I'm no more boring than Kansas

I know it's a time thing, but everyone in Kansas is tattooed. Driving to coffee and lunch, I heard "Turn the Page," and giggled at the sad singer lyrics. Today long hair is not only something you wouldn't mock even out in the sticks, but everyone from rednecks to flamers are sporting body-sized ink. It's like the entire country's skin was parked too long in a railyard. But "the same old cliches - is that a woman or a man" is a touching lyric with no grounding in current reality. I wonder if people still sing along because it is so sad-puppy, or if they go "Huh?"

The hotel clerk, who has calmed down from hitting on me finally, said he wished he sounded as "fluent" as I did. That was post-hitting (told him I had a girlfriend, let him assume despite my swish I'm straight because he's bordering on annoying) so...I dunno, he didn't sound dumb or anything. Fluent? I like to think I speak plain english, dumb english even.

I do see my reflection and think I am someone else until I realize those are my muscles and face.

Perhaps I'll look like a new phase of gentrified humans - those rich enough to afford to have their ink removed.

I can't go to a club in Washington DC, other than a standing talking bar, or the famous restaurant basement. I mean I can hit a huge gay club, or a mainstream electro club, or a big douchebag bar of any flavor, but while there is no big goth/rivet club night in DC - there is enough of a goth scene brimming in Garden City, KS, that there is a goth-steampunk store in town (not checking for hot topic). The club scene might have died in my town but that whole freaky thing is very widespread. Why? Internet, cable?

But I've changed - I judge less and meet a lot more people. I'm also tons more confident, which seems to change how people react to me. A guy in the gym asked if I found it a lot more of a slower pace - I said honestly no, we have the same strip mall stores and people didn't seem all that different. I meant it.

2 posts in a day - I have achieved boredom

(mostly fb crosspost) Today's patriotic work burst came from seeing my retired witness in the hotel lobby today with his wife. I smiled big and introduced myself midwest style, which was good as she quickly noted that it was their 46th anniversary TODAY, and they had fought over spending it here as he agreed to testify. You know I hyped the shit out of what he was doing, noted others did it, noted another was going to do it but had to have emergency surgery...anything to smooth that over (and win her like, which might improve her opinion of the whole caboodle). We also talked about jury duty.

That's how loyal and dedicated our employees are - stuff that in your anti-government worker crack. Just to put the truth on the record against someone trying to sue the taxpayer...he's working for free (travel reimbursed only) during his anniversary. Recall my other witness is only out because of emergency surgery (also retired). THIS is why I work hard. I may not be happy with the higher management, but we have some amazing dedicated employees. My god.

That also makes it hard to look at these USAJobs I'm supposed to look at, even when my previously plugged reminders go off. That and I'm lazy - sure I put in hours, but it's hours doing something I know how to do, growing in small steps rather than taking big risks or leaps (you know, like buying a house and paying to have it renovated).

Of course now I'm waiting for a witness who said he'd be here to be prepped this "afternoon," and I'm pretty sure most folks call afternoon as ended around what...5pm? Isn't 5 evening?

I bought water, and snacks (granola bars and a small veggie tray) for both my folks tomorrow and to have something to leave for the people who let us use their office last and this week (you know, the ones with the bubble machines). Forgot to mention it was fascinating to hear farmers come in and tell them about problems they had in their fields, getting advice from the government on what to do.

I've put on my orange USSR price / tetris mashup t-shirt, fully thinking nobody will get it.

Wish he had showed up earlier, say 2, so we'd be done now. I'd rather be going out for food, then resting all night before getting my no-ice iced starbucks for tomorrow AM at 4-5AM local. I'm 200x ready for this hearing tomorrow, perhaps too ready? This might be the lowest stakes easiest hearing, for which I'm the most prepared, that I've ever done...but I'm tense, nervous. I'm reminding myself not to be mean or sarcastic - I'm going to tear her shit up, but I should do it kindly, as a hand-patting friend as I point out everything she says is wrong, makes no sense, and of course is not evidence of discrimination.

pant pant pant