from doing it last year. This was what I had trained for and it was worth it.
So this is a post about things that they don't tell you in the handy-dandy literature before running a 1/2 marathon (13.1 miles for those that don't know).
1. Bring your own toilet paper (and possibly germ-x). I did luck out as the person beside me in line did think to bring a roll and was generous enough to share. But that many people, the two rolls originally in the porta-pottys were long since gone. The one porta-potty I stopped at along the way was not much better. Enough said on this one.
2. Sunscreen doesn't last. I used sunscreen, I promise--the waterproof, sweatproof kind. But I also applied it before I checked my gear, which was then bused to the finish line, to be seen several hours later. Of course at the beginning of the race it was raining and cloud covered. It was toward the end of the race that the sun came out--you know the time when the sunscreen was gone. I'm still not sure that I would have carried the stuff around with me though or taken the time to put it on.
3. Rain, Rain, Go away. When it is raining, runners will do strange things. I saw one man with a garbage bag over him--I couldn't tell if he was wearing any clothes as he was wearing short-shorts. And he had those hotel laundry bags over his shoes. I was happy to have brought along my poncho, which I ditched at the starting line a long with many other poncho's, trash bags and interesting toss-asides.
4. Marathons are trashy. My goodness there were so many things just thrown on the ground. Powerbar gel packets, Power beans wrappers. Don't even get me started on the cups thrown down at the water stations. This trashiness is of course including the disgarded trash bags and ponchos (see point #3).
5. Powerbar gel is disgusting. Just what I thought it would be. Thick goo. The flavor I happened to pick up--double latte. The flavor was as it said, it tasted like a latte. I don't drink coffee when I am running. And the goo texture. My goodness, it is reminescent of the stuff I would periodically clear out of my drain. If I didn't need that shot of energy or have water immediately afterward to wash it down, I don't think the goo would have been stomached.
6. Water stations are hazardous (esp. when further back with the walkers). I would be trucking along nicely and all of a sudden a walker would step in front of me and come to a near stop. I didn't, but I was so tempted to pour Accelerade down more than one person's back. Then going back to point #3 again all the cups that were thrown aside by earlier runners were slick. One had to tread carefully. I learned early on that the water stations were a good time to slow to a walk. This gave me a chance to rest (relatively speaking), dodge the slower walkers, I was able to navigate the slicker terraine and I was able to drink my Accelerade without choking myself on it.
7. There is nothing like see that finish line for motivation. I was exausted. I was tired, I had jogged a race that I had trained myself to walk. But I rounded the corner and I saw that yellow banner and I ran. I heard my Mom and Dad cheering me on. Racers that had finished already were cheering me on and I ran. I went from thinking I had no energy left to feeling like I should have done the whole thing. (And no, I am no longer crazy enough to think that the whole marathon is for me).
8. And if seeing the finish line is motivation, crossing the finish line is even better. I had been meditating on my favorite passage from Hebrews the entire race. "Since we are surrounded by such a great a cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and run the race with perserverence, fixing our eye on Jesus the author and perfector of our faith ..." I had thrown off my poncho, I had been freed from things that weighed me down and I ran the race. The real life lessons hit home as I crossed the finish line, having run the race alone, but with family and friends there cheering me on, keeping me going. I wept. I cried at the beauty that was the race, it was a cathartic moment. I released emotions that were dormant at the fact that I was free to pursue this goal and this dream without someone that had discouraged me from doing it last year. This was what I had trained for and it was worth it.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Happy Administrative Assitance's Day to Me
Today, apparently, is Administrative Assitance's Day, or so I've been told. Oh, I believe my office manager when she tells me that, I am just getting some kicks and giggles about the tradition they have here at my work for celebrating it. They treated me to lunch at Logan's. Yummy, Yummy Filet. Tasty, Tasty Sweet Potato. Fluffy rolls. What more could a girl wish for...
