Monday Morning Miscellany

Lightning Round:

This time change is sorta like going to the gym... you don't feel it until the second day.
Going to see Celtic Family this weekend (sarcastic yay).
Going with good friends (real yay).
Bought grill cover... can spring be far behind?
Grill cover bought with Christmas gift card... Winter isn't done with us yet.
Should I even bother to take the Corvette out of storage with gas costing what it costs?
That episode of Parenthood from the DVR last night was all angry and yelly. Don't watch that right before bed, again.
I am conducting a meeting today with old colleagues... will they give me respect?
Ugh, I miss the company gas card. $59.00 just to put gas in the car.

Notes to self:

Apply for gas card today so this isn't all coming out of your pocket.
Don't speed, you aren't running late and cops want to ticket you and gas is expensive.
Write congressman about DST revocation, gas prices... pepper in 'your mamma' references.


The Rest of the Story:

Atticus is an odd fellow. For those of you not familiar with Atticus, he is our foundling cat we took in last summer. Atticus likes to stick his muzzle into my ear and purr. He likes to reach out with his paw and touch my face while looking at me and "talking" (by either the standard meow or a number of other grunts and whines he makes). But yesterday took the cake.

I was snacking on cheese and crackers when I realized he was sitting over my shoulder, his head as close to mine as could be, staring so intently at that cheese that even the cheese was uncomfortable. I can't explain it adequately... Em was here. She can attest. It was really creepy. It was like the way a serial killer stalks his prey (I presume), slowly, methodically.

Emily admitted that he creeps her out sometimes because he is so stealth. I wish he would be more stealth this morning considering he is all over me while I try to write this. Ugh, he's crawling in my ear hole again!

Going Going... Gone!:

I get the privilege of serving as auctioneer for the second time at the semi-annual youth auction at my church. I either did a cromulent job two years ago, or like then, they couldn't find anyone else. The auction is coming up the week after next. I am very excited. They give me a gavel and a podium and placement on center stage in the church hall and thousands of people (ok, so it's a hundred) sit in awe of my auctioneering skills. I am really quite good at it, peppering in jokes and poking people with verbal sticks if I see they are the slightest bit competitive.

This year, the lovely Kim Hamilton, the lady responsible for dragging me into this whole youth worker thing in the first place, will be my lovely assistant. I am looking forward to this as she will surely be better to look at than Mike DeCou, my last assistant. I love you, Mike, but women are pretty. I need a Yin to my Yang.

But the lots themselves are the stars of the show. I am awed every year of the generosity of the church family. The things they donate are real like, use of vacation homes, awesome college football tickets, hunting trips, and all sorts of other very desirable things. The proceeds go toward helping to fund our youth trips and other assorted budget items.

We turn that money, which came from generosity, back into generous works. I hope maybe it is like a tsunami of good that keeps pushing forward and reaches a maximal number of people. We could use some good in the world.

Finally:

I would be so lost without coffee. That is all.