Yeah, I'm Addicted To Twitter

I hate that I get much of my news, and spend much of my time, doomscrolling on it.  It sucks so much out of me.  First of all, it sucks so much of my time.  Second of all, it is by far the application with the biggest drain of energy out of my phone.  That should be logical, but I swear that it is taking more than it did from my old iPhone, and it's taken more ever since Elon Musk bought it.

And speaking of Musk, I am seeing how Twitter/X has gone from a reputable social media site with standards to one that only pushes Republican shitposters and repeatedly and shamelessly upsells you on stuff I have no interest in buying at all.  The latter is annoying, but unfortunately, the former keeps me tuned in because my outrage keeps getting pushed with any tweet that I either like or hate.  I haven't bought anything from Musk, but I damn well know he is still making money off of me the way I am hooked on that site.

Like I did just now.  I just spent five minutes looking through Twitter/X.  There were some sports tweets, which I enjoy, but a lot of it was about politics, and if I liked that it was bashing Republicans, I like-like-liked it to my heart's content.  And I need to get on my roller, brush my teeth, and go to bed instead of doing that.  Like I said, I'm addicted.  I wonder if I could live without it.  And I wonder if I should.

I Was Late, So I'm Slipping Into Delinquency Again

So there is a new attendance policy that came into effect August 1 -- have I blog posted about this already? -- and everybody was so up in arms about it it felt like this is a big sign that the company would shut down here.  This change frightened and ultimately chastened me, however; beginning August 1, I have never been late.  I have always been able to clock in at the top of the hour when I'm supposed to.  That is something that, at one point at this job, I found impossible to do.

But I broke that streak yesterday/Wednesday morning.  I wanted to get McDonald's on the way to work, but unfortunately I didn't leave the house early like I've managed to since August 1.  Add that I decided to order an egg-and-cheese bagel which I had to take a few minutes to eat, and once I pulled in and had only two minutes before the top of the hour came, I decided to be late so I could somewhat relax while eating my bagel.  Besides, I don't think I would get a demerit if I was five minutes late -- will I?

I finished my bagel (and drank all the orange juice I always bought at Mickey D's).  I left my bookbag and didn't put up the shades to block the sunlight from entering my car because I needed to make sure I wasn't too late.  I clocked in four minutes after I should have.  The first thing I did when I turned on my workstation was to check the tardiness policy again.  Yep -- at least you have five minutes of grace before there is a "point" marked against you.

Good that I don't have a black mark put on my permanent record.  Going back to my car to retrieve the rest of my stuff and put up all my shades later in the morning was the right thing to do.  But now that I have confirmed I have five minutes to work with, you damn right I will use it as often as possible!

I'm a rebel (again)!

Buddha Bless You, Bathroom Doorknob

Random thought, but one of the few things from my house that has remained as is as long as I can remember are the doors, in particular the door to my bathroom.  There is one component I am now astonished with because I realized recently that it has been there all my life: The lock.  I go into the bathroom and push in and turn the knob, and it locks.  This doorknob has been on this door all my life, at least I think, and it has never not worked.  You would think that at some point it would have broken and I would have locked myself in the bathroom, but that hasn't happened, at least not yet.  It continues to do its job, decades after it was installed, and I am now blown away at how it continues to function.  It really is amazing, and I'm so glad that it has been so reliable.  This thing might even outlive me.

I Hate The Third Department Now

I used to love it.  It was in a quiet part of the building, I got up to speed on my tasks quickly, and it felt as though the workload was so manageable that I had plenty of downtime to sneak in Internet surfing.  And if there was a buildup of work, or work that was difficult, there was always one person in that two-person department you could rely on for help.

That cushy cushion is gone after my co-worker got laid off/fired (but we don't talk about it).  There is now only one person dedicated each day to The Third Department, and when the person who wasn't fired needs a day off, someone else has to step in and try not to skip a beat.  That was me yesterday/Monday, and that is me today/Tuesday, and seeing how yesterday/Monday went, I fucking hate this goddamn job again.

What basically felt like, oh, a day where you could relax for a quarter of the time with two people now feels like 1 1/2 days of work for one person.  Add to that all the work that seemed to pile up both Sunday and Saturday (which surprises me; someone is supposed to work on at least some of the stuff that goes through that position on Saturdays), and I was behind the eight ball from the moment I stepped in.  And I hate that feeling.  I have a checklist I rely on to make sure all the stuff I absolutely have to do gets done.  And I got frustrated, perhaps visibly so, as the day wore on, more high-priority stuff came in that took precedence over what I was working on at that time, and I saw that I wasn't going to get done with all the stuff I needed to get done.  There were tasks that I was going to do that I didn't get to, and I'm not sure if I'm going to catch hell with my supervisor and/or boss.  If I do, I might snap at them and say that I only have eight hours in a day.

Oh, by the way ... yes, I would stay late in The Fourth Department.  This is different.  For one, I have never had a history of working overtime in The Third Department, so I'm not starting now (well, I stayed 20 minutes late yesterday/Monday because I was waiting for a fax confirmation that never arrived).  Second, I felt, and still feel, pressure that every piece of new work in The Fourth Department has to be worked on that day.  I don't feel that kind of pressure in The Third, and besides, new stuff comes much more frequently in The Third, so if I had to touch every single new form that came my way there, I would regularly stay past ten hours.  Things are so open-ended in The Third that staying late to accrue overtime would raise many, many red flags, much more so than the hell I catch in The Fourth if I stay late.

With that being said, my stress level yesterday/Monday was off the charts, and it blindsided me.  And it didn't help that my co-workers kind of got under my skin.  Nothing I want to type out here, but little comments from them rubbed me the wrong way.  I usually jam my earbuds into my ears to block out the noise, and even though I still had a bad day, encasing myself in my own aural bubble remains the best way for me to work.

Still, after all I've said and tried to do, there were calls I needed to make but didn't, and forms that needed to be filled out but weren't because I didn't know what to do.  And since it's a new day, there's more crap that I need to do.  I am hoping the backlog of work isn't as bad as it was yesterday/Monday, but I think there will enough crap to make today/Tuesday a headache.  And again, who knows what trouble I will get from the mistakes I have inevitably made yesterday/Monday?

The Third Department isn't a one-person job.  The Fourth Department might be, and I surprise myself when I say that, but I have learned enough of it to say I can "handle" it.  Not with The Third, at least not right now.  It is too much, and more days like the one I just had will friggin' break me.

The Weekly Minnesota Sports Survey

Positive Numbers: Lynx (Last Week: 0).  The seven local teams in this Week's WMNSS went a combined 14-3.  If you lop off the ballclub bringing up the rear (and I think you can guess who that is), the other six went 11-0.  I don't think we've had that perfect of a run that far through a survey in The Weekly Minnesota Sports Survey's history.

So I am going to have to be unfair to a lot of squads.  I mean, one of them is going to have to be next-to-last this screening Week.  So I look at things such as overall form and how significant the Wins a team has this Week are to its postseason hopes.  And when you factor in those tie-breakers, I have to put the Lynx on top again.  They're the hottest club in the WNBA, running the table this Week and currently being on a six-Game winning streak.  And it's not insignificant the teams they beat.  They trounced the Dream, who are fighting for the final playoff spot, Tuesday in Atlanta by a dozen; they beat the hell out of the Sky, another team still alive for the postseason, at home on Friday the 13th by 17.  (Aside: The three-way fight for the eighth and final playoff spot is intense.  As of right now, Atlanta, Chicago, and the Washington Mystics are in a three-way tie ... albeit with a record of 13.25.)  Most impressive of all, yesterday/Sunday afternoon they went into Brooklyn and bested The Best Team In The W, The New York Liberty, 88-79.  Now, they basically have home-court advantage locked up ... even though the Lynx are only two Games behind, so if Minnesota wins both its remaining Games and New York loses both of its remaining, they'd be tied, and maybe the Lynx have the tie-breaker?  But even if the Libs didn't care about this Match that much, Minnesota went out and won it.

The Connecticut Sun have slowed down a bit, so they are now two Games behind the Lynx, so it looks like Minnesota has second place all sewn up, which is a fantastic feat considering they've been behind the Sun for pretty much the whole season.  And their Defense remains one being compared to ones in the league's history books.  This team deserves Positive Numbers.  And I'm getting the word out: They have a decent shot of winning the title.

They finish the regular season with contests at Connecticut tomorrow/Tuesday and home versus The Worst Team In The League, Los Angeles, Thursday.

#0: Gopher soccer (Last Week: -2).  Expectations low as they are, winning conference Matches on the road is a big deal for a scuffling Golden Gopher soccer program.  So I think it is notable that they traveled to Champaign on Thursday and defeated Illinois, 1-0, on a Penalty Kick by Sophia Boman in the 88th Minute.  And then the squad finished their non-con by beating North Dakota St. at Robbie yesterday/Sunday afternoon also by a score of 1-0 on a 49th Minute tally by Khyah Harper, who now has nine Goals on the season.

This is the fact that pushed this U. football team over the local pro football team: At 7-1-0, they are undefeated through eight Games for the first time since 2008.  That has got to mean they can bob their heads above water, at least for a little bit.

This Week: Can they keep up this nearly-unblemished pace against Michigan Thursday at home and at Wisconsin Sunday afternoon?

#-1: Vikings (Last Week: -1).  I didn't give the Vikes much of a chance to beat the 49ers.  I mean, they are The Defending NFC Champions -- would you?  But damn, they pulled off the upset, winning yesterday/Sunday afternoon, 23-17!  The big plays are what stand out to me; the Vikings picked off Brock Purdy once and recovered one Fumble (even though the Vikings returned exactly an Interception and a Fumble in kind), and there was that gorgeous 97-Yard moonshot from Sam Darnold to Justin Jefferson (with an assist, by the way, to Jalen Nailor, who was that "1P" guy with the arrow pointing out of the screen of the video game you were playing but raced down the field to screen a Niners defender so JJ could reach the far pylon and score).  But it's the Defense that really told the story.  Despite giving up 102 Yards rushing (and this is without Christian McCaffrey, who was put on the Injured List), San Francisco was a combined 3-for-13 in converting on 3rd and 4th Downs.  If Brian Flores wasn't suing the shit out of the NFL, The New York Giants might hire him as their Head Coach in the next month.

