Takeaways

1. What I Take Away From This Week 2.24.14

   
   

1. Entertainment may be unexpected

You never know when you might get some. Not Bruno Mars-style entertainment, but entertainment nonetheless. What would normally be an uneventful ride downtown the other morning turned into something a little out of the ordinary. Just a little bit. This was brought to the light rail riders by the proud pushers of street drugs. This young man boarded the train, talking to himself, occasionally air boxing,and apparently feeling no pain. Higher than a kite, he soon broke into song and dance, which I share with you. The only reason I took the video was to show my co-workers that I don’t make this stuff up.

Don’t worry… he was so high, he never noticed that I was capturing his performance.

2. Exercise is not overrated

As a family…well, at least the parents of said family… we’ll be getting fitter. Hubby assembled the new stationary bike delivered to our door by Target, and it now takes up residence in our living room. It’s easier to clock miles when you’re absorbed in a recorded episode of Walking Dead. Your heart rate is up anyway. I’ve put 60 miles on the bike, and burned up a total of 2,000 calories this week, but I haven’t lost a pound. Maybe because the exercise has kicked up my appetite! It’ll all balance itself out soon enough.

That's not me!  SHE was in the ad, and did not come with the bike, much to Hubby's disappointment.

3. Check out Target's discounts

Since we’re on the subject of the bike, I feel I have to mention that I got it through Target on my REDcard. I could have purchased it at Walmart and Sears for the same price, but I got 5% off with my REDcard, which includes free shipping. As the kids would say, “Holla!”

Love Target – its coupons, Cartwheel and REDcard. The first time I saw someone bring their grocery bill down, way down, I was hooked on their system. The young girl at the head of the line threw down her coupons to bring her $24 bill down to $12.  Then she even further reduced it with an electronic scan of her Cartwheel MICR right off of her smartphone. For the big finale, she swiped her RedCard, and got her total bill down to $5 something! Those in line behind her almost applauded, and both the guy in front of me and I vowed we’d never step foot into the store again without coming in prepared. She totally inspired the shoppers who didn’t want to pay full retail.

4. Introducing Sasha – the newest addition to the family

A gift to my daughter for her 17th.  Sasha is black, of course, and while very cute, she’s more a skittish, pooping, gnawing machine than a cuddly bunny.  Like any baby, all she wants to do is chew.  The tally:  two iPod chargers, cable wire, and one Ugg.  The list is short, but very expensive.  More Sasha filled stories to follow...

5. My dog had a better Valentine’s Day than we did!

Miss Molly had a date Friday evening, or as I like to refer to it a booty call, with her beau Tucker Deuce. The last time they saw each other was June 1 of last year, the day she conceived 13 perfect lab puppies with him. Hubby is obsessing over the pup he didn’t keep, so he's decided to breed her one more time, with the goal of getting the perfect male stud to add to our already animal-filled house.

Our V-Day didn't compare to her glorious night with Tucker, with whom she played and frolicked for a couple of hours.  Since the evening ended so late, our dinner out turned into a meal of takeout, and shortly after we called it a night. Not quite as romantic.

6.“Don’t stand, don’t stand... don’t stand so close to me...”

Or sit next to me.  Or shop near me.  I’m not a people hater, but if you’re going to converse on the phone, talking to your bud like I’m not next to you, we have a problem. 

 

I’m tempted to get a name badge that says “Don’t sit next to me if you’re going to carry on a full-blown, LOUD conversation on your cell phone.” I mean, I’m talented, but not so much that I can tune you out. How am I supposed to read through your litany of blah blah blah or have a complete thought when you’re chattering in our communal space? I don’t want to hear how you lost your paycheck at the casino or how the mole on your ass is bleeding!

 

There’s also the shopper who decides to multitask by slowly pushing their grocery cart down the aisle or blocking the section you need to get to while catching up with their long-lost friend! Or that same shopper who is at check-out ON THE PHONE, more interested in her conversation than the clerk trying to move the line along. I mean how fun it must be for the clerk to have to wait for the one chatting away on her phone to take a breath so the transaction can be wrapped up.  What happened to manners? 

Another favorite is the person who doesn’t take a breath. She/he talks, and talks, and talks, as if to ensure the person on the other end can’t break her chain of thought by interjecting. That, or maybe they’re not on the phone with anyone at all! You know what I’m talking about. It happens!  Some people love to hear the sound of their own voice.