Lie to me/Wish me Happy Birthday!!

As Zelda put it, today is the "10th anniversary" of the celebration of my 29th birthday.

Yes, I had to think about that one too.
As did the kid.
I guess guys, I'll qualify this, USUALLY don't think this way.

Yes, I'm 39 today...
And my bride is just 35. I think all the folks who know her already know her age, and if not, she's not the kind of woman to be concerned about such things. And if not that, forgive my sweet heart, I'll edit the page later.
***********
Last night Zelda brought extra work home.

Mr. Personality had a client with a "furniture crisis".

Now what exactly is that?

"Oh NO! My colors don't match!!"

She used this as a means to suggest to me that she had an early meeting, which seemed odd, but I am a trusting man. We needed to leave 15 minutes earlier this morning....

Just after down town, she couldn't stand it any longer and told me that she had a secret.

The thoughts that went through my mind.

As is turned out she Really didn't have a meeting this morning, but wanted to take me to breakfast.

Amusingly enough, not 5 minutes earlier, my stomach spoke to me and said,
"I'm hungry, it's my birthday too, why don't you ask where she's taking us to breakfast this a.m."

But I knew I had muchies at the office and kept my mouth shut.

She took me to Eatzi's!
***********
The Zelda 'rents called this morning and sang me "happy birthday".
(I swear the royalty check will be in the mail this by this afternoon!
Imagine writing a song that the WHOLE world knows and loves, and sings
EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR.
Then imagine that you never get the royalties...
Anyway, like Ginger (and all the other characters) on "Giligan's Island", it brings joy to millions)
*************
So...

Why don't you lie to me, it's my birthday!

Pink Martini

Pink Martini, see link above, is having a Katrina Relief Concert to raise monies for the communities affected.

Everytime I hear Pink Martini, I am instantly taken back to the first time I heard them, out side Espania in Omaha.

It's dark, Zelda and I are sitting in Betty, the wonder car, and we are bundled up against the freezing weather.
That night her rose froze walking from the restaurant to Betty.
(the rose forgot it's coat and missed the parking lot, we found it huddled just outside the car, it had forgotten to bring the keys *they were in the coat!* and thus couldn't get the door open. Okay, okay, Zelda carried the rose, but in the short time before she could get it bundled in her coat, it froze.
Sheesh, a walking rose!!)
My point? I had not experienced that kind of cold before.

But Zelda kept me protected from the cold.

Not much to report

But I thought I'd drop by.

Snoopy, our new kitty is doing well.

He's about 15 months old, energetic as a kitten, and very, very quite. I think I heard him coo when he jumped up on the bed last night, but I'm not sure.

We'll have photos of him up later.

This new kitty brings up Woody memories.
I knew it would happen.

Missing his personality and way of being...
And some guilt.

The SPCA brochure outlines the "getting to know you" period for new and old kitties.
A friend suggested putting them together and letting them work it out, so we did.
SPCA recommends keeping them apart for at least 10 days and other "getting to know you" techniques.
Zelda feels badly for throwing Gaea into things.
I feel the same for Woody. He was old and sick. And had to deal with a new grumpy room mate...

Gaea is having issues with me.
We can't figure it out, as it began Before Snoopy's arrival.

She get's WAY worked up when she sees me. Usually near her food, though I have been the one to feed her lately in an effort to increase my "friendliness" ratio... It doesn't happen every time, but at least once a day...in the evening...when I'm home...
(I have encouraged Zelda to spend more One on One time with her. We have been car pooling... so I'm always there when Zelda is.)
She will come in and sit on me when I'm in bed, but I dare not pet her, as she is one disgruntled kitty.

Woody had his, "enough is enough!" points, and it was a challenge, and fun, to figure them out.
Snoopy, so far, doesn't have a grumpy bone in his little kitty body.

And then there's Gaea...
(Zelda loves her very much, but since we don't have insurance on Gaea, there's no reason to knock her off... I guess we'll just have to keep her...)
At times I am scared of her.
She doesn't have front claws, and bats me, (everyone actually) when I walk by. Occationally she gets her teeth in on it. And that's what troubles me... I need my feet!

