Time for my yearly check in ... :)

Life always seems to be changing.

I could give you a run down of everything that happened since I last updated this part of the web last June, but thankfully Darby has taken over those reigns really well.

Of the last year I can say this: I'm ready to move on, ready to move forward.  It's been a difficult time meshed with a lot of promise.  I don't have balance yet, but I'm trying to get there.

We have so many things to be thankful for and I hope that the trend of things continues to go as it is.  There's a lot to be blessed by - there's a lot of toil and a lot of pain in there too.

Focus forward, support one another and think positive.

Mayhem ... in every sense of the word ....

Usually I'm pretty good at handling the stress and strain of things coming and going.  But every once in a while it just gets to be too much. That's how it's been for the last several weeks. We haven't had a lot of downtime since the last part of February. But we do trying to take advantage of what available downtime we have.

For instance, we have been going to the drive-in with really good frequency mainly because it allows us to have some down time without getting phone calls, e-mails and other interruptions. It's a good break and being able to spend quality time with Darby enjoying a picnic-type dinner while watching good movies underneath the stars iis really well worth it.

We need to get back into the habit of doing our poetry dates again as they were good releases for us. Now that some rather large projects are behind us I hope that we can pick up our dates again.

So if you have been wondering where we have run off to, we haven't gone far they've just been incredibly busy.

We hope everyone has had a safe, fun, wonderful summer so far.

No excuses ... just do it ...

Some friends of mine growing up are having a tough time.

Kids that lived down the alley from us - one of the boys has cancer that has spread throughout his body.  He's currently in hospice where they are trying to make him as comfortable as he begins to pass onto the next leg of his Journey.  Reading the comments on Facebook has been tough.  I feel sadness for them all.

We take a lot of things for granted.

As busy as things have been in the last several months - I know I've lost track of things.  Dates going by, weeks running into one another - and before long it'll be summer.

That's why it's important to make the time to do special things.  For us - whether it's poetry dates or photography ... it's about making the invested time and allowing us to breathe in that moment.

...because we ultimately don't know what'll happen tomorrow - but it's our own fault if we don't make it count today, tomorrow and the days that follow.  We have it in our ability to do it ... and we need to stop making excuses for why we don't.

Bond ... James Bond .....

I'm a big time James Bond fan.

Connery, Moore, Lazenby, Dalton, Brosnan, Craig ....

All of them had their stake and left their own unique mark.

The movies are fun.  There's action with sexy women with sexy cars and sexy gadgets.  As the enterprise continued to advance, the Bond empire continued to be more innovative.  The cars did more, the gadgets were more tricky and the characters found themselves in space, under water and rescuing the world over and over again.

But as the empire continued to roll, the character could almost become predictable.  Peril + girl + gadget + action filled escape = successful Bond movie.

It wasn't until Pierce Brosnan's tenure that we started to see a different Bond emerge.  He was upset - feeling betrayed - a little darker - feeling more than going through the typical stunts and falls.

Daniel's version of Bond finally added depth to the character.  We had a Bond who has issues.  We had a Bond who was complicated.  Daniel Craig's Bond got rid of the gadgets and the over-the-top invisible car ... the VANQUISH ..... ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh....

What Daniel did in Casino Royale was to bring Bond back to reality.  Beating his counterparts using his brawn, smarts and a bit of Bond luck.  He didn't need the gadgetry to save him like the infamous jet pack or the laser beam that can fire from his watch.  Don't get me wrong - I like some of that stuff.  It's fun - but after awhile it just felt over used.

And so ... if you haven't seen the last couple Bond films (Quantum of Solace and Skyfall) - you may want to reconsider reading any further.  I don't want to spoil the plot for you.

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Are you sure you're ready?


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Last chance ....

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Alright....  Quantum has been dubbed Craig's mistake in the Bond spectrum.  While I can see some of the complaints ... honestly - if we forgave Pierce and the disappearing car ... we can give Daniel a little leeway too.  

So here comes Sam Mendes to direct the latest film Skyfall.  Sam is very popular and well known for his work with American Beauty, Road to Perdition and Jarhead.  He's done good work and I think he brought a different perspective when he was asked to lead Bond on another adventure.  The problem with Skyfall wasn't Mendes, wasn't Craig, Dench or Javier (who made a really great villain.)

