I did some stair training today; seven sets of the stairs behind the Hotel Macdonald into the river valley. Afterwards, to get back home, I ran up Scona hill.
The police were out and had set up a speed trap at the Pioneer’s cabin. Of course I had to ask “How fast am I going?” as I ran in front of them.
“Funny guy, eh” was what the cop said to me. He did not sound like he was joking. He sounded like someone who wanted to arrest me on a trumped up charge. Did I do something wrong? I was just trying to be friendly to the police services. Was he blaming me for blocking his machine catching speeders? I’m pretty sure I had to pass in front of them. That’s where the sidewalk was.
Or was he just really sick of that joke?
What else would a runner say?

Sleep was an elusive commodity last week.
Let me recap what it involved.
On Sunday evening I was in Calgary. There was a party I wanted to go to. I had a good time there. But I had to leave at 1:30 in the morning, because it wasn’t a day off for me and I was due in Edmonton for work. So after a drive home that I don’t want to talk about (under my lawyer’s advisement) I got to bed at home at around four o’clock. I was at work at 10:30 and did put in seven hour day. I can work an extra hour later to make up the deficit.
After work I had a movie night that lasted fairly late. So I didn’t get to sleep until 10:30.
It didn’t help that I had to get up at 6:00 for a physical therapy appointment Tuesday morning. But the evening was pleasant. I went out on a date that caused me not to get back home until after midnight.
I’m not entirely sure I stayed awake through my early morning Wednesday dentist appointment. But I felt surprisingly awake that day. Enough to still do 40 minutes on a treadmill in the evening.
And then I got to get a good night’s sleep.
Sleep is my earliest memory.
I remember darkness and slowly becoming conscious of existence. And not just again, but for the first time. I think of it as me gaining sentience. Then I opened my eyes and walked to the kitchen where my father and sister were. I recognized them and I believe I said hello. So it wasn’t my first moments of life, as I had knowledge I don’t recall gaining.

I have entered a new chapter in my relationship with Sears.
If you recall from my previous entries, I have been trying to get the battery on my watch replaced without causing the rest of the watch to fall apart.
At last report, a month after Timex fixed it, the operating system on the watch froze and kept the light on permanently. I took it back to Sears under the assumption that they would send it back to Timex. Clearly it was Timex’s fault, not Sears’.
Interestingly, I got it back two days later. That was convenient, and oddly quick. Just in time for my trip to Vancouver.
In Vancouver, my watch started to fill with water again.
So, I suspect they never did send it back to Timex. Instead of having the manufacturer fix the mistake they had made, they took the easy route. They just popped the back off, took the battery out briefly to reset it. That would make it look like it was working again. But, as usual, that breaks the waterproof seal. And the battery remains drained from having the light on for half a day.
Of course, I took it back. They tried to point out their new sign that claimed no guarantee of waterproofing after a battery change. I pointed out that that sign wasn’t there when the whole mess started. I gave them the watch and expected them to return it to Timex. Shouldn’t take more than a week, I would think. Should I have been suspicious that they nearly forgot to give me my receipt for the watch?
Two months later I got tired of waiting. I had heard nothing, so I went in. Surprise, surprise, they never even sent it. They had decided not to do that. And they had decided not to phone me to let me know.
I think they might be afraid of me. I can’t see why. I’ve never raised my voice. I have been frustrated, but I don’t think angry enough to be rude.
In the time they had it, the watch has, mostly, dried itself out. But it is clear that the battery is nearly dead. And it hasn’t been set for daylight saving time.
The lady there suggested I phone the manager of the watch repair department tomorrow. I took the number and left.
But I left to the main store and found a real manager to complain to. She actually acted like she had power to make me happy. She took my complaint, and all my information. She’ll be getting back to me.
I hope it works this time.
I remember once hearing about making customer’s happy. If you make a good product, the customer likes you. If they have a problem with the product, they don’t like you. But if you then fix that problem well, they like you better than before.
Sears’ customer satisfaction rating hangs on a precipice.