A Trip to Orlando or Anaheim Would Be a "Minnie" Vacation

It rained for two days in a row, so we couldn't stay late to mow yet again.  I am quite tired (mentally and physically) by staying at work for 15 hours, even if I'm doing nothing but sitting on a riding mower at the end of the day.  My schedule has been:  wake up, shave, eat breakfast, work, shower, eat dinner, go to bed.  (On Saturday and Sunday, we've worked just 8-9 hours, but that means all normal tasks like laundry and washing dishes and grocery shopping -- not to mention catching up on my few TV and radio shows online -- are crammed into little time.)  Yesterday and today, though, getting off at the usual time feels like a mini vacation.  I've blogged!  I've e-mailed!  I've read!  I've gone to bed on time!  I've told my boss that we're not working this Sunday!

I No Longer Am Older than Myself

I received a replacement American Express card in the mail.  Ever since my father first got me one (affiliated through his account) for my high school exchange trip to Spain, the front of my card proudly proclaimed "Member Since '67" -- four years before I was born!  The new card, however, replaced 1967 with 1988.  The bills still will go to my mother, though -- won't they?

What's the Deal?

One of my employees couldn't think of a word the other day, so he referred to it as the "deal".  A few days later, another employee used "deal" to mean something else.  I guess it's a regional thing.

It Must Have Been Cold in the Henhouse!

I hard boiled some eggs to make egg salad.  I left them on the top shelf of my fridge, between my orange juice and my yogurt.  Here's what I found when I shelled one of them.

I put the egg into a bowl and placed it on the middle shelf of the fridge.  Here's what remained after it thawed.

I have yet to slice it open and examine the inside.

If Humans Could Change Skin as Easily, Would Racism Be a Problem?

Here's the outside of my apartment, contrasting the new siding being applied on top of the existing.  Note how exposed my patio and living room window/door are with the privacy wall removed.

If I'm Lucky, I'll Die before this Generation Rules the World

It poured rain today, so I sent most of the employees home.  Two temp's usually get a ride home from the father of one of them, and since he was working, they asked if I could take them home.  Well, not home but to a friend's house.

"It's near 21st and Memorial," the temp. told me.

As we approached the intersection, one temp. woke up the one who was supposed to be giving me directions, so he could tell me which way to turn.  "Oh, maybe it's 21st and Garnett."

Turn left and head east.  Two miles later, as we approached Garnett, he asked, "Is this 21st or 31st?"

Okay, turn right.  One mile later, "Look for a Shamrock on the left and turn left there."  I figured he meant a Diamond-Shamrock gas station.

"Dude, there's no Shamrock here," his buddy said.

"Oh, well we should turn right here."  Of course, he said this when I was in the left-hand lane at the red light.

I turned around at a fast food restaurant then made the turn onto 31st.

"Make a right into the neighborhood at the first street, where you see that car going in."

Wouldn't you know that the street was just past an O'Reilly Auto Parts store, which has a shamrock in its logo?

"Go straight."

This took us past one of the elementary schools where we mow the grass.  We then turned right, onto the street I usually use to get to the school.  We took a left onto the first block, where I dropped them off at the house with a white car in the driveway.

If he had told me to head to the school and turn just one block short of reaching it, we would've been there ten minutes earlier -- not to mention saving gasoline.

That's One Small Step for [a] Man, One Giant Leap West

I noticed that my company posted a grounds job in Lubbock, TX.  Of course, I wembled.  Do I apply or not?  Do I try something unknown or stay where I'm not satisfied?  Will the hiring manager be the same person as five years ago, when I was the candidate to beat?  (I was the candidate to beat, but the incumbent didn't retire as expected, so the job wasn't posted at that time.)  Do I really want to pack up and schlep all my stuff a third time in five years?

I submitted my application.  Now it's a waiting game.  Will I be interviewed?  Will I get a second interview?  Will I be offered the job?  Am I making a mistake?  What if Publishers Clearing House shows up at my Tulsa apartment the day after I move to Lubbock?

If You Have to Ask, You Can't Afford It

A condo near my apartment is up for sale, and I was curious about the size and listing price, to see how they compare to mine in NM.  The flyer, though, doesn't list the price.  Instead, it gives a phone number to call and a number to enter.  I suppose it helps give the realtor an idea of how many people might be interested in the property.  It also discourages the merely curious (like me).  What happened to the olden days, when all your nosy neighbors had to do was drive by the sign staked in your front yard?