These are useful things, adjournments. Its what a lawyer says when he needs to reschedule. Its what I just did at the Appellate Division, First Department, for my appellate argument previously calendered for next Friday. You see, the Viking Bride is being admitted to the hospital today for preeclampsia (follow the link if you want to know more). I am more or less beside myself with worry and writing this to distract myself and use up some time until the next train leaves to take me back out to Connecticut so I can be with her at the hospital. They are going to keep her over night, at minimum.

The baby is fine but, who can say, may decide or the doctors may decide that he or she will be coming out soon. Sooner than expected by a lot. It goes without saying, I suppose, that we are so far from ready for this baby to be born. We still need to locate and wash all the old baby clothes and put the cradle together. This will happen (meaning, I will do it) while everyone else sleeps, I bet. An adjournment of the birth would be helpful, but even with a stipulation with all parties consenting, I don't know which judge or clerk to present such a request to.

Yes, indeed. Life is happening while we fiddled and made other plans.

Ok, off to the train and to join my wife at the hospital.

Posted by: Random Penseur at 01:11 PM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
Post contains 256 words, total size 1 kb.

I think my memory is going. My short term memory. The thing that lets me retain instructions from my wife, for instance. I know she told me I have to do something but I have little to no idea what that thing might be. Honey, if you're reading this, shoot me an email, ok?

My memory for blog material is also suffering. I think I need to get a pad or something. I see all this cool and interesting stuff and I want to blog about said stuff but something happens. Sometime between thinking its cool and getting to my keyboard, I lose the thread. I get here and can't recall at all what I wanted to write about. *sigh*

Court went well yesterday. I do remember that much. My client was pleased and I got a preliminary injunction to shut down a former officer from competing with my client after said former officer admitted to stealing file and confidential business information. Injunctive relief work is very consuming. It is all done on short notice and without the usual care you might take in preparing a serious application. Sometimes, it is all about the speed. And the speed, that my friends, is a rush.

So much of a rush that I was still happy this morning when I got to the gym and put up 70 pound dumbbells, 10 times, for my last set of chest press. That explains, in part, why it was difficult to dry my hair after my shower. You know you worked out hard when you can't dry your hair because your arms and chest are too pumped.

So, that's it really.

Posted by: Random Penseur at 10:22 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
Post contains 280 words, total size 2 kb.

1 I think the memory loss is contagious. Probably a massive viral infect spreading across the east coast. At least that's the story I'm going with, 'cause the missus asked me to take care of a couple of things on the way home and I haven't the slightest idea what they were. Of course she'll blame it on my "selective" hearing.

Posted by: phin at March 29, 2006 10:46 AM (Xvpen)

2 RP Schwarzenegger, rolls right off the tongue....

Posted by: Wicked H at March 29, 2006 11:03 AM (iqFar)

3 I blaim the short term memory loss on the solar eclipse... and solar flares... and... em emissions. And then sometimes I blame the cat 'cause she meows in the middle of the night.

Posted by: Oorgo at March 29, 2006 11:54 AM (lM0qs)

4 I'm glad I'm not the only one who has that problem. Uh...the problem with...uh...crap, don't tell me, it'll come to me in a minute. The problem wiiiiiithhhhh...and it's gone. What were we talking about?

Posted by: Howard at March 29, 2006 03:53 PM (u2JaN)

5 RP - sorry I missed you in New York - but I will be there on a more permanent basis most probably and I will surely take you out for a drink then! As for the memory loss - someone once told me its all in the confidence. Pretend you have the best memory, and you will have it ;p Its a long shot, but worth a try... The other option is a REALLY handy To-do list system... there are lots out there... Like the cult of 'Getting things done' by David Allen... and his type of todo lists... Also try green tea

Posted by: Zya at March 30, 2006 12:46 AM (o19Kc)

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This post represents something special to me. This is a milestone reached, a distance covered, a length traveled.

