esrosedotblog

A LETTER TO AUNT RUSTY

Aunt Rusty is the fine woman who kept Booker at "Airedale Camp" between his old family and coming to our place. She is a saint. A dog whisperer. She matches up the pups with people.

We all have a soft spot in our heart for Aunt Rusty.

This time, it was Booker's turn to write.

Dear Aunt Rusty

My Dads MOVED! Christ almighty. You and they told me I would have a 'forever home' and the next thing I know they are taking my rugs out of the house and moving them to this smaller "condo" space. Do you know what a condo is? It seems to be like a house but smaller and there is a lot less bitching and moaning from the Dads about taking care of "the yard", "the pool", and all that kind of thing. They also said something about money. Something I know nothing about as long as the food keeps coming.

They say that they were looking for the right place all the time. For a long time. Downsizing. Then a month or so ago John found "the place". This happens often actually but this time Earl got into it. They took me along to see this "condo" and I liked it. There was a tile floor but big tile and rougher. No reflections, no sliding. And it isn't white so they won't complain about my drool spots all the time.

Well, I expressed my yes vote. Not even thinking that they would follow my lead but they did. Shit. Goddam. This never happens. I vote and they don't do what I vote for. This time I told them it was a nice place and the next thing I know they are moving furniture out of my house and over to this place. And that was last Friday. And listen to this. The fucking rugs were in the "condo" all the time waiting for me. I was in rapture. I slept on all of them.

I had been here many times before the move but I didn't get that they were really going to do it. I peed on all the bushes within the complex which is not that big but big enough for a great walk. Lots of grass. Bushes. And there are a few dogs. I have met two. They are kind of wimpy. I hear there is an Airedale at the other end but we haven't met him. People see me and think I am "Jake".

Space. It is big enough. I go out in the patio when they have the house open. I go to bark at possible intruders and see them in.

Inside is pretty spacious too.

Dads put a cot-crate liner with a stuffed bumper border--in their study. I went in there today for the first time. I don't think I will ever go into it again but it made them happy. Once is enough. I have slept in my bed which is in their room but prefer, now, to do what I did when I first moved to Palm Springs. Sleep everywhere in the house to work out the best drafts and smells. I am also watching the perimeter in this new place. Humans are very careless about the other wildlife that could encroach.

Oh. The Dads say that the old house is in escrow and has sort of gone past the point of no return on the process. It is still in the first 17 days but has passed inspection and the new owner is measuring for drapes and is going to cut the skirts off my Dad's palms on the hill that they have kept there for all this time. 12 years. They are getting that it is not their place any more. Or won't be. Goodbye goodbye.

What else? There are going to be fireworks this weekend and the Dads have a plan if I don't like them. It turns out that our new house--the so called "condo"-- is about half a mile from the place they shoot them off. I think I will be brave but if I am not, Earl is going to take me into the study (where my one time cot is) and hug me happy. It is also very sound absorbing. And then there is the bath which is even better. We will play games. But not get wet.

That is about it from here.

Oh. I get it. Forever Home. That is where my heart is. With my Dads. It has nothing to do with the space I am in. I will be as happy to guard them and eat their kibble here as I would at the other place. And here they won't be jumping into that water and disappearing. Tonight Earl made pizza for us. My old dad ate that all the time at the end. And I got some too. Remember my big ass?

I hope you are not to hot up there in Vegas.

We are watching out for burnt feet. Not getting them. But otherwise I am a desert rat now and like to go for hot walks. I do take time to collapse on the grass and writhe around in it and they tickle me. It is a good rest and the grass is cool and soft. And, while I am diverting them with my clowning around we aren't walking.

Tonight, on our walk, just in the neighborhood, I found a real bone. This place rocks! I thought I would never find a bone again. I guess they have barbecue all over. Toss the bones for the dogs.

Love

Hello to all the CREW,

Booker

PASSED INSPECTION

Today was inspection day at the old house.

It took five hours. I was expecting two so assumed things were going to end up badly.

Broker Dan said that it was mostly that the guy was slow. Not the sharpest knife in the set.

The buyer, himself, was there along with the two brokers, his and ours.

The good news is that the house passed the inspection. There is no bad news. The inspector declared the major elements (roof, AC etc.) to be in fine shape with the rest being a normal wear and tear for an older home.

Good.

The inspection process has become a sore point at all real estate transactions so that many people, like us, simply stipulate that there will be no repairs or change in price based on the inspection.

It is done at the buyer's discretion and is a good idea because it does provide expert data for due diligence. In effect, a punch list to be dealt with later on as the buyer takes over and does his or her own repairs.

That said, we did go back for an adjustment after the inspection on the condo. There were a few larger items that were not stated on the seller's disclosure statement. The slider in the living room binds. Needs a new track. All the screens are in bad repair.

So we got a thousand dollars to cover it. Sort of. Reparations.

Another hurdle crossed.

The next big one is the appraisal for the buyer's mortgage which should not be too serious as he has 2/3 of the cash or something like that. In any case there is enough to cover any discrepancies. Appraisals are very difficult now, here in the desert. Even for our neighborhood.

The comps are all messed up with short sales, foreclosures and the like while many sales, like ours, are being carried out at pretty much straight market value. Twice what it was when we bought.

Labels: condo

STONEWALL

Today is the 41st Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.

All gay rights do not stem from this day.

Many people worked many years to get to the tipping point of Stonewall.

As we have continued to work.

But the "girls" of Stonewall had enough that day. They were our Rosa Parks.

God bless them all.

Dave Von Ronk was one of those arrested. He is still around. Pudgy, bearded. A bear.

Here's to you Dave.

Labels: gay history, gay liberation, gay life, gay politics, gay rights

WORN OUT

I am going back to the regular schedule tomorrow.

Gym at 415, home for shower, Meeting, time with a friend.

I think that it will not be easy. I am sort of worn out. But I do want to get back into the swing.

The place really looks magnificent. It has a great character and allows us to fit right in with our personality.

Very good.

So it will be a good try to see if I can go back to some routine other than sleeping and eating.

If I can't, then I will retreat.

But for now it looks good.

Jean Francois Millet Man With a Hoe

Labels: life

BACKWARDS

Everything in the new kitchen is backward.

The stove is on the right side of the prep counter. The sink is on the right side of the dish counter. The refrigerator is, well, to the left not the right of the prep counter.

I am doing OK with it. Turning circles sometimes but not too badly.

We have almost everything from the kitchen unpacked and ready to go. I am going.

I cooked dinner last night (Italian sausage on pasta) and am on board for today. As in room and board. My special chicken waldorf salad.

I am getting it. Over here is over there. Down that way is the other way.

If I move slowly I am OK.