Strange fact: The 49ers have lost their last eight Games in Minnesota, a losing streak that stretches back to 1992.  And the Vikings have started a season 2-0 for the first time since 2016.  (Note that Kirk Cousins was the starting Quarterback for the Vikes from 2018 till last Year.)  I caught the Second Half of Houston's Win over Chicago on Sunday Night Football.  They don't seem to be great shakes.  The Texans come up here next Sunday.  Can Minnesota, a squad no one thought would go anywhere this season (including me!) go to 3-0?  Yes, they can!

#-2: United FC (Re-Entry!).  I'm stealing this observation from someone on Twitter/X: The Leagues Cup has sapped such momentum from league play that I'm not sure if I care about this side right now.  I haven't been to a Match since August 24.  Before then, because they were eliminated in the Group Stage, they had three Weeks to twiddle their thumbs and practice.  Major League Soccer took a quick one-Week International Break around Labor Weekend.  And it does not help at all that the last two tilts they've played been on the road.  This franchise is a rumor, and you don't want to be swept off the sports pages once the NFL gets up and running.

That being said, they won their last two Matches, both on the road, including Saturday's convincing 3-1 triumph in St. Louis.  Now, City (and, before that club, San Jose), are technically the two worst teams in the Western Conference.  But you have to win those Games, and win the Loons did.  And because of that, they hold down the ninth and final playoff berth by five Points over Dallas and Austin.  There are six Matches left, and it kind of sucks to go on the road for the Play-In Game, but considering that you can't change the mid-season swoon they had, they're in a not-bad spot.

This Week I finally get to see a team I'm paying good money to see Wednesday as they host a really good XI, FC Cincinnati.  They then visit the third-worst team in the West, Sporting Kansas City, Saturday night.

#-3: Gopher volleyball (Last Week: -3).  Went 3-0 this Week, sweeping all three opponents, but it's not like they're playing those undefeated Penn St. teams from the past.  They beat St. Thomas and then, for their Diet Coke Classic, Long Island and Auburn.  These women were able to re-establish themselves after losing consecutive five-Seat Games the weekend prior, but I'm not sure that these victories prove that the U. is a really good team right now.

Next weekend the Gophers finish up non-conference action in Green Bay, where they play hosts Wisconsin-Green Bay, then North Dakota and Chicago St.  It's a fall from grace to see this program decide to be a bully in some nameless volleyball tournament.  

#-4: Gopher football (Re-Entry!).  Note: I have made it a rule, even if I made it just now, that I will not note when these Gophers play a team from a lower division, like Rhode Island two Saturdays ago.  But a Mountain West school getting left behind by more powerful ones defecting for the Pac-12, such as Nevada?  Yeah, that should be noted here, as well as the result: 27-0, marking back-to-back shutouts for the Goofers.

But I don't know if that will last.  They host Iowa Saturday.

#-5: Twins (Last Week: -4).  I forgot to add in last Week's WMNSS Manager Rocco Baldelli's quote where, after they got swept by the Royals, he called his club's play "unprofessional baseball" and left the post-Game press conference.  I'm not sure a 3-3 screening Week is going to change his mind (the Twinks won the series vs. Anaheim but lost the won vs. Cincinnati, and both were at Target).  With 13 Games left in the regular season, you want to be gaining momentum, yet the Twinks have Pablo Lopez, Bailey Ober, and a Bullpen that you can't trust, plus a Lineup that still isn't at full power because Carlos Correa just got back from his complicated injury.

Worse than that, the Twins are equidistant from ALWC2, the Royals, as they are from Detroit and Seattle and postseason oblivion.  They're going to have to right the ship during a big and potentially fatal screening Week.  They are in Cleveland for a four-Game set with the Guardians starting tonight/Monday night, then travel to Fenway Park and play a trio against Boston, a team still on the fringes of the Wild Card race, beginning on Friday.  This Week could break this team.

Uh-Oh. MAGAt Frenemy About Go To Psycho Again

So someone tried to assassinate Trump again -- allegedly.  For all I know, he just made this shit up.  I am hearing that these shots fired were on his golf course, but that doesn't necessarily mean he was near the shots or was even on the course.  (By the way, not to be a conspiracy theorist, but we still haven't had a full account of the first assassination attempt.  If it were real, we'd hear the whole truth.  Right?)

But I will wait until journalists figure out what happened.  In the meantime, I am afraid that this will gin up the fever brain of my, uh, acquaintance who I will see in about three weeks.  I know that if I were still friends with him on Facebook, I would see his post about how big a victim Trump is, and that will bait me into responding to him about how karma is a bitch, and he would go psycho on me again.  Glad I stopped being his Facebook friend.  And maybe he'll forget to bring it up when we see each other a few weeks from now.

The Hottest Babe In The Hooters Calendar, August 2024

I had to keep this calendar in my dresser drawer and, when I was vacationing in Las Vegas, I had to throw it in my storage locker in case my parents wanted to fucking snoop around.  So suffice it to say that I haven't seen much of the calendar at all.  I took a peep last night and I don't remember the last time I had cracked open the month before last night.  But I want to analyze the month now and not wait.

Of the dozen girls featured in the month, my quick glances filter out four for recognition even though I don't know if it's a great month.  In ascending order:

In fourth place is The Main Girl, Alexis, out of Rock Hill, S. C.  She has a cute figure despite posing in a way I don't like, with her body at a quarter-angle and her right hand in front of her body to hold a pole.  But the server with long, dark brown hair and wearing a purple two-piece bikini has a cute smile, so she has that going for her.

In third place is Cassidy, hailing from Denham Springs, La.  This babe with the wavy, short brown hair is a veteran, and I am sure I have noted her for distinction in previous Hooters calendar years.  She keeps getting it done; she is kneeling poolside in what also appears to be a blue two-piece bikini, and she does that thing where she's pulling the string covering her tits, as if she's about to tear off her top.  Like I always say, I'm a sucker for that type of stuff.

In second place is Kansas City's Jenny.  Wavy long blonde hair with a two-piece of orange bordered by baby blue.  She's photographed at a quarter-angle too, but what wins out are two things: She is also tugging at that string between her boobs, and she has a wide grin.

Finally, I'm giving first place to Alyssa, of Palm Bay, Fla.  Long blonde hair, purple or deep blue two-piece bikini.  She appears to be kneeling on stairs that lead into a pool.  And while I'm not a fan of her hair dropping in front of her chest, what I love is that the front of her body is aimed directly at the camera, and that she is smirking something devilish, like she's some modestly-priced stripper who will jack you off in the corner of the strip club and still leave you wanting for more, even though you can't afford to spend more money than you two agreed to.  That's my fantasy, OK?

So, congratulations to Alyssa and the other three hot Hooters waitresses in August 2024.  I will pleasure myself to all of you once I have time.

I think going to that stripper party on Monday, even though I have been to other house parties over the past few months, has supercharged my libido.  Don't know why exactly, especially since I didn't have anything done to me then, but I've been thinking perverted things about ******e ever since.  And the prospect of finally getting lucky, with either her or another stripper, when there's another party two weeks from now is totally on my mind.  At work yesterday/Friday ******e texted me that not only is it possible this one woman who surprisingly sucked my dick would be there, but another babe who I've gotten down with, ****e, might be there, too.  She went nuts on me the last time I saw her, but it's a sign of how horny I am right now that I don't care and that I want to get it on with her again.

I Should Be Afraid Today, But I'm Not

After screwing up again in The Fourth Department earlier this week and remembering there is no Game-watching event I need to go to this weekend, I decided I was going to end my week with a deserved cocktail or two at the only speakeasy I can go to now that the owner of the two others I like to go to is at war with her employees after they decided to unionize.  But today's Friday the 13th!  I could get a flat tire, or into a car crash, on my way there or on my way home!

You know, not too long ago realizing that the date is that date would frighten me, batten my mental hatches down, get my heart rate up and do only what I absolutely have to do to get through the day, which today would be to immediately go to work and then immediately go home.  But ... well, I think I've had a crappy week, and I think I want to celebrate myself making it to the end by going to a third space that makes me happy.  And so I am going to trust that everything will be OK and I will go to this place right after work, whenever that ends.  But I will cross my fingers anyway.

Expenses Without Receipts

Starting from Wednesday, September 11:

