2003-01-02 - 2:32 p.m.

On the internal soundtrack: "Sweet Caroline", ugh.

Goddammit.

I set off the alarm today, and I didn't get to it in time to turn it off (I have 15 seconds), so cops came to my door to check on me. ARGH. They were nice about it, but I felt so stupid, and apologized.

What happened was, I accidentally set it to AWAY instead of STAY when I came in. So later on when I went down into the LR for the paper towels, I triggered the infrared sensor.

What happens right then is, the alarm starts beeping. I, of course, cannot hear this tiny high-pitched sound unless I'm standing right next to it. I don't hear anything until I'm back in the kitchen, arranging my microwave bacon on the paper towels, and the alarm goes off. I can hear THAT.

Apparently I can't react, get up two flights of stairs, and turn off the alarm within 15 seconds. Shit.

I'm trying to talk Poindexter into extending the 15-second delay, but he doesn't want to in the event that someone actually gets into the house. Sigh. I don't see what difference 15 extra seconds would make, so I'll bug him about it tonight.

While I'm grumping, might as well mention that I've got a mole that's growing. Great. It started off as a flat spot, about 3/8" in diameter, on my upper right arm. Over the summer I remember it was flat. Then at Christmas -- when I wore short sleeves for the first time in over two months -- I noticed that it had gotten raised. Same size, just sticks out more.

It doesn't look too weird otherwise -- it is perfectly round and evenly colored -- but it's larger than any other raised spot on my body, itches occasionally and looks a little red, so I'm having it checked. Unfortunately, the doctor I called isn't availalble 'til January 27th. Three and a half weeks. I'm trying to decide if I want to wait that long, or whether I should try to find someone else who can see me sooner, to ease my nervous-nelly mind. I can have Poindexter call another place tomorrow.

The other day I was wandering around in South Philly a bit in the car, and I happened across an abandoned corner business. Most of the sign had faded beyond recognition; the only clearly written piece said,

"KOSHER AND GENTILE KILLING"

Had a little moment there, like, "What is this? Equal-opportunity murder?"

As I got closer, I saw the faded chicken on the sign, and the faded word, "POULTERER". So that explains that.

We did nothing on New Year's Eve.

On New Year's Day, I pretended to work, and then we watched "The Outlaw Josey Wales".

Lesson #1: DO NOT GIVE YOUR GUNS TO THE GOVERNMENT. Look what happens.

I noticed that Josey always shoots in self-defense. He waits for the other guys to begin to draw, and then he drops 'em all. Go, Josey.

Meanwhile, that Laura Lee chick REALLY needs a couple of guns of her own, and many hours of practice. That Comancheros scene always makes me physically ill. Ugh.

Gratuitous photo of the day:

We took the kiddies over to a Christmas display that also had a carousel, and half the adults had to go on it too. Poindexter took the photo. The ride actually kinda sucked, because the horses did not go up and down smoothly. They lurched. Somebody's not maintaining that carousel properly. The one on the Mall in DC was much better.

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