I mentioned that I have my own bathroom now. It is also reversed. The toilet paper is on the left side as I am sitting. Now I have to figure out how to tear off a sheet with the left hand or do the twist.

It is probably good to be ambidextrous and/or flex the lower back.

We put up a lot of paintings today. John did. I helped.

It all looks rather elegant. The high high ceilings really help.

We are catching up with our sleep.

What else?

I go back to the house everyday to do watering and check it out. Booker went with me today. It is his first trip back since Friday when we moved.

He went right into the garage to see if anyone had spilled the kibble on the floor and then went in and just sort of lay down at the doorway and waited while I did my chores.

He did not explore. He did not amble around.

He just waited quietly.

When we got back to the condo, he jumped out of the Jeep and ran to the gate and went into the patio, scratched the door to get in and landed back in his new house. Clearly the old house is over. Same with me. The only nostalgia is in my head when I think it up. No painful leaving things behind us.

I guess we were ready.

There is a rabbit in the backyard. He was around occasionally during the last weeks we were there. I bet he takes over and makes some little rabbits. I don't know if there is enough grass but no one will bother them. Except the hawks.

Labels: condo

FIRST NIGHT

I got the kitchen setup.

Then I could go to bed.

Two hours later than usual.

But we live in unusual times.

It was a good night. I had a shower before--the house had been open all day to get the stuff inside. Hot.

We were blessed with slight cooling for the day, but still.

We did not eat dinner here. That is tonight.

We went to the old reliable Rock Garden and had the old reliable food and then went to the old house to retrieve odds and ends that, for some reason, did not get packed or brought over.

We will have to make a similar run today.

But I did get to bed and had a great night's sleep and woke up at the usual time. Two hours short.

So I made up some time today.

We love the space. It works. It is very good looking. We are comfortable.

There is a lot to unpack but that will happen.

I got half my desk done and the half my bathroom. I am going to have my own bathroom here. Well, kind of.

Booker is the real sleeper today. He has been restless since his rugs started disappearing from the old place a few days before the move. We had to get them down to put stuff on when it got here.

And then there was the move, itself, for which he was a very good boy. He stayed out of the way and gentled his way through the whole thing. No naps for him either. He is totally conked out now as he has been all day.

So this is a time for all our spirits to arrive here and getting some rest.

We are doing OK.

Labels: condo

MOVED!!!

Well. Mostly.

The movers, 2 great guys. Arrived before the appointed 730AM.

We were in the condo at 1130.

The computer works. Turbo.

Booker is amazing. Very serene. This is, no doubt about it, his house.

The hardest part for me so far was loading the wardrobes.

Jesus.

But they are easier to unload. I gotta go do that now.

We are on our way.

Actually no.

We are there.

Labels: condo

HERE WE GO AGAIN

We have accepted an offer for the house.

The guy likes it the way it is!

We now enter the "contingency period" where we have inspectors and stuff.

He has some financing so that is a hurdle to a quick close. We agreed to 45 days.

We met our goal financially.

It is OK.

Now we just wait it out and do the few things we have to do while he does due diligence.

This means we enter the "contingency period" of 17 days for all the stuff but he has 30 days for financing. We will need a good appraisal which is very hard in this market. All the fluctuation between straight sales, short sales and foreclosures muck up the comps.

In the meantime we will continue to sell for backup offers.

Labels: condo

GRADED

I got my "grades" for interviewing young applicants to MIT.

Every fall I see up to 20 high school students who have applied to MIT and then elected to have an alumni interview as part of their admission process.

This year, I saw 16 young people out of a possible 50.

I had one applicant accepted! My first.

The whole thing is quite a moving experience. There is a vast range of personalities and talents. I am humbled by their zeal and sense of purpose.

What they do not know, this being MIT, is that I get graded for my written reports of the interview. An essay.

Each year I get some of the old nervousness that came around quizzes. Will I measure up?

There is a rating 1-5. If I get a 3, 4 or 5, I an fine. Passing. Less than that, they ask that I contact my supervising alumnus for a tutorial. Shame!

Well, at least they don't drum me out.

But I, too, would feel that I am out of alignment. Perhaps I would just resign.

This year, like last, is a good rating year. I got fourteen 5's and two 4's.

I am pretty clear why the 4's are 4's. They are both kids that I was pumping up a bit. Now that I read the essays I can see it myself. One was a total introvert. Extremely shy. I root for the introverts. I also tell the truth. You can see me doing it here. Some paradoxes. Very shy and quiet but very interesting. No.

The other was a guy who was super smart. A top guy in every way. I can see cheerleading in this one too. Not so good.

It is funny. Tell it like it is and they like what is there. Pump it up and they see it. Or something.

Nevertheless, I feel very good about the results.

They have a special mention of those who get all 5/s, the "high five" club.

I still aspire.

Of course, that is the nature of MIT quizzes. Give it to you good and show the fault lines, do better next time. Invaluable training.

The next batch of students kicks off in August. That is when the early birds ask for interviews.

I am ready.

Labels: MIT

STRONG AND CLEAR

Obama dispatched McChrystal neatly today and, at the same time, took another step towards unity by putting Petraeus in charge of the thing. Not quite a demotion. But McChrystal's shit happened on his watch.

Very strong.

“War is bigger than any one man or woman, whether a private, a general or president,” Mr. Obama said. “As difficult as it is to lose General McChrystal, I believe it is the right decision for national security.”

“I welcome debate among my team,” he said, “but I won’t tolerate division.”

My Commander in Chief. I would have gladly supported any result that he chose but I think that he has chosen well.

They didn't mince any words. The General was in private with Obama and never attended the scheduled strategy meeting. He did not come here just to be canned. It was an already scheduled session.

He sure put his foot in it. Obama stomped on it.

Labels: Administration Obama

MIXMASTER

I feel like I am in a mixmaster.

Later in the day and we can't plan anything because there are two things going on independent of one another.

I was going to do some packing this afternoon but our broker came up with a showing at 530 PM and we are out of here for dinner.

Thank the gods for the resurrection of the Rock Garden, an old restaurant staple that went downhill and is now back up.

We can eat out and have the misters on and it is fine. And inexpensive.

Then another showing tomorrow morning.

Someone is putting their foot on the gas pedal.

I am happy about this. We have decided that we do not have to have every goddam spec of stuff out of here Friday and that we can relax a little.

The dining room table came today. It is great.

It fits the look of the place, the new fan, the whole thing.

And the chairs feel good to sit in too!

I went over to see them and found out something I did not know. There are a lot of those.

There is an internal sprinkler system. I mean inside our walls in the garden. There is an invisible line between us and the association. We have our own irrigation.

