Day 3000

Unless you're a blogger, keeping a journal for 3000 consecutive days probably doesn't seem like a big deal. Trust me, it is a big deal. Year after year I sit here every single evening trying to think of something coherent to say. You know how daily life goes. Sometimes it is eventful. Other times it isn't. Often, nothing happens at all. I've learned a lot over the years. For starters, every day matters. If you look closely enough you can learn something from the most inconsequential things.

Today I learned where to find Venus and Mercury in the evening sky. Both planets were near the horizon, so they were difficult to see right after sunset. I kept looking though and eventually spotted Venus and the much dimmer Mercury slightly above and to the right. I wish it were easier to view the stars from my yard. The Oak trees form a canopy that obscures everything. If there is something I want to see, I walk to a small clearing in the park.

I finally got my tax materials to the accountant. It wasn't as easy as I thought. First, I needed to make a copy of my Quickbooks files and discovered that my CD burner was broken. I had to transfer the files to the laptop, so I could use the its CD drive. Then, I thought I could transfer the files quickly using iCloud, but the laptop wasn't authorized on my iCloud account. By the time I got everything straightened out, I could have walked the files over to the accountant.

I found a lot of feathers in the yard this morning. One of the neighborhood feral cats probably dragged another dead bird in the yard. This probably explains why Dash has been so interested in the corner where the feathers were. I doubt that he ate the bird, but he could have swallowed a feather or two. This might have explained why he threw up the other night. Maybe it wasn't the vestibular disease after all. He could have just eaten something bad.

I finally figured out why I didn't get my test results from my doctor's appointment last week. The doctor is on vacation. I bet he's taking a ski vacation. This would be the time of year to go to Telluride or Park City. It's also the time to go to SXSW in Austin. Back in the day, I used to go to this festival every year. I was even a featured speaker a long, long time ago. The festival is much too fancy for me now. I doubt that I could afford to attend. Today people go to hear Elon Musk and Steven Spielberg. I'm amazed at how this thing has grown. It's as big as Sundance now. Maybe even bigger.

I'm trying to decide whether to fix the CD burner. Nobody even uses CD's anymore. Nevertheless, I hate having a broken drive in my main computer. I got a price on replacing the Apple Superdrive and it wasn't as bad as I thought. Maybe I'l take the computer in later in the week and have a new drive installed. At the very least, I'll need it next year when I get my taxes ready for the accountant.

I'm still hoping to keep blogging until I reach Day 5000. I might not live that long, but we'll see. Blogging has certainly changed over the years. I used to have several hundred regular readers. Now, I've probably got about a dozen at best. Honestly, I don't know why any of you keep reading. This isn't War and Peace. It is still a work in progress though. I hope you come back tomorrow because the story isn't over yet.

Lance is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2374

Is it even possible to find a simple answer to a simple question anymore? I wanted to find out whether a nearby Apple Store could put a new battery in an iPhone while I waited. I found the number of the retail store, hoping to avoid Apple's automated phone system. It didn't work. After a brief message thanking me for calling the store, I was right back in the automated system. I hate these systems. Press 1 if you want to do this. Press 2 if you want to do that. You can spend hours navigating these systems and wind up no closer to the answer of your question than when you started. I eventually ended up talking to a real person in California who had no idea whether the local store could put in a battery for me. There is a whole generation of people who have never experienced the simplicity of asking a question and getting a quick answer. They don't even know what they're missing.

I got a letter from Panasonic the other day saying that they'd extend the warranty on one of my cameras for free if I'd fill out a bunch of forms, send them a purchase receipt, and cut the UPC code off the box the camera came in and send that as well. It sounded complicated, but what the hell. Like I said, I'm not very busy. They were quite explicit that if I didn't sent the box label from the product carton, which they said included the UPC code, model number and serial number, my warranty would not be extended. There was only one problem. The box the camera came in didn't have a label like this. I looked and looked, but it wasn't there. Of course there was no way to contact these people by phone either. That would be too easy.

I'm starting to dread days when nothing happens. The monotony starts to wear you down after a while. When the dogs are finished eating and taking their walks, they sleep so soundly that I occasionally wonder if they're still alive. I don't watch TV during the day anymore, because it is so universally terrible. The only phone calls are from telemarketers and the only thing I get in the mail are bills. The isolation is like a thick blanket and the silence can be deafening. There are occasional moments of panic where I worry that something might be wrong with Dot. There are occasional deadlines where I've got to concentrate on work for a few hours. Mostly there is just nothing though. I don't feel like engaging with anyone and I don't feel like starting any ambitious projects. I think the jury is still out on whether I will become an expert on doing nothing or whether it will drive me crazy.

Dot pooped in the house so much today that I'm dreading taking her in the car to physical therapy tomorrow. I don't think she even realizes what she's doing anymore. This afternoon she woke up from a nap and came out to the kitchen to say hello, leaving a long trail of poop all the way down the hallway. I can't be upset with her though. Actually, I was pleased that she managed to stand up and start walking on her own.

I looked at the blog stats the other day and wasn't really surprised to see that there aren't as many readers anymore. Maybe people are getting tired of hearing about dog poop. Sorry. That's life. It's just what's happening right now. Cleaning up after Dot means that my loyal friend of so many years is still with me. I'd much rather have the mess than the empty void she'd leave behind.

Daisy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 2107

I wonder who reads this? According to Google, I have between 200 and 400 visitors every day. I can only account for about 17 of these people however. Actually, 17 readers is pretty generous. Maybe there are only 5. Back when blogging was new and somewhat popular, I though I might become an online Dave Barry, regaling readers with the humorous absurdities of everyday life. It is now pretty obvious that I am writing for myself. I write for the same reasons that a fitness advocate becomes compelled to do 50 push-ups on waking, or ride twenty miles on a bicycle before breakfast. It's an obsession.

I've convinced myself that writing is a more effective way to postpone dementia than solving Sudoku puzzles. It certainly helps take my mind off a perpetual cycle of cleaning up dog poop and fixing broken things around the house. That being said, it will probably take more than a blog post to compensate for today. Dot had three separate accidents in the house today. As soon as I got one set of soiled rugs and blankets cleaned, it was time to throw a new set in the washer. Sometimes I can predict when Dot needs to go outside. Other times I am completely surprised. Today was a bad day, but tomorrow might be completely normal. The incontinence certainly isn't Dot's fault. As much as I hate cleaning up dog poop, I've just got to learn to go with the flow. This is all part of the aging process and the same thing might happen to me someday.

I watched the Pope arrive in Washington DC this afternoon and was amused to see him drive off in a tiny little Fiat 500 after greeting the president and dignitaries. It looked like a clown car. Everything has become a symbol in today's world. I'm sure the small, humble car wasn't an accident. Democrats see the Pope as their friend because he cares about the plight of immigrants and worries about global warming. Republicans see the pope as their friend because he is does not support abortion or gay marriage. Everyone seems to forget that the Pope is not a politician at all. He's a religious leader. If the Pope agrees with you it is only because the Catholic Church agrees with you.

Dot's vet is changing her schedule around and we will no longer be able to have our physical therapy sessions on Thursday afternoons. This week, our physical therapy session will be tomorrow. We've never gone on Wednesday before, so hopefully it's not a bad traffic day. After a transition period, we will start doing our therapy sessions in the morning. I'm not sure I like this, but like I said earlier, you have to learn to go with the flow.

Sometimes things turn up in my photographs that I'm not even aware of when I take the picture. Tonight's picture of the setting sun revealed a jet contrail that was tangent to the base of the sun. If you click on the picture and enlarge it, you can clearly see the jet and its exhaust plume. It kind of looks like a thread of fire being pulled out of the sun.

I wish we didn't have to wait until November for Daylight Saving Time to end. The days are getting shorter and it is really dark when we start our morning walk. I can still see the constellation Orion in the morning sky, along with the planets Venus and Jupiter. I'm always amazed at how quickly the sky brightens at sunrise. The stars are out when we start our walk and the sun is up before we finish. It's really a beautiful time of day. Dot pooped so much today that maybe there's nothing left. Let's hope so. I'd like a good night's sleep.

Sadie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1736

It's almost inevitable. When I'm busy, I always wish things would slow down. Conversely, when things are slow I wish I was busier. In the Summer I can't wait for Winter and as soon as the cold weather arrives I want it to be Summer again. I don't know why it is so difficult to just accept things the way they are, but it's been this way for a long time. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

I only mention this because I was busier than usual today. There was a small website crisis that needed to be addressed immediately. There was a new writing assignment that needed attention. And of course, Dot had her annual exam at the vet. Back in the day, a schedule like this would have seemed like nothing, but I think I've slowed down considerably. I still like to stay busy, but I think my definition of the term has changed.

Dot got a glowing report at her exam. Her vets are just as impressed with her progress as I am. If you didn't know better, you could easily mistake Dot for a much younger dog. The only time Dot seems like a senior citizen is when she is sleeping. She sleeps so soundly now that I have to look carefully to make sure she's still breathing. Dot got her three year rabies booster today, along with her annual Leptospirosis vaccination. We'll give her the DAPPV combo shot next week, just to make sure she doesn't have a bad reaction from getting too many shots at once.

When Dot's nurse asked me how she was doing today, I started to bring her up to date on Dot's incontinence and physical therapy issues. "Oh, I know all that already," she told me. "I read your blog." This happens frequently now. I tend to think my readers are just the small group of people who leave comments regularly. In reality, a much larger group of friends and acquaintances seem to read with some consistency. They just don't tell me about it.

I finally figured out how to get my new phone paired with my car again. This Bluetooth connection is really handy because you never have to take your phone out of your pocket. If you get a call, you hear the phone ringing on the car radio and answer by touching a little green button on the steering wheel and just start talking. I couldn't figure out why it was so difficult to pair the phone, but I was determined not to go to the dealership for assistance on something so simple. I eventually remembered, as is often the case with Apple, that I needed to power down the phone completely and then turn it on again before the pairing process would work properly.

I think I might have been just busy enough today. I managed to get everything on my list done without stressing about it. Tomorrow, I will take Dash to the vet for another periodic thyroid test. I'm sure there will be other things to do as well. With any luck, I may be able to keep my life in balance for two days in a row.

Phantom is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1477

Here's how badly I've lost track of what day it is. I went to my Friday breakfast restaurant on a Tuesday, because it felt like a Friday. I guess the end of the year and the end of the week all seem pretty much the same. The surprising thing was that the restaurant was actually busier on Tuesday than it normally is on Fridays. Who would have thought?  I did remember that it was Tuesday when I went to the gym later in the day. Unfortunately, I forgot that it was New Year's Eve, and the gym was already closed when I got there. All was not lost however. I stopped by an office supply store on the way home and got a new accordion folder for my 2014 receipts. The 2013 folder will be on its way to my accountant soon, so I guess it's time to start over again.

It's hard to get very excited about New Year's Eve when you can't drink anymore. I'll stay up till midnight and welcome in the new year, but the celebration will be pretty sedate. Maybe I'll have some apple cider and a piece of pie. Years ago when I used to play bass in a rock band New Year's Eve was always a big deal. We always played our biggest parties of the year on New Year's Eve. I didn't drink much then either. It wasn't from lack of desire. I owned the PA system and was responsible for packing it up and taking all the heavy speakers home again after the gig. Hauling the PA system around was hard enough when you were sober and impossible to do when you were drunk.

It was interesting to see how many people I know on Facebook who posted something today about how terrible they thought 2013 was. Most of them thought that 2014 couldn't possibly be worse. I think it probably will be worse, but I'm not going to let that stop me. If I was waiting for a good year, I think I would have given up a long time ago.

I still had writing assignments to complete today, but it still felt more like a holiday. The dogs got extra long walks and I found myself turning on the TV a lot, hoping to be entertained. There wasn't anything interesting on TV, so it was actually good that I did have some writing work to do. I should make a New Year's resolution to clean my office next year. Oh wait, wasn't that last year's New Year's resolution? Maybe it was the year before last. It's been a long, long time since my office was really clean.

There will be another big meal tomorrow and maybe a little football on TV. Since the weather still looks nice, the dogs will get the gift they've been waiting for all December: a trip to the dog park. With rain and ice storms and holiday travel, it hasn't been easy to get to the dog park this month. Hopefully tomorrow we will make amends.

I hope that all of you have a fulfilling and prosperous year in 2014. If you can't think of a New Year's resolution, you could always resolve to introduce a friend to this blog. If each of you brought one new reader, my audience for this ongoing story would double. Hey, it never hurts to think big.

Dot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1345

Dot's veterinary trifecta is over for the week. She definitely came away a winner today. I was amazed at how well she did at her physical therapy session. The vet assured me that the water therapy wouldn't hurt her injured leg, so Dot got a combo of acupuncture and water therapy at today's session. She even tried the balance ball for a short time, but she's got to get stronger before she can do anything strenuous. The good news is that all her vets seem confident that Dot will make a full recovery. If you've got an older or geriatric dog, you really ought to consider physical therapy. Even though she has had her setbacks, physical therapy has made Dot visibly stronger and has improved her confidence.

I was so impressed with Dot's progress that I decided to go to the gym myself. I really didn't have time today, but it looks like I'll have to find a way to make the time if I want to see any real improvements. Last week I was so busy that I only made it to the gym once. That's not really enough to make much of a difference.

I finally made it to the grocery store to pick up some things for dinner as well. One of the downsides to eating fresh food is that you've got to go to the store a lot more often. No more picking a six month old can of tuna fish off the shelf and making a tuna and mayo sandwich on white bread for dinner.

There was lots of website work to finish today, but it all went fairly smoothly. I even had time to finish another article, although I was running late all day. By the time I got home from the gym, it was already time for dog training class. We debated whether it was wise to take Dot to class this evening, but she likes to go, so we went and just had her do the easy, non-strenuous exercises. Dash did all the exercises, and even did a few of them well.

One of my faithful readers reminded me this morning that yesterday was actually Tuesday, even though I'd written that I'd done pretty well for a Monday. It's been that kind of week. I don't know what day it is. I just keep moving along, in hopes that Friday will eventually arrive.

Cookie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1278

I wonder why my weekend chores took so long today? Maybe the heat and humidity sapped my strength. Maybe Janet usually does some of these chores when she's home. Maybe I just took an unusually long time fixing breakfast. I got a lot done, but it still seemed like a wasted day. At least there are clean sheets on the bed and my checkbook is balanced. The spackling paste and trowels I got for repairing the damaged Sheetrock in the living room are still sitting on a table in the hallway. I'm not up for that loathsome task yet.

It must have rained again last night. The sky was clearing when I took the dogs on their morning walk, but the ground was wet and everything was covered with dew. I didn't have the heart to look up on the roof, but I did buy another push broom with softer bristles when I was out shopping. The first broom I bought just isn't going to work.

I wonder if anyone still reads blogs anymore?  I've been getting hundreds of new followers every day on Google+ but it's been months since I was blessed with a new blog follower. Many of my favorite bloggers aren't posting as much anymore. Some of them seem content with the occasional Facebook update and don't update their blog at all. I think that's a shame, but who am I to judge. Since establishing a dialog was never a big concern to me, I'll continue doing what I've always done. My posts are kind of like throwing notes out to sea in a bottle. Maybe someone sees them, maybe they don't.

The dogs seemed determined to hog the bed last night. You'd think with one less person sleeping in the king size bed, there would be plenty of room for everyone. This is always when Dot and Dash stretch out to their full length, unfortunately. The two dogs seemed to take up the entire bed by themselves.

Since it was one of those cloudy bright mornings just after a rain, today would have been a great time to do some flower photography. I did take a few pictures with my phone while I was walking the dogs, but I didn't have the energy to return to the scene with professional equipment. It was just too humid outside. The air felt like a sauna and I felt like returning to the air conditioning. I'm getting soft. To think that there was a time when I actually wanted to be a National Geographic photographer.

Maybe tomorrow will be cooler. Most of the chores are done and the flowers are still in bloom. We'll see what the dogs want to do. They usually set the day's agenda anyway.

Shadow is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1259 - Memorial Day

Most of my regular readers are grandmothers, but maybe there are one or two active military folks among you. If so, I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you how much I appreciate your service. I often worry that people don't value the importance of a strong military as much as my parents generation did. Strength matters. If you aren't strong and resolute, people take advantage of you. This is the essence of bullying. Individuals can be bullied, and so can entire countries. For many years, we have had the strongest, most capable military the world has ever known. It needs to stay that way.

We woke up again today to the sound of footsteps on the roof. I expected to hear a knock on the door, along an explanation of what's been going on, by whoever was tramping around on the roof. There was no knock on the door. Before I finished brewing my morning coffee, the footsteps ceased and the house was quiet again. I saw no need to go outside and confront the roofers at this point. I learned long ago that it's better to keep your powder dry.

The dogs didn't get to go to the dog park today, which was a disappointment for all. The weather wasn't bad, so we called the hotline several times to see if the park would open up again in the afternoon. It just wasn't in the cards today. I recognize the voice of the guy making the hotline messages. He's the same guy who cleans up the dog poop in the park. This guy takes his job seriously and is super conscientious. He updates the hotline message for the two parks he's in charge of at least three times a day. I admire this guy and wish everyone had his work ethic. It shouldn't matter what your job is. You should always do your duty to the best of your ability.

Since we weren't able to go to the dog park, Janet went to the gym to work out, and I took a camera up on the roof to document some of the problems I've been having. I also did a small rush writing job for one of my clients and vacuumed the house. It's simply amazing to me how quickly the vacuum cleaner bag fills up with dust around our house. If I'm sweeping up this much dust, why don't the carpets look any cleaner when I'm finished? You know "the rift" they are always talking about on Dr. Who and Torchwood shows? I think our house is sitting right on top of a mysterious rift that is sucking in dust from all over the planet. Of course, there's always a chance that Dot and Dash are responsible for all the dirt.

Our three day holiday went by far too quickly. Sometimes it didn't seem like a holiday at all. Footsteps on the roof usually woke us up too early. Rain curtailed most of our planned holiday activities. Then, there was still work to finish as well. It was still a holiday though, and a pretty important one at that. With all my complaining, I'll be the first to admit that my life is pretty soft. It's those guys who live day-to-day in a forward firebase somewhere in Afghanistan who are doing all the heavy lifting.

Libby is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1040

You'd think that on Day 1040, I'd be working on my taxes or something. Nope. Just another day full of weekend errands. Every weekend, we stock up on groceries and supplies. Then, we methodically use everything up during the week, so we can repeat the whole process the next weekend. I'm always amazed at how much trash two people and two dogs can generate. We lead a simple life, but somehow there is always a huge amount of trash to take to the street every Friday. I think it is the packaging. Even the simplest thing comes shrink wrapped and boxed in layers and layers of packaging. Even though I hate all the boxes, I save a fair amount of them. I've been told so many times that if you save the packaging, you will get a lot more on eBay if you decide to sell it later. Maybe so. In the mean time, I've got tons of boxes I don't need.

I'm still a little puzzled at how best to go about getting more blog readers since the demise of Entrecard. Reading doesn't appear to be very popular anymore. My other social media efforts, which rely more on pictures, seem to be doing fine. My Google+ page is mostly pictures. I post a lot of pictures on Twitter too. I have a sneaking feeling that a lot of people come here for the pictures too. It would be interesting if Google Analytics had a way of tracking people who actually read the articles. I bet that number would be very small.

While I'm on the subject of Google, I saw the Google Street View car drive by my house today. I wonder how often they update those Street View pictures?  This is the third time I've seen the Google photo car in my neighborhood. One of these days I'm going to be quick enough to wave at the car as it drives by. Maybe then, I will actually be in the Street View picture.

I stopped by an animal rescue resale shop in my neighborhood while I was running errands this afternoon. There was a young couple trying to give their puppy away to the store manager. It was sad to watch. Why do people get pets they aren't willing to keep and take care of? The manager was trying to direct the couple to no-kill shelters in the area. The couple was acting like it was the most normal thing in the world to get rid of their dog. I just don't understand people.

Emily is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1038

Wow! Google stock dropped over 10% in a matter of minutes today, all because a bad quarterly report was released a little prematurely. The slide was so precipitous that trading was halted for several hours. I'm certainly glad that I didn't buy any Google shares yesterday. All this just confirms my feeling that it has become too dangerous for the small investor to day trade anymore. Events happen rapidly and the market responds almost instantly. By the time the average guy has time to react, it's too late. Google is still a good company though. If the overreaction to the poor earnings continues, it might be wise for me to buy some shares.

I found one of those little square discontinued iPod nanos I've been looking for, thanks to a regular blog reader. Now, if I could only convince you readers to find me jobs and clients as well. That would be great.

The dogs have been loving this beautiful Fall weather. They can't go lounge in the grass after lunch like they used to, thanks to our armadillo friend who tore the yard up. The lack of grass hasn't detered them in the least unfortunately. When I let the dogs outside, they immediately go roll in the dirt and get filthy. I try my best to clean them off before they come inside again, but the house is getting dirtier every day. I'll be glad when the leaves finally fall and cover up the dirt. There isn't any point in planting new grass this late in the season. We'll just repeat what we did last year and let the leaves cover everything up until Spring.

I just finished watching a live feed of the Al Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner. I've always been a fan of self depreciating humor, and these events featuring the presidential candidates doing stand-up comedy routines seldom disappoint. I wish the candidates would act like this all the time. I'd much rather see people making sarcastic jokes about each other than just resort to calling their advisory a liar. There's a lot to be said for using humor to deal with complex issues. I'd love to see a debate where both candidates checked political correctness at the door and the guy with the most biting humor won. Maybe Jon Stewart could be the moderator.

Little Petey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day