Antidote

Doing something different is often the cure for annoyance and gloom. A downtown restaurant with a patio overlooking the main drag decided to start sponsoring bike races one evening a week, and we went a couple of days ago to support this idea. I took along the recalcitrant sock, figuring a balmy evening, a glass of wine, and bike racing would help ease the ripping of said sock:

It worked pretty well. There was a good crowd supporting the riders, and the races featured a cruiser race, with the heaviest town bikes ridden by cyclists in full racing kit. It was pretty hilarious. For the women's race, I was pleased to see a young woman who I regularly encounter on my rides demonstrating how it should be done. Even though I've never actually met her, it felt like someone I knew.

I had such a pleasant evening that the fact that I need to rip out more than I originally anticipated hardly fazed me at all.

Comments

[Ginny Burton]

May I offer some advice, about your UPS problem? The people who work for UPS are under tremendous pressure to make their deliveries as fast as possible, especially the residential deliveries where UPS makes far less profit. It will not help you to get angry and rant. What you must do is set yourself apart from all the other people who are getting deliveries that day.

At my shop, I offer a clean restroom, glasses of cold water on hot days, Jolly Rancher candies, and generous Xmas tips. In your case, your secret weapon is sitting in your cupboard. Put a note on your door that says "Dear UPS, I have a jar of homemade cherry jam that I want to give you! Please knock as loudly as possible and give me a minute to get downstairs. I promise that it will be worth it!" You won't have to give a jar of jam every time, but the occasional treat will do wonders for your deliveries. A glass of iced water or lemonade on a hot day will not only get you better service, it will have you remembered in the prayers of your delivery people.

And finally--you probably know this already--you can sign a release allowing your packages to be left without a signature.

[Carrie K]

Sounds like an excellent evening out and the perfect atmosphere to frog in.

[Rhonda the StitchingNut]

The wine might have something to do with it. Lovely evenin'!