The Morning Meeting

What's News

2009-08-24T10:45:00.003-04:00

I passed this exam on June 27th with a fine score. The following week, I did the paperwork for the States of Virginia and Maryland, and the Securities and Exchange Commissions. The following week, my partner and I were asked to resign due to a lack of production. Since I wasn't allowed to solicit clients until registered, they were clearly after my partner. In Financial Services, the most heavily

MAJOR VICTORY In Bethesda

2009-06-27T00:47:00.003-04:00

I have been studying for an exam for over four months now. I have been missing for over two weeks now, and I mean to tell you that I didn't realize how much stress I have been under. I have not gone to bed before 4:00 am until last night for weeks. No one passed this exam the first time I took it. This was the last time I was taking it, ever. Not that I put pressure on myself.The exam is put

Chicken Dinner At The Morning Meeting

2009-06-20T15:11:00.002-04:00

To finish the Grand Fey Blog Tour, we held a blind drawing of the names submitted to the blog's e mail address for an autographed coy of the blog.The winner is Elaine Haley!! Congratulations Elaine, I hope you'll enjoy the book as much as I have. I return to studying for my exam on the 26th, and my return to normal blogging!In the meantime, have a fabulous week!

The Fey Blog Tour

2009-06-12T01:18:00.000-04:00

The big day has finally arrived! Claudia H. Christian and "The Fey has arrived in Gaithersburg, something I have eagerly awaited. What follows is the result of my reading Claudia's marvelous book, and my interview of the author. She arrived in a black Cadillac Escalade limo with escorts, wearing a Christian Dior gown and Harry Winston diamonds, her blond hair perfect. I was in a pair of shorts

The Jerry Follow Up

2009-06-10T22:38:00.002-04:00

Jerry is now home. He is now upset because they never could do the ablation. I have tried reasoning with Jerry that his new medication was working so well that the surgeons couldn't recreate his malfunction while inside his heart. Wasn't that dandy?Jerry's worry is that his old medication failed suddenly, and he was lucky that he got to a hospital in time. He reasons that it's possible that he

Finally, Some Results

2009-06-05T02:10:00.000-04:00

Jerry was transferred to Fairfax Hospital two days ago. They promptly took him off of his new cardiac medicaton so that during his operation the surgeons could duplicate the problem in his heart, and burn off the cells that were misfiring. Seems the meds were aimed at keeping the heart beating appropriately.Skip to today and the circus that actually happened. Jerry was scheduled to go into

Update

2009-05-29T12:17:00.002-04:00

Just to let you know, I have been diverted from my normal routine. I started to write about Memorial Day over a week ago. It's not my most pleasant story as I was one of ten who was drafted out of a University as a test case for Viet Nam.Then, a dear friend Jerry, who had a pacemaker put into his heart last December, suddenly fell ill earlier this week at lunch. He has been a close friend of Judy

Post Party Depression

2009-05-18T18:15:00.002-04:00

Last Friday, Judy and I drove to Richmond to visit Spellbound and her family. We had so much fun for the entire weekend that we are now suffering from post party depression. It is incredible that something we had looked forward to for so long has come and gone at the speed of light.We got to know Spellbound's husband Wrenn, we met Brook from North Carolina and her husband Derek, along with her

A New Life Joins Us

2009-05-06T10:51:00.002-04:00

This morning, there is simply wonderful news to share. Mel of Melsdream became a grandmother and has posted pictures of her brand new granddaughter on her blog. This is a gorgeous baby and you owe it to yourself to see her. It can't hurt to congradulate Mel either. If you think about it, none of this would have happened without her to begin with, but that's another story.Cigars and chocolates at

No Time Like The Present

2009-04-29T02:40:00.001-04:00

This is Judy's last full week off, so she charged me with finding things that were fun to do on days she didn't attend physical therapy. That would be a day like today. You might think a movie, or a nice ride and a picnic. Judy decided that she and her older sister would go to the cemetery today instead. Some days, it's tough being a trophy husband. On the other hand, it gave me a few hours to be

We Have News

2009-04-22T13:15:00.000-04:00

We went to the surgeon today. When Judy had her rotator cuff surgery, she had torn the entire rotator cuff, and the operation took approximately twice as long as was first estimated. They had to dissect a certain muscle, and there was some nerve damage in the process. This is known as "complex regional pain syndrome". In other words for us laypeople, her hand and entire arm hurt like hell.

NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE UP

2009-04-16T16:40:00.006-04:00

The Susan Boyle video on YouTube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZYSusan Boyle is a 47 year old woman in England who spent her life taking care of her mother. I would have embeded the video, but YouTube won't allow it. You really must go see this phenomenon. An entire packed theater is against this woman. Until the third note she sings..... I have never seen Simon Cowel smile before. Adam

My Latest Ringtone

2009-04-14T13:09:00.002-04:00

I have a wife-certified and approved girlfriend named Susan. Susan and I talk a lot on the phone. Often, Susan talks to Judy and I on the speaker together, and the result is generally hilarious. I decided I wanted to pick a new and different ringtone so I'd always know when Susan was calling, as opposed to anyone else.Picking the absolutely best possible ringtone takes time, effort, and is a

I Ask You Once Again

2009-04-09T16:09:00.002-04:00

My dear friend Carrie (Echomouse) lost her beloved cat Teddy to cancer on Monday. For those of you who live with an animal, who have made it a part of your life, you know that she has lost a family member, and is suffering enormously. For those of you who have never had the experience, I can never explain to you the pain and suffering Carrie is going through. If you choose to read the memorial

A Quick Note

2009-04-07T01:31:00.004-04:00

I had a close call last week. I was told to report to the emergency room as my family doctor couldn't hear any 'bowel sounds' when he examined me. The range of options ranged from exploratory surgery to a soap suds enema. I wanted to go home and finish the chopped liver so that Jake didn't get to finish it while I was laying in the hospital. I won.I'll write it up as soon as it's a little easier

An Unbelievable Day

2009-03-25T13:49:00.001-04:00

When I was a 16 year old kid, I wasn't so sure that I would ever find the 'right' woman for me. This may sound strange coming from someone who has been married since two days before recorded history began, but it is absolutely true.I used to go outside and talk to my one true love, wherever she was. I had to be outside because walls would obviously weaken the telepathic signals I was putting out,

Twitter Pays Off

2009-03-16T19:13:00.003-04:00

I was discussing dinner with Chef Brook, who offers up multiple dishes on her blog, when I explained that I had made a pot of chicken soup last week and frozen multiple bags of servings for this week in an attempt to "Think Like Brook". Then it dawned on me. Her last post had her going to PF Chang's for dinner and bringing home leftovers.I talked about egg rolls and sushi and all of Judy's

To Bring You Up To Date

2009-03-13T14:00:00.003-04:00

Judy started physical therapy this week, and things are moving slowly. She goes three times a week. She has my old therapist, Bret, who is a wonder worker. I know you think I go to Tiffany, Ace Physical Therapist, but she lives and works too far away for an easy commute, or I'd be there a lot more. She has this dog and two cats, and great stuff to snack on, and this boyfriend....but I digress.I

Simply Kind Tuesdays

2009-03-03T18:18:00.004-05:00

OK, I got the picture, "The Morning Meeting" is coming out Tuesday evening. It's all Claudia H. Christian of On A Limb With Claudia's fault, not mine. Let me be clear here, I am not accepting any responsibility here, this is all Claudia's thing, she is a really kind person. If you have never read her blog, you should try it. This Tuesday's post was on why it was so difficult to be kind. She

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

2009-03-02T08:37:00.005-05:00

Jake heard Judy and I talking about the big snow storm, got excited and came out of hiding to see what the big deal was all about. He is definitely a very curious cat and has to be in the middle of EVERYTHING. And I have more dishes to wash. I have got to keep those cabinent doors closed.We all went to the front door and saw the following:If you look at the picture above, you'll notice that you

I Am Pleased To Report

2009-02-24T23:13:00.000-05:00

I took Judy to the surgeon yesterday and he changed the dressing. He says she can shower, with some help (I am available) and she can start rotating her arm if she bends over and hangs it straight down. The idea is to prevent a frozen shoulder. She starts physical therapy next week.Earlier today< she complained that her arm itched, so I gave her a Benedryl. She was worried about the adverse drug

VICTORY on W. Gude Drive

2009-02-20T03:57:00.001-05:00

Judy is sound asleep in the recliner as I sit here writing this. We're home, and I have been asleep for three hours, enough to function for a while.We got to the surgical center at 6:30 am. The center opens at 6:30 am. She was taken back to the Prep Room at 7:00 am while I was doing her paper work, since she can't use her right hand. I asked when I could go back, and at 7:30 am they let me go

Surgery Day - Time To Man Up

2009-02-19T03:30:00.000-05:00

This is Dr. Dan Lahr, the Orthopedic Surgeon who is going to operate on Judy in the morning. He did his residency at Duke, and lives about 20 minutes from here. He and I also have gone out for sushi because neither of our wives likes sushi. When he was in college, he went on an athletic scholarship as an offensive tackle to Colgate University. In his spare time, he loves to push me around the

Jake Meets The Blogosphere

2009-02-17T03:09:00.000-05:00

I am Jakenstein and I rule the known Universe. Just ask me. I am doing this because Monty says there are a few friends of his who want to see me, like a lady name Brook and Eris and maybe Elaine and Mel. Monty says that they all are redheads, and so am I, which makes them all good people in my book, and that's the book that counts. I'm also hoping for the Puss, because I have my own pole I dance

I'd Like To Thank You For Your Help

2009-02-10T22:14:00.002-05:00

I got this letter from Glamourpuss and felt you should read it too.Subject: Sincere ThanksJust to let you all know, thanks to your votes, I made it through and will be performing at the Newcomer's contest at this year's London Burlesque Festival. Quite literally, I could not have done it without you; thank you, sincerely.Glory xxAs the person who solicited your vote, I also thank you for having

