2006 In Memoriam

This time of year we are beseiged with year-end lists: "best of" films, albums and books. We also are reminded of those individuals who didn't survive the year. I am an unapologetic animal lover and this was one rough year for the wonderful pets and the people who love them.

First up: Bruce Wayne Kirby "The Bat Cat". He was a very good boy and lived well into his kitty teens providing much love to his dad, mom, human siblings and kitty peep, Homeslice. Please tell me how many cats you know who would allow such blatant displays of haberdashery?

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Next up, sassy Tabetha. She was acquired from a family in a vacant Maid-Rite parking lot in West Liberty, Iowa, circa 1992. The young girl didn't want to give her up, but her parents knew better. She had named the cat 'Chisel' and obviously had no idea what she was doing. Tabby lived with me for awhile and then relocated to Des Moines with my parents for the rest of her pampered, loved life. She was a sweet girl and like most tempestuous females, terribly misunderstood.

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The old saying is 'save the best for last' - in this case the fluffiest and most therapeutic. My sweet Lillian was such a lady. I adopted her from a cramped, non-fancy shelter the first day I was able to get a kitty. She put up with me. I could ramble on and on about how much she meant to me - and still does - and how I try not to focus on the way she exited the world. How I would have loved to bring her back to her hometown of San Diego. I adored her, she was wonderful and I miss her so much every day. Props to you Lilly!

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Hug 'em if ya got 'em. Happy New Year - P

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"Dogs have owners, cats have staff." ~ Anonymous

Christmas - Gone to the Dogs

My first non-Iowa Christmas went just fine. I instead enjoyed some time at Dog Beach in OB with new pals and Toby. Visiting dog beach is more for my enjoyment than his, and I ended up carrying his 22+ lbs most of the time. He is often confused with being a puppy or a toy bear cub. I later dined on delicious empanadas and yummy seafood enchiladas. HO-HO-HO.

"Thinkin' of loosin that funky feelin' don't uh!

Cause you got to use just what you got

To get just what you want-a

Hey hu!

Hot pants! hey! hot pants smokin'!"

-RIP, James Brown

Booze-Ambien-Patience-Internet-Big Book - which would you turn to?

When I lived in San Diego before - during the mid to late 90's - I went back to Iowa for Christmas every year. The cost was sometimes steep, the itinerary was often less than ideal, but I made it. I almost always flew through Denver. In the winter. With millions of other people. And every time I was lucky - no terrible weather, no missed flights, just the regular turbulence and dry skin. Sure, one connection was tight and I had to run the length of the United terminal in high-heeled boots, a heavy wool sweater while carrying two bags and hyperventilating, but it was nothing compared to what it must be like right now.

I've mentioned how every morning I look down upon the SD airport. This morning I noticed a lot of planes parked on the non-terminal side of the runway. "Hmmm, that's odd, why are they there?" Then I realized that all the planes that should be flying in and out of Denver have to be parked somewhere.

Now my thoughts turn to my pal trying to get out of Heathrow...

Winter Holiday Politically Correct Greeting

Updates

I added the snazzy visit counter to the left here - one more feature to make this blog appear like a candy store.

I DO have renters for my IC condo - hooray!

It was in the 30s last night - that is quite chilly in the rustic cottage.

Vilsack on The Daily Show represented well, not too stuffy and bringing a gift can't hurt.


-P

"Ruh-roh!" - Astro from The Jetsons
RIP Joseph Barbera

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

A fun project I have been working on...

Arizona Diamondbacks – Chase Field – 2003
Atlanta Braves – Turner Field – NOT YET
Baltimore Orioles – Camden Yards – NOT YET
Boston Red Sox – Fenway Park – NOT YET
Chicago Cubs – Wrigley Field – most recent, September 2006
Chicago White Sox – US Cellular Field – 2006
Cincinnati Reds – Great American Ball Park – NOT YET
Cleveland Indians – Jacobs Field – NOT YET
Colorado Rockies – Coors Field – NOT YET
Detroit Tigers – Comerica Park – NOT YET
Florida Marlins – Dolphin Stadium – NOT YET
Houston Astros – Minute Maid Park – NOT YET
Kansas City Royals – Kauffman Stadium – 2004
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – Angel Stadium – NOT YET (projected early 2007)
Los Angeles Dodgers – Dodger Stadium – NOT YET (projected early 2007)
Milwaukee Brewers – Miller Park – 2005
Minnesota Twins – Metrodome – 2004
New York Mets – Shea Stadium – 2003
New York Yankees – Yankee Stadium – 2003
Oakland Athletics – McAfee Coliseum – 2005
Philadelphia Phillies – Citizens Bank Park – 2005
Pittsburgh Pirates – PNC Park – NOT YET
San Diego Padres – Petco Park – most recent, September 2006
San Francisco Giants – AT&T Park – 2005
St. Louis Cardinals – (New) Busch Stadium – NOT YET*
Seattle Mariners – Safeco Field – NOT YET
Tampa Bay Devil Rays – Tropicana Field – NOT YET
Texas Rangers – Ameriquest Field – NOT YET
Toronto Blue Jays – Rogers Centre – 2006
Washington Nationals – RFK Stadium – NOT YET


*Old Busch Stadium - 2004

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Someday I hope to compile a list of MLB mascots with whom I have been photographed (this girl can dream...)

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-P

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"You know my old saying: live it up, the meter's running. I've always said that if you don't have fun while you're here, then it's your fault. You only get to do this once." ~ Harry Caray

Million Dollar Homes

Have I mentioned that a million-dollar house is about 50 feet from my humble abode? It is for sale and listed at 1.2 million, that's how I know. One Milllllion Dollars.

