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January 26, 2012

So Far, a Lucky Week

This just hit my email inbox:


I forget why I entered the contest; I'm sure the Grand Prize was something I really wanted or I wouldn't have made the effort. A magazine subscription isn't too bad of a consolation prize - I love to get magazines and after reading, they're good to line my trashcan with or to tear pages out of and put under the Beej's water and feed bowls. I used to take my old magazines to the laundromat but they would get stolen within the day.

It's been a fairly lucky week for me; I won this magazine subscription, fifty extra points for correctly answering the movie trivia question at StartSampling and last night I won $12 on the Powerball lottery.

It was also a very lucky week for some young punk in a red car.  I was out earlier and about to turn onto a busy street.  The light was red and there was a car ahead of me.  I started slowing as I normally do, easing to a stop. (saves gas, saves brake wear) There wasn't but a few car lengths between me and the other vehicle when the red car zoomed around me and cut in front.  I had to slam on my brakes to avoid slamming into the car.  I saw him glancing in his rear-view mirror and I gave him the bird.  He didn't look back again.  I was itching for a fight- he had scared me and that just about makes me angrier than anything else.

As we sat there waiting for the light, I got more angry.  He wasn't saving any time, he had to wait anyway.  When the light changed, he sped off, zipping from lane-to-lane w/out signalling. He also ran a yellow light when he got to the next intersection and turned. 

I wasn't in a very good mood, anyway.  I had tried to drop off my vehicle insurance payment last week, but there was a sign on the office door "Be Back Soon". I went back by several times, but there was no one there.  I put the check and invoice on the passenger seat and forgot about it.  When I got in my truck earlier, I noticed it and remembered that it was due tomorrow.  I got to the insurance office and saw the same sign on the door.  I went to the Dollar Store, did a little shopping and dropped back by only to see the business was still closed.  I killed a little more time and went back - the sign was still up, the door still locked.

Fuming, I went home and called the after hours number listed on the door.  Nothing.  I then called the regular number and a woman answered.  I told her I had been trying to bring my payment by and wanted to make sure someone was there to take it.  "Oh, I stepped out for a little while." she told me.  Yeah, a week is a "little while" I thought, but didn't say it.  She then informed me that the boss was gone, had been for a week.  That made sense then - she was enjoying her four hour lunch breaks.   She's lucky I didn't lose my temper with her.  She's even luckier I didn't have to file a claim for rear-ending that red car.

I'm lucky to win the few things I have this week.  To be honest - I'm even more lucky I haven't stroked out.   I seem to be getting more and more angry at things here lately.  I got a little angry earlier at a reply to my license plate post on Facebook.  An old friend and schoolmate wrote "Why would I want a license plate with 'Mike' on it?"  It shouldn't have, but it hit me wrong.  I started to reply "Well, it would be just as well....'smartass' wouldn't fit."  I've been a little snarky on Facebook myself lately, though, and didn't want to be a hypocrite.

To top all that off, the stray cat I've been feeding has been in heat. (I thought she was pregnant, but she is just fat.  I've cut back on her food- all she gets is B's leftovers now) I love cats, but the only thing more disgusting than the smell of cat urine is a female cat in heat.  Thanks to her "condition", there has been a dozen tomcats hanging around.  I've been woken up a dozen times  this week by the caterwauling;  it's either her and a male cat or two males dueling for her affections.  I've discovered one thing about cats;  you can't tell whether they're fightin' or foolin' around by the sounds they're making. 

It would probably help a great deal if I quit frequenting political forums.  If the Republicans nominate Gingrich, then they will have to give up the "party of family values" label they brag about.  If they nominate Santorum, then they'll lose any chance of getting a gay person to vote for them ever again. Both of them are a little...let's say "ethically challenged".  The Republicans definitely need to stop touting that they're for limited govt. and need to quit pretending they're conservative. (and the TEA Party has allowed itself to be hijacked by the neocons) I'm lucky I'm too old for the draft, because we'll need one for the war machine if we take on Iran.

I know I lowered my blood pressure at least fifty points by not reading posts in Dallas Cowboy forums.  The "Tony Homo" posts infuriated me.  Probably Santorum supporters.

3 comments:

Carolea said...

I hope You do not have to find homes for the kittens. Good reading. TY Mike.

sharintexas said...

Parts of my temper have gotten better as I've gotten older, but parts seem more hair-trigger. I read that post about the license and had the same thought, too. It all I could do not to write something snarky, but decided it wasn't worth the effort.
I'm glad you didn't rear-end that red car, Mike. Seems there's idiots no matter where you drive. The traffic here in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is enough to make you crazy. That part has been better since I've started working from home though. I guess all in all I don't have too many temper tantrums now...but I still know how!

Alison said...

Well done , I never win many competitions, but then again I dont enter that many , I had a friend in Cyprus that entered a lot of competitions constantly and won a lot of great prizes , so maybe its time to get in the swing and have a go at some of them.

As for things making your blood boil Mike , join the club, seems I have got a very short fuse ,getting worse by the year ,I blame it on my middle age womens hormonal imbalance stuff but what is causing yours ? ;)
when I lived in Cyprus I had to deal with those crazy drivers constantly ,in fact I half became one as it became when in Rome do as the Romans do or you just couldnt cope in the mayhem of the traffic, but I must admit living here in NC has made me a better driver ( I think ) better ask G about that.Also the Cyprus way of doing business is similar to your insurance office experience, it would be nothing for someone to tell you they would come on Monday then turn up on wednesday or even the following week , it drove me crazy .
I sympathise with your cat story , we have been having a few of those lately ,too much to tell here but now I know why I prefer a dog ; )
Anyway Mike ,hope you keep your cool and keep your BP under control ,we need you here updating your blog to make us smile ,
enjoy your weekend
regards from both of us.