For The Rank and Philes...

today is the day

you can feel it

the sky is different, the colour of the air is different

today is Bookstore Day

maybe it's a sad day

or maybe it's a day you want to celebrate

maybe you need a distraction

a challenge

a reward

it doesn't matter

it's Bookstore Day

head to the one you love the best

out of all of the ones you love the best

two stories worth of stories

and every word in the universe

the one with the bearded guy 

who always hangs out by the staff picks 

and vocally argues with the dust jackets 

although he occasionally makes a good point

and you both agree that the adult colouring craze

is more than just a bit maudlin but okay as long as the gin is cold

only the best store will do on Bookstore Day

pause at the top of the escalator

and ignore the surprised grunts of the riders behind you

for this is your moment of potential

the moment before your next book

it might be the inspiration you were looking for

it might be the frustration you need to vent

it might be something about mystical time travel to the 19th century,

where romance, daily rape and cholera 

are only a dashing rogue in skirt away

because nothing contrasts quality literature 

like really really really bad literature 

or James Patterson

and sometimes that sort of thing can be a bit of a palette cleanser

or to switch metaphors

a laxative 

it's all good on Bookstore Day

you should probably step away from the escalator now

You're Not The Boss of Me

Got a letter in the mail today. Addressed to me and everything. 

'Dear Spouses or Spouse-ish Type People,

We know you value your time with your partner, who has been deployed, delayed, tasked, on course, on exercise, on stand-by, and many other things that have repeatedly taken him or her away from you for the last (13) years.

We also assume that you have no idea what your partner does because communication is a lost art and when have you had any time to take an active interest or even ask, what with all that time away?

To honour this time apart and the frankly poor level of data retention on your part, we are hosting a "What do you even DO, really?" event.

On a Saturday.

There's, like, 52 of those in a year so you will happily spare one to come and be talked at for a polite 5 hour lecture on how to ask your spouse where all this money has been coming from every two weeks for the last 13 years, and maybe get an explanation of why their clothes all match.

Plus, there's a lunch! It won't be as nice as the brunch you had reservations for at that place you love. You know, the one that does the eggs that way? Call and cancel because we have cold sandwiches and instant coffee!

To ensure your willing attendance we're going to give your partner a rare weekend off. This way YOU get to feel what it's like to sit in a drafty hangar while your partner does alone all the many things you had planned to do together.

Unless he's a section head. Those guys have oodles of spare time on the weekends. That guy will be in to work FOR SURE. And what better way to spend some quality time together. Really, it's like we have to plan your marriage for you.

Honestly, if you both just took the time to ask a few basic questions about what goes on all day, or had bothered to come to any of the last 13 years worth of family day tours, we wouldn't find ourselves in this situation.

Annually. Because, good news, we're probably going to host one of these every year!

Sincerely,


Your Partner's Boss, so...no pressure.'

Bonum enim est ex familia! ~ For the good of the family!