Way to go ABQjournal.
Rein = like on a horse, meaning to control or curtail. Reign = like a king.
I believe the Senate seeks to curb credit card practices, not rule over them like a sovereign nation.
Oy! Go APS, go!
Screen shot from today’s online version.
EDIT: Twenty minutes later, the headline reads: “Senate passes credit card overhaul bill”
Setting a good example in tough economic times, Governor Richardson has managed to pay off all of his campaign debt.
Good on ya, Bill!
The government cares. No really, they do. And so with their help, I’ve taken a good look at myself today. I mean, a real good look.
How are YOU feeling? Maybe you could check in too?
Herewith:
Getting Through Tough Economic Times from the Department of Health and Human Services.
“It is important to be aware of signs that financial problems may be adversely affecting your emotional or mental well being –or that of someone you care about.”
In other words….Did Mr. Jones take all your cash? Does that tick you off?
Let’s check in, shall we?
Warning Signs
Persistent Sadness/Crying
Only when I look at my bank account.
Excessive Anxiety
Only when I look at my bank account.
Lack of Sleep/Constant Fatigue
Yes. But I can’t really blame the economy for the fact that we are having cold windy nights, and since my personal internal thermometer tends to run hot, the cat and The Good Man sleep on top of me to stay warm.
Excessive Irritability/Anger
Only at 3:00 in the morning when I’m burning up hot and can’t get fourteen pounds of cat or six feet two inches of husband off of me.
Increased drinking
Yeah, a little. The Good Man, his friend and me did have two bottles of wine on Sunday (at a bar-b-que). Did you know that Lambrusco is really tasty and drinks awfully easily? Did you know that with enough fizzy red wine in your gullet, you kinda feel a lot better about a whole lot of things in your life? Well, that and the red meat. And the smoked fish from Alaska. Damn…that was a fine dinner…..
Illicit drug use, including misuse of medications
Does Claritin count? Because with this wind, my eyes and nose are like faucets. I may be abusing the stuff…not sure.
Difficulty paying attention or staying focused
What’s that over there? I think I’m hungry. What’s the square root of 686?
Apathy – not caring about things that are usually important to you
Whatever.
Not being able to function as well at work, school or home
Let’s see…after a marathon two days of writing a presentation in which I basically justified my job to our new austere European owners, today I’m at work with nothing to do and writing on my blog.
Not sure I could be less value added if I tried. Or should that be value subtracted? Not sure how the absolute values work in relation to lazyosity.
.
.
.
Hmm. Ok. So I’m not sure I can draw any conclusions from that exercise.
And I think they may have left a few off the list. My additions:
Do you check your online money accounts more than three times a day?
Do you find yourself in the lunchroom with your coworkers discussing tax rates?
Do you cut coupons where you rarely did before?
Do you and your spouse look for “free” events, samples, activities and services?
Do you calculate how much gas it would take to get to a destination as a “go/no go” decision on running an errand?
Do you watch too much CNBC and then find yourself yelling at Jim Cramer and blaming him for a lot of things that aren’t actually his fault? (this one applies to Jon Stewart only)
Do you have fantasies about how good it used to be…in 2006?
If so…seek help.
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Ok, ok, I kid, I kid, but the online resource is actually pretty serious.
Link thanks to Bruce Daniels over at the ABQjournal.
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“I’m certain I have no idea what you are blathering on about, human. Now feed me.
Just read in the ABQjournal today that the ancient and well established (though closed for some time now) Ice House strip club in downtown ABQ is getting repurposed.
As a teen oriented arts and entertainment center.
The irony isn’t lost on me.
Thanks, Oh Fair New Mexico, for the mirthful smile this morning.
It is a fine use for that old place, IMHO.
Remember the scandal it caused when the Ice House first opened? Back then we would have never guessed the demise….
First of all, to all the good folks, including both mom and mom-in-law, who are concerned about the posts related to my troubles at work, thank you for being concerned. This week has turned out a bit better.
Also, I got paid today, and that always helps improve the outlook.
I imagine I’ll survive this. Or I won’t. Either way, the sun will come up again tomorrow and I’ll have to face another day. And I’ll have to face myself in the mirror. The way I do that is by knowing I did my best, worked my hardest and did so with humility.
Onward.
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Next…thanks to the gentleman driving the Explorer in the lane next to me on Wednesday morning. I was running late for work (overslept the alarm, snarf!) and I was, yes, speeding. But so were you. Thanks to your slower response time, I was able to take my foot off the gas first, you shot past me, and that nice CHP officer paid you a visit instead of me.
Whew. I have two months left on the eighteen months since my last ticket (you can only mask one traffic violation every 18 months), so you really saved me there!
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Don’t know if you are experiencing the same thing where you’re at, but to me, it’s like everyone in society is moving along in a fog. Making bonehead moves on the road. Bumping into me at the grocery. Looking at me blankly when I ask a question.
So, a nod to The Good Man for best summing up society’s recent weirdness:
(paraphrased)
“We had the buildup from the campaign, then the excitement of the election, anticipation of the new president and then finally the climax of the inauguration. It’s like the whole country just needs a cigarette.”
And a salty snack.
Indeed.
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Speaking of salty snacks…am I going to be the only person in the US not watching the Superbowl this weekend?
Because, really, Pittsburgh vs Arizona?
Sure, I know that AZ is the Cinderella story. Whatever. I could care less.
And Pittsburgh. Do we really need to see them win again?
I might whip up a batch of salty snacks, however, and watch Season 2 of The Muppet Show. I found it at the library and it’s providing much singing along and childish giggles from TGM and me.
Best thing to watch after a rough day at work, I’ll tell you THAT.
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Or maybe I should just have a cheese sandwich.
Been watching cheese sandwich-gate in the ABQjournal with interest. Oh Fair New Mexico, you still do scandal in a fun way.
Love it. And from what I’m reading, the press coverage has brought in quite a bit of the delinquent money! Nice.
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Lastly, the weather is messin’ with my head. Sunny and 70’s. Rainy and cold. Then just clear and cold. And today, back to the 70’s.
Mother Nature, you are FREAKING me out, maaahn.
But I’m not complaining about the sun. I’ll take it.
That is all.
Happy Weekend!
