Smoothies

I will live forever or at least another day or two. My wife makes protein smoothies that upon consumption have the immediate effect of making my body feel immortal. I love them and they make me feel good and they are actually good for me and I am grateful for them. Also, they remind me of the smoothies that Tommy Chong makes in the movies, and with Cheech, which reminds me of "Up In Smoke". The last time I saw "Up In Smoke" I was walking along a street in Los Angeles doing nothing special and not going anywhere in a hurry and was suddenly grabbed by the image in a department store window that was playing "Up In Smoke" on several of their demo TVs and I had the same reaction I always have to that movie which is that I laugh uncontrollably, loudly, and without stopping, and with tears flowing in my eyes until someone helps me move out of sight of the movie which in this case took a while because the people I was in Los Angeles with were behind me quite a way having stopped at a different store to get something and they finally arrived and helped me move on to the hotel.

Movie Recommendations:
"All About Eve" (1950) (DVD) - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Group Learning

I belong to a group... an internet group... a Yahoo internet group that is a tool for professional communication for two departments of a state funded networking organization and one department is Marketing and one is Training. I became a better navigator of the group electronic resources today through some demos and practical applications. I was impressed at how sophisticated the free public groups have become and how much can be accomplished without spending big $$ on application software for my individual computer. I was humbled by how much I do not know because back in '82 I was a Unix guy and was way way way ahead of most other people and it is humbling to re-enter the net as a semi-novice and it is also exciting *:-)

Movie Recommendations:
"Vera Drake" (2005) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Diva" (1981) - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Solenoid-Code PO770 and Two Trips To Toyota

Ok, I am more relaxed now because our blue pickup is back in the driveway and the check engine icon is no longer lit. Mr. T. says that when the service department called the factory they said that before the (under warranty) solenoid needs to be changed out for sure that the local service guys need to rack the pickup and totally flush the tranny and replace all the fluid to find out if that will keep the light out. If the light comes on again, and if the computer spits out exactly the same code then we get a new solenoid at no cost to us. During the phone call from the service department to me about this approach I began to hallucinate about me driving down the freeway at 70mph and having the transmission solenoid freeze which would send me into a total instant stop and that would result in an end-over-end flip of the pickup which would cause me to flip over 7 or 8 semi-trucks and end up in the ocean. Wow, when I communicated my fearful fantasy to the service guy he chuckled and promised me that I am no danger of that happening and if the light comes on again all I have to do is drive back to the dealership and leave the truck for a day and I get the new solenoid. Well, ok then *:-)

Movie Recommendations:
"Around The Fire" (2003) - Yes, see it. OC+
"Closer" (2004) - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

My First Time

Today was hammer and tong day at my distant dentist and I was in the chair for 1 hour and 45 minutes of sweat inducing effort on the part of the dental surgeon as he completed the root canal that I needed. Multiple x-rays and his expert opinion say that the operation was a success. I am not in terrible pain and I definitely know that someone was walking around in my mouth today.
On the long drive back home from the dentist (I took today off) as I got within about 10 miles of our home something happened to me that has never happened before. I drive a 2002 pickup which my wife and I like very much and which is reliable however today, for the first time in my life, 10 miles from home, driving at speed, I was presented with the dreaded lighted orange "check engine" icon in the form of an outline of an auto engine. I checked all the other indicators on the dash and could not see anything signalling a problem and then I called the service department of the dealership where just 1500 miles ago the truck had completed the 30,000 mile check. The service guy was nice and said that the check engine icon really just means that nobody has any idea what could be wrong and it could be one or many of several hundred things and the only way to find out is for me to get the truck to the service department for a full diagnostic which I will do tomorrow. I wonder what it is?

Media Recommendation:
"My Sweet Lord" by George Harrison - Yes, listen to it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

"Voluptuous? Who, me? Well, maybe Statuesque."

Several recent comments by others have helped get someone very close to my heart to begin to accept the description "Voluptuous" as being applicable to her. I don't know why she doesn't like it and most of us feel it is very accurate and also a compliment. "Statuesque" did not offend her quite so much so maybe I can say that without retort.
Nice potluck gathering today at our son's house with nice relaxed people and a couple cats not so relaxed. We brought kichari, waxed paper and flowers as our contribution to the potluck. We did not eat the waxed paper or flowers and the kichari was very good.

