Really, my car doesn't have T.C.

I sit here at the computer waiting for the trick-or-treaters to come to my door. Will this finally be the year when NO CHILDREN come to my door? Will I be reduced to resisting large quantities of leftover candy or will I be able to get rid of all but a manageable amount? I waited until noon today to buy it so that it wouldn’t be around long enough to have to replace.

Luckily, the kids have started to ring the doorbell. Why is it that the phone rings at the same time as the doorbell? Why is it that with at least five phones in this house, there are none within reach? I run to the kitchen, answer the phone, ask them to hold, run to the front door, dispense candy, run back to the kitchen, discover the party has hung up (well, the call was for my son who has left the country…but I thought I might be able to take a message!) hang up the phone and return here, only to discover that I have wrenched the cartilage in one of my knees. Oh Joy. I crank up the music (SRV & Double Trouble – In Step) and discover with the next door bell/phone call combo that if I crank it up just a little louder, I can’t hear either! But then I remember that one of the evening’s goals is to get rid of the candy. Back to this post.

I should be paying bills…but…

Today I took my car in for the emission test that is required in Colorado before you can renew your license plates. Being the last day of the month, there were lines of cars filled with the other procrastinators. While I can sympathize with this as being one of the worst jobs on earth, I think these emission technicians get some kind of sick pleasure out of being contrary and difficult. Since you only have to get inspections every couple of years, I forgot about my car and the discrepancy of traction control. My car does not have traction control but their computers say that it does. The only reason this makes any difference is that there are separate lines for cars with traction control and those without. I always get in the line for cars without traction control because there are more of them (lines that is) and they move faster (and because my car DOESN’T HAVE TRACTION CONTROL). After a 15 minute wait in line, they started testing my car. Then they notified me that my car had traction control and would have to go through the special line. I argued with the ‘technician’ to no avail. He said he would put me at the front of the traction control line and then he proceeded to direct me to the BACK of the traction control line where I waited for an extra 30 minutes. GAAAAA!!!! I guess it doesn’t pay to argue. I was kind of worried that a technician would do something subversive to my car if I argued any more – call me paranoid if you like. Now my little mission is to get a note from my mechanic (certified, of course) that my car DOESN’T HAVE TRACTION CONTROL. I have two years to get this note – I think that is enough time.

Well, Pat (our all-black kitty) is whining to get out but I don’t think this is a very good night for Pat to be out so in Pat stays. In case you were wondering, in the photo from yesterday, Pat wasn’t snarling at the camera but YAWNING. Pat has a very big mouth!

Dark Days of Fall

Sunday evening, on the eve of Halloween, you know, the end of Daylight Saving Time. So today, my circadian rhythm is off AND it gets DARK by 5 p.m. Thus begins the period when you get off of work in the dark. Not something comforting to me. I went to bed too late last night and got up too early and couldn’t guess what time it was all day long. So I sat around in my warm robe because it was also gray and cold and read The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen. If you like reading about dysfunctional families, this is the book for you. I don’t recommend it to you if you are feeling down and it is the first day back on Standard Time. It may even make you feel worse. I finally managed to get up, shed the robe, take a shower and go out to buy cat food. It is raining which may turn to snow over night. Yippee. Tomorrow is bound to be a better day. The good news is that although I kept telling myself all day that we lose an hour when we ‘fall behind’, the truth is that we gain an hour. That is like getting a good night sleep AND a nap.

Coffee Tea....Not Me

Captain’s Log: CD #3

Not very far into the mission really. Only on Coffee Date # 3. We met at An Artful Cup. He was there ahead of me, already seated in the very back, the only customer there, with his cup of tea. He stood up, looking exactly like his photos and said, You must be Delilah (my real name, of course). I went to the counter and ordered my cup of coffee, (obligatory on a coffee date, don’t you think at least one of us must order coffee??) It was the longest couple of minutes while she made the latte. I felt like I should be conversing with Martin from across the room instead of just standing there. The first awkward moment of our soon to be short-lived relationship. In retrospect, that was probably when he decided that there would be no MATCH. The coffee was served in one of those absurdly large cups with saucer. I had to take a deep breath and talk myself into confidently walking across the room to our table without dropping or spilling the coffee (I was literally shaking from nervousness). Martin was nice and obviously intelligent. He asked questions, gave thoughtful answers, and he had a charming smile with accompanying twinkle in his eye. He has six (yes six) years of online dating experience to talk about and I did appreciate his perspective. I found him interesting and attractive enough that I would have been willing to go out with him. However, he announced a little over an hour into the CD, that he did not think there was any point in going any further. He emphasized that I was a charming and intelligent woman but that the ‘match’ just wasn’t there. He also was very careful to tell me that I should not take it personally and wished me luck in my search. I thanked him for his honesty and also wished him well in his search. I was not upset, just kind of shocked at how abrupt the man was – he must have a very detailed idea of the woman he has in mind.

I like to think about what others have to say and Martin had some interesting observations about life. He said that people like us (assuming that he is talking about intelligent, well-educated, liberal ? not quite sure how to put into words what he meant by ‘people like us’) are statistically less likely to find someone because we are out of the ordinary or ‘not average’ If you are average – statistically your chances are better of finding someone because there are more of you! You get the picture. I think he admitted that being too introspective can be a hindrance – that it is good to counter introspection with simple activities and getting joy out of simple maybe even mindless pleasures. He also talked about how sometimes it is better not to know all of the details and that once you know the details, you can’t undo that knowledge.

On my drive home, I vowed not to invest too much in these coffee dates. What I mean by that is that I won’t spend a lot of time getting ready and will try not to let my heart or mind get ahead of me. Does that sound cynical? I don’t feel that way – I will look forward to meeting each man and looking for the good and positive in him. If there is mutual interest that would be great. If not, it’s back to the drawing boards – nothing ventured, nothing gained. I also shed a small tear on the way home. It was not for Martin though rather a tug in my heart over my feelings for Sam. Looking forward to the rest of my week-end.

The beginning of time

The beginning of time….blogger time. From now on all writing in my life will be labeled B.P.L. or A.P.L. By way of introduction, why am I starting this blog? There are many reasons which will be revealed over time. I am, at heart, a diarist and have stacks of paper notebooks with my writing scattered from one to many, in no particular order. Recently, I have begun corresponding via email and would like a way to consolidate all of my thoughts in one organized space. So, in a rambling way, I am starting PL to organize my life. If anyone choses to read my thoughts or even comment, so much the better. I am familiar and comfortable with the online experience (although I have some all-too-real understanding of the pitfalls of online communication). Why do I put my blogger diary out in public? Like at least some other diarists, I write so that someday, somehow others will know what my life was like, what it was like to live inside of my head. I also love to read historical diaries as a way of understanding what life was like in the past.

Like many other online devotees, I have online friends who support me and for whom I have a great deal of respect and who have inspired me to start here. We’re damn good typists too! I am of an age where at one time, being considered a good typist would be a skill worthy of derision. Long live feminism, may it rear its strong head again someday.