It was the story.

Not everything was bad ... as there were elements I liked.  Bond having a hard time bouncing back after his last assignment, recovery not quite as smooth as it had been for other Bonds.  He was real ... just as I have grown to like him in Casino Royale and Quantum.

But ...  there were times in Skyfall where I felt like we were starting to embrace the earlier Bond methods.  I'm not sure if this was Mendes' way to pay homage to Daniel's former brethren ... but it just didn't seem to mesh with the Bond I've come to really enjoy. 

Yes - it's great to see the famous Aston Martin again.  Yes - it was even great to see Q again.

Where as in Casino and Quantum ... we got to know the villains more.  We learned more about their history and how they got to be evil.  Javier's character barely had one segment to explain why he was in a bad mood and wanted to take down the agency.  It felt flat even though Javier did an incredible job trying to rescue the character.

Even with that ... I felt I could be okay with the movie ... until ....

...the very end.  The last 5-7 minutes seem like a cop out.  Right down to Eve Moneypenny, the cushioned door leading into M's office .... and it just felt like Daniel's Bond had been transformed into something - less - than what he's capable of.  The build-up of what Sam had done up until the last part of the movie - was unraveled by this "blast from the past" kind of familiarity reunion thing.

I'm sure the Bond franchise is eager to start building on Skyfall's popularity.  The movie has gotten rave reviews and has been a good money maker for the Bond empire. It's sad that the bottom fell out at the end of a really good movie.  I'm not saying their unexpected plot twist with M was bad ... it's probably really good for the stories to come ... but we didn't need to come back to Bond circa 1960.  

What Mendes and Broccoli should've realized is that it's okay to be an advanced modern Bond and an advanced MI6.  It's okay to be weak, vulnerable and human with all of the failings that follow.  The Bond empire didn't need to revert or put the jacket back on from long ago.  It's okay to step out of the shadow of the old Bonds ... and make the Bond that resonated the most with the Ian Flemming character.

In short - as some reviewers have said - it's not a bad movie ... but it's just not a great Bond movie.  I do hope that the next Bond movie can step back on the Path they started before ... or else I'm in for another disappointing 2 1/2 hour movie.

Summer is Here....

Already tired of the 80's temps ... and we're no where close to June yet.

But the trees are in full bloom, the flowers, the bugs and other things.  It's nice to have this cycle in the universe and sometimes we forget to take a gander at it as we drive by.

So take a moment - in your next travels and look for something beautiful on your trek.  Flowers, trees, fruit stands, kids playing, butterflies, sun drenched skies.

Life is going by quick again ... gotta slow it down when you can.

Enjoy!

100k

My vehicle is about ready to make that magical turn over 100k miles. While most of that has been in the flurry of trips between GJ and Denver, there's some other long drives that come to mind that I wanted to take a moment to recall. (In no particular order)

- Right out of the gate, brand new car to break in ... driving up to Minneapolis to help celebrate the birthday of Darby's grandmother. I remember the surprise and the joy she had with so many people that came to help celebrate with food, family and cake!

- The long trek to Shreveport, Louisiana post-Katrina. Hearing the stories of growing up in the south, witnessing the poverty, the racial divide that's still prevalent today. The tension of that divide and what it was like being in that part of the country in summer. ("hot" is not a describable word here....)

- The anniversary surprise. Seeing where Darby grew up in Omaha, watching her recall childhood memories and her favorite haunts. Trekking up to Minnesota - driving across the green fields and vast landscapes. The love, tears and happiness of celebrating Darby's parent's wedding anniversary. The video :)

- The roadtrips we took to Ouray after Thanksgiving ... to Durango twice ... to Santa Fe ... and the numerous treks up to Meeker, Rangely, Craig, Gateway, the Grand Mesa, McClure pass and the other favorite trips we take.

- The last minute trip to Storm Lake, Iowa to be part of Darby's sister and brother-in-law's wedding. Godfathers Pizza! The wedding, the photography, the feeling of family together. The incredible lush green fields of corn and the painted quilted barns of Sac County, Iowa.