Movie Recommendations:
"The Sound Of Music: Special Edition" (1965) - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Classic Rock, Cathedral Bundt & Classic Video

My son works at Yahoo and he has been 'suggesting' that I switch from Google search to Yahoo search to show family loyalty. Its a good thing none of my kids works at Google because then I would have to search every other one every other time *:-( Anyway, I tried Yahoo search for the first time a couple weeks ago and it works pretty good, and I did not know that Yahoo had the application that allows searching of video clips as well so that is new and I'll check it out to find material to support the workshops that I facilitate. Cool! I don't know how to find out if Yahoo is better than Google so I'll ask him today at our Easter get together if there is a rating service or a performance scorecard that I can check. A side benefit of spending time on Yahoo is that a friend of mine in Australia is on Yahoo Messenger which I had never used so I figured since I am spending time on Yahoo I might as well try that too so he accepted my request for seeing when he is online and now we can do internet telephony. The best part though is that along with Messenger I found the Launchcast application and am now, yes right now, high volume rocking out with the classic rock selections from Yahoo *:-) I love ZZ Top and hadn't had the opportunity to listen to them for a while. Cool!
My wife was suddenly overwhelmed with the desire to make a classic Cathedral bundt cake for me for Easter and that turned out great, thanks sweetie! At about 4 pm yesterday I was suddenly overwhelmed with the desire to get some corduroy fabric for my wife to make herself some new dresses because she looks really cute and sexy in corduroy and she never buys stuff for herself and because she is a master dressmaker and even teaches it I wanted to get her some new fabric so she can create some new stuff. She went along with it and we raced to the fabric store just before closing because they aren't open today on Easter Sunday and we found four good colors for her and got plenty of fabric and while we were in there this young lady and her mom came in and were all confused about how to make this dress that the young lady had designed and so my wife hooked up with them and helped them and then the young lady signed up for my wife's next class session to actually make it. Cool!
I was crying about an hour ago because I finally watched the DVD video "Up From Zero" put out by the U.S. Dept. Of Labor about the twin towers disaster of 2001. Follow the link above to get a free copy.

Movie Recommendations:
"Up From Zero" (2003) - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Happy Birthday & Cool Dinner Party

Happy Birthday today to our daughter, H.
Also, a friend put together a very cool dinner party last night to which lots of interesting people were invited. Lots of stuff having to do with "Mom" as defined by each of us individually. The stories were intimate, heartfelt, revealing and historically educational and significant. I discovered that one of the guests went to the same high school that I did and this is the first time in my many years out of high school that I have met anyone who even knew of the school and that was great fun being the only two people at the party who could share stories about the little "heres and theres" of the town and school. Thanks to the hostess for a successful, unique and fulfilling evening.

Movie Recommendations:
"Prime Suspect 2: Discs 1 & 2 (1992) - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Too Much Chocolate And Not Enough Protein

I made a mistake today and did not eat in the way my body needs me to. I don't feel very well at the moment *:-( Which of course is exactly how it is when I make a mistake with food. Because of doing taxes I also spent too much time sitting still and working on the computer. I got lots of computer work done and was successful and paid the price. When the sun broke through the clouds I had a great chance to get out and take a walk and didn't do it. I tossed the cat out when the weather got nice and didn't do the same to myself! I'll do better next time *:-).

Movie Recommendations:
"The Lost Prince" (2003) - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

The Acceptance Of Spring

It is unstoppable; heroic in size and scope and riveting to watch. Spring infuses every thought, movement and breath with inevitable destiny and with innumerable forms and outcomes. God, it is exciting! Far too easy for me to lose all else in the rushing flow of Spring. I have a body, fortunately, and so I become tired as the light fades and so do not exhaust myself beyond recovery. The big orange trucks, graders and scoops took control of our mountain highway today as they removed the boulders, sand and trees from both lanes and lines of us both north and south waited our turn when at the simple rotation of a small round sign we were permitted to pursue our dreams once again.

Movie Recommendations:
"I {heart} Huckabees" (2004) - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Finding DentistLand

Blinding rain, howling wind, flooded roads, wipers madly thumping, tires loudly splashing, headlights gamely shining and on I went to the dentist far far away. I am not sure why my wife and I have chosen our dental resources at such a great distance from where we live and I believe it must have something to do with the fact that they are the best in northern California. This dentist, one of three that we have, each for different purposes, is a (wait for it) r o o t c a n a l s p e c i a l i s t *:-( Today was the preliminary exam and xray session and next Monday is the tong and hammer session. I shall bravely sally forth and take what comes in the hope that when I draw my last breath it shall be across attractive and healthy teeth *:-)
The city in which the r.c.s. has his office is undergoing major reconstruction and I became lost (again) both going into the city and out of it. The new light support poles are in place and the city has not had the time to hang the street names on them yet *:-( Also, many of the streets are blocked off from traffic and all normal and logical patterns are now chaotic causing me to visit places I would not ordinarily go into in order to ask directions. The School District's Administrator's Office was especially helpful and was not accustomed to helping lost out of towners so I appeared to offer some unexpected entertainment to the staff.