In these tough real estate times, it will probably not sell for that price. The home sits empty which makes me think of my condo in Iowa, on the market since May, sitting empty. {Shrugs shoulders in frustration, reminds self a sliver of the ocean can be viewed from current living room.}

There is another house that is even closer to me. I reckon it is in the million-dollar category too: painfully charming, wrap around porches on both floors and panoramic views. I share a fence with these people.

-P

"Whose cruel idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have a "S" in it?" - George Carlin

Routine

After turning off the alarm clock and turning on my satellite radio to listen to Howard Stern like I always do, I took my dog for a walk up the steep pathway from my tucked away cottage into the parking lot which leads to civilization. This area offers a great view west and looks out over the airport and its one runway. Each morning, around the same time, I see the planes line up to take off. The colorful Southwest Airlines planes are a constant, the big Alaska Airlines plane, soon followed by the smaller Alaska jet with the Native American face on the side, then a behemoth Fed Ex cargo plane departs. Same planes, same time every day. These few minutes got me thinking about routine. Routines. Customs. Habits. The performing of tasks. Life’s little and big rituals. Routine - often perceived by me as negative.

Routine can be a source of mild comfort expanding to overwhelming anxiety for me. I like having hot tea at night before going to sleep. Reassuring and soothing. Routine = good.

Living a life of uninspired repetition: to/from work at the same time, eating the same food, driving the same roads, knowing that it will take me 8 minutes to get from a certain intersection to my home only to do the same mundane things at the usual time before starting it all over again. Routine = not good.

I remember being a kid and sometimes my mom would make breakfast for dinner. Pancakes and eggs and bacon and syrup…at night!! Food prepared in a way I thought was only capable before 9am. Not routine = good…and delicious

I also remember a time when I felt chronically depressed, sickly, and sluggish. Not routine = not good

I have certainly made big changes in my routine over the last few months. New sights, new roads, new people and new frustrations. I find myself settling into a routine, and not feeling those pangs of anxiety. I am learning that routine doesn’t have to be perceived as negative and filled with dread. I go to the ocean every chance I get to take in the waves and the fresh air. I get home from work and the dog I walk every morning energetically greets me wagging his backside and giving me kisses - this is routine. Certainly not mundane or monotonous. It’s these little traditions that make the good routines of life all worth it.

Enough of this self-actualization crap - how many days until Spring Training???

“ Loo, loo, loo ... I got some apples. Loo, loo, loo .. you got some too…” – Leopold “Butters” Stotch

Still Working on Catchy Title...

This is a note from a longtime peep regarding injured US soldiers in need, please read and donate if you can:

"Being in an army community, I've heard the stories of what it's like to stay in the hospital for long periods of time. (Thankfully, something I don't know about first hand... and hopefully, I never will.) I was just talking to someone today whose husband had to WEAR a SHEET for two weeks until he received a donated pair of sweatpants at Walter Reed in D.C. (After being at Landstuhl in Germany!)

Coincidentally, today I read an article from The Stars and Stripes that Walter Reed Army Medical Center is soliciting donations of personal items for wounded troops (NO cash donations accepted).

Here's what they need... men's and women's underwear, women's sports bras, razors, sweatpants and sweatshirts, running pants with zips at the legs (to fit over braces), weight lifting gloves (for those in wheelchairs), postage stamps, calling cards, grocery cards, etc. (I did notice that they did not request any other toiletries other than razors.)

Right after the war started, Walter Reed received so many donations that they didn't have any place to store them. However, the war is lasting longer than the public's interest in it, so they truly do need our help."

You can send your donations to:

Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Medical Family Assistance Center
Bldg. 2, 3rd Floor, Room 3E01
6900 Georgia Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20307

-P

"Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot a man during a quail hunt ... making 78-year-old Harry Whittington the first person shot by a sitting veep since Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton, of course, was shot in a duel with Aaron Burr over issues of honor, integrity and political maneuvering.

Whittington? Mistaken for a bird." -- Jon Stewart

Guinness + Cake + Pals + Warm Weather = Good Birthday

I had an excellent celebration for my birthday. Props to my Cake & Candles Coordinator, Elizabeth. Here's to many more!

Gifts of lip balm = 3

-P

"Why can't I find Amanda Hugginkiss?" - Moe Szyslak

Toby Haiku

Canine of black fluff

Eyeballs present do not work

Ocean sniff enjoy

Lunch Time

I contemplated getting some food and sitting at my desk over the lunch hour, catching up on the mundane details of a quick cross-country move. Instead, I chose to drive a few miles with the windows down and the radio on (listening to "Jumping Someone Else's Train" by the Cure!! Hello age 14!!) and see stuff like this:

No one around. Just me. Ahhhh...on the drive back to work, there was an enthusiastic advertisement about traveling to go see snow and skiing upon it. Huh?

-P

"The jerk store called. They're running out of you!"- George Costanza

First Post - Uh, hello?

Greetings all.

So I have a blog now.

Am I uneasy assuming people might actually check this thing? Do folks really want to read about me & my goal of seeing a baseball game in every Major League stadium? Are stories about my dog Toby and kitty Tess charming enough to warrant the effort of typing a few letters and saving this blog to 'Favorites'? Is my lip balm addiction remarkable? Who knows?

I guess individuals may find my restlessness a curious thing. First Iowa, then Southern California, then Iowa again, and finally Southern California. I opted to rent near the ocean rather than own near a corn field - to be a small fish in a big, beautiful pond. I figure you only go around once, you should lay your fabulous hats where you want. Blah Blah Blog.

Toodles,

Paula

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever. " - David St. Hubbins