“Pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon?”
March 23, 2004, 11:22 AM
I remember that phrase from the commercials in the 1990s. You have someone asking some totally random person at a random location, “Pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon?” It just strikes me as amusing.
I mean really, who is going to just randomly be carrying a bottle of Grey Poupon with them?
I usually mention that when I get the Dijon Mustard dipping sauce for the chicken at work. I say, “This is the kind of thing you just want to say, ‘Pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon?’ for.” And I’ve never even had Grey Poupon before, either. One of those things I need to do one of these days, I guess.
Especially if I’m going to say it, I might as well have at least eaten it, eh?
Categories: Television, Walmart
I went to Washington DC on Saturday…
March 23, 2004, 2:40 AM
I went to DC on Saturday, March 20, the year anniversary of the beginning of “Operation Iraqi Freedom” (a name that still doesn’t sit right with me). Originally, there was supposed to be a big ANSWER anti-war rally in DC, but it unfortunately never materialized. I found it strange that there were rallies in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, etc., but not the obvious choice for a political rally, Washington DC.
However, there were two small rallies that I kind of swung by in passing. One was at Constitution Gardens a few blocks from the White House, which was a pro-Aristide march for Haiti. The other was a silent anti-war vigil at the Capitol, which is documented in the “A Sunny Day at the Capitol” Photography set that I just posted.
The Haiti rally was interesting, as it was interesting seeing the rather small group on the sidewalk along Constitution Avenue saying “Whose streets? Our streets!” That one chant just seemed out of place, what with the difference in how it was presented last April, where it was the anarchists’ call as they actually marched out into the road, and shut off a lane of traffic.
Meanwhile, the silent vigil at the Capitol seemed to go well, as the small group stood in silence (for the most part). Between the Capitol group and the Haiti group, the Haiti group was a lot more united. The Capitol group didn’t seem as “together” and presenting as strong of a message due to their appearance.
Continue reading…And if there was anyone who thought it was otherwise, let me restate it. I am not a cowboy.
March 19, 2004, 4:15 PM
Nope. No cowboy blood in me. No wild west spirit yearning to break loose within me.
And how do I know this?
Well, I decided, since I had a long lunch break, to ride the mechanical horse in the game room. It’s one of those things I’ve kind of wanted to do for a while, and so I seized the opportunity and did it. So I got on, fed the horse my quarters, and then went out to the wild west. I should have bought a hat in softlines first, and then gone riding. But no. Still, I was having a blast, really hamming it up pretending to swing a lasso and saying, “Hi-yo, Silver!”
Let’s put it this way: The Lone Ranger I am not. End of story, but it was fun, and funny.
Categories: Walmart
More flamingo photos!
March 18, 2004, 11:52 PM
As promised, here’s some better flamingo photos…
This is the whole yard, as seen from the street. Lots of pink flamingoes, let me tell you.
Categories: Amusing, Virginia local news
What a surprise to find as I was leaving for work…
March 17, 2004, 9:39 PM
Look at this:
This is our neighbors’ front yard. And it is covered with pink flamingoes. Yes, pink flamingoes. From what I understand, it has something to do with a church program, but I’m not sure what it is. Still, I was amused, and snapped a picture of it with my cell phone. I’ll take some higher-resolution ones with Big Mavica tomorrow before I go to work.
Categories: Amusing, Television, Walmart
“You retard!”
March 12, 2004, 2:14 AM
Yes, when I came back up to the Service Desk after my lunch break, before I could even say hello to anyone, I’m greeted with a familiar voice saying, “You retard!”
It was Sis.
And returning a printer cartridge that I bought two weeks ago. Seems I bought the wrong one. I just followed the list that Dad gave me. So it’s not my fault.
Still, it was amusing to see Sis and her friends (Matt and Ben, both of whom I also like) at the Service Desk as I came back. And amusing is what my coworker asked of Sis: “Is he as hyper at home as he is at work?” She answered, “Worse!” All in all, I was amused. Plus I got to find out about their trip to New York, which I couldn’t partake in due to work.
