5 - No! 10! - Personal Things

Hello, Faithful Readers!

It's the 15th of November ... and that means it's time once again to detail five individual and personal pieces of information about myself!

If you'll recall, I missed out on posting an entry on the 10th of the month and promised to make up for it in today's post ... and, sure enough, you get twice the knowledge for your money! You get to glean 10 spiffy things about me instead of the usual 5! Lucky you!

Ready? Here we go!

#1: I have a series of "Life Rules" which pop up at any given moment when a situation presents itself. Among these rules: "The only thing that belongs in your eye is your elbow" ... "No sharp objects around the groin area" ... and ... "Never say never."

#2: I constantly, continually open doors for people in public, women especially. And, yes, I often glare - and even make comments or blurt out "You're welcome!" - to oblivious or rude folks.

#3: I often strike up a conversation with unsuspecting people or make comments to break the ice in public. Life's short, make a move.

#4: I have a "leaves in the driveway" problem. I don't like leaves in my driveway. I will go out of my way to make certain leaves aren't in my driveway. It bugs me to no end if there are leaves in my driveway. (As of yet, this affliction hasn't caused any serious relationship problems and hasn't affected my well being personally that I know of, but I monitor it just to make sure. It is unknown if I'm effective at doing so.)

#5: I don't give a rat's ass if a penny is facing up or facing down on the ground; if it's lying there, I'll pick it up.

#6: I have an "everyday" belt I've been wearing for going on 10 years (probably more). You know how people have their "go to" menu item? Their "go to" decision making strategy? I have a "go to" belt.

 
#7: Eye protection, eye protection, eye protection. If I'm outside doing something, be it yardwork, washing the car, what have you, you can bet I'll have eye protection in place. It goes back to those "Life Rules" up there in that #1 slot ...

#8: When I crack open a canned beer or soft drink, I immediately turn the tab a quarter click counter-clockwise out of habit. And it's a good habit, too. In a room full of beer and soda drinkers, I can find my personal refreshing beverage in a jiffy while others are fumbling about wondering which drink is theirs.

#9: I give an inordinate amount of space to the person I'm driving behind, often to the point of annoyance to other drivers. It's a safety thing ... and it's not my problem if you take issue with it. Your issue is your issue, not mine.

#10: Sneeze once? I bless you. Sneeze again directly afterward? I tell you "Cuidado." (Spanish for "careful.") Sneeze a third time in succession? I blurt out "Tamales!"

*whew* I don't know about you but I'm virtually exhausted from putting all that information out there!

Tune in on the 20th when 5 more things get the discovery treatment here!

.......... Ruprecht ( STOP )

I Think I'm Turning Japanese, I Really Think So

So this conversation took place:

"Hello! Just wanted to check - will you be locking up this evening?"

"Uhmmmmmm ... no. You guys usually do that ..."

"We do. But you're here on extended hours and there are other sites I need to be at. I'm just checking so I can plan the rest of my night."

"Oh, well ... I should be out of here by 9:00. But you might want to check with 'Belinda' (not her real name) in the next room. She's the only other one here besides me."

I go to check with 'Belinda' ...

"Hi! I'm not trying to rush you ... just wonder how long you're planning on staying ..."

"Oh, probably another 20 or 30 minutes. Why? Are you turning out the lights?"

"I have in the other buildings but I won't do so here until you leave."

"Will I still be able to get out with the alarm on?"

"Oh, no, no ... I'm not doing anything until you take off ..."

"So, the lights will still be on?"

"Yes."

"And I'll still be able to get out even with the alarm on? I won't set it off?"

"No ... as I said, I won't turn off any lights nor set the alarm until everyone is out of the building?"

"So ... I can leave without any problem?"

It was at this point I wondered if I was speaking in a foreign tongue and didn't realize it ...

"Yes. Without any problems. Lights: Still on. Alarm: Not set until you are out of the building ..."
 
I watched 'Belinda' screw up her face while thinking. I half thought she was going to ask another bewildering question but ... "Well, okay then. Thank you."

It's days like this when it feels like you're pulling teeth ...

