Much ado about nothing

Daily we rant and rave and grump at our office.

Yesterday, as I sat in the building break room, our Principal's wife doesn't like the smell of the micro wave, and so she has banned them...I over heard three women complaining bout their office. Someone wasn't doing their job and passing the work load on to them. Or at least trying.

Today we met for lunch with a former fellow ubber employee. She does the work of four men and never seems to tire. This would be "boob brush girl".
She quit one of four jobs to go more time with the higher paying company.
She turned in her pink slip about 20 days too early for the Texas Interiors folks and so must work 40 to make up for it. (She's now working only "part time".)
Her new office is way behind the computer times. The owner is of the old school, where one's word is gold. What this means is, there are few if any signed, written contracts, and everyone in the office has different computer software, all old and out dated. Our IT guy stopped by to take a look at the situation, and Ubber worker told us he couldn't stop laughing at how bad it is.
The two servers crash with every rain storm. Maybe because they are sitting in an over heated closet, instead of a nice cool, well vented room.

Seems most of us, are unhappy with our lot.
Why is that?

I can say that I have fallen into the "go to work and get by" habit.
I'm not challenged much. I no longer look for challenge in what I'm doing.

What to do to change this attitude on my part...?

1. Start dreaming, and dream big!
2. Surround myself with up beat happy people.
3. Watch what comes out of my mouth.
4. Plan for my future each and every day.
5. Stop listening to negative people.
6. Be realistic in what I can and can't do.
7. Always keep learning.
8. Develop a new skill.
9. Finally, do at least one thing a week that scares the pee out of me.

We'll see how this goes...

The Economy

I went to a financial seminar on Saturday presented by the folks who brought us "Rich Dad, Poor Dad".

They don't promise quick easy money, but instead,
education,
or, in my case,
reeducation about $$$$.

We have some big storm clouds on the horizon...
Is your Arc ready?
Mine is not.

General Motors and Ford focused on big gas guzzlers and have now been caught with their pants down. Or, to continue the Biblical lingo, their lamps are empty and they are out of oil. (oohhh)

China is now in competion for the oil we once snapped up at low prices.
They are jumping on our technology of polution mobiles, instead of setting the new standards of automotive or mass transit science.

Economics state that if oil goes up, everything else will follow.
***********
Curency standards vs Monies.
Gold is money. It's price is fixed. It may fluxuate, but one can touch it, more can be found, but not made.

Years ago we, the U.S., and the rest of the world followed in their own ways, we moved to the Currency standard.
Currency is, by its very nature, designed to devalue over time.

Allow me to repeat that...

Our Currency is DESIGNED to DEVALUE over TIME.

It's affected by inflation.
4% this year, 3% next year.
They add up.

I'm sure you have heard of the story that my mother's generation told of going to the movies for $.15 .
And that got you popcorn and a drink, the movie AND a cartoon short.

Zelda and I went Sunday to see Madagascar (even at only $2.00 a head, I'd pass on it, though it's cheaper to see it now than to rent it later). It cost us $2.00 each a the matinee. But the two sodas and a large popcorn ate up my $10.00 bill.

Why would the government do this?

It's good if you want to run a deficit.

I borrow $100.00 today and pay it off .01 cent a year.
Over time, the effects of inflation mean, I owe less on it than when I borrowed it. Makes borrowing easier.

At the same time, for those of you who are saving for your retirement in a savings acount drawing a couple percent, it means your $$$$ are losing value, year after year after year.

Mom was aware of this as a child.
The farmer is taxed on his income.
He needs X number of dollars to make it by to get the things he and his family need to live comfortably.
The government now takes Y number of dollars out. Now it starts out as a very small amount. Say $.05 per dollar.
So, to make this up, he adds it to the price of his goods.
The company that ships his product is also being charged that same $.05. So what do they do?
They add it to the price of services.
And so does the guy who is the middle man for the farmer and the grocer.
The grocer has many employees who are all being charged $.05 each. When he wants to give them a raise, he has to find that money to pay to the government.

Finally, you and I stop by his store to buy a loaf of bread.
Guess who's paying all those $.05?

And in the end, the intent of the law, to raise 5% from everyone to fund the government, actually raises more because of %5 on 5% on 5% adds up.

In business, that's called "double dipping" and it's illegal.

Two cat owners walk into a vet

Well sort of, we did apologize.
For running into her...

