Phillips 66 -- For Your Own Protection

How's this for service?

I filled up at Phillips 66 and charged it on my credit card. Fine and dandy. Like always.

Then later on I wasn't yet half a tank down but went to a Phillips 66 station, because I was about to venture across the frozen tundra of Iowa, and they always say you should have a full tank of gas in case you go in the ditch and need to stay warm. At the station, the credit card was rejected. The cashier said it was "for your own protection," because I was a "frequent user."

So we tried to pay cash, then the pumps wouldn't work.

We went to the next Phillips 66 station and the card was still rejected. But this time the nice attendant used it inside (anyway), and we were able to get on our way.

That's a crazy policy. People are on the interstate, traveling from one state to another. Of course they're going to need gas more frequently than if they're in their hometown buying it once a week.

Phillips 66 has been in the gas business a long time. They ought to figure out that people do travel, and that in the winter (especially) you want to keep a good supply in the tank.

I was not happy.

Who Knew?

At my hometown, before I was born, they had public swimming in the pond at the park. Then some kid drowned. And immediately swimming was now prohibited. So by the time I was a kid, we took it for granted that no one could swim there ... because that kid had drowned there. Back then, I guess we have to conclude, they didn't know someone might ever drown, so swimming was allowed.

Then at another place I lived, they didn't have stop signs or anything at the railroad tracks. It was like the Wild West. And everyone was happy enough with that arrangement. I was actually saying it was dangerous and wondering why no one seemed concerned about it. Then something happened. A guy in a truck got hit by a train and killed. And immediately they put up stop signs. Because, of course, no one knew before that such a thing could happen. It was just a mystery that such things could happen.

Now we have another bomber on a plane. This time not a shoe bomber but an underwear bomber. And the Republicans are all up in arms that such a thing could happen. After all, who knew such things could happen? According to them, it's a larger failure on the part of President Obama for not doing complete strip searches of everyone on a plane to, from, or within the United States. He ought to personally be doing complete exams of all body cavities to ensure that nothing bad ever happens to anyone. (I'm wondering why they were so silent in the Bush years.)

Naturally we need to examine our procedures. And do as good as we can. But if you can't imagine scenarios right now, before they happen, then you're not doing as good as you can. We're never going to be so safe that nothing bad happens. But a little imagination would go a long way. But you can imagine this, that if the Obama Administration had done any clamping down in advance, they would've been opposed to that too. Because the Republicans are opposed to anything and everything. Then when something happens, they say "Why didn't you do X, Y, and Z?"

Remember the Republicans' mantra in the Bush years? Here it is: It's not a matter of IF it will happen, it's a matter of WHEN. That is what they literally said about terrorism. They could imagine it happening at the time. Now that they're out of power and seeing every partisan advantage -- every partisan advantage -- they act like they shocked when something does happen. But you know, the Republicans are so scurrilous, you know they're actually glad when something bad happens. You'll never convince me that this underwear bombing attempt isn't something the Republicans are happy about.

Every Snowflake Different?

Come on, there's hundreds of trillions of them -- trillions of trillions of trillions of them -- how are we supposed to believe there's no two snowflakes alike when no one has checked them that closely?

We need a massive FBI-like database, with each snowflake carefully scanned. Then we'll run them all through one of those Google Picasa face recognition programs -- retooled to make it a snowflake recognition program -- and find out once and for all what the truth is about snowflakes and their supposed inherent dissimilarity.

Because I for one don't believe it. And I'm calling them out on it! Put up or shut up.

A Few More Hours Of Christmas

I always think Dec. 26 is about the most depressing day of the year. After the build-up to Christmas, then it's over, just like that.

So enjoy it while you can. Just a few more hours to go. And let's say I go to bed a couple hours before midnight, I'm cheating myself out of two hours of Christmas.

I'm not visiting with family this year (on Christmas). So it's a little lonely. Right now it's just me, the dog, and two cats. And the cats are someplace.

It was fun watching the dog check out her stocking. We got her, let me amend that, SANTA got her a few items, mostly edibles, of course. And she dug right in to one of the chewy ones. It was cute how she was sniffing the stocking, because she knew it was hers!

