I have fruit flies in my kitchen. I had fruit flies in my kitchen two years ago and, though I had several avenues of attack, fly strips, raid, etc I was only able to reduce them, not eliminate them entirely. The weather finally got cold and they didn't come back the following year.
It's two years now and here they are and it's not even full summer yet.
What happened?
I hate these little bastards so fucking much.
3/30/07
3/27/07
MegaPlunge [TM]
Coming back from the bathroom just a moment ago I noticed that I did not hear the tell - tale "glug glug glug" that indicates a successful flush. Following my instincts and not my desire to finish my cup of tea, I rushed back into the bathroom to find the water level steadily rising.
The water level was quickly but serenely rising, threatening to overflow the bowl. Jumping into action I MegaPlunged [TM]. MegaPlunging is a special and nearly supernatural ability I developed while living in a one hundred year old house in Milwaukee where the plumbing is old, the ground freezes annually and the water pressure is abysmal. I can insert a plunger into the dirtiest and/or most overfilled of toilet bowls, rapidly, effectively and gracefully plunge it back to operational status without splashing water onto the floor. I can, if need be, do this with my pants around my ankles.
The day was thus saved and I was spared having to mop diluted urine off my bathroom floor in the middle of the night.
The water level was quickly but serenely rising, threatening to overflow the bowl. Jumping into action I MegaPlunged [TM]. MegaPlunging is a special and nearly supernatural ability I developed while living in a one hundred year old house in Milwaukee where the plumbing is old, the ground freezes annually and the water pressure is abysmal. I can insert a plunger into the dirtiest and/or most overfilled of toilet bowls, rapidly, effectively and gracefully plunge it back to operational status without splashing water onto the floor. I can, if need be, do this with my pants around my ankles.
The day was thus saved and I was spared having to mop diluted urine off my bathroom floor in the middle of the night.
3/25/07
Only an Ocean.
My father leaves for England tomorrow morning. I've already said my goodbyes.
While I spent the first few years of my life in the UK, I am very much an American. I've been here since before I started kindergarten. My mother and I lived with my father in England and in the US for a bit but he hasn't been a day to day part of my life since I was little more than a toddler.
It's been a bit strange to see him. I don't much know how to make conversation since we have such a few common experiences but I still take the chance. I asked him to come here to stay as he's been complaining how expensive England has become and how much more reasonable it would be for him to retire to the US or to the Continent. He said he'd consider it.
Hopefully it won't be another six years before I see him.
While I spent the first few years of my life in the UK, I am very much an American. I've been here since before I started kindergarten. My mother and I lived with my father in England and in the US for a bit but he hasn't been a day to day part of my life since I was little more than a toddler.
It's been a bit strange to see him. I don't much know how to make conversation since we have such a few common experiences but I still take the chance. I asked him to come here to stay as he's been complaining how expensive England has become and how much more reasonable it would be for him to retire to the US or to the Continent. He said he'd consider it.
Hopefully it won't be another six years before I see him.
The Roof, The Roof, The Roof is on, ah, Fuckit.
There have been three fires in my apartment complex in as many years. One was attempted arson that did little but char a doorway. One was a car fire in the parking lot that damaged fifteen or twenty other cars and the third was actually my apartment, though it was my neighbor's fault and there was no damage to any of my property.
As a result I am really suspicious of smoke. When I smell smoke I freak out. You would also if your house had ever caught fire.
Tonight I smelled smoke. It was pungent and distinctly the smell of things one would not want to burn: treated wood, plastic and sundry chemicals as opposed to incense, cigars or flambe. I went outside and wandered around but couldn't find any fire, though I could tell in what direction it was by the odor.
I called 911 and told them that I smelled smoke, distinctly and strongly. I was sure to point out, as the call was certainly being recorded and reporting a false emergency is a felony, that I did not actually see a fire but that the odor of it was very, very strong and that there must be a fire nearby and no, this could not be someone grilling steaks. It was four in the morning.
The bitch hung up on me.
No fire truck came. No police car rolled by looking for inexplicable flames or following a potential smoke cloud, nothing. I told the woman on the phone where I was. I was very specific and still nothing. This is an area that has been plagued by fires, not just my apartments but buildings all over my neighborhood, and they sent nobody.
Am I wrong in thinking that something is seriously fucked up with the emergency services here?
As a result I am really suspicious of smoke. When I smell smoke I freak out. You would also if your house had ever caught fire.
Tonight I smelled smoke. It was pungent and distinctly the smell of things one would not want to burn: treated wood, plastic and sundry chemicals as opposed to incense, cigars or flambe. I went outside and wandered around but couldn't find any fire, though I could tell in what direction it was by the odor.