On Life and Death

2009-02-06T02:01:00.006-05:00

On Feb. 5, 2007, my 37 year old nephew Jake died of a heart attack in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. A few years earlier, my 12 year old great niece Rebecca died of an adverse drug reaction to a medication. Last year, James Burnett of the Miami Herald and his wife lost a baby during pregnancy. Mel lost a dear, close friend and associate this week and is dealing with the loss, and

I Am Asking For Your Help, Please

2009-01-27T01:04:00.004-05:00

A close, dear friend who lives in Kent, England is embarking on a second career in burlesque and pole dancing. She teaches pole dancing and is quite adept at it and the gymnastics that accompany the endeavor. Burlesque is a venue to get paid for it, and to have a good time. As in any other profession, it takes more than just talent to break in. The London Burlesque Festival is just one of the

Stumping The Legal System

2009-01-24T13:53:00.000-05:00

While everyone else was enjoying the Inauguration, I was in Court as a witness in a contempt trial between a divorced husband and wife. This is the third time I am testifying, but not the last. I generally end up wasting two days waiting to testify around 45 minutes. Strangely enough, the actual testifying is much easier than the waiting. You see, I can't go into the courtroom until I'm called,

The DC You Never Hear About

2009-01-13T00:56:00.002-05:00

We live in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. That was before the Secret Service started having their way in Washington, DC. When I used to commute downtown regularly, I had several contracts where the best way to and from the place where I was working was right by the White House. Not the Pennsylvania Avenue side, the other side on E Street.What was unpredictable was when the

Briefly

2009-01-09T00:22:00.003-05:00

Since we last spoke, Judy tore her rotator cuff in her right shoulder. MRI reveals about a three inch tear. Afterwards, she trips over a box outside the house falling on the sling first on the concrete. I see her going down head first and am yelling thinking she has a concussion or fractured skull since she doesn't picked up her head or make a sound. I am about to call the ambulance when she asks

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T01:55:00.003-05:00

It's 2009, hip hip hooray!I had immediate dreams of winning a $384 bazillion lottery. With that much money, you build a compound, with a fantastic kitchen, I mean fantabulous, tons of counter space, walk in freezer, did I mention the personal chef that got hired? Then, I'd bring in Tiffany. I can afford to have the best in Physical Therapy, and she brings PB, an expert in Exercise Therapy with

Grace's Farewell

2008-12-30T19:59:00.005-05:00

A very close, dear, personal friend sent the flowers and vase next to Grace's ashes in the box and her paw print in front of the box. The flowers arrived the day after the ashes came home. I have shown you the flowers today in the second shot after they have grown for a week, and the flowers the day they came. The lady, and I do mean lady, who sent them had lost a dog a few years back and

Ending the Blue Funk

2008-12-18T10:12:00.003-05:00

I was supposed to pick up Grace's ashes yesterday, but decided that crying was a much better course of action. I'll go and get her remains after I post this. I had a lumbar sacral facet injection, which means the surgeon shot my back full of hydrocortizone, tarragon, sesame oil, a little rosemary, and a little kickapoo joy juice from the hills of Kentucky (I think my friend Allan might have a

In Loving Memory Of Grace

2008-12-09T21:08:00.003-05:00

Grace died at noon today of toxoplasmosis. She actually was put out of her misery at the vet's after a huge battle. We got her eye cleared, but she could no longer eat, nor stand, and she had crystals in her urine, which was painful. Gracie was 16 months old.I made sure she was looking out the window at the squirrels and birds and the trees as she painlessly received a sedative. Judy held her for

I Am Pleased To Tell You That

2008-11-28T00:16:00.000-05:00

I am pleased to inform you that my next door neighbor has recovered nicely from his knife wounds and is doing well. He is attached here to his girlfriend who likes to be called "Juicy" as her shirt proclaims she is of the "House of Juicy". She thinks I am hysterically funny. She has excellent taste.Further, my neighbor has been promoted to Manager of the Technical Section of Office Depot. I, of

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T10:39:00.003-05:00

I am grateful for waking this morning, for the friends I have blogging, for the insights and inspiration I have received from blogging, and for lower gas prices. May you all have meaningful work this coming year and want for nothing. Happy Thanksgiving.

Still Here

2008-11-20T07:57:00.002-05:00

As you may well imagine, things are a little crazed where I am lately. Most people are handling things OK, a little scared, needing some reassurance. A few are hysterical about the next Depression (we're having a deflation, the opposite of inflation, which is how we getaway with printing so much money). I'll be back as soon as I can. Have a great day!

Six thingies you mighta or mightnota known......