The Red Book Came

I ordered C.G. Jung's "The Red Book" from Amazon maybe a month ago. I don't know if it was that long.

For some reason it's one where there's a delay in sending it out. At first they thought it'd be January, then mid December, then January again. Then I suddenly got an email saying it was shipped and would be here, estimated date Dec. 29.

I was thinking, Oh no, because I plan on being out of town on the 29th. Don't tell anyone.

Then I was walking by the hallway and there was a big box setting there today. I thought What is this? when it suddenly occurred to me: It already came! So it won't be setting in the snow on the 29th. That's a relief.

I opened it and it's huge, gigantic. I'm going to have a hard time reading a book that's so huge. But I looked at the first page of C.G.'s quotations from Bible verses, a nice page, in Latin. Then I turned back and read through the translation of that page in English. It pertains to the coming of the Savior. Very deep stuff.

I'm going to enjoy looking through this book, and maybe studying it closely. I hope so. It's a great looking book!

I Got Five Free Downloads

When we bought a movie today, there was a bonus in it of five free downloads, MP3s, from some place I'd never heard of: amplified.com.

It's kind of strange in a way, that a place can be out there like that and no one's mentioned it to you.

It's also strange to have five free downloads, because suddenly nothing sounds good enough to download. Like "Why would I want that?" It's not enough for a whole album, so you have to pick and choose things that you don't have ... but what should I get?

I ended up getting a few oldies. It worked OK. Their prices are based on "credits," and I didn't explore it that much, since I get my downloads elsewhere. But maybe you pay a monthly fee or make an account.

One of the ones I wanted was "The Boys Are Back in Town" by Thin Lizzy. I searched and they didn't have it. Nothing showed up on the search, anyway. Then I was going to get "All The Young Dudes" by Mott the Hoople, but it wasn't on any of Mott's albums, just a track on the "Juno" soundtrack, that you couldn't download singly because it only came with the album.

So who knows about a service like that? I see Amazon.com has the Thin Lizzy track. And "All The Young Dudes," but for some reason the "Dudes" song is $1.29. I thought the $1.29 pricing was only for new, really in-demand tracks, not oldies.

Gauging Happiness In A Few Quick Sounds

I have family members who call me. I always want them to be happy, but sometimes they're not. Something's got them down.

I just had a call, and in this case ... she was happy! Yea! That makes my night, because, often, it's those sad ones that also get me down. Then I'm laying in bed hoping for the best. Even though "This too shall pass," we still have the journey from Point A to Point B that is painful.

So when I get one of these family calls, the first thing I must do is quickly gauge whether we're happy or sad.

The lilt in the voice is always a good sign. A despondent "Hello" followed by a tense pause is bad. Cheerfulness about accomplishments ... always good. Pessimism and apathy, self doubt and hopelessness ... not as much. Looking forward to seeing me, love you, goodbye; these are things I like. Anger and hanging up without saying goodbye; these are detestable. I've heard it all!

I answer every call. The good, bad, and indifferent. But I very much prefer the good.

The First Day Of Winter

Today is the first day of Winter. Boo, hiss!

I knew it was about now, so I looked it up, and, yes, it started today. I could step outside -- I was just outside -- and it definitely feels like Winter.

It's hard to believe Fall is over with already. It doesn't seem that long ago that I took my dog out -- it was the first day of Fall -- and we went romping up by a river somewhere. I took a bunch of pictures and it was a lovely day.

Now, just a few months later, already, it's Winter and I'm not going out to take pictures. Although today would've been a nice one to do it, since the trees were all white with sparkles. It was pretty. But I was way too busy to worry about taking pictures.

I went and got some extra groceries, because you never know what might happen. And I went and bought some gas for the snow blower, because I don't want to be at the mercy of the snow removal guys like I was last time. If I'm snowed in, I at least want a decent path to the road. Last time I had to shovel some of it out. Bad thing to do!

It's all pretty -- when Winter happens -- but it's deadly and unpleasant. There's one interesting and nice thing, and that's when you're walking after a fresh snow. Everything is so quiet and hushed.

