Amount of line 72 you want refunded to you.
Are they kidding???
😉
Nevermind… I don’t want that money back. You just keep it.
Anything about this yearly ritual that makes you howl with laughter?
Category Archives: Whatever
Bad bird photo of the week
Count the purple sandpipers!
Careful… they do blend in well with their surroundings. I’m always amazed with their nonchalance as they hunt for food where the rough sea crashes against the rocks. Some even seem to be napping!
Octopus lady
Every once in a while I make an excuse to visit the octopus lady that’s down in the old Casino on the boardwalk in Asbury Park; yesterday afternoon I went over with the intention of photographing some of the other public art that’s on display while the building is being revamped, but my lens was drawn to her, again.
There’s something about this mural that feels very out of place there and yet very right for being surrounded by a building that’s falling apart all around her. It amuses me to watch the contrast of yuppy joggers and local bums strolling beneath her coquettish glance, seemingly unaware of the change to the city she might portend.
Some more pics from the Casino are in this post.
On notice
Everyone (!) at my job was officially notified today that for reasons of economy and efficiency we are subject to layoff effective May 1, 2009.
Well.
The fact is that within our agency (Planning and Resources, Social Services, Mental Health and Addiction Services, Office on Aging, Office on Disabilities, and Veteran’s Internment) ten positions are being abolished. Ten people (some of whom are my friends! and have worked there for 20+ years!) received individual notices of layoff today. We all received a general notice of layoff or demotion because of the kooky way that civil service works…
If someone has what’s called displacement or *bumping* rights, they can exercise that right against another employee’s position in order to remain employed. The *bumped* employee may also have displacement rights and cause the layoff or demotion of another employee in a lateral or demotional position. Sort of a domino effect from top to bottom.
So while my position or that of anyone else in my unit isn’t in jeopardy, there’s the chance that any of us could be bumped into a lesser position (if we’re lucky) or bumped right out the door if there isn’t some other unfortunate soul with less seniority.
Makes for great morale and a pleasant work environment, really.
Image lifted from here.
A box of goodies
The magic of a good teacher-naturalist lies in live props, I think.
Tonight was the children’s program at our monthly Audubon meeting and this guy had the kids enthralled with his box of tricks… tree frogs and turtles and the hugest boa constrictor I’ve ever seen.
Every kid had the chance to (gently) touch each animal and that goes a long way to keeping their attention, of course. I wish that our chapter did more outreach to kids in the community to get them interested in nature, but this program for kids once a year is the best we can manage, usually.
Zen thoughts with bunnies
We all need a safe haven; for Boomer it’s the pooty box or this sunny spot beneath the desk where he naps, a place that provides a little love, peace, and a feeling of protection.
What’s your safe haven?
Snow crazy
Like snow-crazed dogs everywhere, Luka considered all that white fluffy stuff as a grand excuse to play!
While I was busy digging my car out… he busied himself with uncovering his basketball. He liked for me to toss the ball into a fresh patch so that he could plunge his whole head under the snow and push the ball along with his nose like a seal.
It took hours to shovel enough of the driveway to get my car out… mostly because Luka insisted on playing fetch the whole time! (Fetch is mainly about throwing the ball for him and then wrestling him to the ground to get it back.)
He made the chore fun at least… sometimes I think if it weren’t for him I’d hardly have an excuse to play anymore. With Luka, I can roll around in the snow like a kid and get away with it.
😉
Checking in
I’m trying out this *blogging without obligation* thing lately, have you noticed?
😉
My camera’s been collecting dust this week and that makes it hard to write anything here. Anyone else mostly write that way; with an image to spark an idea to write about?
Anyhow… I thought I should check in and let you all know that I’m still alive and busy and running around like the proverbial chicken without a …
Hope everyone’s having a nice weekend!
Wordless Wednesday
(It’s coming, ever so quietly…) 
Counting the days
I’m guessing there won’t be any more snow this season; not that there was much to speak of anyway. I miss the blizzards we used to get when I was a kid, when everything would be buried and the neighborhood was transformed for a couple days.
Anyway… I took this pic back in late January at one of my favorite parks. I’m looking forward to finding meadowlarks in that field next month.