SIGH....

I hate Sundays. I think it's a carryover from my school days, when Sundays meant I finally had to buckle down and do my homework, the weekend was almost over and school was dead ahead. Now I'm a grownup (allegedly) and it still means homework (not enough time during the week to get all the crap done I need to) and work is now dead ahead.

Whatever happened to the three-day weekend technology was supposed to bring us - promised all those years ago? And where, by the way, is my jet-pack?

Okay, okay - this is the last day of a four-day weekend and I AM grateful for that. Thanksgiving was bright and sunny - we started off with brunch at a good friend's - but it went downhill from there. My addictive nature struck when we returned home and I spent the rest of that day and the two that followed psychologically chained to my computer, going obsessively back and forth between CNN and Twitter, following the minute-by-minute updates from Mumbai (Bombay for those of you who don't know your geography).

I finally 'get' Twitter - thought it was a giant waste of time and certainly didn't want anyone 'following' me - my life isn't that interesting, for one thing. For another, it's nobody's business but my own.

But as the dreadful news from Mumbai continued, Twitter was way ahead of the conventional news media and I got sucked into the running commentary from people at the several scenes of carnage and craziness. My news junkie gene was way too active...got the turkey in late, which meant Mr. D and I ate our Thanksgiving meal at 9:00 PM. (He was a little fussy that I'd disappeared into the computer....)

The effectiveness of social media was a sidebar story to Mumbai. CNN said:

With more than 6 million members worldwide, an estimated 80 messages, or
"tweets," were being sent to Twitter.com via SMS every five seconds, providing
eyewitness accounts and updates.
Many Twitter users also sent pleas for
blood donors to make their way to specific hospitals in Mumbai where doctors
were faced with low stocks and rising casualties.
Others sent information
about helplines and contact numbers for those who had friends and relatives
caught up in the attacks. Tweeters were also mobilized to help with transcribing
a list of the dead and injured from hospitals.

Interesting to watch social media come of age...

Meanwhile, Black Friday was really dark - one poor guy gets trampled to death by a shopping-mad mob at a Wal-Mart on Long Island while two guys in California shoot it out at a Toys-R-Us. WTF is up with that??? (I'll do my Christmas shopping on-line, thank you very much.)

And on the homefront, I've had a low-level war going on between the old cat and the new one. Introduced them on Friday (finally) and the old black cat HATES the little orange one. No catfights, thankfully, but lots of growling and hissing. (Yes, we've decided to keep the little stray...dammit. But he sure is CUTE.)

Add to that the gray skies, cold, and wet - and I think I'm ready to go back to work tomorrow.

Saturday Morning Yowls

Anybody in the market for a new cat? 'Cuz we've got one - caged in our garage and yowling everytime she/he hears any noises from inside the house.

The black Lab is fascinated, stretched out on the hallway floor with her nose about a foot from the door to the garage. She'd really like to meet whatever's making all that noise. (She wants to be friends...)

The black cat, however, is pissed. What in God's name is going on here, and why is there another cat (sort of) in the house? Unlike the dog, he is as far away from the garage door as he can be, looking at us with baleful eyes, attention riveted by every new yowl.

What to do....

The garage occupant is a long-haired, orange and white cat who suddenly showed up at our front door about 7:30 last night. I thought it was our cat, yelling to get in. (He prefers that doors be opened for him, please - the cat door we installed for him is just too much trouble.)

No idea where this little guy came from - but he/she was thrilled to see us. Serious purring, rubbing of legs, and ecstatic responses to being stroked. A really sweet little cat, probably in the last stages of kittenhood.

It was cold and dark and our visitor was starving so we gave him/her water and food (I know, I know...bad move). We thought about using the dog crate and bringing it inside - but censored that idea. We'd just fed the little thing and it was going to need a litter box.

We didn't want it socializing with our animals, because one of its eyes is red and watery and we don't need any more vet bills. Plus, I was not interested in hosting a cat fight in my living room. So the garage seemed the best alternative. Warmer than the outside and contained. (We live in the woods - also home to foxes and owls and things that could do serious damage to someone or something scared and out of its element. Which this little guy clearly is.)

We're not far from an animal shelter - and have had other critters show up on our doorstep (including the black Lab) dumped by some dirtbag who didn't have the courage to take their unwanted critter to the shelter, just let it loose nearby apparently figuring the kind-hearted souls inside the shelter would take care of it - and they wouldn't have to go through the shame and expense of getting rid of their unwanted animal. (Assholes.)

Maybe the little guy is lost, but I don't think so. Everytime a car went by, the little cat perked up. And every now and then he'd stare out into the darkness and just yell.

Seems abandoned to me. Like I said, we've seen it before.

So now he/she is our problem. And there are some dangerous signs...unbidden thoughts like "I'll take it to the vet tomorrow morning to have its eye looked at." (What about not wanting any vet bills, you dumbass?) "Then maybe we could introduce it to our cat and see how it goes..." (NO NO NO NO NO! What are you THINKING? You don't NEED another cat!) "But it's so cute and scared and cuddly..." (SHUT UP!!!!!!)

