But first, from whence a name is derived?
A nice reference – all in one place.
Hot Weather:
Good thing I prefer a hot climate. Funny thing, too, I’m on a Mac, right, so I clicked on the Mac ad in the article. My Mac’s browser bombed. Means something, I’m sure. I’m inclined to blame global warming.
Boots:
Move along, nothing to see here.
Not falling for it?
Of tangental concern, since this is set here in Austin, but after reading the brief story synopsis, I started analyzing the layout. 500 words, and the story really only occupies one-quarter of the available screen real estate. The rest is advertising.
Fundamental problems:
No, it’s not the news item itself, that cool enough, with its implications and all, but the use of certain terminology, that’s just wrong, on so many levels.
We’re from the government, and we’re here to help:
Knock on the door, couple of evenings ago, middle-aged woman, looked a little “Austin-y” with Birks & Beads, probably a hemp shirt or something.
“I’m from the census, and I was wondering about your neighbors, does anyone live in that trailer next to you?”
I went through the song and dance. From CA, it’s vacation house, see them – maybe – three times in a year. Ain’t no one home. Me? I filled out the census form, mailed it back, and called it all good.
Yesterday morning, I was tapping away. Cat was napping. Knock on the door. College-age-looking kid. Striped shirt, pukka shell necklace, flops, and the clipboard, “Hi, I’m from the census, about your neighbors, does anyone live there?”
Same song and dance. Twice. Guess they didn’t believe me the first time.
Hint: your tax dollars at work.
Laeti edimus qui nos subigant!
(click to visit)
Test copy:
I was digging around in my pocket to pay for an afternoon libation, a simple shot of espresso, a double, really, poured over a cup full of crushed ice. Price at Jo’s? An even $2. That’s Two Whole Dollars. Since I’m an obnoxious patron, always asking birthdays and such, I tend to put a dollar in the tip jar since, there are really a number of factors here, but I’ve found that it helps. Besides, I’m doing my bit cover the cost of rude and unruly patrons. I think of it as coffee karma.
So that’s a total of $3, for a drink that I’ll savor for the rest of the afternoon. It’s not a double half-caf mocha frappe chino latte, over easy with with a side a fries, either. It’s a simple drink, although I tend to like the long-draw on the espresso, when I can get it. Really good espresso tends to look just like miniature version of a small Guinness. Still, it’s three bucks, total. It’s not like I have an extravagant lifestyle, so $3 isn’t that much. But it’s more than a monthly subscription here.
So folks who don’t want to pay? And grumble about horoscopes that cost money? You cheap illegitimate reprobates. You wouldn’t even buy me a cheap cup of coffee? Ever consider the amount of work that goes into writing those scopes? The time, energy, I had to walk, six miles, in the snow, uphill.
And now, here you are, denying me even the most basic common courtesy of buying me an afternoon cup of coffee, after I labored, all morning, on a horoscope for you.