• Actually I have to go back to Monday, September 9, where I had the dumbest conundrum that kept me up at night because of ... creamer.  I had run out of two and possibly all three bottles of creamer I had, and I was debating which days during my workday I would buy coffee in order to use up all my creamer.  My OCD forces me to use up every single drop of creamer, so when a bottle gets to its end, I make it go through a two-step process: I pour out as much as I can, then turn the bottle upside-down and store it in the company fridge.  The next time I use it, all the remaining creamer would be collecting in the underside of the cap, which I would carefully unscrew and pour into my reusable cup.  I was balancing that two-step/-day process with figuring out which days I could spend cash, which in itself didn't solve anything because I could have either bought coffee with it or a mocha, for which I would not need to use creamer.  But I was going to a stripper party later that night, so I decided that I would get a medium malted mocha at my Caribou which has my bank's ATM close by.  I would pay with cash, but not use the creamer until the next two days (Tuesday and yesterday/Wednesday).  It all worked out, and besides, I totally forgot the anguish I put myself through.  I also bought a chocolate croissant for myself.  With tip: $12.79.
• I already broke down the stripper party that evening.  I should add here that it was hosted not by the guy whose house was throwing the party but, of all people, the old, brokedown stripper who couldn't take the hint that I could not and would not go to her parties.  There were two main reasons why I wouldn't go: I didn't know anyone besides her, and her parties usually were way too far for me to drive to.  Well, I was invited by ******e and that's all I needed, and this place was in north Minneapolis, which is just about perfect.  I didn't even really recognize her until she brought up us no longer being in communication with each other.  But I think she's cool with it, even though I didn't get any dances from her or any of the other, half-dozen or so women who were there.  I just needed my five from ******e.  With cover: $125.
• And I think I stored a new quarter, even though it was minted last year: 25 cents.
• We fall back to Labor Day, where I made good on my vow.  Back in 2021, I visited my parents in Las Vegas.  Just for fun, we took the bus up from their place to downtown Las Vegas.  We stopped by a casino -- not to gamble, but to eat dinner, in particular a bargain prime rib dinner my parents always have a nose for.  I remember finally getting to the head of the line and the hostess, as she was checking me in, asking me if we have gambled at the casino before stopping in.  Now, you have to have the casino's rewards card to take advantage of their discount pricing and, I think, it was communicated to me that I should gamble before we ate.  We did not, of course, and I think that even though I answered yes, she swiped my newly-obtained card and immediately saw that I did not.  I feel bad for lying to her, even though my parents put me up to it, so when I made this trip to Las Vegas over the holiday weekend, I made a point of going into that casino and actually spending money.  (I had no intention of eating at that restaurant, and I am fully aware that the hostess, for all I know, no longer works there.  No matter; it's a matter of principle, and karma.)  I put $50 into a slot machine, max bet thrice, and came up empty all three times.  I think I paid my debt.  Total cost: $27.
• After I got back to the Strip I went over to the Westgate for one finally spin there before leaving the following afternoon.  I don't remember the last time I spent money there, so I plopped myself on a bandit for a minute and promptly lost money there too, namely: $10.
• But hey, I found a head's-up penny!  An Infusion of: 1 cent.
• On Saturday, August 31 I got into Las Vegas.  I got lost trying to find the bus station that would take me to my parents' condo.  I was told that I was at the wrong terminal.  I didn't know Reid had two terminals just like MSP.  So I needed an inter-terminal shuttle driver to get me back to the other terminal -- the one from which I arrived, by the way -- and find the bus station there.  The shuttle driver threw my carry-on in the back, so when I got it back from him, well, I thought I would tip him.  No one else did, but I did: $1.
• It's Vegas, so even though I got in late and even later because of the bus station mishap, the night was laid out before me, inviting me into her exciting bosom.  And I went to the closest casino to where I was staying -- the brand new Fontainbleau.  Really nice digs, even though I would probably say that for any brand new casino.  I got their rewards card, sat my butt down at a slot machine, and threw money into it in order to get some of the free play money you get when you sign up.  This time I won something, even though it wasn't enough to offset all of the $20 I put into it.  I had some of that $20 left over when I was able to convert the remainder of the free play into actual money, but the Fontainbleau took me for: $8.
• Friday the 30th -- the final of four days at the Minnesota State Fair, Buddha bless it.  Ticket, a large honey lavender lemonade from the Farmers Union, a plate called Marco's Garden from SIMS on the north end of the Fairgrounds, a short mini donut beer (with tip), paella with egg from one of the new (and good) vendors at the Fair, and a Honey 'n' Spice Espresso Shake-Up from Hamline Church Dining Hall equals a grand total of: $72.
• After the Fair I went to Casey's to gas up my car.  After I filled up I tried to get a receipt from the pump, but the screen said to go inside.  When I explained, the cashier gave me a dime back.  I don't think I was shorted ten cents, so I don't know why I was given it.  But I didn't complain.  Total: $8.90.
• On Wednesday the 28th I had to see ******e because I needed to get wanked bad.  She was as good as always; wasn't all that happy to see the children she was babysitting that afternoon.  I paid her an extra $20 because her birthday was coming up.  Ugh.  Paid her: $140.
• There is a vaunted taco place close to her called Taqueria Las Canadas.  It's housed in one of those brokedown gas stations.  The chorizo taco was pretty good, even though there isn't much of a place to eat it.  With a can of Coke to which I paid the cashier at the gas station and not the cook next to him, it call came out to: $4.27.
• Went to the Fair afterward.  Ticket, sweet clementine beer with tip at Giggles, a Peachey's donut for which I waited in line for half an hour, corn, and a Grumpy Old Manhattan, replete with smoke bubbles, from the Hideaway (plus tip) and it all came out to: $45.25.
• And I went to the Fair the day before, Tuesday, August 27!  Didn't need to buy a ticket because I bought two before the Fair began at a discount.  This was the day where I tried all the best new foods (according to all the reviewers out there).  Mancini's cheer lime freeze with tip, Richey's buffalo cheese curd and chicken tacos, the Purple Reign IPA from Dino's (plus tip and, in exchange, got purple, Prince-themed sunglasses), and Sabin's Fried Bee-Nana Pie with ice cream and the whole day cost me: $45.
• Oh, I went to get my face shaved before I went to the Fair.  With tip: $13.
• Friday the 23rd ... first time at the Minnesota State Fair.  This was the day where I concentrated on the staples, the tried and true foods that inevitably make the most money there.  A small Blu slushie with tip, walleye cakes from Giggles, cheese curds from the Mouth Trap, and a Minneapple Pie with cinnamon ice cream (for my money The Most Underrated Food At The Minnesota State Fair) where I don't think I was charged for the syrup I asked for (got away with one, I guess): $27.75.
• Saturday, August 17 was Porchfest for a neighborhood in Minneapolis where bands play at strangers' porches and lawns.  This is a real neat idea ... until I can't find parking for my car.  I bought a cup of lemonade from these two girls (and I threw in a tip), and there was this rocking band called Littleton that was impressive.  Total: $4.
• To Thursday, August 15: I needed to get skin cream for Father at his pharmacy.  Didn't need to use a credit card when it only cost: $1.
• I then went to my local movie house to see The Palm Beach Story as part of its Claudette Colbert retrospective.  I love seeing old movies, and I am telling ya, I love The Palm Beach Story.  It was fast, witty, and had dialogue and subject matter that I didn't think would be as, uh, adult as it turned out to be.  So glad I watched it!  Charged the ticket, the popcorn and the pop, but for tips for concessions and the organist I paid: $2.
• Finally, back on Thursday, August 8, I went to see my ATF at My Favorite Stripclub (Cover Edition).  Cover, tips, a Bud Light for me and a cocktail for her and twenty dances means: $232.

This is another huge gap between EWRs, but considering that, I thought catching up on over a month of these went a little faster than I feared.  Good through 9/11.

For the record, I slept a total of three times back on Sunday:

• From about 3 in the morning till about 10, for about seven hours;
• Then from about 1:30 to about 3, for 90 minutes;
• Finally from about 7 till about 9, for two hours.

Ten-and-a-half hours spread out over the course of a lazy Sunday?  I'll take it!

She Caught A Glimpse!

So I showed ******e it.  Finally, after decades and decades of being a good boy, and even though it was in a room with open doors where anybody can just walk in and see us grooving on a chair, I whipped it out.  Kinda.  I made sure no guys were looking in, and I maneuvered my thing through my open fly, but I stuck out the head because if I took out my whole shaft (as hard as it was -- showing a woman it for the first time remains a galvanizing experience for me even in my advanced age!) and someone interrupted us, I might be fucked.

So, ******e stood up from grinding me, turned around, was talking to me about something (we had years of catching up to do -- seriously, I hadn't seen her since before the pandemic at My Favorite Stripclub [Non-Cover Version], RIP), looked down ... and was, well mildly aghast at what she saw.  She didn't so anything with it after she tucked my thing back in ... but, she said that next time, if I had enough money and if I had protection with me. ...

Not too long ago I texted my thanks to her.  There's to be another party at the place I was at in north Minneapolis two weeks from now.  From what we tried to negotiate, I don't know if I could afford taking her upstairs, if you know what I mean.  However, a blast from the past may be at this party: ****e, whom I swear I blog posted about sucking my you-know-what after flashing her out of the blue might be at this party.  When she did that to me, she didn't ask for any more money than the $20 we were supposed to do, so she might be, let's say, more agreeable to terms that won't permanently damage my wallet.  At any rate, I think I'm back in the saddle again!

The Weekly Minnesota Sports Survey

#0: Lynx (Last Week: -2).  Now, this is something new.  No, not the team playing well together as a whole.  That's to be expected this season, especially after going on the road and beating both an Indiana club that, frankly, scares me Friday by 11 Points and then a Washington squad after being down at Halftime yesterday/Sunday afternoon.  Add that to The Connecticut Sun starting to flounder a tad, and the Lynx are now in second place in The Dub by a Game over the Sun.  That is the accomplishment I need to put this team above negative numbers.  And my goodness, I can believe that this team has what it takes to win it all.

One more Game on the road, tomorrow/Monday night against an Atlanta Dream team fighting for the final playoff spot.  They then host Chicago (the team currently holding down the final playoff spot) Friday the 13th before playing at New York in a battle of 1 vs. 2 Sunday afternoon.

#-1: Vikings (NEW SEASON!!).  I think we need to pump the brakes on yesterday/Sunday afternoon's season-opening Win over The New York Giants at the Meadowlands.  It was 28-6, the home crowd was lustily booing its team early and often, and even though I fell asleep in the Second Half, I trust that, even though this is a Minnesota squad, there was very little doubt the Giants were going to mount a comeback.  (By the way, what a different team from the one that upset the Vikes two Years ago here.  It may be some measure of gratifying payback, and yet I still wonder how in the hell Daniel Jones beat our club.)  But while I am convinced that Kevin O'Connell can scheme any play for positive yardage regardless of opposing personnel and situation, Sam Darnold was only 19-for-24 for 208 Yards, two Touchdowns and one Interception.  He didn't need to do much to outscore the popgun Offense of the G-Men which allowed five Sacks and gained only 240 Yards total.  But how is Darnold & Co. going to fare against a good team, San Francisco, at home next Week?

#-2: Gopher soccer (Last Week: 0).  They finally have a blemish on their schedule, a 1-all Tie at home versus Brown yesterday/Sunday afternoon.  That broke a five-Match winning streak to begin the season that was capped off Thursday with a 3-0 Clean Sheet of Army at Robbie Stadium -- a Game where, for the fifth Match in a row, a Golden Gopher scored more than one Goal.  And that person, like she has done twice already on the Year, was Khyah Harper, who braced with Goals in the 9th and 64th Minutes.

They begin conference play at Illinois Thursday, then finish out non-conference play with a home Match vs. North Dakota St. Sunday afternoon.