Plus this was the first time Sis got to see me in my vest, since the last time she was at our store while I was working, I was on lunch and carrying it in my hand as I was ringing up my food on the self-checkout.
Still, amusing.
The phone horn is back…
March 9, 2004, 4:51 PM
So I have nailed a new nail and hung the phone horn on it. And of course the first thing I did was call the house. Just to test it out and make sure that it’s going to run. And what do you know – it did.
And I didn’t put it in its old spot. Now, it’s above the VCR, next to the closet. About four feet away from where it used to be.
So on the decor, it’s so far, so good. I have the WMATA poster up over the couch, the bulletin board went over the head of the bed, the white board went behind the door, and my degree from JMU went up between the windows.
Next up: the little pictures.
Categories: Bedroom remodel
Today I got majorly confuzzelated.
March 7, 2004, 1:45 AM
Call it confused, confuzzled, or confuzzelated, but let me tell you… I was going in so many different directions today I probably couldn’t have told you which way was up.
New experience of the day: I got to spend an hour out in the parking lot doing carts. We have a machine that pushes, and is controlled remotely by the associate. Then the associate stands in front and steers. And it sure beats the heck out of pushing them by hand, which I also did some. It was also nice to spend some time outside, which was a nice change from the Service Desk, since we’re in what could almost be described as a well-lit cave.
And I learned that I can control a machine pushing a pile of carts that is about 50 feet long (at least) better than I can control one of the electric carts that people ride around the store. One time when I was greetering, I had to park one of those things after someone was done with it, and promptly backed into a wall. That, by the way, earned me the affectionate nickname “Crash”.
Categories: Television, Walmart
This is one day I was glad to have end…
March 5, 2004, 11:48 PM
Yeah, this was just one day that I was glad to see end and go onto the list of days completed. Today just seemed to drag, with the Service Desk just hopping at the same time. I don’t know what it was, but I just am glad that the day is over.
Meanwhile, I’m trying to figure out what to do. I need to get out on one of my days off for this coming up week. Don’t know where I want to go. I just know that I am taking one day and going AWAY for the day, and dragging Big Mavica, my tripod, and my cell phone with me.
And I really don’t know where I want to go. All I know is that I am craving some city. I want to see tall buildings, I want to see people enjoying manmade surroundings, and I want to see the streets light up at night.
You see, I think that despite having lived in the country for quite a while, I find that I am still an urban person at heart. Realize that my parents both grew up less than an hour away from New York City (my mother in Ridgewood, New Jersey, and my father from Asbury Park), and then they lived near Philadelphia for about sixteen years (in and around Glassboro, New Jersey).
Categories: DC trips
I have been to the JMU Bookstore for the last time ever, if all goes well.
March 4, 2004, 12:05 AM
I went up to Harrisonburg, and bought my diploma frame. Very nice thing, too. And it had better be for $200.
And let me reinforce the fact that I am now officially NEVER going back to the JMU Bookstore, EVER again. They just outdid themselves today when it came to poor customer service. I come in. I look at where the diploma frames are. I ask if one of the clerks, three of which were standing around behind the counter doing nothing, would come out and help me with the diploma frames. I consider this a reasonable request. Help the customer, and facilitate making a sale.
So they tell me that their frame people have already gone home for the day, and to come back tomorrow for assistance with the frames. No “sure, let me help you with that”, but instead, I was basically told go away and come back tomorrow. What kind of customer service is that?
I know that if I did something like that at Wal-Mart, my butt would be in some VERY hot water with management.
A milestone in my redecorating project – my WMATA poster is on the wall!
March 3, 2004, 12:53 AM
Yeah, take a look:
And let me state it one more time – this is not a reproduction or an enlargement. This is the real McCoy. That is an authentic Washington DC Metro (WMATA) system map hanging over my couch. Now all we need is to put a Breda around that map, and hear the voice of Metro saying “Doors Closing!” and the piece will be complete.
