2 Arguments with in 1 hour...

It's snowed on in the city today. Because you never know how it's going to shut the city down when snow happens you get supplies.

So after work I get to the store to get food and beer. (it's just not snow storm shopping unless you get some form of alcohol). When I get back to the bus stop a woman starts a conversation regarding the traffice and the city's snow prep of the roads which lead to a conversation about my job at a horse racing track. Having explained to her my job she kept asking about how the horses were treated, and started making very broad assumptions of how the horsed were treated, jumping to huge conclusions that our vets didn't care about the health of the horses as well as other opinionated and ill informed assumptions. From my point of the conversation there was no winning of the argument as my job isn't a hand on with the animals but I've seen enough to know that these animals are treated better than a lot of people. Her attitude was that i wasn't allowed or privilaged enough to know "the truth" (condisending cunt).  But since she's never been to the track she has choosen to believe the hype of organizations like PETA. I tried to state my piece but in the end I ended the conversation telling her she has the right to her opinion then walked 2 blocks to a different bus stop.  (I really don't need the unnecessary drama) 

But, once I get to the other stop and under a shelter a black man arrives and asks about the busses. I tell him that when I last checked 10minutes ago the busses were 10minutes away, now (10minutes later) it says that they're 9minutes away.  He was friendly, very cool. Then an older black man arrives asking for a smoke. As I don't smoke I couldn't give him one. He then starts a conversaton saying that the younger generation has it harder than he had it. The other man says that "they" had it harder. Eventually I stop them both and say it's not harder for either... it's just different. 

This for some reason turns into a special time for the other younger black man to proclaim his knowledge of the bible and that he was going to spell it out for the older black man. At which point I zone out. This goes on for another 10-15minutes. Two black men arguing over who knows the best way to understand the bible and know what God has to say.  UGH! Talk about a waste of time.

I can't say that I've never been happier to see a bus but this was in the top 10! Once the bus arrived I jumped on and enjoyed the slow ride home. 

I think I understand my boss a little better now...

It's a rare Sunday off from work, so I'm doing the laundry I should've done yesterday and I'm watching Netflix selections. My choice for the day is the show No Reservations. The first episode is "Paris". Anthony Bourdain's trip through Paris and enlightening us on what the French have known for centuries. That is life is to be lived, food is to be enjoyed and savored. That we (Americans) simply don't take the time to pause and savor that which is right in front of us. Which brings me to the point of my title.

My boss loves food! He enjoys going to little fooderies he's heard of, or read in the paper. He loves cured meats. He loves candies. And he shares it with everyone... He will take the time in the middle of the day to go try pizza at some hole in the wall, or take orders for a Starbucks run or call from a Dairy Queen for what flavor of Blizzard I want. Is this man fucking nuts? Has he lost his grip on his position at work? Is he poisioning us so he can get a new crew?!?!?

No... he's young and still loves life. He still loves to experience "the new". It's great to be around people like that. To be in my 20's again, eager to succeed and prove myself to the world, eager to try new experiences. Will to take chances on a whim. 

Maybe some of that enthusiasm will rub off on me and i'll start trying to live again... one can hope.

Love, Marriage, Separation, Divorce...

Just received the news that my long time friend is getting a separation from her husband. Some would say it's about time. I am saddend by the news. They weren't an awesome couple but I always wanted to believe that it would last for quite a while longer. But when needs aren't being met in one way or another it's time to part ways. 

I can relate as I'm going through the same thing with the woman I've been dating for the past 2-3 years. It's been 3 months since I've actually seen her or touched her in person. We don't have the bond of marriage to contend with, so there's really no commitment. So in my passive-aggressive way I'm on the prowl. Be it for a night or longer. I need a woman who doesn't have the distractions of children or a job that works her 6 days out of 7. Or has regular health problems. She also needs to have a strong - very strong sex drive. Satisfy my sexual needs and I'm not going anywhere.

That said, I'm sad for my friends. They lasted longer than others would have thought but I always hoped that it would last a good long time, hoping they'd have some children and I'd be the "good uncle" I've missed out on being.

That said, I will hope for the best for my friends. Maybe they'll have a change in heart and grow to find the passion that has been missing in their lives.

Saturday, December 12 2009

Today the sky is overcastwth threats of freezing rain and snow. I sit here in my shabby, cluttered apartment, alone. The women in my life have chosen other activities rather than spend any kind of time with me. I've said it before, I'm a pig. I'm unkempt. My crappy apartment looks like a pack-rat has been saving the world crap here. That aside I am an attentive lover and make every attempt to be a good person & friend. Yet here I sit... alone again.

Is this payback for some deed of the past? Is this the beginning of a much lonelier middle age for this man? Is this the start of Old Man Baldwin - The Hermit? Fuck I hope not! But it is disheartening that women who at the very least, claim to like you, would leave you in such loneliness.

I can't go back to the life I once lead, staying up & drinking until I ran out of money or the bars closed. I still ended up alone 90% of the time. I just can't do it...

My folks worry about me, maybe they should... I worry about what's next in my life. Am I destined to stay here in this hovel of an apartment or maybe acquire the Ursa Major (a boat) and live on it... I don't know what is next. I can only keep living the best I can.

Holy Crap It's Cold!!!

Dateline: Portland Oregon, Dec.08 2009...

It's 6:21am in N. Portland at between 17-21 degrees, with winds at 1mph. What the fuck?!? All this cold and no fucking snow. At least with snow we'd get some time off from work. But with just the cold it's get up, get layered, get your as to work. Speaking of which, gotta get dressed now.

...fuck it's cold today!

Concept Dentistry - Patent Pending

It's a very simple concept. Instead of full root canals and removing and replacing damaged teeth, use common dentistry practices and stemcells to regrow damaged teeth. 

In the case of cavities and fillings, teeth would be cleaned and prepped as they would be normaly for fillings. Instead of using filing compound or metals the filling would be a stemcell compound mixed with enamel type substance, and then capped for the duration of the healing process. Once the stemcell have regrown the tooth, the cap is removed and the new tooth can be put to work. 

With the ability of gathering stemcells from the host body this kind of procedure shouldn't cause any "controversy" normaly involved with stemcell procedures. Though it will no doubt raise the cost of dental procedures but with better overall results. Combined with the WaterLas method of drilling this could be a painless and well received method of dental repair.

It's a sound concept if it were the get the right funding, backing & support. A game changer as it were. Now to get the patents going...