#-3: Gopher volleyball (Last Week: -4).  Unfortunate screening Week for this group.  I was still in Las Vegas Monday/Labor Day and took the bus north to downtown Las Vegas to make up for screwing this casino there (I might blog post about it).  I was sauntering through a couple casinos on my way to eat at Steak 'n' Shake where I caught the Minnesota women's volleyball team playing top-ranked Texas to conclude the Intersport Volleyball Showcase.  I thought my eyes deceived when, not only did I see that the Match was in the fifth Set, but the Gophers had a huge lead on the Longhorns, too.  And wouldn't you know, they were able to close out and upset Texas, 22-25, 25-19, 25-20, 13-25, 15-7!!!  It was the first time Minnesota has beating the top-ranked team in the nation since Stanford in 2019, and I was hoping that might be the Win that will jumpstart the program.

And then this club went down to Waco and dropped both of their Games in the Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge.  Sure, both Losses went the distance, but they should have beaten Baylor, ranked 23rd, and unranked TCU.  (Aside: Like with the Intersport Volleyball Showcase, the U. switched partners with Wisconsin.  I just find it interesting that both schools participated in two tournaments while not playing each other either weekend.)  These defeats completely squander what they achieved Labor Night, and I once again wonder if this program is improving at all.

They are at home this Week: Tuesday against St. Thomas, and then the Diet Coke Classic comes, where they play -- geez, this is a step down -- Long Island University Thursday and Auburn Friday.  (Another aside: I see that the Sharks and the Tigers play each other early Saturday afternoon.  Now, since the DCC has shrunk to only three teams, I believe the Goofs played one team the first Day and the other team the last Day.  That, I believe, allows one of the participating schools to leave a Day early and the other to get to town a Day late.  That means that both visitors need to stay only two Days in Minneapolis, and that should save on hotel and transportation, no?  So why does LIU have to stay three Days instead of play Auburn Friday?  Is it because the university doesn't want to deal with a second big crowd since the football team hosts Nevada later Saturday afternoon?  And another aside: I know that the Gopher football team played on Saturday.  But that was second-division Rhode Island.  They're supposed to beat teams like that.  So no, I will not sully the WMNSS by regarding a Win over that type of school as legitimate.  Thank you.)

#-4: Twins (Last Week: -3).  I may have made pronouncements earlier this Year about this tilt or that series being The Moment things either all came together or all fell apart.  Well, this weekend's sweep in Kansas City at the hands of the Royals might have sealed the Twinks' fate as yet another one-and-done.  Maybe.  They were shut out twice and scored only two Runs in the other contest, the one on Saturday (in a national Game) where they were leading 2-0 but where Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax, their two best relievers right now, pissed down their legs for four Runs in the bottom of the Eighth Inning.  Bailey Ober was cruising, fanning seven and allowing only one Hit, but Rocco Baldelli opted to lift him in favor of a Bullpen, specifically a Duran who has not been lights out the past few Weeks.

It is fair to say that there is no chance now, with about three Weeks left in the season, that the Twinks will catch Cleveland for the Division.  I think it's also fair to say, with how the Royals have rounded into form, that they have left Minnesota in the dust after stalking them all season.  The Twinks are now in third place by 2 1/2 Games.  And even though they hold a healthy 3 1/2-Game lead for ALWC3 (ahead of both Seattle and, don't look now, Detroit), they have played some shit-ass ball the last three Weeks.  Carlos Correa is nowhere to be seen, Byron Buxton is hurt again, and Royce Lewis has been removed from the lineup.  We are praying that they'll even make the postseason now.

Maybe a homestand against two outfits below .500 will cure what ails them, even though, with fall here and the Vikings back and the Twinks frittering away whatever goodwill they garnered from last Year's postseason run, I don't know if there's going to be much of a crowd.  (Don't have exact splits, but this season's Twinks club has been excellent against teams it's supposed to beat but awful against teams that should reach the playoffs.  That doesn't bode well for their chances of making noise in the postseason ... if they can get there.)  Three versus The Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim Angels Of Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim Angels Of ... starting tonight/Monday night, then three vs. Cincinnati beginning Friday.

Nightmares

Got two nightmares I suffered through overnight.

The first one ... goddamn.  So Trump cheated to get into the White House again like he did in 2016, and for some reason I am trying to escape the White House, and him, through a series of doggy doors I continue to get stuck in.  Jesus, this asshole.

The second one is kind of escaping me now because I actually woke up from this one.  All I can remember is that I had this incredible urge to take a shit and I couldn't.  I woke up afraid that I crapped my pants.  I didn't, but I went to the bathroom just in case.  No, nature did not call.  Thank God I didn't have a wet dream going the other way, if you know what I mean.

Addendum To: So Where Did The Banana Bread Go?

OK, I assume I was wrong when I said it was banana bread, because something that looked like it was in my bag Thursday was put in my bag by Father yesterday/Friday.  It was, I believe, a taro root thing Mother made that Father actually put back in the fridge when, I guess, I laid it on the counter after not eating it at work.  So, even though he packed in a banana as well, I ate that bread/pastry and brought home the banana after a super-long day at work whereby I passed up a house party where I could have gotten double-teamed by *****y and ***e**.

For the record, I got home at around 10, by the way, passed out at 11, and got up at 6:30.  I am going in to work now because my boss asked before my vacation if I could substitute today for Tuesday (when I was still in Las Vegas) so I do not have to officially take time off.  And since I didn't eat the banana late last night, I am bringing it with me today to eat at work.

So Where Did The Banana Bread Go?

So Father usually packs two things for me to take to work: A banana and something Mother made.  I have told him repeatedly that I don't need to eat food at work (it makes me fat and sluggish), but he has never ever listened to me the three decades or so I have been a working man, so I have given up.  Instead, I eat one of the two items during my afternoon break and then take the other one home with me, hoping to eat that as a late-night snack.

Usually I eat the pastry/bakery item Mother makes me and bring home the banana.  But on Wednesday night, Mother made me drink this sugary-looking drink with seaweed that I have had to eat/drink all through my childhood after dinner, and so I didn't feel like eating the banana.  (Didn't matter; I ate Doritos and generic chips late at night to get the taste of that devilish concoction out of my mouth, ick.)  What I did was replace the new banana Father laid out for me on the kitchen counter with the one he gave me that day and put the "new" banana back to where he puts the bunch of bananas.

Yesterday/Thursday morning I looked into my lunch (plastic) bag to see what else is in there.  I think it was banana bread, though I wasn't sure because I was in a rush to leave and I was still groggy from getting up.  Well, yesterday at work was hell because the flight that brought us all our work was delayed by 90 minutes on Wednesday.  Even though I still don't know how much that domino effect shook the company to its core, the lab decided to carry over over a dozen bins of work to yesterday/Thursday, and for some reason they processed them all then.  That meant that we had to stay a bit late to enter the data into our system, and even then were so overwhelmed that my bosses decided to tell everyone to leave and give them the option of coming in early today/Friday.  See, we have a rack of folders into which we throw our, uh, folders of work.  That is entirely filled, and there are several folders on top of the rack that I saw on my way out the door.  If that has ever happened while I was at this job, it's been years.

The cascade rolled down to me in The Fourth Department, too.  I was pulled out of that position to do data entry, and by the time I realized everyone else had left, I saw that there maybe were thousands of forms to key plus all my stuff I still had to do.  I usually give myself an extra two hours of overtime to finish all my work that day, but honestly, there was so much I had to push aside and so much new stuff that came from the lab that I would have to put in a full workday to get it all done.

I thought my boss would drop by where I was working to give me instructions on how to finish up what I can, but apparently he just left, so I texted him on his phone.  He told me I could stay an extra hour, and that's what I did.  But all my work in The Fourth Department is unfinished, and considering the new work that will come in today, a full workday will not be enough to get it all done.  I usually hate leaving work unfinished in The Fourth Department, but this I believe is unprecedented, and while I want to rack up the overtime, the circumstances that prevented me from wrapping up all my work convinced me this time to let it go and to heed my boss' wish to leave after nine hours at the job.  It's that bad, and again, I have no idea how in the hell a flight delayed 90 minutes could cause these disastrous knock-on effects.

---

Oh, I was talking about food, wasn't I?  Yeah, so as you can tell, it got so busy that I almost missed afternoon break.  I did eat the banana I tided over from the previous day, and I decided I would eat the banana bread once I came home.  But right now, I don't know where it is.  I swear I brought it in with me.  If so, Father probably put it somewhere in the refrigerator (although I tried looking for it in there and I can't find it), or he ate it, or he threw it away.  Hope to Buddha it still isn't in the car.  But if so, I will eat it, and I will hope that it hasn't gone bad just because it's been in the car since I came home.

I hate forgetting where I put stuff.  It makes me think I'm losing my mind.

Got done last/Wednesday night with the fantasy football league I'm in charge of, the one with the auction and the actual gambling.  Lost someone, so we're down to six people, but at least it's an even number.

Wanted to really, really prep for it, but between coming back from Las Vegas, needing to catch up on my sleep, and remembering that there were other things I needed to do, I really didn't have time, so I winged it.  Problem is, only one other guy showed up for the auction.  I think I cornered the market on studs, at least the ones I wanted.

I'm still bummed that I didn't act fast enough, and I botched, the last auction pick I made.  I wanted Zahir White of The Bastard Oakland by way of Los Angeles Raiders, but I got James Conner of The Bastard Chicago by way of St. Louis Cardinals instead.  I'm still somewhat cheesed off over that.  He is not the guy I wanted.

Got just about a full night of sleep -- and overnight, when I'm supposed to sleep -- and I realized when I was awake at a quarter to 5 that I have alumni stuff to do as well as doing my fantasy auction tonight as well as getting back to this guy about tickets to our Game as well as finding this information from a fellow alum who's coming in from California.  And I kind of need to do all this, like, right now, before I leave for work.

But I have to leave for work and I'm not done, so ... yeah.

The Thing I Hate About Vacations Is That They Have To End ...

... and if they have to end, why do I even go on them?  It always ends up only in heartbreak.

