Thursday, July 26, 2012

You are slowly becoming a man

I almost got sick at work yesterday morning.  I happened to look up at one of the televisions and it was the one that had the Childrens News Brodacasting Corportion airing.  There he was- the man about 95% responsible for the repeal of Glass-Stegall  which lead to banks keeping profits but socializing losses.  This guy actually had the audacity to call for the break up of the TBTF banks.  Talk about hypocrisy.  I am surprised the guy was not crucified more in the press today.  He got off pretty lightly.

Then I moved over to BBRG and I heard some talking head averring that the Fed's dual mandate is causing huge problems.  So far, so good.  He then went on to say he can't understand why the Fed is worried about growth when they have delivered a 6-7% increase in the S&P 500.  WTF?  That statement right there beautifully encapsulates what is wrong with so many of the financial elites.  They equate price appreciation in the market with a growing economy.  I mean I get it as they are the majority owners of the assets that get traded and have had a huge rally.  JW has repeatedly told me I live in a lifestyle and information bubble and the guy on tv saying that a 6-7% rally in the S&P 500 is good for Joe Six Pack proves how myopic many in my industry really are.

I have to chuckle that I find myself defending Turbo Tax Timmy.  He really had very little recourse in the whole LIBOR-gate issue.  I found myself agreeing with one of the Democratic Congressmen who basically said he is getting scapegoated by the GOP because he is serving a Democratic President.

My oldest had a rite of passage the other day.  Instead of going to his job at his mom's boyfriend's place of work he was asked to stay home and wait for the cable guy to come.  He was told the cable guy would be there between 2-4 PM.  Of course the guy did not show up until 6 PM- hahahaha!  My oldest was pissed and went on a rant about what the hell is wrong with these people?  They grow up so fast don't they?

The whole Chik-a-Fil thing had me torn a bit.  I am all for free speech etc.  If people don't like what some business proprietor publicly says they can choose not to give him their business.  Then I read a friend's post on the Tome of Mugs:  "Ok people- to clarify: Having an opinion and expressing that (including an opinion on the opinions of others) = free speech. Having an opinion and expressing that, while simultaneously funding legislation that limits the civil rights of others = discrimination. See the difference?"  I don't think there are nay of those restaurants around here but I clearly would not give them my business.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

That was sorta fun...not

So this Jew and Hindu are getting married and they have two goys making their chuppah for them...I know that sounds like the start of a really bad, possibly offensive ethnic joke but it is not.  The husband and I are the goys and our friends who are getting married this coming weekend are actually a Jew and a Hindu.  They are getting married down here and because we are local and we have an awesome set of tools they asked us to take care of it for them (they currently live in the city).  So yesterday we assembled it.  I learned the husband is afraid of the jig saw- ha!  I also learned that the two of us are both sometimes opinionated about how to do things.  There were several times where in my supreme snippiness I told the husband fine you cut it.  regardless we got it done and it will only be up during the ceremony for a short time so it does not need to be built to last forever.  The husband will be painting it though.

This past week was a bit truncated for me.  I worked Monday and then was off Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and back in work Friday.  I had the three days off because I and my brothers and our spouses and spawn all made the trip up north to mom and dad's new house to have a fete for their 50th anniversary.  The boys had a blast and it was really quite fun even with a family photo Tuesday in 99 degree weather.  That night we had a barbecue at the new house and Wednesday we hung out all day there and then it was a family dinner at a great restaurant on Skaneateles Lake. Thursday morning it was back here and since we had the boys for the weekend too they decided to stay with us Thursday night and Friday. 

This morning we got our tired, old asses out of bed way too early for a Sunday morning to go over to the county park and do a triathlon.  Not just any triathlon either but an Olympic.  I was not sure I was ready for it as I had given quite a half assed effort at training but I finished it.  My time by my Timex was 3 hours, 12 minutes and 23 seconds.  That includes all my transitions btw.  My only concern is during the bike ride there was a race official riding the course on the back of a motorcycle and I saw him look at me and make a note.  The race was a USAT sanction race so I am not sure if I incurred a penalty and if so for what I don't know.

