Hey Dan

I got this in a Comment:

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Several days ago I set foot in a
"Linens & Things" for the first time since that memorable January evening of 1994 (where we were dragged about by the EA-K in search of the awful little "Perfect Teapot"...) Since Natalie was there, of course I enjoyed it this time. She didn't find anything she was looking for, but she bought us two bags of candy and I did find three ceramic toothbrush holders (each in a different color) for my dad to stick flowers in when he comes to stay... Also, for some reason, there was a big stack of remaindered "Harry Potter"'s, and I read where Draco Malfoy gets turned into a ferret while Natalie was looking for something or other...

Well! So here we are in 2002! Best Regards for 2003! And Merry Christmas!

Josef

(The picture where one logs in is perfect.)
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Josef and I have been friends for many years, coming on ten if my memory serves. If I am wrong I know Josef will remember. You see he is one of the oddest people I have ever meet. Before you get the wrong idea, he is also one of the most amazing. He remembers things. He can tell you the first moment we meet, when he saw an Asian Rhino for the first time, and any number of other things is a level of detail that astounds me.

But that is not what makes Josef incredible to meet. He is a kind and intelligent person, and can be the most taxing human being on the planet. He is not the mark of social grace. And here is where the humor of the moment he mentioned comes from.

I was ‘seeing’ a young lady named Karen. Not the Karen Lucci who I am still very good friends with, this was the other Karen. We so named her ‘The Evil Anti-Karen’ aka EA-K. She is or was at the time a some what shallow person, well versed in social graces, charming and at the time not a nice person at all. I wish I could say I was nice at the time but I can not. If she ever reads this I would like to say I am sorry and I hope life finds her well and that she is happy.

It was about this time of year. The EA-K, Josef and I found ourselves on a shopping trip looking for a tea pot. It was several hours of hell. If three people should never be found in each others company it was us. I wish I could say everyone fought. No, this was that painful civility and hours of being forced to be with people who had no way to relate to each other. It was that night I began to see that I really did not like who Karen was. Inside I still feel is a remarkable woman, just not outside.

Karen and I broke up. We spent some time treating each other badly that should have been avoided. In the end Josef became a Barometer of sorts for people in my life. If you and Josef could spend time around each other and you could see him as a amazing and interesting person, you were ok. We have lost touch over the years, but still run into each other from time to time. He is still one of my favorite people … thank you for stopping by Josef.

Posted by Dan at 01:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I had anxiety dreams all night last night. It is time to finish the Christmas shopping.

Posted by Dan at 09:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

60% of people believe communication is the most important thing in relationships. This is the same percent of people who believe in ESP. As people we think a lot. We have this inner monologue going on constantly. Some of use have dialogs but that is something else. Like a narcissistic one man play. The only thing is that the plot keep changing. If you could read people minds it would not help you one bit. Because I don't think people know where they are in the plot of this play. In other words I don't think they can follow the plot inside their head what hope does an outsider have.

Posted by Dan at 06:24 PM | Permalink

Kryptonite Sucks! It was this green rock that took all of Superman's powers. Imagine being literally bullet proof, then along comes this little green rock and blows it. Today I got a note from my Doctor. I have high Kryptonite (Cholesterol) levels. It was borderline a couple of years ago Cholesterol good, HDL good, LDL 167 when it should have been 130. So I changed my diet and got some more exorcise. Everything fine, Superman is "AOK." Then last year two things happened, one the AMA decided their levels were too high, and mine went up. So I got this note from my doctor "Lab test normal … except" then an arrow to my Cholesterol and LDL level both between 30 and 40 points too high for the new guidelines. Instantly I feel my super powers draining. I have to go on medication to lower them. You see it is a family thing just like Clark Kent. A piece of my past that I did not get a say in just came to rob me of all my super powers. Yeah I know this is not the end of the world. But I am no longer bullet proof?

BTW... Karen, You are going to make some man very happy! You are not unworthy of being with someone for the rest of thier lives... and another thing I will envy that person all my days.

Posted by Dan at 06:30 PM | Permalink

It has been a weird week. I will not go too far in to details, but suffice it to say I feel like a big foreboding storm cloud is hanging just behind me and I don't see it. Woke up this morning humming the song "Golden Brown" by the Stranglers off the Snatch Soundtrack. The scene it the one were Gorgeous George is laying unconscious at the Piker's Camp and Tommy is up against the wall thinking about what happens if he does not wake. So do I go out for Beer, work all night, or ?

Posted by Dan at 06:12 PM | Permalink

I have spent a lot of time in the last couple of weeks thinking about voice. As in what voice is something written in? I talked about Maxium Magazine being written in a male voice. This weekend I went and saw Monsters Inc. One thing I like about the movie is that is was written in a paternal voice.

It pulled at fatherly heartstrings. The whole story was very guy orientated. Not boobs and beer, but having to take your daughter to go make "winky." There are things I wouldn't do at gunpoint that I would do to avoid making a child feel bad. I don't think we talk about this side of guy enough.

We call them sexist or deadbeat dads at the drop of a hat, but rarely talk about the paternal side. Help fix that and go see Monsters Inc.

Posted by Dan at 06:15 PM | Permalink

Patrick brought in a Maxim magazine to work. Do not ask about our sexual harassment policy. Anyway, I have said this before if you want to know what goes on inside men's minds read this magazine. Ok it has lots of half dressed women, but so does my mind most of the time. The articles are about tech gadgets, cars, fashion and sports. It is easy to dismiss it as soft-core porn and urinal jokes. But read closer. An amazing amount of the articles are about trying to understand things most men struggle with. Things like how to keep a woman happy, how to express you emotions, and talk about sex. Ok so here is a suggestion for girls, go buy a subscription and read it. Do not judge, criticizes, or try to emulate the material, just read. Remember everything that runs though your mind you would not want your mate too surprise you with… Use your powers for good only.

Posted by Dan at 06:08 PM | Permalink