Your Weekly Antics Who's Gone Rogue & Superfecta Edition 11-10-22...

It's been a big week kids…initially I was thinking we hit a trifecta, but in fact that’s not correct. We my friends have hit a full blown Superfecta, also knowns as a Quadfecta. What’s a Superfecta you ask? If you were betting horses, a Superfecta in horse racing terms, is a bet in which the bettor must select the winners of the first four places (ie, first, second, third, and fourth) of a race in the correct order while trifecta is a bet in which the bettor must select the first three place getters of a race in the order in which they finish. Why a Superfecta? Do we really need to spell this out? Have you not felt the ripple in the force this week people? For starters, we were thrown a bit off kilter with the time change on Sunday. We may have earned an extra hour, but nothing comes without a cost, so we paid dearly for that hour all week long. Then, we were gifted with the last Lunar Eclipse until 2025 that just so happened to coincide with a full moon, the Beaver Moon as a matter of fact, and then of course, the Election. If you were feeling a bit on edge this week, any of these four or a combination of all, could be to blame. As it’s Thursday, it’s almost the weekend. Hopefully you’ve since adjusted to the time change, you haven’t been howling at the moon, and the full moon and/or the election hasn’t sent you completely over the edge. Let's see how this week has effected us, shall we? Here’s what I’ve got…

1. Meandering over Rte 290 before eventually making my way back to the city streets Tuesday evening, let’s talk about the traffic. I know it was election day. I realize that it’s getting darker earlier now that the clocks were moved back, but I'd imagine that those of us who drive have driven in the dark before – Yes, I am aware that Park Ave is being dug up as if that traffic couldn’t get any worse, however… when I was travelling through the Woo it wasn’t even 5 pm yet, the sun had just started to go down, so I’m not sure what the excuse was for all the traffic. Shouldn’t most people still have been working? I don't remember a day, ever, in all my years driving in the city, the traffic ever being that bad. Just another reason why I may go with my original plan and hibernate like a bear - I'll find myself a cave that gets wifi and write The Antics from there until the first thaw in spring…I’ll see you then.

2. My fellow community workers out there will appreciate this. While cutting through side streets and hitting up any short cut only a true Worcester resident would know of, I ran across this. Things are looking up in the 03 kids - the Albion has thrown down the red carpet in welcome. Exhibit 1, new signs at The Albion.

3. Fast forward to a regular run of the mill school day. What was happening there? Imagine the disappointment that fell upon a student who had been keeping herself entertained day in and day out by keeping track of the progress of one lone Skittle candy that had been sitting minding its own business on the windowsill of one of the classrooms. This wasn’t a class assignment, rather just a little something that caught the eye of this kid one day as she was listening intently to a lesson being given in her class. This student who shall not be named, took it upon herself for pure entertainment purposes, to begin documenting this Skittles progress, flourish or demise, depending on how you look at it. During this self induced documentation of the day in the life of said Skittle, one day that Skittle just disappeared. This sparked a new interest in the mind of said student... was it cleaned up you ask? Let’s not get crazy, probably not. Did it grow legs and eventually walk away? That’s more likely. Since the Skittle's disappearance, the focus of attention has been diverted to the half-eaten animal cracker that had been this lone Skittles companion. Now that the Skittle has grown legs and beat feet out of there, the question is, how long will that Animal Cracker stick around? Can it survive on its own or will it die of loneliness? Will it be gobbled up by the vermin that wander the halls when the building sleeps? Your guess is as good as ours...only time will tell. We'll keep you posted...or not.

4. The life of rogue meatballs did not end well – it finally happened. The Kap Pack who tends to keep themselves underfoot during food prep finally put their minds together to form one full thought and used it against me. After spending a lovely fall afternoon making meatballs for the indulgence of those who grace me with their presence during meal times, the pack bonded and tripped me up, resulting in those meatballs barely hitting the floor with an unceremonious splat before being gobbled up by the free loading traitors who spend all their down time trying to work me over in the kitchen. The Kap pack ate well that night my friends, the Kap kids however, did not.

