At the maul - 11.06.04

photo by: swayframe

the manager of this store made me stop moblogging. Something about "company policy" because it's their first store anywhere. Ha ha ha.

What "water shortage"?

photo by: swayframe

An employee cleans the pavement of the driveway to the studio with the hose, clearly a stupid use of our most precious and steadily dwindling resource, particularly in southern California. But that's Fox for ya! :D Weeee! Maybe they will start cleaning it with gasoline, since it will be so cheap once I-Rak gets pumping?

Anybody got a match?

Rain or shine

I took “Latka”* and “Simka”* to T@rget this morning, kind of spur of the moment... Simka had never been before. I figured she would like to see what is available at such a store, and it’s an easy enough jaunt up the boulevard on the bus for them, being sans car. After we checked out, I led them outside to the rotunda area, to show them the other stores in the complex. We had our carts with us; I ignored the "no carts" sign on the inside of the exit doors, figuring we would just be a moment. They wanted to enjoy a smoke before heading home.

Then we realized there was a ‘no-smoking’ sign - OUTSIDE. Out of deference to this directive, they moved over to the ashtray stationed near an elevator. I'm sure they figured that since there's an ashtray, they should be allowed to smoke there, at least. Seems reasonable to me, but no - with startling efficiency and speed, TWO security guards descended on us from opposite directions to make sure they were putting out the cigarettes they had just lit, and then, to prevent us from taking our carts in THAT particular elevator. Silently I thanked the lordjesushchrist they were there to protect us from our own impending lurch into TOTAL ANARCHY. Phew! A close one!

We left and I ranted about people in this country rushing to conform, in the name of “fighting the terrorists.” Everyone is so ready to hand over their personal freedoms to “fight the terrorists.” Soon they’ll be making us wear burqas and denying us drivers licenses.

The rain stopped for the most part, and the clouds parted revealing a placid sun. I rode my Vespa to work, left a bit late, but still made it on time. 6.8 miles in under 20 minutes. Including parking. Aaaah.

*Names changed to protect the identities of the innocent. I’ve chosen to adopt the character names from one of the best tv sitcoms ever, “Taxi”. Thanks to the Monkey for suggesting these pseudonyms.