To top it off, she's the prettiest cat you ever saw...

Anyway...
****************
The carpooling continues.
Though Zelda is ready to change careers!

That and someone forgot it was September and hasn't turned off the heat... That or the valve is broken. I told Z last month that the middle of Sept. would be cool and beautiful, my favorite time of year! And that "Yes, it WILL actually get cooler!"

She doesn't believe me...

I'm begining not to believe me...

Zelda's dad reported a record high of 106 F yesterday, the 26th of September.
***********
I was able to get wireless at Zelda's parent's place and I LIKE it.
Have decided to buy a different wireless router with a card for her so we can get out of the office.
Blogging from the back yard. WooHoo!

Time to get back to work!

Hey Zelda!!
When you gonna blog somethin'?!

klz

Rita of the big winds

Earlier in the week, another Hurricane threatened to trash the coast line, this time with the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in the eventual path.

I wondered in my mind if the whole, "this is a neutral event, and we in our thinking make it 'good' or 'bad' " would remain my moto when it hit in MY back yard.

It moved eastward and we never had a drop... part of me is disappointed...

I had looked forward to holding up in the house on Saturday, sheltered and 'safe' against the storm. That and we really need the rain...
********
We did have a sad thing happen this week.

As Zelda and I got ready to go to work, the news reported the deaths of some elderly folks on a bus fire who were escaping the hurricane...

It suprised me to see it on the BBC later that morning. It shouldn't have, but I was still thinking of it as a 'local' event.

A number of things made it personal.

Mom was on oxygen for the last year of her life. They think at this point in time that oxygen tanks used by some of the riders may have exploded.

The section of road where it happened, is one street south of were we exit on the way home from A&M games. It's not 10 miles from my house.

*Unlike the horrible events that happen every day around the world, I know where this one occured.*

My world rarely makes national news, and I like it that way.

The only other times I have had this "feeling" was with Amber Hagerman.
You may of heard of the "Amber Alerts". They are public broadcasts anouncing the abduction of a child. They are meant to help get the public involved in spotting the car or child...

My daily commute took me with in feet of where her body was found.
Six miles from where I lived at the time...

Last year part of my home town suffered a 100 year flood. And previous to that, we hosted a tornado that took out a good portion of the town. Bearly missing the church I grew up in.

Many families are hurting right now. Mourning the tragic loss of loved ones.
At least that's what I hope happens to nursing home residents. Someone somewhere misses them...

And at the same time, up in Omaha, Yolonda had her baby with out so much as a peep!

The great wheel of life...

Italian Ham, Fresh Cheese, HEB, and a Cat

Zelda and I decided to get out and do some fresh food shopping.
And maybe we would have been better off had we just gone to the Farmers Market like we planned.

Instead I got this great idea to finally introduce her to Eatzies, a gourmet food market here in Dallas, for brunch. They have incredible Mochas (we couldn't stop "Wow"ing over how good the mocha was) and brownies. We picked up some ham and cheese and bread and fruit tarts for later.
***********
We sat out on the patio to eat brunch, surounded on both sides by twenty somethings, mainly girls. One table talked bout boring dates they'd been on. The other about "hot guys" and road trips. How a friend of theirs sends photos with resumes of guys she interviews and finds attractive.
Zelda and I talked about recycling/reusing the plastic containers our food had come in.

Are we married or what! lol!
************
The second half of our trip was to check out HEB's Central Market.
Zelda is partial to HEB (grocery store), it is very strong in the south and is the store of choice in Zelda parents land.
Central Market is great!

The advantage goes to the Farmer's Market though.
Everything is in cash. The food was picked yesterday, you can support local famers, get fantastic deals on fresh food, and lastly, you can't over spend. Once the money is gone, it's time to go home!
*********
On the way out of the parking lot, hoping we would get SOME of Rita's rains, which we never did...Zelda spotted a sign for a crafts store and Petsmart.

