Reflections on the day

No blue Monday today!  It looks like my new business plan is falling together.  I am working for a pet sitter and starting my own sitter business.  I published the website today www.dogcathomesitter.net and start promoting it this week.  I have to put together some addresses to send postcards to, vets and groomers and then locate the stores to place flyers in. 

 

Today’s Current Events

 

Holiday Reflection

I missed the holiday party that I had been looking forward to for all week.  Fortunately I didn’t miss the holiday comedy show at the Skirball Museum.  Beth Lapidies and her hand picked crew of comedy writers and (one performer/writer).  The best two pieces weren’t even about Christmas, but still concerned gifts – as the theme of the night was “What’ja Get?”  Really lifted my mood and warmed my spirit on a cold California night. 

 

This week in current events

Counting out the days…until Christmas I guess.   I’m looking forward to the holiday and looking forward to it being over.  I have a few fun items on the agenda – an early cocktail party tonight – and am considering a comedy show featuring stories about Christmas. 

In politics this week I gave Obama another chance while listening to the NPR radio debate.  He strikes me as dry as toast, maybe you have to see him live.  Hillary gets it for sheer competance, could she fall into a Gore trap of being punished for always being the smartest person in the room and liking it?  I’m a little worried that Edwards has staked out too much of a populist position to get some of those more modest liberals, but I think that win or lose the nomination he is certainly likable and seems tough enough to look Putin in the eye and not play the fool to jokers like Chavez.  I like Edwards the best, but I think Hillary could do it too.  Obama is good for pres. in 8 to 16 years, he needs to be a governor. 

 

This Morning’s Paper

The most surprising thing about reading the papers this morning, is that how much the death of Kevin DuBrow has been documented.  The former lead singer of Quiet Riot must have been either more beloved or just plain well known for his band’s reknown as an early MTV success than I would have thought. 

A friend sent me a copy of Wired Magazine’s interview, and a New York Magazine piece about the aritcle show how intellectually bankrupt and out of touch the Record business CEOS are and have been for many years.  I was in the business when the internet came up and they perceived it as a way to promote artists only.  As things changed the reality of what position the record companies had in the food chain of the business was made apparent – they were plankton to radio and retail’s whale.  They were the raw material to radio and retail, who held a great deal of power over what acts would be successful and what wouldn’t.  As I remember it, the number one reason that music was not sold over the internet “back in the day” were the powerful chain retailers influence and threats that they would boycott any music sold on-line. If Doug Morris wasn’t so rich, he would be pathetic.  The sad part is all the talent that was wasted on kowtowing to unimaginative radio programmers and chain stores, limiting their options to do more.  Many of those people have been selling real estate for some time now.

 

Please..stop..Frank…Geary

What got me hot and bothered about Geary is that there was an article in the LA Times where it was mentioned that he is commissioned to design more buildings around the LA Civic Center, in addition to the Disney Music Hall.  I just don’t understand why the Broads and their crew want to limit themselves on such an ambitious project.  And as much as I enjoy his buildings, I think the newer commssions have gotten boring with a certain sameness – at some point they have lost their ability to surprise.  Is there anything less interesting than a mall created by the same designer?  And what about the poor neighbors that have to live with all those reflecting surfaces he can’t seem to design without?

 

Compiling my list of what to eat

As I work out all I want to do with this journal, I am starting my list of what organics I will consume.  Some good articles are finally coming out about the best ways to start eating organic that is affordable and worth the effort:

Foods that are most likely to contribute unwanted pesticides to your diet either because they have a high level or because we consume a lot of these products:

Apples, peaches or other fruit with skin. 

Spinach, ketchup (salsa too, although it isn’t in the list), peanut butter, and potatotes.

Beef and milk products.  I would imagine pork and chicken would be close to as processed as beef, although it wasn’t on anyone’s list.  What about fish?  I have been sticking to wild fish for several years, no farmed fish for me as the bacteria levels concern me.  I may have to stick to the same old farm factory meat though, I eat a lot of chicken, but have cut down on other meats due to the expense.

 

Pet Adoptions

There was a Salon.com piece about Ellen Degeneres and her dog adoption horror.  It sounds like everyone acted badly.  Threats of media exposure from the rescue shelter and a refusal to coorperate with the contract once the error was made.  I read (not in Salon) that the hairdresser’s family refused to even consider filling out forms.  

One thing about the Salon.com piece was how much it upset the author when people offered her older and disabled dogs.  I’m sorry she felt guitly for saying no, but that is her problem.  They did the same things to me when I went for my dogs.  I took a younger, very shy stray, rather than the lovely old Boxer, but I think they were just enthusiastic about  the dog as a pet.   And it while it will make the author happy to know that return rates are no different between public and rescue shelters, it is good to know if the dog is returned to the rescue shelter, it is sure to meet a good family and you don’t take the chance it is euthanized.   

 The pet sitting business is going a little slower than I initially planned, I think it is better to start in December, maybe around the first.

 

Still More…

After spending a week as a contractor with another pet sitter, and reading a book called “Pet Sitting For Profit” I came to the decision to start out on my own right away.  I was hoping to contract out as a sitter for her, and start a business concurrently, but as nice as she is, the sitter I hooked up with is not ready to have someone work for them .  She messed up two client meetings due to lack of attention to detail.  Makes us both look bad.  I did a couple of jobs for her, she seems swamped but that may just be her way of doing business.  I think I can do better on my own, even if I don’t have the testimonials or clientele yet!

New link: US Green Council

http://www.usgbc.org/

I would like to find out more about how to evaluate a home to make it greener.  From kitchen cleaners to efficient heating.  This looks like a good place to start.  I would also like to pursue a general lifestyle goal to live as locally as possible.  Food (although Farmers Markets are a little rich for me right now), clothing and house care is where I am going to focus.  All this news about China disturbs me as well. 

 

More in the New Direction…

Things look promising.  I’m getting work as a contractor pet sitting, and I am finishing up research on starting my own operation.  The start up is encouragingly low, and it is a talent to be able to get along well with various pets.  I love animals and never get bored with them, and can’t wait to get started.   

New blogs /sites to check out!

Nicely updated tourist page for the museum:

http://www.paris.org/Musees/Louvre/

This cute shopping site has a daily sale that they post at noon everyday; great home, home/office accesories & gift items:

http://www.delight.com/how_it_works.php

There are a few more than 2 blowhards on this blog and they post about current affairs - politics and culture, especially music with plenty of good links. 

http://www.2blowhards.com/