Tag: being silly

Baseball coincidence and fun

I send a friend of mine a photo of the baseball game from our seats for the night. My man’s brother let us have his seats for the night, since he is out of town, and w w roughy my brother and sister-in-law with us. They are great seats. But it is also a professional baseball game, and this particular friend loves the Astros.

I snap the photo and send it.

Then I do a double take back to the message. On the message screen is two photos. Apparently the last messaging we had done on there (versus WhatsApp) was when I had been asking why he wasn’t at our gym social yet, and he had responded with a photo of the baseball game… a photo that looks almost identical to the one I have just sent him.

Hang on a tic…!

Are we in the same section as his tickets?!

I quickly show the photos to my man and start to look around. It seems his photo is slightly more to the right. My brother points out that it is also a touch higher up. I look to the implicated seats. I do not see him, though. As we pinpoint our exact guess – one row up, one section to the right, seat nine or ten – I notice that my phone is buzzing in my man’s hand while he swipes back and forth between the images.

After my man details for me why he thinks the photo was taken where he thinks it was taken, I open the new messages to see a photo of a television screen showing the game. The friend is watching at home. Ugh! I thought he had season tickets, though! I tell him as much. Only for the weekend games, he says. Ah, I see. I tell him how I was looking for him. He asks if we are on a certain same level. Uh, duh. Did you not see those two nearly identical photos?! I say that in a nicer way, and I tell him my man’s specific guess for where the friend’s weekend-only seats are located.

He is blown away. They are actually three rows higher than ours, not just one, but the section is the one right next to ours and the seats are nine, ten, and eleven. My man was almost spot-on.

But we’re not nerds. ;P

And we were all three very into this tiny game of comparison. Again, though, we’re not nerds or anything. Haha 😛

So, that was cool! Also, the Astros won, quite impressively. They had, I believe, four doubles in a row in one inning, giving three runs just from those. Then, the fourth run that inning was stolen, perhaps? I know one run was, but not sure if it was that inning or the first inning. If it was the first one, then, I believe, there was yet another double that inning. Nonetheless, it was a lot of doubles to have in a single game, let alone in one inning. And the pitcher wasn’t messing up. They just were somehow hitting them. It was really cool and bizarre.

Okay, I looked it up! I remembered correctly! It was four runs batted in from doubles, with a total of five doubles in a row in the inning!

It was totally cool to see. Each one was played very well by both teams, which helped to make it all so impressive. I’m really glad we got to attend and see this game.

Also, one player did the whole jumping into a wall thing to catch what was very nearly going to be a home run for the visiting team, and he caught the ball. He slammed backward into the wall a bit, and then pitched forward and fell to the ground, but he kept a good and clear hold on the ball, securing the out. It was absolutely impressive.

Thank you, God, for this lovely night out for us all. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Amen.

Post-a-day 2023

Credit goes to MLB’s website for photo and video, as shown on each.

That non-nutritive cereal varnish

I felt like I was truly in “Christmas Vacation” yesterday, when I poured myself a bowl of Cap’n Crunch cereal. You see, this bag of cereal has been open for months, truly. And it has been not just open but not even clipped shut the past month and a half, at least. Basically, there was no way I was expecting anything other than stale, slightly squishy and likely no-crunch cereal when I went to bite into this cereal. No way. This is Houston, Texas. We don’t have non-stale cereal that has been opened more than a couple weeks at most, and that’s with a good, tight roll and bag clip.

No, there was just about zero chance this cereal would be anything more than slightly-satisfying stale stuff.

And yet, as I bit down on the first two pieces, just to have a sample before eating it with (almond) milk, I was shocked with a genuine, solid, and real CRUNCH!

My immediate thought was, It’s that non-nutritive cereal varnish! No joke.

Not sure of what that means? Well, do read:

“Oh, the Crunch enhancer? Yeah, it’s a non-nutritive cereal varnish. It’s semi-permiable. It’s not osmotic. What it does is it coats and seals the flake, prevents the milk from penetrating it.”

Still lost as to where I’ve gained this bizarrely unique information about cereal? Allow me:

Clark: I went ahead and I put a 7500-dollar deposit down on it.

Bill: You're the last true family man.

Mr. Shirley, approaching: Mark!

