Day 3209

I always learn something new on my way to the gym. I was listening to an episode of This American Life where Julian Koenig's daughter was talking about how her Dad became increasingly bitter toward the end of his life. Julian Koenig, if you're not in the ad biz, was one of the greatest copywriters of all time. According to his daughter, he was mad because he thought that George Lois, his art director partner, had stolen his ideas over 40 years ago. He was convinced that he never got credit for ads that were really his. It didn't matter that he was one of a small handful of writers inducted into the Copywriter's Hall of Fame and had been a role model to young copywriters like me, he was still pissed at George.

George and Julian were still working when I started out in the business. They were legends. Hearing Julian's daughter describe the giant egos that inspired shows like Mad Men brought back a lot of memories. Everyone who works in an ad agency creative department thinks that their ideas have been stolen by somebody. Maybe it was their boss who stole them. Maybe it was a co-worker. Often it is the client who is guilty. It's all so petty and yet it is very real. It's not like you're curing cancer when you come up with a clever headline. You get to think that trivial things are important.

Ultimately Julian Koenig regretted going into advertising at all. He was proud that he was considered the best in the business, but he concluded that the business itself was worthless. His daughter said that at the age of 88, he wished he had become an environmental scientist instead. I'm glad I don't obsess about my days in advertising like Julian did, but I understand his sentiments. I kind of wish I had become an astronomer instead of pursuing a career in advertising. I've had ideas stolen too, but I didn't lose a lot of sleep over it. Maybe I was angry for a week or two, but I can't imagine brooding for 40 years. Jeez. I can't even remember what I did 40 years ago. When I look at my old portfolio from the 1970's, it seems like someone else wrote the ads. I'll have to admit, they were pretty good though. I must have written them.

Sometimes I think that Dash has ESP. Even though we started our day exactly the same way we always do, Dash seemed to know that Janet was going to be gone today. He followed her around like glue this morning and wouldn't take his walk at the regular time. He wouldn't even eat his breakfast. When Janet left for the Golf Tournament, Dash moped around the house for at least an hour. Then, when I was right in the middle of my own breakfast, he decided he was OK again and headed for the back door. I put my breakfast aside and quickly got him suited up to walk. You've got to seize the moment with Dash.

I waited until Dash was taking his morning nap before I left for the gym. It's safe to leave him for an hour or so, just not all day. When I returned, Dash was still sleeping in exactly the same place on the bed. He never even woke up. I wish I could sleep like Dash. When he wakes me up at night, he's back asleep a few minutes after I take him outside to pee. I'm usually wide awake, staring at the ceiling while I listen to him snore.

Hershey is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3041

There weren't many people at the gym today. I don't talk to people at the gym, but there are many familiar faces. Apparently, I'm not the only one who has a routine they repeat over and over again. I notice when people disappear. When a younger person leaves the gym I tend to think they've gone on to bigger and better things. Maybe they got married or got a new job. When an older person leaves the gym, I wonder if they died. There was an old man who used to workout next to me. He always wore a t-shirt that said "I wish I were 80 again." When he quit coming, I didn't even have to ask. I knew he had passed away.

Life is fleeting. Almost everybody who lived on our street when we first moved here is gone now. Janet and I are the old folks in the neighborhood now. Most of the dogs I feature as my "Dalmatian of the Day" have passed away. The pictures remind me that dogs don't live nearly long enough. Sadly, I've gotten to know many of these dogs a lot better than the people who pass through my life. I don't keep up with people very well. I have a feeling I may regret this someday.

I doubt that I'll become more gregarious in my remaining years, but I certainly hope that I put the next ten years to better use than I did with the last ten years. Whenever someone who has led a rich and full life like Barbara Bush passes away, I wonder what I've done with my own life. I've had some amazing experiences, but it certainly hasn't been a purpose driven life. I'd tend to call it an accidental life.