This is post number One Thousand. For around two years now, I have been filling my blog with whatever falls out of my head. I began my first post by noting:

My goal here is to create an outlet where I can comment on the things that piss me off, interest me, amuse me, or will do any of those three things to my readers. [Ed.: Mind you, I had no readers when I wrote this!] In short, this will be a general interest blog for catholic (with a small c) interests. I welcome your participation in my little experiment.

I think, modest as my goals were, that I have mostly achieved them. Additionally, modest as my invitation was, it has mostly been accepted. Indeed, the comments make it all worthwhile. I still wrestle with why I blog or what I get out of it. I am way past caring that for some unknown reason I feel compelled to share some of my thoughts with a planet full of strangers and a small mini van full of people who I have come to share a friendship with. I am, however, pleased that my blog has also become a place where I memorialize -- what for many must be mundane but for me are -- the daily joys of sharing the lives of my extraordinary children and wife.

And I am, as I said, happy to receive the comments even if I tell myself that I would surely just keep on writing without them. Surely, I would. Surely I would derive the same pleasure from the writing that I do when I receive the largely thoughtful and intelligent comments I am fortunate enough to attract. Surely I am not lying to myself.

So, although I have said it before, thank you for the comments you leave. I am very appreciative of them.

One thousand posts seems like an awful lot to me. For a while there I thought maybe I was running out of things to say, running out of inspiration, losing my juice. My site stats bore silent sentinel to this as I have seen my average daily hits drop by a third. But recently I feel like it is all slowly creeping back in -- the pleasure derived simply from writing and expressing my thoughts, the having of the thoughts worth writing about, the caring. And the hits are slowly coming back up again. And the comments are still worth reading. So, I think that I pick option (A) on the menu: I will continue this little experiment and keep on writing.

And I will keep on writing here on MuNu where, courtesy of the gracious hosting by Pixy and thanks to the kind invitation from Helen, I have found a home and a place within a community of writers who I respect greatly. MuNu is a fabulous world and, if you haven't, I urge you to explore the MuNu links on my side bar. You will be richly rewarded by the experiment.

So, as numbers go, this is post one thousand, as I expect you have gathered. I am a bit humbled by what comes next. Many of the thousand were written elsewhere but since the first post I have put up here at MuNu, I have garnered some 3900+ comments. Since starting, I have had around 68,000 visits, many of them repeat offenders, of course, but we all know that recidivism is a problem not just for MuNu but for the world as a whole.

I guess I end this post here with a simple (as if I could do anything simply) thank you for sharing my life over the last 1000 posts. I think it has made my life richer and for that I am quite grateful. Here's to the next 1000!

Posted by: Random Penseur at 03:00 PM | Comments (15) | Add Comment
Post contains 649 words, total size 4 kb.

1 Happy 1000, RP! And many more, we hope. Here something I liked from a book I took out of our little local library, Biz Stone's "Who Let the Blogs Out?": A Hyperconnected Peek at the World of Weblogs: "It really doesn't matter if your blog is focused on a hobby, your work, politics, or just what you do during the course of the day. Blogging is information sharing, and the more you research and share, the more you gain expertise in your area of interest, even if that area is only "things that interest me." Every post you publish is added to your life's work, and that work is a window on your mind. Even if all you do is collect and publish bookmarks, the very links you choose to publish tip your hand. Blogging is an everyday practice of searching, thinking, and writing. There are many benefits to this exercise."

Posted by: Amy at March 24, 2006 03:07 PM (nUCsP)

2 Oh, no...thank you RP. We are more than happy to share this milestone. And stop calling us Shirley!!!!

Posted by: Wicked H at March 24, 2006 04:12 PM (BQhBn)

3 Awesome, my friend, just AWESOME! ; )

Posted by: Christina at March 24, 2006 04:29 PM (zJsUT)

4 Congratulations RP! We'll be happy to join you for the next 1000. I owe my munu digs to your invitation, and I thank you for that. You're absolutely right though, comments sometimes spur you on to create more, especially thoughtful intelligent comments such as the ones you get from your regulars here (not patting myself on the back, I'm talking about the rest of you). Cheers!

