Web Journal astrofish.net for Pisces, 2002:
03/20/2002: "Tuesday"
"You are: 'Gandalf on Crack' (c) 2002" [another one from yesterday's mail, the perpetrator was kind enough to copyright his remark, used by permission]
So the ad rep left me a voice mail message, then when I got around to calling her back, she told me, "I was just checking your kittycam to see if you were there."
My ad rep - she was telling me how the Austin Chronicle is going to be shrinking. Paper costs too much these days, and I've got a small, back page ad running. As an experiment, I'll be getting my voice mail number listed in the classified section. This isn't news, it's been up on the e-mail form for a while. I'm not adverse to talking on the phone, I just don't really enjoy folks calling me when I don't want to answer the phone, or other times, when I pick up the hotline and answer with smart-ass comment. Only to discover it's a client with a delicate situation. I used to use Bubba's line, "So I told the officer...." But that's backfired once or twice.
Tuesday means two meat special at Green Mesquite. Served up by a Leo with a Gemini in attendance. I snapped my spy camera outfit together, and as I walked along, I kept trying to find things to take pictures of. Remember, the camera's resolution isn't great, and I don't like to spend any time doctoring stuff up in the graphics program, so I was trying to capture that elusive quality that makes a walk in the rain so interesting. The two graphics I'm using a lot of these days, the lion's head's tongue door knocker [from Amsterdam's famous Red Light District] and one of my shots of the Marfa Mystery Lights' Texas highway marker, both came from the "spy cam." I didn't get any great pictures, so I wasn't too forlorn when the process of transferring the images wiped out the day's digital image stash. The gray quality to the "almost rain" sort of dampened my enthusiasm for much of anything. Even the cat didn't take to getting loved on.
The odd thing about that ad? In the last few weeks, remember, this has been running for over a year now, but just recently, what I've heard from clients, calling for readings, that ad lends credibility. Just goes to show....
03/19/2002: "This is going to work just fine, I think."
I got the idea while messing around with my parental units' computers, networks, and all the toys they have.
After all, Pa Wetzel is a retired engineer, he needs lots of toys to keep him happy. I suppose it runs in the family, too. Dallas was rainy and cold. Not cold, but not warm. Just damp, maybe moist. Maybe Dallas is always a little moist, and it's the most gray city I can think of, more gray areas in Dallas than any other place. See: Ft. Worth, now that's a blue jean city. Austin is a floral shirt city. Someplace like London? That's a black city [black as in black humor, or black as in soot on everything, either way] The briefest shower, right after I took a shower, reminded me that I was in Dallas, still, the rain beating an asymmetrical rhythm on the roof. It's all a matter of degrees, too. I got back to Austin, said "hello" to the cat, took a nap, went for a short haul around the trail, and decided I was going to "do it" - finish this up and get the web log - journal - everything hooked up right. Once and for all. During the walk, I was listening, then watching as the rowers were goaded on by their coach. "The Hudson River, it's windy all the time, so get used to it!
3/18
Ever seen the movie, "Clerks"? [Kevin Smith] Remember the scene with the guidance counselor going over the edge? Astrologers without any balance in their lives could be a like that. Think about that before you send in those questions, have mercy on our, poor, meaningless life. Pa Wetzel & his new handheld phone. Whenever I'm around, it's like having built in tech support. And while I didn't get any of his troubles solved, I did manage to get some of my own problems solved. I just can't justify web browsing or trying to answer volumes of e–mail on a handheld device. Can be done, I just fail to see how it's really that efficient. I was so proud of Ma Wetzel, Sunday after church, she finished everything on her plate at the Mexican restaurant. [She usually spends time complaining about hot food.]
3/17
St, Michael's has this electronic chime, the modern equivalent of the bells in the belfry, and when the chimes go off with their "call to worship" on Sunday morning, all the dog in the neighborhood start howling. Dinner last night was at the Green Room, Deep Ellum. I hope I remember that place, it's what coming to Dallas is all about, excellent service, incredible food, funky ambiance.
