Day 18-Monkey Pox is the new pandemic

B. and I attended the Huntington Summer Evening Stroll tonight…

8/21/23. Sunday.

6:00-L. Leaves for her shift at The Club.

8:00-8:30-I take the dog out and do the few dishes that were left in the sink last night. I make coffee and take the dog outside to go potty. More leftover Korean barbecue for her treat. Return upstairs.

8:30-9:00–I call First American and dispute the $85 consult fee. I speak to an employee at an India call center and he tells me to e-mail my documentation, which I do.

-I call Verizon and try to cancel my account but I’m told I’m no longer a Verizon member. Really? If that’s the case, why am I still being charged $40 a month? Bastards!

9:00-9:15-I call Dewey Pest Control to schedule a service because L. says she’s seen several spiders [both alive AND dead] around the house.

9:25-10:10-I check email at College No. 2 and spend more time looking for information concerning the VIRTUS training that I am mandated to attend. Allegedly, if I’m unable to attend this training within two business days, I’m not allowed to enter the Catholic High School where I’m assigned to teach because…I’m the devil?? Who knows why this training is mandatory. VIRTUS is NOT a user-friendly website, but the good news is I’m finally able to create an account and log in. Unfortunately, there are no available dates/times for this 3-hour training - all of the online slots are filled and there is nothing available for F2F. None of this is my fault as I was only told last week that this is a mandatory training. I feel uncomfortable attending it anyway because (spoiler alert), I’m not Catholic. What happened to separation of church and state? I prepare a lengthy email for M., the Coordinator for the Dual Enrollment program at College No. 2, and I attach the VIRTUS training schedule showing that there is nothing available. I ask M. if she knows if there are any F2F VIRTUS classes available. The larger question is, “Why am I responsible for handling this s—t?”

-10:10-10:25 - I make a packet of shitty oatmeal, but end up giving most of it to the dog. Then, I sweep the downstairs.

10:25-10:45-I send links to L. for the color of pink spray paint she likes best so I can order it from Amazon.

10:40-10:50-Although I have paid in advance for Dewey’s services, I still have no contract. I check BofA and note that the check cleared. All of this is so irritating.

10:50-11:10-I call Dewey and speak to a live employee via Dewey’s answering service, since they’re closed on Sunday. For whatever reason, she gives me attitude and hangs up on me so there’s that drama. I call back, speak to a different employee at the call center, and complain…bitterly.

11:30-12:45-L. is supposed to meet with her supervisor, Tucker, and her co-worker, La, who continues to pose as L.’s “Manager”, which is a complete fallacy as both girls have the same title, although La has seniority. The two of them called this meeting because L. is outselling them with regard to club memberships, when L. only works one day a week in the Membership department. Having been in the workforce for almost 40 years, I know exactly what this meeting will entail so I prepare a script for L., to include hypothetical scenarios and various ways L. can respond to these assholes during the meeting. I edit the “script”, then print and email it to L.

12:45-1:15-I sew two buttons on a blazer and a shirt. I’ve been wanting to do this for months, but could never find the time to complete the task. I feel a great sense of satisfaction over this.

1:15-1:45-L. returns from work and we talk about her upcoming meeting at 5:00 today. She goes over the script I prepared and actually thanks me for my comments.

2:00-2:30-I thaw a dish of something from the freezer and it turns out to be the Hamburger Helper I made two months ago.

2:45-4:00-Shower. Spa day, but I use dry shampoo. Full hair and make-up.

4:30-8:00-B. picks me up and we go to the Huntington Members Evening Summer Stroll. I reserved tickets, but they’re free because I’m a member. I eat before I go because I don’t really like the 1919 Cafe - it’s cafeteria-style and not very good. When we arrive at the Huntington, B. gets a huge piece of pepperoni pizza and something else??? He also buys me a small bottle of Brut Rose. I didn’t know it was $13 until after he bought it. A complete rip off, although it tasted good.

We walk around the Desert section of the Huntington until security kicks us out at 8:00.

8:00-9:00-Driving to B’s house…

9:00-1:30-At B.s, and we watch The Rhythm Section, starring Blake Lively. I eat potato chips and dip which is one of my weaknesses. This movie is absolutely horrible and we don’t finish it. B. drives me home.

1:30-2:00 Nighttime routine and I go straight to bed.