The Back Scratcher

For years, I have been using the eraser end of a pencil as my back scratcher.  At work, I use my plastic ruler.  Sometimes, I can twist my arms around and find the spot that needs scratching, but not usually.  I was at the store a couple of weeks ago, and saw a back scratcher.  I did not look at the price when I put it in my cart, but it turns out it was only a dollar. 

I live along.  Do you know how good it feels to have that certain spot, that certain itch scratched?  The pencil is too short sometimes.  I try to use a wall corner, but that just does not cut it. 

I have to wonder how it is that I survived without a back scratcher?

Political Advertisements

I was playing Words with Friends tonight. Often, when I do, I am subjected to seeing various advertisements.  Tonight, many of the advertisements were very vitriolic attacks on Beto O'Rourke  by Senator Ted Cruz.  This made me almost want to stop playing Words with Friends, but really, I usually do not pay attention to the advertisements, anyway.  However, the caustic vitriol of these advertisements indicated to me that Sen. Cruz is very desperate in his attempt to be re-elected.  He must be very concerned by the challenge being made by Beto O'Rourke. 

I hate it when politicians sink to such low, demeaning vitriol against their opponents.  There are so many issues that need to be explored in campaigns, that personal attacks are unnecessary and a symptom of the negative character of the person who is approving those advertisements. 

Standard Time vs. Daylight Saving Time

Once again, this weekend, as we do twice a year, we had a time change. We went from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time.  This is an artificial device to "give" us more daylight at various times of the year.  This is senseless in this day and age. We are a 24 hour society, and daylight does not so much dictate our activities as artificial time frames do.  Why do we bother?  

Texas Tech Museum

I went to the Texas Tech Museum today because there were 4 exhibits that I wanted to see: Ladies in Red; The Red that Colored the World; Red Hot and Quilted; and the Pre-Modern Bibles.  

I was surprised at how interested I was in Ladies in Red,  I did not think looking at women's clothing would be the interesting to me.  I am not a clothes horse or fashionista. I was fascinated by The Red That Colored the World.   Just seeing these two exhibits took me over 2 hours.  I am spoiled because the Tech Museum is just a few miles from where I live and free, so I do not feel I have to wear myself out seeing every exhibit that is there.  I will go back.  

If anyone is interested in more information about the Pre-Modern Bibles  exhibit, there is an item on KTTZ the NPR radio station associated with Texas Tech.  Also,  Faith Matters  is doing a 3 part series on the exhibit. 

Weekend Routines

One of my weekend routines is to fill the Vue with gasoline immediately before or after I purchase groceries.  I had planned to do that Friday, but the lines were crazy busy when I got to the store, and it was no less crazy when I left. 

I did not run errands yesterday, and today when I was out and about, that was the last thing from my mind.  I usually only use 6-8 gallons of gas a week, and the tank is 22 gallons.  So there is no urgency to the matter, but I might want to fill 'er up this week. 

Saturday, A Lazy Day

I was able to sleep in Saturday morning.  I went for a walk, and read for a while before I started binge watching Blue Bloods.  In the course of watching TV, I did housework during commercials.  And got the chores done that I wanted to do.

Then I watched the Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma football.  It was a loud and crazy game to start with.  It ended poorly for Texas Tech.  So sad.

Reading

I am an avid reader.  I like murder mysteries, and I like the series books, although I will read a stand alone if it is good.  I am trying to read more non-fiction, also.

This fall, there has been a lot of sports on TV that has interfered with my reading:  Yankee and Red Sox baseball.  The Red Sox in the World Series.  Patrick Mahomes quarterbacking the Kansas City Chiefs.  The New England Patriots.  Texas Tech football.  The Boston Celtics.  

I have season tickets for the Lady Raider basketball games, and some of the out of town games will be televised. It also looks like most of the men's basketball games will be televised.  I try to listen on the radio, if the games are not televised, for both the men and the women. I cannot read during basketball. 

I used to knit when I watched sporting events, but Taki cannot be deterred from trying to play with the yarn, and it is too difficult to try to knit.  I hate to lock her out of the room, or put her in time out, so I do not knit much any more. 

Instead, sometimes I play Words with Friends, or other word games on the computer when I watch TV. But I am re-learning how to watch TV without also doing something else.

Sometimes, during a sporting event that is kind of boring, I will read during the commercials, and continue reading until I get to a good place to stop reading. 

I love to read. I love books.