Weekend!
It’s a funny thing, but it took retirement to make me fully appreciate — and celebrate — weekends as an adult.
It feels like this should be the other way around. That I should have looked forward to weekends all those years of being a working stiff, and then lost track of when a weekend even was once I had no Mon-Fri, 9-5 ball and chain weighing me down. But during all my “earning” years, I almost always worked over the weekend. Sometimes I would bring the work home with me, but more often than not I would just go into the office.
And on those occasions when I really was keenly aware of the approaching weekend, it could even be a source of stress. In addition to everything I thought I needed to get done at the office, there were additional parenting commitments, as well as the occasion dinner party to cook for, or date with knittingniki. Those were all wonderful things, of course, but the stress of having to do them all and get through a pile of office work made me often dread Saturdays and Sundays,
Now that I am retired, weekends are actually… well, weekends. For the first time in my life since school, weekends are things I use to break up and track time. And now that I technically don’t even have weekend, they’re also something I look forward to. A lot.
Go figure.
This weekend, the hope is to get in some rest and relaxation. I have a trip to Powell’s Books planned for either today of first thing in the morning, and Agnostic God willing I’ll find at least a couple of books to disappear into before Monday. There will be a wee bit of work as well, of a house husband sort: Monday night we are having one of those corporate schmooze-fest dinner parties for twelve of fifteen of knittingniki’s colleagues, and so I will probably want to use part of Sunday to shop and do some prep cooking. That way, hopefully, Monday will not be such a stressed affair that I eventually want to punch every guest in the face just for ringing our doorbell that evening.
I may also watch the Seahawks and the Oregon games. (Oh, how the mighty have fallen.) And there will definitely be some hardcore Dodger rooting, and at no time now or later will I point out to Schilling that the Dodgers are in the post season and the Giants aren’t. Because that would be small and petty. And childish. So I will refrain.
I am very mature that way.
So what’s on your docket?
My weekend is full! There’s a post I want to write, at least a week overdue. Natasha and I are going to the Giant Robot Japanese pop culture festival downtown. It’s time to rack my Bloodmoon Eclipse Smoked Pumpkin Ale, and the Packers host the Lambs. And, like you, I intend to not gloat to Mike Schilling at all, not even once, about the NLDS lacking the presence of the soon-to-be-dethroned champs.Report
I took today off from Job #1 to work Job #2, where I have been drinking coffee, cuddling and surfing the league for the past hour. Go Job #2!
I just realized how that sounds. No, I’m not one of those professional cuddles Tod wrote about, but I bet that would pay well.
I’m making Burt’s quiche this weekend for my soon to be roommate because he let’s me experiment on him and, like Mikey, he’ll eat anything. Hopefully I’ll make some commission at Job #1 this weekend!Report
Last year’s Man Booker Prize winner, and McCarthy’s book on this year’s shortlist, are excellent choices. 😉
Or if you want to read something different (I suspect substantially so, at least based on books you’ve mentioned here):
The Siege or Broken AprilReport
I’m actually a big fan of Man Booker as well as McCarthy. (None of the other awards have the track record of picking books I love that MB does.)
I will also check out The Siege and Broken April.
Thanks!Report
Yeah, I have a pretty good record with MB as well.Report
Got me a sweet, sweet trip to the Library of Congress lined up for tomorrow. Is there a better way to spend the day than scanning old newspapers? There is an odd gap in the standard microfilm of the Boston Herald for 1877 and 1878. The Herald was the de facto organ for the Boston Red Stockings, which won the pennant both those years, so this gap is vastly distressing. I believe that the Pope addressed it in his recent encyclical. But it turns out that the Library of Congress has (or claims to have) bound volumes of those years. So far as I know they have never been microfilmed. The Library has a lovely self-service scanner for just such contingencies, so I and my thumb drive will address this pressing concern.Report
Be careful not to get forcibly elected Speaker of the House while you are there.Report
That’s probably easier to get out of than being the town mayor…Report
Hey, they’re actively LOOKING for a new Librarian of Congress and he’s going to be right there in the building … Watch out, @richard-hershberger!Report
Also, I think the film critics may be getting uppity again…
After getting Groundhog’s Day put in the Library of Congress…
(naturally, nicely reputing the poor reviewer who said “never get in the library of Congress” in his review).Report
The original core collection of the Library of Congress was Thomas Jefferson’s personal library. This was after his presidency. He was land rich but cash poor, in part because he was supporting sponging relatives. Congress wanted to throw some money his direction, but pensions for former presidents weren’t yet a thing, and it was a delicate question how they could send him money without his losing face. Selling his library was the answer.