- Montana ... the beauty of the lake ... meeting wonderful friends and enjoying their company ... the wildfires and the fact that Montana is one incredibly BIG state. Wyoming, Yellowstone, the buffalo, the Grand Tetons, Old Faithful ... the road construction from hell ...

- The return to Minnesota. Darby getting to see her niece for the first time. The first steps. Wonderful celebrating an unseasonably warm Christmas. Meeting someone very special to us and the outlook of things to come.

- The long trip to Austin, Texas. Meeting up with friends new and old along the journey - driving long distances, racing against the clock on the verge of bad news. I remember the small conglomerate of shops and health food restaurant in Austin - the incredibly tall trees and peacefulness in the middle of town.

- The numerous trips to Denver in great weather, the darkness of night, in blinding snowstorms, on ice-crested roads, witnessing accidents, car fires, wildfires and tire blow-outs an arm's length away. We've seen hot air balloons, ultra light aircraft, Christmas lights along I-70, roaring rivers, beautiful sunsets (and sunrises). We've ventured to Denver for parties & celebrations, my brother and sister-in-law's 25th anniversary, my Mom and Dad's 50th, Christmases, lunch, dinner and breakfast with family and friends.

All told - 100k miles since 2006 - each mile probably has a story. I love our Mercury Mariner and love the adventures it takes us to and how reliable it has been.

Hearing

Last year I took a step forward and got fitted for a hearing aid. While it wasn't an expense we really needed -- the absence of what I was missing was profound. I had long since been resistant to hearing aids because I come from the belief that if we're always told to turn our headphones down because it can make us go deaf ... then adding a micro-headphone deep in my ear canal would've been equally problematic.

So I resisted.

Until last year when it became apparent that I still had good function in my remaining ear ... but I just needed some help. My ear canal apparently didn't form like other normal ear canals do. That's why I'm very susceptible to changes in allergy or head colds -- as my ear canal would compress and eventually muffle out sounds.

The first time I could "hear" ... I was amazed at how much I was missing. Caesar's meow. The turn signal blinker. Fans in my office. Whispers and other things said under one's breath. All of a sudden - my confidence grew. I could hear. I could participate. I could interject. I could remain on topic and not have to shake my head because I couldn't ascertain what was being said. I no longer had to guess. I no longer needed you to face me so that I could hear what you were saying.

The world opened up.

And I'm forever grateful for Darby - who didn't push ... but she gave some nudges every so often. I knew it affected her ... but I never knew how difficult it was living with someone who was hearing impaired. The stress of not being able to effectively communicate whenever, however, wherever. I'm sorry it took me so long hon.

Why am I blogging about this today? There's a malfunction somewhere in the unit that had rendered it relatively useless to me. I didn't realize how much I was affected by it until I've gone without ... and now that I've gone without it ... I want it back.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Yes Darby, two posts in a week. Believe it or not!) :)

Traveling ...

We love road trips.

I'm about to put over 100k miles on our incredibly wonderful Mercury Mariner. As I look back on the treks we've taken, to Louisiana, to Minnesota a couple of times, to Montana, and to Texas. Not to mention the countless day trips we've taken or the drives to Denver.

I prefer driving over flying anymore because at least you get to see things along the way. Yes - it's easier and quicker to traverse the landscape at 38k feet, but you miss out on the sunsets. You don't get to spend quality time with someone you love just by talking to pass the time. You don't get to see sites that you normally wouldn't ... or have the ability to laugh freely at something as dumb as a fart joke or something.

Plane travel is efficient and a great way to maximize the quantity of time you have on vacation.

But for me at least, it's the quality of time that equally matters. So to drive 1500 miles with Darby means a lot more to me because that's us time. Us time - unplugged. Us time - without phones, computers and other distractions.

It gives new meaning that it's the trip that matters ... not just the destination...

Where Did the Spring Go?

Here it is the first of June - and we're both like: "what, already???"

Work has been very good lately. It's coming in parts - but thankfully it's steady. I'm excited about some changes that are upcoming. Have been doing a lot of websites - so much so that there's a small backlog to go through. Not so many video projects at the moment, but there's so much diversity in what's going on, it's nice to switch from website work and to do investigation then work on pre-production video work.

With the weather changing - our swamp has been on for the last several weeks. Our Swampy is a little old and showing its age a bit. Things are rusting out quite a bit and so when we have water present ... I can't help but think that its time is overdue.

