(no subject)

I have to admit, I'm feeling somewhat Thwarted lately, and wondering if I am me.

I've mentioned the go-round with Dell Financial, which is pretty much par for the course, but yesterday I also received in the mail a Christmas gift I'd bought for Mum. It was an apron in a pattern she really liked, and I got her initials monogrammed on it. Her initials, for the record, are VJL (she took my stepfather's last name).

So the apron arrives, after being backordered for a month, and I take it out of the box to check the monogram...

And the monogram reads SAM.

I don't know how that happened, but somehow they managed to send me an apron meant for my mother and monogrammed in my name. When I called the company they confirmed that it was supposed to be monogrammed VJL. They don't know what happened, but the woman I spoke to was really glad I could laugh about it.

Now, I have an apron (it has a cock on it) and I don't need to pay $25 for another one, so I asked if I could return it for a properly monogrammed one, but apparently they are now sold out of the apron and not getting any new ones in stock.

On the other hand, I told Mum the Tragic Apron Story this morning and she said she cracked up laughing and still wants it...now the SAM stands for Sam's Awesome Mum, apparently. I don't question.

Also last night I got all excited to get on the bus and go to the Meatloaf Bakery, to buy a meatloaf cupcake for dinner and maybe one or two to stick in the freezer.

When I got there, I found out they're closed on Mondays. I guess not a lot of people want meatloaf on Mondays? It's true it's more a pizza day, really, if you're going for take-out.

I've learned in the last decade or so that usually when something's fighting me there's a reason, but rarely have like fifteen things tried to fight me at once. I feel like I need to meditate on this omen or wave a smudge stick around or something.

(no subject)

An emergency signal boost, by request of spiderine -- things are going down at Occupy Wall Street, and Spider keeps you informed! It's pretty harsh -- the occupiers were evicted, their personal belongings (and the entire 5000+ volume Occupy library) were thrown away, and the mayor's decided if he can't fight the court injunction allowing the occupiers back in, he's just gonna close the park. All heart, that one.

In other news, personal accomplishment, I just finished my first ever Research Report. My department works like a clipping office: we read newspapers, magazines, and websites for people who are famous/rich/awesome, and then check if they're in our database. If they are, we add a "research report" to the database with a summary of the article and relevant informational links. Theoretically this isn't my job, but since nobody else wants to read Chicago Magazine and I read it cover to cover anyway, it's my special little assignment. And this month I got to add a report to a profile!

It sounds less exciting than it is. Everyone applauded when my research report showed up in notifications. :D

You'd be amazed at how well Radio Free Monday prepared me for condensing long articles into bullet points...

(no subject)

Sam: The National Hellenic Museum has a new exhibit with a twelve-foot-tall Trojan Horse that kids can climb around in.
Boss: No! Don't do it!
Sam: That's awesome!
Boss: People died in the Trojan Horse!
Coworker: Wait, I thought they used it to invade?
Sam: I'm pretty sure at least one dude died. Didn't Laocoon or one of the other Trojans stab the horse and some guy died silently, thus proving how awesomely stoic he was? Or Odysseus strangled him, I can't remember.
Coworker: Why would he do that?
Boss: Either way, what a great addition to any playground.