Sunday

Sept. 16, 2001

Sunday

SuRu and I plan to go out at 7:30 or 8 but it's almost 8:30 and I'm still in bed although not exactly asleep.

SuRu calls. I get into clothes and shoes and hat. I get together water and coffee and SuRu drives us to Hyde Park. We've been walking in the 'hood. Need something different.

We stop and tie the dogs to a graffiti-covered picnic table near Quack's and we get some coffee and food. .

At home, I go back to the computer and TV. A fire hose of information.

FFP shops the grocery store and we eat a chef's salad of broccoli, cheese, lettuce, carrots, onions, tomatoes and turkey.

I can't stop watching the TV. For a while, I've wanted a air/car adaptor for my laptop. If I were going to Europe, that would be good for the long plane ride. (Assuming Air France actually had the connections on board.) I decide to shop online for one. I buy it. That makes four things I bought for the business trip. (Two bags, a laptop lock and this.) Should make the cancellation of the trip a sure thing. As if anything affects anything else.

FFP and I sit in the big room and read a little and watch the coverage. Then...we start surfing for a distracting movie. Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman doesn't get it. Reunion at Fairborough doesn't really do it. Shower to go out, back to coverage.

Fiesta. Yes, it's a day to celebrate. Diez y Seis. Because, you know, if Mexico (us, then) hadn't become independent from Spain then it would be hard to 'remember the Alamo' and achieve the short Texican life as an independent nation.

It was a benefit for the opera and it was given by people who have been kind to us so we had signed up and we went.

There was some sort of 'Freedom Fest' at auditorium shores. My guess is it was Diez y Sies recast for the moment. Lots of porta-potties, that kind of deal.

So there wasn't any parking to speak of. We parked deep in the neighborhood. The neighbors hate that. But we blended in with the freedom festers cars that they were probably more tolerant of.

There were mariachi muscians and drinks on the roof. The Capitol View is obscured now by the soon-to-be Civic events center and parking garage. Before we can renovate the Palmer into the Long Center for the Performing Arts we have to have a place for Gun and Knife shows and craft shows.

People discuss their delays. Andrew didn't fly to Taiwan on Wednesday and so is not rushing back tonght. This couple is trying to get back to Hawaii where they live part-time. These guys are going on a cruise in Asia in Decemeber. Karen is waiting for her husband to arrive from Australia...he's from there and they split their time. This woman was telling her fifteen-year-old daughter, who thinks flying is too dangersous now, "Do you want to drive three days to get some where?" She says that put it into perspective for her.

We sing 'God Bless America' accompanied by the mariachi band. Most of our voices are lost in the Barton Springs Road traffic. Andrew's voice almost emerges. We switch to a classical guitar player and talk about parties and fun and vacations. The opera employee who had to come early to set this up and will leave when everyone is gone is taking vacation tomorrow. I realize that if I didn't have two meetings that I couldn't escape that I would take vacation, too.

murals in Hyde Park

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Many journalers posted, many close to the disasters....

JUST TYPING
You don't have control.
Over the world.
But only over yourself.