random thoughts – Day 2,054 (Friday) – time, pump, dip

It is amazing to me how fast time is passing by in joblessness. Why can’t it pass as slowly as the working days did? Seriously. Why? It’s already Friday but it feels like it should just be this past Tuesday. Workweeks never, ever passed this quickly and I feel cheated.

This week marks the 18th week since being laid off. The job of applying for jobs has been underway with at least three applications submitted each week and most seem to go into a void. Then the exact same job description (literally word for word) appears a week later with a different placement agency name. How many of the posted jobs even exist? Some systems at least have the decency to provide an autoresponder message acknowledging receipt of the application, which is helpful. Some even provide a politely worded rejection letter, with often the same language no matter where it came from (probably a cookie cutter AI letter). At least it provides closure.

The tire inflator acquisition has been completed. After being presented with the overwhelming number of options on the big A to Z site, I wised up and decided to look in local retailers. The NAPA auto parts store nearby isn’t opened yet, but Aubuchon Hardware in the same shopping plaza had a few models priced from around $60 to about $120. 

Tire pump, finally bought.

Walmart had more options including lower price points and a $32 model with a digital readout was bought. It's two minutes faster from 0 psi to 35 psi than the $27 non-digital gauge version. I doubt I’d be filling from totally flat. Usually, the problem tire is at 28 and the others are at 32 or 33 after the temperature drops. The pump can also work on balls and inflatables, so maybe I’ll finally fill the yoga fitness ball (and then worry about where to keep the thing). The best part will be not worrying about having quarters handy for the gas station air pumps which aren’t always easy to find.

Delicious!!

The most gratifying purchase at Walmart wasn’t even the tire pump. It was in the produce department and was an afterthought along the lines of “I wonder if they have [insert current grocery Holy Grail item name here]”. The delectable cranberry jalapeno dip discovered at Costco two years ago in Vegas during the niece's wedding week is seasonal, and oddly, Costco around here hasn’t ever had it. Market Basket sometimes has a cherry jalapeno dip, and today, Walmart had the cranberry jalapeno dip. Once found, I had to backtrack through the massive store to get to the cracker row for something to eat it with. 

Half a sleeve of the store brand version of Ritz crackers was the conveyance vehicle for the dip and it was deemed supper. And a fine supper it was. Now I’m imagining it as a spread on a chicken sandwich on fresh multigrain bread (I have neither of these ingredients). If I thought it would freeze well, I’d buy the entire inventory. I guess I have something fun to research in the next couple days.