more reasons to enjoy autumn

In true quirky fashion, I tend to do a lot of things back to front. For example, most women get out their short skirts during the warmer months while mine debut about this time each year.

The reason for this is because I never get a summer tan, and that includes my legs. Besides the obvious problem - I'm so pale that I run the risk of bursting into flames in direct sunlight - there's a secondary reason. I managed to get cut up by broken window glass during a car accident (the other driver ran a stop sign, I was wearing shorts), and although none of the cuts were particularly deep, the scars only show up if I get some sun on my legs.

But back to the fun stuff.

Today I wore one of my shorter skirts with my favorite Wolford stockings - not that sheer, but not opaque either - and my legs looked pretty good. Better than last year. The dreaded shaolin horse stance (see below) offers its practitioners a variety of benefits.

autumn finally

I walked outside yesterday to discover that the temperature had finally dropped about 15-20 degrees, and was in the low 70s. This is what it's like in parts of Australia almost-year round, and one reason I'm still thinking about returning to The Great Southern Land in a year or two.

While I was able to get a fair bit of gardening done over the weekend, the cooler weather also set off my motorcycle cravings again. So I parked the hedge clippers for a while and went tire-kicking at a few dealerships. I have today off as well, so I may drop by one or two other places.

I'm still leaning toward a Suzuki SV650, or what they're now calling a Gladius, although I want the higher handlebar model. I am not quite ready to do the lying-down thing on a motorcycle.

a laissez-faire strategy

I received my offer letter for the new job today. I suppose I should view it as verification that it was stupid to fire me in June (they could have let one of the other writers up north go, but they're both TD* suckups), as my job grade and salary have both been increased.

Although I still haven't managed to totally shake the Juvenile Sulk, and still wonder what to do about Ian, I've decided to focus on other things. Both situations should resolve themselves sooner or later.

In the meantime I can be Ferdinand the Heifer. The weather's cooling down some so I can resume bird-watching, and do some more external repairs to Chez Melina and my mother's house.

If anyone is wondering what I mean by Ferdinand the Heifer, it's an awkward gender spin on Ferdinand the Bull, a Disney character who was not interesting in bullfighting. Instead, he just wanted to smell the roses.

I should add here that I think bullfighting is barbaric and cruel, and am glad that the Catalonia region of Spain has outlawed it. Hopefully other regions will follow.

* See Key to Characters at right.

beagle-flavoured ennui

Even though I haven't enquired about full time jobs, I am fairly sure that the ad agency where I'm currently freelancing doesn't have any for those with my background. It's too bad, really. I really like the place, even although it employs lots of middle-aged men with silly designer glasses, strange facial hair, iPhones and noisy flip-flops. Nobody manages me and there's even a pool table on site.

Conversely, my former employer (home of the nefarious Poison Dwarf*) wants me back. Not working for PD - I'd rather live under a bridge than do that again. The job is in another department, and the manager is someone I've always liked, although she's one of those women who own little fluffy dogs. I'm not really into little fluffy dogs. But after initially turning down the HR department's offer, she talked me into coming to visit her so she could bump up the salary offer. And Salary Slut Melina said okay.

The upshot of all this is that it looks like I'll be employed by the Snoopy Borg once more beginning in mid-October. And even with a slightly increased salary and benefits, I'm still unable to be cheerful about it. Instead I'm in Total Juvenile Sulk Mode with a little PMS thrown in.

The offer letter didn't even lower my blood pressure any. Isn't a steady income supposed to be a good thing in these recessionary times?

A couple of friends have suggested I consider it clever karmic revenge, since PD will probably pee herself the first time she bumps into me in the onsite coffee shop or the parking lot. But I've never sat around wishing I could stick a fork in her eye or anything like that.

Hopefully I'll buck up after I get there. At least I can continue to finance my mother's visiting nurse, who has improved my mother's health; together they conspired to reduce my mother's medications.  I visited my mother last weekend and it was the first time in months she didn't have to crawl off for a mid-afternoon nap. She was visibly perkier.

I might even have some money left over for some Maison Close lingerie - not that any male will ever see it - and a Triumph Bonneville. I want the basic black model with just a little chrome here and there.  (the motorcycle, not the lingerie)

* See Key to Characters at right.

no comment

Actually, I do have a comment. I've watched two episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm in their entirety and just didn't get it. I wanted to ask "is it funny yet?"

However, I will always tune into Arrested Development.