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
I've also been told I have little tact, so if this offends you simply ride on.
Well, it's Friday... for me. I'm off tomorrow and they're calling for rain in the evening, that's fine. I have plans for the late morning and afternoon, but should be home by then. I'm off on Monday, too. No plans. I'll be honest, one of the things I don't understand is why so many Americans feel the need to do something on a holiday. It's like: Okay, it's a holiday, do something to celebrate: wow, being able to not do anything means you need to do something. Whatever happened to just taking the day off? Not doing anything? In today's work environment the number of people who do not get three day weekends to celebrate is growing, almost exponentially. Oh, sure, some can think of it as a holiday, but if you work in the health field, or service field; if you're a nurse, or a police officer, or a waitress, or barmaid, or sales clerk, you're probably going to be working. So, if you do have the day off, remember to be considerate to those who are working otherwise they may tell you that you're not really that special.
And speaking of special: It's that time of year.
Halloween is probably the only holiday I enjoy. Nothing terrifies the little trick or treaters than 180 lbs of barking dogs!
More tariffs are kicking in... so be prepared to pay even more.
And what about Dorian? I saw where the an ex Prime Minister apologized for saying Mar Lago was its target. The truth is, they don't know exactly where it will make landfall, if it even does. I mean, think about it, we don't really want it to hit the Idiot Jerk's summer palace. Think of all of those legal immigrants working there who'd lose their jobs. For them, it would be anything but a holiday because you know he'd fight their unemployment claims.
Oh my gosh, can you believe August is nearly over! The nights are cooler. Waking up the temps are usually in the low to mid 60's (F). That's a good temperature for big dogs. Mine go for a walk in the morning when I finish writing this. They love it.
I have 3 games ordered. Two, Greedfall and Breakpoint should be arriving within the next week and a half. The Outer Worlds has an expected delivery date on 10/28. I began playing video games over 10 years ago when I found out that a game called Mass Effect had same sex relationships. Interesting. Very rare back then. Then I saw a study which theorized game playing strengthened hand / eye coordination. Because video games force you to use cognitive actions, they are being looked at as way to slow down the onset of dementia. More and more older people are now playing video games. Personally, I like games like Assassins Creed and Wolfenstein. Role Playing Games make you use your noggin. Many of them require stealth. While I like first person shooters, I'm more of a stealth player... I like clubbing the hell out of my enemies. Here's a little vid about Greedfall... there are some real hotties in the cast.
And I guess Dorian is supposed to hit the Atlantic side of Central Florida. The Idiot Jerk in the White House is so concerned about Mar Lago the state he has cancelled a trip to Poland. They're predicting a storm surge, you know? And Mar Lago Florida is a very low lying state... Just think!
That surge of salt water might ruin the golf course create a lot of property damage. This is the type of concern we expect from a president.
For a second, I thought today was Friday and that I'd missed the chance to celebrate my Hump Day... what a relief, it's only Thursday. Woohoo...
I did go for a 13.59 mile ride last evening. Not bad. I'm planning on riding again this evening.
My friend Steve, he's the one who runs about 100 miles a week... or I guess I should say ran, told me he thinks he may have done some sort of permanent damage to the tendons in his foot. He'd pulled something a while back and gave it about 2 weeks to heal... and then for a few weeks he'd tell me that once he starts running the pain goes away. As someone who's had to recuperate from serious injuries I can tell you that never happens. Yesterday he said he was probably going to be giving up running for good and focusing on cycling. This is how life is, the question is will he learn his lesson in regard to cycling?
And, of course, now everybody knows about Boris and the Queen. He's one of those fools who is so set in his beliefs he will do anything to make them come true, even destroy the British economy. What he doesn't understand, and the chances of a no deal Brexit being in any way successful are slim, is that when this whole thing is over, if he's wrong, he may lose his head... maybe literally. By then it may be too late for him to learn anything.
The Idiot Jerk's administration is making it more difficult for children of naturalized citizens born over seas to claim citizenship. It's the purity of race shit they got going around inside their heads. I checked, but I didn't see an corresponding policy in regard to foreigners having babies in the US. You know, like the Russkies going to Florida in order for their children to have dual citizenship?
And, finally, the debate stage just got smaller. It's about time! I'm glad Steyer didn't make it. We do not need another billionaire businessman in the oval office. Now, all those who didn't make the cut need to run for the Senate. There are 3 candidates getting double digits in the polls, Biden, Sanders, and Warren so I'd say the odds are good that one of those 3 will be the president to begin the reconstruction of America.
Yesterday was... odd, both at work and at home.
At work: A mature woman returned 6 blinds saying we offered a premium brand and she was going to purchase those instead - she lied. She also had 15% off coupon which stated "in store use only," and not surprisingly she couldn't use it on the Internet. She yelled at the clerk because of that and when he pointed out the "in store use only," she snapped "are you trying to make me look stupid?" So I politely stepped in and her attitude changed.
I worked for an hour at the Paint Desk because of staffing issues. They updated their software and that was the first time I got to work with it... and then sent me a new associate to train.
A little bird told me they were going to transfer me into that position I applied for, the one that's part-time? Half my hours would go there, the other half would be split between paint, flooring, and appliances. Of course there's nothing official. Supposedly they're just waiting for approval from Corporate HR.
At home: I was going to go for another ride but... the ride I chose had a video update. That too 2 minutes, however it blew out the Bluetooth sync between my trainer and my laptop which meant I needed to sign out of the app and reboot. However, when I started the reboot I got one of those wonderful "waiting for Windows to update" screens. After putzing around for half an hour, I canned the ride. And then my sister called to tell me she'd gotten an iphone.... My sister has spent her entire life refusing to interact with technology. I think I laughed hysterically for at least 5 minutes. She's never going to use that thing. Oh, and I did get the access code for Beta access to the next Ghost Recon game: Breakpoint. Beta access allows game player to try and 'break' the game in order to find bugs and glitches. At this point, however, because it's an 'open Beta' the game is considered 'consumer ready. I should be able to download it sometime between 9/2 and 9/9.
Oh, and I just got a news flash that Boris Johnson has asked the Queen to suspend parliament. He can't wait to leave the EU. Even when the truth gets shoved into his face, he will not understand that the days of the British Empire are over. He is quite a bit like those bumble headed Republicans in this country who still think their wet dreams over the 1960's are romantic.
Your Tuesday is my Monday. I only have 4 days to work this week and it's going to be slow. We will get those couple odd customers who will stop in to see what's on sale. Yeah, we do have a Labor Day Sale. Surprise, it's the same stuff we had last Labor Day. What will be more interesting will be the coming price increases. Yepper, they're going up. They've already started. We are in that Top Five list of retailers who are going to be slammed by the tariffs.
