The Slice and Dice Period

Woah!  It was a chilly one this morning!  Our outside temp was 22 (F) when I got up this morning.  After today we will be warming up to more Spring like temps.  I talk to a lot of people, no one has said they were sad to see the Winter temps go away.  I will be happy for the sunny days of Spring and Summer.  In the bathroom, my heating vent is about 3 feet off the ground, one of the few good things about this winter was that I could set my drying rack in front of it.  Believe me, it works just as good as the dryer and is a lot less expensive.

I got a nice ride in yesterday on Achille's Island, Ireland.  It had the right amount of low grade hills that get my heart pumping.  Good cardio.

My two aquariums are going to be combined as one.  I'm going to keep the 30 gallon in the living room and get rid of the 50 gallon in the writing room.  This will happen as soon as the last tiger barb in the 30 gallon tank dies.  He has some serious air bladder issues, so I don't think he'll be swimming around too much longer.

While talking to my sister on the phone, she said she told my brother in law to get a job.  He abruptly retired back in November without any plan for how he was going to occupy his time.  Now he sits around the house doing nothing.  He retired abruptly back in November and now just sits around the house.  There are a lot of people like him wasting away the rest of their lives.

And evidently a Federal Judge is... skeptical of the Orange Anus's plans to add a new ballroom and Convention Center onto the White House.  

Wow!  It doesn't seem as though anything is going right for this dictator wannabe, does it?  He starts a war with Iran and then asks for help and all of our former allies tell him to eat shit.  Woah!  They say there are off ramps in place to end this war, but you can bet your bottom dollar he'll not take one of them.  That would mean he made a mistake.  As a result, he will send America's youth to die there, all the while ignoring the fact that American hatred for both he and the Republican party is growing almost exponentially.  

His SAVE Act is dying in a very public manner, with Republican Senators openly saying that there are not enough votes to pass this crappy piece of legislation.  

And every day his dementia becomes more and more apparent.  

And then yesterday Joe Kent, a staunch follower and major MAGA cultist broke away, saying that Israel strongarmed Orangie into invading Iran.  MAGA world is entering the slice and dice period, a precursor the inevitable downfall of the Republican party.  The blades are out for Orangie, himself.  Do not fret for him too much.  You know he's finding solace in a Big Mac and an order of fries.

Yesterday

Yesterday the temps did not get out of the 30s (F).  In fact, they will be hanging around the mid thirty mark until sometime tonight, at which point a Polar Vortex will moved through the area bringing snow.  Right now the projections are for between 1 and 4 inches.  Odds are the total snowfall will be on the lower end.  I'm looking forward to the snow, hoping we do get closer to the 3 or 4 inches.  Howie's now old enough, 16 months, to have fun.  We got a little last year, but a 5 and 6 month old puppy really gets no excitement from the little bit of snow that we had.

And I did work yesterday.  Surprise of surprises, a customer walked up to me and asked to sign up for a credit card.  That will make management happy.  That is the only way I sign people up.  I do not do as they want and ask every person I deal with to sign up.  I also got a lead, and a measure.  I didn't hit my sales goal, but I'm way ahead for the year so that's no problem.

Yesterday was also the last day I'll be working with one of my fellow specialists.  He's actually retiring.  He's already heard my spiel about not fully retiring.  He says he's planning on doing some volunteer work with the local theater company.  Unless he's doing something like set construction between shows, those hours will be limited.  He did leave the door open to returning and working part-time, so I think in a couple of months he'll be punching the clock again for a few hours a week.  While I don't mind sitting around for a day or so, after a week I'd be going bonkers with cabin fever.  Only time will tell.  Besides, he's one of my editors, so it's very unlikely he will disappear into the cracks.

Yesterday, being Sunday, there were a slew of talk shows with A list guests.  As might be expected, Orangie's administration was on the defensive because... well, what else is new?  One fact that wasn't seen was Kegbreath Hegseth.  After his "kill them all," comment surfaced, Orangie's group of sycophants is doing major damage control.  Tell me, do you think Hegseth really considered that the killing of wounded men struggling to survive in the Caribbean Sea might be an International War Crime?  Or course not, he's a drunken fratboy.  In an attempt to change the subject to something else, Kristi the puppy killer, Noem said she ignored rulings by an judge because he was "an activist judge."  I watched that clip and then asked a friend if she was really that stupid.  His response?  Yes.  And yesterday, once again, Orangie was answering questions on Air Force One and... well, once again he was angry, and confused, and lashed out at the reporter's questions.  He had an MRI but doesn't know if it was of his brain, or his heart, but he did Ace it with flying colors.  I've had an MRI and unless you're unconscious, you know what they're doing.  Don't worry, though, he said he's going to release it.  Don't hold your breath.

