So I actually started this yesterday, but my workout got in the way, and then some Louis Martini took over for the evening.
I actually did some Christmas shopping today, a day earlier than my normal routine. But I never made it past Kohl's as the traffic by 10:30 had become too heavy to keep my interest. While the check-out line at Kohl's was long, it actually went pretty fast, and the clerk even gave me credit for an expired $10 Kohl's Cash certificate. Bonus.
(I stopped at HyVee 53rd yesterday on my way to the solo spin class, and ran into gridlock in the parking lot. If people weren't in the giving mood, there would have been no left-turns completed, as all of the lanes and parking-lot access points had car-after-car. But fear not, I did get into the Wine & Spirits store for Harvest Path FFF supplies!)
One of my objectives for 2013 is to make some different choices on wine acquisition. Notice that I didn't say anything about less wine! But 53rd Hy Vee is becoming too same-old-same-old. Maybe a wine club or two from recommendations from friends. I'm thinking that there's lots of options out there. Plus, the HV wine manager, with whom I have had several conversations in the last couple of years about guys being called by acquaintances by their middle name, continues to call me Paul. Marketing 101 must have been out of his reach.
Lots and lots of non-retail businesses are closed tomorrow...or will be down to skeleton staffs. We are open, but only the partners will be there. The market is also open, but it will be light trading and a shortened day, closing at 1300 EST. Over/Under on number of business calls to Criterium by 1500 CST? Let's use 5 for the bet. Can you bet a Push? I think there will be 5 calls.
My latest commercial irritant is Hy Vee's venture into target-marketing with their gas-card discount program. I have avoided getting too much information on the program, but it has the deal of buying specific products in the store, swiping your gas card at check-out, and then getting a reduced price per gallon at the pump (I think). My objection is that they're throwing some pennies your way to have you voluntarily lay down even more traces on your electronic trail.
As I think of it, the gas card is a minor thing in comparison to the data that Safeway (or other retailers) record when they require you to use one of their store cards to get the "member" pricing on virtually all of the goods in the store. And Apple, Google, Microsoft and the other tech giants probably have a server full of my wanderings. It might take a major cleansing effort on financial activities (can you say, CASH?) and Internet usage to get off the grid. An intriguing thought, eh?
Turns out that the snow removal at my house on Thursday night was done not by my PN, but by the guy across the street with all the Christmas lights. He has a good-sized John Deere garden tractor with a blade, and he was working with my PN to clear several places in the neighborhood. The heavy snow was almost too much for the regular blowers. Whomever the Good Samaritan, its still a good result for LtPC.
I was surprised to receive an over-sized postcard from TOMRV in yesterday's mail for the June 2013 ride (it will be the 36th edition). Hmmm. I fully expect that I'll do the ride; I mean, I am doing spin class already, but the thought hadn't occurred to me before I got the card. Presuming 2 and I keep our date for Italy, I'll need to map out the training for the year, including TOMRV. But let the world know...there will be No Climbing 20-mile Climbs in 2013!! The snow did freeze the connections for my Christmas lights. They're plugged in now, and still off.
Hope Christmas Eve is good for all in the Peanut Gallery. Thanks for reading.
BCOT
No comments:
Post a Comment