Sick Day

I took the day off, a real sickie, Boris hoped I would feel better soon.

Oh, it wasn't a complete lie, I have continuing shoulder pain, but not really enough to stop me working.

You know, I have a mountain of sick leave accrued, I think I might take it. What can they do? Nothing.

As soon as Sam left for the office, I headed to the bakery to get a muffin to have with my second cup of coffee. But, being Monday, the bakery was closed. I stood on the corner of my street with disappointment washing over me.

I bought a 1 terabyte hard drive from Fitzroy Officeworks. I wished I'd bought the 2 terabyte version. I wanted to return it, but I lost the receipt. Stupid me, I never lose receipts. So, I had a go at returning it without a receipt, but the fat, blond slag on the counter with poor teeth was having none of it.

"Not without a receipt."

"But, it's not like I want my money back," I said. "I actually want to pay you more money."

"See if you can find a bank statement showing the purchase?"

I, actually, had an idea I paid cash for it? Anyway, I couldn't say anything, I lost the receipt like a doof. I'll just never shop there again. Ha, ha, ha. Chuckle.

I went to the Salvos to see what CDs they had for $1. While I was looking, one of lifes losers turns up pushed in next to me. He came in under my arm there was so little room, and I, according to him, elbowed him in the head. I believed my elbow touched his head. He complained. I had headphones in so, mercifully, I couldn't really hear him. The next thing he was pushing into me on my other side.

"Move over," he said. "I want to look at these disks."

I switched off my music. "Huh?"

"Move over and look at those ones over there, I wanna look at these.'

"I'll be finished looking in a minute, mate."

"Oh, yes, everyone has to work around you, I see."

"What?" He tried to stare me down with his rat face. "I was here first, hang on a minute."

"Oh yes, you always think you are first, probably. I know your kind."

I turned the music up and pretended he wasn't there at all.

He said more, but I couldn't hear him. Then he vanished. His type don't want to look at the produce, they just want a distraction from their miserable lives.

I spent $10 on 10 CDs. BB King, Pete Murray, Alanis Morissette, M People, Cafe del Mar, Neil Diamond Hot August Night, Van Morrison and Diana Krall.

I bought a cinnamon scroll on the way home, from Falco. I made more coffee when I got home. 

I watched two movies, a straight movie Lie With Me, and a gay Acrobat, as I uploaded my new CDs to iTunes.

The two dogs slept at my feet all day.

I wrote my journal.

Sam got home 5pm and we took the woofs for a walk.

The Warming Planet

 

Doodle

This was a doodle I did in my last finance zoom meeting as the others were yap, yap, yaping on. I saw it on my note pad when I went into the office last. I bought it home and finished it and coloured it.

I like doing art work. I don't care if they are good, or bad. They are just fun to do.

Lovely Saturday

Saturday, the loveliest day of the week. The day that has no peers. It is a do-whatever-you-like day, further enhanced by being followed by a do-whatever-you-like day. No other day of the week has that.

I've still got three days off, as I'm taking a sickie on Monday. Monday is one of Sam's rare days that he has to go to his office, so I am taking the day off to look after the woofs.

I'm supposed to be in my office, so it is a good day to take off. Fuck them for making me go back into the office when it is soooooo pointless. It is one of the advantages of working for a company for many years and hardly ever taking a sick day. 

What can they say? Nothing. I'm taking a sick day.

(Still trying to get up the courage to resign)

Sam makes coffee and the aroma of coffee fills the lounge room. That smell always takes me back to mornings in a European city, Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, the fresh food market in Florence, Athens, ah, that evocative smell.

The sun comes out and it is a lovely morning.

So far, we have no plans for today. Sam mentioned something about driving to the country. We'll see.

Nah, we're off for lunch and then to the beach. Fish & chips by the sea anyone?

Two Days Off

Two days off where I did nothing, really fuck all. Collecting beauty art images for my own enjoyment.

I must go back to the gym. I haven't gone since New Year. Ah! How did that happen?

From doing fuck all on my days off, I guess. 

We all talk about time like it is some huge thing, and yet it just slips by so easily. Like water through your fingers. Like walking down a street and when you look, the reflections in the shop windows have suddenly changed. Like a whisper in the wind. Like a blink of an eye.

My copy of Abbey Road arrived, a remastered 2009 copy for $10, cheaper than a monthly subscription, I reckon, so I listened to that non stop. I'm still trying to like The Beatles, because everybody likes The Beatles, and I never have, not really. I guess I am liking them.

Renee Geyer, Renee Geyer

My copy of Renee Geyer's remastered first album, with 6 extra tracks arrived. So, I listened to that all day, as I lay on the couch doing nothing else.

Why do I still buy CDs? (and buy tracks from iTunes) I hear you ask? Well, I'm just not buying into the monthly subscription model. Tied up forever paying money to someone? No. I find the infinite choice mind boggling, anyway. And if I really want to listen to a new track, I can listen to the free Spotify, I just mute the ads. And in the end, if I cancel my subscription, which I have done, I still have my music collection.

We have got rid of all our pay TV channels too. Yeah, sure there are some shows we want to watch - more often than not, Sam finds a free trial deal anyway for specific shows - but mostly we found we were just watching shows that we, probably, wouldn't otherwise watch.

Wednesday, Mid Week

I didn't win lotto. You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it.

Actually, I won $5 less than the ticket cost me. Good job. 👍

Warren Buffett wouldn't approve.

Wednesday, though. Hump Day. Funny how people hate Wednesdays, and yet I find them utterly delightful. They make up derogatory names for Wednesday. Woe Day. Slow Day. Bad Day. Wednesday's Child. Always a struggle day. Computer Problems day, oh, well, maybe that was just today.

But, when Wednesday is your new Friday, you can't help but have a soft spot for them.

Ug! Who can work 5 days. When I work full time for Boris, when she is making her annual pilgrimage to the motherland, I find my weeks interminable. Never ending. You meet yourself coming back on Monday from Friday.

I worked all day, started early, naturally. It was uneventful. Well, I ask you, whatever happens on a Wednesday? People left me alone. Boris and I got on and did our thing. We did what we do best, worked together, a team of two. We sorted everything out, Boris and I. And I finished early, of course, actually 4pm, so not as early as I'd like.

Then I did one of my favourite things and collected mid 20th Century modernist photography & art. You know, because art is joy. It gives you so much. An understanding of the world. An understanding of yourself.

Apparently, the Winston Churchill quote about when he was asked to cut funding to the arts in order to support the war effort in World War II, he responded, “Then what would we be fighting for?” from all accounts isn't something he said, but it doesn't make it any less true.

And a lovely time was had. Chuckle.

I had indigestion all day, I'm not sure why.