2008-11-09T16:48:00.002-05:00

I was asked to do this meme by Mel, who is a truly warm and giving human being who came by one day from Skinny Little Blond's blog, a wonderful place to visit. Since she tagged me, I even stole the title from her.Here are the Rules:1. Link to the person who tagged you 2. Post the rules on your blog 3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself 4. Tag six random people at the end

Peace

2008-11-06T15:14:00.003-05:00

Amazing how the idea speaks for itself. Peace. An absence of War. We'd have a Peace Dividend, extra money to put into 'other things' like the crumbing infrastructure that surrounds us in the form of things like bridges and highways, research into preserving some of the animals that surround us that are so important, like the bee colonys that pollinate all the food that grows, oh, but why should I

To Mel; Free At Last, Grace

2008-11-03T11:23:00.004-05:00

You didn't get this from me, but Saturday night, Judy caved in, and Grace was set free. Grace was not immediately sure why she was being freed, and was very suspicious. Jake went nuts. He was suddenly NOT the TOTAL center of attention, and that was TOTALLY unacceptable.He has attacked her quite a few times, causing her to laugh, and one time to hiss at him, sending him scampering. I mean, he

Here's Someone You Can Help At Christmas

2008-11-02T22:56:00.002-05:00

A Skinny Little Blonde, one of the truly best writers on the net has asked a favor of those that might help, but in a much more literary way. She has a long time friend who has a son who enlisted in the service of the United States. He won't be home for either Thanksgiving nor Christmas. If you would care to send him a card and/or some cookies, or anything else from home, his address is:SPC

My Name is Grace, How Do You Do

2008-10-27T08:50:00.000-04:00

I am the upstairs cat. I live in the guest bedroom. I am plotting my escape now that I feel better. I still get two shots a day. Damn vet. I have been poked and prodded. One day, I am going to get out of this room. In the meantime, I just make it difficult for Monty to take pictures of me, and I won't play with him or his wife too much. I won't spoil them while I have to stay in this room. One

We Have A Guest Blogger

2008-10-20T23:03:00.003-04:00

Hi, my name is Jake, and Monty and Judy live with me and this girl cat who is upstairs in quarantine with toxoplasmosis, a parasite in her blood. But why talk about her when I'm here, the caped crusader.Monty is trying to get me to stop biting, like that's going to happen anytime soon. One of my best hunter games comes from me hiding in the bedroom until he and Judy go to sleep. I wait until they

A Little Mental Health

2008-10-07T11:25:00.000-04:00

I cannot begin to tell you how much fun a kitten is, or can be. Yesterday, I called him Peter Lorre in the "Hunchback of Notre Dame". On the other hand, he loves playing Korean War Games. The other day, he successfully defended the Inchon Resevoir against the entire Chinese Army, complete with trumpets, while they screamed (well, one grunted) "Marine, you die". The cat is fearless, a real Aldo

We Have An Important Announcement To Make

2008-09-29T23:23:00.004-04:00

A cat and a kitten at the Last Chance Shelter through Petsmart picked Judy and I on my birthday as two people they wanted to cohabitate with, thus ending the long emptiness in our lives. Thar be cats in the house now, and all is well with the world.This little cutie is my Glamourpuss, and I think she is simply gorgeous. She is 16 months old and just had a litter. She and I have a thing for each

Today Is A Big Anniversary

2008-09-27T16:40:00.002-04:00

I have a few adopted sisters Wicked H and her sister Brain Surgeon (BS) {Happy Birthday BS, you don't look a day over 25} who shares a birthday with me as they add grace and charm and elegance to my already blessed life. Yet today is also the fifth anniversary of the day I quit smoking.I had snapped the humerus (the big bone between the elbow and the shoulder) on my left arm. The surgeon told me

For Pam and Heather

2008-09-23T00:05:00.002-04:00

I have actually been a little out of sorts lately, and it seems to be going around. So, to cheer myself up, I normally turn to Beethoven and Mel, and Hearts and Glamourpuss, not to mention Open Grove Claudia. Today, I have that deep existential thing that gnaws down deep, so I hauled out some more of the big guns, John Denver and also the Cactus Cuties.John Denver, the discoverer of Colorado,

Live Blogging The Financial Crisis

2008-09-19T08:25:00.003-04:00

Dateline: GaithersburgAs a follow-up to the story from our sister blog Echomouse in Canada about some of the problems in Canada, we are rushing to press this morning to announce that the beginning of the end of the financial crisis is at hand. Henry Paulson, Bush's third Secretary of the Treasury, and the first one with the "right stuff", is the hero of this debacle. There is no time to wait for

An Anniversary

2008-09-17T20:50:00.002-04:00

This is the 333rd post I have written for this blog and actually published. I have actually written quite a few more than that according to Blogger, but I don't count the ones that don't make it to the light of day. What makes this one so special is that I am writing it in Google's editor named Chrome. The truck's lug nut was the best chrome object I could find. Sorry about that.Some of you use

Do Not Bother The Candidates On This One

2008-09-15T10:07:00.005-04:00

Oil dropped to under $96 a barrel this morning (96.60 at the moment) even though the local gas stations have gasoline at $3.98 due to the shutting of the refineries due to tropical storm Ike. The price will come down again, but you can see how fast gasoline can move. The next shock could be in heating costs this winter. This is not why my blood pressure is through the roof today.It's cancer. I

An Emotional Event For Me

2008-09-10T17:43:00.006-04:00

When I was a kid at the age of 12, I started going to work with my father the builder. He actually did own and run a small construction company. The first day I had off school, he woke me at 5 am, and we drove to the other side of Baltimore and were on the job site before 7:00 am. I ended up being a laborer, and I heard a lot about not working hard enough. I was good at running errands. On the

What Will The Candidates Really Do?