Posted by: Oorgo at March 24, 2006 05:13 PM (lM0qs)

5 Tahnks for all of the random pensees! And for seconding Linda's Munuvian nomination for me! You are the bomb, RP!

Posted by: Mark at March 24, 2006 09:43 PM (fdlRw)

6 Thank you, my friend, for the 1,000 posts. And the pictures that are worth a 1,000 words. And the 1,000 smiles. And the 1,000 ponderables. And, well, for just being you. xoxo

Posted by: Margi at March 25, 2006 01:53 AM (BRtaN)

7 Woo hoo!!! Congrats on the milestone! Lookin' forward to a thousand more. Then another thou. Then another...

Posted by: Tuning Spork at March 25, 2006 03:02 PM (JuNdj)

8 Congratulations! I just checked mine and I'm at 1040 and didn't even notice! Wait are my taxes done?

Posted by: Stephen Macklin at March 25, 2006 05:16 PM (DdRjH)

9 I think I came in at around post 850, but I've caught up and then some. Like Margi said, thanks for being you. And for sharing little pieces of yourself with us on an almost (ahem) daily basis. :-)

Posted by: Jennifer at March 26, 2006 03:07 PM (y4DOI)

10 I'm looking forward to reading the next thousand. Congratulations!

Posted by: nic at March 26, 2006 06:50 PM (l+W8Z)

11 People experience discomfort when faced with total honesty, but I am going to be brutally honest. When I got to the part in this post about you having 'achieved your goals', I wanted to slap you hard. Figured you were going to quit on us. But I read on and now, with relief, I raise my glass and voice with yours in a toast "Here's to the next 1000".

Posted by: Roberta S at March 27, 2006 11:45 AM (oL/oG)

12 I can't believe you're up to post 1000 already... we started at about the same time at Blogger, I believe I found you via the updated blogs. Quite random, really. But I've enjoyed reading your posts over the last couple of years and I'm glad you're willing to continue writing. Though I don't always leave a comment, only if I've actually got something to say, I read most of what you write. I''m glad you enjoy it.

Posted by: Hannah at March 27, 2006 02:21 PM (ImQx2)

13 Congrats my friend! I am glad to read that you'll continue writing because as long as you write I'll read. Or something like that. :-)

Posted by: Howard at March 27, 2006 05:31 PM (u2JaN)

14 Congratulations! Looking forward to reading many more postings in the future.

Posted by: JohnL at March 28, 2006 09:13 AM (Hs4rn)

15 Let me just add my exhortation for another thousand (and then another...) to my fellow co-commentators' Congrats RP!

Posted by: grammarqueen at March 28, 2006 11:26 AM (XzHwx)

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I can't seem to get my thoughts organized into a coherent post today. As much as I keep prodding them and pushing them, they keep expanding / escaping / resisting all my efforts. So, I give up. Herewith, a random, disorganized post.

*I just returned from taking my tax information over to my accountant. He wasn't there, which is just fine with me. On the way back, I purchased a DVD to watch with the children: My Neighbor Totoro (link to review). I'm told that the animation is so equisite that it looks as if it was painted. Very excited, I am.

*The Viking Bride fled the state yesterday for meetings in Rhode Island. Before leaving, she attempted to poison the minds of the children against Rhode Island. They requested that she return with toys and she responded that Rhode Island was completely devoid of toys. A desert of toys, as it were. She's hoping that in 15 years time when the Girl Child hears the name "Rhode Island" she will have a negative reaction to the place and not know why. I ask you, dear readers, is it any wonder that I am as warped as I am after spending over 20 years with this woman?

*As a result of her leaving for meetings in RI, I had the kids to myself last night. If I was restricted to one word to describe how it all went, after a really shitty day at work yesterday, I would have to say: Bliss. Pure bliss, if two words. We read five stories and then tumbled around like kittens, cuddling, tickling, trying to squish Pappa, all with no one getting hurt, especially me. They listened like angels and the Boy Child went to bed without a peep. The Girl Child, on the other hand, was allowed secretly to stay up. We cuddled on the couch and watched a little pre-season baseball. She told me that I had to watch a lot of baseball when she grows up so I can see her because she's going to be a baseball player when she grows up. On the weekends, though, she says she's going to work in a restaurant as a chef but she's not going to tell me what she'll be cooking. Well, at least she has a strong work ethic, which I like.