3/16
You got to understand, my perception, Dallas is a "coat and tie" town. Always dressed up. I'm used to tossing a pair shorts into a bag and leaving. Winter time, it's easy enough, jeans, socks, maybe a sport coat to cover the T-shirt. It's all easy, it's all good. Except Dallas. I can never judge what I'm going to be comfortable in, and something that meets with my perception of that town's high expectations. I repacked a dozen times, finally gave up. I'd walked, short trek on the hike & bike trail, just one more chance to enjoy the imitation spring weather. But I wasn't sure what I was supposed to wear, so I tried a sport coat over a T-shirt, looks funny, though, if you're just wearing shorts. At the airport, I got one of those looks from a security worker, then she comes back to me, "I know you...." I was waiting to hear, "You're a guitar player," or something. Nope, she was a distant client, ready for another reading. Having just suffered the slings and arrows of my sister's visit for a week, "Oh Kramer," my dear sweet Ma Wetzel was telling me, "you're normal. Wait, I mean...." [I think I'm winning her over; Pa Wetzel was trying to keep himself from laughing too hard — "Dad, you live here, better be careful..."]
3/15
There was a shift of some kind, and I'm not sure what it was. I'm off to the airport to get the heck out of town so I can miss the rest of "South by So Wait." I took short and easy stroll around the lake, just cruising along, as it were, my legs were a little sore. As the path crossed behind the stage being erected along Auditorium Shores, there was the smell of ganja in the breeze. It's nice to now that portions of the original Austin are still intact. The free show last night, though, I didn't attend, but it looked like it was rather well–attended. To the point of overflowing. Traffic backed up for miles, or so it seemed. A good time not to go anywhere. That smell of reefer in the air got me thinking, and I smiled as I walked along, there was comedy routine about dope smokers. Strongest thing I touch is a cheap cigar, but the routine made valid point. I mean, how many folks get really smoked up and crash cars? Maybe it happens, I don't know. I've been so good for so long, I have to jay walk, just to feel like I'm doing my proper civil disobedience. Or, like today, get a "veggie delight" sandwich with a couple of strips of bacon, just to shake things up.
3/14
My old army buddy sent me a joke yesterday, the e–mail arrived around noon, I took one look at the joke, glanced out the window, logged off the computer, and took a long stroll in the sunshine. Bluebonnets — not many, but a few. I currently have three or four calendar systems on my various machines, and the horror of it all, none of them are talking to each other. The pipeline for synchronizing a [Palm] Handspring to Macintosh's OS X Office Suite to the old calendar system is broke. Around 11 PM, I had a four different devices telling me what time it was and to look at the web page. That was after Bubba and me meandered on up Guero's to partake of sustenance. Which wasn't a smooth deal, not at first. We popped in, and the host said it would be a two–day wait for a table, and why didn't we call last week? It helps to know someone, we were seated immediately. After dinner, me still sucking on a requisite cup of Jo's coffee, we had a little conversation with the guys sitting next to us, a folk singer from Australia. The diversity of flora and fauna passing by the patio at Guero's had been pretty amazing, but about the time stuff started happening, the crowds thinned out. At one point, there were a half dozen folks on the patio's edge, talking in muted voices into cell phones. [There's always one drunk blonde hollering into a phone, too.] Girls in tight, black leather pants. British accents, our Australian amigo, some band from Northern Europe, a famous singer–songwriter from Nashville, and a couple from Chicago. "It's all good." The Paladins were playing to a packed house at the Continental — that didn't get our attention — but the myriad of rods and custom cars did.
3/13
Yes, one more day of "South By" [local jargon] workshops, and I'm done. I walked out of the convention center around 2 in the afternoon, with every intention of getting some barbecue, but half an hour later, I was at that little taco stand in East Austin. One workshop's focus was about "networking" for the freelance professional. It highlighted why I don't hang around astrologers, we're all swimming in the same toilet bowl. The point isn't to talk "astrologese" to each other, the point is to translate that into a language that other people can understand. My final workshop? Kind of good, as a few web sites were demoed, discussed and then some options were laid out. One reminded me of why I moved away from a navigation bar at the bottom as cool as I thought it looked. Then there was one on the cool side of cool, in a weird way. Technologically, it had a few good pointers. Scroll down and see if you can change the format to suit your own tastes. I'd do that, too, but then I'm back to the problem with "backward compatibility."