I have walked enough for a lifetime.  Sweated enough for a lifetime, too.  But the main reason I took this vacation was to see my alma mater.  My feelings on this vacation largely hinged on whether or not my team won.  If they didn't, I'd feel it were a waste, and I was girding myself to the probability that they would.  But no!  They won!!  And in exciting, come-from-behind fashion!!!  So this vacation, despite the two hours I had wasted getting to this speakeasy west of the Strip and, like I said, all the walking and sweating, this vacation was totally worth it ... well, besides it all ending and stuff.

I had the run of the condo all to myself for three days.  It was glorious.  I'm glad I finally took my parents up on their offer to give me this place whenever I wanted to vacay here.  Having the whole place to myself meant I could prance around naked everywhere in the condo.  I hope they don't have secret cameras.  It is a bit spacious, but it's not like the house.  I can see a girlfriend or even my sibling (either, not both) living here with me, but it's a pretty good size for a bachelor pad.  And I could strew around my clothes however I want, or defecate with the bathroom door open, and no one would care what I did.

All in all, despite the drawbacks, I have to admit that this was a great vacation.  Even though it has to end.

The Weekly Minnesota Sports Survey

#0: Gopher soccer (Last Week: -2).  I am really starting to notice the Gopher XI.  They went into Brew City and took both Matches there, 3-2 over Wisconsin-Milwaukee Thursday, then 2-1 over Marquette yesterday/Sunday afternoon.  They are now 4-0-0 to start the Year, and I don't know the last time the program could say that.  Moreover, in all four Games, one of the players has scored more than one Goal.  Versus the Panthers, Khyah Harper scored a Hat Trick for the second contest in a row, and vs. the Golden Eagles, Grad Student and Midfielder/Forward Sophia Romine braced in the Second Half for the come-from-behind victory.  I don't know how the U.'s tournament prospects looked before the season started, but they have to be much improved now.  That's why I'm putting these side above Positive Numbers this screening Week.

Whoa.  I just noticed that at least for the start of their season, the Gophers are on a strict Thursday-Sunday schedule.  That includes this Week, where they finish non-conference play with home tilts against Army (Thursday) and Brown (Sunday).

#-1:United FC (Last Week: -4).  Sometimes it's funny how one Match can change the perception around a team.  Such might be the case with the Loons.  After a hot start, the XI has exhibited too much toothless Offense and has been a sieve on Defense.  But on Saturday night they went to San Jose, by far The Worst Team In Major League Soccer, and came from behind to win, 2-1, behind Bongokuhle Hlongwane's Brace.  Yes, everybody's beating the Earthquakes these days, but the Loons really needed it because that victory lifted them back into playoff position, albeit ninth and in the Play-In Game.  Kind of funny that of all the reinforcements that arrived during the Transfer Window, it's one of the veterans that came through.

On International Break (?) into next Week.

#-2: Lynx (Last Week: -1).  Crushed the Mercury in Phoenix by 13 Wednesday and outlasted Angel Reese (who set the record for most Rebounds in a single season ... not by a Rookie, but any player) and Chicago at Target Center yesterday/Sunday afternoon.  But inbetween was a confounding 18-Point Loss in Dallas to The Bastard Detroit (by-way-of-Tulsa) Shock Friday.  The Wings are the second-worst team in the WNBA, but they put their foot down in the Second Half of that Game, outscoring Minnesota 55-36.  Sure, even the best teams are due a clunker once in a while.  But that inexplicable Loss is the reason they are still a half-Game behind Connecticut for second-best team in the league.

The Lynx were going for a perfect August.  As such, they are 7-1 after the Olympic break ... tying Indiana for best record from that point.  They are at the Fever -- a team you do not want to meet right now -- Friday, then visit Washington Sunday afternoon.

#-3: Twins (Last Week: -3).  They are still bearing straight towards a playoff spot despite having a lousy Week and a very lousy run of form.  They began it getting swept by Atlanta -- and remember, they are at home.  That was the third consecutive series they lost, a streak they were able to snap by winning two-of-three at home over Toronto (although the Loss, on Saturday, was embarrassing; 15-0 where former Twin Jose Berrios continues to pitch his best against the team he wanted to get the hell away from).

And yet they are still around 3 1/2 Games behind Cleveland in the Division, even though that lead has been so inert for so long I am beginning to doubt Minnesota can chase down the Guardians.  Also, they are by all means tied with Kansas City for ALWC2.  But Boston remains 4 1/2 Games back, so barring a collapse, the American League Wild Card race isn't much of a race.

This Week: They begin a four-Game set in Tampa against the Bay Rays starting tonight/Labor Night.  Then, it's a big one: They have a weekend trio at the Royals.

#-4: Gopher volleyball (NEW SEASON!!).  It gives me no joy to declare Minnesota a program a cut below the elite when it comes to women's college volleyball.  But it's true, and that distinction manifests itself in this weekend's season-opening Intersport Volleyball Showcase, being held in downtown Milwaukee.  The Gophs and fellow Big Ten school (and host, obviously) Wisconsin are playing both Texas and Stanford.  Texas is the pre-season #1-ranked school; the Badgers are third and the Cardinal are fifth.  The Goofers, meanwhile, are ranked 18th.  Moreover, and most damning of all, Fox is making a big push to televise the sport, and the Texas-Wisconsin Match (won by the Longhorns in four Sets) was broadcast yesterday/Sunday afternoon on big/over-the-air Fox.  (In fact, it pre-empted the Major League Soccer Match; that Game, between St. Louis City and the Los Angeles Galaxy, began on FS2 and went over to Channel 9 about a dozen Minutes in so Fox could not only show the entire Match but, if I recall correctly, have a quick wrap-up after the Game as well.)  The Gophers played Stanford after that first Match, but that was on FS1.  The tournament concludes today/Labor Day; I think Wisconsin plays The Farm first, and I think that is also on Fox/Channel 9.  The U. plays after, again ... and that matchup against Texas is on FS1, again.

I think it's an indication on how Fox views the Gooofers.  And unfortunately, try as they might, the squad didn't do enough to change that perception, blowing a 2-1 lead and losing to the Cardinal in five, even though they lost Set 5, 15-13.  By the way, I'm not worried about the four new schools from the Pac-12 coming in to the B1G; that conference long ceded women's volleyball supremacy to the Big Ten about a Decade ago.  I just don't like the fact that some programs in the conference -- Wisconsin, Nebraska, maybe Penn St. -- and some across the country (I'm looking at the SEC in particular) are stepping up investment and interest at a time when the collective American sports hive mind is taking a look at the sport with fresh eyes.  Now is the time to strike, but it looks as though Head Coach Keegan Cook, in his second year, has been caught flat-footed.  Is the opportunity lost?

After probably getting their brains beat in by the Longhorns (I think they closed out Wisconsin by holding the Badgers to only 11 Points in Set 4), they travel down to Waco, Texas, where there's a tournament apparently with no name nor sponsor.  They face a pair of Big 12 schools: Host Baylor Friday, TCU Saturday.

#-5: Gopher football (NEW SEASON!!).  Bummer and a damn shame.  I was working this Game, and oftentimes it looked like the same old staid, tired Offense that couldn't score.  And yet it was an eminently winnable Match Thursday night (delayed an hour by storms that, frankly, came through quickly enough that they could have started it at 7:30 and not 8) against a North Carolina club that had to reload (or rebuild) after losing Drake Maye to the NFL.  It may be more because the Tar Heels looked lost and out-of-sync, but the Gophers were able to take a 14-7 Halftime lead on Touchdown Runs by Marcus Major and Quarterback Max Brosmer.  But Carolina found themselves and chipped away, and Noah Burnette's third successful Field Goal was the first of three lead changes in the Fourth Quarter.

When Burnette kicked his fourth FG make (he was a perfect 4-for-4), the U. got the ball back with less than two Minutes remaining.  Brosmer then put together a drive that was competent and gutsy, two adjectives in short supply earlier in the contest.  He got them in Field Goal range, but Dragan Kesich kicked the football wide right from 47 Yards at the buzzer to send the U. to defeat by a score of 19-17.  By the way, that was Kesich's second miss of the tilt.

I encourage P. J. Fleck and the football program to schedule Games like this against fellow BcS conference schools.  Now, you just have to win them, and too many times, he simply hasn't.  But second-division Rhode Island should be more his and his squad; that Game is early Saturday afternoon.

Having This Condo All To Myself Is ... Now Good

I was bedeviled since getting in last night that I couldn't get the TV to work.  I just got it to work.  All I had to do was unplug the cable receiver.  Guess it needed some resetting.

Honestly, not being able to get the TV to work harshed my mellow last night, and it was driving me crazy till just now.  I will obviously be going around the city while I'm here, but dammit, I needed my TV, and if I couldn't get it to work all weekend, I would be quite upset.

The fridge is also unplugged.  I will be going without chilled food and drinks all weekend.  But I understand, because it's not the TV; it makes no sense to go out of my way to plug that in only to unplug it after three days.  But I'm drinking room temperature water, which is kind of useless in hot Las Vegas weather.  And I have to drink the rest of the Coke I got from leaving the Peppermill, and it's been sitting on the couch all night.

---

Uh, what else?  I am sleeping in the guest room, and I just noticed that my parents have put up a picture of a nude woman.  So that's a choice.

Great, Another Phone Update

That's the last thing I need as I leave on vacay.  I still have PTSD from that time my iPhone said it needed to update and the damn thing broke.

But ... I started the update about three minutes ago, and apparently, it's now done.  And I still have my iPhone.  Phew, I guess ... ?

Guess I Should Start Packing, No?

I leave tonight and besides piling a few things (my 3-1-1 toiletry sandwich bag, my plug-in charger and earplugs), I haven't started packing.  I think I have decided to pack clothes I am still wearing.  But honestly, I think I haven't given it a second thought.  I should; not paying attention to what I need to take with me now will open up the possibility that I am rushing to throw everything into a suitcase and not figuring out I need to bring something I totally forgot.  That's where I'm at right now.

Have to be honest: If I didn't have to use that huge Seatgeek voucher in one fell swoop, I would not take this trip.  My plan -- and I thought SeatGeek told me this was possible -- was to use these over the course of the year on, like, three or more local concerts.  But I was lied to, and so I needed a big-ticket event to use all $149 on it.  My alma mater's football opener in Las Vegas was the only thing I could think of that interested me.  And then other things fell into place that made this vacay sensible: I could finally use my parents' condo, which they have repeatedly offered to me to use for fun; I could see my alma mater for the first time in years; and I have a solo vacation to boot.  To be clear, I would not miss those things if I didn't need to use this credit all at once.  So maybe that's why I'm so nonplussed about packing: It's not as if I am totally looking forward to this vacation, even though I should be.