Christmas Candy

I'm usually a cheapskate when it comes to buying candy. I have fairly good discipline in not buying it, unless I can get a good deal on it. I'm cheap!

But at Christmas, when you're putting it on the table for guests, it's nice to splurge. And buy the stuff that I wouldn't ordinarily buy, the premo stuff, like, Ghirardelli -- I had to go get a piece just to know how to spell it.

It's beautiful stuff. The various Hershey Kisses, which I also will not buy through the rest of the year. One, I don't like having to unwrap the little things just to have a tiny piece of chocolate. I prefer the bigger, more economical gigantic candy bars they put out.

I didn't get any of the hard, traditional candy yet this year. One year I got some and froze it and was eating it in July. Even then, though, it got sticky when it thawed out.

I had some cherry chocolates yesterday. It's nice to have a few of them at Christmas. Then I can't find them the rest of the year.

Of course none of it's good for you ... but it's Christmas!

We used to leave cherry chocolates out for Santa when I was a kid. And I don't remember him ever leaving any behind. So if they're good enough for Santa ... they're good enough for me!

Milknog

I had some "milknog" today, I believe for the first time ever. I don't remember hearing about it before, so it might be a new development in the conjuring up of different drinks for the consumer market.

But it's good, being nothing more than a mixture of milk and eggnog, probably half of one and half of the other. So it's milky with an eggnog taste to it.

I also had some straight eggnog, a great drink of the season. Why it's restricted to the Christmas season, I don't know, since it seems like it'd be delicious anytime. But who am I to question tradition?

It seems like I didn't drink eggnog until maybe in the last 10 years sometime. For whatever reason. I guess I figured I wouldn't like it. Maybe it's been in the last 15 years. The exact dates escape me.

It turned out that eggnog was also delicious. Although sometimes it seems to go straight to my head. I haven't had that happen this year, but last year I remember feeling dizzy, slightly overwhelmed by it. Like it was too rich for my sensibilities at the time.

I Found My Gigabeat

In cleaning my room I found down beside my bed on a dusty and generally unseen shelf, the bottom of a bookshelf, my old Gigabeat, from the S series. This was (is) an MP3 player from a few years ago.

It's amazing how fast everything moves, that this would go from a great item to a piece of crap just like that. Within three or four years.

The truth turned out to be it was a piece of crap all along. One of the typical criticisms of the Gigabeat was that it periodically erased everything on it. That was a shocker when it first happened, and it never got better with subsequent experiences.

I was just searching around and it looks like, maybe, they might still sell some variation of the thing. Or maybe the ads are just old and not removed from the internet. They ought to hook up a Gigabeat to the internet. I'm sure it would gladly remove all the files!

We had two of these, three for a while. But I only had the third because the place I bought it from accidentally sent me two instead of one. Real competent. Then they wanted it back. I delayed for a while but they actually called me on the phone, I believe, yes they did, so I mailed it back. Too bad I didn't send them all back, or, better yet, not have ordered the crap in the first place.

I remember one time, I hadn't had it for long, I was playing volleyball and it fell out of my pocket and got all scratched up in the sand. Plus I had to dig a few pieces of sand out of the controls. That's a drag ... because the scratches never went away. So that's another thing. It was terribly scratchable.

The power cord was still with it. I thought about plugging it in and charging it up and maybe seeing if I could use it for a portable, tiny hard drive (it had 60 gig!) for my laptop computer. But I don't really have any big reason to do so, of course, because the laptop has plenty of storage space. And, to tell the truth, I wouldn't trust a Gigabeat as a scratch pad.

After having my iPod Touch for the last couple years, the Gigabeat feels big and clunky. I really thought the name Gigabeat was a cool one at the time, but now it's just a word that means undependable and failure to me. I wouldn't buy anything made by Toshiba, they did such a bad job with this thing.

Wow, looking at the ad, they have an iPod Touch now with 64 GB, the newest model as of this writing. Mine, like I said above, is a couple years old, and it is only 16 GB. So I really have to pick and choose what I'm going to put on it. But it doesn't make too much difference. I put stuff on, I take it off. It gives me something more to do with my time, to keep shifting things around. It's like living in a small apartment. But 64 GB, that'd be a mansion.

