Katrina just must be on my mind these days, as I seem to be radar for the “did they really think this would work” items out there. Here’s the little beaut I saw today on my morning commute: a van (you know, the type usually described in an Amber alert–busted looking thing from the ’70s) with Texas plates that someone had shoe polished the following on its side and back windows: “Excepting New Clients Call.” Now, I know this is just a typo with poor grammar. I mean, I hope they meant to say, “Accepting New Clients. Call.” (or, “Accepting New Clients’ Calls”) and not, “Excepting New Clients, Call.” (meaning, we don’t want new clients to call). But are they really getting business from this form of advertising? They had bumber stickers–yes, bumper stickers– that indicated they did construction and plumbing and electrical work. Wow–one stop shopping! Southern Mom, maybe this is the answer to your problems.

We are back from our trip. One thing is sure to happen now when I travel out of state: you good people throughout the country want a first hand account of the state of the city. I am always asked “how IS it there?” Now, I know sometimes people ask this only to be polite. And, hey, that is really nice. And to be polite back, I don’t want to give some diatribe about the problems many of our citizens are facing on a regular basis. So what I usually say is, “well, I was very lucky. My home had very minor damage that isn’t worth mentioning, my job did well, and my day-to-day life is pretty normal.” Then I pause to gauge for a reaction. Most folks do want to hear more. Then I get stuck–do I piss and moan about the sad state of affairs? Do I tell them it isn’t really so bad here (because for me it isn’t)? I really appreciate the concern people show me. But I personally don’t deserve that concern, but many of my fellow citizens do. So I tell bits by bits so as not to “wear out my welcome.”
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Friday was one of those days that reminded my why I love doing the work I do and doing it for who I do it for. Such days can be few and far between, and when they occur I try to latch onto them for all they are worth. Unfortunately, by Sunday, I was feeling really down and thought all the brightness of my good Friday was snuffed out.

I started out Monday at the chiropractor–it was an early start. All I wanted was to go back home and crawl back into bed. But I couldn’t. I got to work and really had a lot to do, in part because I will be going out of town this Thursday for a seminar that I am really looking forward to. Two full days of geek-lawyer bliss!
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