Link I'll never drink again Vol. 2: August 2006

Friday, August 25, 2006

Max and I just walked up to the store.


He met a nice lady waiting for the bus and we visited for a few moments. I tied him up outside like I always do and went inside to get cigs. While I was paying for them I heard that woman screaming and went outside to find two big dogs attacking mine. Max was still tied up and the guy who owned the dogs (looking to be at least 70) said they just got away from him. I was yanking on their leashes and trying to get them away from Max and screaming at the mother-fucking asshole (JJ you'd be proud) to get them away from my dog. He reined them in and headed around the corner and I told him I knew where he lived and if there's any vet bills for my dog, he was getting them! He actually lives right behind the store. I know him. Well, not his name but I know my dog hates his dogs and vice versa. I always give them a wide berth when I encounter them on our morning walks. He and his partner often walk by our yard and Max goes crazy. I just realized, I never walk Max by their yard. Why do they insist on going by mine? There are many other streets they could take...are they just egging Max on? I don't like it. Not a lot I can do about it. Max seems to be OK. He is a tough doggie. We're both much tougher that we look. Don't you know?

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Someone wrote in a card yesterday


So you've finally hit the speed limit. I turned 55 yesterday. It was a nice day, low key, balloons at work with a small cookie cake. No fuss, no muss. We cut it, each got a piece and everybody went back to work. Are we brainwashed or what? Went to dinner with some good friends and had a really nice time. Good food too. My brother, my mother and my friend Carlo all called and left birthday messages and really bad singing. It's funny. Last night at dinner everybody talked about retiring. Everyone is looking forward to it, except for me. I've already done it once and if I have my way and my health, I'll work till the bitter end.

Sunday, August 13, 2006

This from my sister via a friend in Pittsburgh.

Well, I passed this email to Mom, and she said, well, this email is for Larry (and his company)..It took me a minute, but then I realized she is right....PS to Bob: Larry's company specializes in (sanitized version) "sludge." Essentially, they turn shit into shinola - not a bad trick!!

Hi, Jewel You know my fascination with language. I came across the following learn-ed discourse and just had to pass it on.

THE MOST FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH WORD
Well, it's shit ... that's right, s-h-i-t -- SHIT! Shit may just be the most functional word in the English language.

Consider:
You can get shit-faced, Be shit-out-of-luck, Or have shit for brains.
With a little effort, you can get your shit together, find a place for your shit, or be asked to shit or get off the pot.
You can smoke shit, buy shit, sell shit, lose shit, find shit, forget shit, and tell others to eat shit.
Some people know their shit, while others can't tell the difference between shit and shineola.
There are lucky shits, dumb shits, and crazy shits.
There is bull shit, horse shit, and chicken shit.
You can throw shit, sling shit, catch shit, shoot the shit, or duck when the shit hits the fan.
You can give a shit or serve shit on a shingle.
You can find yourself in deep shit or be happier than a pig in shit.
Some days are colder than shit, some days are hotter than shit, and some days are just plain shitty.
Some music sounds like shit, things can look like shit, and there are times when you feel like shit.
You can have too much shit, not enough shit, the right shit, the wrong shit or a lot of weird shit.
You can carry shit, have a mountain of shit, or find yourself up shit creek without a paddle.
Sometimes everything you touch turns to shit and other times you fall in a bucket of shit and come out smelling like a rose.
When you stop to consider all the facts, the word shit is the basic building block of the English language.
And remember, once you know your shit, you don't need to know anything else!
You could pass this along, if you give a shit; or not do so if you don't give a shit!
Aw shit, it's time for me to go. Just wanted you to know that I do give a shit and hope you had a nice day, without a bunch of shit. But, if you happened to catch a load of shit from some shit-head...........
Well, Shit Happens!

(Ya know…I have listened to a bunch of George Carlin in my day, and tho I never heard the above from him, it sure sounds like his humor, his drift on and use of our language, as well as his cadence when deliverying his routine…whadayathink?)

me in pgh

Sunday, August 06, 2006

I think it was the dead & dried out scorpion behind the microwave that really did it for me.


That's really when I started to think maybe we came to the wrong place. I took pics and I'll load them as soon as I get home but let's just say the brochure might have exaggerated the pros instead of the cons of our weekend cabin getaway. I swear, it's so dry at Canyon Lake that just one match in the wrong hands and everything would go up in flames. What with all those Mesquite trees everywhere it would be one hell of a barbecue! As Jewel and I sat sweating in our little cabin that really wasn't any bigger than my one room apartment. Where the AC had been on, full blast, all day long, she said do you really want to stay here another two nights? I'd never even thought we had any other options and said so. We looked on the net and found a lovely Holiday Inn with a pool in New Braunfels. That's where we are now and boy Howdy, this is one well air conditioned room. I'm glad we came and after a day of shopping (I got a nice little cast iron pan) and sightseeing in Gruene, were going to go take a dip in the pool. Tomorrow, weather permitting, we'll go over to the city tube shoot and do some tubing. It shouldn't be nearly as crowded as it was today. Then we'll do a little shopping and some eating get another good night's rest and head back home on Tuesday morning. My car looks like I've been climbing mountains in it. We sort of have. So all is good. I haven't even been tempted to drink. That's a blessing. Later all. L.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Went to get my results from the doctor yesterday.

Not a lot of good news but it could be much worse. At any rate, I have another two months to get my cholesterol and my viral load back down. Otherwise it's back on the drugs. I explained to my doctor that I wasn't ready to go right back on them. That I'm the kind of person who has to think about it first, look up the probable side effects and then decide what I'm going to do. I'm not the kind of patient who just says, "Yes doctor. I'll do whatever you tell me to do." I wouldn't still be alive if I'd said that 20 years ago. I thought I was OK with his diagnosis but when I was telling a friend about it, he asked if that meant I was going back on the drugs and I started explaining and getting angrier and louder until I realized what was coming out of my mouth. Ok. Good thing I see my therapist today. This is just the kind of thing I was worried about when I started thinking about going full time at work. There are no guarantees in life but at least I have an idea of where my problems might come from. I had a little good news yesterday. Seems my liver and it's functions are completely normal. That's great considering what that poor organ has been through. Hepatitis, alcohol, drugs, HIV drugs and of course...age. Always look on the bright side. Sunny side of the street. Good ship lollipop, etc. Oh. I did think about drinking yesterday. The news was upsetting enough that it just came into my head that it was a really good reason to drink. Like I need a reason! My head does that sometimes but not nearly as often as it used to. That's something to be grateful for and I just used HALT to wipe out the thoughts. A nap, a good meal and I never thought about it again. Peace guys.