I got the hose and watered around and then saw the control box. It is like our new one on the side of the house.

I turned on Number One and there it was. Water.

There is a jerry rig for the fountain. A drop cord through the gravel. I have to run that down.

See?

We are getting to trivia and we haven't even moved in yet.

John is installing slider shelf things in the bottom cupboards that will double the already generous capacity. If we were anxious about storage space, we are much more relaxed now. They were expensive but they seem to be just the thing to work for us.

TOO BUSY TO POST

Yesterday was a marathon day.

We had two showings of the house mid day. Well, one and then another showed up at the last hour.

That meant lunch out. A time consuming affair (and expense intensive) at the best of times.

As soon was lunch was done I took the Jeep into the shop to have a tail light, the brake light, replaced.

I got stopped Saturday by a cop who told me it was out. He was very nice about it. Knew that I would not see or know it wasn't working. He didn't give me a citation. He said it was too hot to stand in the sun and write it out. Nice. If there was a citation, it is not a fine but you have to get the light fixed and then go to the police station and fill out forms and shit.

I didn't have to do that but I did have to get it fixed.

That took a while. An hour. They were good about it there.

Then I came back home and, behold, we had an offer for the house. The second, original guy is interested.

We have made a counter-offer and we are off to the races.

Many forms to fill out, fuck. Two visits from the broker. Forms and more forms.

We are being less celebratory this time. No high fives. No dances in the end zone before the ball even gets there. I have learned my lesson.

The buyer is not too far off the mark and he is a single man who wants to live here. He walked the place and sat. We have wisely quit playing music so they can get the quiet and hear the birds.

This will not stop the selling process. We have another open house Saturday and will continue to sell like hell.

At the condo, we had a big day.

The electrician came to relocate some receptacles, remove the ugly sconces in the bedroom and, most exciting, put in the new microwave in the kitchen. My treat. The old one didn't work. They told us that. He also put up a new fan with lights over the dining room table area, a treat for John.

He worked there until after our supper and we went over and surveyed the work. Great job. He will come back later to put in a new faucet at the sink and some other minor plumbing issues.

Labels: automobiles, condo

SOLSTICE

Labels: seasons

QUANTUM HUMOR

Quantum because it is only a little bit funny and when you think about it it just disappears.

Labels: fun

PROGRESS

Today, John got some help from two of our young friends and moved his office furniture to the new place. It looks pretty good.

They also attached a set of shelves that actually match a set of four that we already have, to the wall to surround my desk.

John says there is enough room for my desk and cabinets to fit in. It looks small to me. But what do I know?

The setup looks great in the "work room". There is plenty of light. Open air. Great. There will be a day bed in there, as well, for naps during the grueling work sessions that we conduct.

This is the first time we will be working in the same space since we had the apartment between houses in Boston. Right before we came here.

Prior to that we shared a room in our 12th floor, view of downtown Boston and the Back Bay, apartment in Charles River Park.

Now, here we are. Back together again.

A new development is sound.

We will not be hooking up to a television and we will not be taking the DVD player and monitor. All video will be on the computers. So Dave is researching a good low or no leak earphone for us to use. Earphones are preferred for the iMac anyway. Much better sound. Top quality to my aged ears.

I spent the afternoon packing my desk and cabinets. Four book boxes and two medium size. More than I thought.

Tomorrow is the electrician, the fan and light in the dining room, the microwave and god knows what else.

There is a house showing to a client at 1230 PM.

Labels: condo

THE WORST DAY IS THE BEST DAY

For several weeks I have dreaded the hookup of the internet cable. I knew it would get fucked up. I would lose days of "connectivity". As an internet addict this is unacceptable.

Part of this was exacerbated by the complications inherent in switching my account from one address to another.

Every call to TimeWarner was fraught with difficulty. Different versions of TW truth, disconnected calls just short of consummation and finally the information that they couldn't switch it until the seller disconnected or called in to terminate.

I just gave up.

Then, it occurred to me that it was the transfer element that was causing the trouble. Why not just get a new account there and keep it simple. When I was ready I could terminate my existing hookup.

I did wait for the sale to complete so I could say that it is my house now and so on.

So I called yesterday and got "Maria in Sales". Chipper. Happy. Enthusiastic. "We can do that", "No problem", "Can I tell you about a different service? I don't want to seem like I am selling."

It was the turbo service which I bought because it is 50% more bits pouring into the wire. Or whatever you call it. And it is at the same price as now because I am hooking through the Condo bulk contract.

So. Order completed, Maria said she could get a guy out the next day, today, from 230 -430.

He showed up at 2:35. He totally rewired us from the house to the street connection. The wiring was old and corroded so he replaced it all. The infrastructure. He cut down on the video to get more power to the internet as we will not be watching teevee even though it is free. Well, paid by the condo. We haven't watched fucking teevee since 1996.

Then he set the modem up and hooked up the laptop I brought and voila! Turbo computing on my old lapper.

When I move I will just hook up my Airport Extreme and our iMacs and away we will go.

While the cable guy was connecting, I hung with the locksmith, who I know from the gym, and he rekeyed the whole house. Four locks. 98.00. Great.

One more thing that is not worse than I think it will be. You would think that I would get this by now and save myself the aggro.

Labels: condo

SORTA QUIET

I went to our new home today and just sat for awhile.

On the way to the supermarket.

I got teary.

Our home. Not "the condo" or "the apartment". Our home.

I really do like the place very much and there is nothing of ours in it at this point. So it will only be up from here.

John has been there today making shelves for our closet. He will paint tomorrow.

Booker and I went over to surprise him. One of the clickers for the garage doors didn't work and I put in a new battery. I had to try it out. It worked!

Booker loves this kind of shit. He gets out of the Jeep and just runs to find John. Head between knees hello.

He seems very happy with the new place. We have peed all over our section. Last night, the first poop.

I had thought that the summer night walking would be hotter than here. The new place is about a mile out from the shadow of the mountain.

Perhaps it is hotter but there is a lot of shade and we had a fairly successful jaunt. Booker wanted to get back to see what John was up to so it wasn't too long but it was enough for me to see that it will be OK.

In winter, it will mean longer times and warmer sun in the afternoons so we won't have to go out so early. The sun won't "set" at 315 PM.

I have set up an installation by the TimeWarner Cable people tomorrow for the internet connection. I bought the turbo which costs ten dollars more a month for a 50% increase in flow.

Movies, maybe.

The beginning of paying for capacity. It is fast and full.

The call went pretty well. I had tried to talk to them about transfer of my account and it got very sticky. Not the same day, two days. Confusing. Then I thought that I could just get it as an additional new account and, when it is working and all, just cancel my old service.

