dimmable CFLs don't dim as nicely as incandescent, but damn!  so much more light for 1/2 the # of watts.  The living room isn't dark any more when the lights are on!

Yesterday my paternal grandfather died at 88 years old.  I learned quite a few new things about him today... some of the more interesting stuff (to me at least):
1) he was tried (and acquitted) during WWII for having severed a secret defense communication cable between SF and Honolulu (while Captain of a Navy ship that dropped anchor on the cable)
2) his boat was used and is in many of the pictures of MacArthur's return to the Philippines (maybe the landing boat in this picture:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Douglas_MacArthur_lands_Leyte1.jpg ??)
3) other than while away at college and during the war, he worked in the family flower/nursery business all his life, starting at age 10--it was started by his father in 1913 and is now being run by my grandmother and father)
4) he held a variety of elected offices in city/county government and a couple of industry organizations


While I'm a complete atheist, I do believe in some kind of karmic/cosmic chance and it really hit home for me yesterday.  As I was sitting on the plane waiting for the last of the cargo to be loaded, I looked down and saw the last things being loaded were 4 boxes of orchids packaged for wholesale distribution.  Since the family business is flowers, I've been around such boxes for a big portion of my life--even having used them as make-shift beds as a kid growing up around the flower shop.  Orchids have waned from a formerly popular usage as a fragrant funeral flower, but the coincidences of them being loaded as I was watching, on the flight to my florist grandfather's funeral was just too much...

All in all, I'm sad, but glad that his suffering from partial kidney failure, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, and arthritis have ended.

RIP

the witch is almost gone... just a few more minutes until the jackass-in-chief is history. and i don't think history will be kind to him.

Growing quickly, but I'm guessing it's going to pick up quickly!

Caution, contractors at work!

Some poor pathetic soul showed up to the Prop 8 protest in Santa Cruz with 3 "Yes on 8" signs taped together into a banner--the guy seriously needed to grow a pair.  He was in jeans, a long-sleeve hoodie, bandana around most of his face and large sunglasses that prevented his face from being seen.  Most of the time he held his banner in front of his face.  The protestors didn't touch him, but very quickly started to surround him and hold their signs and flags so that his banner couldn't be seen.

If you're going to advocate stripping away rights from people, have the balls to do so without hiding behind a costume.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/11/they-planned-pr.html#more

Date:	2008-11-08 00:21
Subject:	omg... snoring puppy
Security:	Public
Mood:	amused

omg!  http://www.rob-a.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=26494

both boys are now heading to the door some of the time when they have to go outside. a few more weeks of reinforcing this behavior and we'll have house trained dogs :)

Date:	2008-11-02 11:03
Subject:	Introducing the destructo brothers...
Security:	Public
Mood:	tired

Schutt and Asche! (German for utter destruction!)




More...

http://www.noonprop8.com/action/engage-online/downloads

Use them for Twitter, Facebook, LJ, etc etc etc :)

... of writing on passed out frat boys with sharpies!

I will have to now purchase Apple equipment... http://www.apple.com/startpage/

Date:	2008-10-15 09:48
Subject:	Arm yourself with Prop 8 information/resources!
Security:	Public
Mood:	nervous

http://www.youtube.com/homotracker (Youtube PSA collection)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/15/MNNC13ELMC.DTL&type=politics (table at the bottom shows bible verses & interpretations)
http://www.noonprop8.com/about/fact-vs-fiction (common lies on Prop 8 implications and the answers)
http://www.eqca.org/site/pp.asp?c=kuLRJ9MRKrH&b=4375153 (how to help No on Prop 8/Equality California)
http://www.noonprop8.com/about (basic info on Prop 8)
http://www.noonprop8.com/action/spread-the-word (toolkit for writing letters--to friends & family, blogging, newspapers, etc)
http://www.noonprop8.com/action/phone-bank/sign-up-to-phone-bank (dial from home to encourage people to vote No)

If you have others, please comment and I'll keep expanding the list!

One of the last people I called said to me: "Separate but equal worked fine for us black people, why don't domestic partnerships work for you gays?"

Umm... ok. In what twisted version of history was separate but equal workable for anyone?

Called tonight from the De Frank center. 67 calls, 7 callees picked up. 2 "you better bet I'm voting YES". 3 "I'm voting hell NO". 2 "None of your business" The script was easy to follow for most of the conversations. 1 of the "yes" voters got me off script :-/

It was grueling, but necessary. Please do your part to keep civil rights available to ALL Californians.

For those of you outside of California or unable to make it to a local phone bank, Equality California has a service that you can use from your own home phone....

http://www.noonprop8.com/action/phone-bank/sign-up-to-phone-bank

Please join the effort to defeat Prop 8. The religious zealots have enlisted thousands of out-of-state callers and have raised tons more money (mostly outside of California).

For those of you not reading my husband's LJ, our dog died very suddenly tonite. He would've turned 4 in November. He was an amazingly sweet dog.

Unfortunately, the latest poll shows the tide turning that Prop 8 might actually pass... http://is.gd/3GgE

If you're in California, vote! and vote No on 8! Spread the word to anyone you know in California as well.....

being back in Austin is a bit weird, but good... looking forward to good food!