I need a pole to hold my birthday gift, a college banner from the rents, and a laser pointer with which to play with Gaea the man eater.

We didn't find either one.
*************
Cat lovers should NEVER visit the SPCA cat adoption cages when there is actually someone THERE!!

We fell in love with Snoopy.
Not his real name, but he is white with black (and pink) ears, a black spot on his upper back, and a black tail,

Voila!
Snoopy!!

(Zelda had suggested "Spot", and that got us to thinking of dog names! )
*****
He is long, 15 months old, and had been returned to the shelter. The original owners had too many pets...

Unlike Woody and Gaea, he doesn't seem to have a mean bone in his body.
He wasn't fazed by the car ride home. And hasn't said a word. No meows, not a peap!

I love Gaea's vocals. She quite a singer.
Maybe he'll learn in time.
Woody had been a quite one till Mom brought home some other cats.

I liked Woody for his personality. "Yes, you may pet some parts of me. Some more than others, but here you must not touch, and now I will bite you to prove it." So far, Snoopy doesn't have ANY of those areas.

Anyway, wish us luck!

The Day After

Zelda and I are visiting the 'rents this weekend.
College Ball yesterday, Georgetown today.
And yes, my team beat their team.
66 to 8.

I am sitting out on the front porch, which is a first.
Very nice. A little warm without a breeze.

Yesterday at the game Zelda succeeded in worring bout whether I would get sun burned or not, and forgot about herself...

She did slather up. But not often enough though out the day to escape unscathed...

We are older and not as active as we once were and walking across campus (a mile) in 90+ degree heat doesn't help. The hard part is the exposure. Four hours in the sun takes a toll.

As we made or way over to Cafe Excell for a late lunch, Zelda succomb to the heat. She was more concerned about collapsing and embarrassing me, I was more worried about her collapsing and my having to call an ambulance.
But we made it to the restaurant, drank some ice water, applied cold compresses to her face and neck, and she slowly recovered.

(Cafe Excell ranked two "yummies", a "wow", and three "ummm!"s from Zelda.
Really worth checking out should you visit College Station. It's behind North Gate on Church Street at Welborn.)

Although Zelda looks solid and sturdy, she is really quite fragile. (As am I)
Breating troubles, extra weight, and an internal sensibility set for "Nebraska weather" and she is easily fatigued.

We both have noticed it is easier to breathe here in Southern Texas, where the alergens are not so high.

We have talked about moving out of the Dallas area for the change of scenery.
It would be better for our health.
Though if we move north, which I would like to do, this Texas boy is going to have to invest in a lot of sweaters.

My bride is finally ready to venture forth, and Papa Zelda has been hungry for hours, so I will sign off from Zelda rent's nature surrounded back porch.
******

We have made it safely home.
Zelda's rents live in Del Web's retirement community. It incorporates a stiff HOA (home owner's association) with well thought out rules about the yards, plantings and such. And it has been left as natural as a developed neighborhood can be.

Deer wander through the back yards, eating what they may, and most homes have front and back porches.

Nice place.
*****
Zelda and I have decided that we will continue to car pool, and the boss with have to work things out.

Have a good week.

Sin City

Zelda and I finally got around to plugging "Sin City" into the DVD.
We had both heard really good things about it.

If you haven't seen it, it's on our "to buy" list.

********
What makes a person so...small?...
petty?...
pathetic?...
that they want to pee on someone else's parade?

When I asked to car pool last week, I thought it would be temporary.
"Get up at 5:40am EVERY morning JUST to save on gas?!? "
But I was pleasantly suprised by the experience.
So I decided to make it permanent.

The folks at the office are unhappy with it.
Big Boss had some previous "bad experience" with differing times, so he banned different hours.

Senior Architect has a personality defect I did not see before, (maybe because I was wanting to play along to be liked and to not make waves).
He "decided" Friday that if I could "change" my hours, then he should be able to as well. Only he wanted to ask for 9:30 to 6:00. He has been with the company for 9 years. He has no intention of coming in later...