Anyhow - that catches you up a bit on what's happening around here. We hope and trust all is well for everyone! (sorry for not posting as often as I should be -- thankfully Darby fills in the blanks!)

Forever Gone...

Every year, writers pen their thoughts about what transpired in the last year, the last decade or even the last century. The history buff in me loves reading how much we've changed -- and so when I came across a list of 20 items which have become obsolete, my interest was piqued!

1. VCR and VHS tapes .... I remember the time when we got our first VCR. My Dad won it at a work raffle at Christmas - and he was glowing when he brought it home. We watched, recorded, watched, recorded and watched -- probably like most families, but I just remember how cool it was to have something on TV and then be able to play it back later.

2. Travel agents .... I never used one except for when I worked for the state. Great group of people dedicated on making the angst of travel easy. They setup your flight, hotel, ground travel ... they can arrange your trips and have a pretty good idea what to expect when you got to your destination. "Hands-on," personal service ... gone by way of the likes of Expedia, blogs and other travel sites.

3. Separation of Work/Personal Life .... Oh how I relate to this one in ways that I can't begin to articulate. I was having a conversation with a good friend and former colleague about how much has changed since when it was just her and I working together. It was the introduction to email, the internet, and cell phones ... the lines became blurred and as a result work began invading our personal life and then vice-a-versa.

4. Forgetting .... At first I'm like - what? But then after reading the description a bit - the internet has made it possible for us to forget things and come back to it later. It makes sense ... that we rely more and more on the internet for things that we'd normally store in our memory banks or in our filing cabinets ... I was going to say something else about this, but I can't remember what it was.... anyway!

5. Bookstores .... One of the sadder things gone forever. I remember many times when I'd go to the mall and into a B. Dalton bookstore ... or a Waldens. Just being able to sit and read, check out the latest books or magazine. It was a refuge to escape for a bit without the formality of a library.

6. Watches .... Admittedly, when I started working for the State, I stopped wearing a watch. I didn't like the idea of being confined to minutes and seconds on my wrist - so I stopped wearing one. How do I keep the time? On the computer (lower right hand corner) ... cell phone ... or via clocks in the house.

7. 1-900 phone sex .... The internet ... what else can you say?

8. Maps .... As my parents can both relate - I was very much into maps ... streets, signs, roads..... I loved being able to map out routes and was fascinated by that as a kid. I had a full hand-drawn map of our immediate neighborhood on my wall. It wasn't anything special, but I carefully drew the streets, the sidewalks, signs, lights ... markings on the roadway. Mix in GPS, Google Maps, and one can surmise that I can get pretty geeky when I get into navigational mode....

9. Calling .... Hard to believe that texting, Twitter, Facebook and email have surpassed calling someone on the phone. It's a trend that makes it easier to have smaller parts of a conversation - without needing to delve into a longer one on the phone. Have we really evolved as a society that is dedicated on 140 character bits of information?

10. Classified Ads in Newspapers .... It was just a matter of time that as many newspaper chains are turning to an online solution - thanks in part to eBay, CraigsList and other online classified-type services ... it's no longer needed to waste the trees to print it anymore.

11. Dial-up Internet .... Anyone else remember the screeching sounds of "modem-talk?" But who really wants to "zip" around the internet at 56k anymore?

12. Encyclopedias .... Not really coming as a shock since we all have Google and Wikipedia to look at. But - as the internet proves: just because it's posted, doesn't make it real. Encyclopedias -- while infamously vague ... was still at least a good starting point to research something. Now - it takes multiple resources and some verifiable FACT to prove things ... something the Republican crowd tends be seriously lacking these days....

13. CDs .... It wasn't that long ago when we witnessed the death of cassette tapes (shhhh - we still have those, but don't tell anyone) .... but now to witness the death of CDs in a shorter time span is just - wow. iPods, streaming music online, mean that most of us can download our entire CD collection to something the size of our wallet. I still use CDs for data purposes though because DVDs still have burning problems and readability factor for some older machines.

14. Landline Phones .... up until a month ago - I would dismiss this as a potential "forever gone" ... until we removed our landline - transferred it to a cell phone ... and that's how it is. While there are but a few instances - where landline phones are necessary ... in the span of instances over a year or a decade ... it just doesn't justify dropping $50 a month to watch something that doesn't ring.