3/12
New design is getting cooked and hooked up. Not sure I want to go this way, but think about this: a page with precious few, if any, graphic elements, other than a few lines. It's a concept. After all, the purpose of these pages is to showcase my writing, and offer a way to get in touch with me if someone wants to spend money. From looking over the web usage file, though, get this: there are still surfers hitting this page, using Netscape 2. Now, what I heard yesterday, and what I found so valuable, two comparisons that stood out above everything else I've listened to thus far: Google, with its super–simple interface is very good, very popular. Redefines the way we search for things. One blank space, four buttons — that's all. Yes, I use it a lot myself. The other point, was one of yesterday afternoon's sessions, about the Wal–Mart site, and how they copied the look and feel of the Amazon interface. I like that particular presenter, too, as I've found him to be rather droll and amazingly observant. The rumor suggested, a Wal–Mart director said, "Unless you can give me a good reason not to, I want to copy the Amazon system." No, I'm not about to retool everything to make it looks like Google or Amazon, but it's a valid point — look at what succeeds.
3/11
My day started out, as I was walking up to the convention center, a sporty Lexus convertible, top down, with Bob Dylan old protest songs, going really loud. Birth of an idea, the concept of a help file for this site. I followed the "Independents Day" SXSW Interactive all day — three workshops [or panels or seminars] and each session ran for a full hour and then some. Kind of long. My butt got sore through one session — not a good sign. Over all, though, the quality of the presenters was good. One of the most intriguing presenters and his site, actually, was a unique idea, "a dating service for bandwidth". Still, the basic thrust of these panels was the design, function, and related issues for independent content producers. Whether that's web design, art or text — that would include horoscopes. Some was funny, some was crude, some rubbed me the wrong way, and at least one comment from the podium made me rush right home to change the background color. I had two really good design ideas, but so far, I don't think I can implement either one without alienating some number of my current readers. Ya'll just don't have the latest, greatest browsers, and some of ya'll don't have the bandwidth. Great design idea, maybe next summer. Flipping through my notes, I was searching for a word, there's one site I stumbled on completely separate from all this, I added it to my "check regular" sites. I always had the impression, in print, that the author was kind of snotty. However, the way he moderated his panel and interacted throughout the day was warm, genuine and bright. Which made me think: when I sit down with a chart, and I've gotten this feedback before, I'm even better in real life. Which then brings up another quote, "Among web professionals, the 'real world' is largely theoretical."
3/10
Day one of SXSW really had very little for me. I got to listen to one film maker and introduced to some Canadian super star. Sorry, name did nothing for me. Looking around at the crowds, I was, by no means the oldest person there, but I was a rare individual, as most of the participants plus the presenters, were all considerably younger. At one point, the question was what was the weight, in kilobytes, of the Arthur Andersen web page? The estimates were funny as catcalls from the audience suggested the numbers might be considerably off. The Moon's in Aquarius, but the preponderance of Saturday's call were all from Gemini's. About four calls in a row. Coincidence? Probably. Not a coincidence that a particular Gemini grabbed me afterwards for some dinner at the new Texas Chili Parlor. Its imminent demise and present resurrection, plus a few other tales, well, parts of last night are kind of blurry. I met the new owner, heard about him for years, met another famous cook from these parts plus another local restaurant guy — one of my faves — the guy behind Maudie's Tex–Mex Heaven. "So I had a full restaurant, the new location, and there was half an hour wait to get seated, then the sprinkler system goes off...."