Welp, time to pack.

So Hungry, So Tired

Like I feared, we were told to stick around to strike.  Got done around 2 in the morning.  Ugh, but we are going to get some sweet overtime beyond the really good rate we're already getting.

But we really, really worked hard and let into the night.  So much so (and I may be speaking for myself) that I didn't get to eat once the Game was over.  However, once we did get done, there was a lot of leftover pizza left.  I took a few slices (too bad two of them were Hawaiian, ugh) and I wanted to eat after I took a shower.  So I showered at around 3 and then ate the pizzas, and downed them with a can of cherry Pepsi that I got from the MNUFC Match.  I'm pretty sure I could have gone without eating so close to going to bed.  After all, I'm going to the Fair one more time later today.  But while I am tired, I was more hungry, so I ate and am deciding right now when to go to bed.

Work And Job

This week has been kind of weird, to be honest.  I initially took all this week off in anticipation of working somewhere else all week, even though I didn't work this Game last Year and wanted to.  When it wasn't looking as though I was working the Game all week, I had the option of taking back my paid time off to work at my day job instead.  I was severely lacking in paid time off later in the year.  But ... I really, really don't want to work in My Main Department right now.  Why?  Because I might hit somebody in the lab.

Guess I should talk about this now.  Once a week, all of us in The Main Department have to go in and open up packages to start getting urine samples ready to be tested.  It's a menial job, so everybody has to do it.  I think I've complained about this before, but sometimes these samples leak, and so you're reaching in to an open package and touching piss.  Sometimes it's really gross.  I don't know how people are unfazed by this, but I think I'm a very different person now that I have a job whereby I touch piss on occasion.  It's ... debasing.

Moreover, I had a run-in with one of the lab people a couple weeks ago.  This isn't the asshole who was riding me like a high schooler over accidentally cutting myself.  This was some older lady who has her own way of getting through all the hundreds of packages that we need to cut open and whose contents we need to get out for her, in that position, to scan into our system.  She was, let's just say, impatient, and I got that hostile vibe and so I kept away from her as much as possible.  I, of course, don't want to be there at all, but that does not motivate me to work faster.  Anyway, we were getting down to large packages, which the lab has as protocol the thing we do last because it takes time to open boxes that large packages usually come in.  I'm throwing the last of the packages onto the counter, and apparently one of them just happened to slide too close to her, so she throws it back to the other side of the counter -- missing me, but not by a lot -- and says, "No!  Not that!"  And that just made me vent at her: "Hey, sorry I threw that package your way!"  And it was loud enough for her and the other people at the workstation to hear, and probably to sense my defensive tone.

That was a couple weeks ago.  I am sure that if I added back dates this week, I would be sent into the lab.  And not as if I would run into her again -- like us, they are on a rotation as to who opens up packages at this station every day and every week -- but after that blow-up, I think it was a good idea to ensure that I don't go into that lab for another week.  I didn't go in there last week either (that was a decision made by my boss), and I think it's good I go at least two weeks without being seen in there.  Maybe cooler heads will prevail.

---

Where was I?  I didn't think I would talk about that incident because I want to talk about the gig I have today.  Anyway, I compromised; I went in to my main job on Monday because I wanted to take back one day of work.  Turns out, by the way, that the day I am taking off next week I am getting back; my boss asked me to come in on Saturday, and that would replace Tuesday, when I am coming back on my flight.  After these two weeks, I will have two more days off of paid time off I can take this fall and winter, which is two more than I thought I would have.

But I am only working this other gig today/Thursday.  The other days ... well, I went and am going to the State Fair.  It's weird to wake up whenever you want to instead of when you have to wake up.  I mean, it's great, but I remember that for three of these four days I could have gone in to work instead.  Instead, I'm waking up largely when my body wants to wake up, which was, I think, 10:45 Tuesday and around 9:15, maybe, yesterday/Wednesday.  And I have been lazing around thinking, "OK, what should I do?"  I am, hate to say it, kind of bored.

And this gig, by the way, starts at 1.  It's a lot better than having, say, a 7 a.m. call time.  But I woke up on my own at a quarter to 10 when I set my alarm for 11:30.  I think I'm ready to go to work now.  But I have 90 minutes to go before it's showtime.  And by the way, I think I am setting my alarm for 11 (to go to the Fair) tomorrow, but my body might be awake well before then.  I was looking forward to my body having time overnight to sleep and wake on its own, and yet it seems like I'm waking up too early.  I might be scaring myself more than I need to.

---

This blog post became different than what I initially thought it would be.

The Can Of Worms I Opened Up Is Making Me Fearful

All I asked were things about my parents' condo in Vegas when I'm using it for a few days -- how do you want me to deal with the trash, where are the bath towels, etc.  I need to know, of course.

But, like fucking always, my parents, in this case Mother, used that to ask other questions that are pressing to them but bring existential crises to me.  After she got done answering my innocent questions, she asked me if I want to buy the house.  Where the hell did this come from?  And how in the hell did you go from "Do you have soap in the guest bathroom?" to "How about I sell you the house through contract for deed?"

Now, to be fair, we have talked about this before.  They are getting up there in age, so they need to discuss the house at some point.  Also, my folks want to strip as much evidence of their Minnesota identity as they can.  This isn't a total blindside.  However, this Very Important Discussion reminds me of another step in growing up, and that's the last goddamn thing I want to do.  I don't want to stress over how to keep up with the house, so I keep it out of my mind as much as possible, even though that's exactly what you're not supposed to do.  That type of preparation scares me, and I don't need to be scared more than I have to be.

Spent almost seven hours at the Fair yesterday/Tuesday, from just past 1 p.m. to just before 8 p.m.  Did all the food and drinks I wanted to consume, and even though many reviewers thought this year was a very disappointing year when it comes to new foods, the four rookie foods I zeroed in on were all really good.  Had four drinks as well, all of which I liked.  The worst of the four, the Purple Reign IPA from Dino's, wasn't all that bad -- I was thirsty enough from all my walking that I was able to down it with ease -- plus I got these Prince-inspired, Lolita-like purple heart-lensed sunglasses.  By the way, the best of the drinks was the Honey 'n' Spice Espresso Shake-Up from Hamline Church Dining Hall.  It was so good that, when I go back (and I will, maybe even twice more, because I love the people-watching), I think I'll get it again.

Now, I did feel it when I got back home and had to hit the head, if you know what I mean.  (Aside: The Eco Building had this big pillow in the shape of human fecal matter representing the amount of human solid waste an adult expels out of his or her body every year.  It's 312 pounds, if you're wondering.  No, I didn't need to see the representation of a turd.  I saw one group snap a photo next to it.)  But all in all, it was a beautiful day, and I want to take stock of it.

I may have gotten an hour of sleep overnight last/Monday night.  Kind of what happens when you almost pay off all your sleep debt over the weekend; I got about 7 1/2 hours of sleep Sunday and napped for another two or so Sunday evening.

Even though it was hot as the devil's balls outside, I was tired enough to take a hard nap for lunch yesterday/Monday afternoon at work.  Felt refreshed the whole workday -- even in the morning, come to think of it -- and I got home and ate.  And then, as the evening started to creep up and my parents went out for their after-dinner walk around the neighborhood, my head started to feel really, really heavy while I was relaxing while doomscrolling.  I got so tired that, even though I was lying in bed, my eyes started to droop and my arm started to collapse.  I caught myself, but that was terrifying.  I mean, what if I were driving instead of in my bed?  I wanted to stay up until my folks got home from their walk.  It was difficult, but I heard the front door open, and then I was able to relax, toss my phone to the side, and nap for a couple hours.

That sudden pass-out may have happened to me while in my bedroom once before.  Scary as hell.

---

Oh, and as I am trying to clean up things in anticipation for my quick weekend trip to Las Vegas, I accidentally washed a shirt wrong.  It was a white shirt with the logo of the old minor league baseball team I interned for when I was in El Paso.  I checked the tag that said to wash it delicately, but I forgot that and I put it in the regular wash with my other white t-shirt and all my white socks.  Other times I would have figuratively beat myself over the head over that mistake, but tonight ... meh.  Maybe I should remember the times I'm nonplussed about screwing up the next time I make a mistake and go ballistic at myself for it.  Hey, it's just a shirt that probably has been washed wrong before.  Who cares, right?

The Weekly Minnesota Sports Survey

#-1: Lynx (Last Week: -1).  Don't look now, but the Lynx may be the hottest club in the WNBA.  They not only remain undefeated after the Olympic break, they are now only a 1/2-Game behind Connecticut for second place and getting home court for the Second Round of the WNBA Playoffs.

All three Games they won this screening Week were impressive.  It seems more apparent that the defending champion Bastard Utah Starzz/San Antonio Silver Stars don't seem to have it this Year.  Still, the Lynx won both ends of their home-and-home with the Aces, and decisively -- by 11 there Wednesday, by 13 here Friday.  (Aside: A'ja Wilson is the W's best player.  I was thinking for a while that she not only had the MVP sewed up, it would probably be unanimous.  But Vegas has fallen behind Seattle and are now in fifth place in the league.  Team record has a huge influence on MVP voting.  If the Lynx get past the Sun [and presumptive candidate Alyssa Thomas], and if voters are divided on whether Breanna Stewart or Sabrina Ionescu deserves that award for New York, the team with the best record in the league, is it possible Napheesa Collier, who's been on a damn personal tear lately as well, can sneak in and claim it?)

Then, Saturday night, Caitlin Clark and The Indiana Fever came to town.  I thought Minnesota was going to lose this Game; they played a squad they most likely got hyped up for just 24 hours before, and unfortunately, Iowa Hawkeyes fans were going to once again overrun the seats and turn it into a pro-Clark (if not pro-Fever) crowd.  I didn't realize this statistic: Clark was 6-0 all-time playing in Target Center for both Iowa and Indiana.  Welp, that fucking changed as the Lynx finally held home court and defeated the Fever by ten.  Friday was also the night Maya Moore's jersey was retired.  The Starting Five of Lindsay Whalen/Seimone Augustus/Moore/Rebekkah Brunson/Sylvia Fowles are now all up in the Target Center rafters.  Good.  Oh, and they clinched a playoff spot with that Win, too.