2008-09-08T21:43:00.005-04:00

The Treasury Secretary of the United States took over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac over the weekend. Last week, Pimco, a huge bond dealer, refused to buy anymore of the short term paper of either agency. Privately, both the Russian and Chinese Government buyers had also called the Treasury. Secretary Paulson already had decided that both institutions were too big to fail, that these two

The Quality of My Blogging Has Been Strained

2008-09-04T08:33:00.006-04:00

Yesterday I had a wonderful exchange of e mail with my identical twin, James Burnette. We both admitted to being on the slow side of blogging lately. Mostly, we talked about coffee. Now, if you like coffee as much as I like coffee, this can be a really wonderful discussion. Just like if you like chocolate as much as I like chocolate. Then, of course, we need to discuss moderation, or diabetes,

The Long and Short Of It

2008-08-24T23:00:00.000-04:00

The Olympics are over. I did not pass the Series 66 exam last week, and neither did the other 4 people I took it with. When I took the Series 7, there were 160 questions and 6 hours to take the test. I finished in 3 hours. The 66 had 110 questions and was 3 hours long. I finished with 8 minutes to spare. It was basically law, and was pretty strange.One question said, "The Administrator can

For The Olympics, et al

2008-08-12T00:12:00.002-04:00

Allan and Alison got married on August 1, and after the weekend reception, the planetary gravitational constant has remained the same despite the odds. That means all is well, as it should be in Lexington, both of them. That, in and of itself prompted selection of the "Ode to Joy". Naturally.Unfortunately, Battie hasn't returned home. And Tiffany King wasn't miraculously healed by her second

Foods and Health

2008-08-04T22:42:00.001-04:00

This came in the mail, and I found it intriguing. What took a lot of time, and I never got it done, was the pictures that accompanied each little paragraph. I can't tell you if it was because it wasn't feasible, or because of the pain meds, but the pictures are gone. I still found it interesting. I'd like your opinion.God left us a great clue as to what foods Help what part of our body! God's

For CMHL and The Bat, Wherever She May Be

2008-07-29T08:58:00.005-04:00

There is still no word as to where Battie might be. The positive hope is that she is in someone's home playing with their children, and that she is loved and well cared for, and an inside cat now. I'm not giving up hope for Battie coming home, I don't work that way. But absence does make the heart grow fonder.I dedicate this to CMHL and The Bat. Anyone missing a cat, or anyone else will be able

I Have Been Preoccupied A Little, Please Excuse Me

2008-07-22T22:18:00.000-04:00

OK, so I herniated a disc in my back. Actually, I re-herniated it crawling on the floor late last week. Now you know I am not anyone's friend with benefits. M@ handles that for me. I hang with Judy. Now that I injected the right amount of sex, I can continue with backs.This is a lateral (side view) MRI scan showing a patient lying face down with 8-9 mm herniated lumbar disc at L4 L5. Tiffany King

Happy Bastille Day

2008-07-14T16:59:00.003-04:00

First, some great news. Little Oreo has found her way home. Unfortunately, her sister Battie hasn't made it back yet. I emphasize yet. Given that Oreo has returned is that the glass is half full, and it is half full of champagne.I continue to pray, and hope for Battie. The fireworks below are for Oreo.I'd like to wish my friend Carrie in Toronto, my friend Alison and Allan and their children from

Some Of My Best Friends

2008-07-06T11:13:00.005-04:00

Some terrible things have happened lately that have taken my attention from the blogosphere. A niece had an accident that put her and her child in the hospital. Over the 4th of July weekend, a dear friend went camping with her family. While away, someone threw a block of firecrackers into her garage, where her cats stayed. Fortunately, with all the gas cans around, there was no fire. But her two

Victory In DC

2008-06-27T08:36:00.008-04:00

There really shouldn't have been a lot of pressure about this test I took today. Somehow, things didn't work out that way. We had the cancer scare with Judy that ruined a month, then turned out to not be cancer, but a triglyceride problem. It did make studying a small problem, as well as breathing. One tends to hold their breath for days on end. I didn't publish anything because, I think I'm

The Lesson Of The Frogs

2008-06-21T04:26:00.000-04:00

A group of frogs were travelling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the unfortunate frogs they would never get out. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump out of the pit. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs

I Need To Take Some Time Off

2008-06-16T16:43:00.000-04:00

I have the first of a series of exams coming up on Saturday, June 29th. I have several thousand pages of material that are being covered. Everyone is confident except me, so I am taking the next two weeks off from blogging, and as much work as I can. Don't worry, you all are like family to me. Ah'll be bach (as Ahnold would say).I'll catch up on your blogs, and please, give 'em hell. See you soon

A Few Ideas For You

2008-06-11T17:15:00.002-04:00

Open Grove Claudia really outdid herself this week when she wrote a nifty little post on hatred. Claudia is always good. This post goes from low key, but very smart to mind bending. If you have the time for the population demographics lecture at the end of the post, it is downright brilliant and insightful.Mel who writes Melsdream is a blog that grows on you. Mel wrote about the press today, and

I Don't Have The Words, I'm Simply Very Lucky

2008-06-07T13:50:00.002-04:00

Last night, Judy and I drove to Frederick, Maryland to have dinner with some friends of ours who we have known for a long time. They had both held high ranking government jobs, and retired. Now, they had moved away from the city, and we were visiting them at their new condo in Frederick.They have a beautiful, new kitchen, with terrazzo floors, and an island to cook on, a convection oven, plus a

Dona Nobis Pacem

2008-06-04T00:01:00.000-04:00

You may notice that you don't hear much about Darfur anymore. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but there was not a sudden outbreak of peace in Darfur. We have a friend, I'll call her Rachael, who is a career diplomat with the State Department for certain West African countries. She was the first diplomat allowed into Darfur when they opened the borders. According to Rachael, everyone has

Memorial Day Is For Remembering

2008-05-25T10:19:00.002-04:00

May is a strange month for me. My wife has her birthday on the 13th, and she loves having her day. On the other hand, we lost our cat, Holmes, last year on May 19th, and I'm still trying to get over it. I hope I haven't beat up on you all too much about her in the last year.But May has Memorial Day in it every year. And I live in the DC area. You out of towners always see the statue of the Iwo

Happy Birthday, Glamourpuss

2008-05-21T00:11:00.000-04:00

Glamourpuss is one of those people that I have been reading since I have been blogging. You can read her for her insight into pole dancing, or you can read her for her insights into life in general. Regardless, she possesses a rare intellect and knowledge base that makes her almost uniquely qualified in her approach to thinking about things.I found her exposition on Buddhism to be quite

Gang Stupidity Causes Depression

2008-05-18T15:28:00.003-04:00

I promised Tiffany King that I'd write a brilliantly funny, insightful and absolutely true pieces about Farmville (actually pronounced Fahm-vuhl, say it with me Fahm-vuhl, it's almost musical!). But, in actuality, I was very depressed until just a little while ago.Directly below is the neighbor who lives to the right of us if you face my house from the street. He and his family are from El

Slowly I Write

2008-05-12T08:15:00.002-04:00

I started writing a post on the Pugh Report from the United Nations which simply said that we have about 3 billion people living in cities now, and that in something like 30 years that would double to 6 billion people. The simple statistic blew my mind when you consider that the infrastructure doesn't exist now to support the population levels in the cities now, much less the surrounding areas.

A Change In The Air

2008-05-01T20:48:00.002-04:00

The gasoline refiners are reporting their earning now, and they are getting killed. Even Exxon, who earned more money than God, earned less than expected because their refining earnings were lower than expected. Politicians rarely have a good grasp of economics, or what the economy is actually doing. This is typically true regardless of party, so I'm not favoring either party here.This week, oil

$4 Gasoline? Have You Looked At Food Prices Lately?

2008-04-23T22:01:00.001-04:00

I get asked a lot about when gasoline will hit $4 a gallon. My current response is Memorial Day. For $5 gasoline, go to Los Angeles or San Francisco, and wait a few days. One of the biggest factors contributing to this cost of gasoline is that a barrel of oil costs $120 at the moment. You could hear this any night on the news. The news doesn't tell you that the "crack spread" (the process for

Happy Birthday WnG

2008-04-17T08:09:00.002-04:00

Today is WnG's 29th birthday. She is having those existential worries. So I got her a friend she can always cuddle with, who will always be there for her, someone she can depend on. He's right below.And just so she knows how much he loves her...I hope she likes the pictures, because that's what I got her. Stop by and give G a hug for her birthday and ask her how her trip to Chicago with her Dad

Just So You Know

2008-04-16T08:05:00.002-04:00

This big, bad tooth in the back right side of the upper part of my mouth decided it needed attention. What makes things difficult is that I wear a bridge. So all the needles in the roof of your mouth and picks and probes and stuff started last week. Still eating soft stuff. The new bridge is due back. Clear thinking to return eventually!How are you all doing?

