Of Moose And Men
The Best Laid Plans Of Both Often Go Astray

Made arrangements to take next Friday off from work (the 2nd) and go get fitted for and hopefully take home a Specialized Transition Elite triathlon bike. That’s the next piece of major equipment for the race in June. I think the only other big things I need after that are an indoor trainer and a wetsuit, then I’m good to go.

Also started the process to remove the last bits of my credit card debt. I’m taking a small loan out against my federal retirement account, which will then get paid back through payroll deductions over the next three years. It accomplishes a couple of major things: 1) Reduces the balances on all my credit cards, and my debt consolidation loan through the credit union, to zero; 2) Lowers the interest rates, even on the debt loan, by over half, and in one case to about a quarter of what it is now; and 3) Gives me a time certain when these things will be paid off. I was leery of borrowing against my retirement savings, but you know, getting rid of this debt faster and cheaper is worth it.

Da Boss also came in to talk about bonuses, so it seems those are happening this year. I was given a new choice this fall; in addition to the time-off-versus-cash options I got last year (cash, cash, cash!), I was offered a Quality Step Increase (QSI). The QSI would have been a better deal in the long run, as it was worth more than the cash over the long haul, but for the fact that Da Boss also mentioned that there will be talks this time next year with Da Really Big Boss (aka the political appointee head of my office, who happens to like me a lot) about a grade increase. If the grade increase happens, which it is likely to do, the QSI becomes not as valuable over the long run. So I chose the cash. When it’ll come in is anybody’s guess, but that’s money that can be used for moving, whenever that happens.

A tad sleepy today. The building is spraying for the bed bugs again today, so was out on the futon last night. The usual Sunday night jitters were running through my head, including thoughts about the loan I just discussed. I’m also caffeine-less today as I’m going through with the plans to kick the habit again. Done it before, can do it now. I’m sure that isn’t helping the sleepies, but damn it, I’m tired of being chemically dependent to stay awake during the day, or to get up in the morning.

All in all a busy day thus far. Weight workout planned after work, then home to figure out foodstuffs with Richard.

Richard and I may be considering moving sooner rather than later. In the shower this morning I discovered a what appears to be another bed bug bite on my ankle.

Needless to say, I am not pleased.

The acid test is, of course, if I have more bites tomorrow morning, which always makes for a wonderful night’s sleep (not), waiting to see if I get bitten. In the mean time, I’m making phone calls about housing down in SW today.

In other news™, I had a wonderful swim this morning, 41 minutes, a couple 300s & 200s thrown in there, at a nice, aerobic pace. I’m getting better and judging how fast I need to be going to keep myself from overdoing it, which is good. Plus there’s the added bonus of smelling like chlorine all day. Was a good workout. Hopefully the treadmill run will go as well this evening.

Even though the folks at work seem to universally have a pretty good opinion of me and my work product, I always dread performance reviews. It’s an irrational fear, but it’s there. Did the latest one today, and it was fine, as usual.

We’re experiencing the calm before the storm here in DC, literally. There’s a cold front moving through that’ll drop our temps a good 20 degrees or so this afternoon, but in the meantime it’s hot & humid here inside the Big Government Agency and that’s got a lot of people on edge. Me, I’m staying holed up in my office for as long as I can and avoiding eye contact with stressed out gubmint workers (which is pretty much everyone here).

I think I’ve decided Wednesdays will be my rest days on the tri training plan. I need at least one (other) work day evening with nothing after work, so Wednesdays it is. I’ve been trying out the schedule I want to follow and so far it’s pretty good, aside from needing more sleep time. I expect that to get a tad better as I shake things out and get into more of a routine here soon, but in the meantime I’m coasting through. Made all the more fun because I’m reducing my caffeine use with an eye to kicking it again. I’ve said I wanted to do that, and I think it’s time now. Have gotten myself down to a small decaf in the mornings and that’s it, so I think this is doable. And this is the time of year I did it last time – the normal disruptions of the holiday period were, strangely enough, conducive to dumping the stuff from my diet, so I’m trying what’s worked before. Keep your fingers crossed.

