human and alive

So far, the low point of today has been getting feces sprayed on me. I think it's reasonable to hope that this will remain the low point.

I'm about 75% moved in to the new house. My moving help, my dear friend Ume, got caught between a rock and a hard place (I was the rock) and had to leave before we were done. We plan to finish tomorrow.

So far, the only part that hasn't gone so well is that the drainage hookup for the washing machine doesn't exactly work as expected (please see above). So I have two options - 1) the usual "MAKE IT WORK GOD DAMMIT" which would involve moving the laundry area across the basement, including splicing a new line into the toilet's sewage line (ugh, more feces) and new supply lines (ugh, working with ancient galvanized plumbing), or 2) pay a proper plumber to fix the drainage line as it is (I tried doing that myself, it is too mysterious and buried under feet of concrete). I am convinced that #2 is the proper solution, but I won't have the $$$ for that if I follow the original plan of getting central air (which would leave me at precisely broke). So, no central air I guess. Boo hoo!

I can also only have white frends at my new house :(

No person of any race other than the Caucasian race shall use or occupy any building or any lot, except that this Covenant shall not prevent occupancy by domestic servants of a different race domiciled with an owner or tenant.

So I guess I could have a black maid or something at least!

Also, I was way wrong about the timeframe - these rules are from 1946!

I was thinking that I would put Joey's litterbox in the basement at the new house, because it would be nice to have it out of the main living area (it currently sits next to the toilet). But today I realized that its proximity to the toilet gives us some quality time - often when I go to the bathroom, she joins me. If I'm making a pee, she'll come in and make a pee. If I'm making a poop, she'll make a poop. So maybe it will stay upstairs.

Also - please take a moment of silence for the passing of dakus's puppy and beloved companion Isaac, who left us today after a long and happy life.

I'm still in "giving up on fixing things" mode. A HVAC gentleman was supposed to stop by between 1 and 3 to look at the a/c, still no sign of him. Last time I gave up on fixing an appliance (the washer a few years ago) and paid a professional $70 to look at it, he said "get a new one". If that happens again I am going to be pissed. I'LL LET YOU KNOW GOD DAMMIT.

how somebody who wears a fanny pack could possibly be so full of himself.

I'll spare you the details :)

In the park across the street, the ground is covered with litter left behind by people memorializing our fallen soldiers. It's worse than a frat house lawn after a big party. I'm totally serious. I looked over there and my jaw dropped. I just couldn't believe how much shit people threw on the ground. "The world is my wastebasket". And half of that shit is going to blow into my yard over the next few days. This is one of the things that I do not like about living here.

House panel approves pay raise for troops

The pay increase and other service benefits included in the bill — such as a prohibition on increased health care fees — is more than President Bush wants.

And re: last year's smaller increase -

The White House opposed the increase because it said it would cost more than $2 billion if maintained for five years.

$2 billion over 5 years! Well fuck me gently with a chainsaw! Does Mr. Bush have any idea how big our defense budget is? (To be fair, he probably does not). The military eats billion dollar bills for breakfast. $2 billion is peanuts. Small, mutant peanuts.

But this is where the GOP chickenhawks come home to roost (or whatever). Despite all of the GOP's "SUPPORT OUR TROOPS" gum-flapping, the military is part of the working class, which is really just the butt of the big Republican joke.

@_@. OVER IT.