Clark, sipping: Mmh. Clark.

[silence]

Clark: That's Bill, sir.

[silence]

Mr. Shirley: Are you the one who was working on that non-nutritive cereal varnish?

Clark: Yes, sir.

Mr. Shirley: I’ve gotta give a speech to a trade group. I'd like to mention it. Write up a brief summary and have it to me by the end of the day.

Clark: My pleasure.

Mr. Shirley: Layman's terms! None of that inside bullshit jargon that nobody understands.

Clark: Yes, sir.

[Shirley starts to leave]

Clark: Oh, Mr. Shirley… Ah, we got your Christmas card the other day, and my family and I are very flattered that you remembered us.

[silence]

Associate: Corporate cards.

[silence]

Mr. Shirley: Don't forget that report, Bill.

Clark: Yes, sir. Thank you. Merry Christmas…

Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Merry Christma— Kiss my ass. Kiss his ass. Kiss your ass.

Happy Hanukkah.

My own personal serving of cereal with an almost-definite non-nutritive cereal varnish that worked wonders! 😛

Happy almost Christmas in July! ‘Tis the season, ne?! 😛

Post-a-day 2023

Sick at the opera

Well, I’m much improved in terms of how I physically feel, but I still have some sickness my body is having to fight, something nasal. My head and body don’t ache, and I have an appetite and quite decent energy compared to yesterday. But my throat is still sore, true to an overnight nasal drip kind of sick.

But I was well enough to attend the opera tonight, and I even made it most of the way through the opera before my body decided it was going to start needing to cough at decreasing increments of time, just about immediately. Fortunately, my mom had just given me a throat spray that was sitting in my pocket, and I was able to help suppress most of the coughs with that during the remainder of the performance. So, we enjoyed the show and didn’t seem to cause any disturbance for ourselves or anyone around us either.

Now, the question is whether I’ll be able to sleep… God, help me sleep tonight that I be healed tomorrow. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2023

Toads and Frogs

Tonight, leaving my man’s nephew’s baseball game, we crossed a small movement on the ground in the dark. After a minimal and short moment of panic, I realized it was a toad. It was right next to the dog, and the dog noticed its next move. So, I declared, “It’s a toad!”

The dog, of course, having seen the toad, goes right after it with a cute little hop to follow each of the toad’s. Seeing this, I encourage the dog, knowing she won’t hurt it, but more likely just sniff it as long as it’ll let her. “Get it, E—-! Get the toad,” I say.

There is only a moment of pause as my man and I both watch the dog hop once more after the toad, and then we hear a cute, high pitched voice declare, “I can!” It sounds like an offer, and an eager one.

We look up to see a boy from the baseball team already taking off his bag and heading straight for the toad. Instantly, of course, his mother firmly tells him, “No,” and he halts in his pursuit, only slightly dejected, but accepting of his fate.

The dog loses interest, fortunately, and the two of us snicker our way back to the car, where we can crack up at the little boy’s easy declaration of, “I can!” offering to help us capture a toad. 😛

It was a good and adorable interaction, to say the least. Thanks, little kid, for such hospitality and willingness. Haha 😀

Post-a-day 2023

Good start

Today was a success! Yay! Sure, there were definitely some moments of awkwardness, and I also had to sit around and wait for an hour and a half, simply because certain people did not communicate a schedule change to others. However, it all worked out okay, and I even got to walk around the festival for a while with my mom. I also got to sit in a shaded VIP area for a while with my mom and just hang out and rest somewhat. Both opportunities were great and greatly appreciated.

What’s more, my man built almost the whole chicken coop today!! ** So, an extra yay!! Yay!!

Thank you, God, for a successful day for us all. Grant us peace and purpose always, and heal all of us, please. In your name, I pray. Amen.

**I only just a few days ago re-learned – because I definitely knew this before – that it is a “chicken coop,” and not a “chicken coupe.” To be fair, I once read a joke, after having already heard my cousin tell it, that kind of made me mess up my spelling of the word.

Relevant joke that is meant to be said and not written: Why doesn’t a chicken coop have four doors? Because then it would be called a chicken sedan.