*We have hired a new nanny. The old nanny does not know. Expect tears and recriminations when we hand her a plane ticket home. This will be my first time firing a nanny for performance issues. It has been tense, at least for me.

*I have been fighting an urge to flee lately. A desire to load the family in the car, shut the door on the house, start driving and just keep on going. We probably have enough cash to last for a couple of months, I suppose. Or just pack everyone off to the airport and get on the next plane out to anywhere. Well, not anywhere. I don't care for Michigan, so that's out. It is a combination of wanderlust, unhappiness at work, and probably some other stuff which I cannot really identify. Just the same, it looks like our Saturday just freed up. I think this could be the day to just fill the tank and see where the highway leads us without reference to anyone's nap schedules.

*The Viking Bride will travel into the City tonight from the far reaches of Connecticut and we will dine with the CEO and Chairman, and his wife, of a major league, big time, you'd know the name, international company. I'd be less than completely honest if I said I didn't hope that I'd get some business out it.

Ok, that just about wraps it up.

Posted by: Random Penseur at 11:57 AM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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I spent last night in my tuxedo for the monthly meeting of a board I am a member of. The meeting was fine -- a little contentious but in a good way--, the dinner was forgettable, the wines not great. That was ok. I was on my own for the evening, staying in the city, dressed up, and for once, not pressed for time. That was the key to my feeling good, you see. Not being pressed for time. I did not have to worry about the train schedule or getting to sleep in time so that my wife had enough rest or making sure that I had enough sleep to be able to get up for the early train or anything. I stepped off the treadmill for the evening. It was very relaxing. Even if you only take your vacation from life in four hour doses, sometimes the right four hours is really medicine enough.

But what made the whole evening terrific was the conversation later.

After the dinner part of the meeting ended, I found myself in the bar with two older gentlemen from the board. One was in his early 80's and the other in his late 70's. We chatted for a long time over brandy. The topic of virginity came up and the elder fellow told us about losing his when he was 16. He came into NY with some chums from prep school and found himself with a much older woman, a prostitute. They all drew straws and he got to go second. He said she actually lit a cigarette and told him that he had until the cigarette finished burning to "complete his mission". He confessed he wasn't sure what his mission was! Anyway, he said he did go back to her one more time, after redeeming some of his dad's soda bottles to get another $5. I asked him if he brought a cigar with him for the second time and when he asked me why, I said, "well, cigars burn a whole lot longer, don't they?" He threw his head back and roared.

All in all, it was a fabulous way to end the evening as these two older gentlemen reminisced about their mis-spent youths. I felt quite lucky to be included in their conversation.

Posted by: Random Penseur at 09:53 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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For what, I cannot say. But I feel poised, balanced, suspended between what has passed and what will occur. To a certain extent, we all are, aren't we? Every second of the day we live in a moment until the moment is no longer and we are in the next one. But sometimes, rarely, but sometime we can sense that exquisite tiny balance. Sometimes we become aware of how precariously we are perched in the present, not quite out of the past, not quite into the future.

I noticed it this morning as I was waiting for my train. It was 5:25 a.m. To my left, a short walk away, is the Long Island Sound and a charming beach. The sun was rising from that direction. It was painting the sky in bands of pink and orange and purple, all clearly delineated as if G-d had finally learned how to color within the lines, thank goodness. Above the colors, it was a very sweet baby blue. To my right, it was still night, complete with moon and stars and mostly black sky. And there I was in the middle, suspended between day and night, between yesterday's darkness and today's light. It was as if time had stopped for a moment, leaving me there to appreciate the balance as the clock ticked over for another day.