At the same time that I am waiting for the cable guy, I am going to get a locksmith to come so I will have two things going.

We have three doors to change. Front screen, front door and back door into the garage.

I was going to let it go then John pointed out that she leased the house to people for several years. No telling how many people have keys.

The prospect for the old house did not make a special trip today. They felt they didn't have to. We expect an offer. I am still staying low on the expectations but it is a nice thing to consider.

Not a lot more today.

It is going pretty well.

I met two neighbors today and sort of exchanged hellos with another last night. Just about the right pace for me.

Labels: condo

WE OWN TWO HOUSES!!!

We got the keys to the condo this afternoon. Late.

We went over after supper and had a brief time in the space.

Booker and I went for a walk and he did the first dump there.

He wanted to get back to the condo right after though. He is a bit dependent on the two of us being there with him but I worked on that later. He will be fine.

They cleaned it through and through. Everything seems OK. The ice machine is probably not functional but that gibes with ice machines the world over.

The utilities must have been transferred OK because everything worked.

And I left a note for the mailman.

The auto-door-opener opened.

We are not sure of how all the switches work but we will find out.

And so on, and on.

It is nice. We like it.

It has almost instant hot water.

Tomorrow is just a kind of recon day and then in a week we move.

John is going to be doing some "getting ready". Some friends helping move his office Sunday. An electrician on Monday. A locksmith. Stuff like that.

Very good.

It feels weird.

Labels: condo

I LOVE JOE BIDEN

The oil tool from Texas Rep Joe Barton apologized to BP this morning for the "shakedown" they had endured at the hand of the President.

It caused a shitstorm. Even the GOPers ran in the other direction.

Labels: Administration Obama, Joe Biden

DOING IT

I had given up on Andrew Sullivan but he is back in my good graces with this roundup.

Getting Shit Done

While the thumbsuckers were dissecting Obama's (good) speech, the administration was buttoning down the agreement which no one thought would be possible.

20 billion for the spill plus 100 million for the out of work deep wellers and a fairly extreme apology from BP.

Obama has the balls.

It is time for some of my lefty brethren to give up the whining and complaining about the Obamas and start seeing the truth.

These guys can get things done.

Labels: Administration Obama

THE LAST WORD

Yesterday were closing arguments in the trial to nullify Proposition 8 banning gay marriage in California.

The judge gave the defense a pretty thorough going over. Rough.

Closing Arguments in Marriage Trial

It is pretty well known that the federal judge in this case is gay. Vaughn Walker (right). He was assigned in the usual way. They can't claim bias.

He is not a closet case but he is not out there either. The civil rights laws protect him from any persecution over this.

This gives a nice twist of the irony of fate in the matter.

He is skeptical that the purpose of marriage is to make babies. Or that any straight couple getting married is going to say to themselves "gee, I am going to be doing something good for my community". He also questioned the credentials of a key witness the defense used.

He was even handed. He challenged some of the points of the other side.

It is all quite interesting.

This is the case that many gay righters were skeptical. It is being argued by Theodore Olson and David Boies (left). Olsen is an arch conservative. Boies is, well, a lefty. Both are at the top of the game.

They came into the case because Olson, particularly, felt that the abridgment of rights for gay people was wrong. He and Boies are old protagonists for opposite sides in the culture wars. They are together on this one.

They are the best.

The defense offered an argument, again, that the 18,000 marriages held in California in the brief time the law was in effect, be nullified.

That means us. Me.

We shall see what happens. It will not end here. Walker will write his opinion and then it will be appealed. Some day, we will have our story told in the Supreme Court. Unless, perhaps, the court refuses to hear an appeal to Walker's decision to quash the law.

Another irony.

The closing arguments took place two years to the day — June 16, 2008 — that same-sex couples began to get married in California at the start of a five-month period when such unions were legal there. Proposition 8 ended those ceremonies, though the California Supreme Court ruled in May 2009 that the some 18,000 marriages performed in that period were still valid.

Labels: gay marriage, gay rights

I D

I went through my jewelry box this morning.

A search and dispose mission.

I didn't dispose of much. A couple of old watches that I held onto for some reason.

I am keeping my class ring from MIT. My Seiko gold watch I bought once in a duty free frenzy. It is nicer than my standard black plastic Casio GShock. I just don't go anywhere that needs a nicer watch. And the battery has run down.

I have a shitload of cufflinks and shirt studs. Gotta save them. They will be good heirlooms for grandkids who do not have a clue about late 20th Century costumery.

I have a few silver chains. Quite tarnished. No peace sign pendants left. There is an enameled ring that comes from my hippy period. John has our various commitment rings.

The most important part of the hoard is the few thing from my Dad.

His good watch (Hamilton), his work watch (Timex) with a busted band and a thing I could never figure out. It is like a little flask that couldn't possibly be for booze. Maybe scent. I just don't get it.

There weren't many unanswered questions between us when he died but I never did ask him WTF the little flask thing was. Slipped my mind.

The kicker is the ID bracelet he wore in WWII.

My mom and I bought it at Community Jewelers in Stroudsburg Pennsylvania (the County Seat) when I was 8 years old.

I cannot touch this bracelet without crying. Hot tears. Loss. Gain. History. Love. Very hard times. He went away to the War for several years. It was awful and wonderful too.

It was the best and worst time of his life.

He never got over it. But he did come back eventually. So much history in a little silver chain.

I can't wear it.

It is too small for my wrist.

I know that my Dad was smaller than me in stature. But I can never get that he was. He seems so big. So good. So important to me in my life.

I am pleased to say that I have become my Dad, with some embellishments here and there. I am proud to say that too.

Totally unexpected. But there it is.

My identification.

Labels: fathers

MORE

The Comic Sans rant below is taken from a series called Short Imagined Dialogues from McSweeney's Magazine.

Most are hilarious.

This one is a good example of the genré.

This Really Nice Suit is Going to Get Me Acquitted.

There are many more. Have fun.

FONT FIGHT

Comic Sans fights back!

I'm Comic Sans Asshole!

I like Comic Sans myself but I must admit that I consider it a bit down market and I used to use it more than I do now because I know that people think the same about it.

I am encouraged by this manifesto and will convert to being a supporter of the font.

Listen up. I know the shit you've been saying behind my back. You think I'm stupid. You think I'm immature. You think I'm a malformed, pathetic excuse for a font. Well think again, nerdhole, because I'm Comic Sans, and I'm the best thing to happen to typography since Johannes fucking Gutenberg.

