When I was a kid

A while back, while a tech guy was setting up a new computer, we got to talking about The Oregon Trail. Which, if you don't know what that is, sad days for you. Anyway, we started joking about how playing Oregon Trail was our version of "When I was a kid, I walked to school uphill both ways in a blizzard". So, in preparation for the day when I may get to say stuff like that, here is my list of "uphill both ways in a blizzard":

When I was a kid, the phone was connected to the wall.
When I was a kid, the best computer game we had was Oregon Trail.
When I was a kid, there was no internet.*
When I was a kid, you had to watch TV on the TV. AND you had to watch the commercials.
When I was a kid, you sent letters using stamps. At the Post Office.
When I was a kid, we had to write our homework by hand. On paper. With pencils.
When I was a kid, there were only 2 kinds of M&Ms. (Maybe 3).
When I was a kid, you had to lock all of the car doors individually. And you had to unlock them by putting the key in the lock on the car door.
When I was a kid, people listened to music on cassette tapes. Or on the radio. And they had to listen to whatever the radio station played.

Just a short list of my "very very challenging childhood." Ha.

*I would like to note that I am NOT that old. The internet is just very very young.

I doth protest

Can anyone tell me when February happened? Because it can't really be almost March. What has happened to the year? I mean really, people. We just barely got a little bit of winter (at least six inches over President's day weekend and on Friday, it snowed all day. It was amazing! And wintry!) and now it's getting time for that winter to spring transition.

Anyway, I protest that we are already this far into the year. And I protest that I had to work on a day when it snowed giant fluffy snowflakes all day long. At the very least, we should have all taken a hot cocoa break and sat and watched it snow for 10 minutes, right?

I also protest the "Taste of Texas BBQ Payday", which is criminal.*

And I protest "RompHims". Again, who hated the world so much that they unleashed this on us? A woman trying to get back at men for nylons?**

Also protesting daylight savings time, which happens to be on my birthday this year and is, quite frankly, an abomination every year, whether it's my birthday or not. My exhaustion does not need random fiddling of the clocks. Plus, we just barely got the computers in the reference room at work fixed from the last daylight savings switch.

I protest whoever thought that spreading all your peanut butter out and freezing it so that you can just whip it out of the freezer and slap it on your pb and j whenever you need to is a life hack.*** Just no. And whoever came up with the phrase "life hack". Just on principle.

While I'm at it, I'd like to protest the whole "buy this new movie release digitally but then we aren't going to let you buy it on actual physical mediums for another week. And, oh yeah, forget about pre-ordering anything but the digital" trend. Really? Weirdos.

Finally, I protest general meanness, lack of sleep, and having to think of what to fix for dinner.

Soap box out.

*And yet, a real thing. WHO sat down and said, "You know, this Payday candy bar is pretty tasty, but it needs a little something. Hmm, what could it be? I know, barbecue sauce!" Because that person needs help. 
**That's fair. I mean, I could kind of support that. 
***Although, based on internet search results, she's been protested plenty, so I hereby retract my protest, because at this point it just feels mean. 

A little something something

Something I've been reading:
Thank Heaven Fasting by E.M. Delafield. It was a bit depressing. Feminists would gnash their teeth. I also read an article about Wyatt Earp and the shootout at the OK Corral in the context of police shootings and how judges rule, which was very interesting.

Something I'm looking forward to this week:
I have made an actual meal for lunch this week. This is a huge achievement and I'm looking forward to eating it. Also, I'm looking forward to visiting family this weekend. And hopefully seeing Black Panther.

Something I actually accomplished last week:
Uh....oh, yeah! I did do something. I finally did all my mending.

What I wish I was doing right now:
Sleeping.

Something I've been watching:
Monk. And last night, I watched Captain America: Winter Soldier. For the record, I think that one has some of the best music of the Marvel movies.

Something that I bought this week:
Birthday presents for my nieces. But I can't decide which one to give to the younger one. I may have to consult her parents. It's so hard to shop when you don't know what they already have!

Something I listened to:
Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex. I've been terrible at listening to podcasts lately. I think I just got very tired of everyone always being so cranky about everything. And sounding like 5 year olds fighting. "Did not!" "Did too!" "Am not!" "Are too!" So, I've been doing audiobooks more.

Something I learned this week:
There is a book called Five Centuries of Base Metal Spoons. I may have actually learned that last week, but I'm counting it. There does not appear to be a companion volume for forks.

Something I discovered this week:
I really need to clean up my computer. Files everywhere, a lot that need to be scrapped. It's a disaster.

Something I'm glad I did this week:
I went to the temple. On my day off. Which was nice, because I could go in the morning. And then I grabbed a sweet roll from the cafeteria. Totally worth it (and not just because of the sweet roll).

Something isn't right

Dear Mother Nature,

Greetings! I just wanted to check in and see how you are doing. You see, I'm just a little concerned because, well, the weather seems to be a bit off. So I wanted to make sure you're doing okay.

It's not that I don't appreciate the near 60 degree days we've had of late. I mean, it's beautiful and supremely pleasant. But, I'm sure you noticed--it's only February. maybe you just want to change things up a bit. I'm sure the usual spring-summer-fall-winter routine gets a little boring after a while. But, you know how it is. Winter brings us the snow we need so that we don't burn to the ground in the summer. No biggie, but it would sure be helpful to get a bit of snow.

Anyway, my apologies if I sound like I'm complaining. I just wanted to make sure you're doing alright.

All my best.