Hoping The Painting Ends Today

The painting crew worked from 8:30am to about 5:00pm yesterday (with at least one break for lunch). There is seemingly still a full day’s worth of work today so I’m hoping that they can wrap it all up and complete the job to my satisfaction (I’m paying a fair sum for this, I want it done right).

Today’s Daily Challenge
Seek something new to praise in a person you’re close to.

Most of us think to offer praise when something exceptional happens, but there’s no reason why we can’t offer kind words on a typical day! By offering a bit of unexpected praise, it shows that we’re paying attention to that person’s actions, which can help strengthen the relationship. Bonus: Making others feel good boosts our own mood, too.

I am going to take this space to praise you, the ITP-Reader, for making it worth my effort to do this on a nearly daily basis. Even with all the shit that has happened to me in my lifetime and all of the whining I do about it, you have put up with me. Thanks.

Cooped Up
I didn’t feel comfortable leaving the house yesterday (and was hoping I could today, but that doesn’t appear to be possible) with the workers all about. Besides, I was working all day yesterday and plan to do so again today in an effort to correct some of the software we have out in the field.

You’d think that I’d be itching to leave the house as soon as I possibly could last night, but instead I stayed at home and tried to do a bit of catching up on stored video content. I think being out all day Christmas Even and for the most of Christmas Day convinced me that spending a night at home alone was a good thing. Now if only I had done some readingÒ€¦.

“Cops” Is Recorded Live In East Atlanta
Shortly after the crew left yesterday I popped out to get the mail and bring the Jackmobile back under the carport (it seemed safe, though I could possibly check to see if any paint dripped on it last night).

As I was walking to the car I heard a helicopter (“ghetto bird” in our hood’s lingo) and some sirens. From their increasing sound I knew they were headed my way so I stopped and watch the procession of police fly up Flat Shoals Avenue in cars and some in a helicopter.

One of my East Atlanta neighbors caught the procession on video.

And to think I would have missed all of this fun had I been in the office yesterday.

One Year In, And I’m Finally Making An Appearance
Apparently Blue Tarp Brewing is celebrating their one-year anniversary with a party tonight. I plan to make my first trip to the brewery to celebrate with them.

Today’s Personal Project
Be responsible tonight.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – still trying to put things in perspective
Current Music – silence at the moment as I wait to hear the arrival of the painting crew. HARK! I hear them now!
Website Of The Day – Whenever something is going down in the hood I know where to turn, “The Buzz”, which is a far better news source than any of Atlanta’s media outlets.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – n/a
Exercise (b)Log – nothing
Morning Weigh-In – too fat, I’ll try again next year

Monthly
Foot Mileage – ~0.0 miles
Wheel Mileage – 0.0 miles
Gym Visits – 0 (0 cardio)

Days Of Bed-Making – 0

Vegetarian Meals – on hiatus
Carnivorous Meals – on hiatus

Marta Rides To Work – 0
Bike Rides To Work – 0

December Goals
– clean my basement to the point where I could have people over
– hire a plumber, and a painter to work on the ITP Estate
– dissolve Sharpened Stone, LLC?
– follow up on some critical life details
– walk no fewer than 75 miles

2013 Goals: Measurable
– Get my weight down to 190 pounds so that I can wear a 36″ waist pants comfortably
– Completely read ten books, audio books permissible
– Dissolve Sharpened Stone
– Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
– Completely run at least one 10k
– Fix all (or at least most) of the things which are wrong with the ITP Estate

2013 Goals: Unmeasurable
– Simplify, simplify, simplify
– Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
– Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem
– Eat smaller portions
– Start, and continue, to make my own bread using my bread machine as well as using the technique outlined in Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking
– Read and discard magazines during the month in which they arrive (even digitally)
– Take two real vacations, perhaps one abroad
– Take a more proactive approach to meeting women (read “stop being such a pussy”)

Books I’ve Read/Heard In 2013

  1. Pages 1.7 for iPad (Timestompers Guide) — by Sean Wells
  2. 60 Mountain Lion Tips — by David Sparks and Brett Terpstra
  3. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business — by Charles Duhigg
  4. The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy — by Douglas Adams
  5. Amazing Things Will Happen: A Real-World Guide on Achieving Success and Happiness — by CC Chapman
  6. So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love — by Cal Newport
  7. Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life — by Steve Martin
  8. Who Am I: A Memoir — by Pete Townshend
  9. Still Foolin’ ‘Em: Where I’ve Been, Where I’m Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys? — by Billy Crystal
  10. Unstuff Your Life!: Kick the Clutter Habit and Completely Organize Your Life for Good — Andrew J. Mellen

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]

This entry was posted in My Daily Life. Bookmark the permalink.

18 Responses to Hoping The Painting Ends Today

  1. Steve says:

    If I knew how to put musical notes into my post, I would and they would be playing “Taps” over the downstairs furnace. It is barely making heat, and when it does run full blast, it appears to be producing enough CO (carbon monoxide) to be a real danger. The replacement will be about $2400 and comes in Monday. Happy birthday to me. πŸ™

    One less dog! Chisolm has perhaps found his forever home. Some nice folks from Harallson came by last night and needed a buddy for their dog. They live on 4 fenced acres and that would be perfect for him.