Several People You Must Read

2008-04-08T23:02:00.003-04:00

I am an old hippie. You may or may not have known or guessed that. For some really great stories, and superb writing, you absolutely must try The Hippie Parade written by Singleton. Singleton is the older sister of the Existential Great One Skinny Little Blonde (I don't have to tell you to NEVER buy at car at smart cars, Inc. do I?) so there's this tradition of writing between them.On Sunday

Yarzeit for Dr. Martin L. King

2008-04-04T22:20:00.000-04:00

In the Jewish religion, one is responsible for remembering the dead. This is accomplished by saying a prayer, Kadish, and lighting a candle, known as a Yarzeit candle. We say that Yarzeit is tonight for Martin Luther King, for example, as we remember the anniversary of his funeral. I do it with music here.I remember 1968 starting off as a year with promise. I had graduated from college, and I had

Quick Update

2008-04-02T08:29:00.002-04:00

I have been studying hard, and I am at the Securities Laws. To those of you who are lawyers, how can you read that stuff?Judy has been sick, so I have been a bit diverted. I'll post as soon as I can get some writing time. I have been reading a lot about how the population is going to increase, and the cities get more congested. The implications are interesting, if not difficult to predict.Have a

Love On The Beach

2008-03-24T01:45:00.004-04:00

I have shamelessly stolen this from Odat because she is a genius at illustrating important socio-political points. If any person in this video is more appealing to you than another, it almost certainly isn't because of their race, religious belief, country of national origin, and so on and so forth. That's the way it ought to be, the normative. If you look carefully, you can see most of my

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2008-03-17T10:00:00.002-04:00

Have a safe, happy, health St. Patrick's Day. I don't have any good stories, do you? That's what comments are for!

I Am Truely Grateful

2008-03-07T01:09:00.001-05:00

I find myself commuting to work and getting there, thankful that I didn't kill anyone on the way there. I didn't intentionally run anyone off the road. I never fired a single photon torpedo, never opened up the 50 caliber machine guns during the interstate combat with the high speed 25 mile an hour jockeying for position on the high speed highways. I say 25 miles per hour because that is high

Stagflation

2008-03-04T01:51:00.002-05:00

You're going to hear a lot about stagflation as the primaries and then the election heat up, yet few people seem to know what stagflation means. That seems to include the politicians. I am not taking sides here, both parties offend me equally. I offer you a modern, working definition that almost anyone of you can use, and immediately know more than the political parties (except for the really

Open Grove Claudia's Meme

2008-03-01T23:18:00.000-05:00

**Start CopyHere are the rules:You are about to send a virtual Message In a Bottle across the Blog Ocean. Leave a message in the sand or on the bottle. Write anything you wish. Be a pirate or a poet. Serious or silly. Anonymous or not.What message would you like to send out to the universe?Message In A Bottle Meme1. Compose a message to place in your virtual bottle2. Right click and Save the

Dinner Last Night

2008-02-22T00:57:00.000-05:00

Why make a big deal out of dinner last night? Because it was so yummy, and because I made it happen on the fly while caught in traffic (a constant commuting state of existence these days) and we quit after a mere ten hour day. As I was driving the hour it takes to go 17 miles from my office to my house, I started daydreaming (multi-tasking, naturally) about the sushi you see below as I was

I Strongly Recommend, In No Uncertain Terms ...

2008-02-13T19:32:00.002-05:00

I try to stick with my original premise of dealing with quality, that ephemeral term. I have made a lot of recommendations, and no one has ever said, "that was terrible." Anyone is alway welcome to disagree, naturally, we all have different tastes, but I am probably the worst writer of anyone I have ever recommended.I am certain that I have recommended Open Grove Claudia's blog Out On A Limb With

Stand And Be Counted Addendum

2008-02-13T00:36:00.000-05:00

That is my I Voted sticker in English and Spanish on the Maryland directions for voting. I made it through the ice storm to vote. Only a mere hour and a half to go seventeen miles. Nothing to it.I was raised to take voting seriously, and I was taught that it was my responsibility. The words 'right' and 'privledge' were never uttered. You didn't vote and you knew that the vote cops came and got

Time To Stand Up And Be Counted

2008-02-11T20:09:00.000-05:00

Today is the Maryland Primary, and I will once again go in and vote. It's the first time since I have been married, which happened two days before recorded history began, I will not be voting with my wife. My wife, in her infinite wisdom (almost as infinite as the State of Maryland, but not quite as much, she's only one person you know) decided to answer the call and be a Closing Judge at the

Still Crazy After All These Years

2008-02-07T21:05:00.000-05:00

It's only fair that I warn you that besides Beethoven, I also adore Paul Simon. Paul Simon is fortunate that I never had political ambitions, because if I had ever been elected President, he would have to go. That guy always seemed to know exactly how I felt. My partner John, I call him John because that is his name, although I never go to the Men's Room, which should clue you in to the level of

What's Going On Here?