Movie Recommendations:
"Finding Neverland" (new) - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Income Tax: A Vision Of The Recent Past

2004 is spread before me in all its detail. I know how many times I purchased books of stamps at the Post (7); I know how many times I purchased office supplies from Office Max (also 7); I know how many times I purchased wine as business gifts from Cost Plus World Market (5); I know how much the champagne and wine cost for my daughter's wedding (both were very good); I know how much we spent with Apple Computer for new Powerbooks (they love us); I know how much we spent with Dell for a new Latitude; I know how much the Department of Motor Vehicles demanded; I know how much the property assessor demanded; I know how much we spent on web hosting and related expenses to keep our internet access at the level we want; etc. Soon I will know how much the State and Federal governments demand after our tax preparer completes her work. I am resolved to manage our expenses more closely during 2005 *:-)

Movie Recommendations:
"Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" (1982) - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Starbucks Exists And No T-Mobile

My wife and I visited the newest Starbucks in the neighboring town today. Nice place, quite clean, no tattoos visible on the staff, not very busy either. They had the chocolate and tea I was after and also had a maple-iced baked scone that my wife enjoyed. I showed the staff my tattoo and then they loosened up a bit and showed me theirs which was a lot of fun and didn't matter because no one else was in the place *:-) I need wireless access when I visit Starbucks during the week and was surprised to hear that it takes about 1.5 years for each new Starbucks to get authorization and installation for the T-mobile wireless service. However, I was told that a neighboring tax service staff member had come over and offered to allow Starbucks patrons to login through the tax service open wireless connection if they wanted to, which the Starbucks management agreed to. I haven't tried it and it sounds functional and quite a nice gesture from one business to another. Maybe the tax service staff get free coffee or something.
We also went on to the largest town in our area and lightly shopped at the newest Trader Joe's which is a place I usually don't go in to. However, since my wife usually doesn't go into Starbucks and had done so happily and with pleasure, then I went ahead into Trader Joe's and had a good time shopping with her and also saw a friend or two. One of my wife's good friends and fellow artists painted a large wall mural on the Trader Joe's highest wall and got it done just prior to the grand opening a few months ago so we have a reason to drop in once in awhile. As a matter of fact my wife's friend had issued a call for help late one night so that he could be sure to get the mural done and both my wife and I used our art skills to help him get it finished before the deadline.

Movie Recommendations:

"Island At War: Discs 1, 2 & 3" (2004) - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Carly II

Based on what I learned from hanging out with friends who are still locked into a local corporation that I am familiar with there seems to be more than one Carly F. type individual on the loose. Perhaps there was a breeding pool established by the government at about the time Carly F. was conceived and some of the breeders snuck out and fertilized more than their share of corporate blossoms.
Real humans sharing real stuff is wonderfully healing and I'll take as much of that as I can, keeping in mind that the experience is different for everyone and might be too much for people I am with or who are present as partners.

Media Recommendations:

"Page-A- Day Zen Calendar" (2005) - Yes, read it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Our Kids Are Right

"The Incredibles" is a very good movie. We got it on DVD and watched it tonight and just loved it. I had a lot of assumptions about what it would be and it was much better than I anticipated. My wife and I did not see it in the theatre (which is still ok with us) and it was just fine on DVD with our wide cinema screen monitor.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all! I wore lots of green and the best display I saw was at the bank where the tellers were all in green shamrock boingy antenna hats and the counters were all done up for the day.

Several hours at our dentist today for both my wife and I. I came out a little better than she did and she will be returning for a little more work in about 2 months.

I am sorting through all the schwag I picked up at the business fair yesterday and there is some cool stuff and some that I will toss after getting the contact info into my PDA. I am glad I was there.

Movie Recommendations:

"The Incredibles" (2005) - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Business Fair: Wine, Ads, Government, Dogs & Technology

Today's Business Fair for local businesses was pretty cool. Half the exhibitors were a little casual for my preference and there were many who were very professional as well. All however were truly at the fair for business purposes and I had a good time visiting the other booths and working my shift at ours. I saw several colleagues I knew, some with whom I have worked before and some who are vendors to me and so it made a good event. I haven't talked so much in quite a while and although I would have liked to, I passed up the free root beer floats and passed up the wine tastings as well. When my wife and I can do the tastings together, probably at the wineries, then I can have fun. The Yellow Pages had the biggest booth which I did not expect. They also had the fewest visitors *:-)

Movie Recommendations:

"Stripes" (1981) - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Spring Equinox 2005

All hands on deck!
Change is in the air!
The earth is turning!
Be ready or be peanut butter!