Woody came off iv long enough to visit.
I was filling out the credit report and so did not really get a chance to visit much before they came back in and took him away.

Such is life.

He was up and about and MOVING.
yeah!

The vet told us
1. We got him in early enough, koodos to us for our awareness.
2. She has had great success with this treatment for cats with kidney failure.
3. They get used to the treatments. (One cat was far worse than Woody and has to have daily infusions, fluids under the skin at the back of the neck. She gave him maybe a month. He's now going on seven months.)
4. There is still a chance that he may not make the three days, as pushing that much fluid into his system has its own risks.
5. We saw a pretty little girl locked up in a cage, and we will see how Woody and Zahara get along tomorrow night when we go visit. (Gaea will just have to deal with it.)

So.. my heart is MUCH lighter tonight.

Three cat children...
and
counting.

Woody Verdict In

So far the blood work shows that Woody Cat has kidney failure.
The Dr. seemed optimistic that giving him an I.V. would help clean out his system and get him back on his feet.

This of course maybe trumped by what else he may have going on...

Three days in Kitty Hospital and we'll see.
It all depends on his quality of life.

It will also involve continued care by Zelda and me.
Subcutainious fluids twice a week, from which "cats bounce back well".
Which I can believe.
Four hours after his eye removal surgery, he was back to new.

It will depend on his reaction to weekly medical treatment.
What he DIDN'T take well too was my trying to give him daily medication for his eye, in an attempt to keep it.

Am I trying to keep him going when I should just let him go?
Am I prolonging that "When's it gonna happen?".
Keeping him from going back to G*d and mom and grandma?
Letting him go would be the "easy" thing...

I'll talk to Zelda. Look at our $$$ and see.
This is the begining of the end...
*************
*************
It is possible that in half an hour, we will decide to put Woody to sleep and end his life as we know it.
Or, extend it, for an unknown amount of time.

One stick and slumber.
Or multiple sticks, with a possibility of spending one more summer on the back porch.
************
************
I wish I knew the answers...
It's not my life I'm playing with.

Loving Continues

Woody is in to see the vet today.

Not something he enjoys much.
Not the car trip.
Not the strangers.
Not the needles.
And pokes and prods...

They are waiting on some additional blood work.
***************
Most days I don't register him.
He comes in and bothers me and I love him for it.
"FEED ME! FEED ME! FEED ME! I'M DYING! FEED ME!"
Or "PLAY WITH ME! NOW! YEAH YOU! I'M TALKING TO YOU!!!"
And so I do.

But he's in the background.
**********
My pain and sorrow is about me.
When it may come to pass that I might not have him to come bother me,
then I feel the emotions of loss and sadness.
That day may be today...
I hope not.
I have more time I want to spend on him.

But not if he is uncomfortable.
In pain.

He is a link to mom and grandma.
Demanding and loving.
Even if it is all about him.
***********
As Zedla reasured me,
G*d knows when he's supposed to go. Or will go.
Or could have gone.
Because of him I met Zelda, My "I've got a One Eyed Woody" joke.
Sigh...
***********
As I was waiting this morning at the vet, filling in the Q&A with the attendant, a man came in to collect the ashes of his dog.
"I cried for two days." From a big burley, self employed electrical contractor.
His baby was now contained in a beautiful cedar box, the size of a jewelry box.
Something so simple containing something so priceless.
***********
Got go. Woody is not dead yet, and I'm at work.
*****
Another priceless thing.
Zelda told me of her hectic day, dead lines and training today.
She'll be there today for me should we have to be selfless and let him go...

Thank you love.

Cash Flow

Mr. Pinwheel came to visit and give expertise on the yard.
He is an expert on grass. Really.
Has a Masters and Ph.D in Range Science. (from Texas A&M no less).

Zelda is concerned about the Bunny house.
It is old. Tired. Bad foundation, typical of many North Texas homes, thanks to high clay content soils...
There is a solution to them, but the developers, and home buyers are not willing to pay for it...

*************
Statics show that if you gave $10,000.00 to 100 people, with in a year,
80 of those people would have Nothing left of that money,
16 people would still have $10,000.00 left, and
4 people would have turned that $10,000.00 into anywhere between $20,000.00 to $ 1,000,000,000.00.

Where would you fall?
Until a few years ago, I would have been in that first percentage. $0.00 left.
All spent on toys and bills.
Currently I am in the second group, I am saving.
I will shortly be in the last group.
***************
Get a dollar to reproduce only 20 times, and it will turn itself into,
get this...
$1,000,000,000.00.
*************
How do you do this?
Get that dollar to work for you, and not for someone else.