You don't like that your coworker used me on that note about stealing her yogurt from the break room fridge? You don't like that I'm all over your sister-in-law's blog? You don't like that I'm on the sign for that new Thai place? You think I'm pedestrian and tacky? Guess the fuck what, Picasso. We don't all have seventy-three weights of stick-up-my-ass Helvetica sitting on our seventeen-inch MacBook Pros. Sorry the entire world can't all be done in stark Eurotrash Swiss type. Sorry some people like to have fun. Sorry I'm standing in the way of your minimalist Bauhaus-esque fascist snoozefest. Maybe sometime you should take off your black turtleneck, stop compulsively adjusting your Tumblr theme, and lighten the fuck up for once.

Labels: computer

ON TO GREATER THINGS

We consummated a deal on Woody today. Our 1984 Chrysler Town and Country Le Baron Mark Cross Edition convertible, now belongs to someone else.

A hobbyist.

Someone who will probably restore the car.

We couldn't move and keep the car. There is only one garage space and one street or drive space. No room for a third.

As it is, we are thinking about becoming a SoCal anomaly and having only one car.

We got about 2/3 of what we paid for him 13 years ago.

Not bad.

It is bitter sweet. Bitter to lose an old friend. Sweet to know he will have a good home.

Sweet to have the car insurance bill cut by a third. Well, a quarter.

I am the one who was driving him, mostly to Meetings and short rides here and there. He has stayed at 110,000 miles through three visits for lube.

In a way that is not good for him either. Inactivity. Short hauls.

I will miss him.

We totally had help on this from a friend who is deep into the car world and has done a lot of sales. He knows the ropes and some people.

As it happens, this was completely by chance, an encounter at the smog place where a guy asked about the car. Bang. It was sold.

That is the way we bought it. Off the lot of a gas station at the corner of Indian Avenue and Ramon Road. A major intersection. A friend of the gas station guy was parking it there to draw a buyer.

It drew John.

As The Woods came, so The Woods went.

Labels: automobiles

CONTINUING TO SELL

"The Canadian Guy" came back to the house again today around noon time.

We got to go out for lunch again. The three of us. While he took more than half an hour to walk around in it.

Result is that he is very very interested and his wife will fly down on Friday to take a look.

Do you know how much a "same week" ticket can be?

They must be interested.

We are, at a distance, interested in them also. They like the house mostly as it is. Apparently would just start to live in it as a second home and do some work but keep the basics.

We were reconciled to the possibility that someone would come and do a "teardown" or a major rehab. Like down the street where a nice gabled home became a black box. Well, eggplant, maybe.

Horrendous.

The day a buyer buys we have to let go of it all. But it would be nice to know the house is loved or appreciated. Or both. Not the same thing.

Love may come after appreciation and making something one's own.

In any case, this is a good sign and we are happy about it.

THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING

Not the rhetoric.

So he went on with his "mediocre", not angry, undramatic speech and socked the fuckers for 20 billion dollars in an escrow fund but he also got 100 million dollars for the jobs that get lost as a result of his moratorium on deep water drilling.

And, what is more, in the department of "it doesn't matter really but is symbolic", they decided to forego the dividend.

You know that this has involved discussions with Cameron in the UK and all.

High level indeed.

Governing. Not posturing.

What do you think of that you lefty whiners? And that Bobby Jindal using all the photo opps on half baked local ideas.

The opportunists and the armchair quarterbacks.

Pundits. Read that with spittle coming out of my mouth.

Boy, they piss me off.

Not that this will make any difference. The same media that has been whining will now turn to some other aspect and criticize.

But I don't have to read it. Or watch it.

Labels: Administration Obama

YANKEE HUMMUS

I laughed at this.

Hummus Catches On in America (as Long as It’s Flavored)

"“Back home, they would shoot me in the head for doing this to hummus".

We have had hummus around since way back in Boston. It was hard to get until we got Bread and Circus and other premium food stores.

I acquired my taste for it when I was in college. It was at the Greek and Middle Eastern restaurants. You ate it with pita bread.

We still do.

What I laughed at is that when I read the headline I sort of mocked it. How could people do such a thing as flavor their hummus.

Then, I realized we now do exactly that! Use a flavored hummus. "Greek Flavor". As if there was a need to do it a special Greek way. But it is different there. Lemon juice. Some garlic. The traditional is the way this guy's family makes it "back home".

I love the stuff.

It is high calorie but nicely olive oil fatted. We still have it with pita. In a salad, romaine, cucumbers, tomatoes. Most often with chicken. And feta cheese sprinkled over the whole thing. Italian dressing. Funny. Every middle eastern restaurant in the world, the cheap ones, use Italian dressing.

Well, they are pretty close. Both on the Mediterranean.

Hummus.

I even like to say it.

Labels: food

DUNDERHEADS

I have been watching the left wing response to Obama's address last night.

They are all over his not being tough enough and, shit, it just pisses me off.

I thought it was pitch perfect.

Then there are the airheads like Maureen Dowd in the NYT who mock and scorn without any facts. Pure opinion. Or, rather, pure invective.

Well, he is handing it to them this morning with a done deal on the 20 billion escrow and Ken Feinberg to administrate it. He of 0911 awards fame. A great guy.

Obama does not do drama. He works solutions.

We had the bullhorn moments and the posturing before.

The other thing. The criticism of the government. "Slow. Not organized. We need a Czar".

All from the people who don't want government, want to cut the budget drastically and who laughed at Czars.

Fuckers.

OK.

I feel better now.

He did some good work this morning.

Did you notice, the BPers didn't get a private entrance. They got perp-walked from the gate to the side doors and they were met by a junior staffer who wore a blazer and jeans with brown shoes. Young, handsome and totally not impressed with his charges.

Some had predicted this. A Rahm touch I am sure.

Labels: Administration Obama

MCCAIN'S DOPEROO

General Petraeus fainted today while testifying on the Middle East situation.

PETRAEUS FALLS ILL, BUT IS REPORTEDLY FINE

I took a look at the tape.

It happened while John McCain was doing one of his mesmerizing reflections.

Shit.

I would pass out if I had to listen to that old fart go through his litany one more time.

The same thing happened when he was campaigning.

Labels: McCain

LUNCH OUT

We had family lunch out today. John, Booker and me.

It was not voluntary. We went to the Rock Garden whilst a prospect toured our house.

They stayed a long time.

An older couple from up north somewhere. Canada.

They asked the right questions.

They want to know what we would leave in the house. There was already a list but we were prepared for the buyer to not want any of it.

It is hard not to get twitchy about it. A part of me wants to keep the house and just live in the condo. Like a kid running away.

But that won't work.

We have to move.

They have four dogs!

This is a great yard for dogs.

They are down to only two choices for this trip. The other one is a tear down over on Camino Descanso. A dump.

We will see. Wait it out.

