Is that a.m. or p.m.?

I was in a bit of a hurry to get out the door today, so I forgot -- for the first time in many, many years -- to put on my watch. As a result, I've been staring at my wrist a lot.

I'm reminded of a friend who seldom wore a watch, and when you'd ask him what time it was, he'd reply, "Skin and hair."

Retroactive delivery

I'd like it yesterday, please.

Killjoys

I noticed this sign at a supermarket I occasionally stop into on my way to work:


If I can't crack open a beer and pop some pills while shopping for groceries, why bother going?

Culture shock

Consider that, in 2008, there still are people in Eugene, Ore., who look like this:


My parents arrived in the United States in 1968, and Eugene was their first stop. I've always wondered what went through their minds when they arrived. (Add in that their next stop was Pittsburgh, and you have a couple of huge, uh, transitions to make in the space of a year.)

It also reinforces my belief that anyone who willingly, as an adult, decides to uproot himself or herself and move halfway around the world is a lot braver than I am.

Squeezable

Anyone got a ketchup packet?

Faith in humanity

Driving to the mall before work today, I noticed two geese trying to cross a busy four-lane road. I slowed my car to a stop and fully expected drivers in the other lanes to blow right on past. To my surprise, everyone else also stopped and gave the birds a respectful amount of space as they waddled across the the first two lanes of traffic, then the median and then the other two lanes.

This made me feel so good about life that I promptly went to the mall and dropped $300 on stuff I didn't need (well, I did need the haircut).

Consumerism wins again!

My inner gambler

I've never been a huge gambler -- the most I've ever won in Vegas is $75 at video poker. I generally take $100 or $200 to a casino and proceed to blow through it in 45 minutes. Or I last about half an hour in a poker game with co-workers.

But a couple of months ago, I played poker with said co-workers and wound up with around $350 when all was said and done. This past weekend, I was in Connecticut visiting friends, and we decided to go to one of the casinos. So I got $100 in chips and ran through $90 of it at the blackjack table in about five minutes.

Then, something odd happened: I started to win. First, I was happy to get back to even. Then I was up $50. Then up $100. Considering my hot streak, I should have bet more aggressively. But I wound up leaving the table up $200 (after tipping the dealer) -- not bad for a few hours' work, I suppose.

Anyhow, a group from work is planning an Atlantic City trip in a few weeks. So I'm wondering if I'm on a hot streak or if everything just comes crashing down for me then.

Bad genes suck

The woman who cut my hair yesterday asked if I had considered hair coloring for men and added that they had a process that "leaves in some of the gray."

*sigh*

Northwest pipeline needed

For my birthday, my sister sent me an assortment of canned tuna from Oregon. Yesterday, a co-worker brought me some bottles of the awesome Rogue Imperial Red, which he picked up on his family's vacation to the Northwest and Canada. Today, one of the food boards I read had a discussion about Pacific salmon and oysters, which made me hungry and upset that my suspected shellfish allergy has been confirmed by a doctor. And I've been longing for Rainier cherries and Mount Hood strawberries every time I'm in the produce section at the supermarket.

It's a good thing I'm going to be in Oregon next month, otherwise I'd go a little batty thinking about all of the Northwest food I've been missing.

Thanks for the tip

Noticed this cart at the mall today: