Day 2219

Today was full of little surprises. I got a bill for something connected with last November's water leak repairs. I thought this whole episode was completely finished, but apparently some companies are even slower about getting their invoices out than I am. Hopefully, this is the last bill. I want to put this disaster behind me so I can be ready for the next one.

I discovered that I actually won something on the Powerball ticket I purchased last week. I only won $4 for matching a single number, but that was enough of an incentive to go to the nearest 7-11 and get a few more tickets for tomorrow's billion dollar drawing. I redeemed my $4 prize, added another $6 I had in my pocket and got five more tickets. You could actually make a pretty good documentary by going to a random 7-11 and interviewing people getting lottery tickets. There's always a line of people buying them when there's a big jackpot. I've noticed that even though the odds are impossible, everyone thinks they are going to win. You realize quickly that playing the lottery is a very regressive tax. It is always poor people who buy the most tickets.

My other surprise today was that I unexpectedly have some work to do. With a new website update and three new articles to write, I might have enough work to keep me busy for the rest of the week, especially if I'm not in a hurry. I wish the website jobs had bigger budgets and the writing jobs were more frequent, but I'm not complaining. I'd much rather spend my day writing than cleaning up dog poop.

I ordered a small adapter that lets me lets me use my movie lights using a different type of battery. I really don't need a V-mount to Gold-mount converter, but it didn't cost much, so I thought I could afford the indulgence. I don't have to worry about becoming addicted to drugs, or alcohol, or chocolate. I do need to worry about buying things I don't need. I love getting packages in the mail. My Dad had this same affliction as he got older. Maybe we both have the hoarder gene. At any rate, when I get bored, I go online and buy something. I seldom spend much money and rarely need what I buy. It's just something to do.

I didn't bother to listen to this evening's State of the Union address. I just didn't feel like hearing more platitudes about how great things are when the reality is quite different. I've never seen the country more divided in my lifetime. We can't seem to unite behind anything these days. My parent's generation united as one to win World War II. A later generation inspired by John Kennedy went to the moon. Now, we just argue with each other. This isn't really about Democrats or Republicans. It's about a great country that has dissolved into a bunch of ineffectual tribes. Self indulgent people are more loyal to their tribe now than to the country as a whole. This can't possibly end well.

I'm not a joiner and don't have a tribe. Maybe that's why I see things a little differently. If I win the lottery, I'm not going to tell you about it. I'll quietly continue walking my dogs and minding my own business. I'll probably always remain a somewhat detached observer, but it would be nice to observe a little more harmony in the world.

Suzie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1506

It wasn't a particularly good day. I was waylaid at an early morning meeting and arrived home about an hour late to discover that Dash had pooped all over the office carpet. It was past time for his morning walk and he just couldn't hold it any longer. Since I was still dressed in my best Armani suit, I had to quickly change, quarantine the dogs in another room so they wouldn't make the smelly mess worse, and then clean everything up before we began a walk that had been delayed even further. The dogs weren't happy, and neither was I. Something told me that this might happen as I watched this morning's meeting drag on. My life has become so regimented with the dogs that I want to scream at people if they cause delays or get me off my schedule by even ten minutes. Hey, guys. Any additional business you might bring me just isn't worth the thought of spending hours cleaning dog poop off the carpet.

My arm hurts more today than it did yesterday. The right shoulder has become so painful that I can hardly move it. I even had trouble turning the steering wheel on the way home this morning. I'm not really sure what to do at this point. I've dislocated my shoulder before and x-rays usually show nothing. I suspect that I have a soft tissue injury or torn muscle and that the recipe for recovery is lots of rest. I don't think lots of rest is in the cards just yet.The dogs are going to need their walks no matter what is wrong with my arm.

Once Dot and Dash were settled in for the rest of the day, I brewed a pot of coffee and started my work assignments. On days like today where I lose thousands in a stock market sell-off, the paltry hundreds I earn back by writing seem insignificant. My writing clients want things too quickly, my website clients want more complicated things than they are willing to pay for, and I'm growing tired of the whole charade. Most of the people at the Wednesday networking group tell me they love their jobs, but I don't believe them. They've all described to me what they actually do and I don't see much to love. Work sucks these days. It's kind of like that State of the Union address last night. If Obama was really honest he would have said that the Union was in the crapper. No president does that though. They all say that the State of the Union is strong.

If my arm doesn't feel any better tomorrow, I'm going to go get an x-ray and a referral to see a good physical therapist. That's about the only thing I can think of. If Dash poops on the carpet again tomorrow, I don't know what I'm going to do. Doesn't he realize that most of the floors in our house are brick? If he has to go, why can't he poop on the bricks?

Oh, well. Tomorrow is a new day. Unfortunately it is only Thursday. I'm ready for seventy degree temperatures again, and I'm definitely ready for Friday.

Spirit is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day