Stranger Things

Even though I've been a little bored this week in some ways, I've also been amused by some odd moments that have reminded me not to take my life for granted. A few examples, some recent and some less so:

• While talking to my sister tonight on the phone we realized that we were in similar positions: she is alone in her house in Spokane (roommates are out of town) with the dog, I am alone in my house (mom is working the night shift) with the cat. Before we could get much further, we both, at the exact same time, jumped to the metaphor of cells dividing (like in mitosis, with replication, division, etc.). Anyway, maybe it was one of those things you had to be there for, but seriously: telepathy. The only explanation.

• Today at work there was some hubbub surrounding a big party tomorrow featuring a mechanical bull. There were issues involving property managers, antique floors, weight distribution specifications, and various conversations and gestures depicting what, exactly, is involved in mechanical bull riding. It was funny because nobody was trying to be funny, just trying to get the bases covered.

• Sometime in the last week or so I received in my inbox an email, with no subject line or written content of any kind, simply an attachment with a photo of my boss handing a certain female presidential candidate a birthday cake. [This cake-presenting occurred several months ago, and I am pretty sure we had access to the photo at the time.] He sent it out again likely for no other reason than he thought we might like to have a copy. You know, to, like, print and frame and put on the nightstand. Or something. I am desperately tempted to post it here, but it's a bit too risky.

• One time in Croatia I saw a young, physically fit man wearing a hard hat and riding a pink scooter.

• Another time in Croatia I saw an elderly man, strolling along and smoking a pipe while pushing an empty baby carriage.