Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Home Safely

Well, I have returned from my trip to Tucson and I am in one piece. Unfortunately, I left my camera in Tempe, so I have no pictures. Yet. Once I get my camera back, I will be able to post some images. I will also return to post an update with details about the trip. But it might be a while, as I am very short on time these days.

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Guess Who?

I thought I would leave you with a little guessing game before I go. If you already know the answer, then you are disqualified. But take a look at these four faces:



Now, what do you think they all have in common?

See you next week! Have fun!

Fall Break

Due to the holidays, this blog will be dormant for a while. Have a happy Thanksgiving! See you sometime next week.

Oh, and whether or not you like the holiday season, I'm sure you'll
get a kick out of this.

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Random Thought: Delete Precedes Elite


Well...doesn't it?

Monday, November 21, 2005

Kittie Kala

Our new kitten - Kala - who I think is now officially a cat, is a little bundle of [wild] energy when she is not being sweet. Although, sometimes she actually sleeps!

And she can sleep just about anywhere - even on top of the DSL modem.



Sometimes, she sleeps with (or on top of) my wife when my wife falls asleep in her chair.



And sometimes, she even sleeps with me.



Now, there's a picture worth a thousand words!

Sunday, November 20, 2005

Goodbye New Friend, Again

Back in July, I bought a little Honda Civic.



It had some potential long-term issues with the engine (had carbon build-up and a minor oil leak) that I just didn't want to deal with, so I turned around and sold the car near the end of October. I actually really liked the car and would like to get another one some day, but today I got some distressing news about my "old" Civic.

I woke up today to a notice on the door and a message on my answering machine from the San Francisco Police Department, wanting to talk to me about my car. I had sold it to a guy who lives in San Francisco...at least he did. I called the police department and they told me that "my" car had been found totalled (smashed in the front all the way up to the passenger seat) and abandoned. The air bags had been deployed, and the stereo had been ripped out. There had been no report of an accident, so they wanted to know if the occupants of the car got out OK.

I had the name and address of the guy I sold the car to, but no phone number. I gave the info to the police and they said they would send someone over to check. That is the last I have heard. But they also asked me if I had sent in the release of liability to the DMV - which I have - and told me that if I hadn't, then I would be responsible for the towing fees and whatever other liability that was incured.

That is very distressing. So, now I have to call the DMV to see if they actually received my paperwork. I don't know how long it takes to get the information through the system, but I am hoping it still showed registered in my name only because the new owner hadn't got his paperwork through, yet, and not because they didn't receive mine. It is a lesson in sending in paperwork immediately after selling a car - which I did - and in always getting a delivery confirmation when sending important paperwork in - which I didn't.

Anyway, I have no idea what happened, though it sounds like someone stole the car and was having too much fun with it. I hope, for the sake of the new owner, that he was insured, and - if he was driving - that he and everyone else involved is OK.

I'm going to try to find out more on Monday, after my two telephone interviews in the morning. I'm one step closer to getting a new job! I hope I get one, soon, so I can start bringing some money in again and get back to at least one of my hobbies. It sucks being unemployed when all I am doing is looking for jobs! I also want to get my head shot and resume together and get some of my monologues online and start looking for some acting gigs, too.

Well, every end is a new beginning, I suppose. Here's our new car (we're down to two cars, now - finally!). It's a Mazda Protoge 5. Pretty nice, though I don't like the car alarm or the electric door locks that lock by themselves after you start the engine. Who's brain child idea was that? I need to get a manual for the car so I can see if there is a way to disable that feature.

Saturday, November 19, 2005

MERRY FREAKIN' CHRISTMAS, ALREADY!!

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. I have the worst time of it around the holidays, because I am about as far from being a shopper as you can get. It's hard for me to even buy food and gas! My shoes are a few years old (I bought two pair about 10 years ago, and I'm on the second pair, now). But I want to do something different this year.

I'm looking for gift ideas for my wife. I mean, something for ME to buy (or do) for HER. But I suck at gift ideas (but pretty good at sucking face, I think). OK, but that's a different topic.

I'd like to use one of my life lines and poll the audience. So, audience, GOT ANY IDEAS?! I'd like to hear from a woman's perspective... What do you wish your hubby would give you for [shudder] CHRISTMAS? Just because I don't like the holiday doesn't mean I should spoil it for her, y'know?

Thursday, November 17, 2005

The Calm After the Storm

The world is full of people. Over 5 billion of them. FIVE BILLION! It is amazing how isolated one can feel in this world at times, despite how many people are in it. And it is amazing how much of a difference just one or two can make in just one other person's life. Everything is relative.

I guess we all just need to hear that we're not alone from time to time. It is funny how one can begin to feel lonely even when living with someone. I guess that's what friends are for - to help balance that out.

Thanks to the readers of my blog (I know I have so few) who have offered their kind words and their friendship to me. It means a lot! Sorry if I brought anybody down. I promise to resume "normal" operations, shortly!