15. Film and Film Cameras .... Another one of the sadder moments in this list. I love how film can capture things that digital can't. The approximation of pictures - interpreted by a computer - just does not replace the color and depth of celluloid. But I do love the creativity and freedom that digital photography provides us.

16. Yellow Pages and Address Books .... Another product of the efficiency and ease that the internet provides us. It's easy, it's up to date (mostly), and it's readily available with a series of clicks and letters on the keyboard. No more 5-7 lb book, no more finding pages ripped out or listings buried under different subheadings than what you were looking for in the first place.

17. Catalogs .... What fond memories I had growing up looking at the winter toy catalog for Montgomery Wards, JCPenny's and Sears. Now - we just receive spam messages of every sale a store has everyday ... 10% off before 7am ... 30% off doorbusters ... receive a free gift when you give us your email address so that we can spam you that much more!!

18. Fax machines .... Arguably one obsolete thing that isn't quite dead yet ... but with document scanners, email capability and the growing lack of paper ... we're definitely emerging into a paperless era.

19. Wires .... Another arguably misplaced item on this list .... but we have wireless internet, wireless phones and even wireless charging .... I submit that wires is probably going to officially die out in the next decade after they successfully implant the microchips in my brain - so that I no longer need to interface with computer monitors, mice and keyboards.... :)

(don't laugh - they're looking into it....)

Last but not least ....

20. Handwritten letters .... No form letter, no copy and paste, no informal 7 word reply in an email .... we're losing our ability to demonstrate emotion, love, and pain as our collective pens fall upon blank sheets of parchment. Love letters are now replaced by cards, txt messages, facebook status updates and tweets. The sad part is - we lose a connection that we think is replaced by keystrokes and little emoticons. When the hand grasps the pen ... to author something ... it becomes a physical connection that pours from our soul in scribbles and penmanship. There was no undo ... there was no re-arranging sentences so that they made more sense. The flow of our thoughts was more controlled - a slower pace - arguably something that simply can't exist in an instant on, "internet is ready" world that we live in these days.


(Original list posted at the Huffington Post ... comments were done by me. :))

Which makes me wonder - how much of our soul is slowly leaving our bodies with the advent of so much technology ... are we losing the morsels of our lives as they once were captured in frames on celluloid film .... are we becoming lazy because the internet ensures that we don't forget our appointments for tomorrow .... are we slowly losing our connection to the tactile universe, replacing it by ones and zeros?

Many authors, columnists and philosophers of our day have long since wrote about this day. I guess I didn't stop and consider that it could happen during my time - and yet - here we all are.

While I'm glad we're doing away with dial-up internet and fax machines ... I'm not quite sure I'm ready to give up my connection with life around me. Some things are worth doing "the old-fashioned" way ... now I just need to convince the rest of the world that it's a good thing too.

Sweet November

Yes, I realize it's September .... but the movie has always been profound to me.

I haven't watched it in years - and yet I've been noticing that it's been coming on Cinemax lately.

It's one of those movies that really touches me deeply and profoundly. It forces us to confront our only mortality and ask the question: how we choose to live the rest of our days ultimately defines who we are.

We all work so hard within the confines of our 24 hours a day ... we pay bills, we stress ourselves out over seemingly meaningless things and we continually grow older ... day by day ... hour by hour.

The movie hammers home the importance of living in the moment and to cherish each breath we take because .... life happens.

So - I challenge you.

For a moment in your day today - after you read this:

1.) Go out and tell those people close to you how much you love them.

2.) Go outside for no more than a minute and just stand there - look around you - and marvel at the world we take for granted each and every single day.

3.) Write yourself a silly note on a post-it ... and place it on your monitor, your refrigerator or your TV -- whatever you constantly find yourself near most of the day.

and lastly,

4.) Watch the sunset ... or if you're reading this at night -- set your alarm and make yourself watch a sunrise.


Live a little, just an ounce of effort to slow down the paces of life.

We all have a limited number of Novembers in our lives .... don't waste them.

*hugs -n- loves to my friends and family*

Special loves and hugs to my girl - I'm forever grateful for every November, February and month we are together. I love you very much!

