Mid June already

I haven't been on in a while. The new job is really keeping my free time to a minimum. It should ease a bit in a couple of weeks, and in the meantime ... the pay will be great.

The summer seems to have arrived in our desert community. It was 109 Tuesday, 107 Wednesday, 106 for Thursday. We should cool down to 102-103 for a few days and then back to 106-107. The warehouse has been really warm ... no coolers or A/C.

My poetry writing has also slowed drastically. I am too tired to get the creative juices flowing I guess.

I am watching Rashomon on "TCM", starring Toshiro Mifune. It is one of the best foreign films ever. I do sometimes suspect the English subtitles, as they seem to miss a lot. I have always thought that Mifune did a great job in this movie. I loved his rendition of MacBeth in the Japanese movie Throne of Blood (Japanese version of William Shakespeare's MacBeth). If you ever want to see a GREAT movie .. see that one. It is, of course, in Japanese with English subtitles, but it is a magnificent movie and brilliantly acted. Rashomon is also well acted ... Machiko Kyô is really excellent as the wife of the Samurai, and Mifune gives his usual brilliant performance. He is sort of the Japanese version of DeNiro, Spencer Tracy, John Wayne and Humphrey Bogart rolled into one. You guys may remember him ... I don't suppose many of you like Japanese films ... as Admiral Yamamoto in the movie Midway or with Lee Marvin in Hell in the Pacific.

Tonight, the temperature has cooled to below 95 already. Going to be a lovely night.

I am going to the pool and/or the jacuzzi after the movie and relax a bit. I got off early today (after 11.5 hours). It is really bad when you think that 11.5 hours is a break ... huh?

Rain and other things

Today (Wednesday), we got a real gully washer/ frog drowner of a rain storm ...... about a third of an inch at the airport, but MUCH more in the south central part of the city. We also had some rain yesterday. This is very unusual because the first part of June is the driest time in our year usually. I welcome the much needed and beloved moisture to our desert area. The aroma of the Palo Verde, the creosote bushes and the trees in my area is almost overwhelming. We should get down to the low 70's tonight and only in the low 90's mañana. What a pleasent evening.

Work has been ... long hours, hard work and very little sleep. But ... the money wil be great. I get paid on the 20th and am going to go and fetch my nieto Devin Thomas up to Tucson for a week or two ... or three.

It is now Saturday, I got in 68 hours this week and expect pretty much the same next week. The money will be good, but my ancient body is beginning to feel the wear and tear. I like what I am doing, and I am good at it, but the hours are truly long.

Update on our Tucson weather, triple digits are forecasted for all of next week ... peaking at about 108-109 for a couple of days. It's been really hot today, but the humidity was down to single digits ... so it wasn't really bad.

We went to get Hilda a haircut the other day. It is now short again ... the way it looks best. I never get tired of looking at her. She is so sweet. She gets on my nerves at times (probably my fault) ... she is not very educated (she has a high school degree but doesn't read a lot and has no desire to expand her educational horizons) .. but she loves me a lot and is very good to me. I find that days without her are boring and I look forward to her being here. I am very lucky to have met her and even luckier that she is still around.

After a few paychecks, I plan to take her to northern Arizona, possibly Las Vegas in the fall, and a definate maybe to go to Weatherford, Texas this winter to see Dr. McGowen.

Life is not GOOD yet, but is getting better. I am healthy and so is my mom. I eat on a regular basis and I sleep indoors... I am lucky I guess.

I hope that my friends and extended family around the U.S. are all doing well and enjoying their lives.

Hug someone this week that you haven't hugged before (or in a long time).

Odds and Ends

"At the end of last night's 'American Idol,' Ryan Seacrest announced that more than 63 million votes were cast, which is more than any president in U.S. history has ever received. ... In a related story, this morning Hillary Clinton bought a karaoke machine." --Conan O'Brien

"Saddam Hussein's former adviser, Tariq Aziz, testified at Saddam's trial while wearing pajamas. Aziz said he was confused and thought he was testifying at the Michael Jackson trial." --Conan O'Brien

"According to a recent poll, 84% of Americans approve of making English the official language. I'd be happy if they made English the official language of 7-11." --Jay Leno

More Oxymorons:
Extinct Life
Plastic glasses
Terribly pleased
Computer security
Political science
Tight slacks
Definite maybe
Pretty ugly
Rap music
Working vacation
Religious tolerance
Microsoft Works
Alone together
Small crowd
Business ethics
Soft rock
Butt Head
Military Intelligence
Sweet sorrow
Rural Metro (ambulance service)
"Now, then ..."
Passive aggression
Clearly misunderstood
Peace force

Have a great day / week / whatever ... love from the desert

June already

It has been a few days (about a week really), since I had time to write anything on here. I started my new job last Tuesday and averaged 13 hours a day through Friday and 7 hours on Saturday, ... which felt like half-a-day. Tried to relax and wash clothes today, took the lady to COSTCO, and I am designing some forms for work. I think that they will ease our chaos somewhat. Most "forms" are designed for bean counters and just show how much of what is where, etc. In a warehouse environment, you need forms that will allow the timely issuing and receiving of items with accountability. Also, they need to be simple and real ... as most truck drivers and warehouse laborers are not rocket scientists.

I have just watched 'Deadwood .. the 1st season' on DVD. I've never seen any of it before, as I do not get (or want) HBO, Showtime, et al. Very different and pretty good. The acting, sets and costumes were excellent, and I am a stickler for authenticity in westerns.

Monday:
Yesterday, the Arizona 'Lady Cats' had to play Tennessee (with the nation's best left handed pitcher) TWICE to advance to the Softball World Series. They won and they are playing the first game of the championship series tonight. They are winning 8-0 against Northwestern in the last inning in a best of 3 series, so I think our chances are great to be the "Champs". It's official ... WE WON !!

Have a great week, and hug some folks ... you'll all feel better.