"'Posthaste,''' he said, "means--" / "--means you'll do nothing to help us," Violet finished for him

[hermionesviolin]

Sluggish morning.

I did 30+min in the weight room this morning, including upping the weight on some of the machines.  I was actually kind of enjoying myself, which is unusual for me with weight room stuff.

***

"Today is Al's 10th anniversary at HBS -- not to mention Amy's first day.  Seems like a good occasion for another small gathering.  2pm outside Brian's office.  I'll bring a cake. Ben."

He picked the same cake Nicole's parents got her (apparently it's Al's favorite -- "Chocolate Decadence").

Ben asked me if I'd paid Finale to deliver the cake yesterday and I said yes.  (I hadn't actually realized until I checked my bank balance last night -- to confirm the price for reimbursement purposes -- that they charge extra for that, though of course I shouldn't be surprised.)  He asked if I had a Finale rewards card and I said no.  He said for every $50 you spend you get $5.  And of course I was welcome to use his card and give him the points :)

From the website:

Registered cardholders will receive a birthday dessert ($10.95) on their Sweet Rewards card. Each cardholder will receive a birthday greeting by email inviting them to visit Finale within the next 30 days to receive his/her birthday dessert. The birthday dessert will expire (no longer be on the card) 30 days from the date of the birthday email, not 30 days from the cardholder birthday. If you register after your birthday, you will receive your birthday dessert in the following year.

Sweet!

I had him refer me (so he got 25 points).  This reminds me, of course, that I need to find the Gap card I got weeks ago and call and register that.  Anyway, anyone wanna come to Finale with me for dessert some time in the vicinity of my birthday?

***

Things I did well today:
+ I updated my website/del.icio.us (not a lot of recs, but hey).
+ I think I'm done with my flickr photos from California.  (201 photos in the abbreviated-for-slideshow set.  308 total photos.)
+ I emailed two people re: craigslist room postings (via HousingMaps.com).

Good things today include:
+ Burrito station: I asked for a "black bean burrito, no meat," and the guy [not the usual burrito guy from downstairs but the junior pasta guy] dutifully put black beans on a soft tortilla and asked, "Is that all?"  So I got exactly what I wanted on my burrito (black beans + guacamole, sour cream, and mild salsa -- though I think next time I'll just ask for tomatoes, 'cause I'm really not into onions).
+ emails from Michaela and Lorraine

***

Has anyone read Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events?  I wasn't thrilled by the first one, but I have the first four out from the library.  Should I keep going?

Also: I read the graphic novel version of The Truth About Stacey, and it's weird looking back as a 25-year-old and thinking, "These are twelve-year-olds who are in charge of children."

Comments

[polymexina.livejournal.com]

how is it weird? i started babysitting when i was about 9.

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

12 just seems so young from where I am now (even though I certainly didn't think so when I was a youngster baby-sitting). Especially the idea of being in a position of authority over these kids who aren't really that much younger than you -- I think this sticks out to me particularly because I feel like even now I am so crap at actually having authority (probably especially over children).

[sangerin.livejournal.com]

I think I was reading the books at about twelve. My mother had to explain to me that it was perfectly normal when she was growing up, and that it was probably normal in many places even when the books were being written and I was reading them. But it sure wasn't normal in Australia. I certainly didn't do any babysitting until I was sixteen. (But then, people generally didn't need afternoon sitters. They needed evening/night sitters, and there's no way I'd let a twelve year old do that.

Snicket

[onwingsofeagles.livejournal.com]

Sean loves that series -- you could email Marian for feedback.

Re: Snicket

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

My immediate reaction is shock that Marian _let_ Sean read those books ;)

[fox1013.livejournal.com]

re: BSC- YES.

Man, I really believed, for a while, that turning 13 I would become MAGICALLY SMART AND MATURE.

...I am still waiting.

[hedy.livejournal.com]

Same here. OTOH, I was babysitting at 12.

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

I was totally surprised to see Sangerin's comment that she read the books when she was 12 'cause I feel like they're the kind of books one reads when one is significantly younger than the protagonists. I know I was reading them when I lived on West St., and we moved from that house just before I turned 11, but I remember having the first book with my friend Rose who moved away I think at least a year before I did. So I was age 10 or younger?

But yeah, the BSC kids seemed SO grown-up when I first read them . . . but from the perspective of actually being in their ostensible peer group . . . the view is a bit different.

[hedy.livejournal.com]

I'd go to Finale. I love my Finale card.

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you have a Finale card. At yesterday's party, people were talking about all the good deals he gets and someone mentioned about he sometimes he even gets to eat for free and he was like yeah, "Mystery shoppper" (or whatever it's called when you do that at restaurants) and my first thought was of you.