May Miscellany

In the Still of the Night...

I've known my whole life that I talk in my sleep. People who have shared a bed with me overnight - and there haven't been so many, actually - swear that I never say anything intelligible.

To contradict them, I remind them of the patriotic night I once had, when I woke up sitting bolt up-right in bed, imaginary flag on a stick in hand, shouting "God bless you, Mr. Lincoln!"

I woke up a couple of times last night, especially as the day began to dawn. I called, "Emma? EMMA!" and woke up during the second Emma. Don't tell me there weren't instances when I slept with Xman where similar things didn't happen. I don't believe it.

I have a voice activated tape recorder. I haven't used it because I'm afraid of what I'll hear in the morning, other than lots and lots of snoring.

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And It Just Keeps Getting Better Every Day

In the 12 years I've lived here, there hasn't been a town-wide property assessment.

Guess what our asshat mayor just decided? That he doesn't want to run for office again. Or that some citizens misbehaved when they caught him doing something naughty. This guy really is on a huge power trip.

I say this with dread because long ago, I knew a woman who worked at Mighty Citadel. She was partially disabled and kept dreading layoffs because she was sure that she would be one of the chosen people.

Just as all this happened, a reassessment was decreed. Her property tax bill went from $6K / yr to $12K/yr, which was about half of her take home pay, not including her mortgage.

Lucky her - she had a sister who had a spare house (big money. Old money) on her property and asked Steph to come live in it. So she did. I've heard nothing from her since so either she's blissfully ensconced in small town life or her skeleton will lie in the Chamber of Secrets forever.

We (the royal "we") don't pay much attention to the property tax because it is a way of life in Jersey. Houses in the area where Annushka lived started the property tax at $14K / yr.

But this has struck fear into my heart. If my property tax doubles, I simply cannot pay it. I haven't got a clue what I would do. I suppose the first trick is to get the house cleaned up and out. That's always a good place to start from.

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 Cousin Karen and the Sleep Study

It looks like this will not come to pass. The co-pay - the co-pay - is $500. She's had all kinds of stuff done already, an EEG, an EKG, a MRI and several more scrambles in the alphabet soup. I guess they weren't quit so pricey.

I don't know why she needs to have a sleep study because Cousin Danny and I can both attest to the fact that she wakens frequently in the night and will sometimes struggle to sit up. I saw her do this after taking a nap on my couch.

I have a feeling this visit is not going to happen and until the pain thing is resolved, am not much in the mood for entertaining.

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Cheated

I had worked for three hours on Friday, then I left for the emergency room. It turns out I have been docked a day's vacation for this.

Learning this did not make me happy.

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The Stink-Eye

The HR director is a cute - well, she would be cute if she smiled - tiny brunette who wears capris and high heel espadrilles and I've never know anyone who could out-stink-eye me until I met her. She scares me. I know I could take her, but she scares me. Oh, I'm sure the rest of our "non-gossip" office knows why she is so melancholy or angry or whatever it is that she is. Really, what is her problem? Does she give everyone that stank or is it just reserved for me?

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Doctor, Please. Some More of These

Oh, I do like my new drugs. Thank you, Dr. Pain. The weird thing about it is that this enormous load of tranquilizers and muscle relaxers lets me concentrate and work more than I've been able to in years.

Have I been in this much pain for X years and not known it? Surely not.