Don't get me wrong. I find astrology quite entertaining, and occasionally even accurate. A lot of people on this planet seem to think that there's something going on behind the scenes. And i firmly believe that each person should be allowed to pick his or her own interface to that aspect of the Universe -- be it Islam, Buddhism, Astrology, Asatru, Satanism, PlayStation, or even Catholicism.
Me... well, the events of earlier today have reminded me that i'd be satisfied if i could get a reliable forecast of the Great Yellow Backhoe of Doom (GYBoD).
Most of us are already familiar with the GYBoD's effects upon the internet. And then there's the close relative (or perhaps just another aspect) of the GYBoD: the Great Yellow BULLDOZER of Doom. It's effects upon Arthur Dent's house are well known. And the (yellow) Vogon Constructor fleet was hot on its heels, of course. So quite clearly, many would benefit from a forecast of when such yellow mechanized beasts of destruction will be arriving in close proximity to our respective loci in space and time.
So let's return to Austin, TX, almost exactly 7am (the time of day when it becomes legal for people to start making Very Loud Noises) Saturday the 18th of November 2006, otherwise know as "this morning." I had to work last night, 2300-0100 to install patches on the servers i run.
After completing said maintenance, i popped disc 2 of Smiley's People into the DVD player, grabbed a bottle of La Fin du Monde, some crackers and cheese, and then fell sleep somewhere around 3am, midway through episode 4. (And all of the way through the bottle and the crackers and cheese.) About 5am, i got into bed.
And then, about 7am, i discovered that the GYBoD was in (what will soon be) the front yard of the fourth house from something-resembling North on my street, tearing things up so that minions of the City can install water service. Which i would very much liked to have known about in advance, because that's next door to my house, and the GYBoD destroying the street and front yard about 45 feet from my bed has quite a profound effect upon my life when it begins at 7am on Saturday morning, 3 or 4 hours into my nightly rest.
Anassadeina was also less than thrilled with this development, as she was sleeping over, and her car was parked right next to the destruction. We had a brief discussion about this. I imagine my half sounded a lot like, "Hmasmdsjj jjsmmm gfroo nooj...," though in my mind, i was saying "At least it will be over soon..." I was fairly sure that the GYBoD would make quick work of ripping up the street and yard, and quiet would soon return.
Which was somewhat true, i think. But then the Jackhammers started. So i pulled a pillow over my head, and activated my superpower, which is the ability to sleep through almost anything. I've slept through Jackhammers on my roof, before, and, on a seperate occasion, a chipper-sheader in my front yard. (Sorry LisaJulie. I still owe you for that.) It wasn't good sleep, of course, but it was sleep.
The only remaining question is the potential GYBoD connection between this bottle of "La Fin du Monde" and the Vogon Constructor Fleet. I'm unsure of what to make of that.