Homeless Dogs

“You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present.” - Jan Gidewell

I know everyone enjoys payday, well maybe not bosses who have to pay, but I think I still enjoy it a lot. Just wish there were more of them. I'm just happy to be working and employed. That was the first thought that came to my mind this morning.

Speaking of employed, it is an understatement to say that there are a lot of homeless people here in Austin. I was used to them from DC, so I've grown to be able to pertend they don't exist so as to not feel guilty for their plight. I think it was sometime in the 80s we were all sold this bill of goods that homeless people were just lazy and were making more money panhandling than others make working a real job. After they go home to their mansion and laugh at you for giving them your hard earned money. Or the other thought, they will just use it to buy drugs and or alcohol. "Get a Job!" you sometimes hear people say. Just like the myth of the welfare queen living it up on government assitance and food stamps with her 5 kids and one more on the way, it just isn't the reality for the vast majority of people. The truth is that there are some homeless people that are the exception, a lot of drug users and alcoholics but there is no denying that there are real needy homeless people living on the streets with no money and very little hope. Also a lot of them veterans as well, but you don't see those people with the yellow ribbons on their cars helping out. A lot has to do with mental illness too I hear, but it is a real underworld that it is easier to not look into or you'll end up feeling really bad. (See Africa, Darfur, people in prision.) So I'm not saying give out money, that should be your own decision, and I rarely do, mainly because of the thought, well if I give money to him, I'll have to give to someone else, it won't make a difference, so why even do it. Also the, I don't have money to give, I got my own problems. Thoughts like that justify my living in denial and acting like they don't exist.

The one thing I didn't have much experience with and hear is quite common is the homeless dog. The dog companion to a homeless person. I saw one the other day and my first thought was how much I wished I had dog food in my car to donate to that dog. Poor puppy with no home and a silly sign asking for help. Then I saw a person open their window and give the clearly homeless man a bag of dog food, which let me know others felt the same way. Then I felt so ashamed of myself, that I could have such sympathy for the animal who by all accounts is probably more happy than a backyard dog and not have the same or more sympathy for the homeless man owner who is a human being, a real person who truly deserves my help.

Now I get the argument that a human can fight for himself, an animal has no advocate and can't defend themselves therefore needs more help and caring for. I don't know where I stand on the human animal debate because if someone asked me who I would save, my cat or a complete stranger, it would be hard, but I think I have to go with the human being despite them meaning nothing to me and my cat meaning everything to me. Should I even be thinking this? Those are my thoughts on homeless dogs, next time stray dogs.


Here is an article for my female friends, "British researcher Adrian Furnham, a psychology professor at University College of London, tells the magazine that women often underestimate their smarts while men overplay theirs. Furnham analyzed 30 international studies of how men and women assess their own brainpower and found what he calls "the male hubris, female humility effect." So you may very well be smarter than the guys in your life but your ego doesn't realize it."

Here is something pretty funny I read today. Enjoy!

"Excerpts from a Dog's Diary......

8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

Excerpts from a Cat's Daily Diary . ..

Day 983 of my captivity.
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape.

In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a "good little hunter" I am. Bastards.

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of "allergies." I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded. The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in a elevated cell, so he is safe.

For now................ "

The Superbowl is coming up. I'm pretty sure the Pats are gonna take it, but I like to root for the underdog. Either way, I'm looking forward to a good game. I'm not sure where I'm going to watch it yet. All I know is that I'm going to miss football very much until it comes back again next fall. Maybe I'll distract myself with some basketball and a bit of baseball here and there.

I miss their writers, but am glad they are back. Check out some great Colbert Report with some Vintage Jon Stewart. Who made Jon Stewart?

I really do think I would make an amazing friend

The Flight of Stairs

“I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next.” - Gilda Radner

Note: For those of you getting here from Google because you want instructions on how to mo-ve a t-read-mill up-stai-rs, I don't have any helpful instructions, only a story about the way not to do it. Maybe you should go here: How to put a treadmill upstairs - eHow.

I was talking to my sister Ana yesterday and she told me that she noticed I had stopped writing. Ironic how the day before I just started up again. For a person that doesn't have a lot to say, I have a lot to say.