That inner conversation basically echoes the dialogue I had with myself when the black Lab showed up. Ten years ago.

So today we'll do our due diligence - check with various lost animal registries, run an ad in The Star (lost pet ads are free - or used to be), maybe put some signs up around the neighborhood. Like I said, it's a sweet little thing and seems to have been well cared for. (Until dumped, anyway....if that's what happened.)

But I'm afraid we may have a new member of the household...(NOOOOOO!!!!!)

UPDATE: It's a he - about 8 months old, the vet says. Not neutered, not microchipped. With fleas (now treated) and a little conjunctivitis in his right eye (we got the eyedrops). He's still in the garage....not yowling so much.

UPDATE #2 - turns out Mr. D. has been having the same inner conversation with himself. "What a sweet cat..." (ARE YOU CRAZY????)

Saturday Morning Funk

So I'm a glutton for punishment. It's a dank, cold, grey and windy morning - currently 32 degrees, for God's sake, with tiny ice pellets on the back porch. Winter is making its debut.

Up before dawn with nothing else to do, I've read the entire 196 pages of the deposition given by former Funkhouser Chief of Staff Ed Wolf in the "Mammygate" lawsuit.

Like I said - a glutton for punishment.

But I'm also fascinated by the goings-on at KCMO's City Hall. Having worked there a hundred years ago, I have been both entertained and appalled by the goings-on since the Funkhousers (deliberate plural) have taken office.

Some observations from my reading:

* Wolf seems only peripherally involved in the day-to-day workings of the office. Lot's of "I didn't know about that" kinds of responses. Even though he states he thought Gloria was a cause of tension in the office, he never spoke to the mayor about it. And, I repeat, he was the Chief of Staff. In title, anyway.

* More: In his deposition, he says he was "stunned" when the Bates allegations came out, that he "did not realize that this kind of communication or tension existed" in the office.

* Apparently, no one expressed their concerns about his wife to the mayor. Not until Joe Miller spoke truth to power and said it out loud: "that Gloria should not be at the office." Miller resigned shortly thereafter.

* Big Brother is alive and well at City Hall. Wolf asked for City phone records to see if Ruth Bates was calling Shawn Pierce. He got the records (which, of course, since it's a piece of City equipment, Wolf's entitled to do.) There were no such calls.

* From his description, the mayor's office sounds like a hellhole for employees. No wonder so many have left...or been driven to tears.

* And, from his description, the mayor is someone who's driven away his best friends and supporters.

What can we next expect? Well, there's the Wall Street Journal article on this whole mess. And, of course, still more depositions.

I'm most looking forward to Joe Miller's....

Power to the People???

The election's over, thank God, and now the hard part starts: governing. So what's next? Who knows?

But I think the Internet and the huge database built by the Obama campaign are going to be key tools in his presidency. If he could mobilize people to send in $5, $10, and $25 donations, how much easier to urge them to contact their legislator on whatever the issue at hand is. (And I'm sure he'll provide them the link to said legislator.)

That database isn't going anywhere. And it won't be gathering mothballs.

His strategic use of technology was key to his campaign. Through it, he built a coalition at a grassroots level, getting ordinary folks involved in a way they hadn't been before. His messaging was disciplined and his tone was (nearly) note-perfect.

Exhibit A: Hillary blew off the caucus states, while Obama quietly mobilized gazillions of people to show up and vote. She stuck to the traditional political playbook. He did not. He won.

Just as the then-immature medium of television made the difference for John Kennedy in 1960, the still-evolving Internet made the diff for Barack Obama.

It'll be interesting to see how he uses the Web to try to fix all that's broken...

Welcome to the 21st century!

The Planet on Obama

I've spent the early morning hours before work trolling foreign newspaper sites, looking at the world's reaction to Obama's historic victory. Most everybody seems pretty happy with us...

"Change Has Come to America" - or some version of that - is the number one headline. Lots of video of US ex-patriots celebrating (or not) in Sydney, Tokyo, the UK, etc. Lots of videos of various world leaders congratulating the President-Elect. Dancing at the Obama family compound in Kenya.

There is a great deal of hope being expressed that the US will reverse its course, tone down the beligerence, and help bring change to the world. There is great admiration for our ability to overcome our racist past and elect an African-American to our country's highest office.

Our democracy once again inspires.

The Times of India is the best illustration of that inspiration. A country divided by caste and religion, a nascent democracy that is ambitious and has been modernizing quickly; but a country burdened with the second-largest population on the planet. They've got a lot of problems, including crazy people willing to blow themselves up. And who do so with some regularity.

My favorite comment was from "Manoj Thomas" in Amsterdam:

"What a moment in history! As an Indian citizen, I can but admire the determination of both candidates to focus on the future of their country..Obama in victory, McCain even in a demoralizing defeat. If only our politicians could take a page from this. While our politicians (and we as Indians) bicker fight to carve up smaller and smaller states and actually try and differentiate between each other based on region, creed, and caste, America with a bitter history of civil strife has come full circle, finally realizing the dream of its founding fathers. It is no wonder that she still draws the best talents and people and more importantly motivates them to excel. If India has to live up to its tru potential, we will need to learn to live with each other peacefully, focussing on our common good, and what really matters to make all Indians prosperous and happy. This has been a peaceful revolution in America, in some ways inspired by Gandhi (Martin Luther King & the Civil Movement). Isnt it ironic that the land of the Mahatma has itself failed to use this powerful channel of transformation and still resorts of violence and hatred as a solution?"