Perhaps I feel it because spring has, technically, arrived, although you wouldn't know it based on the serious cold snap we are trapped in. The cold weather actually makes you feel it better, the sense that you are suspended between time. You know spring is coming, because little green things are beginning to poke their heads through the earth, because I no longer travel to and from work entirely in darkness, because you can just feel it. But it is February cold, still, like winter hasn't quite finished with us. We are poised to shed our heavy coats and embrace the weak spring sun but it is not quite ready for us. We are expectant but still anticipatory.

Maybe it is because we are countdown mode for the arrival of our new child. Induction will be, as I mentioned before, on April 21, if he or she does not decide to poke his or her head out earlier. We are both ready (happy for the pregnancy to finish) and utterly unprepared for the birth.

Either way, I feel it -- hung up between possibilities. It can be exciting, sometimes. Like while I wait for a friend to provide introductions so I can continue to explore career change options (or futures, either instrument, really). The possibility is tantalizing, the reality of the perceived immediate professional future significantly less so.

I'm not sure where I am going with this entry but that's ok. I'm not sure what's going to happen when this pause between moments ends and I am launched, however unwillingly, into the future. Care to come along for the ride?

Posted by: Random Penseur at 11:42 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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1 I'm there with ya. I have these points in my life where I'm waiting for something, not always sure what, and it feels like I'm suspended in time, nothing is happening but I know something is happening. It drives me nuts because I hate waiting for things, I would rather get the good/bad over with and then get on with things.

Posted by: Oorgo at March 21, 2006 02:59 PM (lM0qs)

2 always happy to come along on your little rides, RP! these little poetic musings are what keep me coming back to your site! good luck with everything.

Posted by: grammarqueen at March 21, 2006 04:31 PM (glf8i)

3 Always our pleasure to ride shotgun with you, RP.

Posted by: Wicked H at March 21, 2006 04:58 PM (BQhBn)

4 As long as I've got control of the stereo, we're good to go. K.

Posted by: Kathy at March 21, 2006 09:07 PM (zgB3S)

5 Aah. It's been awhile since I was out early enough to see a sunrise. Sweet. Thanks for the memory.

Posted by: Tuning Spork at March 22, 2006 10:38 PM (i0pwT)

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I know that of late my poor little blog has suffered. I know that. IÂ’ve seen the number of daily hits go down. But, between the quite encompassing demands of my job and the demands on the home front, my poor little blog has gotten squeezed out a bit. Couple all of that with the fact that I am a bit down and, well, the blog suffers as my motivation to write declines. IÂ’ve had some time, this week. Not a lot of time, but enough time to think it through a bit and hereÂ’s where I am, hereÂ’s why I havenÂ’t been writing. I have been feeling fey. Quite down, actually. A feeling that I am communicating with only great difficulty here. IÂ’ll explain.

I am feeling overwhelmed by the idiotocracy. The feeling that the forces of stupidity are beating the forces of good. The sense that, looking at the world, we are not in a good situation at this point. True, there are sprinklings of good news here and there. See, e.g., recent elections in Canada as a ray of hope. But, by and large, it looks bad and it has my down and too tired to keep fighting the good fight. If you are unsure about what I am referring to, let me give you a non-exhaustive list:

*Venezuela – Chavez is a nutburger with oil money and strikes me as being a menace.

*Bolivia – Morales. Need I say more? If so, let me note that the Cubans and Chavez’s people have taken over security for him and he has dismissed the entire army general staff. Not good. We need our secret equipment back.

*Jimmy Carter – Hasn’t met a terrorist he can’t empathize with. As for his election to the Presidency, I demand a recount!

*Al Gore – Put a sock in it, Al. Telling the Saudis that we abuse Muslims is so beyond the pale that you, sir, are committing treason in my book.

*Israel – Looks more and more alone every day and seems unjustifiably to inspire more hatred and fear than anyone out there. I fear for her future.

*Jews – The world looks not so good for Jews these day, truthfully. I wonder if there has been more naked anti-Semitism in the world at any other time, WW II excepted. I worry about what I am bringing my kids into.

*Cartoons – Free speech and the great tradition of Western Liberalism has just been shot in the head and buried in a ditch behind the Mosque. Bravo to the Danish Government and brickbats to the craven Norwegians who officially apologized for free speech.