Here's the rub, they didn't take me to lunch (or bettter yet a gift card), they gave me their take out orders for lunch and added me to the bill. I got the happy priviledge (on the Office Manager's orders) of walking into the bosses' office and saying "Today is Secretary's Day, what would you like from Logan's?" I am not big on celebrating these strange, made up holidays, but if they are going to celebrate it, should I be the one walking into their office to remind them of it. The Logan's lunch is actually something that they have done for the past 10 years or so. They didn't question me coming in and saying this, they just put their order in. One, only one, actually said, "Oh yeah, happy secretary's day." When I laughed, he said "no seriously, I do appreciate all you do." So after I got all the orders together--6 including mine, I call in the order, then I go pick up the order, then I give out all the food, THEN I eat my steak.
I really like Logan's (even through I rarely get steak). As I said, not really an important holiday to me, and I wouldn't have even known it was AA Day if not for the Office Manager. So, why does it bother me that I had to get the food? This is not an abnormal errand for me. I get lunch nearly everyday for these managers. I guess, if it is the thought that counts, did they really have a thought to count? Oh well, Happy AA day to you!!!
Today, apparently, is Administrative Assitance's Day, or so I've been told. Oh, I believe my office manager when she tells me that, I am just getting some kicks and giggles about the tradition they have here at my work for celebrating it. They treated me to lunch at Logan's. Yummy, Yummy Filet. Tasty, Tasty Sweet Potato. Fluffy rolls. What more could a girl wish for...
Here's the rub, they didn't take me to lunch (or bettter yet a gift card), they gave me their take out orders for lunch and added me to the bill. I got the happy priviledge (on the Office Manager's orders) of walking into the bosses' office and saying "Today is Secretary's Day, what would you like from Logan's?" I am not big on celebrating these strange, made up holidays, but if they are going to celebrate it, should I be the one walking into their office to remind them of it. The Logan's lunch is actually something that they have done for the past 10 years or so. They didn't question me coming in and saying this, they just put their order in. One, only one, actually said, "Oh yeah, happy secretary's day." When I laughed, he said "no seriously, I do appreciate all you do." So after I got all the orders together--6 including mine, I call in the order, then I go pick up the order, then I give out all the food, THEN I eat my steak.
I really like Logan's (even through I rarely get steak). As I said, not really an important holiday to me, and I wouldn't have even known it was AA Day if not for the Office Manager. So, why does it bother me that I had to get the food? This is not an abnormal errand for me. I get lunch nearly everyday for these managers. I guess, if it is the thought that counts, did they really have a thought to count? Oh well, Happy AA day to you!!!
Friday, April 18, 2008
Plumber??
Just a really quick blog to share a funny story. I was taking my boss to pick up his car after he got it serviced when we come up to a stop sign. Directly across the street was a sign that said, "Elect Howdie Doodie as your new plumber." I am sitting in my car, with my boss (Mr. Not-So-Funny), trying not to laugh out loud as I think to myself, if I have to say Howdie to my Doodie, you better believe I am getting a new plumber.
Just a really quick blog to share a funny story. I was taking my boss to pick up his car after he got it serviced when we come up to a stop sign. Directly across the street was a sign that said, "Elect Howdie Doodie as your new plumber." I am sitting in my car, with my boss (Mr. Not-So-Funny), trying not to laugh out loud as I think to myself, if I have to say Howdie to my Doodie, you better believe I am getting a new plumber.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Level 8
That's right, I am now officially an 8. I have reached level 8 pioneer status on the Oregon Trail. This is not some super great feat as there are many levels higher than 8, but I have been a 7 for so long that it really feels great to make it to the next step up. This is a proud moment in my life. (Hee Hee Hee). For the last two treks up the trail that I have made, no one has died, I did not run out of money (and didn't even have to steal something), it was smooth sailing, almost boring.
Let me ask you this... I figured out a trick. Completely by accident. But here it is the trick, if I get a broken wheel, I don't necessarily have to pay to repair it. There is a glitch in the system. If I go to check my inbox or my homepage or any other facebook option, then come back to Oregon Trail, it has forgotten that my wagon wheel was broken in the first place and I can just keep on trucking. I discovered this simply by accident because one day I had something like $135 in my account, I was so close to Oregon City, I had just recently been killed in my last theivery attempt, so my thinking was "I will just wait until tomorrow, this way I will earn more money for that day, repair my wheel and just keep trucking." When I went back the next day, the wagon wheel was fine, no repairs were needed. I made it to Oregon City and had no other mishaps. So I had to see, is it waiting a day? Or is it just going and coming back? Yeah, it is just going and coming back. That is all it takes, there doesn't even have to be a significant pause in between the going and coming back. So this is the question (yes, I did say "let me ask you this")... Is it cheating to take advantage of a glitch in the system? I have gone and come back for experimental purposes, but now that is over, should I be scrupulously honest and pay for all future repairs, or take advantage until the loop hole is closed? A moral dilemna for you to chew on today...
That's right, I am now officially an 8. I have reached level 8 pioneer status on the Oregon Trail. This is not some super great feat as there are many levels higher than 8, but I have been a 7 for so long that it really feels great to make it to the next step up. This is a proud moment in my life. (Hee Hee Hee). For the last two treks up the trail that I have made, no one has died, I did not run out of money (and didn't even have to steal something), it was smooth sailing, almost boring.
Let me ask you this... I figured out a trick. Completely by accident. But here it is the trick, if I get a broken wheel, I don't necessarily have to pay to repair it. There is a glitch in the system. If I go to check my inbox or my homepage or any other facebook option, then come back to Oregon Trail, it has forgotten that my wagon wheel was broken in the first place and I can just keep on trucking. I discovered this simply by accident because one day I had something like $135 in my account, I was so close to Oregon City, I had just recently been killed in my last theivery attempt, so my thinking was "I will just wait until tomorrow, this way I will earn more money for that day, repair my wheel and just keep trucking." When I went back the next day, the wagon wheel was fine, no repairs were needed. I made it to Oregon City and had no other mishaps. So I had to see, is it waiting a day? Or is it just going and coming back? Yeah, it is just going and coming back. That is all it takes, there doesn't even have to be a significant pause in between the going and coming back. So this is the question (yes, I did say "let me ask you this")... Is it cheating to take advantage of a glitch in the system? I have gone and come back for experimental purposes, but now that is over, should I be scrupulously honest and pay for all future repairs, or take advantage until the loop hole is closed? A moral dilemna for you to chew on today...
Friday, April 11, 2008
Mary (and other various commuters that I have made up names for)
There are certain recogonizable cars on my commute into work. I don't get to see them everyday, but I am always thrilled when I do. Today's commute was happiness itself because I saw Mary. Now, grant it, I have no idea if her name is Mary, this is just the name that I have given her. She has 10 bazillion (slight exaggeration) little stuffed lambs in her back window. This actually has more to do with Psalm 23 (it only takes one glance at her license tag frame to know that) than with Mary had a Little Lamb. But really, is that supposed to matter to me? Its like winning the commute-to-work-lottery to get to see Mary. There are a few other cars that are recognizable and that I will keep an eye out for, but no one brings a smile to my face like Mary. There is the Life is Good car--it has just as much "Life is Good" stickers on it as my car does. When I pass him I am thinking to myself "indeed, life is good." There is Soccor mom, but she must be seen before the turn off to Pope John Paul High School. I could go on....
There are certain recogonizable cars on my commute into work. I don't get to see them everyday, but I am always thrilled when I do. Today's commute was happiness itself because I saw Mary. Now, grant it, I have no idea if her name is Mary, this is just the name that I have given her. She has 10 bazillion (slight exaggeration) little stuffed lambs in her back window. This actually has more to do with Psalm 23 (it only takes one glance at her license tag frame to know that) than with Mary had a Little Lamb. But really, is that supposed to matter to me? Its like winning the commute-to-work-lottery to get to see Mary. There are a few other cars that are recognizable and that I will keep an eye out for, but no one brings a smile to my face like Mary. There is the Life is Good car--it has just as much "Life is Good" stickers on it as my car does. When I pass him I am thinking to myself "indeed, life is good." There is Soccor mom, but she must be seen before the turn off to Pope John Paul High School. I could go on....
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Spring is Finally Here
I know technically it has been here for a while, first day of spring and all that already has happened. But it hasn't counted until now. Not for me at least. Now I can say it is spring because several things happened together. Yes, the spring rains have been here. Yes, things are starting to bud out of trees. I have seen the buttercups and tulips. But it really has been a tease. It was a fake out. The real thing was yet to come. But here is the kicker. Here is why it is officially spring... Not only did I get to wear sandals yesterday, but I slept with my window open. (for those worried about my safety in announcing on the internet that I sleep with my windows open--I would just love to see someone crawl through the ten feet of bushes, give or take a few millimeters, and see how well Miriam, you know, the grouchy dog, greets them). I woke up this morning to birds singing outside my window. What a glorious way to wake up in the morning. My house is full of fresh air. The rain doesn't even phase me today. I am in a happy spring mood. The world has turned green again.