He knew full well that Big Boss would remember the "last time we tried this" and put a nix to it.
What is it to him if I come in early, work an extra hour, and leave one hour sooner than he does? It's one hour. Sixty minutes sooner.

Am I over reacting if I should say, "No, big Boss, this is how it's going to be... I car pool with my wife, or I walk"?

I don't think so...
***********
Any thoughts?

(Per Zelda's request, I am faxing my Resume out tomorrow and following up on some leads...)

AhHA!

I know how I will make use...of my...

extra hour... a day...

I'll TUTOR...

only,

I don't have
a
car...

Hurricane Hits Bunny Home

In addition to the over all expenses that the weather will bring, a personal hit was felt here in the bunny home.

An old employer of my had given me some moonlighting work.
$6,000.00 or so for two weeks work.
Would have paid down some wedding/moving bills.

Monday last I gave him my bid. I was too high, cut it down some, agreed to some additiona work for an increase in fee, and waited for the response from his client.

Then Katrina came stomping through. I'm sure she meant no harm at all and was looking forward to hearing some great New Orleans jazz and trying some cajun cooking with Southern hospitality.

They didn't take to her though... something about uninvited guest and letting the bath tub, or was the toilet?, over flow...

Anyway, the client balked at the fees.
Wants US to reduce them even more.

I say he can go to hell
where I'm sure he will find someone else to do his work.

As Zelda commented, "I bet he won't back down on His Fees when he's trying to sell his condos".

Katrina, couldn't you have waited just another week, AFTER we have signed the contracts?

sigh...

This Week

This week started out with Zelda taking me to the Dallas Symphony to hear the Chieftains play.

She bought tickets for my birthday, which is at the end of the month, so I get a number of "birthdays" this year!!
Kind of nice...
She got to see/hear the Meyerson Symphony hall as well!

There are a number of friend's birthdays this month.
*It's COLD and DARK in January!*
*************
We spent last Saturday working around the house.
Sunday was a day of rest.
And Monday was a much needed holiday.
***************
Zelda finally was ready to play Cash flow, a board game designed as a learning tool.

The designer suggests that one is ready to move on to the next level after playing the game at least 12 times and being able to get out of the Rat Race with in an hour three times in a row.

The game takes about, on average, three hours to play

Zelda on her *first try* got out in 62 minutes!
I wasn't even close...
So we played again.
This time she beat me in about 65 minutes.
I have never gotten out in 62 minutes, and I've been playing for a while now...

The fastest I have seen anyone get out involved taking out huge loans so that they could go into the Big Deals which require upwards of $6,000 per. (My experience has been the Big Deals are the way to go)

This will make no sense at all if you haven't played or heard of the game.
(It's on the net through Richdad.com)

I was very happy that Zelda finally wanted to play. And as much as I'd have liked to "beat" her, *it's not that kind of game*.
Time to pay closer attention to what she's doing so as to learn new ways of thinking, which is what the game is all about.
***********
Tuesday we started car pooling, which *sounds* worse than it is.
I blogged about its benifits earlier, so I won't rehash it.

There was some fall out.

Senior Architect didn't like the idea that I would be leaving so "early", I get in at 7:00, I work an extra hour for the Man, and leave at 4:30 instead of 5:30. I would, some where down the line, like to ask for every other Friday off to balance out the time. But that will have to wait...
The Man rarely visits our part of the office, so the Kid told me that SA told the Man I was leaving a hour and a half early.

"Daddy! He's getting more of the ice cream!!"
What a loser...

So I played the "two parents" off each other.
" Well if it's okay with SA, you can leave early".
"What did the Man say?"

They both said, "Yes".

(I had talked to the Man the week before and told him the hours, but he didn't hear me. Like so many of us, he was already forming his response in his head. He too is car pooling with his wife and wanted to tell me so.)

Senior is very inefficient with the use of his time. Every time the phone rings, he *must* answer it. And he likes to wait till the last moment to suprise us with, "this HAS to get out tonight".
His joke is, "We worked 12 hours today, which means we're slacking, because we only put in Half a day!".