3/9
"When the going gets tough, the weird turn pro," is attributed to [Dr.] Hunter S. Thompson. I prefer, "When the going gets tough, the pro goes fishing." Had either a bad RAM card or a loose chip in the old computer, giving me fits. Tired of the throngs of convention folks on our streets — although I'll be joining them soon enough — Friday morning, I rolled out long before sun up, eager to hit the lake. We were first. Watching the fish feed, cussing at them for not taking any of my choice lures. Most near fell in from laughing before we fished much of anywhere. One rock ate a lure, I caught three branches, and one lure went flying off the end of the line. Then, another time, I caught one SO big, he snapped the line before I could reel him in. Hey, "Free the fighter!" Bubba had the hook–up, best thing that worked? Bubble–gum colored worms. That's right, pink plastic worms. Later, it was barbecue [Cartwright's in Bastrop], and a nap, then I fired up a fresh pot of Kona Coffee, a Cuban cigar, and looked at the computer problems from a fresh perceptive."Good to the last puff, good the last drop." I didn't get the computer problem entirely fixed, but it was good enough to post some quick images. No record breakers, except, of course, that one who got away.
3/8
Okay, so there was no radio, some body blew it, and, as usual, I was the last to find out. So while I was up early, early yesterday morning, I did a little more surfing — Shelton Hank Williams [Hank III] is Sagittarius, or so the initial reports would indicate. Weather permitting, I'll be fishing this morning, another early morning. This one, though, is one I can definitely look forward to. I passed out for a while, yesterday morning, dreamt me some tremulous dreams, woke back up and took hike. I was about halfway on the hike and bike trail, and there's this sign, been there for years, "Trail closed" as the pathway winds up Shoal Creek. Can I find a better invitation? I didn't get very far, just a few city blocks, and what better exit from the creek bottom than the backside of Adventures in Crime and Space, that little specialty bookstore run by a Virgo? Better yet, in the oddest of coincidences, while I was idling along, a little bit of creek mud still trapped in the soles of my sandals' treads, I noticed a lurking black cowboy hat across the street, firing up a Monte Cristo, under a large brimmed cowboy hat. Coincidence? Probably. Then, not much further along, at the Vietnamese place on 6th, that anomaly I'm getting used to, Conjunto musica blaring from the kitchen. The kitchen that produces, I think it's a #14, noodle soup with eye round steak, soft tendon and bible tripe. Perfect for a cloudy afternoon.
3/7
Radio show this morning. Missed Bubba last night as he was in OK. However, me and a Capricorn [but not a red head] took in Guero's, just the same. The usual waiter asked about Bubba. "Where is he? Oklahoma? Oh my!" I was putting a new luggage tag on some of road gear, and I got thinking about something, as I sealed up a business card in the little plastic sleeve, it would be really easy to turn one of these into a decent looking press pass/official picture ID, complete with a little clip thing. With computers, making fake ID's has probably never been easier, not with inexpensive photo quality ink jet printers. I never had a fake ID. Thought about it, though. Since I'm not affiliated with any "officially sanctioned" press outfit, in my mind, I was doodling up an official "Fishing Guide to the Stars/astrofish.net" pass or picture ID. Think how handy that would be at concerts and shows? It'd be like a backstage, all area access badge, right?
3/6
Change up: Capricorn CD in the mail bag from yesterday, on my way to the airport to get another Capricorn. Then I took off on foot, thinking, "Magnolia," but opting instead for the Tuesday special [two meat plate]. A little BBQ, a blustering wind from the south, cool but sunny weather, a little coffee from Jo's, a few miles wandering around, and all is right with the world. Best disclaimer? One I've been meaning to add: "We don't separate Czechs unless they really don't get along." [Over the cash register.] It's like this is about the last time I can enjoy bucolic Austin because it's going to get rather hectic around here, starting — starting already. I already noticed the convention going folks starting to arrive.
3/5
Shakespeare stuff. [The Director of the Shakespeare Globe is a Capricorn.] I met a happy Capricorn yesterday for lunch. Then I ran into another Capricorn at the same restaurant. Then I mailed off [priority mail, dude] some CD's I'd promised to a Capricorn. That's three in row, before the afternoon was up, some sort of a trend? I'm off this morning to pick up a Capricorn at the airport and return her truckette, full of gas — because I'm nice — to Capricorn's. Moon was in Scorpio when I had all the Capricorn influence — but it might be the recent change in Jupiter's temperament, too. The freezing weather gave way to a clear sky, and I defied logic for a little while and wore shorts. It really was too cold, but I just felt like it was something that I needed while I was doing laundry, and here's a gratuitous "Satan on doing laundry" link. I do mix colors and whites, but then, I like to live on the edge.