Hmmm- I just saw my race results and I was assessed a two minute penalty- I am not sure what rule I violated but the good thing is the husband got one too, lol.  And my Timex was pretty accurate as with the penalty I came in at 3:14 and change...

This coming week is rather busy.  The husband has to demonstrate the chuppah tomorrow, Tuesday night we are having dinner with JD and JW, Wednesday we probably will have to tidy up, Thursday I have business drinks, Friday we have wedding guests staying with us for the weekend, the wedding Saturday.




Monday, July 2, 2012

The grand tour

Ok, yes it has been awhile but we were off in Europe celebrating our honeymoon five years after the fact.

We arrived in Paris Saturday morning and right away we were doing the tourist thing.  We hit everything.  I was asked what my favorites were and they are Hotel des Invalides- especially Napoleon's tomb, followed by Musee d'Orsey, amazing museum from a philistine in terms of art and culture; Tuileries Garden and running along the Seine very early in the morning.  Yes, we actually trained while we were on our honeymoon.  The one thing I noticed about European runners is they are not friendly at all.  Generally when  you are out running here, you pass another runner and make a small wave or nod in acknowledgement of oh, you are crazy/in pain too?  Not European runners.  Everyone of them looked at me like I had two heads.

We actually went out to a club.  You know how they have open mike night at a lot of clubs here in the States?  Well apparently the club we went to- Spyce was the name, apparently that is the French spelling?-clearly had open stage/stripper pole night.  Seriously- the place was tiny, had a deejay and stage and two very small bars.  We got there and there were cute go go boys on the stage dancing in skimpy attire.  They got off and then out of the crowd cam two other cute go go boys.  I looked at the husband and said whoo hoo, we hit open pole night!  The best act though was the last one.  These three guys came up and took off their overcoats.  Two were regular sized, gym fit hotties.  The last one was a giant- had to be around 6' 4", jacked, mustache, no body hair and ink all over.  The two smaller guys were wearing black leather jock straps and motorcycle caps.  The giant was wearing a leather jock strap with spangles hanging off the front, black leather boots to mid thigh, black gloves above his elbows and - wait for it- pasties with tassels hanging from them!  I and the husband looked at each other and said no fucking way!  He really did not dance at all, he just stood there doing pseudo vogue moves.  I said to the husband you know in his mind he is wearing a long red gown, is blonde and holding a cigarette holder...

We departed Paris on Thursday from Gar de Nord and went off to Bruges- no we did not see the movie and everyone tells us it is hilarious.  Bruges is technically a city as it has a cathedral.  Well technicality aside it is a small town.  How do I know this other than trusting my eyes?  Um because we actually ran around the entirety of it in fifty minutes.  My favorite thing in Bruges was the Basilica of the Holy Blood.  Apparently during one of the Crusades some noble brought back what is believed to be two drops of Jesus' blood.  How did Dan Brown miss that when he was writing The daVinci Code?

Saturday morning we took the train from Bruges to London- I was psyched as we got to go through the Chunnel- clearly dating myself by calling it the Chunnel instead of the Channel Tunnel.As we were en route the husband is warning me that  London's weather is notoriously grey and wet.  We got off at St. Pancras and it was sunny as all get up and in the mid 60s.  I looked at the husband and asked where he had packed my Oakleys.

London actually stayed sunny and in the mid 60s the entire time we were there.  I got more tan than the husband from all the walking around we did.  We did all the tourist things and London was much more social as the husband had lived there for several years.  I got introduced to his friends and thankfully they all gave me the nod- not that it would matter five years after the fact.  I was told I was quite mischievous and very American polite- I am not sure that is a compliment or sarcasm as I don't speak British...or quite get their sense of humor.

That is all for now, will write some more later this week.