Though, the written joke had “coop” spelled already as “coupe,” which really messed me up. Also, I never understood the joke, because it was also worded poorly, instead saying something like, ‘Why does a chicken coupe only have two doors? Because otherwise it would be called a chicken sedan.’ I massively struggled with this version of the joke, because I only knew of chicken coops that had just one door. So, the premise alone didn’t make sense to me. Nonetheless, the idea of the joke is cute and comical. Imagining a “chicken sedan,” whatever that is, as well as a “chicken coupe,” is quite a fun game to play in the brain. Give it a go! Vroom-vroom!

Post-a-day 2023

Volunteering

My volunteering is interfering with my volunteering! 😛

I already wanted to volunteer for a rodeo thing tomorrow. Then things changed in my schedule with volunteering for the festival this weekend, and what was supposed to happen today got pushed to tomorrow… in the middle of when I’m meant to be volunteering for the rodeo thing.

Gratefully, the boss-lady said I had no obligation to go tomorrow for the changed volunteering stuff – only for the Saturday and Sunday stuff did it truly matter that I be there. So, I felt it out emotionally, and I saw that I definitely feel it important to do the rodeo thing tomorrow. As for the evening volunteering for the festival tomorrow…, I am still undecided. Going to feel it out a bit tomorrow afternoon and see how I feel, but I likely will decline, not because of exhaustion, but because it would be during my only chance to attend the other important festival that is happening this weekend near us.

So, yeah… lots happening in the next three days for me! Gotta sleep now. Goodnight!

God, grant us all useful and refreshing rest at night, and help us to have the energy, drive, desire, and ability always to pursue and to fulfill your will. In your name, I pray. Amen.

P.S. May the Fourth be with you.

Post-a-day 2023

The Opriest of Operas

Or the oprarest, if you want to be British about it…

Tonight, we saw Tosca, which is by Puccini. It was great. As our family friend said, the tenor really did steal the show. He was spectacular. Spectacular. And, given how great the lead and the other main supporting roles both were, that’s truly saying something. They were all awesome.

However, that same family friend had informed us ahead of time that the production was great. He saw a final dress rehearsal of it the other week, you see. (He also is a musician by career, and has worked many years in classical radio, so he knows what he’s taking about with opera.) Apparently, Tosca is possibly his favorite opera and was the first he ever saw, working as an usher with his mom forever ago.H

He and my mom were messaging before the show tonight, as well as during the intermissions. He said specifically before the show started that Tosca was, ‘the most opera of operas,’ and, therefore, to expect a lot of people to die, as well as lots of drama.

As we hit the first intermission, he shared that the music ending the first act is his favorite and he has been singing it constantly since seeing the show recently. At the second intermission, the end of the second act, he said that he had started listening to a recording of it just after our show started. Ha! My man responded, “I’m listening to it, too.” (He has a lot of trouble staying fully awake at the opera, as we usually go weeknights, and, let’s admit it, it is Hard to stay awake at the opera when we’re sitting in a dark theatre, far from the stage, and we’re tired before the show even starts.) 😛

My mom sent a final message that, ‘Only two people have died so far, so I’m guessing the third act will be busy!’ He laughed at it, gave a confirmation of its accuracy, and then added, “‘Only two people have died so far,’ is the most opriest thing one could say”. We cracked up so hard right as the lights were going down. And he wasn’t wrong, not on any account. (This includes his ironic statement of its being a light little, family-friendly show with good moral values. It very much is not, and comically so at certain points.)

In the end, yes, just like almost all the other operas, death reigns, hope tries really hard with a really pretty and powerful aria, all the stupid people get what they had coming all along, everything is ridiculously dramatic, and the music is practically divine in how spectacular it is. Indeed, Tosca is very much the most opera of operas. Though, I now will hold this classification in mind for all operas I see, and determine if I can find an opera more opera than Tosca!

Post-a-day 2023

Gun Show

I’ve been working on my comfort and ability with firearms, right? Right. So, I determined to go to a gun show, just to see them all about in a safe environment. On the way to it, I commented on how it would be funny yet almost unsurprising if, upon arrival, we discovered that they didn’t permit open or concealed carry. After all, if I stereotype, I would imagine that the large majority of people who go to gun shows carry a personal protection firearm with them wherever they go (i.e. they conceal [or open] carry). My man made fun of me for even considering such an idea. Of course they wouldn’t do that for a gun show, he declared.