Labels: condo, lunch

SELLING A HOUSE

We have two prospects. In less than a week after we put the house back on the market.

A tour today, two guys from SFO, a walk through (video) last week. The guy from the video will be here tomorrow to see our house and another one.

They have asked for our disclosure forms from the last near sale. Where you tell what is wrong with it if you know anything. A bunch of questions and yes/no answers. A pain in the ass.

It is getting easier to set the place up when we hear "they" are coming.

Wipe down the counters, empty the waste cans, put the shoes where they belong or hide them, flush the toilets and close the seats. Brush down the water collected around the drain in the back. Open the curtains to show clear window all across the back. Turn on some music. Get the bag ready to go out with the dog. Water bowl, water, leashes. I take the checkbooks with me too.

I am getting pretty good at it. After only four or five times. I should be good at it. John is never here when it happens.

Labels: condo

BUYING A CONDO

Today is a turning point. We know, without a doubt, that the closing will be on this Friday, June 18th. Sometime later in the day. When they record the deed.

We don't have to go anywhere or do anything. We already did it. Went over and signed the papers with a notary.

And, of course, we sent the money. It is weird how, for me, the most anxiety producing events turn out to be fairly simple.

We had to wire the money. Out of ignorance mostly, I had this idea that it could all go wrong somehow.

It didn't. Although it did take a special trip to our broker to give them a paper authorization with signatures to do the deed. Funny. You can do away with the paper work up to a small amount and then, well, not.

The money went whiz from there to the escrow place. They even followed it through the pipe and talked to the escrow people on the other end to confirm that it went through OK.

So we are on schedule.

We will use next week for "improvements". Some electrician work, a new fan/light over the dining room table, a new microwave (the one in there is broken) and some early setup of John's office. Some work in the walk in closet that will double the hanging storage.

It is a relief.

We are almost done with getting rid of shit. Consignment. Second hand store. Junk. Some friends got goodies. A friend picked up a collection of dirty pictures this morning. He can enjoy them and, for that, we may get to use his truck. Not while he is enjoying the pictures though.

It is really too early to pack much. Some things. OK. We will start that next week and work our way into "room boxes". The kitchen boxes, the bathroom boxes, the bedroom boxes and so on.

We are on our way.

COKED UP

I had stopped coffee caffeine a few years ago and, except for a Coca Cola with pizza, hadn't any of the drug at all.

When I meet up with the MIT prospects at the coffee shop I have a decaf which I know has caffeine in it but there is no buzz. No withdrawal.

Now, there is a new thing. Soda makers now have the little 7.5 oz. can. Easy to hold. Just enough to get a little bump. And, face it, Coke tastes good. So does Dr. Pepper. The diet versions.

So now, here I am with a daily afternoon jones for a little can of Coke or Dr. Pee.

I go for it automatically.

I am not worried about this turning into anything. I haven't started for two cans. No progression.

It is just interesting to see that through marketing, the Coke can is quite handsome, and given availability, they come in 8 packs, to say nothing of the "bump", one can be taken right back into being a dependably addicted consumer.

I used to work for Coke, a lot. A salesman told me that all they need is for me to lift the tab. Pssssst. Item sold. I don't have to drink it.

But I am drinking these. And liking it. Not a lot of resistance.

I'm just a capitalistic tool.

Labels: drugs, food

RICH

U.S. Discovers Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan

I bet this will cause a skirmish or two.

It is a great find but a mess. Before the Karzais are done with it, and the Taliban, not a citizen of the country will see a nickel.

On the other hand, it is a perfect setup for us to skedaddle.

Labels: Middle east

TRIFLES

Today's movie was the French

Un baiser s'il vous plaît / Shall We Kiss? (2007)

Unintended consequences of simple kisses.

A comedy but in the somewhat sour french style. So is the sex. Mostly with good clothes on. Then off. Then on again.

I think that this is more about how people who are not really in love can sort of screw around with each other and then whine and moan about it when the results to not match their expectations.

They do expect to fall in love or they do not. Either way, a fuckup, so to speak.

Some of this is very heterosexual. If gay men had been involved there would have been a lot less talk, more action, less angst if someone got bent out of shape and more living together happily ever after, not necessarily in a relationship.

On the other hand, perhaps we are more like the other humans than we think.

I enjoyed it. A good one time entertainment. I will give it a 3 out of Netflix5.

Labels: films

ICED TEA updated

Beginning of the end of the tea party movement?

This is a thumbsucker article but it does have some basis.

The baggers are toting up bigger disapprovals just as some of their stars are getting a little spotlight time.

Harry Reid's opponent in Nevada is a gift that keeps giving. She will repeal social security and, well, a lot of things. It is a gift for Reid who was seen to have a tough time of it. Not now.

And the Tea Party, whatever and wherever it is, surprisingly, still stays as amorphous and disorganized. There are tussles for power among the various leaders.

There was also a notable absence of outrage, pillage and barbaric acting out at the recess meetings held by congress people this past break.

That's the thing about outrage without any balancing thought. It burns out early and hard.

"Who could have predicted that a cranky, leaderless movement with no real goals and driven mostly by an inchoate sense of persecution, aggrievement, and Sarah Palin hero worship would eventually turn in on itself and splinter into a thousand embittered little pieces?"

Labels: tea party

NATURE

We are in a long cooling period. No AC yesterday. Open doors all night.

This is June. We should have heat. But it is not foreseen for a week or more.

On another front or more beneath us, we had an earthquake last night at about 8:10. I had gone to bed and thought John had gotten in when the bed shaked. No. Then Booker roused up barking.

A slip strike. WHAM, Wham, wham. Three hits.

The first was a 4.9, the second a 4.5 and the third was in the 3.0 zone. Epicenter at Borrego Springs about 30 miles away..

Labels: earthquake, weather

NOTHING

There is not one thing on the buy a house/sell a house agenda for today.

Absolutely zero.

I am a bit nagged about sending in address changes but, somehow, I am not ready to do this.

An unconscious resistance? Or is it just to early to do it given that we have not closed and I can pick up mail at both places with relative ease.

Anyway. I was very tired and un-nervous last night so I slept really well. And, it seems that today, I am going to take it easy.

I might even take in a movie.

Labels: condo

HEROINE

I have been fascinated with the actress Marian Seldes all my adult life.

The 60-Year Stage Life of Marian Seldes

I saw her many times on television and in movies.

I finally was able to see her on the stage in Edward Albee's Three Tall Women

She was transfixing.

This is a wonderful loving tribute to her. The article. Many anecdotes. Many flashes of the Selde's personality.

She has a great story. An actress whose face was badly mauled by a boat propellor when she was a child. My god!