.......... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Safety First They Say ...

Some things? I just don't understand.

This, for instance, found inside a cupboard in the hotel room I stayed at:

Hokay ... let me back up a bit: I get it. Really, I do. I've simply never seen it previously. 

I suppose it's a good way to protect the salt and the pepper, keeping it fresh for others to use, all the while knowing there's no monkey business or funny stuff going on with it with come the arrival of a fresh set of people to the room.

.......... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Parking Garage Comedy

Kids. They're fun.

Especially when they think they know everything.

News Flash: They don't.

Headed back to the parking garage ground level where we were parked (the kids were on the third level), they called out they'd meet us in a minute and to follow them. Suddenly, while waiting in the car for what seemed like an inordinate amount of time, the cell phone rang.

"Well ... we have a problem" I thought I heard from the driver's side of the car as my better half answered her phone. "Zeke left his keys in the car. They're locked in inside."

The suggestion was put out there: "Just call AAA."

"Can you call for me? He doesn't have AAA and I left my card at home. I don't carry it with me. Besides, my phone is almost dead and I'll probably get cut off in the middle of talking to them ..."

"Don't you have a spare key for the car? We could run you home and grab it ..."

"He has one but it's locked in the car, too. He keeps it in there so he doesn't forget it ..."

Kids. They're a barrel of laughs.

We drove up to the third level of the garage where they were stranded. That's when the comedy (for us, at least) really kicked in to high gear.

"How did you leave your keys in the car?" I asked Zeke.

"I thought I had them. They're in the ignition ..."

"In the ignition?!? Really?!? Don't you check to see if you have your keys before you get out of the car? Or at least before you lock it?"

"Well ... not this time ..."

"And your spare ... it's in the car as well?"

"Yep. You know ... so I don't forget it ..." The sheepish look of embarrassment from him became even more so.

"Good plan there ..." I commented.

"And why don't you have your AAA card handy? You should keep that in your purse wherever you go just in case," mother queried daughter.

"Well, I never need it ..."

That response tripped one of my favorite little triggers. "That's why you shouldn't use the word 'never' ..." It was time for her to dole out a sheepish look, quicker than you could blink.

"If I just had something like a hanger to jimmy the lock I could probably open the door ..." Zeke commented.

"Better response: If you would have made sure you had your keys with you prior to locking your car doors, we could be on the road already to our next destination ..." I noted.

Kids.

.......... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Ball: Dropped

Vacation has been a challenge the last few days.

I won't get into the whys and wherefores of it all and drone on about the reasons except to note I missed yesterday's NaBloPoMo entry. 

*sigh*

The Day: Up ant 6 in the morning and didn't stop until I crashed in the surprisingly comfortable hotel bed after midnight. The entire day was jam-packed.

Breakfast, a couple farmer's markets, shopping and running around all over Boise, Idaho followed by a necessary venture to a popular record store (full disclosure: David Byrne's latest, Utopia, was picked up along with used copies of World Party's Private Revolution from 1986 and Shriekback's 1984 effort Jam Science), dinner, then an raucous Idaho Steelheads' hockey game (they lost in overtime, 5-4). See? Packed. And, bad me, I didn't allot time to sit the back of my front down and plunk out an entry.

Plus ... yesterday was Day 10 which meant I was supposed to share 5 Personal Things about me! I know, I know ... I messed up and dropped the ball ... and you were looking forward to gleaning further information about yours truly. Shame on me!

So ... here's what I'll do about that missing post: On the 15th? When next the 5 Personal Things crops up? I'll make certain there are ten instead of just the usual five to make up for the flub.

Deal? All right then ... we're kosher.

.......... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Boise State Misery

It's not the crowds that bother me.

And it's not the fact I don't care for college football ... even a live game.

Really, it's the hardass metal benches - even with padding and cushions and seatbacks - having their way with my scrawny backside I hate.

.......... Ruprecht ( STOP )

Sea ... See?

*shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh*

Don't tell anyone. Here's a sneak peek of tomorrow's prompt "Shark" for a 30 day drawing challenge I'm currently involved with.

.......... Ruprecht ( STOP )