What is it that those 4 people know that I, or you, don't?

Education and a new way of thinking about money...

My goal is to continue to educate myself, and to start Zelda on that same journey.
********
I bought my sister's half of mom's house for less than $50k.
If I sell it, I get maybe $80k, pay off my debts, $45k, pay the taxes and fees, and have maybe $25k left.

Or.

I can spend $10k or so to fix it up and rent it.
Each month, those $$$$ I spent on the house will be reproducing themselves.
Take that "baby" money and buy another rental house, or income producing business, and that money "reproduces" again.

Simple really.

Sell it, and all I'll have is $25k...

Loving

Zelda and I had our fight early today, so we could make up and get on with our Sunday.

We dove into the box wall that resides along one half of the living room.
Due to busy schedules, we have not been able to attack it since she moved in.

Mr. and Mrs. Pinwheel were in town to dog sit Zelda's brother's dog child.
She is quite an energetic pup. An old one that is losing her hearing. Getting up in age...

Which brings me to Woody, the One Eyed Wonder Cat.
He is up in age too.
Old.
As I have said before, I have no idea how old, as I am his 4th owner...

It is suprising how time flies.
I met him in 1990 or there abouts at my grand mother's at Christmas.
We moved him to Texas in 1994 when she passed.

I moved in with him in 1998 when mom got sick and "adopted" him in 2002 when she passed.

Now it's 2005.
It's been SEVEN years...

I feel a fool for getting anxious about his possible passing.
I keep scaring myself.

Today I stopped to think back to the last major scare, when he developed glaucoma and had to have his left eye removed. I was ready to let him go then.

I was dating "she who gave me", who shall from now on be refered to as "Lasi".
Lasi broke up with me shortly after he had his surgery.
That was only last year. Seems like longer ago.

I am scared again...

He's thinner...
older...
dryer skin...
frailer...

Thursday he was lathargic. I was also not feeling well. The Red Ozone warnings for Dallas had started. I want to chalk them up to "bad weather" or "alergies".
Were it not for the, "thinner, older, dryer", I would not be too concerned. We have often been under the weather at the same times.

I love him.

Zelda has been wonderful and understanding.

I hate death.
It sucks...

We will take him in tomorrow morning to see if it is something serious, or just some "bad food".

Part of me wants to get off this roler coaster.

If this is actually it, JUST FUCKING *DO IT*! and get it over with!

Otherwise, stop scaring me...

Crematoria

Last night as I was finishing up at work and preparing to head out to study at my local coffee shop*slash*book store, the Bunny Phone rang.

Urgent message for the bunnyman!
The compressor fan on the air conditioner, aka HVAC, had gone kaput. What's the ac repair guy's number? Have to look it up when I get home.

If it weren't for the cat children, I wouldn't be too worried about it.

The evenings are still pleasant.
In the upper 70s.
And though I no longer feel 100% safe leaving my windows open at night, we did any way with the box fans running.

Was very pleasant.

Almost as pleasant as when Zelda and I slept and made love on the floor under the open windows in her apartment on her last night there.

Then it was in the upper 60s.

Sleeping with the windows open, cool breezes and city noises drifting in, reminds me of vacations in Tulsa at my grammy's when I was a child.

That house, built in the 40s, was designed for natural ventilation.
Windows were large and double hung. (Sorry ladys, they don't build them like they used too...)
Up high off the ground for security and privacy, and...well, to catch the air. Each room had two windows, on ajoining walls.
At night it was the race way and police cars. With the sounds of birds and the bright sun streaming in through the curtains in the morning.

So nice.
*************
The weather is supposed to reach the 100 mark by Thursday of this week. Along with RED OZONE ALERT days starting yesterday. *It's recomended that you don't breathe if you don't have too* As of today, it's only Tueday, and only going to reach 97F.
*********

This house was designed in the late 60s early 70s when Air Conditioning was to be the new Great Answer.
Like most new homes, it has asthma so to speak. Doesn't breathe well.(Hmmm... increase of the Man Made,
increase of breathing problems in Man...)

But who'd have thunk that it would still be so nice this late in June in Texas?
(We cave dwellers have forgotten that life isn't as bad as we might believe. We don't always need technology, *gasp!*)

Karlthebunny signing off from Crematoriun, Dallas.

Where's Zelda? - II

I set Zelda's computer up the other night.

So hopefully she will get back in the swing of things.

This marriage thing, as simple as we are making ours, is still an 400 pound gorilla that will eat your lunch and steal your ice cream.

Real Live Preacher

We are going to see RLP tomorrow.
He's officiating our marriage in July.

I read him regularly.

We are thinking about whether this is blog worthy.

Suddenly I am aware of how inwardly focused on the self my blog is.
And how outwardly focused is his.

But that is where I am right now. And maybe this is all to let me become aware of such thoughts.
*********
To marry a woman I met through a Herpes Awareness Blog...
Who blogged about having Herpes on Her blog, and thus our meeting each other.
To my creating My blog.
To our "dating" via our blogs.
Meeting others online because of their blogs.
And finally being married by a man who blogs about his faith in the church.

Small world...

Vacation Bible School- Adult Style Part I

Last Tuesday I was invited by Dr. S to visit her church.
For of all things, Family Vacation Bible School.
Small place, only about 7,000 members.

When a church can draw that many parishners, something good is happening!
It is a predominantly African American/Black congregation.
Non denominational, which confuses me. There are enough "non denominational" churches out there for it to be a "denomination" of its own.

The T.V. cameras were in force, as so many new churches now use them.
Which Architecturally means, you will not find any windows into the sanctuary. Too hard to balance the lighting for the afore mentioned video. So much for the Light of God shinning in.
But the Lord was in force.

There was a testimonial from a woman with cancer. She'd like to live and is ready to die.
Next they got the party started with an incredible 4 woman gospel group.
And finally there was the guest speaker.
He has a 40 week "Grace Walk" lecture series, which you can buy in the lobby, from which he gave a 4 hour synopsis over the four day Bible School.
Let me say, He WAS GOOD.
Lecturing from Corinthians, he basically gave a great, if not perplexing, speach on Paul's interpretation of Christ's "dying to the law".
Now I am a law kind of guy. I like rules and boundaries. I may break them regularly, but at least I think I understand what they mean.
His slant on the law, if I may paraphrase MY understanding of what he said, was Christ died so that we may be free from the laws of the church, the old laws from the Jews (Jesus being a good Jew), from Moses, and also from our current understanding of Christian Laws.
He said, you don't have to obey ANY of them. Huh?!?
Jesus sets us free to do anything we want.

He admonished us to be like Jesus. Which Paul said we are to be like Christ.
And live as if Jesus were living through us.
********************
More later when I have the time...

Work in Progress

Now that Zelda and I are "living in Sin", (which technically means, "without G*D" which I find hard to believe as G*d created both Zelda and me, and SEX), we are not talking as much.

We are caught up in the "needing to do" lists of pre marrage and new home owner.
Even though I own the house, Zelda needs to register "Betty" the Chic U.V., get a Texas license.
Converge auto insurances.
Many things she's dealing with that are not even on my radar.

I'm focused on cash and savings and helping her get her things settled in the house.

The adage that once you move in, or get married, that the sex drops off, is so far, proving true.
**********************

Zelda, J, and I went to the MEGA mall Saturday to shop. Zelda lost 4 pounds, and though she is NOT trying to find them, she is in need of finding new clothes.

She bought some skirts, some blouses, and looked at possible wedding dresses.
Similar to raising a child. She constantly "under grows" her clothes. This is a good thing.
Amusingly enough, she enthusiastically showed me what she bought once we were home.
That's a girl thang.
Even with a gay best buddy, we have never said, "Wanta see what I bought?".
I guess we do it in a "look what I killed at the mall today" kind of guy way.

Studying

I am endevering to finish my studies for the Architectural Exams.

At 38 my study skills and memory are not what they once were.
I have to learn to focus.
My brain is out of practice.

I did well last year taking the Real Estate Classes for Agents.
I was interested in the topic.
And there was a discipline in taking weekend classes.
Saturation would be the theme.

Reading.
Lecture.
Lab.
Exam.

Some of it should stick.

Though, don't ask me about it today.
I couldn't tell you.

Disadvantage about cram courses.
And age.

Today I waded into Structures.

E - Modulus of Elasticity (psi)
a - coefficient of linear expansion (in/in-F)
f - unit stress (psi or psf)
e - total deformation (inches)
A - area (in2 or ft2)
P - total force (pounds or kips)

f=P/A

In reality, it's not so much Mathematics,
as it is Language and Vocabulary.

These exams are my freedom.
To move, to start my own company.
To make more money.

It means time away from Zelda Bunny.
Alot of time...
It will take me every evening every week for a number of months to be prepared for this exam.
I have two that are related.
General Structures (why things don't fall down)
and
Lateral Forces (how to keep things from knocking your stuff over).

Important, mighten you agree?
That would be why we, Architects, hire Structural Engineers, to handle all that gravity stuff.
A great example of a world famous Structural Engineer would be Santiago Calatrava.
(From the link above, check out the Milwaukee museum. Choose "Projects" then "buildings" then "USA" and finally "Milwaukee Art Museum". Those wing like tines (left),
m o v e...
W a y
C o o l!)

Sadly, I will forget most of what I'm studing, because I don't use it enough. (That and my memory is not so good)

Back to exercizing my brain...
My body may be in good shape, but my "little gray cells" need to do some push ups!!

Where's Zelda??

For those Zelda fans out there wondering, "Where's Zelda?", she has yet to find the box with her computer in it.

And now that she works for a large International Corporation here in the Dallas area, cuz she's WAY north of Big D, Big Brother watches what she does on the company computer.
(No down loading porn on company time! or machines!, *and that's just e-mail!!*)

So never fear, she will be back soon.
Trust me, she uses my laptop, and I need it for my down loading of porn on company time.

Just kidding bro!!

ktb

Meeting the family

Earlier in the year, I was anxious about meeting the Pinwheels.
Mr and Mrs. as well as brother Pinwheel.

This weekend Zelda and I were invited to a bbq at the home of one of my sister's oldest friends.
They knew each other in middle school and have raised their babys to the point where they are now empty nesters.

Now I know sister's friend, but haven't seen her in years. Make that about 10?

Zelda and I drove around the block for about 15 minutes waiting for sister to show up.
Finally we decided to be "adults" and rang the bell. Nothing to fear. We were given a tour of the house and ended up by the pool, drinking sodas and talking with sister's friend.

Sister finally got there with neice and grand babys in tow.
Sister's friend found it amusing to hear grand baby boy call sister, "grandma".

Later the women got into the pool and it seemed a prerec that each should have a small child.
There was one for Sister, Niece, Zelda, Sister's friend, and Sister's friends' niece.

Bunnyman stayed nice and dry in the shade drinking rootbeer.

A nice time was had by all.

Registration

Uh, that's the Marrage type, not the Professional kind.
Saturday Zelda and I ventured out to the same places, but for different reasons.
We started at HomeDepot, that hardware woderland.
I was there with Z to day dream and get ideas.

Z wanted to register for gifts.

It strikes me odd. Maybe I should continue to think on this.
We are both in our mid to late thirties.
We have more than what we need.

It has been asked by a number of friends, where are we registered?
They want to join our celibration and give to us.

We then went on over to Crate and Barrel.
It's easy to rack up the $$ with a laser scanner and a wish list.
For those of you who wish to give,
thank you,
but it's not neccessary.

We are here!!

It is going to take some getting used to Zelda's method of operations.
We are no longer Just Friends with Benifits, but Lovers.
Live ins.
Co Habitaters.
Future Spouses.

I talked with J on Saturday after the Great Melt Down.
I saw a side of Zelda that I did not recognize for I had never seen it before.
A side I don't care to see often.

I am laid back.
Life Happens and I roll with it. Not much else one can do.

Zelda was in fear that we would not be able to fit everything in.
I had a plan.
I knew it would work.

Zelda had her doubts.

I have years of wisdom to temper my emotions.
Though Saturday I was momentarily at a loss.
It slipped my mind that Zelda reads this blog, my personal blog, and that I had mentioned here and in person that I had/have anxieties.

And that is perfectly normal.

Zelda, you must remember that these are momentary thoughts. Current feelings.
But only that. Like the wind, they will change.

So... Zelda babe, cut me some slack!

I love you.
And as J shared with me, "I love you, but at the moment, I may or may not like you very much".

Saturday was one of those days!

Today, is different!
****************
Friday she stays home to go through her boxes and put things away. I may get home and love her to death, Opppss!
I mean, "I love you dear, but right now I don't like you too much for throwing out my favorite two year old, past its sell by date by 18 months, box of cake mix..."

Glad you're here!

klz