I pointed out to him that I was just sharing the idea that had popped into my head, and how I thought it would be ironic and silly, yet not too surprising, and he needn’t make fun of me for sharing that idea with him.

We’ve been dealing a lot with what I call ‘instant retribution’ or ‘instant karma’ when it comes to my man. It is almost comical how often it happens for him when he does or says unkind things to me.

So, I kid you not, we arrive shortly thereafter to the event and walk inside. On a massive sign (and then some others, too, that aren’t the legal requirement sign but just extra noise) is printed not the standard ‘no open carry’ or ‘no concealed carry’ signs, but the ‘no guns period’ sign(!!!). We both look at it, process it, then turn to look at one another. Stunned-like, he merely says, “…Well…” 😂

We most definitely laughed about it after the shock wore off… at least, I did, anyway. Haha. The irony was just great.

We did ask the officers who were there at the entrance about the sign. They said that, due to the recent laws allowing anyone to concealed carry and open carry, so long as that person is allowed to own and handle a firearm, even without a license to carry – it used to be called a “concealed handgun license”, but changed to a “License To Carry” when the laws changed – they don’t want those people to be bringing in loaded firearms. However, also due to laws, no one except law enforcement is allowed to ask for proof of someone’s license to carry. What’s more, if law enforcement are hired by an event or venue, they are acting under laws for that event or venue, not as purely law enforcement. Therefore, even though police officers were standing there at the entrance, because they were hired by the event, they lost, while at the event and working , the legal right to ask to see someone’s license to carry. So, the only way they saw fit to prevent just anyone carrying is to prevent everyone from carrying. Very interesting, to say the least… and I am glad we asked. It was cool to learn something so odd and new.

Anyway, thank you, God, for such a lovely day. Thank you for this safe exposure to everything today. Please, help me learn safely all that I learn and do. In your name, I pray. Amen.

Post-a-day 2023

Bedtime towel, anyone?

I sleep with a towel on top of my sheets, just on my side of the bed. Why? Because he gets too hot with more layers, but I’m always too cold… until he comes to bed. So, for the first part of my night, I ball up under the sheet and blanket and my towel. Then, once he comes to bed and gets near me, even, I sprawl out comfortably, because he is just so warm and cozy all the time. By the end of the night, I’ve likely stuck a foot out the edge of the bed, so it can feel the fan blowing air onto it for a while, as my body has started to overheat. So, it’s a bit of a ridiculous mess, but I think I have finally figured out how to manage it. Special thanks to my white towel that blends in (somewhat) to the blanket on our bed. 😛

Though, I’m starting to wonder if the reason he always feels so warm to me is that he actually is a couple degrees warmer than I am… my temperature was 96 something tonight, when we took it just out of curiosity. If his is around 98.6, that makes him a full two degrees warmer than I am… that would explain a lot… and why it isn’t always that he feels so warm to me… hmm…

Post-a-day 2023

Good day

Today was a good day, a beautiful day. The weather was lovely, even with the bout of rain in the late afternoon and early evening.

My friend got done shopping she’d much needed, some of which was entirely without her child, because he hung with me in the toy section and played with toys. (Whenever he said that he needed his mom, I told him that we could go find his mom as soon as he was finished playing. Did he want to stop playing and go find his mom now, or keep playing? “Keep playing.” And, so, he did… the whole time we were in that store! I can only imagine the relief she had in being able just to shop, and not also manage a two-and-a-half-year-old.) I made smoothies that were actually good-tasting and good for us, and we all actually enjoyed drinking them, the child included. The kid woke up in the first place feeling loads better, and, therefore, in a much-improved mood and attitude.

My man spent about half an hour plus in the back yard with the kid, letting him help with chores and just follow my man around to look at whatever he was doing. Some chores were genuine. Others, not so much. e.g. he was ‘mowing the lawn, too,’ by riding around on the little tricycle in circles around the fire pit… on the brick… where there was no grass. 😛 It was absolutely adorable watching the two of them out back. The three of us inside were enjoying our awesome meal in comfort and peace, all while admiring the good practice my man was getting for our own future as parents. I can hardly wait for him to be the amazing father it is so clear he can be and will be.

Yes, today was a good day, a very good day.

Thank you, God. Amen.