Balls and Walnuts
more than you ever wanted to know
Monthly Archives: May 2008
Random kvetch with gratuitous toe
First, the gratuitous camel toe, courtesy of Alicia Keys.
Meh. Could be worse.
So maybe you’re wondering what the hell is going on with me. I surely am. I haven’t written anything worthwhile in a couple of months, and I have little or no interest in blogging, commenting on blogs, or even answering emails.
It’s this job search. Once things are settled, I’ll have lots to write about, but for the time being I have to keep my mouth shut. I have this paranoid delusion that potential employers might be reading my blog. If I tip my hand, I’ll lose any possible advantage I might have in negotiations. I can’t even kvetch about the folks who have pissed me off, since even that tips my hand to some degree.
But it’s ugly, ugly, ugly. If I were willing to move anywhere in the country, we’d be in the catbird‘s seat, but we’re not so we aren’t. I have requirements. My potential employers have requirements. We’re hoping the Venn intersection won’t be a null set.
It’s looking like we’re going to Santa Rosa, but that isn’t a done deal yet. Details, details. And if we do go, we’ll have to sell this house. Fast. Which means we’ll likely need to sell it at 10 to 20 percent below its true market value.
Which hurts.
Oh, hell, it all hurts. Leaving our familiar environment, leaving my patients, taking the inevitable financial hit (which, hopefully, will be only temporary), stepping out onto the precipice . . .
Yeah. Like that.
D.
Hillary’s Sunset Boulevard
If you’re not familiar with the ending of Sunset Boulevard, you might want to check this YouTube video first.
From the incredibly talented Lisa Nova, Hillary’s Sunset Boulevard.
Let’s say it all together . . .
Bwahahaahaaahaaa!
D.
My newest Stonebreaker
Wild French Nurse, by Florence Stonebreaker.
Do you see the error in composition?
My answer to that question in just one moment. First, from the back cover:
NAKED PASSIONS . . . swept through her mind as she tried to conquer her strange desires and twisted lusts by running from each man she met. Until the strain becomes too much for the French angel of mercy and she is forced by vicious circumstances into an explosive affair. Her wild and intimate revelries with various men lead her to the violent and sinful conclusion of her passionate . . . LOVE TRYSTS!
And I still don’t know WTF this book will be about. It’s bound to be violent and explosive, though.
The error in composition, in my opinion: His right leg seems to continue on as her left forearm. If you look at it that way, it seems like there’s a tiny man with his legs wrapped around the Angel of Mercy’s waist.
Maybe that is her strange desire . . . a twisted lust for LITTLE MEN!
D.
They seem cute . . .
until you see their teeth.
(From shhexycorin’s photostream.)
Still wiped. Still stressed.
That is all.
D.
Geography question
I’m afraid we’re still very much in open-minded job search mode. With that in mind, Karen just asked me a question I can’t answer.
Perhaps some of you know the answer.
Aside from the Pacific Northwest, are there any other areas of the country which have good weather?
Here are our requirements:
- Summers should have highs averaging no higher than 80F. Occasional spikes are fine.
- We could tolerate snow in the winter, but please, no arctic climates. Much below 20F and I think we’ll be very, very unhappy.
- For Karen’s health, Jake’s education, and my mental well being, we need to be near a major metropolitan center.
We may yet choose one of the standing offers (in case you administrator types are lurking out there). But you see, we’ve rushed into things before, and as we get older and wiser we get more deliberative, too.
That’s all for tonight. My mind is still humming from travel, from the job search, from the vicissitudes of this, that, and the other thing. I’m tired.
D.
My picks for Obama’s VP.
Not an hour goes by without someone posting a veep diary at Daily Kos.
So I decided to do one of my own . . .
D.
Memorial Day
Veterans on Memorial Day Call For End To Iraq War
How should we support our newest veterans? By bringing them home, and taking care of them once they’re back. It’s that easy.
This is more a Veteran’s Day post than a Memorial Day post; I guess I’m more focused on those who are still with us.
D.
Mo pix
We saw a cute bird over near Pike’s Market. Me, I don’t know birds. I can distinguish crows from herons, vultures from pigeons, and that’s about it. To me, anything small and brown like this is a sparrow. If anyone wishes to correct me, go right ahead.
During lunch, we had an entertaining view.
More photos below the fold.
Pals
Stan, that handsome devil on the right, fixed me up with Karen some 25 years ago. He told Jake today, “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t exist. I guess that makes me your real dad.”
Yup. Stan has always been this way.
Left to right: Jayna, Elissa, and Stan. Tonight was a hoot.
(When I’m back home tomorrow, I’ll be able to use my Paintshop Pro and give y’all more photos with better quality. Right now, I’m using some freeware which I’m not altogether comfortable with. Hence the crappy quality.)
D.
Best sushi ever
Karen and I know our sushi. We may not be the most knowledgeable sushiphiles out there, but we’re competent, okay?
Sam’s Sushi Bar & Grill in Ballard (a neighborhood north of Seattle) had some of the freshest sushi, biggest portions, and reasonable prices that we’ve ever seen.
And if that didn’t make much sense, let me add that they serve a terrific tall hot sake.
At that link (above), this negative review tickled me:
I think there are Chinese making Japanese food,Food is bad,Service was’nt good also!
This reminded me of my high school friend, Weyton. He used to say, “Chinese make food that tastes good, Japanese makes food that looks good.” (He’s Chinese. Could you guess?) When I read that review, I imagined Weyton saying, “See? We even do sushi better than those Japanese.”
Protected Static: take your pick between this and Volterra. Next time we’re up, we’ll treat you & your fam. (We’d have done so this time around, except that Karen has been so wiped most of the time.)
BTW: The interviews are history, and now I’m waiting for the offers to roll in 🙂
D.