September

So far September has been rather lackluster for me, or to put another way, lacking in the lust---but that means something totally different, doesn't it? Anyhoo...what I mean to say is September has been rather ho-hum, so far.

I don't blame it on the month per se though it isn't one of my favorites, if such a thing were to exist. As you may recall, I'm not big on the notion of favorites . . .

Favorite Books of All Time: I really don't like naming 'favorites'. So many books speak to me for so many reasons. Favorites of all time? There are many. Several. To name but a few would diminish the import of the others.

September is full of not so pleasant memories past . . . my older brother and dad have birthdays in September. My ex-husband's birthday is also in September. I always enjoyed the "back-to-school" excitement when I was a child and when I was raising my children, but that excitement was short-lived by all the hubbub this is back-to-school.

September signals the beginning of our busy season and this year it has been that, busy. Which, of course is grand for business but the affect on me has been less than grand. Though, all-in-all I'd rather be busy than not. And certainly, I pleased to 1. have the job(s)--oh, yeah, serving in the same capacity for the owner's new business--hence the need for an assistant (or two) the second, though, I haven't gotten to know very well because the owner has her assigned elsewhere (for now). hmpf. 2. that business appears to be re-bounding, the past couple of years were pretty brutal. We must exceed the budget these next two months or I fear at least one head will roll.

Still, even in the ho-hum that has been this September so far, I have found moments or even pockets of glee. The new show "Glee" contributed to some of the moments. Football got started, and that always provide gleeful moments, especially since I play in a Fantasy League. I haven't been very successful these past few years but it does add a little extra to the season. There are other teevee related moments, but what led me to this post was my commute the other day.

Normally, I'm in my own world. Sometimes, not always, ip*d shuffle providing my listening pleasure and a book providing enough of a distraction the keep me from obsessing about the coughing, sneezing, yelling, pushing, pulling and otherwise glee that is commuting on public transpo.

Though, trying to block out the world around me, I don't forget that there is a world around me. I remain alert, at the ready to deal with . . . whatever. Urban Living 101. Back to the story, the other day I'm reading, looking up now and again to assess the surroundings and across the aisle is a woman who looked to be in her twenties. Nothing spectacular, good or otherwise about her appearance. Average, I'd say. I heard her pop the top of a can and saw her take a drink. I nice loooooong gulp of something. I couldn't tell immediately what she was drinking, but when it hit her system moments later her eyes bugged out as if someone at popped her in the back and yelled, "BOO!!" at the same time. The eye (and subsequently, head) movement moved her hand and I saw that she was drinking an energy drink. I thought, wow, that stuff must really pack a punch.

The moment passed and some stops later I hear another pop and whoa, she was drinking another one. Downed it in just a few gulps. Yeah, the eye thing again. For the rest of the day I had moments of glee imagining 1. where she was going 2. what she did 3. whether she was in the company of others while she did whatever she did, wherever..

And oh, to have been a fly on the wall she must have been bouncing off the entire rest of the morning, if not the entire day.

Energy drinks, yay or nay? And...their tag, Feel Real? Energy drink for real people. What is that about?

And one more thing, while today is of course, thatday, it is also the day that a friend celebrates a birthday and to her I say, happy happy joy joy!! Here's a royal celebration!!

C. A. T. Tales

No, this isn't Buttah but I couldn't resist. It soooo could be him if he was the kind of feline to flatten himself tummy down. He's a tummy up kinda cat. However, title and photo aside, this posting isn't about the cat(s) again.

I'd like to talk about climate control. Not world climate, warming or otherwise, but office climate. The office space I spend much of my time in during the weekdays does not have central air (or heat for that matter). The cooling efforts are accomplished with the aide of four window units. Three in the warehouse area and one to cover the offices.