I Cleaned My Bedroom Today

It's one of those things, once in a while it needs to be done.

I thought (hoped) it might take an hour or two tops, but it took a lot longer. Nasty process, to clean!

There's all the little crap that accumulates, enough to fill a couple garbage sacks. Plus the dust. Oh, the dust! Where does all the dust come from? It's coating the place.

I got it done but it's definitely no fun to do.

I keep thinking I'll keep it clean but it never works out that way.

I Haven't Been Reading Like I Should

There for a while I was a voracious reader. I read a few books in my spare time, marching right along.

The big problem -- if that's what I want to call it -- is that I got a new computer. And the novelty hasn't worn off yet. So I'm spending lots of time on it, more time than I should.

I started a book a few weeks ago, and I got pretty far in it, but since I got the new computer, I've just been letting the book go. But one of these days, maybe very soon, I'll get back to it.

It's funny how something can sideline me. I'm so gung ho to do something, like reading, as I was there for a while. But then a new toy comes into my life, I'm suddenly gung ho for it. Still, I want to finish that book. There's virtue in getting something done that you started.

Could Grunting Be A Better Language?

Mankind has been talking for hundreds of years, and all that time we've been at each other's throats.

It's so easy to say the wrong thing, to just blurt it out and not be able to take it back, then to accompany it with dismissive body language, we're naturally in trouble.

Could grunting be a better way to communicate? It usually gets its point across, and when it doesn't, it's ambiguous enough that no one knows your intentions so they're OK with it.

Grunting has served the animal world well. You hardly ever hear of any conflicts between animals. Of course they hunt prey, some are predators and some are prey. But that doesn't have anything to do with miscommunication problems. They're just hungry.

Both in effectiveness (even with ambiguity you can convey some powerful thoughts) and efficiency (if you can do pitches you've got the language down), grunting is a better language. Let me qualify that with a "perhaps" it is. Or just grunt, "uhhh," and let you figure it out.

Grunting has helped the animal world maintain their balance, their equilibrium. They haven't advanced like we have, but look at the advantages, they have that balance.

They sleep outside in the winter, I know. Which we don't want to do, but that's another topic.

UPDATE: An understanding student says, "It's not so much what he says, but how he says it."

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The idea for this posting was found in an old notebook in my desk.

My Dog Gets Cold Feet

I don't think I've ever seen anything like this.

I'm walking my dog and she suddenly appears to get cold feet and can't walk. She's lifting her legs and just hobbling there. So I run over and pick her up and carry her in the house.

I wonder if this comes with age, because I don't remember it from years ago. It's weird.

It's equally weird, unfortunate, that her nature is such that she can't just go to the bathroom. She has to walk around, sniffing everywhere, etc., like dogs do. But I have a human mind. So I know the clock's ticking ... if you don't go pretty soon, your feet are going to get cold and that will be it.

Use your opportunities now. Don't delay. Go while your feet are still warm!

Norton Goes Frantic On Cue

When I first got this computer a couple weeks ago, it had a very temporary Norton subscription, that would expire in a month or so. It came with a 15 month subscription but I still had to type that in and hadn't done so yet.

In that time, Norton was going crazy, popping up several times an hour with one notification or another. It was going so crazy I had to turn it off for a while just to get things done.

Then I typed in the 15 month subscription number and I've barely heard from them since.

Leading me to believe they have it set to go frantic when your subscription is about to expire, so you'll be sure to know you definitely need it. I want it, don't get me wrong. But I want it to do its job in the background and not keep me updated with its every move.

Like it's doing now, now that I have a 15 month subscription ahead of me.

I Cleaned Up A Room

Woo hoo, I just cleaned up a room. A reading room type of place that became a place of the worst clutter and squalor.

I've been sitting in the midst of that filth, stacked up stuff, stuff tipped over and sliding all over the floor, bemoaning it.

This morning I was sitting there and had to abandon it all, it was so depressing. Then I returned and sat there, stewing in the misery.

I mean it was bad.

But now, I've got it all straightened out, shelves dusted. Everything's pretty much in order. The only disaster now is inside the closet.

