Teachable

I wasn't going to write today but that's generally when I need to write. 

First, let me take out the garbage.   OK, did that.  I got some "garage trash" (old vending machine parts for the machine that died last year) put out for the junk man.  He can sell it for scrap. 

I also put out a pretty full can of regular trash.  Since I have remainders of cat food, and cat poop, in my garbage, the smell is horrific.  I "have" to take it out every week now even if it's nearly empty. 

If I had a car, of course, I could drive to the scrap metal place and sell it myself, but I don't and that would be horrific in my usual modalities, or I would have to pay someone $20 to take me. 

[wrote, then snipped] 

I can understand giving, say, our usual guy $20 to go downtown and get Ron a new paratransit ID card.  He does need one.  Wear and tear on the vehicle, gas, tires, etc.  I don't have a problem with that. 

Anyway, I slept pretty badly.  The cats, not sure which 2, ran across me in the middle of the night.  I remember Torbie did that right after I got her, one time.  This time she (?) didn't run across my face, but my torso. 

Well, there's that.  I went back to sleep and had a nightmare about my sister.  She was very angry, we were in some kind of holiday gathering. 

They were going around in a circle asking everyone how they felt.  I said "depressed" and she got angry at me for speaking the truth. 

And I was depressed, in the dream. 

Then they went around again and asked us to name something we were thankful for.  "My medication".  She got angry at that. 

Well, it's true.  If I am among people I trust I do my best to speak the truth.  That's who I am.  If you have a problem with that you have a problem with who I am.  Don't try to change and mold me into your idea of the "right person". 

Now, if I'm being a bitch and I get 8 comments about it, I'm probably going to re-evaluate that.  I'm going to examine myself, realize I was a bitch, and probably apologize. 

I am teachable. 

I woke up in a pretty bad mood.  I took my shower and did my God Time later.  We went to the warehouse. 

I got 3 cases of chips, enough to Band-Aid my inventory at work, a case of cookies, and some Diet Green Tea for Diet Green Tea Lady.  She will buy a case in a week's time. 

Good.  We're there to sell product! 

We had a really strange ride going to work.  First the guy wanted to point fingers at Ron "Oh, I took you to the liquor store" asking me if I knew he was drinking, stuff like that.  What part of MYOB is not understood?  He kept going on how the paratransit company would take Ron to the liquor store. 

Yes, they do.  They do everywhere the bus goes, including the liquor store.  He had apparently forgotten his job was driving not telling Ron how to live his life. 

I get angry about this because it puts Ron's back up and makes him resistant to admitting he has a problem or that he might need a recovery program.  It makes him defensive and defiant.  Not a good place for someone - an alcoholic.  I'll say it.  You don't need to harangue him about it. 

Then he wanted to tell us a bunch of weak jokes.  Next, his big Gospel project. 

You would think I would be interested, but between the family gossip (my son in law comes from a bunch of drug addicts), bad theology "I told my daughter he is NOT the man of the house", and boasting about worldly stuff "I own four houses",etc.   I just wanted to jump off the van and walk to work. 

He saw the address and told us we couldn't get in.  What?  "It's [a secure building]"  Yes, I told him, I know.  "You won't get in, have you ever been there before?" 

Yes, I told him, several times a week for the last 15 years. 

Oh, I work there?  Yes, that's why it says "work" in the notes. 

I held up my security badge.  "I will give this to you to use at the gate".  He wouldn't give it back after he used it, I was just on the verge of getting pissy with him when he "remembered" (after gaping at said badge for a while) it was mine. 

I have permission to do that, from the Postal Police.  And 99% of my drivers give the badge back the minute they are done with it. 

Oh, I was so happy to get out of there.  Bad theology, bad doctrine.  "I'd rather ride with an atheist" I told Ron later. 

I was even happy to service the coffee machine, also known as the beast.  I was just so tired already from that horrible ride. 

By the way, the coffee machine is dripping in an odd fashion.  I'm not sure what's up with that.  I hope it is still under warranty. 

I stocked, did what I could to help Ron, etc.  It seemed like we had too long to work but we used it all.  For instance, I fill the coffee machine canisters out in the patio area, but I spilled some creamer.  I had to clean that up or they would yell at the custodian, or worse, get bugs. 

We went out to wait on our ride and then we waited an hour on that.  When the guy arrived he had a massive attitude and was looking for a fight.   When he found out we had cats, he tried to give us his Rottweiler.  What?  The dog would eat the cats, assuming I even took it. 

Yeah, the dog was "too much work" and "too big now".  Ugh.  When you buy a purebred dog you can expect it to get to a certain size.  A Yorkie will be a couple pounds.   A Great Dane will get very large.  You plan accordingly. 

The shelters do it, they ask how busy you are and how much time you plan to invest in the animal every day, then they do their best to match you with the right animal.  For instance, Torbie is a total slug.  She likes to lie around, eat, sleep, get in a lap now and then.  Very rarely, she wants to play. 

Baby Girl and Biscuit are what I would term medium energy cats.  They are older, but still playful.  Biscuit likes to wrestle with Baby Girl now that his brother is dead.  [I miss you, Gravy!]  They are pretty happy playing with each other, but if they were solo cats I would expect about 30 minutes of play time with them every day. 

If you're already working 14 hours a day, don't get an animal that has a lot of energy.  If you leave it alone all day it will just get into trouble.  When you get home, it will require attention and play.  Cleanup.  Grooming.  Exercise.  Stuff like that. 

But people don't think. 

That is one reason I have never gotten a dog.  Not the barking, although that is pretty important.  It's the energy investment.  Dogs need more.  That isn't disrespect to dogs, because I'm sure they give more, too.  But I hardly have enough energy to scoop 4 boxes a day, feed Biscuit and Baby Girl twice a day, and make sure Ron isn't overdoing the cat treats with all of them.  Ron feeds the dry food, which is Torbie's primary meal. 

So, I've never gotten a dog. 

We finally got home and I ate a piece of pizza (glad I ordered some last night) and took my lithium.  Remember when I was really sick with the sinus thing back in January, and I couldn't eat?  I had no appetite?  Well, I learned I can take my lithium with one slice of pizza.  That was pretty important. 

I have a list of what I can and can't do with the lithium.  For instance, a salad with grilled chicken?  Good, right?  Not with lithium, I feel like I'm being stabbed to death. 

But a tuna sandwich?  Yeah, I could do that. 

I had a pretty good nap in spite of some ambient noise.  I got up, did my God time, did some computer stuff, and mainly collected 39 gallons worth of trash and took it out.  I also got the junk parts from the old Rowe Snack machine, may it rest in peace. 

I still miss my old Rowe. 

However, it would take some creep with a crowbar to destroy it, and finally make me give it up.  The door was literally falling off when I sent it back. 

Well, on the plus side, I got a good tan today waiting outside.  I don't have to worry so much about Vitamin D.