I got a nice ride in yesterday... inside. It's the safety thing. Sunday mornings are fine, the traffic is thin and safe, and once I'm get to Tower Road things are fine... it's just getting there. Shady Valley Road (yes, that's its name) has become a major thoroughfare and I not only have to cross it, I have to ride along it for a half mile. Damn. While stats are still coming in for 2018, here's a link to the stats for 2017 regarding cycling accidents. 783 cyclists were killed as a result of auto / bicycle crashes. The number of injuries, however, is the real eye opener. There were 45,000 injuries due to cars hitting cyclists. That's a lot of broken legs, and arms, and collarbones, and fractured skulls. You see drivers are easily distracted. There are lots of bumble brains who feel they can multi-task (drive and talk / text) at the same time, or they're fidgeting around with the radio because they need to find a song they really like, or they're fantasizing about the hot guy they saw at the club the night before.
And so yesterday instead of going out on the road, I found myself peddling up in Oregon... Warm Springs, Oregon to be precise.
Do you see that big hill? That's about a mile and a half long. And since I have Cyclops Magnus my legs felt every inch of it. And because I have Rouvy the scenery moved past me, and this is what it looked like.
Now, isn't that a lot safer than chancing I might get hit by some bimbo talking to her BFF Grizelda about the great deal she got on a blue blouse at Boscov's? And most surprisingly, on that ride, I only passed one vehicle... in the far lane.
In politics, the G7 is over. The Idiot Jerk may have wanted to Grand Stand the meeting but, from what I've been reading Macron shrewdly outmaneuvered him. Except for a few still shots our obnoxious asswipe of a president was fairly indistinguishable. Of course, he did lie about trade negotiations with China. Duh. There is not going to be any real deal. Nope. The Chinese are going to continue tightening the screws. You see, we have an election coming up... and they're going to make him Cave in a big way.
I'm off today, which means this is my Sunday. Yesterday, however, turned into my day of rest, at least after the cake and ice cream of Lily's party.
Add to that a nice bottle of Catawba recommended by Anne Marie. and my day transitioned into relaxed and casual... no bike ride.
I do believe this is how life is supposed to be.
Last evening I spent some time talking to my friend Betsy. She found the Idiot Jerk's repeating some inane claim to being The Chosen One totally abhorrent. This got me to wondering if, perhaps, he'd demonstrated his chosen status by walking on water at the G7. Checking the news headlines this morning I saw that didn't happen. He did, however, lie about China calling him to ask if trade talks could be restarted. I suspect that with the 2020 election beginning to loom, the Idiot Jerk's lies will begin gyrating to what ever tune he hopes will satiate his base and their thirst for power.
As for today, my plans are simple: clean the bathroom (it's actually fairly clean already, I tend to be rather neat), take the dogs for a walk, and go for a bike ride. Now, whether the last one will be outside on the X6 or inside on the red Cannondale is up in the air. Outside there's traffic and no music, inside there's safety and music. I'll let you know tomorrow what my choice was.
Today's entry is late because... no, not because of my planned bike ride, that has been delayed because... after eating breakfast I decided to lay down for another couple of minutes and was out like a light... for 2 hours. Hell! And when I did get up (late!) I decided to take the dogs for a walk in the park. It's cool out, mid 60's (F). While there, we were stopped by a woman who commented on Biggie's size. As I've said before, he's very big for a Boxer. And it isn't that he's fat, it's just that he's big.
I'm off today and tomorrow... on the legit, scheduled days off, in other words. Since I missed my window of opportunity for a ride this morning, I've rescheduled for tomorrow, though later in the morning. This morning my route was going to take me over to Highmark, but there will be a lot of traffic that way tomorrow so I'll shift back to my old route up Tower Road, fewer cars, less chance of getting bumped off the road by some asshole talking on his / her phone.
I guess the Idiot Jerk is at G7. I just had some sort of news flash where there was screen shot of him dozing off next to the Japanese Prime Minister. I guess he agreed "in principle" to sign some sort of trade deal. Translation: Don't count on it. This fool has a terrible record of following through on commitments: he thinks contracts have as much value as toilet paper.
Yesterday I rode halfway through the 27 mile Bow Tie ride, in other words 13.59 miles. I stopped because my butt was beginning to hurt. I'll ride again this afternoon. It's gotten to the point where I'm riding almost every day of the week, which is fine with me. I changed the battery in my HRM and readings are back to normal, no more sections where it says my heart is beating 230 times a minute. Right now I'm averaging between 124 and 133 which is not bad when you do it for 45 minutes. It's not going to be an option this afternoon. Nope. Lily was 6 years old on August 19 and today we're going to celebrate with cake and ice cream. Yum.
Well, here it is Saturday. Outside the temps are a cool 59 (F) and there is no 'heat index' in the upcoming forecast. At this point in the season, summer is 2/3 over and I, for one, am looking forward to the fall.
I've decided to call off work today. I rode Red Rocks Amphitheater last evening, or at least 10.1 miles of the route and my legs are very sore. Going down the stairs to start the coffee was a bit of an issue. For those who don't know, there is a very large, outdoor concert venue at Red Rocks. There are a number of other attractions in the complex. The complete cycling route is 13. some miles long with steep hills. This morning my legs are sore. Besides, I want to prep the X6. I'm taking it out on the road early tomorrow, before traffic gets flowing.
It looks a bit biblical during concerts.
I'm surprised the Idiot Jerk in the White House hasn't tried to hold a rally there yet.
Right now he's enroute to the G7 where he's going to try and sell some snake oil to Boris Johnson and, of course, desperate Boris will buy it by the case.
And how about the stock market yesterday? A number of articles I've ready have pointed out one glaring fact: it didn't begin tanking when Powell said they weren't dropping the Prime Interest rate, nope, it was the Idiot Jerk in the White House increasing the tariffs on China that kicked it off the cliff. Oops. So, why did he raise them? He's saying because China increased tariffs, but speculation is that it had more to do with Powell saying it's the trade wars that are screwing over the American Economy... you know? Trade wars?
And as things get worse, more and more fingers are going to be pointed at those who put this dumb shit in power: Racists, older white Americans, White Supremacists, and Evangelical Christians. Only 38% of Americans approve of the job he is doing. Now we know what groups make up that percentage. We need to put them in the loony bin where they all belong.
I didn't go for a ride last evening - rest day, and it's always odd when I do that, the extra time I suddenly have on my hands. Don't worry, I can always find something to do. Like set up my new coffeemaker, which took all of about 15 minutes. Yes, there was some assembly required. This isn't one of your 'plug and pour' coffeemakers. The old blue one is in the trash. Normally, I'd set it out on the curb on garbage day for scavengers, however because of the 'programming' issues, that fact that it turns itself on at random times, I was concerned about the fire hazard it presented. So, out in the trash it went. Here's what the new one looks like on my counter.