--Here is a Long Story - If you want to skip, go down to next marker --

As I sit here in intense bodily pain, it makes me think about how I make a lot of stupid decisions and no matter how they turn out I have to live with the consequences. Well Tuesday night was right in line with my patterns. I have this thing where I like to move things around. You should ask my college roommate, I used to rearrange the room at least once a month. He was a great guy so he just let me do my thing. Maybe it is that idea that when you find the perfect setup, then everything is going to be the way you want it. Recently, I've been moving things into my new media room (Danny's old room) and constantly rearranging the computer, futon, TV and other furniture.

I get this idea, I would like to have my treadmill upstairs in that room. Now the thought of getting that heavy monstrosity up Oscar's steep flight of endless stairs has always made me pass up the idea in the past and move on to another pointless pursuit. This day I was determined. Now the smart thing would be to wait for Oscar to get home and have him help me out so that this clearly two man job may be possible. Other than my issues with impulse control, I wondered if Oscar would think it was a good idea. Also, he isn't the one that wants it upstairs, so why should I make him toil for my ideas. I get it set in my head that I am going to move the treadmill upstairs alone. I'm strong enough and if not, well smart enough to figure out a way.



Getting it inside the kitchen isn't too hard of a problem, but as I line it up with the stairs and try to figure out the best way to push (or maybe pull I think) it up, I notice I'm pretty winded. No matter, will forge ahead. I try a few different positions before I think I find one that seemed like I could make at least a little progress moving it up. So I start to push and to my dismay, it doesn't move. Laying it down on the stairs gives me like 5 stairs already up, but the bottom is still on the floor. I think, fuck it, and I just start pushing as hard as I can moving it a good 3 feet. I'm starting to understand that this is just not going to happen. But I can't quit can I?



I remember from I think Duck Tails to work smarter not harder. I get a plank of wood...I wasn't sure how I would use it, but it might be useful. Then I decide what I'm going to do is lift up the treadmill and flip the bottom over to the top of the stairs making the top part now the new bottom part. As I start to lift I notice the idea was much better than the reality but I won't let go because I have this heavy machine looming over me. I finally flip it over and feel content with myself that I am halfway up now. If it weren't for the pain I would enjoyed the progress more. Now I'll push I think, but once again pushing does nothing. It is time for another flip. As I go for the flip, the treadmill slides down a few steps with only me in the way to catch it. At this point I use my plank to keep it from crushing me by putting it at an angle stop. I finally get one last flip in with a huge burst of energy and I'm 2/3s up the stairs. Holy shit, I might actually do this I think as I start to pant and remember that my fitness is not anywhere near where it should be.


My arms are now numb and I have to use the plank again to hold the machine for a bit so that I can get some blood circulating in my arms. I think, just one more flip and I'm there. So I start to lift and find out that either I'm much weaker now or the height has made gravity much stronger. The machine then starts to slide downwards as a quick pace with only me between the bottom of the stairs and the machine. It is almost like Indiana Jones and that boulder that is chasing him. As I use all my left over strength to keep it from pushing or knocking me over and disabling me, I'm able to stop it after losing a few more steps of my previous progress. The fact that it stopped moving made me give God a quick prayer.

At this point, my thought is, wow that was a close one. What were we looking at there, a broken bone at the least, probably a broken neck, or at the least some sort of tragic stair accident. Is this really worth it? I know I'm an idiot now and there is no way I'm telling anyone about this ever! Now I think I have to get this up before Oscar gets home so that I can be like, "oh yeah, I moved it upstairs, yeah no problem at all, I'm just that awesome."

I climb over the machine and decide to pull on the machine which kind of reminds of the rowing machine you have in gyms where you are using your back and arms. I get it to move about the two to three steps I had lost earlier, but after that it just won't budge, maybe it was caught on something. I'm completely spent now, but I know the machine is wanting to find its way back down (that silly gravity.) So I get all my belts and tie them together and tie the machine to the the top of the railing. My next thought is wow if it pulled the railing off this would really suck. I spent the next 15 mins thinking of a new plan to get it up. I'm almost there, but I'm too far for brute force and too close to turn back now. The problem is that my entire body is throbbing. I'm literally drinking water out of the faucet with my hands and I'm a bottled water snob. There was this big machine in the way from me to the fridge

I'm finally sitting there at the top of the stairs, with my back laying down staring at the ceiling waiting for that epiphany as I look at a rubber hose that I think might be useful if I could just figure out a way. What would MacGyver do? The belts locked on make me feel better about not completely losing my progress. As I'm waiting to get feeling back, Oscar shows up and there I am with a machine blocking the stairs. We undo the belts and he easily helps me move it up with almost no problem at all. It was a two man job and no big deal to him. He asks me how long I had been at it and I didn't want to let him know.