Separation of Church and State

 Well, we've started one of those weekends that everybody is working for...  Of course, that doesn't include everybody that I know, many of whom are retired, or else they work from home and pretty much set their own hours.  Also, I do need to point out that being retired does not mean that you're going to sit back and wait for death to come calling.  I have a very few friends that are waiting for this.  I don't understand what's going through their heads when they tell me "they've worked their entire lives, and they're not going to work anymore."  It just might be a form of laziness.

The weather's going to be fine today.  Temps in the low 40s (F), chilling out overnight.  Tomorrow starts a warming trend, not that we haven't been warm so far this winter, that will take us up into the 60s (F).  By the end of the week we'll be in March.  Spring is in the air, I can smell it.

Another third of the kitchen floor was finished yesterday.  I'm working on it again today.  It's not time consuming, except when it comes to cutting the tiles.  Supposedly, you should be able to cut it by scoring it a few times with a box cutter, and then snapping it.  That, however, doesn't always give you a smooth break, so I'm down in the basement with a hand saw every time I need to cut a tile.

My daffodils are pushing their way up through last years leaves.

And CPAC is happening.  There was a time when this gathering of conservative crazies actually represented something other than... well... a gathering of Christian crazies.  The Orange Anus spoke zombie-speak.  One thing the media picked up on was his racist characterization of black people, the one where he said that black people like him because of his mugshot.  

If I'm remembering correctly, it was a CPAC that they rolled out the golden Trump idol.  That's when Christians should have kicked their concern into high gear.  They didn't.  They were too unabashedly delighted that the evil one was going to give them what they wanted.  So happy were they, they told themselves he had to have been sent by God.  Stupid people.  They shriek and moan about all types of sins without understanding how evil actually works.  It gave them what they were praying for, and they helped to spread the evil in return.  Ouch!  This is the reason our founding fathers decreed there was going to be a separation of Church and State.

Goodbye Full Time!

Today is Sunday.  Today is also my last day as a full-time associate.  I will celebrate this evening by stopping off on the way home and picking up a small bottle of wine (I don't do the large bottles anymore).  People ask me, "are you retiring?" Then I tell them I'm still working part-time.  Some understand, some don't.  Personally, I think retirement is a bad word, to me it implies being put out to pasture: you retire something that is no longer useful.  That's a terrible thing to tell a human being, that they're no longer useful.  The opposite of useful is useless.  Sadly, there are some who don't understand this.  Friends have told me "I've worked all of my life, I don't want to work anymore."  Not me, and not for many other retirees.  Some travel, some take courses, they go to they gym, they get involved with causes.  Retirees volunteer.  Many still work part-time jobs because no one wants to spend their last years sitting on their and slowly feeling more and more useless.

Rain is in the forecast for today.  This means should be slow at the store.  Yesterday we were busy until mid-afternoon, and then things slowed down.  I was not bothered at all.  In fact, the lack of business allowed me time to walk.  I got in over 7500 steps.  Back when my disc issue erupted, I was lucky if I managed to walk 2000 steps.  This is a sign of improvement.  Walking is always good for back issues if you can get past the pain.  I have this sneaking feeling that by the time they get around to giving me my shot, I won't need it.  That's fine with me.

Maureen Dowd has an interesting piece in today's New York Times about the Supreme Court.  They are going to be making decisions supporting a minority viewpoint, and for some reason that's not sitting too well with them.  They don't want to be branded as hacks, yet they are running head first into the branding iron.  She's dead on when she makes a point about the Bush / Gore election, when they chose to stop a recount.  That was the moment when they first started eyeing up that branding iron.  The sad truth is that like most Conservatives, they don't give a shit about America.  They're too selfish.  They don't care that a large majority of Americans thinks they're hacks, and losers.  They have that "we're in charge, so shut up mentality."  America is Centrist.  America is diverse.  And they hate those two words because they take the control they crave out of their hands.  Vote the Blues out.  Vote them into oblivion.

Countdown

 Oh My Gosh, it's Friday, also known this week as my Hump Day because my Friday is on Sunday, which is not Easter, that happens next week and is again my Friday.

Speaking of Easter.  I've got 2 mailers from churches advertising their 'services' on Easter Sunday.  One is actually and invite to a Zoom meeting.  Now, ain't that nice.  This is their way of Zooming me in to Jesus.  One of the adverts included a picture of Jesus surrounded by his disciples... and everyone was white with brown hair.  Can you guess which crowd this is aimed at?