5. I told you everyone’s off the rails this week…I received this little gem from a friend of mine who lives in Arlington Virginia. Apparently someone decided to take their rage out on one of those free community libraries that we too have floating around our neighborhoods here in the Woo. I’m not gonna lie to you, there has been an occasion or two that I’ve felt like I too could set fire to one of these things, run over a lawn ornament, or perhaps knock over a mailbox, but I generally keep those fleeting thoughts inside my head because contrary to popular belief, I am no criminal. Sometimes those thoughts are a healthy outlet that keeps me from opening my mouth and telling the general public how I really feel, but again, let there be no mistake…these thoughts stay in my head and aren’t acted upon. Exhibit 2 the aftermath of the untimely demise of this particular neighborhoods free library explosion. Gives a whole new outlook on burning books. (Thank you Julie Angelis Boehler for this little tid bit...)

6. Picture this - Gorgeous unseasonably warm fall day, somewhere in the mid 70's. Top to the jeep down. Delightful maple latte I treated myself to at a local coffee shop in the center of Harvard. I pull out of this coffee shop and make my way back to Rt 2.. No sooner am I settled in, cruising along, enjoying the sights and sounds that this beautiful New England weather was bringing me when BAM - my radio lands on a station that is already playing nonstop 24/7 Christmas music. Way to kill the mood.

7. Here's a fun fact you'll all be thanking me for come spring...stick it to the man and don’t change your clocks back that one hour we earned last Sunday so you'll always feel like you're ahead of schedule – wouldn't it be nice to finally feel like you're not late for something? After three days of trying to figure out how to change the clock in my jeep I decided screw it – I’m leaving it the way it is – way I look at it, for the next 6 months no matter how I'm doing, I'll always feel like I'm on time. This is what you can tell people at least rather than admit out loud that you have no idea how the hell to change the clock in your car. And you know as well as I do, that it's too much work to lean over, open your glove box, grab the cars manual and look up how to do just that. I'm not doing it. Spring daylight savings time will be here before we know it - stand your ground.

8. Some may have seen that Sue Miller was baking last week kids, therefore the all points bulletin was sent out alerting the Grandkids that this activity was underway. This was last weekend. Fast forward to Wednesday night, cookies are dispersed and we're told long gone, and a long comes Deb, who unknown to the rest of us scrubs, doesn't have to put a cookie order request in, they just magically appear when Deb does. I'm thinking the Grandkids are calling a hard foul on this one people and are saying in their too young minds therefore will never understand this reference, Marsha, Marsha, Marsha...or in this case, Deb, Deb, Deb. Moral of the story...if you don't visit Grammy, a.k.a. Sue Miller, you're outta luck, she's giving your cookies away. #nocookies4u

Walter, this also applies to you...#dontmesswithyourcookieconnection

9. Oh to be young and foolish...to be a 20 something who thinks they know the game, and know it well enough to understand how it's played. I'm here to say this. Some at The Antics have been around the block a few times and not only play the game, but are masters of it. You may be in your own independent work space now my friend feeling brave and untouchable, thinking I don't have it in me, but I do. Watch your back my young and unwise friend for you have poked the Bear...this Bear walks as light as a feather and you'll never hear me coming...you may one day find all of your belongings relocated, your work space completely reconfigured and redesigned and you'll never know what hit you...Just ask Robyn...Don't. Poke. The. Bear.

10. Go ahead and touch the heat, I dare you. This would be a phrase often heard here in the Kap house from now through Thanksgiving. Another phrase one may hear is ... it's so cold in here I'm going to Grammy's. Followed by ... go for it, Grammy's had her heat on since August. And followed still by... pack your bags and sleep at Grammy's...

Don't - touch - the - heat.

And last but not least...I was told long ago not to wish a Veteran a happy Veterans Day, but instead to thank that Veteran for their service. While you're enjoying your free day off this week in celebration of what a Veteran did to ensure our freedoms and way of life, pay it forward and try to make the world a little bit better for someone else. It doesn't cost a thing or take much to be a decent human being. And for my lifelong friends who are Veterans and are harassed in to reading The Antics every week - I appreciate you - thank you for your service.

Have a great weekend!