Day 1494

I returned to a restaurant I hadn't visited in about three months and was surprised to discover that the entire staff had changed. All the waiters were new. Even the chef was new. The new staff was almost painfully friendly, continually smiling and making sure that they told you their name. When my order arrived, my suspicions were confirmed. This place had hired a restaurant consultant. I ordered the same thing I always order at this place. The portions were slightly smaller, but everything was exceptionally pretty on the plate. The restaurant consultant had probably given the new staff a seminar about interacting with customers and plating food.

I found all the changes a bit sad, since there was nothing wrong with the restaurant in the first place. I actually preferred the slightly grumpy original waiters to the forced cheeriness of this new batch. I'm sure the restaurant was profitable, since it was almost always full, but I'll bet the owners weren't satisfied and wanted to make even more money. I don't know why people are always compelled to change things. My motto has always been "if it's not broke, don't fix it."

My haircut later in the day was equally interesting. It's easy to get the pulse of the nation if you listen to what people are talking about in a barber shop or hair salon. The woman getting her hair done next to me was telling her stylist that she wanted to take her vacation in Marfa or Area 51, so she could look for aliens. My own stylist was telling me how she likes to take her cats on car rides, so they can watch birds through the sun roof. Lately, I've noticed that hair salons try to shame you into leaving a tip. When you hand them your credit card, they look you in the eye and ask if you'd like some cash back for a tip. Like $75 for a simple haircut isn't enough? Jeez! Today, all the people in line ahead of me were leaving lavish tips, so I guess the shaming worked. I left a tip as well.

I've got to do something about my work load. One of my clients has already doubled the number of pictures they want to change out on their website every week, and another wants to double the amount of writing assignments they give me each month. So far, I'm keeping up but the house is sure getting dirty. I really don't have time for anything other than working and walking the dogs these days. Sadly, nobody seems to think that writing the blog every day is important but me.

Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 915 - Father's Day

Since I've never had children myself, Father's Day has always been pretty much of a non-event. Even when I was a kid, I can't remember Father's Day being a big deal like Mother's Day. We had a good Dad, so probably we should have paid more attention to him. Dad was a quiet man and it was easy to forget he was around. Of course there's always the possibility that he talked a lot to everyone else but me. I just don't remember. He certainly knew how to keep a secret. I'm convinced that he took a lot of secrets to the grave with him. He made a lot of trips to Nevada in the 1950's when the government was testing atomic weapons in the desert near Las Vegas.  We used to live in Oak Ridge, Tennessee when we were little kids too, but I never did learn what he was doing. Maybe there really were flying saucers in Roswell. Men like my Dad didn't talk.

I'm just the opposite. I'll blather on about anything. I love to gossip and have a rather tenuous grip on reality. I've learned to recognize this odd worried look that bosses and co-workers get whenever I open my mouth. Janet occasionally gets this look as well. I may be a slow learner, but I'm not stupid. When I see the worried look now, I just shut up and say nothing. It's probably for the best.

The dogs had a great time at the dog park today. I guess they always have a great time. It's too bad the place is so far away, or I'd take them everyday. Dot and Dash have learned the route by now. They bark to tell us which freeway exit to take and they bark some more if we aren't driving fast enough. I wish I were as easy to please as a dog. When we take the pair to the dog park and let them off their leashes for an hour, they're happy as clams for the rest of the day.

Even though I'm not a Dad, I did dad-like things today. I mowed the grass and ate barbecued ribs for dinner. It was a good day, even though Dot and Dash may beg to differ. They both got a bath today.

Bali is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 855

I had lunch today with Alan and Dick, two old friends from my ad agency days. The phrase "old friends" used to just be a figure of speech with me. Now, it quite literally means old friends. My friends and I used to talk about who had the fastest car, or the most exciting job. Now, we talk about who has had the most complicated medical procedure. Alan wanted to go to a trendy new restaurant in the neighborhood. I seldom go to trendy new restaurants because it's hard to find a parking place and I don't feel comfortable dressing shabbily. I'd hate to run into someone I know looking as ratty as I usually do.

Every once in a while, its worth looking presentable and fighting for a parking place though. Today, I caught up on several year's worth of gossip, and as a bonus, got to bitch and moan with two like minded friends about how the ad business has basically gone to hell in a hand basket. I don't think the young pierced and tattooed ad folks sitting at nearby tables even realize how much more fun their jobs would be if they had been born twenty years earlier. Every time I see that show "Mad Men," I realize I was right there in the middle of it all.

Alan and Dick both do yoga. When they asked how I stay in shape, I told them that I walked dogs. I was in just as good shape as the two of them, so there's a lot to be said for walking dogs. Personally, I think walking two strong Dalmatians who have their hearts set on chasing squirrels is more challenging than anything you could dream up at a gym.

I think I'm going to go ahead and have the real estate agent I talked to yesterday list my rent property. After thinking about it overnight, I realized that I have no interest in having another renter whatsoever. The market isn't very good, but if I wait to sell until the market improves, there's a good chance that the building would disintegrate first.

The weather was beautiful for dog class this evening. Unfortunately, there was a lot of pollen in the air, so I spent the entire class wiping my eyes and blowing my nose into a shop towel. Allergy season seems even worse than usual this year, but at least I haven't caught poison ivy yet.

Mattie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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