Remind me not to do that anymore.

I spent $25, and only because I put back about half of the stuff that I wanted to get for them. It's like a fugue state in that fucking bird aisle. It's the Bermuda Triangle of financial responsibility. It's the aisle in which I try to buy my pets' love with large amounts of cheap plastic crap.

I got them some bizarre looking new food, a popcorn hanging treat (also bizarre looking), a new kind of bath (which hopefully won't freak Phoebe out), a new perch (perfect for deformed Pigwidgeon), and this dangly rope toy thing. Oh, and a new mineral treat. Their old one was getting shady.

So what did I put back, you ask? Everything from a bird platform to an ergonomic perch to plumage spray. What is wrong with me?

I came home and put all this new stuff in their cage. The dangly rope toy thing is in the doorway. Need I say that Pigwidgeon is scared to death of it? He won't go in the cage now. He tried to climb down the back of the cage to get in. (There's no door there. There's never been a door there. Pigwidgeon is retarded.)

Phoebe did finally decide to check out her ladder today. They've had this ladder climbing up off the top of their cage forever, but they won't go near it. Pigwidgeon is scared of it, of course, and I don't know what Phoebe's deal is. Today she finally ventured onto the bottom rung. She was all fluffed up and chirping happily; I guess she likes it.

Anyway, then I came home and paid my bills. Well, so much for that.

Part of it is that I got my first parking ticket of the year yesterday, for FIFTY BUCKS. Man. One of my resolutions was to always get legitimate parking, but I keep being late for class since I'm out riding my bike, since I can't seem to wake up before noon. See the domino effect there?

I was late yesterday (after having been REALLY late last week) so I just grabbed sketchy parking, and I guess it was more sketchy than I thought. I'm contesting it, though. Quite frankly, I can't afford to pay it right now. Is that a basis for contestation? I'm just going to say the curb isn't red where I parked. Because it isn't.

At least I still have enough cash to go out with Megan tonight. Sushi and a movie, both big treats in Moville. Good times.

Today was my long bike ride day, but I so did not want to go. The weather was gorgeous, and I had the whole day off, but I really had to talk myself into it today. Maybe because I knew that I had to go fifteen miles, according to my Inviolable Training Schedule. Or maybe I was just tired. I felt awfully tired.

I went and ran a bunch of errands, and when I realized how hot it was, I decided I didn't "have to" go riding until three. That would still give me a good couple of hours of biking before the sun went down. So I went to get my paycheck, and deposited it, and spent it at the pet store, and made some phone calls and dropped off videos and film and blah blah.

Finally, right at three, I got on my bike, put on my dorky helmet and marched out the door. It was a good ride, until the very end, when my palms went numb and my ass began to hurt. (I really have to figure out how to install my new bike seat.) Lucky thing, since fifteen sluggish miles would have hardcore sucked.

But they didn't. Five miles in, the endorphins kicked in and all was well with the world. (It really didn't hurt that the day kept getting progressively more gorgeous as the sun was setting.) But it was hard for me to get on the bike yesterday and today, and I have no idea why. Is there some kind of exercise plateau I've hit?

And while I'm asking questions here: why, when I'm riding, do bugs keep flying right up my nose?

And some random things.

Reader Katy sent me some cookies today. Mmm mm, they are good. (Chocolate chip.) I just love that after all my whining about cookies, someone went ahead and sent me cookies! I have the best readers in the world, ever. Yes, you.

Baby Connor on Angel is played by triplets, did you know that? And one of them is really named Connor. (The other two are Trent and Jake.) I know people have issues with the baby as a character on the show, but can I tell you, those three babies are the cutest little things. When they're all wearing matching wardrobe? Astronomical proportions of cuteness.

And speaking of my day on the set, that episode aired last week so I can finally talk about it. You remember the scene where Angel gives Cordy some money and tells her to take a vacation? I was sitting on Wesley's desk at the time. Surreal, isn't it?

"Obviously, we're still at the mercy of the consumer culture, and that seems unlikely to change. It's just startling to look back at the exact historical moment of our surrender. "