I came across some notes that one of my Grandmas sent me in the '60s, so that was nice to sit and read. I read one and half. Slowly, sentimentally.

It's easier to do things slower and with more meaning in a clean room.

It's nice to be able to go in that room now and not feel automatically 10 times worse.

Christmas Shopping Is Finished

It's a good feeling to be done for another year. It's kind of like getting done with your income tax forms in April, the feeling that it's done for a whole 'nother year.

I finished up today, getting a few stocking stuffers for a loved one. Others of the family, we ordered their stuff online and everything came, the last things today.

One of the postmen came over after hours to tell me that a package belonging to me had fallen down behind some stuff and he wanted to make sure I got it today. That was great. He'd already had a busy day, but to think that he took the time to do that for me, it touched me. What a nice gesture.

The benefit of him doing that meant that the very last presents purchased were in place. They could be wrapped and put under the tree.

It's quite a holiday. Too bad we didn't settle on a $5 gift exchange. It's a lot more lavish than that. I'll pay for it in January.

Like Bob Cratchit, we're making rather merry!

About Time For The Year's Best And Worst

We'll be hearing about the biggest story of the year, the biggest movie, CD, etc., very soon.

I saw on TV today that Taylor Swift's "Fearless" CD is the biggest seller of the year. I haven't got it. I've seen her on TV and she seems very pleasant. I wouldn't mind having it, but, really, I have to cut back somewhere.

A couple days ago I saw what the biggest one-hit wonder song of the decade is. It's "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter. Somehow he didn't come up with a follow-up. And I heard that CD a few times and thought it was pretty good. He would have the talent to write a couple more hits, I'd guess. But that was a big one, "Bad Day." A good one too.

(It's more hits than I've ever had, so he can be proud of it.)

What was the biggest news story of the year? I can't think of what it might be. Obama's inauguration? Balloon boy?

Sarah Palin Might Debate Al Gore

That'd be good. She's such a halfwit.

Of course she's begging off the suggestion that they debate. So she apparently does have at least one lick of sense somewhere in that thick skull of hers.

It's easier just making potshots from the sidelines. That way you don't have to answer for your ignorance. We all know that.

I'm Still Snowed In

Our snow removal guy hasn't come. This after a full day and night of snow yesterday. So there's massive drifts where we drive our car to get out.

I called and got the wife (or secretary) and she said they were out working. So what can you say? Nothing. OK.

I hope he's here tomorrow. It's stupid to be snowed in when all the neighbors are already dug out.

Another Stain To Go With My Old Book

The other day I wrote about an old book I have, "The Soul of Lilith," which is over 100 years old. The copy I have has a name and 1906 written inside the front cover. The book also has some very old stains, maybe coffee stains at the page edges.

Well, unfortunately, today it got a brand new stain. One of my cats puked on it. What are the odds out of all the books I own? I've worried about the cats doing something like this, and I even worried about this book in particular, something happening to it thanks to the cats. And today it happened.

I was in a different room and heard a cat retching. It seems like they do a lot of it. I went running because sometimes I can catch them in time and get a paper under them. But this time no such luck. I got there and it was already done.

I noticed that first, and second I noticed a spot on the book at the top front cover, spilling over on to the top page edges. Right where a major part of the century old coffee stain also is. I immediately wiped it off with something but it's still stained. Although not as bad as if I would've come home an hour later and discovered it.

It was also on a few other books but not as bad. Bad enough! So I wiped everything up.

I said the stains gave the book character. Now, unfortunately, it has a little more.

Walking My Dog In The Snow

It's hard to believe we used to have dogs who lived outdoors. In the winter and everything. Except we brought them in if it was bitterly cold, and they stayed in the basement. That was over 40 years ago.

Now we have an inside dog, and I have to take her out, and she gets cold when it's around 20 degrees. She starts moving her feet like they're uncomfortable, and I suppose they are. Well, do your business and we can get in faster.

The last few years I've been carrying her quite a bit of the time. Then we find a spot and I set her down. Still, she doesn't exactly hurry to get it out. She still takes her time sometimes, meaning she's going to get cold.