Well, maybe "normal" will resume after the holidays. There's a radio station here playing nothing but Christmas music already. All day. All the time. 24x7. Did I tear the wrong page from my calender? I thought this was NOVEMBER! Maybe I should call the request line and ask if they'll play Michael Jackson's Thriller. Or something from Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album.

Ah, whatever. I'm not going to sweat the small stuff. Or listen to it, either.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Phlegm Buoyancy

My blogs seem so pointless. I usually try to keep a sense of humor, but I think that is a mask for the truth, lately. I write about nothing in order to protect those around me from my problems. I never want to burden anyone, and it seems I never ask for help. Even when I need it.

My life seems to lack purpose. I have lost interest in most things, and I just go day to day trying to get by until I die. I think of the universe and how vast it is. I don't even know where to begin - there are more GALAXIES out there than we can count, and there are millions of stars in each galaxy, and who knows how many millions (billions?) of planets and other material. And then there is this one little blue planet, sitting out near the edge of one spiral galaxy in an uninteresting, uneventful little corner, with but one moon in the sky at night. And on this planet are over 5 BILLION human beings. Millions of those people are on the Internet, looking for whatever it is they are looking for.

And then there's my blogs. My blogs about me...and other pointless topics.



I am but a speck on the face of the space-time continuum. A nobody in a great pool of planetary parasites. What do I matter? Sure, I suppose in the relative scheme of things, I matter to a few people...though I'm not sure why. And what is this life business all about, anyway? There just doesn't seem to be a point it. At least not to mine.

I have everything anyone could ever ask for, yet I am depressed and unhappy. I get irritated by people and things, and even about myself. Somewhere along the way, I changed from what was once an inquisitive, interested, hopeful kid to a miserable, cinical, depleated old ogre.

Ah, well. Phlegm floats, right?

Whatever that means. Life is weird. I just need to find a way out of this funk before I either start playing with explosives again, or wind up taping a bag over my head. Anyway, I just needed to get that out of my head - write it down somewhere - before I made a movie about my head exploding. Sometimes, just spitting it out helps make things look brighter. Sometimes, however, it just puts into perspective just how pathetic I can be.

God. Why couldn't I have won the lottery yesterday? $315 Million! I'm sure that would help a little. I would have plenty of money left over after buying my own burial plot to do...whatever. Maybe go bungee jumping from hot air balloons. Or maybe just buy a plot of land out in the middle of nowhere and build an underground house and just hide away in there. That way, I could die where I lived and nobody would have to bury me.

I want to be fed to the birds, anyway. Return my body to the Earth - none of this burial or cremation nonsense! Donate my organs and let the critters eat the rest. I've got to do SOMETHING to give back to this planet. I feel like such a leech. I eat food every day, yet all my bodily waste gets channeled down through a pipe instead of recycled back into the ecosystem. Don't even get me started on the whole garbage thing.

Anyway, I'm rabling now. I better stop before my wife gets home. Though I'm not sure why. Does anything really matter in the whole scheme of things?

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Land Quest

So, what does a 43-year-old unemployed software developer with no money do on the weekends? Why, look for land to buy!

I'm broke, but I can dream, can't I?

A couple weeks ago, my wife and I took a trip to Grass Valley, CA to look at land. We like the area aroud there, since it is kind of like the desert, but not quite as dry, and we wind up visiting the Yuba River there every year, so why not move there? It is a nice idea, and I hope we can actually do it some day. I'm tired of living in an apartment!

We didn't take a lot of pictures while we were out there, but we did look at quite a few parcels of land. Most of which we didn't like. But there were a couple of places that were great...but that we couldn't afford.

And then there was this one place. It was awesome. And it was our last stop of the day, because the sun was going down, and it was the furthest lot on our map. It didn't really fit what we were looking for, but if we wanted a view, it was great. I took some of the coolest sunset pictures I have ever seen - very surreal. Well, you can see for yourself!

click for larger image

Is that cool or what? That is un-touched, just as the camera took it (except that it is cropped). Click on it to see the full size version. I have other similar photos that are just as cool.

Here is a shot with some better contrast to get an idea of what the view was like from this lot. Keep in mind that pictures just don't capture the whole...picture.

click for larger image

Very quiet and peaceful and away from the hustle and bustle. I like that.

Anyway, we had a good time hanging out for the weekend. There was a nice hot tub at the hotel where we stayed, though it was too hot for me to get all the way into (I'm such a weenie). And the fall colors were kicking in. Here's a shot of Chris standing in front of a cool tree.

click for larger image

It looks like it is growing out of her back. I have one picture that kind of makes it look like it is a Vegas dancing girl costume or something.

Well, we didn't find any land to buy, but at least we now have a better idea about where we might want to buy it once we can. I don't want to wait too long before the land becomes completely unaffordable, much like it is in the populated areas. Chris is thinking about getting into Real Estate, and it sure would be nice if I could telecommute.

But like I said, I can dream.