Enough said. Have a great Wednesday.

More from the Ozarks...

The first time I saw this sign...it took me a minute to realize what it was.

At the time, it was closed to the public. (Renovations were underway...) Clinging to the side of one of the town's many hills, the Palace Hotel and Bath House was up a couple blocks from the center of town. On Spring Street, the main drag through what I guess is downtown Eureka.

The original owner/builder wanted it to resemble a European castle. Built of limestone by the same Irish stonemasons who built the Crescent Hotel, the miles of stone retaining walls, and the many other stone structures in town, the Palace opened in 1901. W.C. Fields was its most celebrated client, along with any number of mobsters coming to take the waters.

It was also a bordello in those early years - and the sign outside perfectly advertises the establishment. It's also historic - the first neon sign west of the Mississippi - and may have been crafted by the inventor of neon, a Monsieur George. It was painted by a local signpainter who had the last name of "Golly." He also had a sense of humor - he signed every creation "By Golly." (Which you can still see...) It's especially interesting at night...with the neon shining through the darkness.

On our recent sojourn through the Ozarks, Mr. D and I wound up in Eureka Springs and decided that, if they had a vacancy and it wasn't a million dollars, we'd stay. They did...and we did. A little pricey, but I'd always loved (and laughed at) that sign and wanted to see what the Palace was like inside.

My only disappointment is we didn't encounter the hotel ghost - Rosemary - who allegedly died "in the throes of passion," as the hotel information described. The rooms were lovely (a jacuzzi - more hot water!!!); they served a marvelous breakfast; and the bath house in the basement has been restored and is open for business.

I love old buildings - stayed over the years in several of Eureka's older establishments, including the big old white elephant of a hotel called The Crescent. Which also has a ghost. Which I think I encountered once when staying there alone. But that's another story...

Weekend Rants

* Who in God's name can be undecided in this election? Who are those people? Have they not been paying attention????

There's a clear distinction between the policies, temperament, and attitudes of the two men at the top of the ticket. (I won't even discuss the two VP combatants - one is so woefully unqualified there's simply no question as to who's the better choice.)

Two more days and then it'll be over. At least, I HOPE it will be over. Lawyers are being mobilized everywhere to be on alert Tuesday and THAT is certainly worrisome. (Anybody remember 2000? Oh, what a difference that would have made.)

Please, God, give us a clear outcome on Tuesday night....


* So Funk is now telecommuting, doing his job from his house in order to diminish the separation time from his dearly beloved.

How nice for them both. I telecommute as well - when I can - and find I'm infinitely more productive when I don't have to deal with the phone calls and other interruptions - I don't have to waste time with the whole makeup-dress-for-success ritual, nor do I have to spend an hour in traffic getting to and from work. I have access to my work computer via the Web, so can keep on top of email and dive into any files I need from the job.

I get a helluva lot done working from home. And I enjoy it. I work in my pajamas, get dressed only to walk the dog, can throw dishes in the dishwasher or do other small tasks as I wander around the house thinking about whatever it is I'm working on.

My spouse works at home, too - his studio and shop are at the other end of the house. Not sure what Gloria and Mark do, but we pretty much ignore each other, meeting occasionally in the kitchen as we both head for the coffee pot.

I use my telecommuting time for those projects that need quiet and thought - usually some big writing project I'm having to deal with. But most of the time, I drag myself into the office because I STILL HAVE TO INTERACT WITH PEOPLE. I still have to 'show up.'

The mayor's giving telecommuting a bad name.

And for someone who keeps saying working with the city council is his number one priority, well, it just doesn't jibe. The quote from Terry Riley in the Star was on point: this will give the council more cohesion. (As I've said before, keep looking for 12-1 votes coming out of the Council Chambers on the 26th floor of City Hall.)



* Though I gigged undecideds in the Presidential election a few paragraphs ago, I must admit to waffling myself on the light rail vote.

Con: it costs TONS of money; only goes a short distance; we have so many other needs.

Pro: it could be the starter line for a larger light rail system (that's been the case in most cities elsewhere in the country); it provides jobs at a time when we need them; and its economic benefits (again, if you look at the experience of other cities) usually returns $6 to $7 in economic development for every $1 spent on the light rail line (the development springs up around the light rail stops...).

This is probably going to be one issue I decide as I'm standing at the voting machine.

Either way, after the election, watch Mike Sanders. I expect the Jackson County Executive to grab the transit leadership mantle from the ineffectual mayor of KCMO (Cows? Give me a break.) And a great community NEEDS good transit. (Notice I didn't say light rail - I said TRANSIT. Buses, BRTs, commuter rail - ie over existing railroad tracks - are all a necessary part of any good transit plan.)