Jane, who did the bulk of stone-moving, slept til noon. I got a little work in. I’m concerned about her doing too much and landing back where she was. When she feels better, she hurls herself at a job. But she promised (and kept it) that this afternoon she’d only clip flowers and water. No planting, no digging holes, no heavy raking, no carrying stuff.
Now I’m exhausted. I got Preen spread over everything; got the roses fed; did the mailing (an ordeal); and the shopping; and I swear to you, I have seen a few years, and I freely admit I rely heavily on hair dye, but! I! do! not! park a shopping cart catty-angled in the entry/exit of a major store, while conversing with a gaggle of my friends, and debating whether to use the hand-wipes conveniently provided, or asking who has the coupons and demanding to see same before believing it: people are stacked up with carts 4 deep trying to get in or out. In vain, until they had settled the coupon issue!
When they moved out, they had one cart in the lead, a lady with handwipes and coupons, and they single-filed like ducks, catty-angled across the normal traffic flow. Beyond that, they were everywhere inside the store. After locating what I’d come for, I grabbed my purchase and fled, seeing three of them advancing on the aisle.
I was older than you were when we first met (at Archon 1), so I assume I still am. Other than the fact that I talk to much (but am amenable to control from panel moderators, friends, etc), I am not known for rudeness. Therefore I believe that it’s not the blue hair; merely a conditioned self-centered rudeness. Since you live constantly with Caejeiri and Ilisidi and have lived with like-minded characters since before we met, I don’t believe you have a self-centered neuron in your body. Of course you were offended by this type of behavior.
Point taken: I think they were probably rude from way back, and have found each other and bonded. 😉
Are you sure that you weren’t at my local Kroger’s or Walmart? 😉
I distinctly remember recently waiting for a group of seniors (m and f) to stop talking long enough to unblock the milk case, giving up, circling back for another item, and finding them still there.
Glad you didn’t threaten them with a painted board or concrete base or a drill.
Though a broadsword could’ve gained style points.
Not to mention you could go through the meat case easily….
This just in: two barbarian women covered in spackled paint and alien fuzz conquered the produce aisle and led a charge on the pharmacy, shouting, “aaaiiiieeee! Philosopher’s Stone!”
I think those people must be related to the clusters of people who would stop walking randomly in the middle of my high school’s crowded hallway, oblivious to the mob having to fight its way around their impromptu powwow.
Perhaps it’s a communication malady…people have gotten so used to instant talk they just can’t wait. Have you ever noticed how often at, say, a big sports arena, when there’s an intermission, the conversation groups pile up in the narrow exit foyers, when there’s a huge concourse just beyond?
Or on the steps leading up to those foyers?
What part of “a mob of people is stalled behind you” do people not get, eh?
It’s not just older people. I will be walking through the high school I teach at and have students stop in front of me, turn and scream to their friends not even noticing that they have just shattered my ear drums.
Some people are rude from birth on, and never do gain the social niceties.
As Ilisidi might say, these particular humans are not “civilized.”
Not only do these inconsiderate people block our paths and/or damage our hearing, but I have actually seen several of these brainless-wonders stop their cars in traffic and back up said vehicles in order to talk to someone standing on the curb. And talk…and talk…Meanwhile, I’m stuck behind them just waiting for another car to plow into my rear bumper. Unbelievable.
It’s the human condition. Becomes very obvious in crowded European cities. Just imagine each and every one of them a chimpanzee.
Diane and I are in California for a two month research sabbatical. It will allow us to see where America has found itself.
Well, welcome! Hope you have a great stay!
Enjoy your sabbatical! That sounds great. (I’d love to see the UK and the Continent some day. Australia too.) Have fun in Californy-igh-ay!
Of course, my first thought was, “What are they researching when they’re (or while they’re) on sabbatical?”
Apparently, there’s a good deal more academic in me than I thought. But then, I’ve always been a bookworm.
I don’t see it every day but it is not uncommon for two cars going in opposite directions block our rural roads for conversation. What gets me is the drivers are so insulted when politely asked to move. The best was when a police car and ambulance siren’s blaring came to a complete halt. (Combo in summer which usually means a drowning or water accident has taken place,) An order from the bull horn got them moving, but how oblivious can you be?
There are certain stores I will not enter at busy times during the summer. I think when some people travel they put their manners in storage. 😮
As expert bridge-builders (Pontifices Maximi) you may be interested in this Popular Mechanics slideshow:
The World’s 18 Strangest Bridges
The Jiaozhou Bay Bridge, which China claims to be the world’s longest, is now open. But it takes more than length to make a great bridge: Advances in design software and construction materials have given bridge architects opportunities to focus on original, striking and sometimes whimsical designs that impress, while keeping function in mind. Here are some of our favorite unusual bridges and why they’re architecturally striking
I certainly don’t wish anything like it on your collective bridge-building efforts, but I think my favorite bridge sequence of all time (and I’m talking to you, physics students!) is the one of the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows bridge.
For those of you who may have not encountered it before, the Tacoma Narrows bridge was constructed when not all the forces acting on bridges of this type were completely analyzed and understood (or maybe they should have had an atevi look over the math!) It was an architectural marvel, elegant, high, and graceful. Unfortunately, it also had one big flaw: the gusty winds coming down that stretch of gorge could cause the bridge to wobble like a plucked guitar string, earning the bridge the nickname “Galloping Gertie”. On November 7, 1940, the winds hit 40 mph consistently. This also happened to be on the resonant frequency of the bridge, and after several hours, well…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-zczJXSxnw
We’ve crossed that spot–and one never forgets what happened to the LAST bridge!
I’m a bit stale in my research and teaching. This is an opportunity to hear some new ideas. I’m a neuroethologist. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Neuroethology/109817972377292
Interesting.
That’s cool –
My speciality is bat behaviour.
Herwin, for your studies I wish I could send you the bats that live between the chimney and the house. I like bats, and want them around, just not quite so close!