I called 911 and told them that I smelled smoke, distinctly and strongly. I was sure to point out, as the call was certainly being recorded and reporting a false emergency is a felony, that I did not actually see a fire but that the odor of it was very, very strong and that there must be a fire nearby and no, this could not be someone grilling steaks. It was four in the morning.
The bitch hung up on me.
No fire truck came. No police car rolled by looking for inexplicable flames or following a potential smoke cloud, nothing. I told the woman on the phone where I was. I was very specific and still nothing. This is an area that has been plagued by fires, not just my apartments but buildings all over my neighborhood, and they sent nobody.
Am I wrong in thinking that something is seriously fucked up with the emergency services here?
2/28/07
I Wish I Could Hum to You the Theme from Chariots of Fire.
I haven't posted for a bit. Mostly, this is because I've been back to work and that's taken up most of my time. I'm pretty broke and need to put in some additional hours to make up for the money I've lost from being laid up.
Also, I've had little to write about besides being injured and that's probably not that interesting to read about.
That having been said, I'm finally to the point that I can walk normally again. I actually ran today. I didn't run any distance, just far enough to cross the street but I was able to move at faster than a stroll and not experience mind numbing pain in the doing of it. This can only be good.
That's the update, wish there was more but that's all.
Also, I've had little to write about besides being injured and that's probably not that interesting to read about.
That having been said, I'm finally to the point that I can walk normally again. I actually ran today. I didn't run any distance, just far enough to cross the street but I was able to move at faster than a stroll and not experience mind numbing pain in the doing of it. This can only be good.
That's the update, wish there was more but that's all.
2/21/07
As I Came Home on a Wensday Night...
"Are ya gonna get shitfaced?" my friend and favorite bar singer asked me as I was leaving the pub tonight. He was only a bit shy of shitfaced himself.
"No," I said. "I'm not supposed to drink until I'm completely healed up."
He snorted, "That's what they tell you."
"And it's what I'm gonna do." I tell him. Actually, they told me that I could have a drink again when the stitches came out. In retrospect, I probably drink too much, or rather, when I drink I tend to drink to great excess. It's two weeks to the day since I bashed up my leg and I've gotten so much more done than I would have otherwise. This is partly because I couldn't work for more than a week but just as much because I'm sharp and attentive all the time.
I'm not saying I'm on the wagon or that I won't ever have a beer but that I should probably reevaluate my old concepts of healthy recreation.
"I think I'm going to keep going like I've been going," I say. "You can have my share."
"I'll do that," he tells me and I'm sure he will.
He's welcome to it.
"No," I said. "I'm not supposed to drink until I'm completely healed up."
He snorted, "That's what they tell you."
"And it's what I'm gonna do." I tell him. Actually, they told me that I could have a drink again when the stitches came out. In retrospect, I probably drink too much, or rather, when I drink I tend to drink to great excess. It's two weeks to the day since I bashed up my leg and I've gotten so much more done than I would have otherwise. This is partly because I couldn't work for more than a week but just as much because I'm sharp and attentive all the time.
I'm not saying I'm on the wagon or that I won't ever have a beer but that I should probably reevaluate my old concepts of healthy recreation.
"I think I'm going to keep going like I've been going," I say. "You can have my share."
"I'll do that," he tells me and I'm sure he will.
He's welcome to it.
Pop Quiz Hotshot.
What's the color and consistancy of old motor oil but just a little chunky and smells vaguely of overcooked shallots?
Answer, the fluid that's been leaking out of my leg wound for most of the last day. The doctor warned me that the sutures had become mildly infected and quite swollen as a byproduct of the type and depth of the wound and that it would probably drain "quite a bit" over the course of the next few days.
Quite a bit is friggin right. I don't know how much of this viscous fluid, a solution of stagnant blood and puss, combined with the occasional mini-turd of coagulated platelets has flowed out of the edge of the laceration but if it's less than a beer can's worth, I'm amazed. Though, the swelling through that whole part of my knee has dropped proportionally as the volume of nastiness drained out. All in all, I feel much better and the general discomfort in my knee has subsided. Given the choice, I pick disgusting over invalid.
Like the doc said, it looks like I'll heal up just fine and be just that much wiser.
Answer, the fluid that's been leaking out of my leg wound for most of the last day. The doctor warned me that the sutures had become mildly infected and quite swollen as a byproduct of the type and depth of the wound and that it would probably drain "quite a bit" over the course of the next few days.
Quite a bit is friggin right. I don't know how much of this viscous fluid, a solution of stagnant blood and puss, combined with the occasional mini-turd of coagulated platelets has flowed out of the edge of the laceration but if it's less than a beer can's worth, I'm amazed. Though, the swelling through that whole part of my knee has dropped proportionally as the volume of nastiness drained out. All in all, I feel much better and the general discomfort in my knee has subsided. Given the choice, I pick disgusting over invalid.
Like the doc said, it looks like I'll heal up just fine and be just that much wiser.
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