I think the copper finish goes well with my tile. I will have to figure out what to do with the electric cord, which is definitely more substantial then the power cord on the last coffeemaker.
So, I guess the Idiot Jerk and some of his minion, like Stevie Mnuchin, had planned on ending quite a bit of Foreign Aid - "too much fat," were the words they were bandying about. For those who don't know it, this is what half-assed Corporate Greed looks like. The deficit is rising at an astounding rate and, and like all true Conservatives, this administration tries to cut programs which help. They are anything but smart.
And I saw Macron gave Boris some crow meat for that pie he and his fellow Brexiteers are going to be eating in a couple of months. Boris' problem is that he longs for the 'old days,' when the UK was an empire. Those days are gone. The same thing is true for the Nationalists in this country who desperately want us to be the only 'super power.' They don't understand their definition of 'power' is no longer valid. Allies are very important. The world learned that lesson from the two World Wars, however Conservatives don't like that definition. They turn away from the idea that more allies you have, the stronger you are. Evolution happens to everything; species, politics, religious beliefs. Unless you adapt, you will die off. The old beliefs are entering their death throes. Isolation is not the key to survival. 'I' and 'my' are not the correct pronouns. There is no way to stop globalization. Because of this we are living in interesting times.
Oh crap, I just dumped out my recycling can because there was a little opossum in it. I have to make sure he gets away before I let the dogs out.
Three more days until my weekend! I was going to take off today because the new coffeemaker is being delivered... but decided I didn't want to waste the personal time. I like to have a certain number of days on the books, just in case, if you know what I mean. Last winter I endured a bad sore throat and used 2 days, as an example. Unexpected things happen.
No cycling tonight, I rode the Charlie Baker Time Trial last night. I cut almost 3 minutes off my last time but was still almost a minute longer than my fastest time. You can blame it on the Bobster... Yep, that's his name, who ever that is. He was a mile and a half ahead of me on the course and I didn't really want to catch up to him so I kept my pace slower than normal. At one point he was only 1.3 miles ahead of me and so I slacked off.
I guess the Idiot Jerk in the White House went on a little tirade yesterday. He once again said Jews were disloyal because they didn't bow to him, and repeated how 'nasty' the Prime Minister of Denmark was for calling his obsession with buying Greenland 'absurd.' This man is getting angrier by the day. Tough Shit. He said he was the "chosen one" to go after China.... chosen one? Hell, if that wasn't directed at his Crazy Christian base. Being challenged on all sides is not what he is used to; in the past he's hired attorneys to shut them up. Farmer's are beginning to threaten the USDA because of his tariffs and he can't fire them. This is all very bad news for his re-election campaign. Now, ain't that a good thing.
Jay Inslee has decided to drop out of the race of the Democratic Nomination. That's another good thing. In the end, I suspect it will boil down to Biden, Sanders, Warren, Harris and Booker.
And finally, I was sitting in the living room on my day off and looked out to see Lily sitting on the futon looking at me. She is such a cutie. I took a snap.
Of course, I call it "Lily on the Futon." She looks so tiny, doesn't she?
And another 'oh.' In case you didn't hear Hickenlooper is going to run for the Senate in Colorado. This is one of those challenges which terrifies the Republicans, because he's going to win and they will lose a seat in the Senate.
Well, I did a 12 mile ride yesterday with just my Suunto Spartan and there were no erratic numbers. I averaged around 124 BPM with an increase up to 143 BPM. Maybe the belt needs a new battery.
I also ordered a new coffeemaker - a good one. It has a copper finish. The blue retro maker I'd bought a while back just isn't making. I don't like having to unplug it when I'm not using it, that's something I'm not used to. There have been days when I've accidentally plugged it in only to find a few hours later the burner was on because it tried to brew a pot of coffee. Damn, that's not good.
And I do go back to work today, after one day off. I have another four scheduled. I'm off Sunday and Monday, and then that gets repeated the following week, which happens to be Labor Day.
I see where Boris Bumblebrain is trying to get the EU to renegotiate the "divorce" and they're having none of it. Oh, and negotiating trade deals with the US is turning out to be more difficult than he and his Brexiteers were expecting. Sorry, Bumblebrain, did you really think the Idiot Jerk's administration had any intention of giving you a fair deal? You see, Boris is intelligent... he's just not smart. He doesn't wield any significant bargaining chips. Now the Danes? They have Greenland. Now, that's one piece of plum real estate. If the Danes were to choose to sell Greenland, any price they name would turn the Idiot Jerk into a drooling lapdog. However, they're not even going to consider offers.... oohh, nooo, and so the Idiot Jerk's going to snub them. Cancelled his trip, he did.
Or maybe that's just an excuse. Perhaps the Idiot Jerk doesn't want to go to Denmark because one his henchies said there's some serious recession issues coming down the pike. Of course, that can't be right. The Idiot Jerk, himself, has said that recession talk is fake news. And still, he, himself has also said his administration is looking at "temporary payroll tax cuts" to stimulate the economy. Which means he wants to put the country even deeper into debt in order to get the American Consumer to buy more. It's the same reason he wants Powell to drop the Prime Rate... so credit is easier to get... so the American Consumer can buy more.
I'm doing what he wants America to do... buy stuff. Most of what I buy, however, is rather inexpensive and comes from... China, because if Americans manufactured these products they'd cost a hell of a lot more.
Except for the new coffeemaker, that comes from the Netherlands. It's a Moccamaster by Technivorm and comes with a 5 year warranty.
Most coffeemakers have a one year warranty, but let's be honest here, because they tend to be inexpensive most simply get replaced.
Well, it's Tuesday and I have a dental appointment in a little over an hour... From there I'll hit my neighborhood Weis and Giant stores for groceries.
I disconnect my HRM belt from my Suunto Spartan. Readings have been coming bad. I'll look at my readings after a ride and everything will be normal... and then suddenly my heart rate will spike up to 190 beats of minute for about 90 seconds and then suddenly drops back. Last evening for the first 6 minutes my HRM had my beats per minute at 230. Believe me, if you heart is beating that fast, you are going to know it. And last nights ride had some steep hills, one had 15% grade, which is really steep. Most people will be out of breath by the time they reach the top. My HRM said I was averaging 137 beats per minute. So, this morning I disconnected my HRM belt. My Suunto Spartan does the same thing. We'll see how this works.