It is hard to say what great power illuminates her work as an actress.

In the old live television days she was clearly "on" and a "star" in every part.

She is, apparently, a brilliant friend to the young theater people that she comes in contact with. Generous.

She taught acting for many years at Julliard.

What feels like a great achievement now? “Maybe the teaching,” she said. “I hope so. Because that’s helping somebody. It was the hardest thing too, because it takes an energy. If you look away from a student’s eyes at the wrong moment, you can hurt them.”

Labels: heroes

ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER OPEN HOUSE

This one for the public.

12-2PM.

Booker and I will leave in a few minutes to pickup John, go to lunch and then take a visit to PetSmart where we will see, again, about proper bowls to eat and drink from. Booker, not us.

The shiny metal bowls we bought are not working out. The rubber rims come off. Hard to put back. And they are a perfect amplifier for the sound of dog on kibble. Booker is wary of them, still.

And, history repeats itself.

Another broker came early with video to shoot the house and do a live transmission with a client in Canada who will be here next week to look at several houses. Ours will, apparently, be one of them. He liked what he could see through the little screen.

High tech real estate buying.

When we bought this house in 1996, John came through and made a tape to bring home to me. It just turned up the other day.

But we had already bought the house or, at least, had put money down on it.

It was in escrow.

I never saw it until November when we came out here to plant our feet if not our bodies.

So, I am out of here in a few minutes.

Then back at 2. We shall see what we shall see. Or they shall see what they shall see.

I have my CDs playing. Bill Evans. Good open house music.

Labels: condo

ISRAEL EXPLAINED

The (s)State of Israel vexes me sorely.

They just piss me off.

Why is that?

It starts, for me, at the end of WWII with my own memories of the struggles in that area of the world.

I can remember the assassination of Count Bernadotte, the UN mission head. It was shocking at the time. One of the assassins became President of Israel. They were hailed as heroes.

Of course, today, it is nothing. Another death.

Since then I have moved from a supporter of the Israeli state (after all, none of us were immune from the portrayal of Zionist heroes and Paul Newman in Leon Uris' Exodus, a piece of effective propaganda as there ever was. You would want to play Arrafat?

So, I remained fixed on the paradox of a situation which, after 60 years of my own life, is still in flux.

The issues are almost always misrepresented.

Here is a great op-ed that helps demystify the situation.

Israel Without Clichés

Read it. Perhaps you, like me, can get through the morass.

We cannot write the problem of Israel off. It is the reason we have so much trouble in the Middle East. Everything rests on it.

I don't suppose that any of my anti-Israel feelings were changed by this. Rather, I now have the same opinions bolstered by some facts I don't normally run into my calculations.

Labels: Israel

THIS SHOULD BE FUN

The California general kicked off with Fiorina making a fool of herself on live teevee.

You know that I am an anti-Fiorina person from way back. Way, way before she thought she should run for public office. When she was running HP, into the ground.

If she was a guy I would call her a dick and an asshole and let it go at that but she is a woman and therefor immune from my ruder remarks.

Can a woman be a dick?

Beware of Live Microphones

She is an interesting character. She worked for McCain and said some stuff for attribution that was way off the party line. Something about how neither McCain or Obama would be as good a President as an experienced CEO.

She was muted right after that.

She has a considerable ego which, of course, they all do but seems to lack the kind of staffing that keeps her out of trouble.

No experienced business executive or politician would be so naive to assume that a microphone was anything but live, live, live. At the mercy of the techies who are bound not to like any of her ilk.

Labels: California, election

CHRISTIST WIPEOUT

We are doing our part out here to hold back the christian hordes from taking over the apparatus of the State.

Theocratic Judges Fall Short

People do not want this kind of shit.

Labels: christist watch

QUIET

Not much happening today.

John is out and the house is getting cleaned.

I am meeting with a friend this afternoon for awhile.

Tomorrow we have more chores and shopping. In the afternoon we are getting the windows/glass done for the last time.

A cosmetic job. They are pretty dirty in spots.

I have had to wade into the changeover of utilities and the cable company. Most have been easy to handle but the cable eludes me at the moment.

We have time.

John is doing most of the physical work. He is the sorter. So many bags to the second hand place. So much stuff. How did we get it all? Why did we keep it?

He has to do the sorting. I have few ideas about any of it. Some sheets I want to keep. My kitchen stuff. No sorting out there. It all goes.

Labels: condo

PROGRESS ON ALL FRONTS

Today was the Realtor Caravan, a weekly event where realtors get to see new properties without the bother of clients. A more free exchange. No nice clothes.

Dan said that 40-50 came out. I counted 25 cards. There were a lot of positive comments most notably around the price we have set for the sale.

The place looked spectacular today. We have "severe clear" in the desert today, as my favorite forecaster likes to put it.

The house was almost always ready although this was the last day of dirt before the weekly cleaning. We had done a lick and a promise for a broker who didn't show earlier in the week so it was pretty easy to set up.

We took care of two things. Booker went to the groomers at 8AM and was out of the way until 1100 when we picked him up and went to lunch. After that, we went over to the new place and walked around, stood in the shade and imagined living there.

It felt pretty good.

As an overlay for this, we had to get the right letter to go to our "banker" to wire the funds for the escrow. It's our money but they want a letter to release it and may even call to make sure it is right. Then there is the form and the route and all that shit. I have done pretty well to get it going. We have a week if they foul it up somehow.

I remain optimistic.

We close a week from Friday, on the 18th. Then move the 25th.

After the realtor gig, Dan was very upbeat. A neighbor came whose sister wants to move here and they would be just next door. Not what I would want but then I don't have a sister.

There are a lot of inquiries of that ilk.

Many hits on the website from regular people and brokers. 350 and 300 respectively.

Dan says that is a lot.

He was on a high after the broker tour.

We agreed to another public open house this Saturday, 12-2. I hate it but that is the game we are in. I had to call Dan and apologize for my negative behavior when he asked. He understands.

Labels: condo

LONG DAY

It was my intention to just do utilities today. Get the transfer of gas, water, electric under way.

I did do that but in the middle we found we were holding on to the escrow papers unnecessarily and went and signed them over. Notarized.

Then John took a whole lot of old clothing to the second hand place.

More, we sent the keyboard back east to family for their disposition.

A lot of travelin' for the Jeep. And Sebring too.

The escrow process is pretty much complete. They have to pass it by the Tribal Council (it is on Indian Land and we pay a lease every year although the HOA is negotiating a final sale.). Then to the Land Title recording and finally the close.

We need to send the rest of the money. We will do that tomorrow.

There is no final ceremony. When the deed is recorded they let the brokers know and the keys are passed.

