Plan "B"

I must've had a busy week. More busy than usual although I wonder how that could be. I almost came to work in my bathing suit once last year because it was the only thing that was clean, but...

... Enough ranting. What I wanted to say was that this was a full week, and I hadn't had time to catch up on my Yahoo! mail. When I finally did a few minutes ago, I found 35 emails from my friends who have apparently had this whole conversation about me being bald, Laura (who's in Heaven now, w00t!), chocolate ding-dongs with Max & Michael at Club 33, graduations, Hawaii (and Susi and Sheri's baby), and Michael Stipes, and HIV, and a million other memories that came to mind.

Even though every other time I've tried to plan a trip in the past few years, they've mostly flaked. I miss my friends. We're going to Disneyland next weekend for my last hurrah before my passport (and other things) expire!!! Story to come next weekend - see "Why Am I Bald?" posting soon.

I'm really looking forward to hanging around the Kool Care Group that we once all hung around with before we all became grownups and had to use the 1040 instead of the 1040EZ. Those were fun times, eh? Let me just say that Rocco won't be the only one cutting loose. I may shake my schnizel too. Or maybe I'll just be quiet and reserved - who knows.

At any rate, it was really nice reading all the emails in the thread and getting to know everyone again.

Have any of you ever tracked your dollar bills through www.wheresgeorge.com? I get most of mine from work, but this morning's was a little odd. I always dash back to my office, grasping the lucky dollar in my fist to see what ol' George has been up to.

Tappity, tap, tap. I clicked the keyboard as fast as I could (dollar bill still clinched in my hand). Series 2003, L59864889K, [Enter]. The hourglass pops up momentarily while some database somewhere looks up the row.

User Note:
"Received through my cashier till @ The Lusty Lady Theatre in SF's North Beach District, the world's first and only worker owned/co-operative live nude peepshow."

Ewwwww! Gross! I need to go wash my hands now, and then I'll come back for my teleconference.

Well, after much anticipation, I was almost completely let down by the new "American Idle" (not a typo) show about inventors called, "American Inventor". A cast of unknowns try their hand at getting their life's work admitted as the next greatest American invention.

Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed in what some people think is a good idea. The low points were usually products with catchy names like "The _____-Master 2000" or "The ______ Buddy".

Of unusual note:

The Walk Buddy -
Assertion: It wards off evil spirits, muggers and mountain lions.
Fact: It's a stick

The Arm Buddy -
Assertion: It's a tubular cloth which protects your arms from harmful sun rays which cause age spots
Fact: They're called sleeves

The Bladder Buddy -
Assertion: You can pee while standing in a suitbag at a bus stop
Fact: Ewwwwww

Clothes for cars
Assertion: Just like you dress up for a nice evening or the beach, you can dress your car with these vinyl(?) cling "clothes" for your car.
Fact: Market the people who buy those wheel rims that spin after your car stops. They'll buy anything.

The most interesting one that I saw was called, [sigh] "The SackMaster 2000". A combination shovel/sand bag funnel. Really kinda neat, but as with most ideas out there, it already exists.

The sad, unfortunate side of all of this is:

1. America is peppered with idiots and most of them were in line to be on this show
2. The show will likely get canned. Not because of lack of ideas, but because there was no sex or violence. The producers showed an argument, and they're hoping the couch-potato crowd will go for that and forgive the cogno-intellect going on.

When we first moved to Silicon Valley, Trace said, "it looks like we're living in Sodom." I agreed, although the passage of time has immuned me from some of the disgusting conditions under which people happily live and the shocking ways they choose to live out their lives. Eagerly collecting every material possession they can possibly get their hands on before moving on to Hell.

It's a lot like I would imagine Hell would be here sometimes. Crime, disrespect and every distasteful thing. These are just broad sweeping brushstrokes that I'm using to make a point. Here it is.

If you've ever had a longshot bet, a bet that would almost certainly never win. Or, if you've ever thought to yourself, "yeah, like that's going to happen", or "it'll be a cold day in Hell when [fill in the blank]". Well, now's your chance.

We've had snow here for a week now and it looks like more is coming in tonight. It's really odd to see snow stick around for as long as it has, but here it is. I'm glad I got my new windows when I did.

On Thursday, the new maid (um, housekeeper) is coming in to do a deep cleaning of the whole house. Let me back up a bit. Since I've been having a hard time making my house payments (California ya' know), I've decided to rent out a room. I'll have some extra money coming in, but I'll also have another person in the house. I decided that the easiest way to avoid conflicts of "who's going to clean this up" would be to spend a part of the money on a housekeeper.

Oh by the way, Kim in my new tenant. Hi Kim. I think it'll work out. She's saving money, and I'm making money - which is exactly what we both needed financially. As long as we don't kill each other because of our respective t.v. viewing habits, I think we'll be fine.

In talking to people, it turns out that there are lots of people with housekeepers. Do we call them housekeepers or maids? I guess it's housekeeper because even though the definition of housekeeper includes the word "housewife", the definition of "maid" includes the phrase "an unmarried virgin".

Sometimes - on a pretty rare occasion - this in my view as I drive over the top of the mountain on my way to work (the green building in the middle). My office is on the other side of the building, so if the clouds hadn't rolled in, this would've been my view.

CLICK TO ENLARGE



Here's another shot from the hill looking east (I believe). Thanks to Charlie for taking these breathtaking images.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

"Weebles wobble, but they're bottom heavy and have a hemispherical base with which to retain their vertical stance."

Ask yourself, "What is the purpose of going to a church service?"

We all have our different reasons for going, but my main goal is to learn and to grow under the instruction of someone the congregation feels is a worthy teacher. I enjoy hearing insights from someone who has more Bible committed to heart and a better understanding than I do. I'm speaking only about the Christian based, Bible thumping, soul winning, missionary sending churches here - not all churches [sigh]. What I mean is that when I find myself in a church service and an hour has passed without opening the Bible, I really feel I've missed something. I feel mislead - cheated in a way, and I leave hungry.

I attended such a service last night. I've been going to a singles Bible study on Wednesday nights at a local church for about a year now. I started going mostly because of their location, since my regular church is so far away now. Well, this being the first of the month AND a Wednesday, all the individual Bible study groups all had one big service in the new main sanctuary. I should have taken the hint when I walked in and all those big glowing smiles and hands were outstretched to greet me. "Hi, I'm Rick - the assigned greeter. I'm going to be nice to you now."

I sat up in front where I find myself in most services nowadays, and I missed my second clue that this might not be for me. 4 keyboard setups, 4 guitars, and a massive drum set behind a thick plexiglass wall. The lights dimmed and the performers walked onto the stage. Applause broke out, but it was unclear if the clapping was for God or the show. For those about to Rock!... Wireless headsets and an overwhelming booming sound took over. Disco balls and a fog machine - A FOG MACHINE were incorporated into the praise/worship/singing. A FOG MACHINE! Now, I know we all have our own special ways of praising God with song, but I really felt that the addition of smoke and bright lights was a litle too Hollywood.

Then I remembered those churches that are so consumed with bringing people in to fill the seats that they'll use anything the World finds attractive. I don't need Rock & Roll in my worship, but I understand that some do. I don't need to say, "Hey Dad" or "What's up hommie" when addressing God, but I understand that some do in order to feel comfortable when approaching the unapproachable.

Going to church and (even reading the Bible) isn't supposed to make you feel good. It's supposed to make you grow.