I guess the Idiot Jerk in the White House is blaming the approaching Recession on... Fake New. Okay, so what else is new? He lies daily and blames the truth on Fake News. Because Evangelicals believe he was sent by God to give them what they want, they will always accept his word. In their minds there is not going to be a Recession, of course, in their minds he's not a Racist, either. No one ever said they were smart. They are sheep, eager to be led by any one who gives them what their little hearts so desperately crave.
For those who are interested... I've been to the dentist, my teeth are fine, and I'm back.
I signed up for a new cycling challenge: Ride for 5 days a week for 4 weeks. I don't think I'll have a problem with that. I'm off on Sunday and the Temps are supposed to be fine in the early morning so I'm thinking of taking the X6 out on the road. I always ride early when I hit the streets. Traffic, you know?
Now, I've got to go run because I have split days off this week and chores to do. Yep, after today I get to work for another 4 days. Hell.
Well, here it is Monday, the start of a new work week and it just so happens to be my Friday... and I have half a weekend coming up. That's right, I have off one day (Dental appointment) and then I get to work for another 4. Yippee!
Some people were really surprised by the Dyson lady... well, retailers themselves are to blame. We, like many other retailers, have very, very generous Return Policies. This is because we're terrified that if we refuse a Return you will take your future dollars somewhere else. Yepper. The fear of you buying your next box of nails from Lowe's is the root of this evil. This is also why Retailers push credit cards with expensive interest. It's not the consumer they are concerned about, it's their purchases. Let me load your cart up! Buy more! It's not their fault if you can't manage your credit.
And I was pleased to find out yesterday that I'm "loaded up with money." That is what the Idiot Jerk in the White House said, in case you weren't paying attention to the farts he spews from his mouth. Actually, this is his direct quote:
"Our consumers are rich," he added. "I did a tax cut. They're loaded up with money." Okay, now even I have to admit that was really funny. Loaded up with cash... hahahaha, hohohoho. He doesn't even talk about us as being...'people.' Nope. We're Consumers, and we're rich because 'he' did a tax cut. The truth is he, and his minions and sycophants, are truly worried about a recession. Here's a link for those who want to see the Republican Party doing what it does best... Lie.The Big Guns came out. Don't worry, the world is going into a recession, but we're not... because they're in charge. When it was pointed out to Larry Kudlow that he had also poured water on the recession talk back in 2007, he farted out something about "being optimistic." That's right, there's nothing wrong with being optimistic. That's a pretty shallow way of reassuring the masses, isn't it? At least he didn't say "well, let's look on the bright side, I got a really super great tax cut."
Sunday, and since I work it's a not so restful day of rest.
The temps are forecast to go up into the mid-90's today... tomorrow even warmer. People forget we're only halfway through summer. That's right. It doesn't end until September. I guess a good way to describe this season so far is to say it's been sweltering.
I had some Crazy Christians buy vinyl sheeting yesterday. Five kids around the cart and a 6th on the way. The father was wearing a biblical T-shirt with verses on both the front and back. They don't understand that "be fruitful and multiply" is a nice way of telling them they're nothing more than breeders.
There was also this woman who bought a Dyson vacuum cleaner. She asked me what our return policy was, so I told her usually 30 days. She asked, "so, I can bring it back in 30 days?" I told her most people bring things back much sooner if there's a problem. "But if I don't like it, I can bring it back in 30 days?" she asked, again. Could she have been any more obvious? "We call that rent for free and really frown upon that type of behavior," I replied. She looked at me and said "well, everybody does it." She did purchase the vacuum. On the way to the register, she asked the Front End Supervisor the same question. And, while paying for it at the register, she asked the cashier the same thing. We all know that in about 29 days that Dyson's going to be returned.
For those interested, I rode a little over 57 + miles this week. The shortest ride was 7.66 miles, the longest 14.78. My heart rate averages around 124 BPM, that includes the hills when it goes up. I need to complete two 16+ rides to get to the next level, one of which is all up hill. Shit.
I have over 31,000 words done on the next book and our heroes are just getting the first of the snakey parts. rattle rattle, rattle rattle.
And I guess manufacturing is in decline. This is not good for the Idiot Jerk in the White House. This is also to be expected because this man is a blowhard. He is stupid. His own history, with 6 bankruptcies, proves he is hapless as hell. What his adoring throngs fail to realize is that this is how he runs his business. It's all fucked up.
For those who read my books, you know I have a recurring character named Bobby Tussel. A police officer from Baltimore, he is on permanent disability, the result of brain trauma: he has a bullet in his brain. He drinks wine straight from the bottle, likes warm six-packs of Anchor Beer, runs a semi-pornographic website where he's known as the Hunky Donkey, all of which are a result of his injuries. But the one thing he does that leaves people in awe is dance. A combination of ballet and gymnastics, people who see him dance are truly amazed. He's going to do a little dance in The Body in the Well. As always, I like to pick a song to play over and over again as I write these sequences. This time I chose wonderful little tune by Owen Pallet which I think exemplifies the art of Bobby's dance.
Today is my Hump Day. Yeah, I know, I'm out of sync with most of the world... but then that's retail.
I found out yesterday that the position I had applied for is going to be changed to a part-time position, so I said "thanks, but no thanks." I want to pay off my car before I even consider going part-time.
Evidently Independent voters who have supported the Idiot Jerk in the White House solely because of the economy are... leaving. Republicans too, are slowly beginning to sour on the Liar in Chief economic policies. They are growing concerned about Tariff Wars and their increasing damage to the American economy. Prices are going up. I see examples everyday at work. This past week dirt cheap indoor / outdoor carpet that sold for .40 a square foot last week saw a price increase of 7 cents. Some may say "hey, what's 7 cents?" When a product goes from .40 to .47 that's a substantial price increase... it's like... 18%. Two weeks ago our Lifeproof vinyl flooring went up .20 cents a square foot. Corporations got a really large tax break... so why the cost increases? The American people are paying for the Idiot Jerk's Tariff Wars and Independent voters are getting fed up. They don't realize that in Conservative Economics the little guy is always the one getting nailed.
And I guess some white Republican is racist letters to the Mayor and City Council members of Charlotte. Of course the writer is quoting the Idiot Jerk in the White House. This will continue until he is voted out, and even then the stains of his presidency will remain for years to come.
Anyway, I bought myself a 'bike' pillow.
Mostly because it has a red bike on it (like mine) and because it was on Clearance at work. Half price off. The only things going down in price are seasonal items, everything else is going up.
My next cycling challenge is to complete the Eistobel route. It's 16.7 miles long with hills, one with a 9.4% grade (steep). I've gotten 2/3 of the way through it. What's stopping me from completing the route? The hill of a lifetime... of course. Big. And I know, once I climb it... in the not too far distance there will be another, larger hill of a lifetime. So many treasure their down hill rides and their little valleys, but in the end it's always the hills that let you grow... and they can be a little scary.
