| A British woman who had a kidney transplant has acquired the donor’s highbrow taste. Cheryl Johnson, 37, a former nightclub bouncer, says she used to read only thrillers and pop-star autobiographies, but since receiving her new kidney has been devouring thee works of Jane Austen and Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
Although Johnson doesn’t know the identity of the deceased, 59-year old donor, she thinks he may have been an Egyptologist. “I used to watch soaps,” she said. “Now I watch documentaries on the Egyptian Pyramids. I can’t get enough of them. It’s weird.” ~The Week Magazine, March 28, 2008~ |
I met the most delightful Myers family at 8:00 at Finch’s for breakfast.
Meredith (who’s close to four-and-a-half now) was just a doll-baby—in that very talkative stage, where everything is presented like it’s just the freshest, most exciting news on the planet—all with the most animated of mannerisms and the adorable facial expressions ever. Daniel (just over two years old) has really grown a lot since we last had breakfast and was just brilliant color-naming and food-foraging abilities—witness the pancake bite from under the table and the Chiclets upon leaving the restaurant.
And Kevin and Marla, well, just great people—bofum. One of those rare couples where both parties are equally as personable as they are intelligent, interesting, and fun.
From there, I stopped by my IBM office before heading over to Durham for a meeting. At the IBM gate, after swiping my badge about four times, and pushing the button to talk to security when the gate wouldn’t open:
“Yes, may we help you?”
I said, “My badge is not opening the gate.”
After a few seconds, “Are you authorized to work on Saturday, sir?”
Okay, I’m just stunned by this question, which not only has never been asked of me before, but doesn’t make any sense to me at all. I’m repeating it to myself, Are you authorized to work on Saturday? I’m a salaried employee. They’re happy for me to work as much, and at any time, the spirit moves me. My “regularly scheduled” work week in “the system” says “M-F 9AM-6PM.” Does that mean I’m only “authorized,” technically, during those hours? Has there been a security incident that’s “changed the rules?”
After a moment, I repeat back, “Am I authorized to work on Saturday? I don’t know what that means.”
“Sir, has your manager authorized you to work on Saturdays?”
I responded, “I don’t know. I don’t think she cares when I work.”
“Well, she hasn’t authorized you to work on Saturdays if your badge isn’t opening the gate.”
Now I’m getting frustrated and impatient. (Alert the media; I’m getting impatient.) “Has this changed recently? I’m a salaried employee, I usually work from home, and I come in here all the time off-hours.”
“What’s your employee serial number, sir?”
After repeating that three times and a moment of silence, “Sir, try your badge again. Perhaps it just didn’t ‘take.'” Gate opens.
I attended my first Manbites Dog Board of Directors meeting, at which I was voted onto the board. I really like this group of people—of whom 7 out of 8 were present for today’s meeting. There was a lot to cover, and everyone was very respectfully heard when they had something to say.
Also, I’m impressed with how everyone is very clear on the “Manbites brand,” and so committed to not only the theater’s success, but to the people who have so much invested—both monetarily and with their hearts—in the theater.
Robert met me down by the Golden Belt area, where we did some very brief investment property shopping. I really like the Calvert Place Townhouses right across from the Golden Belt complex, but, unfortunately, the other properties around that area are pretty run down, and historically, it is quite the high-crime area.
Back home, Robert fired up the grill, and we made Mesquite-marinated Turkey Burgers on the grill, which were all right. We both much prefer the Black Peppercorn marinade, but personally, they grew on me the more I ate of them. Yeah, grew on me—went right to my hips, I’m sure.
Along with it, we had some delicious potato salad, and a nice small garden salad. Thanks for getting the grill out, and then putting it away, baby. I hate doing that. [Hate is such a strong word.]
We worked for a little while on an Indy crossword puzzle, and then proceeded to read the back of our eyelids for a couple of hours.
Dancing was fun enough tonight, and we hung out a little while afterwards, actually all the way until midnight.