There's nothing wrong with an accidental life. Sometimes it's better not to have a plan. I never planned to live in Dallas or have a career in advertising, but here I am. It didn't turn out so bad. I'm certainly glad that my life intersected with dogs at some point. Dogs have been a blessing.

Taking Dash on long walks every morning has made me more aware of the world around me. I know that names of native plants and animals now. I'm more aware of the weather and I'm probably in better shape than I would have been otherwise. I hate seeing Dash slow down on these walks because it reminds me that life is fleeting.

My Luddite sister has quit writing. I wonder what that means? Dash quits eating occasionally. I wonder what that means? There was a segment on Sixty Minutes tonight about Alzheimer's that was somewhat frightening. I had an uncle with Alzheimer's. My Mom used to think that my Dad had Alzheimer's, but he was really just turning off his hearing aid. He remembered; he just quit listening. Memories, even accidental memories, are important. That's why I keep writing. Each day leaves a new memory that gradually forms a trail of breadcrumbs for me to find later.

Mindy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1892

The days are starting to run together. I get up at 4 AM to take Dot out to pee. I go back to sleep again for a few hours. I walk Dash. Janet and I figure out a schedule for who is going to monitor Dot during the day. I do some writing. I work on a few websites. I take a shower. I worry about Dot some more. Now, what day is it today?

During one of the periods where it was Janet's turn to watch Dot, I went to the storage warehouse to look for my Anton Bauer Quad charger. I couldn't find it anywhere. Did I throw the charger away years ago because it was defective? Is it really at home somewhere? Is it hidden away behind a cardboard box in the storeroom somewhere? I don't have a clue. What is the use of having a storage warehouse if I can't find anything anymore?

On my way home, I stopped at the pharmacy to pick up a prescription. I was surprised to see that the price had doubled. "Has my coverage changed," I asked the pharmacist? It was a legitimate question, since insurance coverage is constantly changing. "No, your coverage is the same," the pharmacist said. "We just raised our prices."

I finished my component of the new business proposal that my friend and I are working on. He thought it looked good, but wondered whether we could deliver something so ambitious. I think this is doable, but we'll never know till we try. If we get this business, I'll be even busier than I am now. A lot busier. Busy is good though. At least I won't worry about vet bills so much. It's amazing how much better I've become as a writer since I've been forced to totally depend on this skill for a living. What I accomplish in an hour these days used to take me an entire day at the ad agencies. That being said, I had a lot more fun as a young ad agency creative. Work has been more of a chore than an adventure lately. That's what I like about this new proposal. If we get this gig, it is entirely possible that the adventure may return.

When my vet came over this afternoon to give Dot acupuncture and cold laser therapy, I asked her what she would do about surgery if Dot was her dog. "I'd probably go for it," she said, and then quickly added, "but only because I'm a vet." I wanted to ask "But what would you do if you were me," but of course she isn't me. This is a very rough surgery for a dog as old as Dot, and I don't have the knowledge or the resources that a good vet has. When she's having a good day I want to leave Dot alone. If she's only got a year left anyway, why make six months of that year an arduous recovery from major surgery? When Dot is having a bad day, I want to pull out all the stops and do everything possible. I need to remember that this go for broke attitude doesn't always work.

I still regret trying to intervene when we discovered Greta had liver cancer. The surgeon was very good, but the cancer had already metastasized and Greta was too old and weak to survive. She never even made it out of the hospital. Spot's second TPLO surgery was a mistake. The surgery on his left knew was so successful that we thought it would succeed equally well on the other knee when he tore a second anterior cruciate ligament. The second surgery failed. Spot was a lot older by then and even though the surgery was technically a success, Spot never walked again. It's hard to forget these things, even though many other surgeries succeeded brilliantly.

Janet is going to stay with Dot tomorrow morning so I can go enjoy my favorite breakfast. She goes to the gym almost every day now to stay sane. I depend on a great breakfast at least once a week.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day