Private Viewing

I was the only one to buy a ticket for the 3:05 showing for Sunshine Cleaning. Good movie.

The reason I went to a movie was because I had to get out of my place since the person who lives upstairs has no concept of community living. The stomping and pounding and thumping and heavy walking and two-year-old running is far beyond what I can stand. It's alllll day everyday. I've called many times (usually because it's still going on around 10:30, 11:00 and as late [early] as 12:40 am). Today I noticed that Rosco was and has been tearing his fur out on his chest. I believe cats do this when they are stressed and anxious. Poor guy jumps and scats with every thump. I don't blame him. I'm near tearing my hair out as well.

Heading out again

Tomorrow morning I'm taking off for San Antonio, TX. A long weekend with a girlfriend in the hot sun. I'm really looking forward to this trip. It's another place I've never been. We only have a tentative itinerary that includes the Alamo and some other missions, shopping and in general walking around and seeing the sites. There will also be margaritas and food! I'm thinking since it is Fiesta there now, they have barrels full of margaritas that you walk by and dip your glass in. Maybe that's just wishful thinking.

Her six year old daughter asked if I would teach her to "talk Texas" when I got back since I taught her how to "talk Boston" last year. Finally, a willing participant.

Florida

Finally some pictures from Florida.

Daytona Beach

My nephew and I climed 203 steps to the top of the Ponce de Leon Inlet lighthouse. There was a great view from the top. This is looking down the spiral staircase before we started going back down.

The best ride at Universal Studios. It was fast and there was fire and it was fun. So much fun that we waited in line for one hour to ride it a second time.



Kennedy Space Center. It was raining part of the day but a lot of what we did was inside. This is the day that I was reminded why I avoid vacations with my step-dad - he was crabby.

St. Augustine

I keep thinking about St. Augustine. I really would love to go back again and spend some more time walking around. All the little shops and the way it was set up. I just love being there. Plus it was probably the most perfect day weather wise. This is the enterance to the old part of St. Augustine. All the walls are made out of this sand/shell mixture.

I drank from the Fountain of Youth. So far nothing... There were some gorgeous peacocks on the property.

My cat tried to kill me at the vet.

I brought sweet Sam to the vet on Tuesday. At the Banfield Pet Hospital they have “complimentary office visits” for a couple of hours. I brought Sam here once before for a urinary tract infection. I liked the vet service but Sam hated everything and everyone that day. He was so worked up that day that the vets and the assistants couldn't get him from the holding kennel to the carrier. He was like the Tasmanian Devil - seriously.

Anyway, I thought I’d give them a try for vaccinations.
At the clinic there is a dog barking non stop in the grooming area. The phone is ringing and there are people coming and going. Who knows what the scents were that Sam could have been smelling with his little kitty smeller. Up on the scale. My baby boy weighs 15 lbs. He’s a big boy but really only about a pound over weight. I wish I were only a pound overweight.
We sit for a couple minutes by ourselves in the waiting room then are called into the exam room. There is fur all over the floor from the black Lab that was in there before us. The exam table didn’t look like it had been wiped off. The counter tops were noticeably in need of a wipe down. I let Sam get out of his carrier and explore. I read all the pamphlets in the room. Looked at all the models of the hair follicles, teeth, heart, claw, vertebrae, etc. I gave Sam belly rubs. He settled down next to me alert but content.
The assistant came in and entered information into the computer and yapped on about her four cats and her fiance. She left and I’m thinking she’s going to get the vaccine. We wait. Then we wait some more. It’s now been 45 minutes since we walked in the door.
The vet comes in and Sam gives her a hiss and a growl and a couple evil eyes. I hold him and calm him while she sticks a thermometer in his bum. He lets us know he’s pissed with a very long, low guttural growl that I didn’t know he had in him. The thermometer, I swear, was in there for a full minute before it beeped. I’d be pissed too.
Now for the shots. I’m thinking two quick shots and out the door. That’s how it usually is. He takes his shots like a man. Well, the distemper went in with a medium scream. I was holding him by the scruff lightly and the vet had a hold of his hind end. She pinched his skin and stuck the rabies needle in and Sam hit the roof. I think he must have caught a good three feet of air. He screamed bloody murder, peed on the table and took off for a corner all in two-thirds of a second (see Taz above). He managed to get my hand with a back claw and my arm. Luckily I had on a long sleeve shirt.

I couldn’t even look at him without him hissing or growling. Holy shit he hates me! And how was I going to get him back in the carrier? How was the vet going to give him his rabies vaccine? Somehow I got him to scoot in the carrier and we decided that I‘d bring him in the next day since he kind of hit that point of no return. The vet said she’ll just stick him real quick and be done. I'm thinking, yeah right. We're going to have to dope him up just to give him a vaccine. How are we going to get near him to dope him up?
Turns out it went perfect. He didn't even flinch. It was with a different vet and between all the waiting and thermometer- up-the-butt time he had had it. Plus, I think the first vet stuck him wrong. I felt horrible for traumatizing him two days in a row but he came through like a trooper. We went home had some treats and cuddled up 'cause, like I tell him all the time, "we're cuddlers, you and me".

