AUSTIN, Texas, October 24, 2005 — I used to write in my (paper) journals about what I would consider the perfect life. It involved some nice activity in the mornings, like tennis. I'd do something useful around the house, visit with people. Do something good for the world. Grab some culture like movies. Rewind Repeat.

So I had this tennis match this morning and I actually was on the winning team. It was a nice day to play, not too hot. After a nice shower, I got the guest room ready for our guest and FFP picked her up and we visited. We dropped her off downtown, went to our charity meeting and went to two movies.

Yep, perfect. We saw a documentary called Clear Cut: The Story of Philomatch, Oregon. Enjoyable. Couldn't have been more different than Three...Extremes. A trio of Asian films these were beyond bizarre. We saw them because our house guest was going to be at this screening and we figured that was the easiest way to pick her up. Glad I saw them, though, just to know what some of this stuff is. Seeing them on the IMAX screen was doubly disturbing. But even though I'm not one for violent or disturbing movies, I thought they were so bizarre and alien (but not in the other country or outer space way, just the unbelievable way) that I could easily compartmentalize them and just watch the filmmakers at work.

It was late when we got home. Our houseguest did some laundry. We feel good that we can offer someone a place to stay where their stuff is safe.

It's really a perfect life.