Friday... and we are half way through the month of August. The temps are supposed to tick upwards into the 90's (F) for the next couple of days. Don't worry, cool days are on their way... or maybe I should say cooler. Soon Fall will be here as we enter the days of pumpkin pie spice. Hhhmm... pumpkin pie spice, source of inspiration for the great science fiction classic "Dune." And, just in case you're concerned, they are doing a new theatrical version to be released in November 2020. This is your chance to see a beardless Jason Mamoa. My, that got your interest, didn't it?
And then, of course, there is the rest of the shit from yesterday. The Idiot Jerk in the White House had a serious case of vocal flatulence which illustrated his total intolerance of those who speak out against him. You know who I'm talking about: Tlaib and Omar. He basically told the soon to be indicted Prime Minister of Israel to keep these two American Congresswomen out of the country. And the soon to be indicted Prime Minister obliged. And suddenly a lot of people were saying this was really, really, really bad. Some Republicans, like Marco Rubio, said this fart stank, but most stayed silent. The Idiot Jerk has a personal history starting vendettas against those who don't bow down and adore him. He wants to hurt and humiliate them any and every way he can. In an attempt to turn public attention away from his racist agenda, his administration decided to release some sort of innocuous turd about his wanting to buy Greenland. These people are so stupid.
I saw this morning where Israel now says Tlaib can enter the country to visit her relatives on the West Bank. Bebe bowed and kissed the ass of the Idiot Jerk in the White House and Jews were incensed. Do you know how bad this makes us look? They asked. Sinking to such a level of petty reprehensibility?
I only rode 7 miles yesterday, and that was with a training program rather than a route. There was construction on I81 and that slowed me down. This evening I hope to get at least 10 miles in.
I also crossed the 30,000 word mark on the next book by finishing the back story on how the ghost town of Nancy's Notch, became known as Nancy's Notch in the first place... and it's not what you think.
Well, my weekend is over. I'll be working for the next 5 days. I did apply for that fixed schedule position. The hours would be 9:30 - 6, Monday thru Friday. I could live with that.
I also got a letter form the Social Security Administration explaining my increase. The whole thing stems from my early retirement when I was 62. Major back surgery had been planned and there was a question about how well I'd walk afterwards. Well, the surgery didn't happen because I retrained myself to walk (I have a bit of a shuffle now) and I went back to work... full time. If you're retired you are only allowed to work part-time without being penalized. My thought was, well, let them penalized me. I was making a lot more full time than I would have made working part-time and collecting benefits. They sent me letters: You're making too much money, we can't pay you benefits. For almost 4 years they didn't pay me benefits. Now, those benefits are being paid in the form of adjustments upwards and higher monthly checks. They also notified me that they may go up again. I'm all for that.
And, for those who didn't hear, there was a bit of an oopsy on Wall Street yesterday. A drop of over 800 points! And, of course, the Idiot Jerk blamed the Fed (Powell) for not dropping interest rates. You see, investors want companies to make lots of money, which means consumers need to buy, buy, buy. Investors want you to be in debt up to your eyeballs. Your financial pain is not their responsibility.
This morning John Hickenlooper is going to end his run for President. He is going to run for the Senate instead. This is what Republicans are afraid of... losing the Senate.
I also saw this bit about multi-tasking, evidently that bit about women being better than men is not quite right. Both men and women made the same number of mistakes when doing simultaneous tasks. While there may be some tasks where one gender might excel better than the other, in the end we are all equal. Republicans will never believe this, however, since in their minds women are always the weakest link. But then everybody knows Republicans are dumb as bricks.
Today's entry is a little late, not because I slept in or am concerned about Wall Street. Rather, I was waiting for the new light. Yep. I bought a new light to go on top of the new wine cooler. Sharp, huh?
UPS just dropped it off. The leaf motif matches that of the table at the other end of the futon. Sorry, I didn't take a picture of that.
Last evening I started watching "The Boys" on Amazon Prime. It's about superheroes who are anything but good and the men (not boys) who are trying to bring them down. I'm enjoying its dark, irreverent humor.
Oh, and in case you didn't know, Wall Street is having a difficult day. This was to be expected with the Idiot Jerk in the White House. The man has filed for 6 bankruptcies. He knows nothing about business, but he sure knows how to spin a line of shit to make it sound like he does. He caved yesterday on his next set of tariffs, putting them off until December so as not to impede Christmas shoppers. He is such a loser.
I rode 12.5 miles last evening when I got home from work and last night my legs were a bit sore. Muscle soreness is nothing new. I remember my Mom once telling me that if "if it's sore and it hurts you did something wrong." Well, that's not true. The soreness goes away. This morning my legs feel fine. If anything, they seem to be getting hairier, which means my testosterone shooters are firing on all cylinders.
Oh, and my weekend starts today. For funsies I'm going to the supermarkets... both Giant and Weis since there's deals aplenty at both. I have some red beets I'm going to cut up and cook and then use to make pickled eggs. I will admit, they are one of my favorite snacks. I also have some peaches I want to turn into marmalade. I don't do jelly, but I like marmalade. This will be my first time for making it at home.
The weather today is supposed to be showery with the occasional thunderstorm rolling through. That's fine with me. We could use the rain. My lawn is brown.
Fun Fact of the day: by 2022 Latinos will be the majority population in the state of Texas. That loud sound you hear? That's the sound of bricks flying out of Republican assholes when they realize they're going to lose that state and its Electoral votes. At this point, they're starting to pray they can still hold on to it in the 2020 election. Of course, this doesn't mean Louie Gohmert's going to get off his hate box, it just means that brick that flew out of his ass is going to get thrown back at his head.
Since I'm still having problems with charging my phone, I went online to see how common this problem was... well, it seems to be fairly common with Galaxy S8's. I'm wondering if this might be some sort of built in obsolescence. I went back and check and the phone is only about 2.5 years old... and Samsung did just announce their S10. Most service providers give you 2 options when purchasing new phones: buy it right out, or pay with installments which run for...? You guessed it, 2 years. Perhaps, in a not too subtle, way they're telling you that your phone is going to start having issues in about 2 years.
Finally, I find it rather interesting that this administration's economic policies are steering the world into Recession. A day doesn't go by without someone mentioning it... and they're no longer being cautious. Of course, Republicans have always been failures when it comes to the economy - that's because their greed always gets in the way of common sense.
Today is my Friday, the end of my work week. I know there are a lot of you out there who wish they could say the same thing. Starting Thursday, however, my schedule fritters around all over the place. Because I'm scheduled off on 9/1 there is the tease that I'm going to be off on Labor Day... as though that would actually mean anything to me.
