Eat, drink and be scary

Happy Halloween from Tyler

WHY

Who proposed?

Hmmm. Pratt loves penguins, but he's already married. Could it be ... Greyton?! He seems like an open-minded, experimental, polyamorous sort of bun, so the concept of a long-term commitment with a human might not disturb him as much as other buns. But then, I doubt he's too shy to ask someone out in person.

Last year at this time

Last year at this time you were here.
Mom and I anxiously considered options for your treatment.
Remove the lump and hope for the best? Chemo? Radiation?
We wanted so much to know what decision was right for you.
A fleeting thought - I wished we didn't have to make such a decision.

Today, I would give anything to be faced with that choice again.
To have you here, to hold you, to sleep with you at my feet.
To pick you up carefully so as not to disturb a fresh set of stitches.
To cry because any treatment option could be the wrong one for you.
To weigh pros and cons and wonder which doctor to trust.

I wish I could go through all that frustration and worrying again.
Because it would mean you were still here.
I miss you with all my heart, sweet Puggy.

the Ex

Sometimes it's nice, even when you've kind of let go of something, to have feelings validated. Such an incident occurred today when one of my bosses (an attorney) returned from an arbitration. It just so happened that counsel for the other side was my old boss. When I left my previous job, old boss and I were not on good terms. We both had issues in dealing with each other and quite candidly, I am perpetually late. Old boss was constantly threatening to fire me. Old boss was himself perpetually disorganized and late, and liked to make it his assistants' responsibility that he get to appointments and meetings on time, though he was very snippy when we reminded him of anything. Do you see what a negative environment this creates? The fact that he had a long history of firing his legal assistants (or them walking out), and then verbally bashing them to the rest of the staff, says just a bit about old boss.

In my time with old boss I made plenty of mistakes - and still do at my current job. However, old boss had a way of taking a person's insecurities, trampling upon them, and making everything that person's fault. Like the day I turned over a new leaf and decided to be at work on time, come hell or high water. In a mad rush to get to the timeclock, I accidentally set off the alarm and security arrived before I could cancel the false alarm. Our office was charged a $50 fee because this is standard after 4 false alarms the same year. Old boss was very angry at me for this charge. Keep in mind, this happened once in the year I was there. I do not know who tripped the alarm all those other times, but for some reason I was to blame and old boss stayed mad about this for some time. I felt angry, defensive, and stupid because old boss just had that tendency to bring out the best in people. Old boss said I was passive aggressive at him in being late. I think old boss should know better than to psychoanalyze habits that have been with me long before I began working for him. These are just examples of the petty, arrogant, ego-driven ways of old boss.

Not to mention filing all complaints at the last possible second, then demanding important documents be drafted ASAP. And asking me to fax things while hovering over my shoulder - as if he's too good to send a fax, and what is the sense of both of us being at the fax machine? And being next to the trash can, handing me a discarded paper and asking me to throw it away. Due to ridiculously low self-esteem, I endured this crap because I wasn't a perfect employee, after all, and deserved no better. And left feeling incapable of having a positive work experience ever again because I was so incompetent. Fortunately attorneys I have worked for ever since leaving old boss(almost two years ago) have proven to be highly supportive and respectful their employees. Though I am still perpetually late - ugh.

That should be ample background info. Fast-forward a couple years to ... today. Current boss just came in from an arbitration – the opposing party was (you guessed correctly) old boss. I asked current boss how it went, and to say he was irritated would be an understatement. He said old boss had not submitted all documents necessary for the proceeding – it’s customary for attorneys to have to show opposing counsel what they will be using as evidence, arguments, etc. beforehand. As a result, current boss did not have adequate notice to prepare and somehow old boss found a way to still use the materials in the case.

Current boss never curses in the office, but I have heard the word "ass" come out of his mouth several times when describing old boss. Like 4-5 times in the last few minutes since he got back. I wish he had not been forced to endure the presence of old boss, but sometimes it's nice to have that validation that old boss is indeed an ass, and I was not a nutcase for feeling that way.

I think it's time for old boss to wake up and smell the coffee (which he prefers brought to him, black, no sugar). He should be held to the same high standards to which he holds everyone else. And he should stop being an ass!

Pumpkin perfection

Why the pep in my step?


The frapuccino version of this
Is nothing less than pure bliss!

Appreciation in a bottle

In honor of Bosses' Day (which is actually October 16th but it falls on a Sunday this year), we took our bosses here:

The view is breathtaking! This pic is from the vineyard's website, but I took a bunch and will try to post some over the weekend.

The amazing Puffin

"Puffins lay 1 egg per year. They usually keep the same mate every season and use the same burrow as in previous years. The male and female share the duties of incubating the egg and rearing the chick. Puffins often live 20 years or more."




"Puffins use body movements to communicate in a variety of situations. In mating and courtship the puffins will pair up before they come onto the island from the ocean. Once they are on land, the pair may perform billing, a behavior where puffins rub their beaks together. This display usually will draw a crowd of puffins to share in the excitement."




"Puffins are not endangered but they are threatened by human activities and are rare in many areas where they were once abundant. As a result, we need to protect critical puffin breeding and feeding habitat. In some parts of their range there are just a few colonies. Where this occurs “all the eggs are in a few baskets” and these populations are vulnerable to catastrophes such as oil spills, avian diseases and introduction of predators. Restoration of former nesting colonies helps to reduce the risk to the regional population by establishing more nesting sites."

Fifteen seconds of fame

Thanks to Anisa for reminding me.

From elementary school through high school, I was always the last person selected for team activities. It started out with Red Rover and tug-of-war, and eventually happened with kickball, basketball and volleyball. Oh, the HORROR stories from volleyball in sophomore P.E. class. I really hated P.E.

Alas, one day, our class (all female) was paired with the senior guys' class for a game of touch football. And... after catching a ball passed by the cutest guy there... I scored a touchdown!!! My team cheered. The cute guy smiled. The moment was surreal. And for just a few seconds, I didn't hate P.E. anymore.

Rollin' rollin' rollin'

I was there!

Touched by a Bunny

If you have a few minutes, please read Bunny's heartbreaking story. It is terrible that someone would treat such a precious creature in this cruel manner, but this little pug's resilience and the determination of those saving her are an inspiration.

Masters of War

Asia Times article

Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build the big bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks

You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain

You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud

You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins

How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
Even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul

And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand o'er your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead

-Bob Dylan-

Copyright © 1963; renewed 1991 Special Rider Music