*Islam – This a religion of peace, are you kidding me? This is a religion which seems fundamentally incompatible with world peace and with anything approaching Western values. Why are we tip-toeing around on this? The Islamic world sure isn’t. Am I really the only one who thinks we are in a full blown ideological conflict, the biggest one since the Cold War ended?

*Europe – Further to the point above, by the way, I think it don’t look too frigging good for Europe. Pity. As one comedian once said, “Nice country; we beat them in world war II, you know?”

*Kids, today, or Moral relativism / Multiculturalism – What passes for the willingness to entertain a dissenting point of view today on our college campuses is nothing short of admirable, if your name is Josef Stalin, that is. Colonel Boyington and the University of Washington, springs to mind by way of example. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Google it, rinse and repeat.

*Media – Big media is no longer worthy of trust. Can you believe the amount of ink spilled over Cheney’s hunting accident? Tell me, honestly, that the media has become one huge partisan hack. You can’t; because it has.

*Politicians – of either party. All they seem to be doing is scoring points on each other. They are not doing the people’s business. I am totally disgusted. When will we get politicians who govern instead of this lot? Maybe we get the politicians we deserve, but I’d like to think we deserve better than this lot.

*Africa – Repression in Zimbabwe, so bad that I have ceased trying to record it since the world clearly does not give a fuck. AIDS in every other country. Corruption. Starvation. Everyone dying and no one caring.

*Iran – Are we really gonna let these nice people get a bomb? Enough said.

This list could go on and on. But it wonÂ’t. One more point, though:

*Truth – I leave off on this point. When was the last time someone actually stuck to the truth in advancing an argument? When did everything become spin? This is the last casualty. I am so dispirited by the lies.

No wonder I can only find energy to write about my kids, lately.

Posted by: Random Penseur at 02:22 PM | Comments (12) | Add Comment
Post contains 837 words, total size 5 kb.

1 If you think things are worrying in the US, think again. It's much worse in Britain and ten times worse than Britain just across the Channel in Europe. Remember: in the Netherlands there are politicians who are forced to live on military bases, along with their entire families, because of the current threat. Imagine if John McCain or Joe Liberman were held up in Fort Benning, GA along with wife and kids, all normal existing coming to an end. There are many people, both in Europe and America, who are willing to be exceedingly brave personally, but the mere thought of harm coming to one's family is the most frightening thought. Being a family man yourself you can no doubt sympathise with them.

Posted by: Andrew Cusack at March 10, 2006 03:15 PM (kxskO)

2 I agree with you RP. What has this country come to?

Posted by: jules at March 10, 2006 04:05 PM (6wMtR)

3 This post resonates with me, and I know exactly how you feel. BUT, I also try to remind myself that history is replete with turning points that, more often than not, ultimately bring this old world to better place. In the struggle to establish justice and to secure freedom and opportunity for every man and woman blessed to be born into this rediculous wonderland, there are going to be bold advances, measured steps and setbacks. But the struggle goes on not toward some silly idealistic Utopia, but toward a world where the struggles are for success in life, not simply for life itself; a struggle to make the most of one's freedom, not for freedom itself. We seem to be at a turning point upon which hinges the future of freedom and the value of life itself. Will the champions of freedom and the value of life defend them with all vigor, or will they cower and give up the struggle because it's too hard, or doesn't seem to matter to anyone anymore? I'm not frightened of the future. I believe that we are seeing a three-way confrontation between the forces of oppression, tyrany and intolerance on the one hand; the forces of freedom, optimism and security on the second hand; and the insidious force of apathy on the third hand. But, it's always been this way! There does seem to be a lot more shamelessly callous "spin" these days, but there's also a lot more exposure of that rot. F'rinstance, no DNC chairman before Howard Dean has ever said something remotely like "I hate Republicans and everything they stand for", but, then again, no DNC chairman before Howard Dean has ever looked so rediculous. This technology at our disposal has shoved the tribulations of every corner of the world into our faces, but it'll also bring the wisdom from every corner of the world to every other corner, and we'll be better for it, I trust. The times they are a-changin'. I've often said that we're strong because we're rich and we're rich because we're free. Tyrants, therefore, always lose. They may kill millions in the process, but they always lose. It ain't over yet. Not by a longshot. Keep the faith, my friend!