I mention this because one of the spongiest of those sponging relatives was his nephew, Dabny Carr. Young Dabny also happens to be my direct ancestor (on my mother’s side). So to everyone who draws a paycheck working for the Library of Congress, you are welcome.Report
Let me help you with that. After it was burnt by the British in the War of 1812, the core collection of the Library of Congress was Thomas Jefferson’s personal library. The LOC existed before they bought Tom’s books. They may have wanted to throw him some money but he offered his collection shortly after the attack so it’s not like that was the entire reason.Report
Heh. When I teach this particular story to my trainees there is a lot of “well SOME people say X but OTHER people say Y”. Thanks for confirming that for me :D.Report
Which part is questionable?
http://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/sale-books-library-congress-1815Report
You’re just spoiling a good story about my ancestor. I would have been more impressed if you had also pointed out that I misspelled “Dabney”.Report
Then there is the story about my somewhat more recent ancestor, Col. George Watson Carr, commander of a Virginia regiment during the Civil War. The story goes that he was in the vicinity when Lee surrendered at Appomatox Courthouse. Col Carr went to the nearest Union troops to surrender to the commanding officer. Sadly, there was no officer present. The sergeant offered to accept his surrender, but this obviously would not do. The colonel was then told that the nearest officer was a mile or so down the road, and he could walk there to give his surrender. “I have never walked a mile in my life,” he proclaimed, “and I have no intention of doing so now.” He then demanded and received a horse.
This story is given two interpretations in the family. One is “What an ass!” and the other is “He got the horse!”
This is where you explain that this didn’t happen. And I expect you would be right. I have always been skeptical of the story, strongly suspecting that it has improved over the years. A while back I got curious enough to establish that he did indeed command that regiment, though not when it was part of Pickett’s Charge as some in the family had postulated. So like with all good stories, the colonel’s has a kernel (see what I did there?) of truth to it, but probably would not stand up to scrutiny.Report
In general, that story had a major hole.Report
That calls for some corporal punishment.Report
So sorry to spoil your story with the facts. Besides, how should I know how your ancestor spelled his name and why should I care?Report
I’ll make sure I only go to the bathroom when there is no quorum present.Report
Don’t worry, Larry Craig isn’t around anymore, and anyway he claimed not to be quorum.Report
Well, first of all, I really miss Jaybird. The way our schedules are aligning, we can’t even communicate synchronously this time around – we’ve just been sending a flurry of 2-3 line emails around the world at weird hours.
But I don’t find myself with much time to dwell on that, thankfully. Today I’m racing around doing last minute chores before work, because my sister and brother-in-law and niece are arriving tonight. They just experienced a major house fail, but the timing is at least good – they would much RATHER be here than home, because there’s so much clean-up for the various companies employed by the insurance folks to do. (Bro-in-law’s dad will be supervising while they are gone.)
We are probably hitting the zoo and Garden of the Gods tomorrow before a big dinner at Jaybird’s mom’s house (just the 5 of us), and then Sunday we’re thinking brunch and a movie and a great deal of just hanging out. Maybe we’ll go to a park.
Kind of anxious about allergy issues (they may or may not be able to stay here vs a hotel), very exhausted after not being able to sleep even one wink night before last, and definitely feeling that “bust your butt to get everything done at home and yet still work extra hours at work” vibe.
But I suspect by tomorrow morning all the “aaaaaaaaaa” will have gone away and there will only be fun and family contentment left over.Report
Yeah, I actually miss him too. I can’t wait till he gets back. I’m glad to hear you have things to keep you busy. I know how much that helps when a loved one is away.
I’ve never heard of Garden of the Gods, but it sounds best left alone. There are some gardens man was not meant to meddle with, after all.Report
I went to Garden of the Gods, and all I got was this lousy apple.Report
I miss you (and everybody).
I’m fixing to go to work on my Saturday and, if I am lucky, I will only have to work for 8 hours.
But I should be home this time next week!
WHERE I WILL HAVE A FULL KEYBOARD!Report
I hereby propose the James May North Pole Amendment:
No one shall be eligible for election/appointment to an office of responsibility in the United States government unless they sincerely do not want the job.Report
Requiring being capable of sincerity in anything at all would severely narrow down the applicant poolReport
Concealed carry class tomorrow. The wife was going with or without me, so off I go. The instructor is a retired local history teacher (a navy guy before that). Earmuffs at the ready.Report
Concealed carry class tomorrow.
“You, in back. No good, I can still see it.”Report
“I don’t know what your looking for but it’s a lil to the left”
100 on the written, fair grouping with ancient Hi-Point45.Report
I didn’t dare mention it until the project was done, for fear of jinxing it, but now… replace the 15-20 year old garbage disposal in the kitchen. Getting the old one out was actually the more difficult half of the job. The new one is amazingly quiet.Report