12-17-05

My wife calls it cleaning up. I say it's hiding my stuff.

It's like a cleaning tornado hits the house every day, usually after the kids and I leave. I can be sure I left something on the desk or on the table, but when I look for it, the item is gone.

Now, I appreciate her efforts. She is a cleaning maniac. I'm not. I am better now than I used to be. That seemed to change a little after we got married, for some reason.

She doesn't really care for my cleaning habits. I usually leave the office desk a mess, along with any other place that I have posted my posterior. Actually, I know where things are, at least until my wife hides them.

She also isn't all that fond with some of my clothing choices, that tend to lean toward the sloppy side. We'll be going out to the store, to eat or wherever, and she'll see what I'm wearing. Her nose tends to crinkle up a bit.

"Are you going to wear that?" she asks, a pretty good signal that I should change. Actually, I don't consider my choice of clothing sloppy. She usually dresses up and I dress down. I have to dress up for work four days of week (Friday is casual day, thank goodness!) and when I get home, I prefer wearing jeans and whatever shirt is closest.

I'm rather fond of wearing tee-shirts with an old long-sleeve button-up shirt over it, unbuttoned, of course. That's usually good for a sneer, especially if we are going out.

I would never question what she is wearing. Heck, if I did that, it would delay leaving a good thirty minutes. First, it would hurt her feelings. Then, she would have to change clothes several times again. Plus, that outfit might have to be replaced and that would hit us in the old pocketbook.

A few weeks ago, I messed up. We were going somewhere and I asked, "when are you going to be ready?"

A harmless comment. I meant as far as stepping out the door. She took it as questioning her choice of clothing, I guess. A lesson learned.

We'll have to do the shopping deal today. Boo. But even that can't damper the old spirits. It's Saturday. I am rather fond of Saturdays, of course. No work! Actually, there is usually some work going on, but my boss changes.

Scanned through the newspaper this morning. Wal-Mart is getting blistered for a seminar called "Why Market to Gay America?" That was rather silly, even worse than some of the seminars I have attended over the years.

I really look forward to seeing ads showing guys holding hands or women kissing each other. As far as I am concerned, the only group that is singled out for discrimination in America are the working white male, married, with a slight gut and hair challenged.

What's the man done for me lately? Nada.

I noticed there is a lot of controvery about rebuilding New Orleans. President Bush has promised bigger and better levees, but can't say it will hold off another 5-star hurricane. Uh, isn't this just throwing money away? For a fraction of the billions of dollars, Heavener could be totally revved up. Personally, I think this would be a much better use of money.

I don't have anything against the people of New Orleans. But if Decker Lake flooded the town or a tornado blew through and wiped everything off the face of the earth, would there be an outcry?

Not that anybody would listen to.

Saw that the United Blood Service in Fort Smith is out of Type O blood. Not positive, but I'm pretty sure that is my blood type so I can use that as an excuse about being extra careful. Doubt it will get me out of shopping, though.