This Week: At Phoenix, at Dallas, home to Chicago.

#-2: Gopher soccer (Last Week: -2).  So in a Match I thought about going to but didn't, the U. went across the Mississippi to St. Thomas and crushed the Tommies yesterday/Sunday afternoon, 4-1, on the strength of a Hat Trick from Lino Lakes native and Centennial alum, Forward Khyah Harper.  The U. remains perfect over UST (3-0), and they've won the first two Games of their Year.  Also encouraging is that they're scoring; Harper and teammate Caroline Birdsell (who braced last Week in the victory over Creighton) already have opened up their accounts, and I hope this signals more Goals for the program.

They now hit the road for the first time and go to Milwaukee to play the two top-flight programs that are located there.  They play Wisconsin-Milwaukee Thursday, then Marquette Sunday afternoon.

#-3: Twins (Last Week: -3).  Making Closer introductions a huge production, filled with the Closer's entrance song and the lights all coming down and flashing up, has become a thing in recent Years.  Guess it started with Trevor Hoffman coming in to Padres Games with AC/DC's "Hells Bells," but I don't know if he had the lights and the lightboard and all that.  Edwin Diaz of the Mets started the visual portion of the entrance, and I think the Twins have gone all-in with everything for Jhoan Duran.

The only thing me and my pessimist heart has always hated about this, and for the Closer, is what happens if the Closer blows the lead and/or the Game.  All that build-up just to see him fuck up?  It would be schadenfreude-alicious if I were rooting for the other team, but it would be cringe-inducing to get all hyped up to think, "Yeah, Duran's coming in!  The Cardinals are done!" only to see him struggle like Matt Capps or Ron "Crash" Davis.

So that happened yesterday/Sunday afternoon in the heat of Target Center.  Duran came in with the Twinks up in the top of the Ninth, 2-1, and he blew it.  Now, it didn't help that a second runner got on via Fielder's Choice.  But Closers close.  Closers don't allow Lars Nootbaar to single to left-center field to plate the tying and go-ahead Runs.

To be fair to Duran again, that was only his second blown Save-turned-Loss of the season, although he came in in a tie Game back on the 18th and lost to The Bastard Washington Senators v.1.0.  But this was symbolic of a rough Week for the Twinks, who lost series to both the Cardinals at home and on the road to Texas to go 2-4.  It could have been worse, though: While they are now tied with Kansas City for second in the A. L. Central (and both teams are 4 1/2 Games ahead of Boston, so there's no danger yet that they'll miss the postseason), they are still only three Games behind falter Cleveland.  They still can't erase that damn deficit.

The organization continues their World Series reminiscences as The Bastard Boston-via-Milwaukee Braves come in for three starting tonight/Monday night.  They then host Toronto for a trio this weekend.

#-4: United FC (Re-Entry!).  With the Loooooons getting bounced from The Leagues Cup and the Group Stage, they at least had the time to retool with reinforcements from the Transfer Window.  And retool they did: They have brought in five players (one via trade) and shipped out One Of Us, Caden Clark (to Montreal, where he presumably will have the chance to play at his natural Wingback position).  One of the problems (among many) this squad has is last of individual talent.  There hasn't been anyone on MNUFC since Emanuel Reynoso was traded away that could break down one or two or even three players, no one where he didn't something on the way to scoring where you go, "Holy shit, did he just do that?!"

Thank goodness, then, for Kelvin Yeboah, a Ghanian from Genoa of Serie A.  He was put in alongside Teemu Pukki as a Striker in Saturday night's Match at home vs. Seattle.  Head Coach Eric Ramsay has already given him Penalty Kick responsibilities, and he slotted home his PK to tie it up in the First Half at 1.  He then fought off a Sounders defender and, without even needing to settle the ball, chipped it over the Goalkeeper to tie the Match at 2.

Unfortunately, a bigger problem, Defense, was not addressed during this Transfer Window, even though they apparently tried to sign at least one guy.  And the D remains leaky as Seattle made United FC their bitches again, losing, 3-2.  (The sports analogy is: Sounders:Loons::Yankees:Twins.)  Glad Minnesota was able to respond twice.  And to be fair, the second and third Goals were more a product of Sounders individual virtuosity than a breakdown by the Looooooons Backline (although that's a reminder that this team still doesn't have much top-end talent; I checked the last 15 Minutes-plus of The Leagues Cup Final, where Columbus scored two Stoppage Time Goals to beat LAFC, and really, both clubs were going back and forth across the pitch like it was a basketball Game.  That ball was whipping around like an atom in the Large Hadron Collider.  Why can't MNUFC be like that?).  But maybe better defenders would've been able to stop those Goals.

So these guys have now fallen out of the playoff picture, mired in 11th place, one Point behind Austin for 9th.  I don't know how much time they needed to gel since they had about three Week where they could practice.  But now time is getting short, and they have a winnable Match at San Jose Saturday to make themselves, and us, feel decent again.

Addendum To: I'm A Teenage Rebel Again!

One factor I didn't consider when sorta deciding whether or not to wake up early to watch soccer before coming home to mow the lawn: How sunny it was going to be.  From what I have observed and remember, when there is an Excessive Heat Warning (EHW), more often than not it is mostly cloudy.  It was kinda like that today: There were times when I mowed that the sun was out and oppressing me, and there were times my skin and soul were saved my clouds.  It is cloudy now, and I am typing this 2 1/2 hours into this EHW.

So maybe I could have endured 105 Minutes of watching St. Thomas host the U. of M. in women's soccer today.  That is moot and past, however; I woke up a quarter to 11, already too late for the EPL Matches, and there was absolutely no way I could make it to St. Paul to watch Tommies/Gophers.  Besides, I think it takes me two hours to mow both lawns, so theoretically, by the time I got done, I would not be in either yard once the EHW goes into effect.

Such as it is, I got done at 12:30.  I treated myself to Dairy Queen (cashed in on some free onion rings), where I stayed till past 1.  I then went to Target to buy some juice (amongst some other things), gassed up the car, then went back to DQ for a sundae where my app had a deal because it was feeling hot outside.

I'm A Teenage Rebel Again!

And just as I feared, Father talked to me last/Saturday night about today/Sunday.  He first asked me if I were going anywhere, to which I said, "Uh, I don't know."  And so he asked me to mow the lawn.  I checked the lawn yesterday/Saturday afternoon after I woke up.  From the second floor, the grass doesn't look tall at all.  Now, when I got into my car and was able to see it close-up, yesh, I guess it could use a military trim, but it wasn't that bad.  It was last mowed last Sunday.  I know that because Father fuckin' mowed the lawn and woke me out of bed at 8 o'clock in the goddamn morning.

And then, as he was leaving, he threw in a, "Maybe you should go to bed!"  And it's 3 in the fucking morning and I have no fucking plans on going to bed.  He just turned me back into a teenage rebel again!  You want me to mow the lawn!  OK then, I'll go wake up in the early morning and go to the Black Hart to watch EPL first, then go to St. Thomas and see the Tommies women's soccer team play the University of Minnesota, and then I'll go get gas for my car, and then I'll stop by Dairy Queen because it'll probably be past 1 p.m. and that's when the Excessive Heat Warning starts (and it won't end until 8 Monday evening), and then I'll mow.  OK?  I ain't staying home.  I'll mow the lawn, but I ain't staying home.  And I'll mow when I want to fucking mow.

But ... OK, so I spent last night at the MNUFC Match.  I got there on time even though the kickoff was 5:30 and not 7:30.  I actually prefer earlier kickoff times, but only if we eat dinner early, and we didn't this time around, probably because we had lunch at noon.  In my mad drive to Allianz Field, I realized I couldn't take my usual route because I would come to a screeching halt in State Fair traffic.  I got to the Match in time, but because I had to drive longer than I usual do, I eschewed sunscreen, and my seat got hit with the blazing sun about 15 minutes into the Game.  Right now, my skin feels like it's on fire.  So, do I really feel good about sitting on iron bleachers with sunscreen but no other sun protection for 105 Minutes when the temperature is supposed to be hotter than it was?  I do not.

Add to it that I would have to wake up early in order to see the EPL, and that I would be driving to essentially the same place in St. Paul two days in a row, something I don't like to do unless it's home or work, and there are many, many reasons not to go out.  Frankly, on the way home from the Match I thought about sleeping in instead of going out.  And even though I can't really do that if I have to mow the fucking lawn ... well, maybe I won't go out.  I take that back; I should get gas for my car, and in my own impotent way of semi-rebellion, I might go out to DQ anyway, because my parents are leaving in the morning to do repairs on the house they own.  So I am going out!  Just not in the way I kind of wanted to go out.  Sorta.

Yeah, I'm a total rebel.

So I was woken up today by Father knocking on the door.  Lunch time, of course.  It was Burger King this time; they even bought a "wild cherry" Slurpee/Big Gulp-like frozen drink.

I was kind of groggy, but I finally was able to peep the time on the stove clock.  It was past noon.  Well!  I think I went to bed a bit past 3, so getting in nine hours of sleep, after the work schedule I had and after a night walking and eating at the Minnesota State Fair, seemed very doable.  But for all my folks know, I was just lolling around in my bed since 9 in the morning.

Or so I thought.  After we got done with our BK, I checked my phone in my bedroom.  Father called and left me not one but two voicemails around a quarter after 11.  Uh ... I turned off my phone ... ?

He hated how I woke up very, very late.  He hasn't busted my balls over it for the past, oh, ten or 15 years, or since I got regular work.  But this might the instance when he'll blow his top and say something.  Let's see when we eat dinner today and then I say I have to leave really early because of (and I'm not going to tell my parents this) the MNUFC soccer Match.