Bought Madonna’s latest but haven’t had much time to listen to it yet. So far so good, much better than the last one (may Mirwais rot in hell for that drivel – one album of it was okay, two was death).

In an odd place, as is probably normal, with Richard. We’re slowly making the transition down to roomies & friends, and I think it’ll be fine, but in the meantime it’s still a touch raw and awkward. I’m helping him with some work stuff, and we’re still chatting (still no thrown dishes or ugly words), so it’s just day by day there.

Looked at some places to rent online. I’m definitely leaning toward one particular building, with an efficiency, 600 square feet with a balcony. Still looking in SW, that’s still the best looking locale for now.

I need to find an excuse to wear these brown slacks more often – they show off my ass nicely.

This was the morning to watch people do stupid things on mass transit, like refuse to move either out of the way or to the back of the bus to let more people get on, or to stand right in the way at the entrance to the Metrorail car. Rule #2 in full force.

Not enough sleep the last two nights, so no swim this morning. Grrr. Despite that, it was good to go grab food with the Imp last night and catch up on how his Body Electric experience went this past weekend.

No new bed bug bites, so we seem to have killed them off for good. Knock wood and all that.

There are times when I’m doing my job where I feel slightly overwhelmed at the magnitude of the stuff I work on at the Big Government Agency (stuff that I do not and will not mention here, as most readers know).

The new futon mattress sort of folds over the frame, but not quite as well as the original (mainly because it’s a better mattress). I did get it on there, and it was comfortable to curl up on, but it still looks a tad out of place yet. Not sure if I want it to settle or not, but at least it’s comfortable, which is ultimately more important than how it looks (stop looking at me that way, and no, you can’t have my queer card for saying it, either).

It’s been almost three weeks since Orkin was last here, and no bites so far. Very, very good news. I was getting tired of constantly being on the watch for new bumps on my skin (aside from the ever-present and should-be-oh-so-illegal-after-you-turn-30 acne). Keep your fingers crossed that the good luck continues to hold.

Work’s been busy, life’s been busy. I’m starting to get into a regular training grove again, in time to get myself up to the baseline for the program I want to do come December. Plans for next year are, so far, the 1/2-ironman race in June, and a fall marathon. Not having done a full marathon yet, I figure it’d be a good idea to do one by itself before doing one at the end of a triathlon. And it’s a good goal for the fall, give me some good running time in to improve those skills.

I’m temporarily back on sudafed at the moment. The building switched over to heat on Friday and I think it’s awakened all of the nice nasty things that live on the radiators and that normally hibernate in the summer with the ac on. So I’m a little bit sniffly, and a little bit sudafed-y. Led to some whacked out dreams last night, and a dragging Moose today. Crashing a tad earlier than the norm (and about when I should be crashing) to get a full 8 hours if I can. Plan is to bike on the stationary trainer tomorrow, and a run Wednesday. Swimming should start up again next week as I ease back into things (and after the nose/sinuses should be back to normal). Had a good 5 mile run Saturday and an hour and a half on the bike Sunday, so I’m pleased with where I’m getting to now. I’ve been doing well while not on the sudafed, my heart rates are staying back down in more normal ranges, so it’ll be interesting to see how that goes while back on it for the next day or so.

I did not sleep at all last night. I think I finally crashed around 5 this morning.

About mid-afternoon yesterday, while sitting in a meeting, my arm began to itch. “Oh, fuck,” was my first thought, “not again,” being the second. Checked when I got back to my office, and it did appear to be a bug bite of some sort (they take a while to develop when it’s only one, versus being covered in them). So of course I’m thinking it’s the bed bugs again. Frak. Me.

So what happened was that every time I tried to lie down to sleep last night, I would freak out at any little movement, with the result that sleep was nigh impossible, until exhaustion forced it upon me. No new bites this morning, that I can tell, but the little shits next door were playing the most cliche of early 90s dance music this afternoon, loudly, which does nothing to help endear them to me any more than they already are.

Needless to say, I’ve stayed home today. I need to go make myself a little coffee here shortly, but I’m suffering from a decided lack of energy. Go fig. Nap time soon, but coffee first.