Sunday

Sept. 9, 2001

What was anyone thinking?

SuRu and I had the same agreement for today about calling for a walk. Except for 8 a.m. And except, at that time, it was raining.

FFP asked later if we were walking. He said it was no longer raining. So, I called SuRu and while it dripped and threatened, we did do a walk in the neighborhood. SuRu wanted to go over to Cat Street (aka Linwood) and see the bizarre landscaping project taking shape. Well, gee what WERE they thinking? There are all these ponds and mounds with succulents and intentionally planted bamboo??

We walk down to the fire station and decide to go to Upper Crust. I have another cup of coffee (I've been sipping from the commuter cup as we walk) and a 'Texas croissant' that is loaded with jalapenos. While we are sitting there a guy comes up and makes two attempts to park a pink Cadillac with the Mary Kay license plate. He fails. As he walks by I mouth to FFP, "Don't we know him?"

FFP whispers back the guy's identity. Not someone we love, I must say. Seeing him drive a pink Mary Kay Cadillac doesn't make up for the grief he gave us. But it's nice.

We come on back after our snack, rather than going further, as if mutually thinking real rain may materialize.

Before I know it, it is almost noon. I decide to check on M&D's house. I go over and retrieve the papers, spread out Saturday's which is wet, and get their mail in. I check Mom's computer.

I am in the market for a laptop lock and I haven't given up finding some way to read my Microdrive on my laptop. And I am curious about Costco. I figure I'll run in CompUSA for a lock, but I decide to look in on this new mega discounter. So I stop off there. It's almost like they've imitated the nearby Sam's layout so people will feel comfortable. I don't find anything I need to buy. It is pretty crowded, they are installing tires on SUVs in the tire center and lots of people are wandering around buying cases of bottled water and various food things. I see someone buying a giant TV. Mostly, though, the customers seem dazed, looking for a deal good enough for their dwindling cash. Maybe it's an illusion, but I think I can see a less expansive mood in the shoppers than, say, last year. I leave empty-handed.

At CompUSA, I conclude that all the readers of Compact Flash MicroDrives don't support WIN NT. Except maybe for parallel port devices. So, that's that. I find a laptop lock with a combo and buy it.

I come home to some shark steak, mango and a tomato and onion salad courtesy of FFP the cook.

And the afternoon slips away. I investigate New Orleans hotels for the New Years. Online info is nice but even with high speed access the info can be confusing.

I watch Hewitt decimate Pete Sampras. It is a pretty good match except Pete can't muster enough opposition.

Finally, I give up my attempts to be a travel agent. I simply can't decide on price and such. Planning for other people is tough. So I give myself a break to eat and watch TV.

I have carrots, green onions, cheese. We watch an old episode of The Sopranos we've never seen and the two episodes of Band of Brothers. FFP opens a bottle of Australian Grenache that Central Market has been promoting madly. We have some more cheese with that and I have some more carrots and crackers. It's a good wine for cheap but I wouldn't pay more than the $9.99 they claim is half price.

The day seems to have slipped away, not unlike Saturday. I conclude that the trip I'm trying to plan for my friend is virtually impossible to do in a manner that doesn't leave her in airport heck, spending too much money and not relaxing. I retreat and write an e-mail with my travel agent woes. I'm hoping she will relax some parameter. Leave out a city, not come on the holiday, something. Maybe it is just me and my hatred of airports. But I don't like flitting about.

What are/were they thinking?

Meta: I envy people who can confine their daily missive to a single pet adventure or a single encounter. Make a nice little essay. Not have to confess every morsel eaten, every wayward turn Or if they do have all that drivel they confine it to something called a 'blog.' It more a log or raw notes, with dates and times. Why invent a word? I like words but I think they should be invented for good reasons. And I don't have the bandwidth to put things in two places. Do I?

Still I wish I could produce little terse and well-honed essays and put them here. In fact, I have one brewing about why people have quit using the present tense when referring to the chef's specials. Rather, they say "That's going to be garnished with hundred-year-old balsalmic vinegar and topped with ostetra caviar." Is this to indicate that the food is not presently made and will be made to order? If so, why not say 'will be' instead of 'going to be.' Anyway, yeah, I was going to do a tight essay on that and even figure out what 'going to be' was English-speak wise and conclude whether Strunk and White and William Safire would approve. Like, um, I should talk.

JUST TYPING

The time...slips by.
And neither pleasure nor accomplishment seems possible.