3/4
"All style, no substance," the inner critic suggests. I need to delve deeper into what's in this one cough syrup that the doctor prescribed. It's supposed to be a "non–drowsy" formula. It's not. I take a swig, my heart races, I almost choke on the flavor, and then I get really tired. I hate taking medicine, other than Vitamin C. And coffee. Coffee is a necessary drug. I was off to see the Austin Journal writers' group yesterday afternoon. I've been to the place where the meeting was held several times, after dark. I get confused, though, in daylight hours and I never found the location. Lost in Austin? [It was North Austin, so I can get away with that comment.] So stopped off to buy some groceries, then I went and picked up a second bottle of that medicine, per doctor's orders. I asked the pharmacist, "Who arbitrated the taste," and she didn't know. The pharmacy tech, though, she allowed as how it wasn't the worst tasting they had. Pretty bad, but not the worst. Guilty pleasure? While I was picking up canned food, bottled water, and assorted other grocery items, I found a cheap copy of Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. Now that I have it on DVD, I can try and figure out some of those phone numbers they dial, and I'm pretty sure they don't start with "555." It's a classic, that's for sure. So 1980's.
3/3
It was Saturday morning, right after I posted the journal, during the airport run [that's true friendship, hauling someone to the airport at 5 AM on a Saturday morning], the temperature dropped from a balmy 55 to a freezing 35, in a matter of minutes. While waiting on a reading to show up, I had a chance to read this article in one of the local papers, by Bruce Sterling [via Blogdex.] I'm, personally, looking forward to good stuff. Portions of next week are blocked out so I can do nothing but attend trade show seminars about how to build a better web site, what's the latest and greatest, and how I stack up compared to other sites. "One of those California weirdo things," I said, in reference to one of Sister's queries. "Right. 'California weirdo thing,' like, that's coming from some guy in Austin?"
3/2
"Man, I ran it through a spell checker. Twice, even." Still missed one word. I hate that, finding an insignificant typo on Friday morning — the day after. The tools are getting better, but my "non–standard" use of certain, localized vocal verbal patterns leads to confusion and spelling errors. "But dude, it made sense that way." Sure — whatever. Different topic, new idea. "Fishing Guide to the Stars" has won zero awards, and fails, repeatedly, to garner local media attention, yet the hit counter continues to roll upwards. Somebody reads this stuff [upwards of 10,000 unique page views in a single day]. As I was reading through this article, a previous idea came back to me — Jimmy Buffet, ZZ Top, Hank Williams III, and so on.... never won any big awards, basically shunned by their own industry, and yet, legions of loyal — apparently happy — fans. Not being recognized by one's own industry isn't all bad.
3/1
How easily I forget the difference between "Sixth Street at night" and the way the place looks in daylight. I was working at a trade show, for most of Thursday, and during my long lunch break, I wandered off downtown. Talking to Bubba via cell, while standing on the corner of Sixth & [something], a car kept chirping at me. It was one of those alarm devices, I suppose, but whenever I moseyed over by it, the car let loose with a little bleep, some sort of a warning. If it hadn't been a busy lunch hour, and if I hadn't been busy on the phone, I would've sat in the car, just to piss off the car. Downtown in daylight is a far cry from when I was last along these blocks: the neon doesn't show up, if at all, the crowd is better dressed, more sober, perhaps ten to twenty years older. Not better, just different. Fewer people are hollering in cell phones, "Dude!" Except, of course, for me. Always got to be the weird one.
