Friday, October 4, 2013

Day 1389

I only made it to the gym one day this week. I just didn't have the time. It's not that I have any new clients or anything. I'm busy because my old clients keep asking me to do harder and harder things. I feel like a guy who owns a kite shop and has been making beautiful kites for all these years. All of the sudden, people come in the store and start asking me to make remote control helicopters instead. Hey guys, I'm trying to keep up, but just because you see something cool that you like on Facebook, doesn't mean I can instantly add the same thing to your own website.

I actually got a lot done today. I doubt that it matters though, because I left an even longer list of things undone. Maybe I'll get caught up this weekend. On the other hand, I might never get caught up. Since I was sitting at the computer all day, I paid special attention to how Dot was acting. Something wasn't right today. She seemed excessively needy and would occasionally stare off into space for long periods of time. When we went outside, she snapped right back to normal though, so maybe nothing was wrong.

This is the problem with trying to diagnose the dogs or my own condition over the Internet. There is such an abundance of conflicting opinions that after a while, you start to see almost everything as a sign that something dire is about to happen.  It is obvious that something is wrong with Dot, but there's a good chance that simple old age has as much to do with her condition as anything.

When I was eating breakfast this morning, I overheard the restaurant manager explain to a new hire how to up-sell the breakfast menu to customers. I suspected that this was what was going on when waiters asked me if I wanted orange juice, a side of bacon, or fresh fruit with my order. I always gave them the benefit of the doubt though. Hey, maybe they were just being nice. What happens, according to my overheard conversation, is that the core menu items are low priced loss leaders designed to be paired with more profitable appetizers and add-ons. The theory is that when the customer orders the extra items the waiter recommends, they are happy with their meal, but still remember the low price of the initial core item they ordered. I guess this theory works, because when a waiter ask me if I want toast, juice, or fruit with my order, I just say yes or no and never even look at the price.

There's another Dalmatian Rescue fundraiser tomorrow night, but I'm nervous about leaving Dot alone for so long. Of course, if I skip the fundraiser and stay home with Dot, I'd be nervous about Janet driving on the freeways late at night. I'm just nervous about everything these days.

Jersey is today's Dalmatian of the Day
Watch of the Day