Let The Avoiding Begin

I've been on staycation all week and you would think I would get something done. Something productive, like cleaning a closet or planting those seeds that have been sitting on my kitchen counter for months. But, no. I've managed to fill my time with - I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WITH WHAT! Seriously, how can a whole day get away from me?

I can tell you I'm quite relaxed. And enjoying it.

I read in the mornings. Work out. Shower. Suddenly, it's afternoon and I have to scramble to get to some summer activity or outdoor event. I have time to go on errands I would otherwise avoid. I get to bed at a reasonable time but feel no need to set an alarm. Instead, lazing in an extra hour. Leisurely savoring my coffee in my jammies the next morning. Why would I ever go back to work?

Why indeed.

Palms Up

Place Both Hands Palms Up, And Toward Back

Does this meant it won't dispense towels if your Hands are Palms Down? My sister-in-law used her foot and it worked just fine so I don't understand. 

Plus, the magic eye - the gizmo you're trying to trigger with your upward facing palms - isn't in the back. You can't see it in this picture but it's actually front and center so regardless of which way your hands are facing, it won't dispense anything if you're on either side of said gizmo and Toward the Back.

And What's With The Capital Letters? Did They Run Out Of Little Ones?

My suggestion is make sure you know how to operate all the bathroom equipment before using it. Otherwise, you may find yourself with a handful of soap and no way to rinse them. Or, dripping hands with no way to dry them. I would say that the stall doors have changed relatively little over the years and are still easy and simple to operate but I know that's not strictly true.

And toilets? Don't Get Me Started

Now we can get back to what's really important ...

Eating.

There have been some changes at Lapellah and not all of them have been good. Fortunately, for those of us who stuck it out, Lapellah has returned to their roots (as it were) and refocused on their mission of fresh, farm-to-table menus. Now under the direction of Jeremy Penrod, the kitchen is turning out exactly what people have become accustomed to from Lapellah: fresh, locally sourced, inventive preparations. Their prices are reasonable and the entire staff is professional and friendly.

I can't speak to the entire menu because I generally go for brunch on the weekends or Sunday Supper on Monday-eve. Just one look at the description for Sunday Supper lets you know that Shaun is in the kitchen:

1st course cucumber and tomato salad, nduja vinaigrette, avocado hummus / preserved lemon / fried chickpeas ~ 2nd course spaghetti and meatballs, roasted tomato sauce, crispy coppa, hazelnuts, pecorino

I don't even know what all of those words mean but I do know that if Shaun is behind them, they'll be combined into an extraordinary event for the palate. That was last Sunday's Supper and it was magnificent. I don't know what it'll be this weekend but you can bet I'll be having some. Wine is also half off on Sundays so you can't lose! 

We're glad things are back to the way things were and the staff seems to be happy about it, too. It's okay to change things up once in a while, Lapellah, but you have a good thing going there and your regulars appreciate it just the way it is.

If you live in Vancouver (USA), be sure to visit Lapellah. If you're from out of town, please stop by. Lapellah does not have a view. It's not in the new downtown waterfront project. But, the parking is free and the food is seriously good - maybe the best in town. It's not far - only one mile east of downtown Vancouver so you really don't have any reason not to go.

So, just go already.

The Productivity Tools You Never Knew You Always Had

Pen* and paper.

They're inexpensive and easy to obtain. Batteries are not required and disposal is mostly environmentally friendly. There are no storage limitations (other than the availability of shelf space or an empty drawer) and while there are no passwords required they remain free from security risk so long as you're in physical control of the notebook.

My first boss taught me the value of using a notebook and I still keep one on my desk at all times. When I remodeled our first house, I kept track of things in a spiral notebook - everything from contractor bids to receipts which was extraordinarily useful after the hot water heater burst, requiring us to do the work all over again.

When I was a stay-at-home parent, I carried a notebook with everything in it from the kids' soccer schedules to health insurance numbers for the entire family. When they got bus cards, I kept track of their login information to reload bus fare. It was an invaluable, mobile, and easy-to-use tool that helped me keep track of a very busy family.

Sometime during the 90's, I went electronic and started carrying what was called a PDA (personal digital assistant). Mine was the Cassiopeia made by Casio. It came with a writing stylus and could do some pretty cool things. Beyond keeping appointments, it could translate my notes from script to text which was a neat trick. The kids could draw pictures which served to amuse. I used the spreadsheet function to keep track of golf scores and handicaps for the entire family which kept us all competitive.

Then, came smartphones. Now, you can pretty much keep track of everything on your phone. You would think pen and paper would be obsolete but I say no!

Have you ever picked up your phone and then forgotten why you picked it up? Most likely, you got distracted with a notification or message. Pen and paper have no such distractions. Plus, pen and paper don't seem as invasive in social situations. For example, let's say someone mentions something you want to remember for later and you take out your phone. Rude! However, if you take out pen and paper, you appear interested, smart, perhaps taller and even better looking. Plus, it takes less time in, my opinion, to jot down a reminder to circle back to later.

I admit that I don't carry a notebook anymore but I'm a huge fan and keep one at my desk. When I need to make a quick list of tasks that I want to tackle, I can jot them down. It relieves by brain space from having to keep it all in my head which reduces stress for me. Sometimes, I'll attack the list by doing the most important thing first. Other times, I'll do whatever seems easiest just so I can cross it off my list. Still other times, I just set the list aside. If it sits there long enough, I find most of the stuff wasn't all that important in the first place.

A notebook is also a great place to make notes of important conversations and recalling information is easy. Even minor details can be recorded facilitating a timeline, if needed. (I remember I called my credit card company about that issue on the 21st and spoke with ....) Or a follow up. (I'm calling about the the refund that you said should arrive in two weeks.) Or where you left off. (I left off with "Smith" in the client review last week when I got interrupted with another project.)

Need to be more productive? Write it down. On paper.

Okay, put a reminder in your smartphone first.



* Pencil, if you prefer.

Did I mention?

I meant to let you know there would be no leap second at the end of June but I forgot. You probably didn't miss it.

While I'm at it, there won't be a leap second on December 31st either so you'll not get an extra kiss on New Year's Eve.

In the meantime the difference between Coordinated Universal Time UTC and the International Atomic Time TAI is:

 from 2017 January 1, 0h UTC, until further notice : UTC-TAI = -37 s

You can get more information from the Earth Orientation Center.

File these under Totally Unnecessary

Dunkin Donuts Lip Balm - As tempted as you might be, please do not get this for my birthday. Or, for any other reason.

Slurpee Home Delivery - 7-Eleven will now deliver your Slurpee directly to your couch. With their 7Now: Food & Alcohol Delivery app (on Apple or Android), 7-Eleven can also deliver your Slurpee, as well as a six-pack of Bud Light and a Snickers bar, directly to a park bench near you. While I have no need for a Slurpee - ever - there were times when I wanted a pizza delivered to my boat. While that's not available yet, Domino's is close. Their service, like 7-Eleven's, involves delivery to "hot spots" which, in my neighborhood, includes the local high school.

Coffee that tastes like S'Mores - a "limited edition" coffee with "marshmallow & and graham notes." I've always stood up for you, Starbucks - mostly because I'm hopelessly addicted to your overly-roasted goodness - but this I cannot defend. Can we make this coffee a little more limited? Like, extinct?

What's necessary is unadulterated, black coffee. What's necessary is a collection of at least 25 moisturizers, each with a specific purpose (e.g., one for the delicate tissue around your eyes, one for sagging kneecaps, etc.). What's totally necessary is multiple pairs of black shoes.

The rest I can do without.