slogging along, singing a song....

Sorry.... Couldn't remember what the exact word (it's bobbing. derp) was while typing the title. So I used slogging, which is a perfectly good word. And I have been slogging along, really.

The Alternate Dimension remains the same. Although I do have to say it's been an interesting perspective lately... I've been viewing the drive-time from the back of Sic-un's bike. "Why the bike?" you may be asking yourselves. Well, my tires are in sore need of replacement. And rather than get shafted by the company that I had do them 3 4 years ago-  
TANGENT: National chain sears store that also does automotive work replaced my leaking tires (yes, leaking. From around the rims) for $35 apiece with tire disposal fee of X per tire and valve replacement of X per tire and then came over after starting into it to ask me if I wanted the alignment for only $225. I said no. $165. I said no. So now it's 4 years later and not only are my tires in desperate need of alignment, but they also all have exactly the same wear pattern that shows they got the alignment set to 0 to start before I told them no.
--And my tires need replacing because they're showing cord, or starting to. The (best/cheapest/most highly recommended) place around here does them only Monday through Friday.
"Go in the morning!" you say... That would necessitate getting up at 6 a.m. No. "Skip work!"... Rather not. I'm just now off verbal warning (4 call-ins, they drop 1 every month w/o a call in), and because one of them was a leave early? Yeah. Leave early which counts as 1/2, I am now at 3 1/2. Rather not get yet another fucking verbal write up for my fucking attendance.
AT ANY RATE (get on with it!)..... Since Sic-un's schedule has been changed to match mine (M-F, 11-7:30), we're riding into work together to allow my tires sit time until I have my 3 weekdays off coming up and can go in when the aforementioned (best/cheapest/most highly recommended) tire shop is open. And what luck! It's payday Friday right before my time off.

The meaning of the phrase time off is that: From this point in time (11:16 p.m., 8.19.2010), I work 1 day, then 2 days off, 5 days on, 5 days off (time off requested and received), 2 days on, 2 days off.

AND WHAT LUCK! J managed, WITHOUT PROMPTING, to get off 2 of the 3 weekdays I'm taking off. Didn't ask him to, he just did. And he's made it well known that we will be spending time together. Which is a little freaky in a way, that someone would take that initiative with me the target... I mean, yeah, I've taken time off work to spend very specifically with people, but.... he's doing it for me. He's made it very clear he's doing it for me. And I don't know how I feel about that. I appreciate it, you know, the gesture, but... I didn't ask him to. I was kinda thinking he could maybe come up after he got off work at 1 for one or more days and we could bouncebounce, but before I could really say anything he just told me he had "requested the day off...oh, and the Friday before-You mean you're not taking Friday off... Ok. Hey! I got 2 days off approved, Monday and Tuesday! YAY!"... You see the weird factor there, yes?

I told them quite honestly the 3 days were mental health days. I need some time to ME, if that makes sense (it should)... Sic-un will be with me 3 of those 5 days (sat/sun/mon), J with me 2 of them (one of the days shared w/Sic-un), and I will have Wednesday, September 1, completely to myself. At least for the majority. Which means I can walk around nekkid (guests that weekend, not so much nekkidity), don't have to shut the bathroom door when I go pee (I don't with Sic-un, but again...guests), can turn up the tunes and can sing out loud instead of in my head (I lost my voice to laryngitis too many times to sing effectively any more. I go crackle and Joe Cocker-ish after only a couple bars), I can watch a couple of things I've wanted to catch but it's never really been a good time (I want to watch O Brother, Where Art Thou? again, and see about putting in Dead Man).

I've made plans, I admit. I'm planning on either that Friday night or that Saturday morning hitting my fan again. I itch to have it done. It'll have a few days to start healing before I put clothes back over it. I'm getting my tires that Monday morning. With fresh tires, I'll be able to drive some more, which puts stores other than Wal/K/S/mart at my disposal. Payless Shoes, you know? Yeah, cheap, but... what luck I've had with cheap shoes!  Oooh, Hammer's. It's like a very local Ross. Locally owned/operated, only 4 stores, and the towns are a fair distance apart. But I'm thinking maybe some shopping depending on how much tires really end up costing. Per Sic-un, alignment shouldn't be more than $50 or so from them, a phrase parroted by others. So I may have some, not much, extra cash. Just in time, too... we go back to wearing business casual on Labor Day. SIGH. Although I do kinda like dressing up. It's just not real comfortable for sitting for 7 1/2 hours a day. Unless I can kick off a shoe and put my leg up underneath me.



And, well, I plan on getting myself fucked absolutely silly those 5 days. And there's the possibility that's it's 3, not 2, people that will be inside me. Mmmmmm....goosebumps. You do realize, of course, that there's a big part of me rubbing hands in glee saying "YAY!"




I'm very lucky. I have someone I love very deeply who loves me well who understands I want a bit of variety and is willing to assist in my getting it, if that makes sense. He's... Well, he chaparones. When J and I were together. I just announced "I'm taking him to bed." and I do the same with the 3rd of the fun-fest too. Yes, this is the one called Switch.
Switch because he will and he does and Sic-un enjoys as well. It is apropos. So it's not completely one-sided, which just wouldn't be fair and I wouldn't be able to stand it at all, except Sic-un is...Well, he's just wonderful. He really is. He hasn't partaken of the Switch, just that once, but the option is there, so I don't feel quite as... Well, dammit! I feel guilty that I'm getting laid like a cheerleader and he's not! Except by me, that is...When he or I aren't tired, hungry, sore... The weather has been really fucking with his back. Barometric pressure affecting joints, especially previously damaged joints.

Rain. Muggy and hot and humid as fuck. I thank the weather...we can use the liquid, and being of the desert, I appreciate the rain. I don't appreciate the whole "Get up to 89 which feels like 105 due to the humidity THEN cloud up and rain only to do it again tomorrow" schtick. Nights are in the 70's. My heart says they should be in the 60's by now, and it should be dry, not 97% humidity, air so thick you feel like you're chewing on it... Being of the desert, I miss the sky.

Still, TN does have its own charms. Sic-un is one. J and Switch are 2 other very charming bits. The rain is good for this desert girl, and I'm appreciative I have a job, health, a car that does run. It's a good time, but I'm still slogging through to time off...