But I love my dog. I want to keep her as comfortable as possible. So I usually carry her home afterward.

I've tried dog booties. They don't work with my dog. One pair we had was too little. One pair was too stiff. We tried baby socks with Velcro fasteners, but it takes too long to get them on, then they tend to fall off in the snow and it's a mess.

I need to take her out for a quickie before getting ready for bed. I'd love to be in bed in a half hour.

Rearranging My Room

Since I got a new computer a couple days ago, that meant everything had to shift. In the room.

My old computer, I'm still going to need for various things. But it needed to go somewhere besides on this one desk, because this particular desk is more the right height for the new computer. Since it's a laptop, the keyboard is clear up here somewhere, with this big section at the bottom. To type on it with any quickness I need to hit it at a particular angle, and even then it's kind of annoying.

But already I've doubled my typing speed just by changing the height of the keyboard.

To get to this position means shifting, as I said. But shifting of computers that have been in place for years is not an easy task. Plus there was lots of other junk stacked up all over the desk, including old candy papers, and even some candy! There was one piece of melted candy stuck to my desk, and about an inch of dust all over everything. What a mess. Lots of scraps of paper, crap from ages ago.

Then there's the whole matter of cords, tangled up, hooked up around other things, like spaghetti. To do this is an enormous commitment. But it won't do it by itself. So I got it going, scooping off everything into a big basket. I found a couple CDs I hadn't seen for a couple years. I wondered where they went!

The very last thing, the desk is a little uneven, apparently, because I had to put a quarter under one corner of the computer to keep it stable. I'll have to come up with a more permanent thing there. A piece of cardboard taped down probably. Or part of a CD case. I don't know.

Facebook And The Looming Death Of Friends

It's been a long time since I was in high school. Most of the time since then, of course, we didn't have the computers, the internet -- and certainly we didn't have the current social media sites. The one I'm thinking of is Facebook.

So, being there, we've been touching base again with old high school friends, and some who weren't exactly friends, but the times are different decades later. There they are, a bunch of old folks. I check the yearbook once in a while to see who I'm dealing with, because, to a certain extent, they look like that still in my mind.

There's been a bunch of classmates die. Not ones I've known on Facebook though. But at the class reunion, the last one, we had a moment of silence for a whole list of people.

Now I know someone on Facebook from my class who could very well die. She's got enough wrong with her, serious cancer issues. The thing here, though, is that I'm not friends with her personally on Facebook, but I know a couple of people who are friends, who say what's going on.

It's weird on lots of levels. Maybe the weirdest is that I know anything about it at all. Let's say technology had been different. No Facebook. And she dies. She would've been just like the others on the list at the reunion. I didn't know any of them were sick and dying till I got to the reunion. And I wouldn't have known about this woman.

So we're all getting in touch with each other just in time to watch each other die.

Serious Question About Congress

Can President Obama do or suggest anything and have the Democratic Congress automatically on board?

It doesn't seem like is to me. Where did they get all this fight, after years of rolling over for George Bush?

A Fan Of Verizon

I saw at Facebook someone is a "fan" of Verizon.

LOL. Why?

I Won't Be Sneaking In

The couple who sneaked into the White House dinner and got away with it probably wishes they hadn't. Their lives have been turned upside down. On the other hand, I've read enough articles that suggest if there's a buck to be made off it, they'll make it.

I'd hate to be famous. That's true. But I'd hate to be infamous even more. And this is what they're known for now -- for now and all eternity. When they die, that's the first thing that will be mentioned about them. The picture of the woman in her red dress. Yuck. I'd rather be unknown for nothing and just die.

I've always thought I'd have a good knack for sneaking in places. But it's hard. Because they have state of the art (and good state of the art) surveillance equipment these days. Everything you do is on tape or digitally recorded. Even the Mission Impossible guys would have a tough time with things these days.

But believe me, when it comes to any kind of presidential function, I won't be sneaking in. Not after what these idiotic people are getting thrown at them. Plus, you'd have to think it'd be bad. It's not like sneaking into the state fair, which is probably also bad if you get caught. This is something very very major.