Money Comes In; Money Goes Out

Ah, it's that time of month.  Money in; money out.  Paid ten bills this morning and thought about the little text file i keep handy (and occasionally revise); it's just a few paragraphs which i recite or email to bank representatives about why i'm not paying more on their credit cards.  Currently, the last paragraph reads:

"i'm sorry that you made a bad investment in my debt.  i made a similar bad investment in an Ivy League education and it never paid off, financially.  i can no longer work; but if i ever win the lottery, i'll be better able to pay."

Perhaps i should add "Wish me luck!" at the end; that would give it a more optimistic sound, i suppose.  What do *you* think?  :-D

Not Yesterday; Maybe Today :-D

OK, so i didn't actually get the holiday lights down yesterday; but at least i unplugged the christmas tree.  This morning, with James Darren serenading on the stereo, i have great optimism for getting things done.  And if not today, then perhaps tomorrow.

New calendars unwrapped and hanging on the walls, boxes waiting to be packed up and put into the attic, and a row of DVDs to be stowed away (and perhaps mailed off to someone who will watch them)—these things set the scene in our cozy apartment.  Dishes to be washed, horizontal surfaces to be dusted, books to be sorted, boxed, & put into a donation box . . . the list goes on and on.

A house-husband's job never ends; but it's a dream come true for me, a joyful world that i never wish to leave.

To borrow a copyrighted phrase (from The Writer's Almanac^®, which of course is also copyrighted):
Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.^®

Advice To Myself

Happy New Year, peeps!  As ever, it's another chance to start over on achieving goals and striving towards whatever perfection you like.  Revel in your time; make the most of your life—it's the only one you get!

Laugh when you can, and smile often.  Choose *not* to be a curmudgeon.  Embrace life.  Find joy; avoid pain.  Be bold, brave, and confident.  Affirm, instead of denying.  Don't give up—try!

Wishing you all a lucky twenty-thirteen!

[and a big thank you to George Takei via Sue Hobart for the picture!]

Nice and Naughty ;-)

The last day of twenty-twelve.  Why do i prefer even-numbered years to odd?  Maybe being born in an even-numbered one inclined me towards it; maybe it doesn't matter.

I wonder how long i can leave up the holiday lights?  Hanukkah was the 8th to the 16th, winter solstice December 21st, Christmas the 25th, and New Year's is tomorrow.  Maybe February ... that's it, Valentine's Day might be a good take-down deadline.  Or  perhaps tomorrow.

Okay peeps, this is your last day to enjoy indulgences that you might promise to stay away from next year—seize the day/night, for tomorrow *is* next year.  Do yourself a favor:  do something naughty!  Food, sex, et cetera.  Enjoy!

happy, merry

heh, this morning on a Facebook thread i'm following, someone was complaining of the regulations his company must follow; as a christmas present, i kindly did not suggest that he take his company to China and see how he likes it there.  :-)

and i just got back from my morning run on this perfect white christmas morning.  nobody out on the roads; my footprints were the first on the new-fallen snow; and a few unhurried snowflakes hung in the air, deciding where to land.

happy day, peeps!

My Excuse For Missing All The 12s

Yesterday morning i took a bicycle ride to my bank in Clinton at 11:20; it's only about three miles away, so i'd have plenty of time to come back and take a picture of my fiancé's funky digital clock on 2012-12-12 at 12:12 and 12 seconds.
    It was cold out, so i bundled up.  The ride over to the bank takes ten or fifteen minutes, and i pull up to the bank just as some woman wearing a sweatshirt (hood down) goes into the ATM vestibule, which has a door into the bank.  I follow her, walking my bicycle, which i leave in the alcove at the front of the bank, along with my hat, gloves, and helmet.
    Since i'm cashing in some Savings Bonds, i figure i shouldn't get in line for the teller but instead go talk to a manager or something.  So i bypass the velvet rope area and walk over to a section of glassed-in cubes; a dark-haired woman at a desk waves me over.  I sit down, show her the Savings Bonds and my IDs, and wait while she takes them back behind the teller's counter (after she'd explained that i could actually have taken them to a teller).
    It's taking a long time!  What's she doing back there?!?  I check my phone—11:50—and look behind me; i can see her behind the glass on the other side of the counter.  Damned, i'm not going to be home to see all the 12s after all.  Hum-dee-dum.  I look back again, and this time she's not behind the counter, but i see the reflection in the glass of her walking back.  Finally!
    "I'm sorry that took so long," she says.  "We've just had a robbery."
    A robbery!?!
    "Is every one all right?" i ask calmly.  "I didn't even hear anything."  I turn around again and now there are several cops, both uniformed and plain-clothes, walking around.
    "A woman in a hoodie handed the teller a note asking for all the money in the drawer.  She said her partner had a gun."
    Hmmm, maybe i'm glad i didn't go to the teller queue after all.
    "Hey, who's bicycle is this?" asks one of the cops.
    "Ah, that would be mine," i say, twisting around; the cop nods.  "Sorry, i didn't see anything.  My back was turned the whole time."

By the time i looked at  my phone again, it was 12:18.  Oh well, no 12s.  Another fifteen minutes for her to get the money for my Savings Bonds and for me to sign them over.
    But at least there was time for me now to stop at Bolton Orchards for a cup of cider or two on the way home.

hello autumn!

(i put in the exclamation mark to boost my writing-energy ;-)

bicycled to Bolton Orchards this morning, tearing like mad along the roads by the golf courses.  sweatshirt weather now.  also for running, earlier.  pretty soon it will be too dark to run in the early morning and i'll have to wait until 9 o'clock.

bicycled home with a gallon of milk, four ears of corn, a bag of pretzels, and a bag of sea salt & vinegar potato chips in my backpack — heavy up the hills, but good for an old man like me.

maybe Thursday i'll bicycle to Concord.  have to clear out this cough/cold from my lungs first, though.

perfect weather today.  lots of sun, but not too warm.  (71 degrees F, according to the weather widget.)  maybe time to sit on the back deck and read.

days like this feel like heaven.

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