Work was slow yesterday.  All those measures I got over the past week, however, are turning into sales.  As of last week, I've racked up over $110 thousand in the past 2 months.  Busy, I have been.  They will hate me for saying this, but I don't mind the slow down.  Honestly, I've been thinking.  Last year this time I cut my hours down to 30 a week which is considered part-time.  Those hours are guaranteed Spring, Summer and Fall, however not over the winter.  Right now, I'm banking much of what I earn.  This means it's time to pull out the calculator and look at the calendar.  And, of course, the change would only knock off about 10 - 12 hours a week.

And what about Dominion suing Fox News?  All they needed was one nut to crack and admit 'no reasonable , and that was Powell admitting 'no reasonable nutjob adult' would believe her lies.  Their little wall of deceit is starting crash down around their ears. 

Oh, and Biden ignored Fox during his first press conference.  It looks like the administration is going to treat Rupert Murdoch's tabloid video channel as just that.

Oh and the Georgia hate machine has passed an unbelievably bill of restrictive voting regulations.  You do know they're hoping this goes to the Supreme Court so the Conservative Majority give white Republicans what they truly want, a path to white dictatorship.

Turkey in the Straw

So, here it is, Tuesday.  Late entry today.  I had breakfast with my sister and brother this AM.  I also slept in... until 5:30.  Tomorrow I'll be back to the standard 0400 wake-up call.  If I get the chance I want to do a couple of miles on the bike this afternoon.  Actually, I know I'll have the chance, it's just that I might not want to put on the shoes and slip into the spandex.
Starting tomorrow I will have the joy of working for 5 days in a row, followed by a single day off, and then another 5 days.  Shit.  This is what I don't like.  Work.  My brother asked me how long I expected to work full-time.  He always asks me this, and my response is always the same, until I get the car paid off and add a little more to my bank account.  Once I feel comfortable, I will go part-time.
And the irony of the day is that the Idiot Jerk is in Vietnam.... you know?  Interesting how bone spurs didn't stop this trip from happening.
What is actually more interesting is that he's going to be out of the country when the shit hits the fans.  I mean, like today the House is going to vote against his racist wall and quite likely the Senate will vote against it, too.  That ain't going to sit well with his racist base... nope, not at all.  They don't like being told that they're assholes. 
Then tomorrow Mike Cohen is going to step into the Center Ring where he will dazzle us with tales of moral degeneracy, and amaze us with feats of wonderment as he details how phony the contortionist in the White House truly is... prepare to be stunned!  Is it any wonder this summit was planned now?  I think this is what his administration considers damage control, offset the negativity with some sort of sketchy deal with Kim Dumb Chunk.  In Vietnam, of all places.  Wouldn't it be funny if the Idiot Jerk gimps around a little bit... because of his... you know?
And then, of course, there is the Mueller probe... well, it's not quite a probe.  I suspect the only one who's in the mood for probing is Lindsey Graham... if you know what I mean.
For those interested in the progress of "The Body in the Tower," I'm up to 65,000 words... with 4 chapters left to complete.  I'm working on a chapter called "Comfort Food," in which Cook serves up Turkey in the Straw.

Not that the chapter is gastronomic by any means.

A Doggy Decision

Well, it's Sunday... and I work today.  I'm off tomorrow but then I get to work for 5 days in a row.  Shit.
I could have sold some carpet to a customer yesterday but he's going to wait.  He is retired and he and his wife are buying a place in Florida.  The carpet they are installing installs in 72 work hours after the purchase order is created, and they're not ready.  It was sad because they have a dog, a 5 year old Golden Retriever, which they had with them, and they couldn't take him with them to Florida.  The dog had been adopted and will be going to her new home on Monday.  The couple was very upset.  While I felt bad, I also thought they were pretty damn stupid.  The community where they are moving doesn't allow dogs.  So, they couldn't fine a place that takes dogs?  Don't sit there and give me some sob story when every decision they have made has evidently excluded the dog they say they love.  This couple is only in their mid-sixties.  Did they really need to move now?  They are selling their house in Mechanicsburg, paying to have it painted, and putting in cheap as hell carpet, because he wants to move to Florida.  It was fairly obvious he was the one making the decisions, not her.  May his heart break for a long, long time.
Suunto has come out with a new app which works better than their Moves Count app.  Their new app works well on my inexpensive Asus tablet, so I posted a comment in their forum. and of course I got shit.  You see, the app is designed for phones... and tablets, if you got one.  One guy listed all of his tech equipment, complaining he didn't see any reason to go out and buy tablet as well.  In response, I listed my "equipment" and noted it was easier to take a tablet to the gym.  Of course, I received no replied.  Sometimes it helps to be ballsy.
And, finally, I read in The Hill this morning how people in 'the know' are beginning to believe the National Enquirer's Pecker might end up in jail because it's looking more and more like that rag did, in fact, try to blackmail and extort Amazon's Bezos.  Even though he's old and wrinkly, I'm sure there are some 'attractive' inmates who might find his tired, rich ass attractive.  I'd bet that's one romantic tryst the National Enquirer would not cover...  at least not with lurid pictures on the Front Page.  Of course, like a lot of Peckers, this one's stupid.  The implications that the Idiot Jerk's administration had Bezos' email account hacked is just one more shit storm aiming for the bull's eye asshole in the White House.
Here's a pic of Lily...  A lot of times I post pics of Seig because he's so big and boofy, she, on the other hand, is quite the lady.