Back east, we would be meeting in a room full of lawyers and signing paper for two hours.

Not here. It is all done by an "escrow agent" for about five hundred dollars.

I like this way better.

Labels: condo

WOW! THIS IS JUST BEAUTIFUL

Helping another guy out.

Labels: nature

CLOTHESING

Today's job was to sort through my clothes and separate the stuff that goes to charity from the stuff that goes with me.

Not as hard as it sounds actually.

I had already done a run-through of this 6 months ago.

I have never been one to keep stuff but even I am subject to the "maybe I will wear that someday" thing.

Another barrier to thinning the herd is some stuff bought five years ago as a more fashionable set of shirts and pants for a more active social agenda.

I did wear the clothes until the social agenda wore thin. We also quit going to Vegas or LA which was one of the reasons to have this stuff. Around here, it is kind of over the top.

So, for a few years, there it sat. I was loathe to toss it mostly because I had such high hopes for the new life which I would experience as a result of the outfits.

It was a little like the person who sets out to be a runner but has to have the most hi-tech shoes, tights, gloves and jackets before he even starts to run. When simple sneakers and shorts with a T are enough.

The designer clothing sat there waiting for a ride and I wasn't giving it any.

Today it got to go some place. Fashion forward to the second hand store.

I have two half trash bags and a big hockey style gym bag full of stuff.

Shoes, sox, winter things, an off white thin overcoat I loved. A lot of hoodies that I don't wear any more.

I had kept two wonderful butter soft leather jackets from Boston that I never wear because it isn't cold enough. I gave them to our realtor today. He has been known to wear leather every now and again. He looked pretty good in them. They will be put to good use, I am sure.

So there it goes.

We have less closet space in the new house so that is part of the impetus here. But more, there is the need to thin out. Get slim.

Oh.

That is the other thing. I only have a couple pair of long pants that fit my less slim 70 year old self. They all went too. A few brought from Boston. Optimist.

I am keeping my tux. The pants won't fit. But I think I might want to be cremated in it and you can slit the suit in the back for that.

No one will know the difference.

Labels: condo, life

IN A FASHION

Today's film was Anne Fontaine's

Coco avant Chanel / Coco Before Chanel (2009)

with Audrey Tautou.

This is a fine film in many ways. The story is, more or less, real. The acting is superb. The settings are beautiful or not. The editing is clever.

As the story unfolds Chanel's fashion sense is developed before her and our eyes. A cloche look on a fishermans hat. A striped shirt on a workman. Here and there we see and are nudged to see her sensibility coming to the fore. In the end, all of these little looks come together in a wonderful fashion show.

Her life story is bitter sweet. Good times and bad.

She is and stays self sufficient in a time when women of ambition would be mistresses or whores. Marriage was a dead end.

Coco finds her own path and becomes Chanel.

Tautou is terrific. And her friend is the wonderful Emmanuelle Devos who we see frequently in many different B roles. The men are very good. Very nice. No bastards here at all.

I liked it very much and would be happy to see it again.

I will give it a 4 out of Netflix5.

Labels: films

HOT MOVES

I suppose I should mention the heat.

We have not had our AC on 24 hours continuous yet but this might be it.

We were up to 105 yesterday and more today.

The traditional Sunday walk was earlier to stay out of the sun and it was still warmish.

This only lasts a few days and, by Tuesday, goes down to the 90s again. Cool for this time of year.

I suppose we will be moving in the heat but we did this before. We arrived at this house July 8, 1997, and moved in on a hot day. I do not remember the temperature or that it was uncomfortable.

We already had some of the basic stuff setup here. The bed. Some living room furniture. Some dishes. So we were here a day and ready before the bulk of things arrived.

We have started the sorting prior to move.

The mover came to look us over the other day. He is a good guy and we already trust him. He gave us a pretty good deal off his standard rates. Of course that is all just arithmetic and pricing policy but it felt good.

I sorted the CDs this morning. We are giving away about two feet of CDs, some still not open. Gifts or "offers" mostly that we didn't much want.

Labels: condo, weather

MORE LIKE JUST FOLKS

I don't know if this is a good or bad thing for our taxes but I think good. Lower brackets.

The main thing is that we are being treated (almost) the same as married, heterosexual couples.

I sent it to my accountant.

Thanks to Towle Road the website with gay tendencies.

IRS WILL RECOGNIZE GAY COUPLES IN CALIFORNIA FOR TAX PURPOSES

This is a major first. The IRS will tax start to recognize gay couples as a pair for tax purposes in California. The San Francisco Chronicle reports:

"In a significant move for same-sex couples, the Internal Revenue Service has decided to recognize California's community property law and treat the income earned by California registered domestic partners as community property income for federal income tax purposes."

"The decision, which was issued in a private-letter ruling on Friday, reverses a position the IRS took in 2006, when it said California's registered domestic partners should each report on their own federal tax return only the income they personally earned, not one-half of their community income."

"The new decision does not require or even allow California's registered domestic partners to file their federal tax return as married filing jointly or married filing separately, as they must do with their state tax returns. They must each still file a single federal return, but each should now report one-half of their community income."

The gay whiners and complainers should take note. It is in these incremental steps that rights are delivered. The grand gestures are usually empty.

Note that this is not just for "married" gay couples. It is for any and all declared domestic partners. All one needs is an application to the California Secretary of State to show common living and shared incomes.

We are both married and CDPs.

Labels: Administration Obama, gay life, gay marriage, gay politics

TOXIC DUMP

We have had a full trash can of toxic materials that we cannot put in the trash. It has been sitting there for two or three years.

I did not want to go through what I thought you had to go through to get rid of it at the prescribed "dropoff" facility maintained by the city and county.

But we are selling the house and it is sitting there and it has to go so today I took it over.

Booker and I filled five black bags with the stuff.

About 300 pounds of paint and shit.

It wasn't bad at all! Most things are not as bad as I think they will be. This is another one.

Here is how it went. I was first in line.

There was a line because it formed after me. I went an hour after it opened. Not like I got there early.

The guys were, well, something. Lookers in a latino way which is alright with me and one was especially sweet. They were not wearing hazmat suits but you could see that it was a carefully run operation.

They took the whole thing--the bags ha ha--in one gulp rather than 50 pound lots just to be nice. This was the thing I most feared. I had been told they would weigh it and I would have to go around as many times as it took over and over, filling out forms and shit, until the stuff was gone. There were no forms.

That rule does still apply. 50 pound lots.

So they did not have to do this for me in one take and I didn't ask until it was all over. I had to have something to chat with Juan about.

Booker liked the trip a lot and when I came home I retired the trash barrel and another job is done on the way to the condo at the end of the month.

Labels: condo