Posted by: Tuning Spork at March 10, 2006 10:24 PM (frcLH)

4 Oh, I do so understand. The Republic of Kathyland looks better and better everyday. You and the fam can come and join us if you want. The smokes and booze will be duty free and everyone will mind their own business if it kills them. Come on Powerball!

Posted by: Kathy at March 11, 2006 01:54 AM (zgB3S)

5 Hey RP. I haven't been around much due to my own lack of feeling very gregarious lately; sorry. It hasn't been due to any lack of fine posting on your part. :-) But I do relate to your State of the World impressions. It's why I'm glad/sorry my sister gave us a year's subscription to "The Week" magazine. Now I'm all up to date with how we're all going down the tubes ....yay.... :-(

Posted by: Amber at March 13, 2006 03:16 PM (zQE5D)

6 I've been pretty much the same, RP I completely sympathize. I don't post much about the world, because it's too damn scary and depressing these days. The thing is, events are turning out like I predicted they would and I don't like it when my own predictions come true because I tend to be a negative bastard. I think there are a lot of people sitting back waiting and hoping for normalcy to kick in, but I don't see a future where it will, or at least not the kind that we are familiar with. I was hesitant having children and even now I worry about their future. I don't agree with you on the recent election here in Canada, the only positive thing about it is we are seeing the real Stephen Harper now that he's in office. One example, his plan to dump the ethics commissioner when he found out they were going to investigate his own actions. I feel like both our countries are being run by the great deceiver, and that there are blinders on many of our eyes.

Posted by: Oorgo at March 13, 2006 04:41 PM (lM0qs)

7 Agree. Agree. Agree. Agree. Agree. Multiply times three.

Posted by: Mark at March 13, 2006 11:12 PM (3Kv+F)

8 Hear, hear. It got to where I couldn't even be a freakin' Pollyanna at my site anymore due to raging stupidity. It's enough to make me wanna cry. But I'm not gonna. And besides. . .there are a lot of free blogging sites where I can be incognito. Right? Please don't give up, sweetheart. You're one of the Good Guys. xoxo

Posted by: Margi at March 14, 2006 02:05 AM (BRtaN)

9 I am so dispirited by the lies. I think I'll go back to watching the news. 'Cause that line pretty much sums up every day in *my* life with the 17 year-old from hell. Your headlines up there are very nearly...refreshing...in comparison. Or at least they remind me I'm not the only one who's got it bad. Or something.

Posted by: Jennifer at March 14, 2006 10:46 AM (jl9h0)

10 Yeah, what you said. Then I look back at the moments when Great Events happened, and the times before them, and I think to myself "I wonder if this is how people felt before X happened, that sense of an impending change, that I may be seeing a possible Great Event on the horizon." Almost feels like tornado weather--immense pressure, uncertain winds, and the possibility of something touching down that you can just make out in the distance. I don't think it's the first time in our history that the kinds of events listed have happened, but it doesn't make me feel any better.

Posted by: Mandalei at March 15, 2006 09:26 AM (LcyhB)

11 I know. I just... I don't know. Focus on the good things, I guess.

Posted by: Hannah at March 19, 2006 09:34 AM (ImQx2)

12 You hit the nail on the head. The silver lining on my cloud o' "too busy" is that I only get 2 to 3 hours or so of news coverage a day now (in the car whilst driving). It has done wonders for my outlook on life. My new favorite bumpersticker: "I'd rather go hunting with Dick Cheney than driving with Ted Kennedy."