Where did Michael Go?

Very good question.

My last entry was back in March and ... well ... I haven't been very good at blogging, have I.....

Well - I don't think I have a lot of excuses to offer. I don't email people as often as I once did. Things have been busy and well, things haven't exactly gone very well. In fact, Darby noticed a change in me since January and the only thing I can say is that there's been a cloud, a heavy cloud for quite some time.

Physically - I can actually feel it hanging above my eyes ... it's a pressure that feels like a heavy blanket weighing down on my head, my mind, my eyes....

It has been a depression that just hasn't really let go. It's been building and building -- without much of a reprieve or opportunity to adjust the slope and climb out of the ruts I've found myself in. The latest rut has been very difficult that has been settling in this summer.

I've been pretty good at managing depressions for a long time - but there are times when it just starts to rise faster than I'm doggy paddling. That's how it has felt all year - and admitting that much has helped me realize that it's okay to go through it. The influx of work has helped - as it has been one of the major stressors with the downturn of the economy. Having stable jobs has been difficult to maintain - as everyone is hurting.

So that's where I've been.

I'm feeling better than I have been - but I'm still feeling the cloud hanging around. I fully recognize that depressions generally don't evaporate like a fog - as it takes a lot of work to eventually have them dissipate. I'm coming out of my shell a bit more and that's a good thing. Shells are good for self-repair, but hardly ideal for any significant living quarters.

A Season to be Thankful

Darby already did a catching up post -- so some of this will be duplicate....

We got back from Denver - and almost immediately landed with our feet running. Taking off a week means that no matter how well you were caught up before you left -- there's a great deal of work to be done. That adage turned out to be very true once again.

But enough of that stuff.

This is a special season for me this year - mainly because of the enormous hit my family took over this past month with news that my Dad had cancer of the kidney. We all took a gigantic deep breath and prayed for good news. The mass seemed enormous in comparison to the size of our organs and we were all very deeply concerned. But with each test, we got more cautiously optimistic - the cancer didn't spread, but he was definitely going to lose one of his kidneys.

Finally - surgery came and we would later find out that his cancer was encapsulated - good news. It was contained to the kidney and to one of his adrenal glands. The luke warm news was that the mass ended up being much larger than any of us had anticipated. The news is good for now - and he goes back to an oncologist in January for more tests to make sure no other organs or anything were affected.

So this is why this is my season to be very thankful. The totality of the last month has left us all exhausted -- but even in that very tired state, I'm once again reminded once again about just how precious life really is. It's something that so many take for granted each day -- losing precious hours in their driving commute while working in a less-than-fulfilling job only to punish themselves with a night of painful partying that takes two days to recover.

So please take a moment to send a thoughtful email to someone you love - a parent, a friend, a grand-parent, a sibling, a loved one and just talk for awhile. Even if it doesn't seem like much - the holiday season is upon us and it's a good time to slow down a bit and to reflect on the positives in our life while enjoying the warm company of the ones we love.

Happy Holidays!

You know what - don't vote...

Edit: Just to add this video does use the f bomb quite a bit so if that offends you don't watch.

Chasing Obama throughout Grand Junction

Yesterday was a really cool day for us.. Barack Obama came out to Grand Junction and riveted 6,000 folks..

We didn't go to the rally - but we did chase him throughout the grand valley..



We had fun -- it was very exciting and we were bit by the Obama bug..

more pictures here...

Changing of the Seasons....

We're slowly descending into what is probably my most favorite season of all: the fall....

The nights are cool and brisk....
The days are mild and comfortable....
The colors in the trees....
The pitter patter of rain....
Football....
Chili....
Home baked bread (more often because it's getting colder)....

I could live in a perpetual loop of September, October and November -- being incredibly happy as a clam....

*finds a happy zone* :)

Well, we made it!

It has been a very grueling 72 hour period -- we finally made it on the backside. We've known about this schedule for last month and we both knew it was going to be incredibly hectic..

It was..

A host of technical malfunctions didn't make things better, but we hung in there - the "no quit" attitude and kept focusing on the task while trying to resolve what we could..