And, of course, everybody was talking about Epstein yesterday... did he or didn't he? Did this administration substitute Mrs. Danvers for one of his guards... someone who very kindly "opened a window for him?"
And even though the Idiot Jerk is trying to stoke the fires of conspiracy, this is just one more tawdry episode in the shit show that is his administration.
So, I'm beginning to harvest the fruits (or I should say vegetables) of my tiny plot of a garden just below my kitchen window. First up is a butternut squash... to be truthful, everything I planted turned out to be a squash. Anyway, I'm looking for suggestions. What do you do with a butternut squash that's this tiny?
I mean, it's cute... however if I had known I was planting single portion vegetables I would have had second thoughts. And, in case you are wondering, my hands are rather small.
As I was focusing on taking a snap of the the squash, I looked over and saw Lily posing pretty as a picture. She usually doesn't sit still, so I snapped her too.
Doesn't she look tiny? She weighs in around 60 lb. She has a birthday next Monday and that means white cake and vanilla ice cream for everybody. Yummy.
Good news! The dog's colds seem to have passed. Lily is no longer coming up and sneezing in my face. In fact, right now she's running around the house with her purple Wubba in her mouth.
I rode another 11. 17 miles on the bike last evening. The next challenge I have with Rouvy is to ride to 16 mile rides in 'race mode.' One of them is a 16 mile climb... yep, the whole ride is up hill... for 16 miles. Damn!
My friend Patty fell and broke her ankle last night. I told her it just looked sprained, an x-ray said there was a hairline fracture. She's in a boot. You'd think by know they'd have come up with stylish colors... nope, still the same formal black.
Of course, everybody now knows Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide yesterday morning. It didn't take long, only a couple of hours before the Idiot Jerk in the White House re-Tweeted some sort of bongo bongo conspiracy theory. This was to be expected since he's a gutless sack of shit and he, himself, had some serious connections with Epstein. There is that video out there of he and Epstein ogling cheerleaders. The truth is that the Idiot Jerk is swinging into desperation mode. This suicide happened under his watch. Epstein was in a Federal prison. Some official decided to take him off suicide watch. Many people are questioning that, especially since he had already made one attempt and failed. Billy Barr is throwing a suicide investigation party because this makes him look bad. And the two-bit president who wants to be a dictator? He's starting to throw shit against the wall hoping something will stick, no matter how unrealistic As I said before, he's growing desperate.
Yesterday was my Hump Day. That means my next two days are supposed to be easier, right?
I was making my breakfast this morning and when I walked into the writing room (nee dining room) I discovered Seig has learned a new trick: how to turn the light on in the wine cooler by pressing his nose against the sensor. Aren't dogs simply amazing?!
A position suddenly opened up yesterday that's attractive, a Customer Order Specialist. There's a big however... however. It has a nice, fixed schedule, Tuesday thru Saturday. I know how to do the job, so there wouldn't be a lot of training. However, it is a sitting position, meaning I'd spend all of my time sitting at a desk. I'm a walker. When I was a child, hyperactive would have been a good way to describe me and as an adult I'm pretty much the same. I burn some of my energy off on the bike (12.2 miles yesterday), but I like moving around. On an average day I get between 11,000 and 12,000 steps in at work. So, I'll probably pass on this.
I saw where Walmart, the largest retailer in the United States, has chosen to take down their signage for violent video games because its conservative, billionaire owners prefer to point fingers at anything other than guns. Brain dead Republicans love this. They don't understand video games make billions of dollars annually. If you ask one why, when millions and millions of violent video games are sold around the world, is it only America that has horrible problem with mass murders they will look at your stupidly. Or they'll respond by saying something like "why would I be concerned with what happens in other countries?" The truth is these people want to be sheep. They want a shepherd to move them from pasture to pasture. They don't like to think. I suspect it's because they are missing some of their little, gray cells and trying to think is complicated by the gaps in their logic.
And for those interested in the progress of The Body in the Well... well, our heroes are now on horseback in a chapter called Ghost Towns of Colorado. Yes, there are 'western' elements in this book as well as the ever present cycling elements. Colorado is very conducive to both mountain biking and horseback riding. Cars don't do well in the hills.
This is what I'm talking about
And I know some looked at the map of Rattler's Den I posted, but in truth the town is based a lot on what I remember Breckenridge to be like. Yes, I spent a couple of weeks in Colorado Springs when I helped open up their Marriott hotel. This is what Breckenridge looks like in the summer.
And no, that is not a pictures of the Rattler's Den Reptile and Snake Emporium.
Well, here it is Friday... tomorrow is my Hump Day. meh
At least it's not a Kid's Workshop Saturday. I've already requested the three of those suckers off.
I bought myself a wine cooler / wine cellar. Why they call there is that slash and the word cellar are even included is beyond me, though I guess there are some out there who might carry it down and put it in their basements. Mine is in my dining room chilling 2 bottles of white wine. I did not buy the more expensive model which lets you chill both reds and white. Red wine should be at room temperature. It holds 18 bottles so I'll probably buy a few more. I have to admit it looks really nice when the inside light is on.
Oh, and the farmers of Minnesota are getting royally pissed at the Idiot Jerk in the White House. Tariffs, you know? More of them. In case you didn't really know, this Trade War is designed to make the Rich even Richer... Again. The Chinese had stopped purchasing American agricultural products and that $28 billion dollar bailout seems to have gone mostly to the corporation farms, not the small family business. This whole thing was never about making the little guy Great. Nope. This has been a standard Republican tactic since the first Idiot Jerk in the White, Ronnie Reagan. Some things will never change, which is why we need to vote Republicans out of Office. Their idea of a Conservative America is nothing more than a choke hold on the average American.
Finally, I have to say I am simply amazed by how many people rely on the word 'prayer,' or a lack there of, as a reason for the ills of American Society. The NRA claims that a 'lack of prayer in schools' leads to gun violence and mass murders. In case you didn't know, this is their way of kissing the ass of the Religious Right. Prayer answers everything, right? Nope. And what about countries where Christianity is not the prominent religion? Take India. I'm sure there are some Christians there, but the population is overwhelmingly Hindu. They have multiple gods. I doubt very much if an Indian teacher stands in front of the classroom every morning and says, "okay, now let's pray to one of our gods." There are not a lot of mass murders in India. Nope. Their society has some other issues, but you never hear about some Indian taking an assault rifle into an Indian Walmart and murdering 22 people. Maybe the Religious Right in this country look and learn. Well, we know that will never happen.
Okay, so it's Thursday and I have to go back to work... for an entire week. That's right, 40 hours.