Posted by: Jim at March 21, 2006 05:32 AM (oqu5j)

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So, there I was in the fitness center this morning, after completing my workout, chatting with a couple of friends, one of whom is off to Amsterdam for her first trip. She's going for business, to close a very nice deal, and one of her business associates suggested that in celebration she get herself a pot brownie. This sort of scandalized my very nice friend and led to me making the following observation:

You know you're getting old, and I feel like I am all the time, when you kindly respond to the offer of a pot brownie by saying: gosh, thanks, but I'm on a low carb diet and I really can't eat that.

Water came out of my friend's nose. A successful snarf.

Posted by: Random Penseur at 02:07 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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1 That's hilarious, RP, thanks for sharing.

Posted by: Oorgo at March 08, 2006 04:06 PM (lM0qs)

2 I have a friend who used to know the precise moment when I was swollowing to get water to snort out of my nose. That was a painful year. Great one liner RP!

Posted by: Angie at March 08, 2006 05:45 PM (PQx1b)

3 HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! If I was drinking, it would come out my nose too, after that! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Posted by: jules at March 09, 2006 12:39 PM (KTn+k)

4 I'm so very relieved that I finished eating lunch before reading this.

Posted by: Allison at March 09, 2006 02:30 PM (DLrVA)

5 You Americans..

Posted by: dr pants at March 09, 2006 08:28 PM (glVUp)

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Margi is hanging up her blog. Go wish her well, will you? She's one of the really good ones, you know. I'll miss her writing, very much.

My only consolation is that she has done this at least once before and decided she couldn't stay away. I'm hoping that history repeats itself in this regard and she comes back soon.

So, instead of good bye, I will simply wish her a nice break and keep my fingers crossed.

Posted by: Random Penseur at 02:02 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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So, the birthday party of the Boy Child was grand. He threw himself around all over the place and loved it. Predictably, the cake was his favorite part. I had a good time, too. I put the camera down and spent as much time as I could chasing him and the other kids around the gym. It made for a very enjoyable party and a nice payoff for all the time I've been spending in the fitness center. In other words, I'm totally in shape enough to play and play hard.

I've actually been keeping a log, since Jan. 3, of my workouts so that I can show the doctor at my annual physical, which physical I need to schedule soon. Since Jan. 3, I have traveled some 130 miles and burned around 22,000 calories. Is it any wonder I have had to bring my cummerbund in on my tuxedo? That doesn't include all the weight lifting and pilates and general daily ab work. I will be, if this keeps up, the perfect picture of pumpitude.

D.C. was great. It was an excellent meeting for an informational interview, ending with an offer to not only continue contact but to have me meet with his colleagues if I thought it would be useful. That is really about as good as it gets with an informational interview. And it was mighty useful, filling my head with interesting ideas and thoughts and information about how to effectuate a career change into the financial services / investment management world.

Speaking of which, by the way, the one guy here in NY I was trying to summon up the courage to call next, just called me to invite me out for a drink because he wanted to learn more about the topic of the speech I gave last night. He heard that my speech was fantastic and he wanted to chat about it. Upon his return from foreign climes, we are going to meet up and I am going to share information with him and then ask him for his thoughts and, if willing, his assistance in making some introductions. This guy knows everyone, is terribly senior, and extremely well thought of. Somehow, he likes me and respects me. That he called me? A perfect alignment in the cosmos, somehow.

D.C. was chilly but beautiful. I know I repeat myself, but I like the place. Something to do with the human scale of the height of the buildings and the real youthful vibe it actually has. I got to steal lunch with my cousin and take the train back to NY with my dearest friend from law school, with whom I spent the entire ride chatting, reminiscing, and catching up.

Now? Well, now I am back in appellate briefing hell while, with the other hand, trying to keep a settlement from blowing up. Would you, dear reader, be so stupid as to let a million dollar deal go down the tubes for the sake of $150k? Well, after three days of intense conversations, I have convinced my clients to be flexible and bid that money goodbye in exchange for receiving the bright shinny other money. Some people, I tell you, can't keep their eyes on the ball.

Anyway, I hope you all our well and happy.

If I know you, and you know what I mean, and you are curious to see a picture from the Boy Child's birthday party, and promise to gush appropriately, drop me a note.

Posted by: Random Penseur at 05:19 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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