Random Bits

The last few days have been not quite a haze of jet lag, but I certainly know I've hopped time zones.

Germany was fantastic - I hope we go back!  I got to see the Victory Column (totally near the hotel - we were on that end of the Tiergarten) along with random men-killing-things statues (they used to hunt wild boar on the lands of the Tiergarten, so it really isn't a surprise). And the Deutches Technikmuseum (social event for the win with train cars!) and the Checkpoint Charlie museum - right at Checkpoint Charlie - the guardhouse is still there with taxis and buses whizzing by it.

Lots of things I didn't get a chance to see - like the Brandenburg Gates - they were on the opposite end of the Tiergarten from where we were and I just didn't have that much free time to try to go see them.  I went to the Checkpoint Charlie museum instead.

I am gearing up to go on vacation - which is my next big ADVENTUR!  Hopefully a ton of relaxation and driving around the area dorking about small history bits with friends.  Low key.  And maybe there will be enough breezes to fly a kite or two.

I find as I get older I care less and less about what "people" think.  Introvert that I am people wear me out, but it used to be paired with social anxiety where I would push to do something even knowing I would maybe have a good time doing it, but would pay for it later with exhaustion because people tend to suck my energy dry (except for when I am on stage, where, oddly, the exchange works the other way).  I have less anxiety about saying no.  Maybe it is age.

I've lived in my house for eleven years. For eleven years this has been my address. For eleven years I've had the same land line phone number.

Previous to my living in this house it was owned by a pair of elderly women - either a woman and her mother, or a woman and her mother-in-law - I was never clear on that. We'll call them Mrs. and Mrs. F. Previous to my having the phone number I have had for the past eleven years it was owned by a doctor and her husband - who lived in my town, just not at this address. We'll call them Dr. and Mr. R.

Now I get calls for the Rs all the damn time. Wanting to buy "my" timeshare. Wanting to discuss an order. Just wanting the Rs. I have to keep telling people this has not been the Rs phone number in over a decade, and I don't *have* a timeshare, or made any order or can give them either R to talk to. I don't know what happened to the Rs. I don't know if they moved from the area, or sold the house they lived in, or divorced. I don't know them at all, and only the area code and exchange tell me that at some point prior to eleven years ago they lived *somewhere* in my town.

So the Fs. The Fs were both elderly, one more so than the other (and by elderly I mean they had elderly points of view - the younger of the women was probably younger than my parents, but I would not describe either of my parents as "elderly" because they have young points of view). And the husband/son/son-in-law part of the equation had died, leaving the two women alone. They were alone for a good number of years, so I'm told, and they were the stereotypically nosy old ladies of the neighborhood. They died about eight months before I bought the house within about a week of each other (so I'm told). I know there is (or was) a daughter in Florida who sold the house to me, and I had to wait for the probate courts to okay the sale and all, so I don't believe they died with their things in order (I also think it was the man who owned the house and the women inherited it from him so it was a bit of a muddle). I never met the daughter.

I get mail for the Fs occasionally (a postcard mentioning it has be x number of years since their last physical, AARP stuff, etc.). Junk mail I discard as soon as it comes. The Fs have left this plane of existence, I don't think I can forward their mail.

Today was a real disconnect. I just got a phone call for the Fs. At least one of the Fs. Um. What? This phone number was never associated with the Fs in ANY way.

What's next? Mail for the Rs?

And this is what fell out:

http://www.drugstore.com/so-fresh-so-dry-fresh-balls/qxp331808

Um. I'm glad that this sort of personal care item exists? But If I were a guy, I'm not sure I'd want oatmeal and tea tree oil all up in my junk.

Cheers for a perfectly descriptive product name?

In other news I'M HOME FROM QUEBEC CITY!!!

Awesome awesome awesome city.

Every time we go somewhere with the entire team at work we try to do something as a team. Today's meeting they were seriously discussing, while we are in Prague, going ZORBING. I had no idea what the hell ZORBING was, but I was assured that the Czech Republic has an official ZORBING site (go ahead and Google it - there are some youtube vids of people doing this activity).

And then they described it.

Its like a human sized hamster ball, they said. You get in and ride it down a hill! You can't get motion sick, they said. But lately someone died doing it!

...I think I'm gonna leave the hamster balls to the hamsters.

I've posted before on the town phone alert system, I think. So my town can take segments of the population of the town and call them with a pre-recorded message. It is usually a notification of mosquito-spraying, coyotes seen in the area, alzheimer's patient wandered away, road detours, blizzard (or any violent weather) warnings, that sort of thing.

This afternoon the helicopters started circling about forty minutes ago. I figured, some wreck on the Mass Pike (overpass less than a mile away) or something of that nature.

Just got a pre-recorded call from the police department.

There is a man in the area, armed with a knife, who is suicidal. Lock your doors, curtail outdoor activities, and btw schools have been notified - all the kids are safe in school (likely, they are all on lock down). Don't go out until this is resolved. If you see him [they gave a basic description], call 911 immediately. Do not approach.

Um. WHAT?

Right. So how is your Wednesday going?

ETA: Update from the police department. School dismissal is delayed (schools still on lock down, I bet), all after school activities canceled, and if your kid lives in my neighborhood - they aren't being released. South side of town, and western edge are all going home as usual. My part? No dice. You can pick up your kid (as long as you are the parent/guardian of record) but the buses are not rolling into my area until this is resolved. So, not resolved yet.