A pic a day

I am going to try to do 365 days of photos.  I think it's a fantastic way to chronicle your year, and it appeals to my OCD self.  I don't want to start a tumblr or flickr or a Facebook album or anything else for this - I like the look of this blog, and I feel loyal to it, even if I abandon it for two years at a time.

The rules: a picture that I take that day OR a picture that I have/scan from the past which holds some significance.

Since it's Jan 3, here're the last 3 days:

Jan 3 - this was two weeks ago, but I can't forgo the sweater.  Not only did I embellish this sucker, I won an Ugly Sweater prize with it!

Jan 2 - my new bathtub in my new place - can't wait to take a bath after a long cold day!

Jan 1 - got to love the Beebz!

Things that rub me the wrong way...

...My new hiking/work shoes.  They WILL break in, I hope, but man, a giant blister AND no arch support after 3 hours of wearing (and only 45 min of that was walking) does not bode well for me...

...Chlorine rubbing out the fabric of my very expensive swim suit.  I am far too broke to spend $80 on a racing suit every 12 months.  I know this doesn't seem like much in a year, but this is the 2nd suit that's getting all stretchy and puckery and translucent...

...Kerbs on my car tires.  At least once a year I somehow misjudge distances, and today I scraped the CRAP out of my front right rim...

...UHaul employees.  I rent once a month, sometimes once every two weeks for the last 5 years from the same location.  Could you PLEASE make some sort of a notation on our account, so I don't have to give you my address, phone # and listen to your rules EVERY TIME??? Really, there should be a frequent customer program at UHaul...

...My Nook not recognizing the book I am supposed to read for next week's book club...

Why do gyms make me angry?

Right, so going to the gym should be a cleansing, invigorating and ultimately stress-reducing experience, right?  At least for me, that's usually the case.  Plus, I only stick to the pool, where the proportion of crazy is usually less.

So why am I annoyed by people there?

1. Dear guy drenched in CK1 - it's not 1994.  It never will be again.  Plus, you are not 19.  It's simply embarrassing for a man in his 30s to wear that much cologne, no matter the brand.  And you know what happens to cologne from your body when you jump in the pool?  It flavours the water.  No shit.  You should try swallowing the water that splashed when you jumped in.  It was like CK1 soup out there.

2. Dear lady rubbing your body with lotion - I am happy you are so very comfortable with your body.  But next time maybe you should do it with your crotch away from me?  I don't like staring at people's pubes 12 inches from my head.  Every time I see nude women walking about the locker room without actually making to get dressed, I get flashbacks of being in public bathhouses when I was little, and I cringe.  Also, you are too skinny, and not in a good way.

3. Dear gym management - I am glad you've finally installed a swim suit spinner.  Trouble is, it's the size of my trashcan, and weighs just as little.  Would it hurt you to either a) secure the damn thing to the ground or b) put up a sign that says "please hold the spinner down as it is bound to take flight under influence of centrifugal force"?  Also, try to empty out the plastic cup the spinner drains into every once in a while.

I can go on, but I am done bitching for the day.  Gym memberships (especially ones with swimming pools in the middle of an urban area) are fucking expensive, and I expect some level of reciprocity on the part of both other patrons and management.  At least the towels are clean.