Getting lights

I finally got in touch with The Guy after a month or so of almost nothing. I figured something was up. I was supposed to hang out with him about a week after we last hung out (that was close to 1 1/2 months ago or so). Then I texted him that day and no response, so I didn't go over to his place. I called/texted to no avail. Most of my texts were ignored except when he was at the gym. I know what time he goes to the gym now and since I had 2 successful weeks in a row contacting him during those times I did the same this past Monday. I started texting him on Monday asking how he was, telling him what was up with me, and said we should chat on the phone. He called me as he was leaving the gym. He told me he was in a depression, was hanging out with Robert a little, and things like that- nothing really new. I told him about being very happy where I was student teaching and overall everything was going well. He was the one that suggested we hang out Tuesday or Wednesday. I said let's do Wednesday.

I texted him today to confirm. We met up at his place at 3. He was in building a database and showed me what he was doing/why he was doing it based on the needs of his dad's business. I love that he can just go build this stuff and has all the time in the world to. He spends a while showing me the tools he found to help him. Then he showed me a program he has where he can access and control anyone's PC in the office. He started to play tricks on his coworker by moving the mouse as he was trying to click on something.

About 4 we headed out. On the phone on Monday he told me about his latest quandary over what kind of pictures frames to get for his walls to put photos up. Today that quandary was forgotten and his biggest need was LED Christmas lights. He wanted to take his lights to Lowes since they said if you bring in an old strand you get $3 off a new one. We found he only had a pack of 150, and I was with him when he got that pack probably 2 years ago.

We head on over to Lowes and as we drive he is unusually quiet. It seemed like there was so much he wanted to say, but didn't. I make conversation by telling him about my student teaching, which was cool. He seemed to be interested and told me how Linda basically set me up for success by teaching me how to scaffold my lessons where it is more on me to design and carry out the lessons. Very true.

We go into Lowes and find the lights, which are right at the front. They are playing a lot of oldies songs on the speakers including Tony Orlando's "Knock 3 Times," which he starts to sing, and since I knew it started to sing along.



He decides he needs commercial strength lights, and only LCD will do. A 50 pack of the most expensive brand of LCD lights was about $24 he decided was expensive. Normal Christmas lights are $2-3, so that was expensive. He saw some industrial packs below for $39 for 200 lights that he decided was a better deal. It was. It didn't matter since he had $600 in Lowes gift cards to spend and was convinced we were going to. I had no doubt. We walk around looking at lights, look at the inflatable Christmas decorations, and decide on a grapevine dog with lights. After that we go to the lightbulb aisle. He is trying to lower his electric bills that are hundreds of dollars. He told me how he lowered his bill $100 by adjusting his thermostat to nearly 80 when he's not there. He said he wanted LCD lights for all of his lights. There were about 30 he had to replace he said. We look at the LCD flood lights for outside that were close to $40 a piece. We look at the LCD can light replacements that were about $25 a piece. Lowes didn't have many in stock. He got what he could. He buys a couple other LCD replacement can lights both at about $40 each. We get a staple gun for the lights to be hung, then head to the checkout. Close to $490. We did it. The latino guy at the checkout asked us if we wanted all of the items bagged. It seemed like a given. Who wants to carry 10 different lightbulbs from the car without a bag?

In the car we talk about music. He was listening to a dance station with an old 80s sounding song. I told him how I love XM in my mom's new car. She has it set to the 50s on 5 and 60s on 6. I was flipping around. I said that I told her there was other stuff on including the Christmas station. He didn't believe me and put Holly on his radio. Then we both howled "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" with Hall and Oates- it was an awesomely bad version that sounded like they were howling.

We get his dogs at the kennel. I walk out with one dog and he takes the husky. We put them in the car. The husky is funny- he now sits up against the window with his paw hanging up where the window button is. It was funny. I tell him about all I still have to submit to the state for teaching, about Ry, and going to Orlando. He seemed surprised I was going to Orlando.

We get back to his place and put all of the new lights in. They actually put out quite a bit of light it seemed. We were impressed. He realized he needed about 20 more lights, so we go in and search on amazon. He racks up a $600 shopping cart in no time, but deems it an investment.

The Guy tells me he wants to try chili for dinner, but doesn't have any chili sauce. He says he has ideas how to get around that. He chops a red and yellow onion, then starts browning them. He cuts up some carne asada while I go looking for beans. I round up a couple cans of pinto and kidney beans. The Guy tells me he is going to add some of the stir fry sauce for the zing that the chili needs. I have had it- we both use it on the Trader Joes pot stickers. I was ok with that. Then he said he was going to use the chicken tiki masala sauce also. I was unsure about that, but he had me taste it. I didn't admit it. It was good, though. We put the dog together while the beans and everything is marinading. We plug it in outside too and position it. He picks up all of his dog poop outside, he asks about my dogs, and we go back inside. We clean up and then eat. The chili was really good. We doused it in cheese. Delicious.

The Guy and I get our food and he is getting his pot ready. He got his medical marijuana card since he wants to be legal. He is using his vaporizer to vaporize it and get it ready to have a few hits before dinner. LOL. Um pot and chili? We both gather on the couch and watch "Law and Order," which was fun. We chat about Harry Potter and how we are glad there is going to be no Harry Potter 3D for part 1. About 8:30 he tells me he wants to get to work on his database and help his brother on his website. I say that's fine and run to the restroom before heading out.

I leave at 8:40 and get home at 9:20. I make good time. I notice as I'm leaving The Guy's that sometime between 3p.m. and 8p.m. KOST 103.5 has flipped to all Christmas carols. Whatever Cyndi Lauper Christmas song they were playing was not my cup of tea. I put my iPod out and rocked out to the following songs on the way home.