On the house front, I had to wake up early and finish my morning ablutions today because I’m expecting a plumber to arrive between 8 and 9 AM to make my shower suit my tastes more. And yes, I’m aware that I know at least one plumber and plenty of people who’d be willing to help, but Wednesday I just snapped over the shower and decided I wasn’t going to wait to get it fixed. I’m really tired of spending five minutes bent over (the shower head is mounted on the wall below the level of my shoulders) only to discover I still haven’t gotten all the shampoo out of my hair (the water flow from the shower is best described as “a gentle rain”). So it’s getting fixed today. There will be plenty of other projects for folks to help with.
The downside of this plan is that last night happened to be the night chosen for going out to tip back a few beers. Well, more than a few. I stumbled home a few minutes before midnight, and waking up about 6am wasn’t especially fun. It’s also kind of odd drinking with three married geeks. Between the four of us, we exuded an awfully powerful female-repellent field. But it was still a fun time, and there was a decent (or perhaps indecent) amount of ogling going on.
One of the interesting things about having bought a house is the number of people that I haven’t heard from in years who have come out of the woodwork to congratulate me on my purchase. I didn’t realize buying a house was such a cause for celebration, but there you have it. In any case, yes, I am planning a housewarming party, and I’d like to throw it in January, but I’m going to be a busy camper if I’m going to be ready by the 31st. Details to follow once the date gets closer. And no, I’m not looking for a housemate just yet. I still have to finish the work on the bedrooms before I have someone else move in here.
- Canada’s beef with U.S. hits travelers, which matches the US restrictions imposed last May. Don’t try to bring any beef across the border, not even in dog food. [press-patch]
- Beefing about what’s in the news is Molly Ivins (funny) take on the meat-inspection process in this country. [some guy]
- Meanwhile, Scientists Discover That Enzyme Degrades Mad Cow Disease Prion, so maybe before too much longer, we won’t have to worry about BSE anyhow. [fark!]
- Real World Economics: Mad cows and irrational humans describes how people are funny about assessing risk and live in denial of everyday risks we take, yet freak out about uncommon risks. For example, many people who have cut back on beef consumption because of the mad-cow scare are eating more chicken, which is far more likely to give you food poisoning than beef. Me, I like to think about the economics of things. That’s why I’ve quit buying ground beef for a while. It’s hard to tell what’s gone into it, and besides, it’s often cheaper to buy a roast and grind it yourself. Second, I try to buy beef that’s been raised with at least some amount of pasture-grazing, rather than being grown on a feedlot. Beef raised that way just tastes better. Finally, I’d rather buy my dead-critters from a small shop where I can get things custom-cut, or a neighborhood store where I can ask about what I’m getting. I like to encourage small places that stock quality goods, and I do so with my checkbook. [press-patch]