Forlorn Monday?

Mondays seem a lot like the photo of the old vacuum repair shop. I don't know what is going to go in there, which is sort of like the beginning of the week, with not knowing where it will lead. Beyond what will happen at work or in the news, there is something sad about the weekend passing, and, for most people, the work week does not really hold hope for most people, but it is the grind necessary for another pay day. For me, at least, this is something which should change. I don't know the path yet for my change, but I keep feeling it is necessary.

My day today, after work, where one colleague had to leave and take a sick child to the doctor, hasn't consisted of much. Taking some sweaters I plan on taking to Europe to the cleaner, nothing like clean sweaters when traveling Northern Europe in November. Other than that, there is an itinerary change I am contemplating, but haven't put it into work yet, and don't know if I will go blind, or actually make reservations. For my comfort, reservations, but for a change, perhaps just seeing what shows up, sort of like in Split, where a local offered a room, cheaper than the hotels, and in a decent location. They could use the money more than the hotel was my thought. In so many former Communist countries, the pensioners have some of the most difficult times, fixed income and rising prices are a bad combination.

Later Sunday

I forgot all about this picture. The sign is no longer there, but, as you can see, Seattle does like its informers, though I don't believe a cut of the fine is included to reimburse you for your minutes. What bothers me is that something as innocuous as this can potentially lead to reporting of other actions. I hate to be an alarmist, and perhaps this message is just a bit late, but with each of our civil liberties daily being called into question, because terrorists use phones, use the internet, read newspapers, and watch television. Not to mention, they drive cars, ride bikes, use public transportation, etc. The theory being, I guess, if you monitor everything, you can stop something, though in truth, if you monitor everything, then there is no freedom, because people are scared of expressing opinions. This isn't a new soap box, but the photo seemed to call for it. After doing some cleaning around here, I went outside, enjoyed the afternoon, went to OKOK Gallery, though I didn't much like the art on display, and also went to the grocery store and purchased food that isn't very good for me.

Sunday (Etta & Laundry)

Nothing like a Sunday for hanging about all morning, putzing around the house, doing laundry, and finally unloading the dishwasher. I must say, I don't really know how much time is saves me, but I only run it when I am either going to bed or leaving because it is too loud. I think I need more detergent for it, since the box I bought a year ago is about empty--the same for the box of dryer sheets, also over a year old. I am sure that the age of household products isn't really what you thought about when you decided to read this, but such things happen. Sundays with Etta James playing on the stereo, and a countertop that still needs to be cleaned off, and brushes that need the paint cleaned from them, though there hasn't been much activity on that front.

People always want to know what is going on, but there isn't really ever that much. Last night I went to Zayda Buddies' Pizza & Bar and enjoyed some Moose Drool and pizza--the closest I have found yet to Turoni's, back in Evansville, IN. They call it Minnesota style here, but I hardly think that an appropriate name, since it is obviously a more wide-ranging style, and I don't think Indiana had a crush of immigrants from Minnesota teaching them how to make pizza.

Leaves of Dave

Today, for the first time, I have received a note from Dave on unique stationary, though not a new one, and one he may not have spent much money on, but if he raked all them, there was a bit of time involved. Anyway, one day not long ago, I received the lovely alien postcard, then today I had an envelope. Walking up the stairs (I live on the 3rd floor), I noticed the interesting play of shadows, and I became curious...did he send me a bunch of leaves? Has Dave gone from being a poet to being a performance writer? What do the leaves imply? Is Dave having a greener than thou moment?

I don't really know the answers to any of these questions, but the 3 leaf letter was fun to read, and I just have to hope the leaves don't get much darker, or parts will be very difficult to decipher in the future.

Other than that, it was a day at work, and a Thursday at that.


******just updated*****
Since I had no picture, I didn't really want a brand new post. Anyway, let us all cheer Maritime Pacific's Windfest seasonal off to a well deserved rest, and hope for its speedy return. I would swear it was only a couple of weeks back that I filled my growler with Windfest, but when I went back tonight, it was gone. Far too soon, after a stay of only 4 weeks or so. Anyway, as Kip says, you can drink well around here if your favorites are seasonals rather than the standbys. Actually, I think you can have a better beer experience by drining the seasonal offerings.

On one last beer note, a brewery in California makes a marvelous malty belgian style brown callled Brother Thelonius, which I highly recommend. What could have been a joke of a beer with a cute name/label is really quite good.

Expensive new toy

Why it gave me code instead of a picture in the text box, I don't know, but I tried for a picture since it has been a bit. (In preview the picture was back, so I am hoping that is the way it is, really.)

My new expensive toy is a MacBook, and I have spent most of the evening trying to get the internet working for it, and I did eventually manage it. The only problem now is if I ever need to print from it, since I don't have the two computers networked.

That is about it, I am just happy that things are moving along, however slowly.

The government wants my books!

I remember reading something about the lists that our federal government has decided to keep on all of us.  For some reason, books have made the cut, and I am sure web sites have made the cut as well, but that is still secret (and the existence of those records likely still being denied), and this fact was made clear to me at the independent bookseller I went to over the weekend.  Perhaps it is time for me to stop using my debit card, which will make life for her more difficult, but at least all my titles won't be expressed to a DoJ list.  Actually, I guess they could subpoena Library Thing, or even just view it, but that isn't up to date...

The books of interest, by the way, are "Rick Steves' Paris 2007" and "the Lonely Planet City Guide to Amsterdam. "  I don't know, harmless books in my opinion, but I am sure the government, with insistence similar to that used to invoke Saddam & 9/11 correlations, will find some way to damn the purchases.  Such is life, and at least I know the Ministry of Information will correct things for me...