Bottom line: we're both incredibly tired and very grateful to be home. We're taking the day off today before getting ready for next week's broadcast, so while the schedule should be easing somewhat, it will be better than it was..

Dealing with the Unpredictability of Tomorrow

This month has been two years since I started my business.

There have been some definite joys, some eek-moments, and a greater sense of peace as the layers of stress have either abated or they have taken on a much more manageable form. It doesn't always look like it's manageable: a.) I'm working longer hours, b.) I'm taking on bigger projects, c.) there is no such thing as a weekend or vacation and d.) my desk is living proof of things gone amok.

But above everything else that's out there there's but one single thing that I have not been able to fully address: tomorrow. It's elusive. It's the "how are we going to pay next month's bills" or "do we have enough time to tackle yet another project." We've been riding a pretty substantial tidal wave since the spring time -- and yet I get the knots in my stomach when I feel like I can see the end of the projects appearing on the horizon.

Darby keeps my head focused on the: "it'll be fine" mentality because anything less and I'm going to squick myself into a pit of self-doubt.

Ultimately though - she's been right on the money each time. We have been incredibly blessed with a tremendous amount of word-of-mouth marketing -- that we haven't needed to do much in the way of advertising. In fact, we haven't had to advertise -- but we're gearing up to send out our first official advertisement directed at lawyers that can hire me out in a myriad of different ways.

It's scary -- it's exciting -- it's reassuring -- it's humbling.

I recently got a referral from someone who I met only once -- merely just sitting in his conference room talking technology .... passed my name to someone and that will likely garner another unforeseen vein of incoming business. Someone who doesn't really know me from Adam -- and all of a sudden I'm being referred.

Keeping it going in the positive direction is tough .... very tough. There are moments when I feel the tidal waves crashing on us -- but we keep moving forward and the unpredictability of tomorrow fades a bit in that moment. Our September is going to have some incredibly busy times for us. It's positive -- and if it keeps going like it is ... it might be very positive.

So in the meanwhile, we'll keep doing the bucket brigade to get the water out from the bottom of the boat ... and let the waves of stress take us where we need to be.

Lots to do -- signing off for a bit.

Describing the psyche of a cat: addendum

I was doing some editing tonight in the office tonight - when Caesar jumps off the small table I have in the office. His toy was in the room as he had brought it to me when I was doing some voice over work. (yes, a little hard to be recording and have a meowing cat in the background...)

I didn't think anything about the toy -- except when he jumped down -- I happened to look over to see if he was still in the room, but he wasn't .... and neither was the yellow toy he usually carries in his mouth around this time of night. At that particular moment I made a mental note because I thought it was strange that here just just *left* the office and took his toy with him.

No sooner that I file that mental note away and here comes the yeowling golden boy with ... the yellow toy in his mouth that was in the office ... meowling along and the spits out the toy nearly to the spot where he had just taken it from.

While all of this might not seem like much to the casual viewer -- it transpired in what couldn't have been more than 30-45 seconds..... Of which gave me quite the chuckle because he was *just* in here along with his toy.....

He and the girl got some treats and they seem content. :)

Describing the psyche of a cat

Which do you think our cats prefer:

• A $7 toy that you pull the string and it goes walking across the floor

or


• A crumpled up piece of aluminum foil??

Answer: The crumpled up piece of aluminum foil or course....

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• An $8 crumple sack from PetsMart

or


• A sack from WalMart??

Answer: You guessed it -- the WalMart sack...

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• The $12 pet bed

or


• The small box you get from Sam's Club??

Answer: Yep -- the Sam's Club box...

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It has to be a human thing we try to instill on our furry felines: that somehow getting the pretty fancy feathered toy from the PetsMart shelves is going to be better than the dangling shoelace when I take my shoes off.

Nope.

They dive bomb for the shoelace the moment it comes in view.

It doesn't take a lot to entertain them sometimes -- sometimes it merely takes a little creativity and the ability to think like a cat ... which usually means: think small, think quick, think lightweight.

The boy will come to me around 10pm tonight -- we got them some new shoelaces so I think they'll be glad to have more toys to play with ... even though we could conceivably wrap up the same toys they have now and give it to them and they'll act just like they did on Christmas morning.

Bottom line though: cats just love the attention they receive ... regardless of the toy you give them.

We love them!