What I learned in an hour

So today I took a walk and I learned more during my one hour walk than I learned all day long.

1. I don't throw that much garbage down the garbage shoot. I went to go throw way some garbage and I inadvertently threw away my keys. So I had to go with maintenance to get the keys out of the garbage shoot. I am amazed at what people throw away; they throw everything away. I try to avoid doing that so, I either recycle what I can, put food in the garbage disposal and throw away stuff I cannot recycle or garbage disposal.


2. I thought Silver Spring only had one crazy man who walked the streets, but I saw the two of them at the same time. Each were in different locations about a minute apart but they were two separate people. That dispeled the rumor that we only have one crazy man. One looks like a monk and walks around in robes, while the other is a cowboy. Who knew!


3. I always wondered where the vets stayed when the come to DC for rolling thunder. Little did I realize that the Comfort Inn in Silver Spring was a hot bed for bikers. I have never seen so much action at one time at that hotel. I have stayed at many Comfort Inns, I am cheap, and they are not all that, so I was surprised to see so many bikers there. They even stayed away from the cheap hooker hotel that is a house of ill repute.

RIP Longfellow Park Ward Building

Before moving to Washington DC, I lived in Boston, MA. I loved it there and attended the Longfellow Park Ward in Cambridge, MA. I found out today that the church I attended just caught on fire today.

It was so sad to see the building I attended Church, met good friends and had good fun was destroyed today. They say it started in the attic and then spread to the rest of the building. Read the following story from Boston.com http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/05/fire_breaks_out_1.html. I had just been up there in April last year and went past the old building. I hope they can rebuild it. My heart and thoughts go to those in the Longfellow Park Wards who called that building home. Good luck and God Bless ya!

What I learned from therapy

So, anyone who knows me, knows I have a lot of anxiety and a lot of issues. To cure that problem I have been seeing a psychiatrist and a psychologist. I have been seeing my therapist for a few months now and I have learned a lot about myself. The top being:

1. I am very needy
2. I think way too much
3. I set unreasonable expectations
4. I really think a lot of myself and people should do everything the same way I do
5. I exhibit irrational behavior
6. I am very suspicious and paranoid
7. and I am definitely crazy

But so far therapy has been very helpful, but so has the prozac. I am realizing my mistakes and I am trying to fix them. It helps that I have good friends, who are a lot like me, and can be a good sounding board. Thanks for putting up with me, I do appreciate it.

Self Checkout

This is me at self-checkout

Self-checkout is a great convenience at the grocery store. I love it, it makes it quick and easy and it is one less person I have to deal with. But some people should not be allowed to use self-checkout. They are:

1. The elderly - They are slow enough already, we don't need them jamming up the self-checkout line. Just because you can still drive does not mean you can operate self-checkout


2. Stupid people - you know who you are. You are the people who cannot read, understand a bar code, find fruit or vegetable codes, follow instructions, use a touch screen, or scan your items fast enough. My goodness people you don't have to look at each item, find the bar code and scan. Speed it up people


3. Families - If there is a long line, do not let your children scan the items or process the transaction. I know it is fun for the kid, hell it is fun for adults too, but it slows us all up. You are the adult, show some restraint and do it yourself. Allow the kid to scan an item the next time nobody is in line behind you.


4. People with a lot of crap (ie fruits and vegetables) - I know I mentioned it above but it needs extra consideration and it compounded when someone has a lot of food to checkout. If you do now know how to find the items code or find it on the screen don't use self-checkout. You are too dumb to operate it. Plus if you have a lot of food it slows up the line, specially when it all bags up and you have to run and clear the end area to make more room. Come on, use a checker, it will save us all time and frustration.


5. People who cannot learn a simple lesson - these are the people who throw their food half way down the conveyor belt, where the system checks the item, only to have it come back because the system could not register it. First you are an idiot because you threw it. Just gently place it on the belt and move on. Throwing it does not help anyone, particularly me, if I am waiting behind you.


6. People who take their bags out of the bagging area before you are finished. The system will freak out if it thinks you are trying to take stuff away. Be patience, pay for all your stuff then remove the bag. (this happens at Safeway and CVS a lot)

Anyway, these are some of the things that drive me up a wall about self-checkout. It is a wonderful thing, but you have to realize your own limitations and know when to use a checker. Self-checkout is a privilege not a right. Not everyone has the right to use self-checkout and you should know who you are.

Bad Idea

So, I thought I had some good ideas this last week but they all turned out to be bad ideas!

1. Wear my cute new Cole Hann Loafers to Georgetown - only to walk back and forth 3 or 4 times, about 2 or 3 miles. I got a big blister.
2. Walk all over NYC for my birthday on a bright sunny day - only to have said blister break and spread blood and blister water all over my sneakers.
3. Wear my tan pants on a rainy day - walking into work with wet tan pants is really impressive
4. Drive to NYC with a car starter that I thought was still working- only to buy myself a $355 starter.

This reminded me a lot like the SNL Commercial parody for Bad Idea Jeans. If I can get my computer to work I will post the video, check back soon.