Bizee

[susandennis]

This morning started out with tasks in each of my projects which were wrapped up fairly promptly. So I then headed out to deliver bears, buy cat food and get a few groceries.

A few weeks ago, a culinary student was walking home with her boyfriend about 3 blocks from here and was shot in the head and killed. Randomly. It was late at night. Shit happens. Last week in the middle of the afternoon a software engineer was on his way home from picking up his parents at the airport when he was shot and killed. Randomly. On a corner I pass every time I go to the swimming pool. Yesterday, a bunch of people were shot and killed by one guy - one of them was random (downtown) and the rest were at a coffee shop that had fired him. In the middle of the day.

Today, I went to the Baby Corner and knocked on the door as usual. And waited. Then I called and she said she'd meet me at the front door. The intersection is very busy (Madison and Broadway) and as I stood there and waited for her, I honestly did think about what a target I was. Plus I would not be difficult to hit - I'm a broad target. It was truly creepy. I am rarely creeped out so that in itself was truly creepy.

I stood there for another 5 minutes and then went back to the car and called again. She'd forgotten to tell me that the 'front door' where she was meeting me had moved - to a building about a mile away. Doh.

Then it was on to the pet food store. I really want to hate this place. There's no parking. It's expensive. And they are the nicest people on the planet. Last Sunday they gave me 3 cans for free. Today I got 6 different flavors of the one kind Betty and Travis liked and again, they offered me free test cans. I told them I really appreciated it but I thought it was time tat I paid. Then he started ringing me up and put one can aside saying it was dented. I said that I didn't care (it's catfood for cryingoutloud) and he said 'well, thanks! how about I just take 25% off?'

I do not want to be their customer but how can I not???

Then on to the grocery and now home. And nary a bullet mark on me.

Time for lunch.

Comments

[zimzat.livejournal.com]

I've occasionally wondered about random shootings. Ones where there is no motive or selection beyond opportunity. I can imagine those cases give cops the hardest time, to try to pin a murder on someone who just happened to walk by a lone person on the street. It's a little scary to think about it, but then statistics show it's very unlikely to happen. I should be more concerned about the people I know someday killing me (and I am).

[earthmother45.livejournal.com]

Oh, what a happy looking bunch! They look great there on your purple couch. These look a bit different than the usual group of bears ready for delivery. Is it the special new yarn or something you are doing different? Or maybe it's the purple couch . . .

A crazy world out there.

[susandennis]

The bears are always different, of course, but I keep futzing around looking for the best way to get them all into one picture. I had not tried this way before.

[howeird]

I'm not sure which is more surprising - random shootings or the Mariners scoring 21 points in a single game.
But seriously, even when I taught at Seattle OIC in the central district (1979-ish), shootings were rare. Someone did blow up the fast food place (Jack in the box, I think) a few days before it was due to open, and someone set fire to one of the few stores in the neighborhood because it was owned by Jews. And no bank would put a branch or an ATM there. But Ballard had the nation's highest teen suicide rate...

About that dented cat food can. My understanding is that canned foods of any variety which have been dented are at risk for salmonella. It depends, of course, on how badly the integrity of the can is compromised. Jeeze, I sound like a butthead. If the can isn't airtight bad stuff can get in. How's that? http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/Shelf_Stable_Food_Safety/index.asp#10

[susandennis]

yeah yesterday was pretty much bizaroworld in Seattle.

today the Mariners have a day off and so far no shootings...

connection????

[blue-eye.livejournal.com]

Ok...definitely creeped out by this.

Be careful.

Oddly enough, I felt safer in NYC than here in Florida.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

16 Bears!A very productive month!

The violence in Seattle is playing nationally. I can tell a lot of people are spooked and with reason. Stay safe!

[susandennis]

1. I love that you counted
2. You proved to me that my group shot needs work because there are 18 bears!
3. I'm going to try to not get shot but no promises.

I do get encouraged whenever I see an entry or comment from you - it tells me you are really on the mend. YEAH!!!

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Susan ... I counted a couple of times. There were two bears that looked similar; thus, my miscount. I wasn't sure if I had 16 or 17. Now, you say 18. I'm not sure who I missed:)

I only got concerned when you mentioned going by the cafe where the shootings occurred.

I am working hard, in a relaxed and healthy way to get better:) I had a follow up today to have my kidney function checked to see if the antibiotic was affecting it. I weighed 207 LBS. (down 50 lbs from January)

I haven't weighed that since my 30's. I won't be able to maintain this. I look gaunt. But ... I can maintain 220 lbs.

I look forward to reading your blog every day!

HUGS!

[theryn.livejournal.com]

I keep counting 17 too. Did one hide behind the others?

[susandennis]

ok, now you have me counting... and i can only see 17, too!! there were 18 in the bag someone didn't get into the picture!!! i gotta find a better picture pan.

[rosehiptea.livejournal.com]

I'd be creeped out too.

That does sound like a great pet food store too.

The bears are adorable!

[anita-margarita.livejournal.com]

Before I retired, I worked at CPS, which is not the most popular agency around, and I often thought about crazed, meth-head parents coming in and shooting us all.

Granted, I could still get shot by a crazed meth-head, but I'd rather not get shot at work.

Counting????

[(Anonymous)]

That is so funny, cuz the first thing I did was count them too!! And I only came up with 17..I always count them and then pick my favorite. The one that would pull at my heart strings if I was a child who was standing before the group and was told I could pick a new friend!! My choice this month is the light blue bear with the dark brown sweater in the front row!! Yep, he would be mine!!! The white bear in the front row actually looks like he was made out of plush terry, probably just the lighting...You said the yarn is softer too right??
I work at the UW Medical Center and I know our facility on Roosevelt
had a lot of people scared. We just had e-mails saying stay inside, while they were looking for the shooter.
Have a great weekend, excited to read about the new brunch place..
Janine

Re: Counting????

[susandennis]

I love your detail, Janine! And, yes, that white bear is very soft and fuzzy. He's one made from the yarn a guy in Missouri sent me. It's not made any more so is an extra special joy to knit with.

[rsc.livejournal.com]

I don't think I've seen solid red before. But here are two of them! I see they had the consideration not to sit next to each other.

[susandennis]

That red was fabulous - it was a brick red that was particularly fuzzy. It was part of the batch of the vintage yarn that one of my G+ friends sent me from Missouri. It was bear perfect! I think I may have one bear of it left.