Happily not retired

Officially I am retired.  But, I'm not, not really.  Back in April 2015, my 'then' family physician prescribed Valium for me as a muscle relaxer.  As someone who had never taken meds before it did relax me, to the point where I began falling down... a lot: down staircases, out the back door, out the front door.  And I did a lot of damage to an arthritic spine.  My right leg ended up being paralyzed for about a month and a half.  My orthopedic Specialist recommended serious back surgery.  I agreed and, since I had no idea what the outcome was going to be, promptly retired.
Now I'm too young to retire and get full benefits, and when the Social Security Administration saw how much money I make they sent me a 'ho ho' letter.  You know what I mean.  "Ho ho ho, with that salary you must be joking."  Very politely, they informed me they would monitor my wages and if they dropped below a certain level, well, then I might be eligible for benefits.
Well, my back healed itself... that's right, no surgery, and I'm back at work full time with no issues, and I'm still retired.
Tuesday, while I was having lunch with a friend, I received a phone call which I didn't answer.  I never answer calls from an unknown number, I figure if it's important enough they'll leave a message.  When I got home I check and there was a message.  From the bank I no longer use.  They said I needed to call regarding an urgent financial matter.  So I called.  Social Security had tried to deposit a check into that closed bank account, and, of course, it was too late to reopen that account.  Yesterday I went to the Social Security office and change my banking information.  I have to call next week to get them to release the check.

Evidently that 4 months I was off last year dropped my earnings level enough for me to become eligible for a one time payment.  Isn't that nice?  I have no idea how they figure these things out, what they look at, what exactly is taken into consideration.  But, I will tell you, that check is for over $5000.  Ain't that sweet.  I am happily retired, even though I make too much money to be retired.

Retirement - waiting for the fun to begin

Even though it will not be happening soon, I usually tell people that when I do retire I want to move to the south of France where I can drink wine and ride my bicycle.  My brother keeps asking me if I'm serious and I always reply 'yes.'  Of course, being a realist I understand those plans may never come to fruition.  I may end up spending my senior years in Central Pennsylvania, which is a world away from the south of France.  No matter where I am, I do plan on having an enjoyable time.  Quite often I tell people there are only two times in your life when you can be, for the most part, carefree.  The first happens when you're a child.  The second occurs when you leave the work force, which is why rarely does a day pass when I don't think about not having job responsibilities; when I don't think about all the things I can do that are not work related.

A number of years ago, the dental assistant who cleaned my teeth retired.  When I asked what her plans were she told me "I'm going to sit on my porch swing and read."  I felt really sad for her because there was so much more she could be doing.  For a lot of people, however, that is how they define retirement.  They feel they've put in their time.  This is true, but don't turn yourself into a fossil.  Why would you want to become a relic?  My Dad did that and died 6 years after he retired.  If your idea of bliss is sitting in a chair watching television you've kind of missed the point.  Retirement shouldn't be defined by the cessation of all activity, rather it should be considered a new direction in which to channel your energy.  Do something physical.  Use your muscles.  And don't complain.  Holy Shit, I am so tired of hearing seniors list their ailments as though they're merit badges they've earned by being old.  Working in a retail position where people need to wait to have paint mixed, I hear them daily.  You have no idea how many times I want to ask if they want cheese with that whine because I know every person they've talked to has heard about their problems.

Nice little area in the south of France

You can call me unsympathetic if your want, I don't care.  You see I believe the real problem for these people who just want to shut down, and those who change careers from one of working to one of complaining, is that none of them actually sit down and think about what retirement means.  All sorts of possibilities open up once you are no longer a permanent associate relying on a weekly paycheck.  Time becomes something you can spend on all those things you couldn't do for the past forty some years.  Get on a bicycle and ride it, even if your pedal is slow.  Write a novel, climb a mountain, learn to play the drums and have fun.  When I look at my future retirement I see all the chances in the world opening up and I may sell my house and move to the south of France where I can drink wine and ride my bicycle.