Categories: Bedroom remodel
All I ever needed to know about life, I learned on The Schumin Web
March 2, 2004, 12:32 AM
I could make a book with that as the slogan. A friend of mine mentioned it to me, and I think it would be pretty amusing, don’t you think? And you think about it – my site is loaded when it comes to information. I have all sorts of stuff, in the quotes, the journal, the photo areas, all that. Lots of observations about modern life.
Meanwhile, as my site approaches eight years old (no bull!), it would be interesting to have.
But yeah, March 23 is my site’s eighth birthday. Wow… eight years. I was fourteen years old when I started my site. Now I’m 22. I was a freshman in high school back then, with a zit or two here and there (I never had a completely-broken-out face full of zits during puberty). Now I am – say it with me – an adult, doing things that adults do, like going to work every day, paying bills, etc. etc. etc.
Still, eight years. Wow. Doesn’t feel like that long ago.
Categories: Schumin Web meta
The couch returns!
March 1, 2004, 11:00 AM
Yes, my couch has returned to my room, in a stunning morning feat before work. First of all, one of my new torchiere lamps was moved out of the way to make room to bring the couch back in. Then, the frame of the couch was slid, upended, into position, and then set down in its new location. Then I brought the mattress for the couch (my couch is a futon, by the way) back in, and set it down. And finally, we put the torchiere back in place, and we’re done.
And to think that now I have a place to sit when watching TV if I don’t want to use the computer, as well as a fantastic place to just plain old sit. Since I don’t like people to have to sit on the bed, since unless you’re sprawled out on it and ready to pass out, and then only if it’s really your own bed, do you really ever belong on the bed. So it’s off to the side and out of the way.
Meanwhile, we have some odd extra space behind the recliner. What to do with that is the next question. Perhaps we could quickly buy and assemble some shelves to fill the void, and also solve the video tape problem. Something to think about, as we move back into this room.
I will provide photos of the couch in place later, because right now, I need to get ready for work…
Categories: Bedroom remodel
Hands like Death Valley…
February 29, 2004, 1:41 AM
Really and truly, if you look at the back of my hands, you’ll see. There is no difference between the back of my hands, particularly my left hand, and Death Valley. I am so dried out on the back of my hands that they have cracked, and are painful.
And only the back of my hands, too. The palms of both hands are fine. Perfectly fine. Nothing wrong with them.
During December, I’d run into the hands-like-death-valley situation once, and then in January my hands started to recover, and get towards normal, as I started using lotion at night to help things out a little. Then I started redecorating in here, specifically the painting phase. That did it, and sent me back downhill again towards dry, cracked skin. Why? With all the painting I was doing, I was constantly washing my hands to get the paint off. And the constant hand-washing took its toll on my hands. And that undid all that progress.
Categories: Myself
I really can’t tell the difference between them!
February 28, 2004, 11:44 PM
I tell you… I cannot tell the difference between the name-brand fruit juices and the Sam’s Choice brand juice. Sam Walton chose well with the Sam’s Choice juices. They’re good. And they cost at least a dollar less than the other brands.
And those Welch’s commercials with the kid giving the lecture are only bankrolling the competition. I drink Sam’s Choice grape juice that is just too good to gulp. So I watch as it flatters my mouth with flavor (pardon – fwavor, as the kid says it), and feel it fill my cheeks.
And it costs a heck of a lot less, which is a major selling point.
And if you can’t tell already, I swear by my grape juice. Serves two purposes for me. For one, it’s just good. I like it. And secondly, it keeps me out of my father’s orange juice.
And before you ask, though, I cannot stand Sam’s Choice soda. There’s no store-branding when it comes to soda. I know my specific flavors too intimately to pass on them.
Categories: Shopping