    Martha and Jerry were in Cincy last night eating Skyline!! Arrrgh!!! Very jealous.

    -FP

  2. Barb says:

    10 tasting tickets? you better get a cab ride home……

    Bummer about the furnace Steve & Debbie – it sucks to have to spend money on stuff like that, but what can you do, you gotta have heat.

    And – speaking of Taps, the Dobbins AFB got a new speaker system a little while back, if I go outside at 8am I can hear Revellie (sp?) and at 4pm I can hear Taps. I guess that is what they play when they put up & take down the flag(s).

    Steve – just to make you more jealous, we had Skyline Christmas Eve…. you just need to suck up to my in-laws.

  3. Steve says:

    Now that is a nice Christmas Eve meal! We had it once this week- I don’t remember when, but it was just the canned.. a poor substitute for the real deal.

    I’m starting the rumor… bowling tomorrow, 7PM at 300 Lanes by Barb and Allans’. Any takers?

  4. Sorry about the furnace. As someone who has put $5k plus into his house (and hasn’t even started the plumbing!!!!) I feel your pain too well.

    I’m jealous of the Skyline, not so much the Cincinnati.

    Oh, I should also mention that I watched that procession fly up Flat Shoals Ave, not my peaceful street. πŸ™‚

    I’m game for bowling (I think you mean Brunswick Zone on Delk). I’ll try to bring a Ukrainian, and perhaps my boss, with me.

  5. Have you correctly insinuated that I’m a little nervous that all of the painting work I am expecting to occur will not? There is a slight language barrier here and I’m not sure that all of the painting I expected to be done will be accomplished.

    Off to check the work statement to make sure I didn’t fuck up.

  6. Barb says:

    Or – we could check out the actual Cheddarhead bowling alley on Cobb Pkwy. Either works for me.
    Food before or after?
    There is a good cheap mexican place (El Ranchero) across the street, or there is always Tasty China, or one of my favorite NY Pizza places, Baby Tommy’s (they have no beer, but I think they wouldn’t care if we brought in some of our own)

  7. Check this out. Somebody actually thinks that these four flashing yellow lights are going to reduce traffic near Perimeter Mall.

    http://wabe.org/post/new-traffic-lights-give-drivers-more-discretion-left-turns

    FWIW- my office, as is the Perimeter Transpotation & Sustainability Coalition, are located in 211 Perimeter Center Pkwy

  8. Steve says:

    Flashing yellow arrows… hmmm. I think they might help a bit. How many times have you been sitting in a turn only lane, no trafic and can’t turn? Makes sense to me.

    Barb, if that’s the place for Cheddarhead, I have no problems there either. Dinner is always a possibility.

  9. I don’t mind going to either alley. Food is always welcome, and I doubt the Ukrainian will mind where we eat.

    For those not up to speed “the Ukrainian” is a coworker (female, 25 years old, and married) who moved here to Atlanta in February. She is the reason I’ve been bowling four times this year already because she enjoys bowling and has gotten the drinking club to go and do it.

  10. Barb says:

    BTW Paulie – what is her name, and for that matter, what is your bosses name?

    We can always decided on Saturday (via text message) what to do food wise. allan & I are game for whatever.

  11. You expect me to tell you their names?!?! πŸ™‚

    Boss = Hank

    Ukrainian = Ksenija (I can’t pronounce it properly, but I think she pronounces it “Kuh-singe-ya” with the accent on the “Kuh”). And “Ksenija” is the “American” spelling, apparently botched by our company at some point.

    Hank and I have taken to call her “K” πŸ˜‰

    Sadly my house painting and work are keeping me from being at ITP-Reader Betsy’s right now for some Tweetybird waffles — the tradition that was moved to today since she ran away for Christmas Day.

  12. Oh yeah, about the yellow lights. I doubt that they will help at all since I don’t think where they will be placed is going to affect the real traffic snafus. As for the one that’ll go into my office building, there is rarely a major backup and most people have chosen to break the law and turn on the red arrow when no policeman is in sight. Not meeeeeee of course. πŸ˜‰

  13. Steve says:

    Text works for us too.. if I haven’t replied, you might have to call. I never know when I get a text.

  14. Paulie [eatl/ga] says:

    Geez today in addition to “Cops” “Firemen and Paramedics” is filmed live in East Atlanta as well. Across the street I see a fire truck and an EMS vehicle responding to a call. Update: seems to have been nothing major, thankfully.

  15. Painting crew is almost done. Once the doors have dried sufficiently I may make a trip over to Betsy’s to see if there is still anyone standing.

  16. Barb says:

    a fire truck gets to respond to any sort of medical 911 type of call, that is what Allan does most of every day.

  17. Steve says:

    Don’t hurry the doors drying… nothing like a door painted shut!

  18. Not going to rush the doors. I’m used to windows being painted shut and can live with that, I might want to be able to open the doors however.

    Figured as much, Barb especially when I didn’t see any smoke coming from the house.

Comments are closed.