A lot of people in the U.S. have today off, but public accounting firms are known for their parsimony when it comes to holidays, so I'm at work. At least the traffic was light today. That is no small thing. Actually, from almost any context, it is a small thing. It is regrettable that traffic has become such a big deal for me. Last week when I had a 7:30 meeting around the beltway and came into the office at 6 am to prepare, there was so little traffic that I briefly thought that perhaps I, too, could regularly come to work at 6 am. Then I came to my senses.
I worry about overconsumption a lot. This series on Marketplace has only been making me feel worse. I heard this report this morning. I considered buying the guy's book, but I worry that would be an indication of greed. Also, I don't think there would be enough sex in it for me. It is regrettable that I have so little taste for non-fiction. I couldn't help wondering what Eric would think of the Consumed series. I suspect that he would have found it simultaneously intriguing and depressing, like I did. I would have been more depressed by the remarks in his comments section, alas. 
I am more tired than usual this morning. It is regrettable that I am not more disciplined about getting to sleep at a reasonable hour, but I have not gotten to sleep at a reasonable hour for at least two weeks now. I came close on Saturday night, and the choir was not singing Sunday morning, so I got something close to eight hours of sleep.
I spent about three hours at church on Saturday. It was the annual bazaar, and I first went to drop off the food that I'd made for the bake sale and hot lunch line. I browsed the used books and the white elephant sale. A couple of people tried very hard to get me to buy a perfectly good electric typewriter with a case and a typing table for $2. It was a good deal, but I was afraid that I'd be in trouble if I brought it home. It is regrettable that we don't have more free space. I wonder now whether I could have found a place for the table. It was metal, with drop leaves and wheels. I did buy a hot dog, and apparently people liked my chili. They sell it for $2 a bowl, so between that and the cookies, they might have made $50 off what I brought. I would probably rather have given them the $50. 
I had said that I'd work during the afternoon in the electronics section of the sale, but when I went there, they had plenty of staff, and I was very tired, so I decided to leave. My car wouldn't start. I thought it was probably a dead battery, but when someone offered me a jump, we couldn't get the car started, so I called AAA. It took an hour for the guy to arrive. During that time, many more people offered me a jump. On the one hand, it is regrettable that I turned them down because the AAA guy was able to give me a jump start, and it is likely that the guy with the big truck who offered me a jump would also have been able to make it work. On the other hand, the AAA guy didn't charge me, and he told me that my battery really ought to be replaced, so I drove to Tires Plus and had it done. If I hadn't, I would likely have been stranded somewhere much less friendly than in the church parking lot. By the way, the AAA guy was really cute, and three of the four guys at Tires Plus were pretty hot, too. I had to wait 45 minutes for the battery install, but there was a fairly gripping college football game (UNC/UNCState) playing in the waiting room, so it was fine.
Although the choir didn't sing Sunday morning, we did sing Sunday afternoon, at the memorial service of a former choir member who died recently of ovarian cancer. She was not yet fifty. I didn't know her very well, but I had always been impressed with her vivacity. The choir assembled at 1:00 for a rehearsal. The memorial service started at 2:00, but some of the immediate family members were stuck in traffic, so our accompanist had to play an additional 25 minutes of prelude. She was a trouper about it, but I thought she was beginning to look worried that she might run out of sheet music. It is regrettable that the Beltway is congested, even on Sunday afternoons.
The service itself was moving, especially when her husband was giving the eulogy. He was externally quite a dull person before he met her. Watching him speak was a good reminder that unlikely people harbor hidden depths and interest. Unitarian Universalist memorial services typically include a segment where anyone who wishes may come to the pulpit and speak about the deceased. I have noticed that while most people share an appropriate personal remembrance, others seem unable to pass up the opportunity to perform. One gentleman, for example, took the opportunity to compose a haiku on the spot and then share it with us. This man's hidden depths and interests have yet to be revealed. It is regrettable that I felt some condescension towards this person. Fortunately, however, I do not allow myself to feel pique at memorial services. Two hours of reverence is not much for the dead and bereaved to expect.
Friday night, b&c and I went to the Studio Theater to see Shining City by Conor McPherson. I found it incomplete, and b&c found it tedious. Apparently, it was nominated for a Best Play Tony when it came out on Broadway. It must have been a slow year. I did think that the actor playing the male hustler was hot, though. It is regrettable that he did not remove any of his clothing.
3 comments:
It's been a bit sad not to read Eric and you smacking back on the demised Sheep blog. I was just about asking him to consider guest blogger a few days before he tanked out.
I really don't think I was "smacking back" on We, Like Sheep. All I meant was that I would have found Eric's take on the topic at hand more interesting than his readers' takes. It often seemed to me that he was a lot better than his readers. As opposed to me, for example: my readers are all a lot better than I am.
I had the impression that he 1) was religiously and socially (as in liberal left-wing) motivated to craft his writings and topics to reach out to those readers (less interesting) than him. He was often very successful in that. On the other hand, he enjoys being a bit of a complacent sucker sometimes. He is complicated that way, I think. Nevertheless, I meant no disrespect to him at all. Who the fu_k am I, ya know. I admire him very much, well, when he is not consumed by his tragedies.
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