The Reawakening

There is a time, when we are young
when we lie out in a meadow, our hands
clasped behind our head, and as we stare up
at the sky, we dream of what our life might
be. The possibilities seem endless, and we
are enchanted at this vision. It beckons us
toward Life, and Joy.

But then, as things work out, and we grow
older, Reality sets in. We decide we have to
settle. Settle for a life that’s less than what
we dreamed. A different life. Maybe an
Okay life. But definitely a lesser life.
and, at times, a boring life.

But sometimes later, in out life, something
awakens within us. Call it yearning. Call it
hope. We com to realize the dream we
dreamed has never died. And we go back
to get it. We decide to resume our search…
for the life we know within our heart that
we were meant to live.

From - What Color Is Your Parachute?: A practical manual for job-hunters and career-changers
By Richard Nelson Bolles

Another meeting from the 'Twilight Zone'

My condo association had its annual meeting on Monday night. The main purpose of the meeting is to vote new officers on the board. This year two positions were up for election (I will try to make this the short version) . There were four people who nominated themselves. One got elected with a more than half the votes. Another only had 15 votes. The other two had 41 and 53 votes. The problem is that the ballots were counted four times and a different number came up each time.

While the counting and recounting is going on “S” (who is running for the board) comes up to me, “how was your vacation”? I tell her it was great, really relaxing. She sits down next to me and in a low voice says, “do you remember that meeting we had?” I remembered. “So, what happened? Hmmm?” She was staring me down completely trying to intimidate me. Apparently she was under the impression that I was going to collect all the proxy votes and make sure the votes went to her. I told her that wasn’t what I said I’d do. She said, “oh, you’re going to renege?” What’s to renege? I didn’t say that. “Are you denying you said that?” Uh, yeah. “Oh. Huh. I see,” she says with a real condescending tone. “’B’ is my witness, she heard you say you‘d promise; no problem”. Of course “B” wasn’t standing beside her supporting her. I would never make a promise to rig the voting. She must have taken the wrong medication that day.
So, she gets up trying to give me the impression that I completely betrayed her, lied to her, stabbed her in the back. What kind of adult (she’s in her mid 50’) behaves this way? As she walks away I salute her (I know, what kind of adult behaves that way?!) Her buddy “B” is looking at me, tight lipped. I shake my head at her and roll my eyes. I was completely put off by the both of them and couldn’t care less what they thought of me. Screw her.
Luckily she didn’t win the second position.
Now, the one who came out on top the board was really excited about. He has a background in accounting and we really need someone in the Treasurer’s position who knows their stuff. I congratulate him and casually ask him if there is a particular position he is interested in (we decide at the next meeting who is going to be in which position). I’m the president and don’t like the position. It comes with a lot of stress. But, do I want anyone else in the position? I thought I didn’t mind until the new member said he’d like to be President. I actually laughed because I thought he was kidding. He wasn’t. So I said, sure, why not. We’ll talk about it at the next meeting and take a vote. He made some comments to another board member about how he could “oversee” the treasurer’s position as president. He said, “in order to get the things done that I want done, I need to be in a higher position.” Wha?
The other board members and I agree that a person’s first year on the board shouldn’t be in the position of the president’s position. We also all agree that there are some red flags with that comment. Especially since “S” was whispering to him all night.
To be continued… this could get good.

A bit about Florida

I have completely managed to update my blog. I have had a horrible time uploading my pictures for whatever reason. I will have to post those at another time.
Florida was perfect. The weather was in the 70's and sunny. St. Augustine was my favorite. All the unique shops and history. Plus I got to meet a long time internet friend. We had lunch. We've talked about meeting since about 2002.
Universal Studios was fun and crowded but worth it. The Kennedy Space Center was worth seeing once. Minus the old lady who sat in front of us in the IMAX theatre. My mom was talking quietly during the opening credits and the lady turned around and said, "Excuse me. Could you shut up?" and turned back around. Apparently the film on living in space in 3-D is a serious one. She certainly didn't stand up and tell the little 2 year old that was crying to shut up. She didn't tell the audience to shut up when the gasped and ooo'd and aahhh'd at the 3-D. Needless to say, my witty combacks I told her in my mind distracted me from the movie.
Daytona Beach was fun. Boogie boarding was so much fun and my nephew and I dug castles with moats in various places on the beach.
It was hard to leave but it's good to be home too. Now I have plans for San Antonio in a couple weekends. I figure I better do some traveling now because once I (hopefully) get a job who knows when I'll get some vacation time!