More Cycling Weirdness

Okay, other things seen on the trail today that I just don't get:

1. Cyclists in open-toe shoes, obviously commuting to work (WTF?!?!)

2. Bikes with road tires, what I think was a road frame, and mountain bike style straight handlebars (saw a 1/2 dozen of those this morning).  I mean, why bother with the road bike if you're going to put straight handlebars on?

Anyway. :-)

Running & the day plan

Did more "speedplay" this morning, bumping the pace up for 30 seconds every 2 minutes or so, recovering back down in the interim between bursts.  Run went really well, pace is gradually improving and my times for my standard 5k run are coming down (yay!).

Meetings this morning with the budget folks to go over the "doomsday" scenarios under the probably continuing budget resolutions the feds will be under this fall.  My personal feel on this next fiscal year's budget (Oct 04 to Sep 05) is that:

• Congress will pass a CR to last through mid or late November, after the election.


• Depending on who gets the White House (I don't think either house will trade hands in Congress), they'll either a) pass the budget in the first quarter (to stick it to Kerry); b) punt it to the next Congress in January if Bush wins.

Neither are fun, and I'll spare you my "if Congress would only do their real job and pass the budget prior to the beginning of the next budget year" rant.  We're going over some odd, odd things to do with two of our programs in particular, digging out especially obscure parts of appropriations law to do some things that are making the budget people queasy.  Fun.

Cellular woes

One of my commissioners must have given someone in the neighborhood my cell number (which I DO NOT hand out to just anyone in the 'hood) and it's gotten out because I've been getting calls left and right today.  I have, of course, ignored each and every one where I did not know the person's number (I love caller ID).  And no one has bothered leaving a message.

Combine that with some nimrod who keeps calling me, "Did someone at this number call me?"  "Um, no, I didn't call you, and this is my number - 202-251-xxxx."  "Oh, someone called me from 251-xxx-xyyy."  "Well, this isn't area code 251, this is area code 202."  "You sure you didn't call me?"  "Goodbye!"

I just sent them a pissed off email telling them not to hand out that number, to use my home number instead.  Grrr.  Last thing I need is the damned cell rining off the hook while at work.  Thankfully because of a sore throat (the other reason I wasn't picking up the phone to talk - sore throat = not wanting to talk + pissed off at being ill) and doctor's appointment, I wasn't in the office hearing the buzz-buzz-buzz of the vibrate mode going off.

Grrrr.

Customer Service

So, called Ikea back because it's been 4 days since I called and they had said they'd get back to me in 48 hours. :-/  Long story short, they're hunting down the part I need and will ship it out.

Now, why not save yourself the aggravation by calling the customer and telling him that instead of making him make an irate phone call 2 days after you're supposed to have called him?  Hmmm?

Twits.