Shadowlight's Lighthouse

Woke rested despite spider-packed nightmares. Managers tell me they appreciate me for doing task x (cleaning a clean floor until no man can call it dirty, or something). I ask them to arrange the upcoming work-schedule (the next one to be scheduled) so I have that particular Sunday off. (there's a party) They say they'll see what they can do. hrm. When our most regular customer says "thank you so much", *then* it means something, because he has a severe neuromuscular disorder and it's clear that speaking is an effort for him. Today, he called me by name. I don't think that's ever happened before. So, that's the official high point of my day.
Fairly smooth day, aside from the clean floor getting dirtier as I cleaned it (because traffic on the floor increased). Thought some seemingly profound things, now forgotten. All was slowly drowned in a zen koi pond of serenity, or maybe fatigued apathy: the retail rage, the nightmare spiders, the being thanked all the time. Once I finished my shift, however, I went to local bigbox bookstore to see if I could special-order _Icons_, (answer: it is known to them, but not available to them right now. try again later) and wind up getting sidetracked and wasting time. Text message from a friend to the effect that she's unimpressed with my efforts so far to see that Blind Rebel Scholar gets to the party that I myself might not be able to attend. I send her an email suggesting that, if need be, I could show up after work, whenever that is on that day I asked for off while they were appreciating me, just to say hi and take the Blind Rebel Scholar home. Inasmuch as it could mean a long day between waking and sleeping again, it's not a great plan, but inasmuch as it would give me some quality time with the Blind Rebel Scholar before he goes back out west, and the other plans either give him less time with friends or rely on authority figures keeping promises they haven't technically made,... well, inasmuch as all that, it's the best plan I've got. I got sort of emo for a while after that. wrote down the idea I had for the Over the Edge game at con before I forgot that, too. Now it's bedtime.

Have been wearing the big goggle-like Backup Eyeglasses since my normal ones broke (see last post). With my mostly grey beard shaved back to a goatee, can't help but think my reflection looks like it should be ruling a tribe of savages awed by his Mad Scientist / Alien Warlord technology. (Dictor in Heinlein's "By His Bootstraps", specifically) I had eye exam today, got a clean bill of health (once I managed to give consistent answers to the rapid fluctuation of dozens of slightly different lenses, and figured out the lens seemed all blurry because I'd fogged it up), took new prescription to Vision Center at the store where I worked, ordered a pair of progressive glare resistant polycarbonate lenses. (All the technology helps take the sting off the price tag.) I hope the frames I picked worked out. Square is in, but I went for small but not too small, square but not very square but not in a ladies' style... probably not too different from the old ones. They won't be ready until around the 29th, so I'll be opposing Time Lords and Pulp Heroes for another week. (Maybe I should give up on the goatee and do Blue Beetle jokes instead.)
Lunch with my sister and her beagle, then they went on to their next stop. Turns out I didn't need to clean my apartment after all. *shrugs* well, every little bit helps.
Phone tag with Thymewind. (still haven't caught him)
Did laundry at the laundromat, but didn't have enough quarters for the dryer, so I went to adjacent stores, buying something just to get cash back on my debit card. Goodwill sold me a Rainbow Plaid button-up shirt...but didn't do cash back. (Even so, how could I almost buy a Rainbow Plaid shirt and then not do it? When is that going to happen again?) So, Kmart sold me a dvd. Still wound up filling most of my laundry drying rack with socks that were still moist after 24 minutes on high temp. Would've run the dryers longer, but the laundromat closed at 9pm.

Ok, so today I worked morning shift again. Spot mopping (the removal of dirt blotches from the floor) seems to have again risen in priority among those in charge, so I did quite a bit of that, mostly upon request. I saw a co-worker who's been out sick (who has been rumored to not be coming back) come in for his paycheck, and he smiled and said the ladies in Personnel were going to do what they could to let him come back. Also, Coworker DG installed a deadbolt to act as a lock for the Ladies' room (from yesterday's post). I gave him heartfelt thanks. I spoke with one of yesterday's leads about FoxCon, and he gave me two more names to ask, and said if I kept reminding him, he could find some manner of event-runners or at least staff for the con. I spoke with one of the new names after work. He smiled and said that, just by chance, he already had that weekend off. We talked about rpgs. He told me some anecdotes about playing Top Secret back when he was in school, and he sung the praises of his new favorite system, _Savage Worlds_. He said it was easier to play than Gurps, you can create a character in ten minutes, combats are fast and smooth, even with car chases, and the core rulebook only costs $10. (duuude... ok, so I looked it up on wikpedia when I got home.) I knew these people were geeks, but it's still slightly surreal to be talking to them about geek stuff. I'm pleased at the positive responses I'm getting. Also today, I finished the manga I borrowed from Eku: _Maison Ikkoku_ is a straightforward romantic comedy about a college student in love with the semi-unavailable woman who acts as the superintendent of his boarding house. _Sexy Voice and Robo_ is more complicated, a comedy/action/drama-something about Nico, a perceptive, resourceful, (but manipulative) 14-year-old girl who performs vaguely espionage-like missions for an mysterious elderly patron, with the assistance of her friend/hapless pawn, Sudo, a lonely 20-something geek with a collection of toy robots. (I think I felt sorry for the geek more than was intended, but nonetheless they were very engaging and entertaining stories. Although set in modern Tokyo, I was reminded of 'Shadowrun'. The Old Man is an excellent example of what cyberpunk stories call a 'fixer'.)

Today... was a good day. Managed to get in touch with Akeila and carpool with her and CW, her Don'tjinxit Complicated, (note 1) to the Flowerytree wedding. Beautiful ceremony (Groomsmen in chainmail with Alpha-Omega-over crossed-swords heraldry, Bride and bridesmaids in deep red and white Renaissance dresses). saw many people I knew, and everyone seemed at peace with one another, putting aside conflicts in celebration of this miraculous event. saw Ms. Q there, which was good, as I keep losing touch with her. saw Former Roommate there, but failed to deal with the financial loose end we'd decided to fix at the wedding because we didn't want to do it across state lines. Didn't know the proper timing to doing business at a wedding reception. Guess I haven't seen enough gangster movies :) Was worried my homemade Scottish kilt-ensemble wouldn't pass muster among Scadians, but people said it was good. Hope the happy couple like my wedding gift. (Does anyone know if the new Mrs. Flowerytree drinks tea?) Good real conversation with Akeila and CW on way to and fro, then I showed them my New Place, and they were nice enough to take me out to dinner (I had grilled salmon and a caesar salad. For me, that's healthy.) and buy me some housewarming gifts (a decent frying pan and a blender). I also got them to go through my giveaway pile and take some stuff I'd rather had a good useful home.


Note 1: CW's an actual excellent driver, made up most of the late from our late start. had I tried to find the place myself I would've been derailed by road construction before I'd even gotten a third of the way. We would've arrived exactly on time if only the final street in the directions had been labeled in realspace. Fortunately, I recognized a building in the distance from its photo in the Google Maps cyberspace illusion of the proper street, and Akeila was puzzling out an actual, if un - detailed, paper map of the town. We got there just as we got a text message on my phone that said "ur late". Technology is getting weird.