I know technically it has been here for a while, first day of spring and all that already has happened. But it hasn't counted until now. Not for me at least. Now I can say it is spring because several things happened together. Yes, the spring rains have been here. Yes, things are starting to bud out of trees. I have seen the buttercups and tulips. But it really has been a tease. It was a fake out. The real thing was yet to come. But here is the kicker. Here is why it is officially spring... Not only did I get to wear sandals yesterday, but I slept with my window open. (for those worried about my safety in announcing on the internet that I sleep with my windows open--I would just love to see someone crawl through the ten feet of bushes, give or take a few millimeters, and see how well Miriam, you know, the grouchy dog, greets them). I woke up this morning to birds singing outside my window. What a glorious way to wake up in the morning. My house is full of fresh air. The rain doesn't even phase me today. I am in a happy spring mood. The world has turned green again.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Confessions of a Staple Freak
Today I have made a deep self discovery. I love staples. It is a fabulous invention to hold papers together. Now, I take this love to a deep and disturbing level when I say that I am obsessed with staples. This is not the store, this is the small little metal thingys that you would put into a stapler and bind together papers. I seem to be in constant search for the perfect stable. This may tell you all about my exciting life, but I probably spent at least 3 minutes to get a stable to go through this gigantic stack of papers for this particular invoice. Finally I got it to go through with out bending and crumpeling the staple on top of the paper. What does it tell you about me, I was still bothered, the staple was in backwards. From back to front. This only spurred my on to further staple perfection, wanting to get the staple perfectly through this stack of papers from front to back. Yes, I know, a little crazy, more than slightly obsessive. But that is just it, I am a staple freak. Here is where it goes even further--I spent all that time on a staple that I will remove when the invoice is paid and filed (probably within the week).
That is another stable obsession of mine. I am a purest. Only one staple in a bundle of papers. This whole idea of adding one page and stabling it to the bundle while leaving the other stable in, why would you do such a thing? It just makes it gunky. Again, I know, a little crazy, more than slightly obsessive. The only better invention as far as I am concerned at the present moment than staples/stapler, would be the stable remover. You know, it looks like a snake and it bites the staples from the page. Great stuff. And just a little bit more FYI--there always seems to be bent up mangled staples that have been removed around or under my desk. But the filing cabinet--not full of useless over stapled papers, that I can guarantee.
Today I have made a deep self discovery. I love staples. It is a fabulous invention to hold papers together. Now, I take this love to a deep and disturbing level when I say that I am obsessed with staples. This is not the store, this is the small little metal thingys that you would put into a stapler and bind together papers. I seem to be in constant search for the perfect stable. This may tell you all about my exciting life, but I probably spent at least 3 minutes to get a stable to go through this gigantic stack of papers for this particular invoice. Finally I got it to go through with out bending and crumpeling the staple on top of the paper. What does it tell you about me, I was still bothered, the staple was in backwards. From back to front. This only spurred my on to further staple perfection, wanting to get the staple perfectly through this stack of papers from front to back. Yes, I know, a little crazy, more than slightly obsessive. But that is just it, I am a staple freak. Here is where it goes even further--I spent all that time on a staple that I will remove when the invoice is paid and filed (probably within the week).
That is another stable obsession of mine. I am a purest. Only one staple in a bundle of papers. This whole idea of adding one page and stabling it to the bundle while leaving the other stable in, why would you do such a thing? It just makes it gunky. Again, I know, a little crazy, more than slightly obsessive. The only better invention as far as I am concerned at the present moment than staples/stapler, would be the stable remover. You know, it looks like a snake and it bites the staples from the page. Great stuff. And just a little bit more FYI--there always seems to be bent up mangled staples that have been removed around or under my desk. But the filing cabinet--not full of useless over stapled papers, that I can guarantee.
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