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Kittie Critters

Cats are perplexing animals. I didn't like them when I was a kid. Then I met a woman (who is now my wife) who had a cat named Max. Max and I seemed to have a lot in common, and in time, Max became my best buddy.




But Max left this world far too early in September of 2004 while in surgery. He had a tumor that turned out to be inoperable. I miss him dearly, but now we have two recent additions to the family.

First, there is Zoe.




When we got Zoe, she looked a lot like Max, but with shorter hair. She was shades of gray like Max was, and was even missing the same fang as Max and had a similar nick in her ear (though Max's was from a cat fight). We got Zoe from a woman who could no longer care for her, and I think she didn't care for her very well, because when we brought Zoe home, all she did was lick.

Lick, lick, lick!

It was incessant and constant and repetitive and annoying. She also wasn't affectionate and didn't like to be touched. I think we have had her for about 9 months now, and we think she is about 6 years old, but now she is not the same cat we brought home. She still licks occasionally, but nothing out of the ordinary. We no longer have to call her "Monk". She has also changed color! Her coat is now vibrant with shades of orange and black, and her gray streaks are more well defined, and her hair is soft. And she even purrs now and demands attention at times, and even approaches me on occasion wanting me to pet her! This is truly a different cat than she was nine months ago, though she still doesn't like to be touched on her back or to be picked up.

But just as Zoe was beginning to feel at home...perhaps for the first time...we dropped a bomb shell on her world by bringing home little kitten Kala.




Zoe didn't like that at all. Suddenly, Zoe was yet a different cat than we had ever seen. Such strange noises she made. We thought she might take to a kitten, so did not quite expect the behavior we witnessed. And for weeks on end. When Zoe wasn't hissing and batting at Kala, she was leaving the room in disgust, wanting nothing to do with us.

Zoe would not be shared.

But Kala was (and is) a playful thing. Actually, it is more like she is possessed. There is this switch inside of her that will just suddenly turn on, and it's like the Energizer bunny with too much juice, and she is all over the room like a wild boomerang on steroids. She loves to climb up on things - especially things we don't want her to climb on. And she is the stretchiest, most wirey cat I have ever seen. She's like a rubber band and a rubber ball all rolled into one.

She also thinks she is a dog. She chews on things and digs in the plants. And she plays with rocks of all things. But the most hilarious thing she likes to do is to play with a paper grocery bag. She runs and dives right into it, then rolls around inside, chasing her tail, then she'll jump out and attack Zoe, then run back into the bag.

Kala is also deaf.

I realized one day that Kala can't hear, because she was always startled whenever I came up to her from behind. I did some tests to see if she would respond to various noises, but got no response. She is stone cold deaf. Therefore, she can't hear Zoe hissing and growling and screaming at her.

As a result, Kala was persistent and insistent about playing with Zoe. Kala just wanted to play (though she plays rough), so she would follow Zoe around like a shadow. Finally, one day, Zoe began to relent a bit. And now, once again, Zoe is a new cat.

Zoe and Kala play together a lot these days. Zoe still hisses and growls when Kala gets a little rough (and sometimes I have to step in to cool things down a bit), but now Zoe is picking up behaviors from Kala. And she seems so much happier. We think Zoe has had some litters in the past, and this may be the first time she has really had the chance to just be herself. She's becoming a real cat! And as for Kala, well she is a little terror (when she is not being incredibly sweet) and is growing up fast.

Zoe has no problem with being shared now, because she knows she will get all the attention she needs - that there is enough of Chris and me to go around. They even share the same sleeping space now - and Zoe doesn't mind Kala touching her. Kala can be seen often, draped over the edge of a chair. She must like being inverted.




How sweet they look together. That's only when they are sleeping.

When Kala's switch gets thrown - LOOK OUT! She is quick and fast, but not always coordinated. She has learned not to jump up on some things while we are around, or she will get sprayed with water. But when we are not around, it is free reign, man! And I don't know how to stop her. I put some adhesive sticky tape stuff on the furniture to keep the cats from scratching, but Kala just chews it off and plays with it. She's not intimidated. And Zoe is beginning to think that because Kala can get up on things (regardless of whether she is allowed) that she can, too. But we're trying to discourage that.

Sisters!

Last night - Halloween - was very odd. Instead of going out to celebrate, we were out selling another car. We sold off the Honda Accord. So, now we have the Toyota Celica and are bringing home the Mazda Protege 5 on Saturday. But that has nothing to do with the cats.

When we came home after selling the car, the cats were rather subdued. Zoe snuck into the bedroom that morning (where she is not allowed due to my allergies) and went to sleep on the bed before eating breakfast. I let her stay, thinking she must need a break from Kala, and she slept there the entire day. That night, I came home and sat in my chair, and Kala just plopped down next to me and purred and rested quietly. Zoe came in and hung out with us, too. Later, we fed them, and they ate, and then they just came back to hang out with us.

This was very unusual. Where was that switch? Were the evil spirits that normally possess these cats at night out partying somewhere? Were the cats just too pooped to play? It was very weird.

But it was very nice for a change.