I later move it into the media room, set it up and that is when the pain really starts to set in. Part of me is proud of myself and the other thinks, I'm a complete idiot, what did I have to prove? Was this just a distraction to get my mind off of things, a clear almost impossible project. Well I am paying the price right now. My upper back and neck are killing me, and the rest of my body doesn't feel too hot either. Sleeping was almost impossible. Straining yourself and working out are not the same, so I can't just claim it was some sort of workout to justify it to myself.

The moral of the story, I wanted something and no matter what cost and what it took I found a way. There was probably a more responsible and patient way to get things done, but I am the master of my own fate and no can can tell me I can't do something. (Even though I recognize I couldn't finish the project without Oscar's help.) And that was my adventure. Next time, a long drawn out version of Marty throwing out the trash.

-- Told ya it was long. --

All of my watches are out of battery. I have been going a while with no watch and even though I now feel used to it and feel less naked, I decided to take them in and get them changed. I hope to just pull out the side thingy and not let the others drain as I wear the ones I want for the mean time. It will be a very long time until I'll get that Rolex I hear such good things about. (To be able to say, my seconds are more precise than your seconds.) One day right, with all those other materialistic things.


Thinking, talking, no action. Thinking no action. Thinking, talking, action, no follow through. No Thinking. I live way too much inside my head, but the aforementioned are processes I'm trying to change to "Thinking, Action, Follow Through." (Maybe Talking if I need some insight or advice.) This applies to so many different parts of my life.

I think I like to read blogs because sometimes you identify with what someone is experiencing. Here is an entry I read that I just really understood from Texas in the City. Ouch that Stung a Little.

So 9iu11ani is now dropping out of the race. I'm glad to see that, but it seems like Republicans have a rock and a hard place to choose from (in their twisted ideological minds.) It it weird, I'm supporting the war monger over the other pro-war conservative rich guy (oh and Huckabee is in too.) I don't know, but I still respect McCain despite how completely wrong he is about the war. But any Democrat over him I'd vote for. Just think, imagine Romney vs. Obama and those evangelical Christians having to choose between a Mormon and a Christian more like them. Would they really be able to be open minded enough to go with the Mormon (who I think actually has more in common with their belief system than a reasonable Christian such as Obama.) That is what they get for using a religious test for president. Last time they all voted for Bush and what did he get them?

My boy Edwards is also out of the race. I guess I need to make my pick between Obama and Clinton. His endorsement will play a big role for me. I would pick Obama in a second if he said he would pick Clinton as vice and I'd pick Clinton if she would pick Obama as vice. You know what, I think I'm going with Obama and hopefully he will pick Edwards or Clinton as vice. We'll see how Super Tuesday works out. This is a can't lose sitution as far as having a candidate I'm going to be happy with. Now if they can only find a way not to throw it away in November.

forgiving a person who doesn't want your forgiveness won't put things the way they used to be

I'm Not Lost

"You have to know how to accept rejection and reject acceptance." - Ray Bradbury

The Hiatus seems over for now. This is where I explain my absence and catch everyone up, but I think I'm just going to skip that part. I noticed that while I tried to do more of the living and less of the writing, so did a lot of my favorite blogs. I think John Mayer took a page from my book taking down his blog and posting "Done & Dust & Self Conscious & Back to Work." He will be back. Why did I not go the music route? I think I could put together some good lyrics. Maybe I'll just use those gifts for my unwritten screenplay/book.