2008-01-16T08:08:00.000-05:00

I want to note the passing of Dan Fogelberg, a noted songwriter and singer from the 70's and 80's, most notably for the song "Leader of the Band", a beautiful song in memory of his father. Mr. Fogelberg died of prostate cancer at the age of 56. What surprised me is that prostate cancer is one of the cancers with the highest cure rate of any cancer if there is early detection of the cancer. By the

The Top 10 Ways to Resolve to Have a Great Year

2007-12-30T13:23:00.000-05:00

What sort of year have you decided that 2008 will be for you? A lot of people seem to be going off the idea of New Year's resolutions after many years of making them and then breaking them too soon after. Here are 10 ways to resolve to have a great year: 1. Start in this moment. Don't wait for a certain day to allow time for mental preparation. How much time do you really need to

Positive Vibes

2007-12-21T08:57:00.000-05:00

Crankster's sister Ella is being operated on today in Pennsylvania. Although I have been somewhat distracted, and Crankster's always soundly of the positive mental attitude is thinking that all will be well, it can't hurt if we focus a lot of good thoughts on the hospital in Pennsylvania. It happens, I put the Existential Fix in yesterday.Show 'em how it's done, Ella!

From My Good Friend Echomouse

2007-12-11T22:23:00.000-05:00

Echomouse is one of the smarter people around. She doesn't try to fool herself, so she doesn't try to fool anyone else either. It's uncommon to find that trait in a friend these days, so I tend to think I'm kind of lucky. We became friends last year, then we both had perfectly horrible 2007s. I have started to pull out of the misery of the year, in fact, I have found myself to be the normal

Guilty As Charged

2007-12-06T23:22:00.000-05:00

OK, instead of sitting down and writing a post about something pithy, or otherwise, I read your blogs. I'd really read your blogs because so many of you are so good at it. Still, I have pictures, and the garage is finished, and we are parking there, out of the snow! Naturally, there's a story which I haven't gone into.Getting up early (6:30 am), working late (oh dark thirty to oh dark thirty, the

The Holiday Season

2007-12-01T13:23:00.000-05:00

Above is a close up of the Silver Lace Red Maple in front of the house. For about a week at the end of Fall, the tree's leaves turn a bright red, then die and fall off. In the old days, the end of Fall was generally somewhere around the third week of October around here. This picture was taken November 21, 2007, or about a month later than you'd expect. Full Fall colors were still here in all of

Thanksgiving

2007-11-21T17:22:00.000-05:00

I am really blessed in the fact that I woke up this morning. With all the funerals we attended, it's been hard to take that for granted this year. I am blessed because my wife is still here with me, and still seems to care what happens to me. That's a big one too. I am working hard on trying to convert my thinking to appreciating that I got to spend so much time with Jake and with Holmes. Jake

Hear Ye Hear Ye Hear Ye

2007-11-18T00:37:00.000-05:00

The erudite, tasteful, extremely literate, incredibly attractive, superbly endowed and intelligent beyond expectation Glamourpuss (A Pole Affair, Clairvoyance) was imitated by Marks and Spencer, the reknown English retailers when they came out with their new P.J. line. Puss, a cross between Diana Rigg and Elizabeth Hurley (eat your heart out Kim Kardashian) took it all with her finely tuned sense

We Have Arrived

2007-11-13T21:30:00.000-05:00

My wife has a 'thing' about scheduling, and making sure that we have enough time to do whatever is necessary. She is the uber-planner. Naturally, since we hadn't flown anywhere since the year 2000, we arrived in our little secured nook of Reagan Airport after going through security three hours before boarding of our aircraft. Impeccable planning! On the other hand, one of my favorite phrases, all

Leaving On A Jet Plane

2007-11-08T08:57:00.000-05:00

We leave in seven minutes for the airport. I have avoided flying since 9/11 occurred, so I am not looking forward to this experience. I know, I should have a positive mental attitude. I guess I should be glad that Richard Reed tried to hide a bomb in his shoes and not up his ass.Puss, I was reading about your EFT techniques and ran out of time. I shall return. If you don't read Glamourpuss and

Peace On Earth, Good Will To All

2007-11-07T00:07:00.000-05:00

I spent a lot of time thinking that I was going to decorate the globe above with Holmes' picture and the name The Morning Meeting, and submit it to the blog that promotes this every year. I was too busy to get a copy to all of you who have blogs, or to put your blog names onto a copy. My apologies. So here is a plain copy, just copy it right off the page, or click on it and copy it to your

Working Gets In The Way of Blogging

2007-11-05T01:10:00.000-05:00

There are a few drawbacks to working that I didn't take into account, namely it cuts harshly into my blogging time. Worse, there's no Starbucks anywhere nearby, the office has a Cuisinart 12 cup coffee maker, and they use Folgers coffee, and they make it weak. In the good old days, last week, I'd drink the whole 12 cups in about three (3) hours. They are small cups don't you know. And let us not

The Bastards Want To Kill Cats

2007-10-31T01:08:00.000-04:00

Once again, one of Heart's kids is involved in rescuing some animals. This time, it's the feral cats at JFK airport. You can get the full story over at Heart's blog, including what you can do to help should you choose. I am personally asking for your help. You know that I have had cats for years. I also don't like killing living things, animals, people, whatever. Heart's post is called S.O.S. I