The Vernal (Spring) Equinox shall occur on Sunday, March 20th, 2005, at 0434 PST.
This will also be Palm Sunday. Cool!
Enjoy, and click the link if you wish more detail.

Book Recommendations:

"Still Here" (Ram Dass) (2000) - Yes, read it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High healing and/or educational potential for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low healing and/or educational potential for people with OCD tendencies.

Spring, Patience & My Practice of Letting Go

Under and throughout the budding exuberance of Spring time, easily seen now because the ant, bird, bee, moth and butterfly members of my community show up for daily duty helping the no-legged partners shout the message of flowering, leafing, shooting, growing and feeding, there remains a powerful river of patience, stillness and peace. I have not before felt this and yet I know it has always been. I am happy to have noticed and will celebrate the occaision.

Book Recommendations:

"Anatomy Of The Spirit" (Caroline Myss) (1996) - Yes, read it. OC+
"The Way Of The Peaceful Warrior" (Dan Millman) (2000) - Yes, read it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High healing and/or educational potential for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low healing and/or educational potential for people with OCD tendencies.

QuickBooks Pro

Our Tax Preparer (the official name) was burdened with several phone calls from me today as I went through the process of setting up QuickBooks Pro so that our returns for 2005 will be much better. I found that I am to late to use QuickBooks 2005 edition to do our return for 2004. I believe a flat tax is a better idea and I understand it is too difficult to administer which is too bad. I chose mostly the default selections during the setup, but only after conferring with Tax Preparer via phone conference. Some of the settings I decided to customize and not very many of them. So far I am not going to use the QuickBooks Checking program. I'll think about that and decide later.

Book Recommendations:

"Transitions" (1997 by William Bridges) - Yes, read it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Tax Time A'comin'

I spent all Sunday (today) preparing the 2004 documentation for the beginning of our tax season. I expect another three 8 hour sessions will be required plus the meeting with our tax preparer. We did purchase Quick Books last week, and for the 2005 tax season I will be better prepared so that all we need to hand over is a CD with everything on it. My wife is far better prepared with the documentation for her business and sets a good example for me.
The sounds of spring are all around us up here with the distant cyclical hum of gasoline powered lawn mowers in the distance, the hacking sound of someone fairly close by cutting down last years growth of Scotch Broom (some say the proper name is French Broom) and our own yard full of the prunings from our fruit trees which have yet to be chipped into mulch. Our cat chooses the mown part of the yard to walk through whenever possible and gets only her paws wet when doing so while when she travels through the high grass she gets wet tummy to eartips.

Movie Recommendations:

"Edward & Mrs. Simpson" (all volumns) (1978) - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Mexican Food: YES

Our favorite large Mexican Food restaurant (a real sit-down restaurant in an historic building) finally re-opened after a minor remodel and refresh. Everything we tried is just as good as it always was, and since the ownership has not changed, we felt very comfortable with the service and environment. We were blessed with the company of our youngest son J. who is currently an intern at the NUMMI plant nearby and also his very very good female friend K. who we have not seen in quite a while. We had a good time and because I was in an outgoing and sociable mood I paid the wandering Mariachi band to come to our table and play a couple tunes which we liked (the Mariachi's are the same group as before also, and are good).

Movie Recommendations:

"A Murder Of Quality" (1991) - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High healing and/or educational potential for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low healing and/or educational potential for people with OCD tendencies.

Grass, Holes & A Wagon

The recent dry weather and the recent extended light of day has given me a rare chance to mow a portion of our mountain foothill yard closest to the house. How easy it is for me to forget all the gopher holes, dog-dug holes and left over children's hidey-holes that lie beneath the seeming smooth grassy surface. I am up and down at unplanned moments and the mower isn't always well syncronized with my movements causing groans and strains on the electric motor when too much grass is bitten off to chew. At the moment my wife's four wheeled laundry wagon sits precisely aligned with the flat smooth ground path I created last year for her to use in going to and fro the clothesline. I put the wagon there as a pathway guide so that my wife would not injure her ankle again when she cannot resist hanging the clothes out in the fresh sun and air.

Movie Recommendations:

"Oliver's Travels: Discs 1 & 2" (1997) - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

Short Sleeves

Lovely weather here on the California Coast *:-) Saves me building a fire in the wood stove each night too, which leaves more time to enjoy the evening meal and a DVD when possible. The light is beginning to stay with us longer too and that relaxes me a bit. I got a surprise call from Germany via one of the free internet telephony services and it was a fellow who had just gotten broadband for the first time and he made his first ever internet phone call to me and had picked my user name completely at random. He was very nice and I talked with him at length although I rarely respond to those calls unless the person is on my contact list. He and his family have never been to the USA and his questions were refreshingly naive and honest. It was quite a nice chat actually and I am glad I loosened my rules.