The truth has come out.
He is unhappy. Bitter. And most likely lonely.
He bad mouths the Man every chance he gets.

Now I used to buy into this kind of poison.

It was only when a good friend at the office suggested a different way of thinking about SA that I was able to "think for myself again".

I hate when I fall into those personality fights.

The Man may have his flaws, but he is doing "great things" in his life.
Starting and running his own company.
Helping create the Interiors licensing (as much as I detest it). Great fortunes have been made for many people because of it.
He was interviewed recently for a trade magazine.

SA, I believe is very insecure, and very jealous.

Why else would one attack someone?
***********
Our current architectural intern, the Kid, is about ready to quit.
He is spending more than he earns, and the Man, doesn't give out large raises. The one he got for his review was "insulting".
(Very foolish on the Man's part.
Stepping over a dime to pick up a penny.
Bad for moral.
Very expensive in turn overs.)

In addition, SA is a prick, and the Kid's friends are making more than he is, from leads he has given them!!

He says he'd like to stay...

I'm going in this next week to ask for one myself. I am dreading it.
I am also going to request my own projects.
There were serveral jobs that were "mine" when I started here a year ago, that I am watching being handed off to the new guy...

Leaving me to work directly under Senior Architect...
which is why I have not been available to run them...
This will NOT continue...

I am encouraging the Kid to either talk to the boss or get out, because there is no sense, in this market, to stay where he's unhappy.
But at least he can get into the habit of approaching the Boss Man, who ever they may be, to stand up for himself.

I'd like to see him stay.

I suggested he talk to Superman, *instead* of SA, since he is doing what I want to do, and is in the best position in the whole office. Younger than I am, he has job security, and the ear of the boss. He has little ego, and incredible tack. He doesn't get caught up in the office politics to the extent that we in the back do..
********
This week has been good.

Zelda blogged last week and has figured out a way to blog via her email, which means she can post from work when things are slow, of course.

Zelda is out today buying art supplies and making(?) a new work friend, so this means I can get to the laundry for her and maybe do some more sorting and cleaning up!

ciao

What a gift

A few years ago, I had a friend in my church singles class who, while still in her twenties, decided to work for the Peace Corp.

Now one of the things I envied about her two year service, besides getting to live over seas, learn a new language, and give back to the world in a deep and meaningful way, not to mention learn from a different way of thinking, (non western), was that she sold EVERYTHING she owned before she left.

No sense in paying for storage of it, because she couldn't afford too.
(They don't pay all that much for charity work in "third world" countries. By the way, she went to the former Soviet block.)

I have many times flirted with the idea of "having nothing" but that which was Neccessary.
And to think long and hard before I "brought something home".

When she returned, she shared with us that she would not buy anything that she did not need, and that she had not already decided in her mind where it would live and what it should be.

To design her life around what she valued.

*********
The media keeps harping on how the Hurricane "victims" have "lost everything".

Unless they were killed, they didn't "loose" everything. And if they did die, they don't care anymore.

They didn't loose their American citizenship.

Or their right to free speach.

They haven't lost their freedom to express themselves, or live where they want, even if it is below sea level along the coast.

They aren't locked up.

The government, no matter what some political agenda's may be pushing, IS NOT trying to kill them.

What they did loose was their STUFF.

Which I could see would deeply frighten those who do have STUFF.

Not to mention those whose lively hoods are focused around SELLING us that stuff.
Namely, the media.

We so completely define who we are in this country by what we own.

These folks will experience a freedom few of us have.

To be able to start over and redefine themselves, albeit, via NEW STUFF.

I would love to have only what I wanted, instead of what was given me.
To be free of the things that "own me".

Let's hope we can see this in a positive light.

Hurricane hits "close to home"

Each year Florida gets pounded. Occationally, Houston or some part of Texas gets clobbered.