Lily still has a runny nose and sneezing, Seig is fine. Just like human colds, dog colds run their course in the about the same amount of time.
When I checked my bank account yesterday I saw that Social Security decided to give me a little blessing. They do this from time to time. They look at what I'm earning and what they're giving me and give me an additional check and an increase. It always happens in July since I officially retired in June... 4 years ago. I think it's because I'm still working full-time and still pumping money into my Social Security account. I always tell people, you don't have to stop working because you retire.
For those who don't know... and I know there are some of you out there, I ride bike. I'm also a member of Strava, if you want you can join for free and follow me here. Yesterday they emailed me my stats for July.
As you can see, I easily beat that 100 mile challenge. Yesterday I rode for 11.5 miles up near Reykjavik on a ride that was supposed to take me to the Blue Lagoon. It's actually not a lagoon, it's a lake, and I was a bit disappointed.
Though, I have to admit, I was not nearly as disappointed as the Idiot Jerk in the White House when he got to Dayton, Ohio. They didn't kiss his ass and he was really upset. He lied. Called people dishonest because they were truthful. And he whined. Instead of understanding their grief and anger at the violence which has struck their communities, he selfishly Tweeted out his vehemence. Like most Conservatives, this shoddy example of a failed human being, this loser hates the truth. A long time ago corrupt politicians were dipped in tar, rolled in feathers, and ridden out of town on a rail. It's time we get the rail. It's time we said "ride this."
Well, I actually did sleep in this morning.
Both dogs have colds. Seig showed symptoms first (sneezing & runny nose). His has just about run it's course, but Lily's is kicking in. The only problem is having them sneeze in your face. They're dogs... they don't know any better. There's a lot of... spray. I'm so glad I'm not one of those hyper-sensitive types.
I saw that even after calls from her own party to resign, that bimbolina Candice Keller from Ohio has refused. She's saying she a conservative and this is what a conservative believes... of course, we all know conservatives haven't a spare modicum of intelligence. She said she's going to let her constituents decided: retire her ass fast. Put her out in that conservative pasture where she can drop her cow flops with other conservatives.
And the Idiot Jerk in the White House is going to Toledo... (wait a minute...) he means Dayton (he stands corrected) and El Paso today. I'm sure they will do their damndest to keep protesters away. His sycophants are desperately trying to keep his ego safe.
I went to see "Hobbs & Shaw" last evening. It was really entertaining. This was definitely a work of testosterone inspired fantasy. And for those who are wondering... yes, Dwayne takes off his shirt. In fact, at one point he's dressed as a Samoan warrior. The supporting cast is great. Ryan Reynolds! and he is funny. Actually, this movie is almost a comedy, what with all the tit for tatting going on between Dwayne and Jason. Sadly, Jason does keep his clothing on - no skin. I mean, nothing that you could really sink you teeth into.
And finally. I thought this was interesting. From time immemoriam we've been told that the Milky Way is a flat, disc shaped galaxy. Well, that's wrong. We've got curves. That's right, our galaxy is a little... bent, if you know what I mean.
Pringle shaped is what they're saying. That's right! It's like a tasty potato snack made from stars and planets and gas clouds rather than itsby bitsy potato parts. If you click on the link there's an animation where you get to see the Milky Way move. Tasty, huh?
So, it's Tuesday, which means it's my Saturday, or in other words my weekend begins. The dogs got me up at 0430. They're dogs, which means I got a great jump on my chores: one load of laundry ready to go into the dryer and another into the washer.
I guess the Idiot Jerk in the White House farted out some sort of message to his base yesterday repeating to them what they've been telling themselves for years. Basically, he absolved their sin of Sanctifying the Holy Gun and put the blame on.... video games, among other things. The dumb shit claimed that it was "hatred that pulled the trigger," without realizing there was a small chorus behind him chanting "send them back," "send them back." He ignored the fact that the shooter's screed relied heavily on statements the Idiot Jerk has used over and over again, like "an invasion of immigrants." He refused to mention that the main targets were Latinos, not a word on that most obvious fact. This speech was not meant to calm, to quell the anger and fears of the nation, this was aimed directly at his base because... well, Holy Shit, they might vote Democrat in the next election. For Republicans, stupidity equals loyalty.
With so much shit hitting the fan, Republicans are finding there are fewer and fewer places to hide but that doesn't stop them from pointing fingers at everyone except themselves. They will never look in the mirror. They are all like the this aging, bimbolina State Senator from Ohio, Candice Keller.
This is Candice desperately trying to look like a very young Madonna
She pulled out that old, crazy Christian laundry list, the same one they've been relying on for decades, to give direction to their fingers. Basically, she blamed everything she doesn't like. Oh, and in case you are wondering, Candice is not answering her phone, mailbox full, nor is she responding to emails, most likely because she also hates it when people call her a stupid bitch. By the way, she's 67 years old.
And, speaking of Crazy Christians, they have a really big problem. It seems like somebody photobombed their very first pic and they have no idea how to solve this.
Well, it's Monday and the nation is still reeling in shock from this past weekends mass shootings. This is not a happy time, especially for Republicans. I guess Mick Mulvaney said these killings should not be laid at the feet of the Idiot Jerk, of course, that's the type of response you expect from a spineless sack of shit, isn't it? For them there is going to be terrible fallout going into an election year.
Schumer said the Senate should come back early from their August recess to vote on gun legislation that has already been passed by the House and Mitch McConnell fell down yesterday morning and broke his shoulder. Convenient, huh?
Texas, which just celebrated 6 weeks of looser gun laws, has turned into the poster child for Gun Control. Oh, and how many Republican Congressmen have decided this is just not a good time to run for re-election.
Rumors are also flying that the Idiot Jerk didn't slap the additional 10% on China because negotiations are going slow. Nope. People are whispering that he did it because he wants the Fed to drop the interest rates even more. I guess he seems to think the best way to grow the American economy is to put the American people deeper into debt. Wait, hasn't that always been the Republican economic credo?
And finally, as some of you are aware, I'm working on a 3rd book: The Body in the Well. This mystery takes place in and around ghost towns in the Colorado Rockies. This meant creating fictitious towns, the most important of which is located by the old Rattler's Den silver mine. Since sometimes it's difficult to envision non-existent towns, I drew up a little map. Without further ado, I give you Rattler's Den.
The only bad thing is I didn't have the margins set up correctly so some of the edgy stuff is missing.
Sunday.
