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Oh, I was so prepared to post sarcastically about the horror that was my day. School holiday here, so the office was flooded with lots of kids and their drama. I confess, I never saw the big deal about dentists when I was a kid. Then, we never had a lot of money, so I was only taken there when there was a problem; so dentists always meant to me a release from pain. I was glad to see them.

But then, something happened in the last hour of the day. I caught a ray of sunshine.

There was a gentleman who called Friday; he said we had fixed up his daughter and now he needed our help – a crown had broken off with the tooth in it. I sighed heavily,as our emergency slots were already double booked and I was looking at coming home very late on my wife’s birthday. I ascertained he was not in pain, and he was fine waiting for Monday’s emergency slot.

I hate booking up emergency slots in advance, but sometimes it’s the only way to get home at anything approaching a decent hour. I do agonize over making people wait; often I’m right, and they can wait, but I’ve also been wrong, and that eats at me.

But today, this gentleman arrived early; the problem was not as severe as expected, and was fixed within twenty minutes. And as he left, he told me, in a very unmistakable New York accent, “I’m glad you could get me in so fast. Tryin’ to get this fixed back home woulda been a nightmare.”

So I had to ask. yes, new York City, born and raised. Worked Wall Street – in the trading pit, for God’s sake – for 42 years, retired, and followed his daughter and son-in-law down here, to Houston. “I love it here! I love the pace, and everybody’s so nice to each other! I’m not leavin’, I tell you that.”

The last few years, all I’ve heard about Texas has been quite negative, which is bewildering to a lifelong Texas boy. It was very nice … hell it was wonderful… to meet someone who not only liked the place, but appreciated that I got him in as quickly as I could. It wasn’t just a breath of fresh air, it was the whole damn oxygen tank. To put it in cynical hipster terms, he turned that day right around and put it in the plus column.

Tomorrow I will doubtless return to the usual collection of whiners and entitled jerks who are certain I work for them… but today, I was appreciated. So screw them.

February 12, 2007
Categories: Life's Rich Pageant . . Author: drfreex . Comments: 1 Comment

Boss: (working on crossword puzzle) Who was the totalitarian dictator of Spain in the 60s and 70s?

Me: Generalissimo Francisco Franco, wasn’t it?

Boss: Wow, I think you’re right.

Me: He’s still dead, you know.

Boss: What?

Me: Nothing.

Und so weiter…

Chris managed to entice me into joining Flixster, yet another social networking site, but one that is based on movies. Interesting, though an anti-social fellow like myself is not likely to click on the “make new friends” tab.

The site does feature a very addictive and fast-paced movie-rating activity (the source of the “My Recent Reviews” widget to the right), which I finally gave up on one night, because it was late, and sleep is a good thing. I’ve been reluctant to start up in idle moments because I coincidentally stopped at 666 ratings. That’s the sort of thing you just don’t walk away from…

And I’d also like to append multiple exclamation marks after a “Not Interested” rating, but I can see where that sort of thing would be prone to abuse.

February 11, 2007
Categories: Life's Rich Pageant . . Author: drfreex . Comments: Leave a comment

I really do intend to spend more time writing this year. The fact that it is currently the second week in February notwithstanding.

The strategy here is brevity, apparently. My desktop is littered with quarter-finished blog posts that got too long and were put aside to be “finished later”. My laptop’s power supply went blooie and is currently in a state of semi-repaired traction; that t’ing ain’ goin’ nowhere. Not until I buy a new power brick. So I can’t even write in the rare quiet moments at work anymore.

I attended B-Fest this year, and the getaway came not a moment too soon. I was… seriously… on the verge of some sort of breakdown or explosion at the Hated Job, and four days in the company of my friends was a much-needed balm. I can’t say I arrived at the office after four days of sleep deprivation re-energized or restored, but I was better able to put up with crap for a week or so, until i could finally collapse.

The Bad Movie Gods smiled upon us that week, for though it never got above freezing while we were there, the week after we left, Chicago turned into freakin’ Niflheim. Temperatures are still in the minuses as I write this.

It was really lovely while I was there. I admit I’ve been wondering lately, whenever I see an idyllic winter scene in, say, Victorian England, how those people survived with a mere coat and hat. In twenty-something Chicago, i frequently gadded about with a stocking cap and heavy flannel shirt. Wouldn’t have wanted to spend hours like that, but it was quite revelatory. Yes, as a lifelong Texan, I am used to horrible, humid winters, terrible, bitter things. In Chicago, the humidity stayed on the ground in a thin white layer, and it was brisk and wonderful.

Then the ice weasels came to stay, and I am once more glad that I live in a land where, as they say, “you don’t have to shovel humidity.” Hope things get better for you soon, my icebound brethren.

Dang, that wasn’t brief at all.

February 6, 2007
Categories: Life's Rich Pageant . . Author: drfreex . Comments: 2 Comments