The Chapel of Murphy Hanrehan

My favorite place on a Sunday....



-OB I don't know what they were, but we did 90 of 'em!

Scratchin'

We stumbled across the REI Scratch and Dent sale a year ago. It's their regular purge of all their returned products, complete with reason for return written on each item. Many items are incorrect sizes, have a broken piece or were "worn twice, but couldn't break-in"; but there are always items that have a surprising story behind the return.

Last year's favorite? A cycling jersey covered with snags -- snags everywhere...reason for return: washed with velcro.

This year's Best Of was on a well-worn pair of hiking boots -- reason for return: wore for six years, GoreTex quit working.

I scored a great pair of hiking/backpacking boots that retail for $180, leather, waterproof, Vibram soles, mine for $30 $30! -- reason for return: wore three times, too small. They were returned without the insoles, which was the reason for the so-low price tag. I can live with that.

- The Bag loves a deal

Ya Just Can't...

...have a healthy relationship with someone who's unhealthy...

...just can't happen....

One can't make healthy connections with someone who isn't capable.

We assume everyone we meet is normal and therefore is capable of a normal human connection, but we need to keep in mind that there are those who aren't necessarily rational or mentally healthy and therefore are impossible to connect with in a positive and healthy manner.

Someone who is bonkers, even slightly, is impossible to engage in a normal, rational way.

You won't be able to connect to someone if she hasn't got her rocks together.

So the witch down the hall? don't even try!


-OB repeat after me....

Blogiversary

-The Old four whole years?!? Bag

Big Words, Beheading and a Commode

Inspired by Juancho's comments to my last post about rude drivers and my attitude of late: at least they know they've been told off by a poet.

A poem.
An English sonnet, in fact, with the following rhyme scheme, quatrains and ending couplet:
a b a b
c d c d
e f e f
g g

10 syllables per line, more or less, written in iambic pentameter.

The third quatrain generally introduces an unexpected sharp thematic or imagistic "turn" called a volta.
--Wikipedia

Whatever. I wouldn't say this has an obvious volta.... You decide. Should be enough to meet the structural criteria.

In Shakespeare's sonnets, the couplet usually summarizes the theme of the poem or introduces a fresh new look at the theme.
--some Wikipedia page written by my arrogant old Lit. professor, I'm sure

The last two lines definitely summarize, but it's not exactly a fresh new look...especially if you're a cyclist. In traffic. At the end of the work day. I'm sure you've had the same thoughts.


Sonnet to Drivers circa September 2009
or
Told Off by a Poet

Entitled motorist, you raise my ire
wrapped in jackassed, fatheaded ignorance
I scheme to hoist your head high upon spire
held victorious above shaming glance.
Self-bestowed, arrogant grandness surrounds
treasured possessions of fuel and wheel
noxious expletives rupture and rebound
reverberate within your box of steel.
Your offspring bears the insufferable curse
of deplorable, abhorrent guidance
supplied while learning their world to traverse
they tumble and careen toward subsidence.
A curse upon your existence bestowed
to spend it suspended in muck of commode.

- The Old English Bag who's really in a GOOD mood this week!

This Week

It didn't work for me this week
the commute
the ride usually solves the problems
removes the irritations
by the time I arrive home
but this week it didn't
my mind was roiling
drivers were rude
my attitude matched theirs
when usually it's just not worth it to me
to fight for space
"please, after you" is my mantra
because nothing spoils my ride
my big ringed pilates session
my two-wheeled prayer
usually
except this week
I dared them
indignantly
all of them
them in all of their entitlement
thinking they're better than me
more deserving of the roads
when really it wasn't me
but was the "me"
that was occupying my brain
this week

- OB in her crabby place

Bicycle Parade

At my workplace, students put in their six school hours between 8:00 and 2:00. The professional day is typically an hour either side of the student time slot, with some flexibility. If'n ya arrive at 7:00, stay until 3:00. 6:30-2:30. 7:30-3:30. Most of us arrive at 7:00 and are easily hanging around until 4:00 or 5:00...and when we do walk out the door we do so with a pile of work to do during the evening.

There are bosses in our district who walk around with clipboards, marking who's there and who's gone and what time it is. But not mine. He makes time to chat with us before the school year begins, when we're there just because we want to be. He sees us at our desks in July. He notices the uptick in August as we're beginning to fill the building at odd hours. He sees us at work until 8 PM during workshop week. And he doesn't nitpick about 7-3:00. He knows we'll put in more hours than he could ever pay us for. And, he knows we'll ONLY put in 7-3:00 if he brings out the clipboard.

He believes that life has first priority, work has second, and so encourages us to go home...and by doing so gives us choice. We typically choose to put in extra hours because we know we don't have to.

I've put in a ton of time since this whole job switch came around, so on Thursday I exercised my ability to choose. It was a beautiful, sunny, 80-degree afternoon. I rode down the streets away from work at 2:15. Because I could.

The parade? Just me, my bicycle and the streamers flapping on my backpack.

AND my blinkie lights.


- The waaaay happy Old Bag

How Ever Will I

a back-to-work haiku

has it been a week
since I've put together a
coherent post for

the laundry and mail
regenerate themselves in
an amazingly

how will I ever
accomplish in an evening
things that used to take

- OB Zzzz but I'm not done and it's already time for b

(a reprint from WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2006 because I'm just so ti)

Back to Work

life is a whirlwind these days

and at first it was novel but

do I have to continue

getting up early

EVERY

day

?

!

?

- Bag I've been doing this for 25 years and it's STILL one helluvan adjustment