The gym
To postpone the day of my death, I do two types of exercise – strength training (the gym), and aerobics (my bike). I like riding my bike, but most days I would rather stay home and eat cheesecake. I really don’t like the gym at all, but they tell me it’s important. My incentive (see previous blog post) is the old men who can do twice what I can. It hurts when I have to lower the weight some old guy used, to use the machine myself. It also hurts when an old guy on a bike smokes past me like I’m sitting still. We won’t even talk about how I feel when an old woman leaves me in the dust. Someday, though, I hope to be that old man that outdoes the young guy next to me. I won’t gloat in front of him, but I’ll grin as I walk away.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Carwash
In my college dorm and apartment years, I always hated going to the carwash. “I can’t wait,” I thought, “for a real house. Then I’ll wash my car by hand, with a hose and a bucket, the old fashioned way.” The idea sounded romantic and I visualized saving water, money, and time. Now I live in a house, and I always use the car wash down the street. The sign says, “Three bucks – Three minutes – Clean Car.” Hard to argue with that. The signs inside get to me, as well. “We recycle 70% of our water and chemicals,” they claim. I can’t do that at home. I don’t spray my shoes, clothes, and face with soapy water anymore. And, on the way out, there is a huge mirror as my car rolls through the blow dryer. My dog and I grin at our reflections in the mirror as we leave. Can’t do that at home. I’m sold!
In my college dorm and apartment years, I always hated going to the carwash. “I can’t wait,” I thought, “for a real house. Then I’ll wash my car by hand, with a hose and a bucket, the old fashioned way.” The idea sounded romantic and I visualized saving water, money, and time. Now I live in a house, and I always use the car wash down the street. The sign says, “Three bucks – Three minutes – Clean Car.” Hard to argue with that. The signs inside get to me, as well. “We recycle 70% of our water and chemicals,” they claim. I can’t do that at home. I don’t spray my shoes, clothes, and face with soapy water anymore. And, on the way out, there is a huge mirror as my car rolls through the blow dryer. My dog and I grin at our reflections in the mirror as we leave. Can’t do that at home. I’m sold!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Responsibility
I sold a car over five years ago, and I’m still fighting the stupid thing. Yesterday was the fourth phone call, with the current owner needing me to waste an hour of my time to get a document notarized. This all happened because I left the license plate on the car when I sold it. I trusted the original buyer to register it right away, get new plates, and get my name off the record. I assumed he would be responsible, and do the right / legal thing. A couple months ago I got a call about another call I sold TEN years ago! Because I’m responsible, I expect others to be as well. I know I’m getting old and cranky, but some folks should just be slapped. Hard. Shakespeare out.
I sold a car over five years ago, and I’m still fighting the stupid thing. Yesterday was the fourth phone call, with the current owner needing me to waste an hour of my time to get a document notarized. This all happened because I left the license plate on the car when I sold it. I trusted the original buyer to register it right away, get new plates, and get my name off the record. I assumed he would be responsible, and do the right / legal thing. A couple months ago I got a call about another call I sold TEN years ago! Because I’m responsible, I expect others to be as well. I know I’m getting old and cranky, but some folks should just be slapped. Hard. Shakespeare out.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Got nuthin’
It is astoundingly rare for me to have nothing to say. My wife was first attracted to me in our college years because, while she was quiet and shy, I almost always had something to say. Now, a lot of the time, she wishes I would just be quiet. Not an easy thing for me to be quiet. Our dog is almost totally silent – one reason we like her so much. When my wife and I compare notes at the end of the day, she often says “Got nuthin” – which means no news worth mentioning. This week, it’s me. Just not feeling very creative right now – got nuthin’. Will hope for some kind of muse to fly by next week, I guess.