Went to the Fair last/Friday night.  Got there a couple hours later than I wanted to because I was blindsided by a huge pile of work that kept coming and coming.  I spent the maximum ten hours working yesterday/Friday, and it looks as if everyone was so overwhelmed trying to get the work done that my boss left without asking me how I was doing, which was swamped in work.  I think he wanted to get out of there, and already knew I was swamped at work, and so I think (or want to think) that at least on this day he would understand why I had to stay an extra two hours.  Hey, I like how the workday felt like old times, with the OT piling up and stuff.  I just didn't need it during Fair time.

Nevertheless, I spent between two and possibly 2 1/2 hours there, and after eating four items and drinking two, I actually felt that was long enough.  And of course, in that time I looked at all the talent showing off their bare bellies and stuff.  And it was nice, real nice.  However, like at the Cage The Elephant concert, I am getting so old that every babe who was showing off their hot bodies now look suspiciously young.  That can't be, but I am getting so old, man, so old.

And I'm Back To Thinking I'll Be Laid Off Again

Working in The Fourth Department Wednesday through today/Friday, and man, the first two days back there were like the hectic days of yore.  I don't know what happened, but the number of forms increased to almost twice as much as we've gotten on a daily basis lately.  Now, there has been some reorganization of tasks; before, forms that had some missing pieces of information were shunted to The Third Department, but now that my co-worker was shitcanned for still-unknown reasons, every form that is missing something is sent to The Fourth Department.

Even that streamlining of tasks, however, does not explain fully, in my humble opinion, why there is so much work coming my way this week.  It's not as if the full shipment going outside has increased.  I guess there are just a lot of mistakes being made by collectors.  And it's my job to hunt that missing info down.  And it has made me stay later than eight hours -- nine Wednesday, nine yesterday/Thursday.  I like to think that I've gotten good enough that, if I were faced with this much work when I started out back there, I would've gone ten hours and still had stuff left over.

Still, I am back to the thought that my boss isn't happy.  To be fair, on Wednesday, he e-mailed me that if there was enough work that kept me late, stay no longer than an hour.  I managed to get done when I left after 8 hours and 59 minutes of work.  Yesterday/Thursday it was a full nine.  When there are forms to which you e-mail clients about what is missing, they generally answer you in e-mails you receive the following morning.  That happened yesterday/Thursday morning, which meant I got to the new stuff in the early afternoon, and like I said, there is more stuff than has been coming in in 2024, and after all processing all the answers I got from clients before I left for the day (as well as one phone call that for which I had to drop everything and figure out how to deal with), boom, it was 5:30.

My boss, by the way, didn't e-mail saying I could stay up to an hour extra for overtime yesterday/Thursday.  I am thinking he gave me grace Wednesday, but that's it.  I have a ready-made excuse -- look at all the work that came in! -- but I wonder if the person who just got fully trained in is as fast as the other person who works all four departments like me.  If they are faster, and if my boss is happy at the number of answers they both get ... well, the company will think of me as a liability.

Man, these are the dog days of summer.  I just want to hit the State Fair, eat, and say goodbye to this endless summer without working about unemployment.

Just A Half-Hour Kiss Of Air Conditioning -- Perfect!

So when my parents went out to Africa on safari a couple weeks ago, I jacked up the thermostat.  I didn't mind it being cool in the house -- there were times when Father wouldn't turn it on no matter how hot I got -- but the settings as they were when they left on vacation were a little too low for me.  Besides, I'm now paying for the cooling bill, and I'm not going to cool the house if no one's in it.  What am I, made out of money?  (I know this is My Father talking; if the 20-year-old me could look at present me now, he'd shake his head at how money-conscious I've become.)

So, following guidelines set by the United States Department Of Energy, in the summertime my thermostat should be set at 78 degrees, and when no one's home, put it between seven and ten degrees higher.  So even though I didn't change the times the new limits kicks in throughout the day (Father put those times all cattywampus, and they're so weird I decided not to change them myself), I put it at 78 when I was here and 85 when I wasn't.  Didn't really matter that I changed the temps; like I said here, it only kicked for the first time under my settings about 13 days after they left and a couple days before they were to come home.

Thing is, my parents either don't remember that I told them that I raised the temperatures on the thermostat or they don't care, because Father hasn't fiddled with the thermostat since they've been back.  That may be because the weather since they've returned has been seasonal, and maybe even a bit cooler than average, so they haven't really sweated in the house since coming back from safari.  With that being said, for the past few overnights, the air conditioning hasn't started up until 1 in the morning, which is when the thermostat high temp drops from 85 to 78.  Again, it hasn't been that hot all day, but apparently it is warm enough that it apparently is above 78 by the time 1 a.m. rolls around.

Like clockwork the past few nights, it comes on and then, after about 30 minutes, it shuts itself off.  Frankly, feeling the air conditioning through the vents feels really nice.  Moreover, it shuts down relatively quickly, and the air feels both much cooler and drier afterward.  It's cool and dry enough that the air conditioning doesn't start up again until 1 o'clock the next night.  And that's great; sometimes Father swings the pendulum too far in the other direction and the AC is on for so long it makes the house too cold, and that in turn increases the energy bill.  It's a win-win.

Now, summer comes back with a vengeance this weekend, when it'll be both hot and humid until, I think, Tuesday.  I alerted Father that I changed the thermostat once, but I might have to remind him again if even I think 78 degrees is too high a setting and want the air conditioning to blare all weekend.

Well, now that I have one foot out the door of work, yesterday/Monday happens, where new city-instituted rules regarding paid time off actually make it easier for me to use my days off when I want to.  And then I overhear my boss saying they are indeed looking for another person to work the same position as I do.  Instead of thinking I'll get pushed out, I am thinking that there is still room to grow in the departments I work in, and thus the company is still (for now) stable.  Finally, my boss e-mailed me asking if I can work three Saturdays from now and, instead of taking paid time off that Tuesday (which is the day after Labor Day; I'm going to Vegas that weekend), I just work normally and get holiday pay for Labor Day, to which I agreed.

So now I feel secure in this job and won't look for other work.  See how easily satisfied (and compliant) I can be with just a little encouragement?

And Now My Right Knee Hurts

It has traditionally been my left knee, which I think I got on that long road trip I took by myself from here to St. Louis to see the total eclipse in 2017.  But now my right knee hurts more than my left (even though both hurt).  It's been hurting for some time.  I think it began over the summer when I started wearing my Chaco sandals around.  They say they're supposed to be good for flat feet, but if so, why do my knees hurt, and why is my right one, which is supposed to be the "better" one, hurting worse than my left now?

Even though I wear my Docs at work, my right knee noticeably aches me.  I hope that my insoles would make it hurt less.  I should be wearing them every time I go out; I'm sure that my knee pain would go away if I dutifully used them.  But hey, those Docs are pretty chunky to wear when it's hot out, so I don't.  Maybe once the weather turns more seasonal and it makes no sense to wear sandals will I go back to using them full-time, and maybe then my knees won't stop hurting.

Knee pain is a definite sign I'm getting old.  I don't think I complained about knee pain beyond falling and getting my knees scraped.  Now, I bend or squat and I'm scared I'll snap them.  Dang it.

The Weekly Minnesota Sports Survey

#-1: Lynx (Last Week: -2).  OK, maybe I was wrong about Cheryl Reeve having a post-Olympic hangover stemming from Team USA having a very unexpected challenge from France in the Gold Medal Game.  They swept Washington in a home-and-home to basically pick up where they left off.  Even better, while they remain third in the WNBA, they now sit only half a Game behind Connecticut for second place.  (First place belongs to New York, and they're four Games ahead, so they're not gonna catch the Liberty).  They keep up that Defense and do their best to hold off hard-charging Las Vegas, and they should be seen as a contender.

Speaking of said Bastard Utah Starzz-via-San Antonio, they have another home-and-home, this time with the Aces, this screening Week (there Wednesday, here Friday), then have another shot at Caitlyn Clark and Indiana Saturday night.  You'll remember that the Fever came into Target Center and beat the Lynx by seven July 14 in a Game where Hawkeyes fans turned the arena into Carver North (again) and Clark may have showed up Coach Reeve for not selecting her for the Olympic team even though Clark says she's not upset.

#-2: Gopher soccer (NEW SEASON!!!).  The college season normally kicks off with women's soccer, and this one will be unlike any before, with Minnesota and the Big Ten Conference annexing four Pac-10/12 schools to make for the super-conference every sports fan dreads.  The U. will face both Los Angeles schools this season.  But they begin this season with a 2-1 Win over Creighton at Robbie Stadium Thursday via a brace from Redshirt Freshman Forward Caroline Birdsell.  This program has yet to reach the NCAA Tournament under Head Coach Erin Chastain; don't know the prospects of this team, but is this the Year?

They're easing into the season; they have only one Match this Week, and that's against St. Thomas in St. Paul Sunday afternoon.  I wonder if I should go. ...

#-3: Twins (Last Week: -1).  This is a harsh ranking for the Twins.  Really, all three local teams had great Weeks.  It's just that only the Twins lost any Games.  They did go 5-2 this screening Week, and it really should've been 6-1 with a Week-ending four-Game sweep of The Bastard Washington Senators v.2.0, but inexplicably Jorge Alcala, who has been pretty steady this season, cratered in the Seventh Inning, allowing five Runs to blow a 4-0 lead.  Minnesota would tie it up in the top of the Ninth but lose it in ten.

That was a sizable blown chance to creep ever closer to Cleveland, who got swept in Milwaukee by The Bastard Seattle Pilots over the weekend.  Still, the Twins are now only two Games behind the Guardians.  (Meanwhile, Kansas City remains a Game behind Minnesota after they swept the Reds in Cincinnati.)  The Athletic's Aaron Gleeman pointed this out on X/Twitter; discounting the first 20 Games or so of the season, the Twins have the best record in the league.  I don't want to sound like a Pohlad Pocket Protector, and as always it only matters what this team does in the postseason.  But even with their small-market mentality and their maddening unwillingness to spend nor trade big, they have managed to overachieve, and this team appears to be a standout edition of that approach, like it or not.  I have to give them credit -- for now.

This Week they're in San Diego for a three-Game series versus the Padres beginning tonight/Monday night, then come back home to play a weekend trio vs. St. Louis.  I wonder if I should go. ...