On Wednesdays we talk weather, weed, and waiting on full spring

Checking in. It's Wednesday. Weather chat like old people do. It's seasonal spring and it's calendar spring, and it is probably climate change spring in the northeast. The wind has been absolutely inhospitable, a burning assault one needs to lean into and push through. The morning chill remains through most of the days. It's always colder at the shore in the spring by a mile, but this is absurd right now. Upstate in PA Lori is under a lot of snow and without power going on day two, and can we just say screw an April winter? Really. Screw it. Go away, Third Winter.

I want chapped lips and dry skin to miraculously disappear. 

I want to spend lunch hours outside feeling sun on bare arms, mainlining the vitamin D right through the skin, be out on my last dog walk of the night moving through air that is so perfect it feels like a whisper of silk, exist with windows open day and night, and drink morning coffee and watch the day fade away both comfortably from the front porch. Comfortably is the key word. I don't mind a light blanket but I'm not doing it shivering in a coat. 

I want to put the socks, winter coats, and electric blankets away.  

At least the food is good in this period of fool's spring - I made beef tips with gravy and served it over rice with a side of asparagus. It was delicious and easy. I'm cooking through the freezer and pantry and I had all the items. Also on the menu this week are long pants, two layers up top, socks, heavy duty lotion and big guns lip balm.

I'm not even a person that tends to be cold, I swear.

Is it too much to ask that spring arrive and stay for a while instead of shooting us right into heat and humidity? Probably.

You know what is here on time? The tree pollen, which kills my eyes in the spring.

I'm existing on Netgalley advanced reader copies, Fleetwood Mac, coffee, cardigan sweaters, and dreams of perfect weather this week. 

Happy belated birthday to Gail! It was yesterday.

And Happy 4/20 - decriminalize weed, expunge records, legalize it, and give the licenses to Black people as a form of reparations. Alcohol and opioids, both legal, have destroyed more lives, futures, families, and communities than marijuana by a mile. And that's that on that.

 

Thursday Thoughts - I'm so tired of my mood and sleep comes with a knife, fork, and a spoon

1. Coming at you live today, and I like that because this morning I'm cruising. Last night laying in bed awake at 1:30 am, I was in the mood to set the world on fire just to watch it burn and tell people all the truths, even the unnecessary ones. I don't shy away from confrontation and am happy to tell you frankly about yourself if you put me in the position to, but I don't go knocking on people's doors to tell them they're assholes, unprovoked and out of the blue. I felt like doing that last night though.

2. Philly's looking great this week.

3. Tuesday Kim treated me to dinner at The Continental. It was nice to just relax and talk. We work close to each other yet haven't met up since July!

4. When I came home after that, my house felt totally off. Then I realized what it was. For the first time since January, my dining room table was not campaign headquarters. MFD's campaign moved into an office for the final push. I cannot tell you how much my heart was singing. HOT DAMN HOT DAMN I HAVE A DINING ROOM TABLE AGAIN HOT DAMN

5. Speaking of the campaign, sorry, this makes me laugh - photoshopped (original photos included) and no mention of what he was arrested for. Murder? Theft? Nope. Civil disobedience (which is the equivalent of getting a traffic ticket) exercising his First Amendment right to protest things like the complete disregard of victims of sexual assault as a man accused of the same had his Supreme Court job interview (not a trial, you know...a job interview) and the attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act which will hurt so so many people (but not politicians or the 1% they protect so they don't care). Yes, he did get arrested railing against the government on those things and has no regrets. He won't stop standing up for people if he gets elected. Like hey, just issue a mailer talking about where someone stands on issues. No? Drag the opponent instead using lies of omission? Seems productive. What the people actually deserve is representation LIKE Mike Doyle, who will stand up for things that are right for regular citizens, including the right to assemble, not the 1% or the republicans and corporate dems who are slaves to those interests and don't give a shit about regular people. If our elected officials - MFD's opponent is an incumbent - send out misinformation like this or don't speak out when it's sent on their behalf by entities not associated with their campaign, how can we trust them to represent us honestly?

6. In addition to doing volunteer stuff for MFD this weekend, I am looking forward to getting my house in order. I scheduled a Vietnam Vets Pickup so the shit I've had laying around waiting to go is really going. Time to get shit together.

7. Anyone want to join me volunteering? Sign up here for Saturday and here for Sunday. 

8. Thanks to everyone who linked up for the fourth anniversary of Show Us Your Books! I am still finishing reading the end posts. I finished Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist. The title is a tiny bit misleading - this guy is not just any former white nationalist. He is the son of a KKK Grand Wizard and the founder of Stormfront and the godson of David Duke and he was at one time the future of the white supremacist movement. He built the language we are hearing echoed in our actual fucking government today, built it so that white supremacy was more palatable to regular people and gave them a way to be mainstream racist without using slurs or wearing white hoods so they could always claim not to be racist and taught them to turn racist accusations back on others. I am just...fucking whoa. All of this is by design and if you don't think so, read this book. Today I start a beta copy of a book written by an old friend from school. I am sure that will not make me want to vomit.

9.  Reminder: Yesterday was World Mental Health Day. Today is the 30th anniversary of National Coming Out Day.Today is also International Day of the Girl. I see you all. I support you all.

10. E-card of the week:

I'm out.

The Tuesdayest Tuesday of All Tuesdays

Yesterday

I got up late.

I had to run for the train.

I forgot my toast was in the toaster oven and nearly set the office on fire, calling on coworkers to help me wave the smoke out of open doors.  We spent the rest of the afternoon stinking of smoke and regret.

I locked myself out of the office just before leaving.

My train home broke down and we had to get off at the North Philly station to wait for another to come and pick us up. Eau de urine permeated the air. People stood in tight clusters of rage. It took me two hours and 10 minutes to get home.

Due to the toast incident, I forgot to order groceries so I pulled open the freezer and made the grossest honey chipotle crusted salmon for dinner. Then I undercooked the rice. MFD was all what is this I said it’s just for tonight, eat it and we will never speak of it again. 

I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to welcome Wednesday, and I have a lot of Tuesdayish Tuesdays under my belt. 

Let’s make this day better than the last, friends. In my case, it shouldn’t be that hard.