It is astoundingly rare for me to have nothing to say. My wife was first attracted to me in our college years because, while she was quiet and shy, I almost always had something to say. Now, a lot of the time, she wishes I would just be quiet. Not an easy thing for me to be quiet. Our dog is almost totally silent – one reason we like her so much. When my wife and I compare notes at the end of the day, she often says “Got nuthin” – which means no news worth mentioning. This week, it’s me. Just not feeling very creative right now – got nuthin’. Will hope for some kind of muse to fly by next week, I guess.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Dollar Store
I got hooked when I was younger and poorer, and now it’s hard to shake the habit. My wife goes to the shoe store, and I walk across the parking lot to the dollar store. Bargains galore – cheap tools, kitchen gadgets, snack foods, seasonal merchandise, tech stuff, etc. Some of the customers look broke, but most of them look a lot like me. Finding cheap treasures can be fun. Still, though, there are some things you should never buy at a dollar store. Underwear, pregnancy tests, saline drops for your eyes, candy from unheard of countries – these items seem very suspect to me. Who was surprised last year when Chinese toothpaste from dollar stores was found to be tainted? Come on people – even bargain-hunting has its limits!
I got hooked when I was younger and poorer, and now it’s hard to shake the habit. My wife goes to the shoe store, and I walk across the parking lot to the dollar store. Bargains galore – cheap tools, kitchen gadgets, snack foods, seasonal merchandise, tech stuff, etc. Some of the customers look broke, but most of them look a lot like me. Finding cheap treasures can be fun. Still, though, there are some things you should never buy at a dollar store. Underwear, pregnancy tests, saline drops for your eyes, candy from unheard of countries – these items seem very suspect to me. Who was surprised last year when Chinese toothpaste from dollar stores was found to be tainted? Come on people – even bargain-hunting has its limits!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Fail
My father was a pastor, and he often quoted scripture as saying “Rejoice not in another’s tribulation.” My interpretation is that means “don’t laugh at someone who is already down.” Good advice, and good psychology, but not always easy to heed. The sad fact is – it’s often funny, sometimes very funny, when people screw up. The websites devoted to “fails,” “dumbest criminals,” and “Darwin awards” are pretty riotous stuff. Having said that, I hope I never make any of those websites or lists. We all do stupid stuff, and I have committed some real doozies. Fortunately, no one was there to record the event. So, we live to give it another try. Life is good!
My father was a pastor, and he often quoted scripture as saying “Rejoice not in another’s tribulation.” My interpretation is that means “don’t laugh at someone who is already down.” Good advice, and good psychology, but not always easy to heed. The sad fact is – it’s often funny, sometimes very funny, when people screw up. The websites devoted to “fails,” “dumbest criminals,” and “Darwin awards” are pretty riotous stuff. Having said that, I hope I never make any of those websites or lists. We all do stupid stuff, and I have committed some real doozies. Fortunately, no one was there to record the event. So, we live to give it another try. Life is good!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Incentive
Tim is ten years younger than I am, but he’s dying. An alcoholic for years, he has lost everything important to him – wife, kids, job, and home. Tim says he doesn’t want to die, but he has no incentive to keep living. Very sad. Three years ago, I bought a bicycle for incentive to get in shape. I’ve now ridden it over 3,000 miles. My wife just bought an expensive bike, to give her incentive to ride and lose weight. This summer we hope to take an anniversary cruise, so we now have an incentive to “get hot” (my wife’s words) before summer. Without incentive, life would be a very dreary existence. There are lots of great incentives in my life. How about yours?
Tim is ten years younger than I am, but he’s dying. An alcoholic for years, he has lost everything important to him – wife, kids, job, and home. Tim says he doesn’t want to die, but he has no incentive to keep living. Very sad. Three years ago, I bought a bicycle for incentive to get in shape. I’ve now ridden it over 3,000 miles. My wife just bought an expensive bike, to give her incentive to ride and lose weight. This summer we hope to take an anniversary cruise, so we now have an incentive to “get hot” (my wife’s words) before summer. Without incentive, life would be a very dreary existence. There are lots of great incentives in my life. How about yours?
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