Return of the Californian
I can’t get my scanner to work. For some reason, my computer refuses to acknowlege my scanner’s presence. I haven’t used my scanner since I got my new computer desk and rearranged everything, so I’m hoping I just hooked the scanner up to the tower incorrectly. I’ll have a go at checking things out tonight. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I can’t afford to have my scanner crap out on me at the moment.
I was just starting to pull my stuff together to leave for work this morning when the phone rang. I was pleased to hear The Socialist on the other end, and even more pleased to hear that he was only about twenty minutes away. I took my time getting my briefcase packed and meds together for the day, and sure enough, while I was counting out pills, The Socialist arrived.
He looked good. Tired, and perhaps a bit harried, but good. I’m glad he was able to time things so he got past the city before rush hour really started, or he’d have lost another hour easily in transit. He came bearing gifts, of course, including his family’s seven-foot artificial tree (disassembled, of course), a “pup tent” for the cats, and a half-eaten bag of potato chips. We talked briefly, and I saw him into bed before I left for work. Clueless Wonder was already settling into bed next to him when I left, and I suspect that the Grey Menace wasn’t far behind.
I’m getting ready to release some books through Bookcrossings (the walking book link on my menu). The only thing slowing me down is location. I can’t decide where to set the books free. At first I was going to do it at work, in the cafeteria. But that pretty much ensures that I’ll know whoever gets the book, and I want it to be more random than that. If I feel like waiting until the 30th, I can release them at Dr. Liver’s. In February, I could release more at my dentist’s, and at the hospital where I get my blood drawn. I like the ideas, but I hate to wait so long. Still, Dr. Liver’s idea of good waiting room reading material is business magazines, sports magazines, and car magazines. His waiting room really could use a boost.
Speaking of a boost, my spirits could use one as well. Last week it was announced that this year’s holiday schedule gives us December 30th off for Christmas and December 31 off for New Year’s. At first I was less than happy about it, but upon reflection figured that this meant I’d be able to manage spending Christmas in California this year, if I left on the 23rd and came back on Jan 3rd. Alas and alak, this is not to be. In an as yet little circulated memo, the Powers That Be have decided to renege on this holiday schedule, and have decided instead to give us December 31st (Friday) for Christmas and January 7th (Friday) for New Year. I spent a lovely gripe session with a few other members of my department over this unfathomable decision. I thought I was angry when I heard about it, but my ire pales in the face of some of my compatriots. It will be interesting to hear management’s justification of this one, and to see if they can really make it stick.