I had a different entry planned... but then Saturday happened. Or perhaps I should say Saturday and Sunday, since there were 2 mass shootings. I believe the combined death toll is at 30 for both killing events. The shooter at El Paso evidently left a 'screed.' Now, doesn't that sound like a dirty word. Screed has several definitions, but the one being applied here is for a "long, tedious speech or piece of writing." When we say something is tedious we mean it is long... boring... dull. This 21 year old racist from Dallas wrote a long and boring piece spewing hatred towards immigrants. And then he tried to slaughter as many Americans, and Mexicans who were in this country legally, at a Walmart. This is what happens when you have an Idiot Jerk in the White House who spews anger and hatred towards minorities. He has constantly compounded an immigration problem for the sole purpose of enraging his white, Republican base.
And there was another mass shooting early Sunday morning at a bar in Dayton, Ohio. The only media outlet providing any information seems to be the BBC. American news outlets are only giving the briefest of synopsis at this point. This is bad. And you know we have a Moral Degenerate in the White House who is more concerned about pleasing his racist base than he is about human life. He doesn't understand that minority group who rabidly adore him do not have the numbers to keep him in the White House. It's time we locked this monster up.
Well what do you know? It's Saturday, and I'm not working. Any weekend day off in retail is a rarity because these are the busiest days - people have off from work. While we have been selling installations, the number of of customers getting measured in anticipation for new flooring has dropped off. This is always a slow period for us - the month before school begins. Families go on vacations. We will have to see if things pick up as we head into fall.
About 2 years ago I bought a recliner sofa and chair from Wolf's Furniture. They offered a deal - an extra 5% off and interest free financing for 18 months if I applied for a new credit card. Well, I liked that 5% so I signed up. I paid the bill off when I got my first statement. They sent me an email sometime last night informing me that the interest rate on that credit card was now 29.9%. Of course, I don't own anything so that interest increase doesn't phase me... but Holy Mother Of God! When I think of all those people who have balances on their cards... my gut turns over. The interest rate on the card we off is at 26.9%. They are constantly at us to sign up new people. We are told "you are not responsible for that person's finances." This is one of the things wrong with America. In the last 5 years credit card debt in the United States has gone from $854 million to $1.04 trillion. This is what they call a 'bubble,' and at some time in the future it is going to burst. And, of course, there are fools out there who believe every time the Fed drops its interest rate that drop is going to show up on their credit card statement. These are the same bungalunga heads who voted for the Idiot Jerk in the White House. That's why they wear those little red MAGA hats... to keep their stupidity from exploding out of their heads.
On the positive side, the Governor of North Carolina has signed in to law a ban in Conversion Therapy for that state. That must really piss off the Crazy Christians who believe prayer cures everything... well, except for sexual orientation... and, of course that nagging credit card debt. They simply don't understand that Crazy Christian Conservative bankers are responsible for the latter.
Finally, the Shea butter for Lily's nose arrived yesterday. It has an interesting odor, not bad mind you, but.. unusual. Since I have no idea what Sheas smell like, I'm going on the premise that it's normal. I'm going to mix it with some cold pressed coconut oil that I have (that's also good for moisturizing). This means her nose is going to smell like a little coconut drop.
Oh, well... it's Friday. I have off tomorrow. By request. It's the first Saturday in August which means... Kid's Workshop. As we age we decide whether or not we want to deal with certain... disturbances. Kid's Workshop is creates a way to bond parents, and children, and the necessary skills needed if you own a home. It's also a great tool to drive sales. Parents always buy at least one thing. The Kid's Workshop in our store is about 65 feet from where the flooring desk. The tumultuous sound of pounding hammers eliminates conversation. You never want to sit down with customers during Kid's Workshop. Henceforth I am requesting off every first Saturday of every month. If I want to ruin my ear drums and give myself tinnitus, I'll listen to rock music.
Yesterday Sixpence commented on what I wear when cycling and I'm afraid I might have given some bad information. The only spandex I wear is in the shorts and that's because of the gel padding. This is the reason for the padding.
The seat... or as cyclists call it, the saddle. The saddle is 11 inches long and 5.5 inches wide and very, very firm. After about 5 miles, sitting on the saddle becomes... tedious (yeah, that's a nice word for it). Painful is another one. While I'm sure there are some out there who might enjoy this, I don't, nor do any other cyclists that I know. To alleviate the stress on our 'saddle bones' we wear spandex shorts with gel padding. I wear regular work out shorts on top because, let's be honest, there are only certain men who can wear spandex and get away with it. When I take the X-6 out on the road I used platform pedals and sneakers, inside I use clipless pedals and special shoes. Oh, and I don't wear a helmet inside, either... that would be just too damn weird.
On political news, this past week six Republicans have announced they will not seek re-election, including the only black Republican Congressman in the House. If you're one of those brain dead Republicans, this is not good. And another funny thing... the Idiot Jerk in the White House held a rally last evening. He didn't get a lot of press. The only thing I saw was a minor bit in the NYT where they said he didn't bring up 'race.' This goes to prove that unless he says something incendiary, or inflammatory, no one gives a shit. I tell people, he was not sent to give Conservatives everything they want, rather, he was sent to obliterate them. He is their ending without a 'post script.'
So, how is everybody today? Ducky Dandy?
I usually eat 4 taquitos (chicken) when I get home from work because... well, I like taquitos. Think of them as an appetizer before the protein shake and Chobani yogurt I eat before cycling. I put them on a paper towel and bring them upstairs to nibble on while I go through my emails, and read blogs. When that's done, I get into my 'cycling gear' to put some mileage on the bike. Last evening, while I was changing into my spandex, Seig came in - not unusual for him. Sometimes he will lay on the floor. Dogs do that, in case you didn't know. While I was putting on my lizard socks, he got the paper towel without my noticing.... I found a tattered corner, all that remained, on the bedroom floor. This is not the first time and I know it will come out in the end.
Shea butter was also ordered for Lily's dry, chapped nose. I go through nose butter regularly, but I've read that Shea butter is just as good and less expensive. I had stopped in at the pet store to see what they had and the clerk sold me on something Burt's Bees puts out... Well, it's shit.
There was also a debate last night. As usual, I didn't watch. In fact, I don't know if any network actually telecasted the event in it's entirety. I think most of those interested get their info from the Internet since there are only 2 or 3 people on that stage anybody is really interested in hearing. I did see that the Idiot Jerk in the White House Tweet out some sort of snotty comment about ratings... Someone should tell that fool Faux News stopped telecasting his rallies because of... very low ratings. Holy Shit! Maybe he doesn't know... Maybe no one had the cajones to tell him.... That would be so freaking hysterical, wouldn't it? I mean he is stupid enough to believe the whole world is watching. We all know they could show him a recording of one of his old rallies and he'd never know the difference. That is something his sycophants would do, you know? Because they don't really have the cajones to deal with him either.
