Day in the Life of an Idiot

 Sorry, everybody.

It's actually been a really big week for me, being my birthday week, but I seem to have completely forgotten to update you all on any of it. I have about fifteen minutes before I need to head out, so let's see what I can tell you about in that amount of time.

I turned 58 on Tuesday. 

I have never been one of those people who hates birthdays or the idea of growing older. I love every single birthday (with the sole exception of the one that I spent driving back from Indiana.) But, generally, I am all about starting to celebrate my birthday as soon as possible and, this year, I started on November 3 (my birthday is the 18th). One of the things that I very expressly asked my wife for was time to game. Normally we fuss a bit because, if I had my way, I'd be running D&D every single weekend that my players was available.  So, for November, I've played D&D every single weekend so far--which has been tremendous fun. It's come to a close, however, as the Thanksgiving prep is in full swing. 

Shawn always takes my birthday off work. She also almost always takes her own birthday off, too, as did I when I was working. In fact one of the funniest conversations I ever had with a boss was when I was working as a itenerent library page for Ramsey County Library. My boss at the time, Lee Ann, was a fellow Scorpio. She also used to call all the pages to see where and when they'd be available. The 18th was floated for me and I just said, "Sorry, that's my birthday." She seemed stunned. She said, "Well, tomorrow is my birthday and I'm working," and I said, "That sounds sad. You should take your birthday off." Apparently, this is not something that regularly occurs to adults. Lee Ann seemed very stunned and afronted. But, I've long embraced the fact that I'm not a normal adult.

Side story, but part of birthday week for me has been getting to go get fancy coffee in the mornings. I discovered that one of the barista at Claddaugh really, really loves rocks. So, I've started carrying rocks in my pockets again just to show her the ones I've collected. Yesterday, I pulled out the Thomsonsite that I have from our trips to Bearskin and showed it off. Other people were interested so a bunch of adults started oohing and ahhing over cool rocks. And it reminded me of that meme that goes around with the guy who is sad because the worst part of being an adult is that no one ever (shows you a cool rock, is one version, or) asks you your favorite dinosaur. So, we very quickly all started sharing our favorite dinosaurs, as well. Take that, adulthood!  You can't diminish my love for cool rocks and dinosaurs!  NEVER GO QUIETLY INTO THE LONG DARK! LOVE ROCKS! LOVE DINOSAURS!

The other thing I love to do is go out to eat. I am especially fond of breakfast or brunch out. I love me a good greasy spoon, too. I have had my family take me out to the Egg & I, but this year we went to Day by Day. which is slightly less grease and more hippy/recovery community. I pushed out the boat (and as Shawn has been adding lately, and got into it! Because you don't want to "push out the boat" and then "miss the boat") and had their buscuits and gravy. Not a safe meal for a 58 year old, but look at me, living on the edge!  Do I know how to party, or what?

We also went out for dinner, which, in our family, is borders on insanity. Like, we were seriously living it up. Dinner was Taste of India out in Maplewood, a place that I've been going to for my birthday for decades. 

The only pall on the day was the fact that I forgot my cell phone at home and so I missed the MONARCA text about the Federal action in Midway. It's probably just as well. Pepper spray got deployed and no one wants to be pepper sprayed for their birthday. (I mean, maybe sabotabby does?) I did feel bad for missing it as my friends naomikritzer and resolute were there doing the good work.

So that's me? How's you?

 Yesterday was a... bad work day.  Sunday is always a weird day to have to go into work, but I also managed to get it into my head that I worked from noon to 5 pm, when, in fact, as I discovered when I flipped over the calendar page, I worked from 11 am to 5 pm.  When did I discover this?  11:15 am. 

That was the first hassle of the day. 

To be fair, I didn't really sweat it. I felt like an idiot hopping into the car already late, but I knew there was no way I could race there (Shoreview) in a decent amount of time.  I was going to end up working noon to 5, and so that's what I put down on my timesheet when I arrived. My colleagues were unimpressed, but not terribly angry. Subs routinely space out and totally forget entire shifts. I, at least, managed to make it there for five out of the six hours.  Not great, but not actually AWFUL.

The real hassle?  I managed to fall off a stool while shelving in the kids' section.

For reasons known only to the Shoreview Library furniture buying person, there are these intentionally tipsy bouncy chairs strewn throughout the children's area. I guess they're fun when you're five?  When you're fifty and you're expecting your butt to connect to something solid, they are MUCH LESS FUN.  I went sprawling (in front of everyone, too,) and managed to deeply bruise my butt and my hip and my shoulder. And, because I am fifty and not five, I'm still suffering today.

Thank god(s) for ibuprofen.

And, an hour ago, my boss called. They're in desperate straits, can I please, please pretty please work for a few hours in New Brighton? OMG I wanted to say no, but I've been saying no a lot lately, and it was time for a 'yes.' I still managed to negotiate for a slightly shorter shift, but only because of the pain in my butt.

Did you miss me?

The family and I were in LaCrosse, WI, visiting my folks. It was a bittersweet trip this time because my great aunt Clara has been moved to a nursing home after two strokes (at least). Nursing homes are depressing, even really nice ones like the place Clara is. Then, I've come back to a pile of e-mail (most of it junk), and a rainy, dreary day.

The only cool thing that's happened (so far), is that today is Mason's first day back at school. He's now a second grader, who, incidently, had the poor judgement to spend the summer growing out of all but one pair of black slacks. We knew he was probably growing -- they do, these kids, like weeds. But we were secretly hoping that the weather would be nice enough to send him off to school in shorts until we could go shopping on the weekend. We'll have to go tonight, alas.

Mason's school loops, so he should have had the same teacher. But, she had a baby over the summer, so Mason has a new teacher, who we met at the open house last Thursday. She's very nice. Keeps a tidy room (but for how long, one wonders.) We got the sense this morning, however, that she'd never had a first day of school as a subsitute... she seemed a bit overwhelmed by all the photographs and heilocoptering that happens on the very first day back. Ah well. I'm sure Mason will tell her all about any routines she does differently from Ms. H., the previous teacher.

I'm off to go work out. First time in about four months. Wish me well.