Seal a Meal

seal-a-meal 2
Originally uploaded by SusieLovesCraigFerguson.

I have this exact model and I used mine today - for a craft project. Not for melting a seam on a bag of chips. Weeee!

Podiatrist

Thanks Pat, for sticking this in my head.

Courtesy Calls

Telephone in telephone booth, Abbotsford, WI
Originally uploaded by Debora Drower.

I have been plagued by so called “courtesy calls” the past few weeks. My car was in the shop so I had to get a rental car. Every damn day I had that rental car, I’d get a call from Enterprise who would give me a courtesy call. “Hi Debora, how’s the car working out?” It probably translates to “Hi Debora, have you wrecked our car today?” Hmmm, that’s right, I totaled the car and I guess I should’ve called. A call from them every damn day.

This week, I’m doing a written survey (I think they get mad if you talk about it) and they give me a courtesy call everyday as well. Again translating to, “Hi Debora, are you writing the shit down or are you fucking it up?” Medica has been calling wondering if I’m going to change my insurance plan. My insurance company has been calling me too, repeatedly, if I have any questions on my insurance. No I don’t. I was wondering if the insurance bill was totally overdue – it won’t be overdue for a month. A courtesy to whom, I may ask, because all these damn calls are not a courtesy for me. It’s a pain in the ass.

Going out to play

I was invited to a photography exhibition, American Heartland : An Exhibition of Photography at the Anderson Center in Red Wing, MN. It features W. Pringle Rodman and David Husom. It's a great collection of photos. It goes from January 26 - March 13:

David Husom is a Minnesota and Wisconsin based photographer whose large format color documentary photography of vernacular architecture and landscape has been exhibited throughout the US and in Japan. See photo above.

W. Pringle Rodman is my eye doctor (a really good one) and I can't find any of his black and white photos.

I was joking with James (after spending the evening talking with many photographers at the exhibition) that he should find some sculptors to play with. "Go out and play with your sculptor friends honey." He'd probably come back with welding burns or he'd be crying because some bad sculptor stole an awl or something.

I got a woman, stay drunk all the time

Dead soldiers
Originally uploaded by Debora Drower.

It's easier to just drink. Not to have to deal with food. Sugar, alcohol digest fast. Other stuff - not so fast. Sad. I do sing that Led Zep song from time to time. 12 steps - yeah right to shelf where my liquid courage is.

Weather, man

Sonny Elliot, weatherman
Originally uploaded by dmalewski.

I work for my boyfriend. Selling ice cream. Mostly it works out o.k. I can take direction from him and no other coworker. And I can get free ice cream. So we're watching t.v. last night. On the bottom of the screen there's the work and school closings because it will be -20º in the morning. Not wind chill, actual temperature. So I ask him if I should watch for Big Bell Ice cream to be closed. There are only a few of us - not a whole factory. We work in big drafty warehouse along with a 3000 sq ft freezer. Yesterday, it was pretty painful. I had a two space heaters on, but they were not doing the trick. Today, James' brother (who's in the military) said it was too cold to be in the office. So James told me to take the day off. So I have to spend the day at home, in my PJs in 73º comfort. Bummer!

Door into summer

The title of this book was triggered by a remark that Heinlein's wife had made[2]: in the novel, the protagonist's cat refuses to leave their house through any of its numerous doors when he sees snow on the ground: he is looking for The Door into Summer.

Me too. I think the only door into summer these days is through a boarding gate for a plane going to Florida.

Men's PJs

Swell robe , Pop!
Originally uploaded by amanda bel.

I ate a big meal last night. And I just didn't want to wear anything tight - so I grabbed the pajamas James left at my house. They are really big on me - but they were comfy. James is a social butterfly and in my dreams (while wearing those PJs) I was as well. I seemed to see almost every one of my friends last night while dreaming. I woke up trying to remember everyone who starred in my dreams. Old friends I haven't thought of in years, dead friends. It was fun.

Ibid.

Same shit, different day. Copy and paste.

I'm mad as hell....

I have been doing a lot of cleaning in my house. Lots of trips to the garbage can, lots of bags of recycling. There’s even an old futon by the garbage can waiting to be picked up. And I’ve been thinking of getting rid of other outdated stuff. Too many times, I have been told, “It’s too far to go to your house.” Seriously. My parents tell me it’s too far to come to Minnesota from Chicago. On my car’s trip odometer, the distance to Chicago then back to Minnesota seems to be the same. Weird? I’ll admit, it’s too COLD. Right now. But spring and summer are gorgeous here. I have other friends that have told me that or implied the same thing. It’s too hard or too far to come to my house. Yet, I’m supposed to be willing to meet them where they want. Is there a version of “He's Just Not That Into You” but for your friends? Maybe I have a huge set of friends that just aren’t into me.

Long ago, a friend called on a hideously cold day, she was stranded on the highway out in bumblefuck with a broken car. I have a long goofy tiger coat that I wear when it’s really cold. I got out of the car and she started laughing because of the coat all the matching tiger shit I was wearing with it. Yeah, a big fashion “don’t” but it cheered her up. Then she started crying with frustration and then amazement that I was willing to drive far out to the ‘burbs on such a crappy day to come pick her up. I told her, it wasn’t that far. An old friend called me the other day – she was willing to drive from Wisconsin to have coffee with me. I would’ve driven to River Falls, WI because it just doesn’t seem that far.

When I start up on this rant, my boyfriend just gives me that look. Maybe my OCD meds have become less effective or am I less tolerant of putting up with crappy friends. Or should I just have Facebook friends and send them the flowers or snowballs, dumb jokes or whatever. No actual email or communication, not an actual note that says “Hi – or I’m thinking of you” Just more garbage to delete.

Dom Perignon

Dom Perignon
Originally uploaded by SpeakerX.

I wanted to buy some Dom Perignon, so I went to my favorite liquor store and asked if they had any. They did. $160 a bottle. I decide to ask the guy if it's dry or sweet. I forgot that's it's a really dry champagne. Yuck. My dad grew up drinking Manischewitz wines and when he had his first glass of dry wine - he spit it out. So to make up for his ignorant years, he drinks the driest wine he can find. I'm somewhere in the middle.

There's a sweeter champagne type wine a Spumante Frizzante that's sweeter and cheaper. So I got that. And some scotch. And some organic rum. I can celebrate all sorts of ways.