2/28
Off to the office this morning, I'm not sure I can ever get used to having to go to work at 8 AM. "I can't drink anything cold that tastes like coffee." [Fredlet got a real job offer, all is better in the world.] I'd suggest that this is a guarded, positive economic indicator that things are slowly turning around. After several attempts, and basic misunderstanding of web access files and permissions, I got a neat hack to work. No more pointers going to dead files. This should mean less "404." The 'free weekly e–mail' got launched last night. More news, as it develops. Off to a good start, as it was a "hell freezes over dinner" last night at Guero's — Bubba was buying. And like him, I overdid it — stop before the dessert. The "blonde brownie" is killer — and a killer. Too much of a good thing [basically, two or three chocolate chip cookie brownies, ala mode with caramel sauce drizzled over it. Muy good. Muy too much.]
2/27
A huge cold front blew through Texas, now the odd part, when I left Austin, it was warm, got off the plane in Dallas, and it was cold, like, it was the 200 mile plane ride that made the difference. Not really, but the perception was there. More of that same perception, Dallas, that's a town where it's okay to have freezing temperatures. Austin? It should never be that cold. Other perceptions: Texas Land & Cattle is basically a chain food restaurant. Because the title has two things that reign supreme, Texas & Cattle, I have to say I like it. The signature smoked sirloin is quite good. Wonderful, even. And the killer side dish? Baked sweet potato.
2/26
Best e–mail so far:
> So I found your site while trying to find out
> why the medication I'm on says
> to "avoid direct sunlight while taking
> this medication" and the search engine
> pointed to your site as a direct match.
> The only direct match for this
> phrase.
I was in Dallas to see Sister's live show at her old high school. Weird thing — I guess. She's got her whole troupe in tow. I call it typical Gemini stuff, surfing from crisis to crisis — that's the nature of a touring show. The first half of the show was material I've seen many times, but the second half was a not-so–veiled tribute to Pa Wetzel. No sooner did the show start, then the tears started to leak from my eyes. By the end, I was just shy of losing it completely. Afterwards, mingling with the [actresses], I mentioned that I cried. "Yes! Your sister lost the bet!" [She lost $20, $5 each to four of her staff, sure that I wouldn't be tearing up again.] It's all about the triumph of spirit and determination over adversity.
2/25
"Web log" entry. I checked with Jessica, yesterday morning, just to make sure she didn't have any more shoulder pads that would get me in trouble. Bubba and me, we saw the Selena statue alongside the bay, and we thought it would be a classic picture to get him fondling the brass. We hopped out, and circumstances sort of changed our minds. Judging from the railing, the people milling around, and the air of reverence, maybe a picture of Bubba with his hands on her brass will have to wait. But it was a great idea. Mac the Aura Camera guy came by shortly after Bubba left the fair, "That boy — he ain't right," as Bubba and Mac compared noted about San Marcos, both having spent considerable time there at various points in their lives, "I like him." It's nice to see my patient and attentive schooling has paid off: at Water Street Oyster Bar, ["Dude, you are SO buying me a nice dinner tonight."] Bubba correctly guessed the waitress's sign, first try. When I asked for the clue, he just demurred an answer. She was a saucy Cancer, "You saw my tattoo, right? I know I should've worn a belt with these pants."
2/24
"I love this town." I keep that expression as a mantra, and I stick by it as much as I can, but the even with the dubious accommodations that Bubba arranged, it worked out. See, the "vibe" in Corpus Christi is different. Part cowboy, part surfer, part Catholic, part beach bum. Orthodox and relaxed at the same time. Flavor is important. Still, the best "shredded beef Tex–Mex breakfast platter" may be in El Paso [at the truck stop], but there was one the other day in CC that came rather close. The problem with a lot of the events I work is that they are dependent on the weather — a really nice day like yesterday, who wants to be inside? But I said I'd show up so I did. The rumors about last night's activities are patently false.
