First, sorry this post is so late, but I didn’t want it to pass me by completely, so here it is.

It’s no excuse, but I’m exhausted. I’d say I don’t know why, but I think it has to do with a ton of feathers. Have you heard that question? What weighs more, a ton of feathers or a ton of bricks? We may instinctively want to answer “bricks,” but truth is, a ton is a ton. A ton of any material will crush you. And that’s how I feel. Now, I know I don’t have it that bad; plenty of people have it worse, but I am worn down just the same, and that’s why there was no blog this morning.

Fortunately (and I say that with a hint of irony), a few of my stories are mildly amusing when conveyed appropriately.

You think your work is crazy? Trying throwing in an ACTUAL crazy person. I wish I were kidding. I won’t go into detail, for reasons of discretion, and also because I know everyone has a least a bit of imagination (or their own stories).
And here I thought I left the crazy people behind when I went from customer service to an office job…

Oh, and did I mention that my stove tried to catch fire? Oh yes. I was happily thinking of the chicken strips I had just placed in the oven for dinner and sat back down when I heard a very strange BzzzSHZZZZSHzzzshZZ sound coming from my kitchen. When I investigated, I saw the element in the bottom had disjointed in the back corner, and energy was actually arcing between the two ends, with flame coming up off it as well. Naturally, I started freaking out, but fortunately I also turned off the stove right away, and I was lucky enough that that was enough to simmer the situation down. The element ends still glowed white-hot for awhile, but they slowly cooled and no damage was actually done.

And my suite hasn’t just had fun with fire. It’s also had oodles of with water! My door doesn’t seal at the bottom, and as I’m in a basement suite, water likes to waterfall down my steps when it rains too hard and turn my doormat into a swamp. Water also comes from the ceiling occasionally (usually due to plumbing escapades upstairs), and don’t get me started on the time my toilet broke and wouldn’t stop draining (and filling, so it could keep draining). It sounded like I lived under a waterfall for a couple weeks.

Inside my suite.

At least my landlord got rid of the people who were responsible for the cigarette (and other) smoke pouring into my suite through the vents of my non-smoking suite. :D

My computer has also turned into a moody little piece of machinery, a headache that exactly no one needs.

So yes, those are a few of my ton of feathers.

Okay, but I just can’t resist adding to my first note about craziness. Despite my inclination towards discretion, I will say that at one point, a bed was thrown off a balcony. I dare anyone to beat that.

Anyways, I know many of these things I will (or already do) laugh at, and I hope it came across as more humorous than complain-y. Life goes on, despite its little mishaps. You just have to plug through and distract yourself in the meantime. I did manage to find time to read Lindsay Buroker’s new book, Balanced on the Blade’s Edge, and it was excellent, as is all her stuff. If you’re interested in steampunk/fantasy adventure/romance, you should totally go for it. I love her Emperor’s Edge stuff too.

So does anyone else have rental-suite woes they’d like to share? Or maybe you have some stories about crazy people too (diagnosed or otherwise). Or just a few “Did that really happen?” moments you’d like to share. I know we’ve all been there.