a memoir of no one in particular

Today is my father's birthday.  He is 72.  He told me that he's telling people he's 85 so they tell him how great he looks for his age.

Was tonight's Bones trying to make a political statement?  I had to keep changing the channel and now I think I should become a vegetarian.

It was much easier dealing with the insurance company this time than it was after the crash I had two years ago.  That previous experience is what made me switch insurance companies.  I went to the body shop after work and many photos were taken, then I got an estimate of the repair costs. $1700.  I am so glad I won't actually have to pay that amount.  I have a $500 deductible, then I get reimbursed $50 of that because of the deal Met Life has with my employer, or something like that.  I'm somewhat concerned about a change in my rates if they decide I was at fault, but I decided not to ask teh claims adjuster about it today.  I can only worry about so many things at one time (although I am capable of worrying about several hundred things at once, even I have worrying limits).

Is two crashes in one car a sign of being a bad driver?  The first one was very much not my fault (he made a left from a right lane in a no-left-turn intersection).  The one is pretty much my fault because I was turning from a minor road onto a major road, even though I did not see the guy until he was coming in contact with my car and I am not sure where he came from because I did not see him coming.  I accept blame but I also think it is "one of those things" that just happens and isn't the result of doing something stupid (like the left turn from the right lane kind of thing).  I think I usually follow the rules but I sometimes zone out or get confused by too many things happening at once - as evidenced by the EZPass violation.  I don't like driving.  I prefer to have someone else do it.  I just don't want to be a stereotypical bad woman driver.

I love this song.

I had an unfortunate incident with my car today.  The kind that involves insurance companies and body shops.  I don't feel like calling the insurance company.  I don't feel like dealing with the body shop.  I don't want to have to rent a car.  Oh, my car is drivable, but I will obviously need to rent a car when the slightly broken one is being repaired.  15 minutes before quitting time, my manager told me to go home.  Because I get in so early.  But I stayed, because it looks good if I am so dedicated to work that I stay when she tells me it's ok to go early.  Had I left, I would not now be griping about an unfortunate incident.

I bought a Crock Pot today.  It is currently full of something that I am hoping will be corn soup.  I decided to buy a slow cooker after spending much time online this morning (yes, during work) looking at recipes for stews and soups.  As I do not have all the ingredients for any of the recipes I found for corn soup/chowder, I just threw in vegetables and chicken broth with some seasonings.  I also cleaned the kitchen, including mopping the floor.  It's all too weird.

The condo complex is having the roads/parking lots repaved.  My road was done today.  Had to park in the grass on the main road but not far from my place.  According to a letter from the management, anyone who is behind on their maintenance fees will not have their parking spot numbered when they repaint the parking spaces, which makes the spot a non-reserved spot.  I guess that is supposed to be motivation to pay.  I find it interesting.

I received in the mail a lovely photo of my car taken by the EZ-Pass people of the Garden State Parkway.  It seems that I somehow went through a toll and didn't pay without realizing that I did this.  I don't go through tolls without paying, so I can only assume that I drove through a toll booth without realizing it.  Or I paid and it somehow did not register my payment.  How could I drive through a toll, at noon, no less, when there would be lines of cars, without noticing?  I believe that is actually the one time all year that I have been on the freaking GSP.  Ah, yes, so the joy of that adventure cost $26.

So, I'm in the process of reading this trilogy and I'm on the third book.  By page 54, I'm convinced that it was actually written by someone on Fanfiction.net who didn't really recall the first two books and didn't have copies to reference.  It was then edited by an idiot, if at all. Book 1 is about Brooke.  Brooke is the main character. All 448 pages are about Brooke. That's Brooke, right?  Book 2 gives Brooke her own little side story.  She's still Brooke.  In book 3, Brooke mysteriously becomes Brett.  She is called Brett about 5 times in a single page.  How does an author forget the name of the main character in book 1 of a trilogy she is writing? Aside from that, Verna Sprigg's quilt shop is called the Sewing Circle in books 1 and 2 and becomes the Helping Hands Quilt Shop in book 3.  OK, maybe she changed the name, but I keep trying to ask Brett about it and she just looks at me like "is she talking to me?"  Leah's never-seen ex-fiance from book 2 is Joseph Yoder, son of Paul and Mary Yoder.  In book 3, he is Joseph Lanz (or Lenz or whatever), brother-in-law of Sam Yoder, who is now the son of Paul and Mary Yoder.  The book doesn't even read like it's written by the same person.  It really reads like a badfic from fanfiction.net.

I was annoyed all through book 2 that Brooke's husband Daniel from book 1 has somehow become Dan.  That doesn't seem so bad now.

And the biggest mystery is that I shall probably finish the book (though there will be skimming involved) if for nothing else, to see if Brooke ever becomes Brooke again.

I asked pishposh to make me this icon after seeing it as a button on Etsy.  She indulged me immediately.

If you haven't ever seen Etsy, you should go there and drool and/or spend lots of money.  I recommend Blissology, as I am currently addicted to some of their products.

Your Soul Is Connected to the Winter

You approach life with a zen-like calm that other people envy. Nothing rattles you. You are smart, thoughtful, and very serious. You don't stress out, but you don't take much lightly. You like to keep to yourself, and you've been called shy - even if you don't consider yourself that way. You prefer a cozy, quiet life filled with ideas, books, and maybe a few friends.

