Queen Mediocretia of Suburbia

Putting the TMI in absentminded

Month: May 2022

  • UPDATED; Syntax Word Problem

    I have a question. Gary was expressing something about the doctor’s waiting room. He said that when he’s been there, “Everyones not masked.” So if he goes in to the waiting room and he is the tenth person there, how many people (other than Gary) are wearing a mask? Update ========= I interpreted his statement…

  • Class of ’22

    Raccoon babies have arrived two days earlier than last year.

  • Weekly Paint REGRESSION: 5/15

    Regress this time, becuase this week the Blue Heeler went from this: … to this. I am starting again. I’ll set the poor attempt aside, and try again to make a smaller, more thinly glazed dog, like the first one, as they need to be a pair. Trying again so they seem to be painted…

  • Trash Mystery

    About thirty-seven years ago I mentioned to Gary that putting the trash at the curb is the man’s job. He disagreed. I thought he might embrace the trash after retirement, but that was … what? Almost a decade ago? After patiently waiting a decade, I find that last month Gary became TrashMan. He routinely goes…

  • Decision Idiocy

    Gary and I have been squabbling like mad. Some decisions need to be made in the house, and his decision-making process is this: Stage 1: Ellen, what do you think of X? (I fall into the trap.) Stage 2: No, Ellen, you are wrong and stupid, and here is why. Stage 3: Repeat Stage 2…

  • Another Sad Thing in a Sad Week

    This isn’t too terribly sad, it’s just annoying. I was rubbing the backs of my ears, trying to analyze why my mask felt so snug, and I realized I AM TOO FAT FOR MY MASK, damnittohell. The water weight from the Mediterranean diet is puffing up my face and now my KN95 tugs on my…

  • Opera

    I was complaining to Gary that recent Covid developments are going to make it so I can’t go to the opera. “At least not this year,” I sighed. “Maybe ever.” “Don’t be stupid,” he said, sympathetically, “Just sit in a booth by yourself.” “A booth?” “Yes. One of those booths they have. And don’t share…

  • A Brief Hitch

    Well, my plan to get some protection against the virus hit a snag. The plan was: Qualify for a protective dose of Evusheld. I still wouldn’t be leaving the house, because of Gary and other vulnerable people, but at least if I caught the Covid on the wind it would be less dire. For that,…

  • Rewriting the Novel: The View In-process

    Oil paintings look the best to me when I have things roughed in. The real danger zone comes between when the paint is roughed in, with all its potential, and the final finishing highlights are put in. That’s when things go south. And the only place it can go is south, because I haven’t screwed…

  • Weekly Paint Progress: 5/12

    This week the Blue Heeler went from this: … to this. Yeah, that’s just weird. I think I reacted to the black and white with a touch too much color. And the legs are technically accurate but strange at the same time. That whole thing needs to be knocked back. I need to prop the…