You may have heard, in fact perhaps it has been a theme around the country, this summer has been most un-summer-like. I don't know how many 90 degree days we've had, I do know that there have been very few. That day back in June might have been our first real taste of it. That day may have been IT for summer. We've spent most of the summer hovering around the mid to upper 80s. Most evenings have been cool-to-cold (to me). The humidity too, for the most part has been moderate to low. So, in my mind the need for any A/C has been minimal, at best. That is not to say that guys haven't cranked it up every day since June. The guys (especially the warehouse guys, and the boss) are always hot (so to speak).

Me? Not so much, flash moments aside. Though I have experienced, in recent years a greater tolerance for cooler temperatures and don't layer up nearly as much or as often, I am still more often than not, cold over warm. I do feel that my body temperature has risen, is rising and I do feel warmer more than ever before. But still, I am hardly ever flat-out hot in that sense of the word. I certainly haven't felt a need for A/C ever before and this summer in particular.

For years now I've often been the odd person out. The majority would always vote (if such a vote were to ever take place) for A/C. So, I have had to deal. I keep extra long sleeve shirts, fleece jackets, or sweaters available for use to fight off the the chill from the A/C on any given day.

Today is such a day. It is overcast, damp, barely 70 degrees. In fact, I doubt the air temp topped 70 today. I'm wearing a t-shirt, a long-sleeve denim shirt, and a fleece jacket. It is friggin' cold. To elaborate, I hardly ever drink coffee after 10 AM but here I am in the late afternoon chug-a-lugging the hot beverage.

I once had a co-worker, Gladys, who couldn't stand the cold, she and I were the odd ducks in the pond during that time. She'd sit at her desk, typing away, with a hat on her head and a scarf around her neck. In between projects she'd don her mittens. Gladys was cold when it was hot because the A/C would be kickin' and she was cold(er) when it was cold because that was Gladys.
I didn't have it bad like Gladys then, and don't have it that bad today, but I do wish they'd turn off the freakin' A/C. Open a window for cripes sake, there is a nice breeze and since the Air and Water show is long gone, no jet noise over-head. Heck, there aren't even any jack-hammers in use today.

On the upside, it is Friday and a new assistant has been hired. The adventure begins anew.

Your Name, Says it All?

In my profession I encounter names. Lots and lots of names of streets, towns and people are woven into the daily fabric of my life. Most are common, regular run-of-the-mill, like Jones, Main or Smith. Some are not so common, run-of-the-mill or pedestrian. .

Those not so pedestrian names prompt me to wonder as to their origin or whether or not the so named exemplifies the moniker in anyway. The wonderment escalates when interaction with those uniquely named folks ensue.

Take Ms. Tingle, for instance. Does she really? Tingle I mean. Or does she routinely elicit such a response from those in her sphere? Though I didn’t find Mr. Rudebush all that rude he may have been bushy as there was no way to determine that during our brief verbal encounter. I admit certain notions come to mind when I see that a Ms. Schleppy and a Mr. Moron must be contacted about a particular issue. I do take a moment to admonish myself that they’re just names. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder if S. Barefoot was indeed sans shoes when we spoke recently.

Seeing Pepper Eggars’ name tends to kick-start a craving for a Southwestern style omelet.

Living in a place called Suck Spring would probably not be pleasant for me, yet I suspect I’d feel a bit pressured to be so always if I lived in a place called Happy.

Our names can define us or at least prompt others to use them as a way to define us. What about it? Do you live your name, bring your name to life in some way?

Impulse Buy

Tequila with chocolate, good. Chocolate and Stout, not even close. Dang Blasted Aunty Flo!!!

Mail Call

This plus This

results in late mail, wrong mail or no mail at all? Maybe not, the sight however, is disconcerting for me none-the-less. There is similar un-easiness when I see carriers gib gabbing on the phone or to the air, presumably to a device that I cannot see. When I saw the boom box in the bag of one of the local carriers in my workplace district I was not surprised when I turned to see the carrier that belonged to that box in the bag. This carrier was once our carrier. He and I had clashed on a few occasions.

Our current carrier is always courteous, professional, prompt and diligent while carrying out his duties. He doesn't carry a boombox in his bag, a phone in his hand nor have I witnessed him speaking to the air, presumably to a device that I cannot see.