Archive: May 2004
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Monday - May 31, 2004
Memorial Day
In honor of Memorial Day: The Name in the Stone by Gerard Van der Leun
Tuesday - May 25, 2004
New logo for work
I started to write about a new logo I had to create for a web page I'm putting together at work and then realized it was really too much for this space so I created a new Notebook entry instead. Have at it.
Friday - May 14, 2004
Helping a mom out
I had to stop at the credit union and deposit a check this afternoon after today's miserable baseball games. I thought about going to the branch at 46th and Guadalupe but then remembered the ATM machines outside the Co-op near the Law School. So, I headed over there. As I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed a car parked all caddy-wompus in front of the ATMs. It was blocking all three of the spaces directly in front of the ATMs. So, I pulled into the fourth spot, got my ATM card and the check, and headed to the machines. The driver of the car was standing tensely in front of the machine on the left. Thankfully, it was the machine on the right that I needed...the one that had a deposit slot. So, I put my card in and the woman starts talking a hundred miles a minute:
"I've been driving around trying to find a parking space for about 30 minutes and there's no parking anywhere! My daughter's race is right now! I don't know what I'm going to do!"
I realized she was talking about the track meet. Things were rather frantic around campus today. The baseball team was playing a double-header, students were taking finals, the University of Texas Press was having their big annual sale, and the UIL State Track and Field Championships were being held at Myers Stadium. Which meant that parking was at more of a premium than usual on any given Saturday.
So, I offered some sympathy and continued with my transaction. She continued:
"I finally found a spot but some miserable man behind me grabbed the space. He just backed into the space even though I found it first! I was so furious. I am having real road rage! I just couldn't believe he would do that to me. And, I'm not from around here and don't know where to park. And, my daughter's race is right now! I don't know how I'm going to make it. Do you think it's okay if I park here? Do you know what the fine is if I get a ticket?"
I noted that the sign said it was a tow-away zone and that it might be best to go ahead and park on the other side of IH-35 and walk to the stadium. I said as how it was pretty far from the track but that I really couldn't think of a better idea. Then, I offered to follow her there in my car and give her a ride back to Myers Stadium. She'd still have a rather long walk to the car after the meet but might get to see her daughter's race.
She seized on that idea and asked if I was sure...if it wouldn't be too far out of my way. I told her it wouldn't be a problem and then she told me to go first and she'd follow. So, I got in my car, pulled out, and headed back toward Disch-Falk. She followed. We turned east on 26th and I spied a nice parking spot about 1/2 block down the road on the right side of the street. I slowed down and pointed it out to her. She was so flustered, it took her a couple of tries to get the parallel parking thing right even though the spot was big enough for two cars. Poor thing! Anyway, she got parked, grabbed her stuff and we took off toward Myers Stadium. She thanked me profusely for helping her out:
"I really can't get over this. You are being so kind to me! And, when I get excited my Jamaican accent get so bad! What is your name?"
"Joanna."
"It's very nice to meet you. My name is Heather. I live in San Marcos. I really appreciate you giving me a ride. I really don't know what I would have done!"
So, I got to within about 1/2 block of the entrance to Myers Stadium and she said she hoped we'd run into each other again some day, jumped out of the car,and went flying off down the hill to the gate...her mood much improved from when I'd run into her 5 minutes earlier. I'm so glad I was able to help her out and I hope she got there in time to watch her daughter race. I have to say...I loved the name Heather. It was so improbable. What with the Jamaican accent and all.
Wednesday - May 12, 2004
Fun with Aengus
I saw that Aengus Finnan was coming to town so dropped everything (okay...not much to drop on a Tuesday evening with no home game on the schedule!) and made sure I got to the Cactus in plenty of time. 'Met my folks and we settled in at a prime table next to the stage. Alas...it was a "dead day" Tuesday at UT so there were few students to be found anywhere near campus. So, not much of a crowd. The folks that did show up were enthusiastic, though, and the show was great. Aengus started with a couple of new songs, then did a few tried-and-true favorites, and then opened up to requests. And, I think he played every request he got. He also sang quite a few songs by other song writers. His songs tend toward the melancholy. It never fails to amaze me that you can have such a good time listening to such sad songs. Make sure you check out his tour schedule and catch a show if you possibly can. You will not be disappointed. I promise.
Monday - May 3, 2004
Campus Watch #9 + money well spent
From today's Campus Watch crime report:
Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor (2610 Whitis)
A UT student, who was under the age of 21, was found leaning over a trash can while displaying an extreme involuntary physical reaction to the over consumption of an alcoholic beverage. The student was under the influence of an alcoholic beverage to the point she needed to be transported by EMS to a local emergency room for the treatment of alcohol poisoning. Occurred on 5-1-04 at 1:47 am.
These stories about kids drinking too much aren't very funny but the phrase "extreme involuntary physical reaction to the over consumption of an alcoholic beverage" nearly always makes me laugh. And, that's the way it's always described in these reports. It's such a roundabout (albeit accurate) way to describe the situation, eh? Heh.
. . . .
Oh. And, I finally spent my Compact Disc Minimum Advertised Price Antitrust Litigation Settlement check. 'Bought Mary Chapin Carpenter's new CD: Between Here and Gone. So far, I'm liking it just fine.
Saturday - May 1, 2004
Bob the snail
I was set to leave the house this morning about 9 o'clock with plans to donate blood, mail some bills, and pick up a package at the post office. As I was about to step into my car, I noticed a snail on the floor of my garage. Its shell was about one inch in diameter. Perhaps a bit larger. Yikes! :) So, I called Carolyn (mama to 4 kids) to see if they'd be interested in said snail. Sure! So, I popped it into a box (I don't know what I'd have done if it had been a shell-less slug) and drove on over. Zachary (who turned 8 in February) was thrilled beyond belief. He took the box excitedly from me and just couldn't take his eyes off his new prize. There was plenty of nudging and looking and noting the slime trail it left behind as it wandered slowly around the box. He asked how the snail could breathe in that box and I said it was just a temporary holding pen. His mom told him they could find one of their old containers (used on previously "owned" bugs, butterflies, etc.) for the snail to live in. I stayed around for about 5 minutes before continuing on with my planned errands. Zach piped up as I got to the door: "I'm gonna name him Bob!" Heh heh. I loved it. Bob the snail. I called a couple of hours later when I got home 'cause I'd found another snail in my garage. His shell was about half the size of Bob's. I asked about Bob and was told he was living in the lap of luxury with lots of leaves and grass to munch on. Poor mini-Bob out in my garage...with only dust and fuzz to munch on. Ah well. Them's the breaks.