 This thing about the South African runner who is supposed to be tested to verify her gender . . .  How must it make a girl feel to have a bunch of people wanting to make sure she's a girl.  Like being a teenager doesn't suck enough without people saying you're not feminine enough. And it's not just that she isn't girlie enough for them.  If she'd lost, they probably wouldn't care.  It's more like "ooh, she runs too fast, she broke some record, she can't possibly be a woman."   This isn't the sort of thing that usually makes an impression with me, but I just feel bad for the girl.

I have not read anything since Wednesday. This is odd for me.  I so very much disliked the way the last book ended that I don't even want to start its sequel, which I have from the library.  I also have a pile of 10+ books just waiting to be read.  But I'm being all anti-read-y.  Have been watching bad TV and napping a lot.  I think I'm going to blame the weather and the severe pain engulfing what used to be my head.

My brain + Taylor Swift song x 2 days = exploding head

I also have menstrual cramps.

I haven't checked my flist in a week or so, so I hope people are still living, still employed, not pregnant, not getting divorced, and generally staying vertical.  Have been reading a lot lately.  I think I've read more in the past 2 months than I did in the past two years.  Have a pile of books by my bed and still awaiting two more.  Generalized malaise and ennui.  Still have same headache I had in November.  Gas prices rising.  Think my cats are plotting against me. 

Ehhhnnn!  I just got used to the new profile page and they changed it.  I liked it better before.  They should have asked for my permission before they messed around with it again.  I am annoyed.  It is ugly.  Blargh!

An oval is oval and a square is square but a rectangle is rectangular.  Why?

Microsoft makes me laugh.

We had rain.  Then sleet.  Then snow.  Then rain again.  Then snow.  Now a kind of slushy freezing rain.  Variety is fun.

I can't find my mailbox key.  I haven't gotten the mail since Tuesday.  I had to stay over at Jane's house so I could drive her to the train Wed morning and I got the mail before I went, dropping the key in my bag with the mail.  Now I can't find it.  It's not in either bag, not in the car, not in my coat, not in the pocket of the pants I was wearing.  I left Jane a vm asking her to check the guest room for it.  I guess I have to go to the PO to get  a new one.  That should be fun.  But my box is not very big and it's got mail from three days in it already.  The mail box key is on a keychain with my spare front door key, so I really hope I didn't drop it outside near my place or someone might go around trying all the doors with it and, when they discover it opens my door, steal all my things, letting my cats out in the process.  Great, now I have to change the lock on my front door.  I don't know how to do that.  

Why am I incapable of not losing things? Right, because I'm disorganized.  Why am I incapable of being organized? 

There is snow out there.

Got no sleep Sunday night (a tiny bit monday morning) due to fear of never waking up for work on Monday.  Seriously considered calling out sick but, well, I had no phone.  Is that what they call irony?  Was painfully tired all day at work, and I mean painfully tired.  When to bed at 8pm last night.  Would still be asleep now but the catmonsters woke me for an early breakfast at 3:33.  Searched significance of 333 but it just comes up with religious crap about 333 and 666.  I used to have a Doreen Virtue book about numbers.  Might be in a box somewhere.  I don't really believe that numbers have a big significance, but I find it interesting.

I hear rain.  Rain is not snow.  I hate the fact that I have to hate snow.  I used to love it.  In truth, I still do.  It is so peaceful to watch big white flakes fall snowly out of a white sky onto a clean white blanket hiding all the dirt and grime.  But there is the fact that I am not permitted to stay inside, enjoying the lovely view, until the next thaw.  There are driving and ice covered roads and car crashes and the ever entertaining digging out the damned car, especially fun when a plow has packed snow behind the car.

My cats are fighting loudly.  Or playing. I can never tell if it's a game.  I need to get back to sleep.  I love the sound of rain for sleeping.

Someone tied into knots the fringe at one end of my beautiful new throw.  I have decided that the cats hired some mice to come and tie all these knots with their tiny little paws.  Pulling them all out is not fun.  I've only got half so far.  This is what happens when I actually make the bed for once.  I wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't tried to be tidy.



In other news, I did get quite a bit done today, which almost makes up for spending yesterday in bed.  On second thought, it wasn't exactly "quite a bit."  It was more like "some."  I realised this morning that I don't have my cell phone.  It might be on my desk at work, which is what I am really hoping.  Just about ten minutes ago, I realised that my cell phone is my alarm clock and, sans alarm, I shan't awaken tomorrow morning.  That might be worse than the knots.  If I time feedings properly, the cats should wake me at the right time.  But sometimes they wake me at 4am.  hmmmmm.... I guess I really need to buy an alarm clock.

What Your Taste in Chocolate Says About You

You are sweet, mellow, and easily satisfied. You don't like anything too intense and dramatic. Deep down, you're a kid at heart... and you're nostalgic for the past. You are a whimsical person prone to daydreaming. Artistic and creative, you're always in the middle of a project. While you are an inspiration to others, you can come off as flaky. You love being by yourself and thinking. Developing your own theories and ideas is fun. You feel lost when you're forced to be social. Being with other people can be lonely for you.