Our mail delivery is usually in the morning, but when it hadn't been delivered (including my new plastic rectangle) by 1:00, I decided to just get cash from the ATM and pay for groceries with cash like it was the 1950s. I should have worn my polka-dotted dress and red lipstick to complete the retro feel (but I did not). So I braved the pre-snowpocalypse crowds at Trader Joe's, then I decided I wanted to make chili so I went to the Meijer as well (TJs doesn't have everything I need to make chili). Meijer was oddly sedate for 12 hours before snowmaggeddon hits.

When I got home, the mail had been delivered and I have my new plastic rectangle! I think I updated all the places online that are on autopay (the kitty's plan at Banfield, Hulu, cloud storage with Apple, and Cinemark's movie club). (After 13 years I still can't get Tim to put the utility bills on autopay. It makes him jittery. He pays online, but resists autopay. So the discretionary/entertainment bills are in my name and I totally do autopay.)

This has been your exciting update on my shopping and finances. Stay tuned for this week's installment of "Friday: The Day I Change The Sheets!" (Seriously. Friday really *is* the day I change the sheets, which I'm about to do. WOOOOOO SO EXCITE)

I just have some defaults. Anything pet related is always this one pet. Any sports question I answer with one specific sport. Anything for my work that requires secret questions I answer with this job specific info- boss, company- zip code - I use these answers regardless of the questions.

Our work prompts were crazy to reset are password were very crazy and/or a bit classist. Like what's your library card number? What university didn't you get into? What was your first car?

A) Like I would ever give out my library card number B) What if I didn't go to university?? I mean, I got accepted to every university I applied to, but still. C) I have never owned a car. ETA: D) Who was the 2nd person you kissed?

There were more that I can't remember, but they were all of a similar vein. I ended up making up answers that I can't remember and now I pray I never get locked out of my work login.

Yeah, I have to write those down. I prefer the really specific questions - what street did you live on in 3rd grade and the like. Favorite anything is terrible. Paternal grandfather's middle name would be good if I was sure I could spell it consistently. Since I don't actually use that one I guess it's safe to say it's Nikolaivich that I can never be sure whether I should throw a c or t or maybe a different vowel in there.

I have my new plastic rectangle!

So jelly!

I have spent all morning creating a cipher wheel. This would be more fun if (a) I knew what I was doing; (b) it wasn't under a tight deadline.

That said I am now trying to build a Rebus into my Cipher Wheel (through cutouts on the moving rings). But I am limited to what I can cut out of magazines so right now I've got: Eye Nose Star.

I Star Nose!

No, wait I can find the number 2 and lips and then make Tulips.

"I Star Tulips!"

That star is not helping me.

Ears! I forgot about ears in a rebus.

H + [ear] = Hear.

I Hear Star Tulips

[star] + T = Start

Hmmm....

B + [eye] = Buy

Buy Her Tulips?

Timelies all!

Looks like a quiet weekend here. Supposed to snow, but I hope we don't get much.

No plastic rectangle for me today.

I've just tried a mechanical gaming keyboard for the first time, and my god, this is nice. I just bought two of the same type, one for home and one for work. This is the typing I remember, keeping up with my brain with accuracy and speed. My current keyboard has the keys too close together and mushy enough that it's too easy to hit the neighbor. I've hated it since I got it. The mechanical one has glowy lights on it, too. It's such a gamer nerd keyboard. It's noisy, but I feel like my fingers are the servant of my brain again instead of flailing, useless things.

I have hot water! Which I didn't this morning, so that's good. And the heat is kicking on finally, which seemed dicey earlier.