This year, the hurricane that hit Louisiana hit closer to home than any other.
By this I mean our pocket books.
I also mean an influx of displaced people.
Last week as I was getting ready for work I heard the "Whuup Whuup" of military helicopters flying over head on their way south. On the way home I saw a group of National Guards just off of 75 getting ready to head that way as well.
Each day on the way in to work, Zelda and I pass by the former stadium where many former New Orleans now stay.
And yesterday we saw our first Louisiana license plate and wondered if they were a part of the new Texans, there are at least 230,000 of them this week alone.

Car Pooling

We have discovered in the first 10 minutes the advantages of carpooling, and there are many.

First, we save on gasoline.
Second, we can use the HOV (high ocupancy vehicle, which technically is ANY car, as they DO hold more than ONE seat) and pass by miles of stop and go traffic.
Third, we save on the wear and tear on the cars.
Forth, we get more time with each other.
Fifth, Zelda isn't sitting in traffic for two hours a day.
Sixth, we add less polution to the already nasty Dallas air.
Seventh, I get into the office two hours early, which means the place is quiet and dark, as it is right now, and I have the extra time to blog each day, not to mention I can better plan my day.
Eighth, I find I am prepared the night before, instead of being late 'cus I misplaced my keys.
Nineth, we save money on gas and tires and maintenance.
Tenth, though I have an extra hour at the office each day, I won't work late except on special occations.
Eleventh, I am "at work early" when the bosses come in.
Twelveth, Zelda and I can now eat dinner together and still have time to go walking and/or have sex!
Thirteenth, we go to bed and get up at the same times now.
Fourteenth, I get to pick up the mail, something I enjoyed before Zelda moved in.
Fifteenth, I don't waste as much time in the morning lying in bed, trying to convince myself to Get Up! and not hit the snooze...

And as I said before, we get to see each other more in the day now.

Yes, there is a silver lining in all things we deem "good" or "bad".

Dear Diary

This Monday past, a huricane slammed into the Louisiana coast line.

It was born in the Atlantic as a cat. 1, drifted westward and passed over Florida.

Usually I don't pay attention to such things. Though I have friends who live along the coasts, I live too far inland to be bothered by them. If one should strike Texas, they are only rain when reach Dallas. And we need rain.

Crossing over Florida, not doing too much damage as I recall, because I don't usually pay attention to such things, it drifted into the Gulf of Mexico and grew into a cat. 5 monster.

I now started paying closer attention.

Sept. 6, 2005

I have had to pay closer attention this time.

I think it stupid for folks who want to, and choose to live close to areas that are impacted *so regularly* by mass acts of what we see as "distruction".

It happens, distruction.

We, in our air conditioned, *very rich* country, with Tv and "entertainment" shows and gameboys and movie rentals, our land of make believe.

Where is our simpathy when it's a bunch of people who speak a different language some where else (as in "not America")?

I am dissapointed.
In the lack of preparedness in New Orleans.
In the government, though I reserve judgement till we get everyone's side...
In the media, "Quick! there is a loud "victim", let's go get her story! *it'll make all the news!*"
The looters.
The complainers. "I lost everything! I *couldn't* get out. I expect the Government to come save me!! So where the Hell are they!! (as I have been doing for years on public assistance)"

Excuse me, I live below SEA level, right on the coast line! I know it's coming, but I don't want to DO anything about it.

I realize we are needing to be supportive at times like these, but I am also pissed.
The party is over and someone has to pick up the tab.

And that "someone" is US.
******
This being said, I don't see this ever stopping.
Human nature.
Happens all over the world.

There were devistating earthquakes in Alaska in the 1960's. People died. Homes were destroyed. People moved away.
40 years later, new developers are moving in, building in the SAME areas, even though there is documented proof that one *should not* live there, as it WILL happen again. And with in a life time.

Folks still buy these homes...

Anyway...

I guess my point in all this is,

it has impacted Zelda and I.
We will donate to the relief.
And we have begun to car pool to save on our limited funds.
I am not a moring person, who ironically, loves the morning most of all.
So I am at work early, and feeling frightened about the future, where the $$ will come from, will I have to continue to get up at an early hour, instead of getting the luxury of sleeping in...

Back to work.
It will all work out in the end.

Always has...
always will....