With both a bang and a whimper ...

[d_aulnoy]

... did my day begin.  The bang! would be the sound of one of the pipes beneath my building exploding, taking with it my electricity, my water, and my ethernet.  The whimper would be me oversleeping by an hour because my electric alarm clock was shut off, thus making me late for my breakfast with vschanoes .

Depsite all that, it's been a good day: more later, as dinner with fletcherschloe  begins in twenty minutes.  And, remember: friends don't let friends forget to buy real alarm clocks in case this happens again.  Next one of you who's out with me when I'm shopping?  Remind me.