Friday Fiver pisses off Bill O'Reilly.

From the home office under Santa's workshop, we bring you:

1. Do you have any holiday plans? Other than getting together with family, no.

2. Will you be traveling? About two miles to my mom's place.

3. What is the worst thing about this time of year? Incessant holiday muzak in the stores.

4. Do you have any favorite holiday foods? Turkey with all the trimmings.

5. Is it a Christmas tree or a holiday tree? Christmas tree.

A mysterious holiday visit! And more stuff!

A few weeks ago, while gushing over my new Jayne Hat, I mentioned that all I needed now was a button saying I'll Be In My Bunk.

In with today's mail is a card-sized envelope addressed to me. No return address. Inside is an unsigned Christmas card and a small envelope, which contains.. a button with Jayne and "I'll Be In My Bunk."

So thank you, oh anonymous benefactor! This really made my day. :)

In not so mysterious gift news.. thank you, soobunny for the Maiden disk! I listened to it at work today, and the remastering just rocked my world. I owned this album on vinyl in another life. It's weird, I was expecting the skip in 22 Acacia Avenue, and it never came.

Since I was only at work for four hours today (two jobs, each within three miles of the other) I finally finished shopping for Kiri's stocking. I am done.

As part of the aforementioned shopping, I wandered over to Cost Plus World Market. Thank all the odd gods of the galaxy I am out of retail. The store was wrecked. It doesn't look like they've managed a decent recovery in a week. The basket section (my old stomping grounds) was an utter disaster. I don't even want to think about the toy aisle and posters. As I checked out with a friend of mine, I kept thinking "Holy shit, did I look this worn out last year?"

I do have to work tomorrow, although there is serious doubt as to whether they'll be anything to actually do. We'll probably sit around for a few hours bullshitting, then go home. Since Christmas falls on a Sunday (when we're closed) we get Monday off with pay.

A bit of weirdness at work

Very slow as the holiday approaches, I only had two jobs today. The second was picking up a loaded container and taking it back to the warehouse.

Before heading over, I call both phone numbers and get answering machines. Not uncommon. Find the place. No cars in front, and no one answers when I ring the bell (we are supposed to let the customer know we are there to pick up the container in case there is a last minute item that needs to be loaded.)

So, assuming that no one was home, I back the truck up to the container and start doing that voodoo that I do so well. I had the container off the ground and was just starting back to the truck when the garage door opened and two women, one fairly elderly and one my age or younger (mid 30s, would be my guess) carry some garbage out.

"Good morning!" I cry over the roar of my lift's engine. I was actually at the back of the lift checking something when they came out, so we were no more than five feet away from each other. No reply, and they didn't even look at me. For the next ten minutes, as I maneuvered the truck under the container, lowered the container, and secure it to the truck did any of the eventual three women who emerged from the garage speak to me or even look in my direction. Even when I had to ask one of them to step away from the lift (it was close to six tons with the loaded container, and it can roll without warning...) I received no acknowledgment of any kind.

At first glance, I thought they were Latino (safe bet her in the SFBA) but on a second look they were more south Asian. Maybe cultural restraints prevented them from interacting with me, but it was just weird. Normally, I get an audience when I do a job. Being studiously ignored was a bit disconcerting.

crossposted to customers_suck

*crunch* (wince) repeat.

Since I walked to the stores today, I had to pass by Chili's. Which smelled divine. One of the few advantages of working at CPWM was I could smell Chili's and go there on lunch.

One of my stops was at Rite Aid. so I grabbed some chips and beer. I have a jar of salsa that I need to finish soon. So now I'm carefully eating chips and salsa.

I'm also on my third beer. *hic*

Sing along!

What shall we do with a drunken penguin
What shall we do with a drunken penguin
What shall we do with a drunken penguin
Ear-lie in the morning

Well, suggestions? Bonus points for making it scan to the song