2/23
Night time run to Corpus, buzzing down the Interstate in Bubba's "White Trash" special, "Dude, I want to get out of town. Got some kind of a cool hook up for a place to stay, someone who knows someone who knows some place that's cheap and nice." Splash page discussion is here. The problem, as I see it, the hassle, is keeping things simple enough to work, to handle on a day to day basis, but then to also get the information out. The "8 Rules Guy" has had the same problem I'm facing. I know, first hand. His wonderful "Chili Tasting Experience," in various forms, has made it to my joke list numerous times — and never with its copyright or even author notice intact. I'm rather fond of it and, I figure it's worth noting just who wrote it. So the idea of setting my scopes loose on the net is a little frightening to me. However, if there's a chance it works, then I'm onto a winning idea. I just fear that some of my stuff will wind up posted elsewhere — without attribution or worse.
2/22/02 [Feast Day of St. Margaret of Cortona, patron saint of — no joke — fallen women]
I suppose a lot of the problem goes back to the fact that it's been a long, long time since I lost my "advanced amateur" standing as a pharmacologist. The web cam didn't work yesterday morning, I was feeling a sore throat rapidly approaching, and I had three different Gemini's to do readings for. In between, I managed to stop off at the venerable "doc in the box." Small miracles, I was "viral not bacterial," which means, no expensive antibiotics. For the first time in a long time, the price of the visit outweighed the price of the antihistamines they prescribed. Maybe I hustled off to towards medical treatment too soon, but I'm booked solid for the next seven days, and the last time I felt like this, while on the road, I had a miserable time. Sniffling and sneezing tends to drive business away. "If you did readings for 3 Gemini, is that, like, 6 readings?" Something like that. I fixed the cam late last night, the kitty cam wasn't working because of a mouse driver. But the best question for the day had to be the doctor himself, "You a musician?"
2/21
Unrelated, Hank III pictures. Business discussion in the web log. Late yesterday, while digging through some old e–mail in search of a contract agreement, I came upon an old address and looked up a former editor. One thing lead to another:
> As Seth Godin says, "The more you give away, the more
> it's worth. The sooner you ask for money, the less
> you get."
Which poses yet another problem with the design versus content issue. So I've got two guys named Bubba making suggestions, and one of the guys was soaked in Tequila at the time. I'm not sure. I think I'll let it stand for the weekend. Well, as he so pointedly observed, over a plateful of top notch Austin–Mex at Guero's last night, "You can't spell 'Bubba Sean' without BS." So I'm wondering now, offer the weekly scopes up as a free subscription via e–mail? That's an idea. Already met with universal approval. Been suggested more than once.
2/20
I was just showered up after a lovely 4 miles in the sun, yesterday afternoon, hopping into my redheaded friend's "truckette" to go and fetch her up at the airport when the cell phone chirped, I looked at the caller ID, "Hey, I'm on my way!" "NO, my flight and then a delay, and so I'm still in Houston, won't be there until 7 the flight number changed." It would've been one of those good digital phone commercials but the connection was fine. Her call saved me a trip to the airport, driving around in circles. I grumbled because it interrupted my plans with the Pisces, but so? So when I did roll through the airport at 7, the red–head had been kind enough to stop at the BBQ place and pick me up some dinner, "Here, sorry my plane was late, you can say I cooked you dinner." That was good for laugh. And Salt Lick BBQ is always welcome. With the new security, we can't have dates at the airport anymore, so she brought me food from "behind the curtain." As it were. Yeah, she cooked. The cat liked the turkey, after I wiped the sauce off. I attribute this feline habit of not liking good BBQ sauce to the fact she was not actually born in Texas.
2/19
I was riding around with bubba, and I said something about "Duran Duran," and he pulls this CD from out of the behind the truck's seat. And I am not making this up. Just let it go [wish I could follow my own advice.] A quick look at the term "plagiarism":
"Hence, as a legal term, plagiarism has very sharp limits and is considered to be clearly demonstrable use of material taken from another without credit."
Holman, C. Hugh & Harmon, William. A Handbook to Literature, 6th Edition. NY: Macmillan, 1992. page 358.
Just as a note, when I copy something out of a book, and provide a reference to the authors, as well as acceptable footnote information, it is not plagiarism. As noted elsewhere, I had some crayfish for dinner at the Chinese buffet place. You just got to love a place where traditional Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, as well crawdads and steak fingers are all part of the spread. Cream gravy to go with those steak fingers, too.