Kill Me Now and Spare Me the Pain Pointe

2005-10-11

I would like to add to my list of beloved kitchen appliances, if I may:

Electric Griddle -- This is great for pancakes, hamburgers, and grilled cheese sandwiches. Nowadays we're eating more pancakes, so that's mainly why I'm loving it. The best is that the model we have is teflon coated and dishwasher friendly, and anyone who knows me knows how much I hate washing things by hand. Score!

Rice Cooker -- We got our rice cooker as a gift in the fall of 1993 [and yes, it IS a little creepy that I know exactly when we got it], and it wasn't an expensive, computerized model, but that thing continues to make perfect rice even unto this day. When we received it, I thought it was nice but we probably wouldn't use it very much, and boy was I wrong! For one thing, before we got the cooker, I hated making rice. I apparently lack some important neural pathway that helps me remember to hang around the stove while the rice is heating to boiling, because pretty much every time I made rice, I'd forget and the rice would boil over. It was quite vexing, let me tell you. So much of my love for the rice cooker comes from being able to break the wrist push the button and walk away. I'm getting a little misty-eyed just thinking about it, really. Rice is good.

The Salad Spinner -- Not an appliance, but a gadget, so it falls into a subcategory. I asked my mom for the salad spinner for xmas or a birthday and she surely thought I was nuts for wanting it, but we eat salad maybe 5 out of 7 days per week, so it's gotten tons of use. I hate hate hate wet lettuce in salads; that salad spinner is a dogsend.

I had to deal with the federal government today, for my job, and of course I got the runaround. The first guy I talked to (in what we shall call "Office #1) gave me some fachacta information I completely doubted (and which later Did turn out to be wrong), and referred me to Office #2. The guy in Office #2 was pretty snippy. He told me he didn't know what I was talking about and he didn't have access to any of Office #1's information. I asked him what he would suggest I do to straighten the mess out, and he (rather reluctantly) said he could conference through to Office #1; a suggestion I leapt upon eagerly. I asked him to please do that, that I would appreciate it very much, and he put me on hold while he set that up. Just as a brief explanation, the problem I wanted to discuss was that I did not get a response to some information I reported to Office #1, via Office #2's internet software program (it's boring and a little complicated, but this is the gist of things). When the call went through and connected me and Office #2 to Office #1, I was privvy to some exciting stuff, namely, an argument that was trying to be civil but was failing.

Office #1 (a lady who, in a stereotypical Wisconsin accent, spoke to me like I was 3 years old): Okay well, Eva, I show that we sent a response to that on September 26th.
Office #2: I show that went out on September 23.
Office #1: No, there was nothing that went out on the 23rd; it went out on the 26th.
Office #2: There was nothing in her mailbox from you on the 26th; I show it went out on the 23rd.
Eva: *absolutely delighted--wishing for popcorn*
Office #1: No, I show it going out on the 26th.
Office #2: There was nothing that went out on the 26th; I show it on the 23rd.
Office #1: Well *I* show it on the 26th--Eva, can you hold while I try to figure this out?
Eva: Sure.
*LOUD COUNTRY MUSIC BEGINS TO PLAY IN MY EAR.*
Eva: Well *I* show I didn't get that fucker at ALL.
Office #2: I see it going out on the 23rd; I guess this explains why you didn't get it.
Eva: [*oh shit, I didn't realize he could hear me! Distraction Sequence: Activated*] Yeah, it does! Hey, how about this music? Wanna dance? I don't know about you, but this song makes me want a fried bologna sandwich and a Mountain Dew.
Office #2: *polite chuckle*

After approximately one million years on hold, listening to horrible music, Office #1 came back to say she doesn't know what happened to the information I was supposed to get back and that her office would regenerate the file and put it in the electronic mailbox so I could download it. I have to say, I feel Completely Vindicated. I KNEW I didn't get the file, but when I called last Friday (and talked to the same two offices) they were both insisting I had. Vindicated, I say!

So hello; I haven't updated for a few days. Things I have done since the last update:

1) Visited the most horrible place on earth last Friday night. We went there because Sharky and his friend, Ryan, were invited to a girl classmate's birthday party--they were the only 2 boys invited and they each insist the birthday girl is in love with them and the other was invited along out of politeness. It was a roller skating party, so we dropped them at the rink and saw the new Wallace and Gromit movie at the theater. I was sort of hoping they'd have History of Violence, but after we got there it was clear it was not That kind of movie theater. Anyway, the movie was pretty short, so after checking in with the boys, we made our way to [thank you baby Jesus!] the Palace Pointe bar--a great testament to the planners' foresight and thinking ability. We each got a beer ["you sure you don't want a pitcher?"] and drank it while talking about the future and watching other people bowl. I have to tell you, watching teenagers interact is heinous and painful and I feel, now more than ever, that teenagers should be isolated from one another during those adolescent years. I'm not entirely kidding when I say that; they're pretty repulsive en masse. Visit Palace Pointe if you don't believe me--you'll be suicidal within two hours, tops.

2) Took a railroad track walk [photo evidence at Flickr].

3) Saw Serenity for the second time, on Sunday afternoon. I liked that movie even more the second time around; it is Fantastic. Eleven erect thumbs. Slight tangent--is it just me or are movie trailers really terrible nowadays? Mostly when I see a movie trailer now I think that even if I wanted to see the movie, there's no need, since the trailer showed me everything that happens. Also, there was a trailer for a movie I can't remember the name of, but the trailer itself was so boring that there's no way the movie could be good. It might be called 'Stay' or something like that. I know it was a short word and started with an S, for sure. Avoid whatever movie that is!

4) Watched Francisco clean out the refrigerator. Took pictures and made smartass comments.

5) Moved everything off the kitchen counters and scrubbed them but Good with 'Barkeep's Friend' cleansing powder.

6) Ate chicken mole, made in the crockpot.

7) Watched several soccer matches.

8) Knitted.

9) Thought excitedly about what I'm going to purge from our house when I begin the pre-packing, purging process. I love to get rid of things.

This morning I was reminded of something I wanted to tell you about Esther. Almost every time I pick up the cats' dry food bowl and have refilled it from their food container (located in the kitchen closet), I find Esther sitting in front of where the food bowl goes, facing the empty place in a dignified manner, even if she wasn't in the kitchen when I picked the bowl up. I usually call her madame, as in, "Here you go, madame; I'm sorry to have kept you waiting", and I make sure to serve from the right, since her posture suggests she will accept nothing less than correct etiquette. That cat overfloweth with weird little habits; I love it.

Song of the Day: Dios Malos -- Say Anything, at The Camera as Pen.

I don't know exactly why I've been posting less frequently in recent weeks (months?) but I'm resolved to start posting every day again, even if they're just short entries. This is more for me than anyone who might happen to be reading; writing feels like a good thing for my brain. So, I'll see you tomorrow!

Love,
E |

cats-kittens

come over some time & see me - 2011-02-25
let's not say goodbye - 2011-02-23
the Rachel Zoe collection - 2011-02-10
I feel happy today - 2011-02-04
the tiny snow stalker - 2011-01-25

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