The Pithiness Which Doth Accompany Good Rest

Methought I heard a voice cry 'Sleep no more!
Macbeth does murder sleep', the innocent sleep,
Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care,
The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,
Chief nourisher in life's feast,--
Macbeth, Act 2, Scene 2

I know this blog is entitled "Grandiose Ruminations Rooted in Minutiae" which means it should be a periodical reckoning on par with Ken Kesey or Hunter Thompson. But pretend for a moment that this blog is ironically titled. Pretend, if you will, the blog is actually called Mundane Thoughts Anchored in Banality.

There you go. This works because today's topic is sleep; or, more specifically, I slept last night. For the first time in a long, long time. All through the night. No interruptions, (save for a pit stop complete with cat rotation), no hours in the middle of the night staring at the clock, no being too hot or too cold, no snoring, no feeling like crap when the time came to wake up.

Many factors are at play here. We are back to normal in our schedule so we took a walk yesterday. We had a modestly sized meal at a normal time. We had time to rest and relax before bed. We went to bed at a reasonable hour. We put in ear plugs because the new young neighbors next door were having a "mixer", (is that what the kids call it these days?).

And... this is a great and. For the first time since April of 2008, with the exception of being on vacation, (and usually not even then), I turned off my phone and I turned off the part of my brain that is responsible for late night cell phone reaction. It's called the verizonal cortex. I should know. I studied neuroscience for four years in a non-accredited program at a midwestern university best known for being Playboy Magazine's "Party School of the Year" my junior year.

Why this luxury? With the removal of the responsibility to sell emergency services and therefore respond to emergencies, I no longer am beholden the late night thoughts of disasters. I no longer have to stare at my phone waiting for it to ring. Dreading the mere fact it may ring. Not ringing was ringing in and of itself. Existential enough for you? Maybe today's aren't so mundane after all.

In my job before, I could be (and often was) needed any time 24/7. I have essentially been on call for over three years. That really burns a guy (or gal I suppose) out. But not anymore. I have more or less banker's hours now, except for some early meetings and breakfasts and the occasional event after hours or on Saturday. But these things tend toward the relaxed and fun spectrum, not to the "c'mon get that hose over here move move move", spectrum.

I don't know if this will be a cure for my insomnia, but it sure feels like a good start. And that is indeed a Grandiose Rumination.
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I have begun assembling the parts to keep GrandMa Marjorie Rubenstein, (AKA Ruby/Large Marge the Barge), on the road for just that much longer. Ebay is my friend as I have cruised the online world looking for bargains.

The first bargain was a rebuild service for my long moribund "automatic" climate control which gave up functioning altogether two years ago. The dealer wanted $700.00 to fix it. I found a guy who rebuilds them with a lifetime warranty for $75.00. Since my window is stuck in the down position and I will NOT under any circumstance drive a car with plastic taped to the door with blue painter's tape, now was a good time to excise that piece and send it in for repair. I hope to have it back by Saturday. But more likely it will be Monday.

Then I saw a master switch block including escutcheon in the color I need and everything for $99.00. I made an offer for $65.00 and it was turned down. Later, I found another listed for $49.99, made and offer for $39.99 and it was accepted. I sent my auction win to the first guy and told him to check himself.

I am now looking at buying a new lock actuator and mounting, which I will likely do from the dealer because I need to see it and visualize if before I buy it.

Then I will bite the bullet and buy a new trim piece to replace the one that Mr. or Mrs. Crackhead marred while breaking in to my car. They want $120.00 new! I am trying to find a used one, but that search has proved more difficult.

Then I'm going to take her up to Cole at Autobody Experts/Carstar in Holland and get a full detail inside and out.

Then I'm going to sell or trade her in. Values are higher than I thought, if the various websites are to be believed. I want a "new" car. I deserve it.

The end.