I'm still pretty up to date on politics and each day picking a different candidate from the democratic top three. I think now I'll just look at it this way, I'm an Edward's guy. Mainly because of his intensity and his message of fighting back. Obama will be an amazing president, and my money is still on him. Today I saw Sen. Kennedy (Watch: Ted Kennedy Endorse Obama) give an endorsement speech that made me feel really excited about the prospect of Obama winning. Clinton who used to be my favorite and who I still adore has such an amazing team to bring to the White House and despite all the flack Bill is getting for advocating for his wife, I'm still a big supporter. The argument that they have a lot of the same goals so we are really just picking based on personality is somewhat true I think. They go through a lot of efforts to try and distinguish their policy objectives, but I trust them all and once in office well I'm sure I'll have many opinions on the particulars of each bill and decision. I mean what fun would it be if I couldn't arm chair quarterback the decisions of the commander in chief.

Here are my recent movie reviews. I saw Cloverfield. Had Blair Witch not come out I wonder if there would of been a stronger impact. It was fun to watch, but man I felt like I had to really try to pay attention. I also saw the movie Juno. Now that was great. I didn't think I would enjoy a movie about a girl who gets pregnant --her life and times, yet her character was amazing. Reminds me of a young Jenine Garafalo, (her character) but not as cynical. It has that indie feel to it and deserves that Best Picture nomination. (Atonement also got the nomination.) There was a part of the movie where the husband guy has this one room where he gets to put all of his stuff. His own place while the rest of the house was by default the wife's. It reminded me of the Marty room, the room I could have dirty and anyway I wanted as long as I kept the rest of the apartment clean. It was a good compromise, but if it were a house, I think I'd want more than just one room. Wait, NO, I want the House - yeah the Marty House, it has a good ring to it.

I registered to vote in Texas. I actually did it in time to vote in the Texas primary on March 4th. Who I'm voting for I'm sure will change as the days pass. I've voted in a lot of different places, NY, TX, VA, and FL. My vote is usually the deciding vote so I'd better make sure to show up. You too Vote, but if you don't, you should really vote in November, I mean it is the foundation of our representative democracy. I don't know why I encourage uninformed voters to vote, I mean isn't it better they don't vote? Still I think everyone should exercise their right.

I switched in my Treo for a Centro. Probably a bad call since the Treo has a bigger keyboard, but I just wanted a smaller phone. I'm still pretty happy about it. I'm trying to fight off the urge to want an iphone, but I think I can wait for the 2nd generation one. There is a long story here, but I'm not going into it, let's just say, the police have more important things to deal with.

Danny moved out of Oscar's place. I have yet to check out his new place. I have converted his room into a multimedia room. I have my computer, TV, desk, and a futon in there. Kind of like a fun TV watching home office. So far it working great, but I'm having a lot of problems with the not being able to watch my TV from bed. My room is now just for sleeping and I rarely spend time there. I just hang out in the media room. My problem right now is that I fall asleep on the futon watching TV and wake up in the middle of the night and go to bed. That sleep on the futon isn't too great, since well, it is a futon. Maybe the real problem is the falling asleep too early part.

I had a dream the other night that I was in Venice on a gondola. There wasn't a guy there steering the boat, but it was starting to drift off as I could see the Tower starting to fade a way. It was very relaxing, nice.

Yeah, I am the kind of person that would go back for her

Hiatus

“The things you own end up owning you.” - Tyler Durden in Fight Club

Hiatus may refer to:
A break or interruption in the continuity of a work, series, action, etc.

good days

Carpe P.M.

"Make up your mind to act decidedly and take the consequences. No good is ever done in this world by hesitation." - Thomas H. Huxley (1825 - 1895)

Feliz Ano Nuevo! My vacation has come to a close and so has the year. There went the year of being 27 years old and finishing law school and passing the bar exam. Now I'm off to the year of being 28 years old and still having no clear clue of what life has in store for me. I can't complain since it has gotten me this far, but this year I really want to take the reigns and make it the year that I want it to be. Be it love, friendship, family or money.


I found this interesting....here is my horoscope for today:

In terms of outside events, the day ahead will be fairly calm. But your inner world is likely to be in a rush of activity. Today, you wish you could find the solution to your heartaches as well as your career predicaments. You'd like to achieve some supreme understanding of the events that have taken place over the past month, but first you must force your brain to slow down!

Some parents regret baby's name - This is kind of like my situation with Max. I just wanted to share this for my friends and family who have already named their babies.

grapes and champagne