Movie Recommendations:

"Inspector Alleyn Mysteries: Disc 4" (1990) - Yes, see it. OC+
"What About Bob?" (1991) - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

It's Party Time!

Last evening found us on our way to friends for a double 60th birthday party. Our spirits were high and prior to actually arriving at the party we decided to drive past all the movie houses in town thinking perhaps there would be a great movie or two that we could go to at the late showing. That didn't turn out to be the case, but the drive-by did give me a chance to offend the parents of our daughter in law *:-( They are too nice to say anything about being offended, and here is the story so you can decide if I am to be banished to the boorish outlands:
At the last theatre we were checking out, my wife got out of the car to speak to the ticket taker to find out details and I waited in the loading zone with flashers blinking. As my wife was turning away from the ticket booth I saw J & L (parents of our daughter in law) walking toward the ticket booth and noticed that my wife had turned away too soon to see them. Because I was exuberant about going to the party, and because we had not seen J & L in quite awhile and because they live out of town and we hardly ever see them in the area where we live, my excitement caused me to honk the horn loudly, long and repeatedly until J (the father) finally turned my way. I waved to him and got out of the car quickly and jogged over to him and greeted him enthusiastically which he returned as best he could. Meantime my wife had figured out what was going on and she in turn greeted both J & L and then I greeted L.
Well, as we separated and my wife and I got back in our car and as J & L re-formed their own group, I noticed that they were escorting a couple whom we did not know and who looked rather official and sophisticated (uh-oh). So I am hoping that the "request for forgiveness" card that I will be sending to J & L will be accepted since I acted loudly and inappropriately in a public place in front of people that we did not know.
The party was a smash success and we had a ball and met lots of very cool people *:-)

Some Parts Of Town Seem Healthier Than Others

My wife and I were in several different parts of the largest town near us today. We each were affected quite differently in some parts and affected the same way in others. I seemed less immediately physically made ill in some of the over-developed, limited natural environment parts and my wife immediately felt ill. In my experience my reaction time is about two days slower than hers. She helps me by being a bit like a canary in a mine shaft by giving early warning signs that we aren't where we should be. Both of us were glad to get back in the trees where we live after visiting the town.

Movie Recommendations:

"Anna Karenina" (2000) - No, don't see it. OC-
"Inspector Alleyn Mysteries-Discs 1&2" (1990) - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educatonal message for people with OCD tendencies.

Position Acquisition

Position Acquisition sounds a lot fancier than "job search" and both are what I am learning to become expert at. Transitioning from 25 years at corporate headquarters as an international marketing guy is quite a bit of fun once I adjusted the emotional entanglements that had built up over the years and re-aligned them into part of my network for success. Many of my professional colleagues were in town recently and invited my wife and I to a very nice dinner and we all had a great time. If it weren't for the elapsed time in commercial aircraft coach seating (which is a lot smaller than when I started flying internationally 25 years ago) I would love to offer my value to a broader geographic client base. I recommend that some of the government subsidies now offered for our agricultural sector be redirected to enhance the business class section of commercial aircraft so that our business persons could arrive more refreshed and ready to go, and also be able to get some work done on the plane. The criteria would be that only business people representing a company paying taxes in the USA could get the preferred seating discounts and would be given first preference for the seating. The times that I used either my frequent flyer miles or my own money (when I wasn't feeling well) to upgrade myself to business class showed me the benefits to the company for traveling in the appropriate way. My $0.02.

Movie Recommendations:

"Deadwood-The Complete First Season" - No, don't see it. OC-

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.

The McIntosh is dead and down

One of our oldest trees (planted long before we purchased our home) and probably at least 50 years old was felled yesterday by our arborist because it was diseased in the trunk core. Someone long ago had improperly trimmed it, and caused a great deal of water to be directed into the trunk due to pooling and that caused the wood to rot and become diseased. The squirrels are in total shock because the McIntosh apple tree was their primary ingress and egress from our yard because it interfaced directly to the power lines that run parallel to our property line and offered the best escape route from the paint balls as well. I'm smiling about that *:-) and I should have a better shot at them all year long *:-)

Movie Recommendations:

"Bertie & Elizabeth" (1997) - Yes, see it. OC+

Lee's OC Index:
OC+ = High potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.
OC- = Low potential healing and/or educational message for people with OCD tendencies.