So I am attempting to post by sending an email. We'll see how far that goes.

Anyway. Happy Memorial Day Weekend. I am spending my time split between working and family stuff (out-of-town-family stuff). However I'm not having much luck so far.

First, I went out to see what was available for FireWire drives for a client of mine who needs one and the only successful part of that mission netted me underwear.

For some reason this has happened more than once: go shopping for computer stuff, come home with underwear. It's quite odd, really.

Then I came home and tried to work but was so sleepy I took a nap instead. Ramona joined me, of course. Because for a cat, any time is a good time to nap really.

So now I'm up again and writing this instead of working. I'll eventually get something done.

A few tidbits:

1. I was in line at the store and this woman in front of me (actually she was maybe 22) had this box with her that she had apparently received in the mail. I was about to go find another place to pay for my goods because that box signals all sorts of lengthy explanations, discussions and calls to managers. But I stayed put.

Turns out, the woman had bought a pair of Crocs (Dumbest. Shoes. Ever.) and wanted to return them. Which wasn't a big deal until I eavesdropped enough to realize that she had bought them from the Crocs online store and was trying to return them at Macy's.

On what planet does that make any damn sense? Certainly not mine. Because most companies aren't going to say "What? You spent actual money someplace else and now want to give us what you bought from them and get money from us? Sure! How about a complimentary pedicure while you wait?"

The crazier thing was that the salesperson wasn't sure what to do and did have to call a manager to check if she could take back the shoes. Further proof of my theory that most people working in retail are taught not to think for themselves.

2. I was in the car with some relatives a few weeks ago--consisting of my mom, my aunt and uncle, and two younger cousins (aged 5 and 11). We were discussing where to go for lunch. The five year old thought KFC would be a good idea (since they got it as a treat sometimes when they were on vacation). The eleven year old, testing his boundaries and parents' patience, suggested we go to Hooters.

His dad chimed in first, and said that they wouldn't be going to Hooters anytime soon and that if he was trying to be funny it certainly wasn't the appropriate place for it (what with us in the car). His mother was just dead silent, and I couldn't tell if she was really angry about this stunt or embarrassed or both.

After a few moments of awkward silence, she turned to her son, smiled and said, "Let's compromise on this, honey. We'll go to KFC for lunch. And every ten minutes or so I'll lift up my top."

Aw. Now I'm getting notices from Gmail that I have requested my password be reset. Legitimate, non-phishing ones. One of my planetclaires must be trying to figure out why they can't login to my email account.

Because it's mine’s, bishes.

I think my planet has a birthday coming up. Hang on, lemme check. Just play the Jeopardy! waiting music in your head momentarily. I'll be back...

June 5th. Planet Claire will eight years young on June 5th. I'm not sure what that is in planet years. But I'll have to throw some sort of party. If someone wants to get me something, there's that whole SUPPORT section on the site. Just sayin'. I mean, running a planet ain't cheap.

I'm still waiting for my Economic Stimulus Check, so that may go toward keepng this planet in orbit. Although I really think this check would be more aptly named the "Stave Off Foreclosure and/or Creditors" Check. Because it seems like that's the point where a lot of people in this country are. This money will be going to groceries and gas and rent, not toward an impromptu spending spree at Walmart.

Well hopefully not anyway. And not just because Walmart exists on one of Dante's circles of Hell.

I did however receive another check this week. A momentous check if you will. It was my 401k which is being taken away from the clutches of the psychopaths I worked for and placed in much more capable hands (i.e. not mine. I'm no good with money).

The slightly ironic part of the whole thing: starting right after I quit, every four to six months I would receive a phone call or email from someone at my old office asking for my home address. An address which, mind you, has not changed since before I quit. So they were apparently incapable of either tracking down my address in the database (a database I helped design, mind you, so I know it was in there and easily accessible). Furthermore, they were absolutely baffled as to how to keep that information on file in HR (a department I helped organize, mind you, so I know exactly where it should have been recorded and easily accessible).

At a certain point I believe I told them I had every confidence they could find it themselves if they would only take a moment to pull their finger out of their collective ass. I should have anyway. Talk about Dante's circles of Hell. They're wandering somewhere around the eighth.

Anyway, the same day I got this check that officially severed the last remaining link to that hellhole, I also received a letter informing me that they had entered my address into their database.

Thanks! Thanks ever so much!

But I am done with them forever. I leave them to their avarice and greed. I hope it serves them well when they are alone in their old age.

Well my lack of sleep finally caught up with me, smacked me on the back of the head, swore a few times (rather rudely I thought) and put me on a time out this afternoon. So today instead of working all afternoon I slept. It was a rather rainy day so it was a good time for it.

And since I promised my dear mother that I would not work at all on Mother's Day, this weekend I am officially off.

My brain must have thought this was a lovely idea as it has apparently gone on holiday as well. Hopefully it's someplace warm. And is planning on making it back by Monday.

So every once in awhile I wander around and see how my little planet is doing out in the world. And once in awhile I check the wildly inaccurate (for sites as small as mine) Alexa. And every time I do I am offered this awesome!! tee shirt illustrating just how small my site is. Who wants to wear a shirt that says "My site is beloved by almost no one! You should visit!'. I'm not paying for that sort of abuse.

But being that my brain is elsewhere at the moment I decided to explore the whole "tee shirt" idea a little further. Turns out you can customize them a little bit. Change a font, color, add text, etc. So here's my next purchase:

I like it. And am almost tempted to order it just to see if it would go through or be flagged or something.

Almost.

Happy Mother's Day.

And Happy 150th Birthday to my adopted home state. It doesn't look a day over 120.

The plot. It thickens.

Awhile back I made mention of my poor gmail account and how I was getting emails intended for some chick in Vancouver. You recall this? Yes?

Anyway, now it appears as though I am actually receiving emails intended for two entirely different Claires. And if I wasn't feeling guilty before... woo boy. To top it off, Vancouver Claire (the other appears to be Amsterdam Claire) is submitting forms to credit card companies inquiring about her account and using my gmail address as the reply-to address.

'The hell's the etiquette on that? "Pardon me, but you seem to have emailed me confidential information regarding your credit card. Could you... not? Thanks!" Well that would only work if I knew her actual email address I suppose. So sort of a flawed plan anyway.

Off to make some credit card purchases...