How am I supposed to prepare the groundhog for tonight’s feast? Can I get away with a stir fry or fajita mix, or do I have to stuff and roast just like the birds on Turkey Day?

Still in escrow (or at least no one’s told us differently).

Still free of prostate cancer (confirmed by the official finger of BorgHealth this morning).

Still wondering why I decorate for Christmas even though I have a dog.

Not just the house but the site.  You can wait for the new holiday banners to enter the rotation on Wednesday, or go sneak a peak here.

I expect the Labor Day weekend will be getting an early start in the next couple of hours.

No big plans for the weekend – still taking things day by day as I try and get over this respiratory thing.  Probably won’t even make it to the Triton Invitational water polo tournament over at UCSD.  It might be fun to watch, but with only five teams the tournament itself is just a shadow of it’s former self.

Been doing some cleaning up of my pending projects this week.  Maybe pruning would be a better word there, or maybe purging. I love practicing law, but have made no secret here of my disdain for the business of law.  For a couple of projects lately it’s been seeming like I spend more time working on getting paid than I actually spend on the projects themselves.  Life’s too short to deal with that nonsense, even if it means a few less billables until some new projects materialize.

So on that note, I’m celebrating Labor Day for the next 84 hours or so, and while my shop might not be organized in any way, shape or form, I can celebrate the trips we’ve taken courtesy of Spinner’s organized labor entity (San Francisco, Palm Springs, San Jose, Irvine),  their efforts to give him a better work environment, and by extension, the union benefits that give us a better life together.

Off to the zoo in a few minutes, to be followed by three days of food and parties and blowing stuff up, but first wanted to give a little shoutout to the San Diego Symphony Summer Pops for a great concert last night on the Embarcadero.  The trouble with any outdoor concert is a lack of control over outside influences, and at the end of the night I was seriously wishing the fireworks would take out a certain obnoxious party boat rather than just explode harmlessly in the sky, but the concert was great.  Their Independence Day show repeats tonight and tomorrow for those locals who missed it last night.

Yes, today is Bike to Work Day.  Unless it’s not in your neighborhood.  I guess some places Bike to Work Day is next Friday.  I suspect the scheduling is a lot like Pride – random days here and there so that the truly hardcore can participate in several official “days” during the greater Bike to Work season.

No, I didn’t ride my bike to work today.  I walked.  The bicycle’s over at the storage unit and I just couldn’t see driving over to the storage unit and bringing the bike home for a day just to feel a bit greener.

I did participate a few years ago though.  I’ve even got proof.

I’ll be wearing green whenever I get around to getting dressed, except when I go out for my swim because I don’t have a green speedo anymore, and I’m not going to run out and buy one just for the holiday.  I love the holiday and all things Irish, but some things are overkill.

Nothing really new here for the holiday in terms of content either, so please enjoy this YouTube rerun from last year.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day everyone.

Not my mysterious final words, but a nice gesture from the hostess at Paradise Grille last night.  Our choice for a Valentine’s Day dinner included a rose bud “for each couple” with their prix fixe holiday menu.  The hostess seemed to be handing them to the female halves of the other couples seated nearby and we’d talked a bit about which of us she was going to offer the special flower to.  Smart woman – she avoided the issue (and made any bets moot) by offering us each a rose.

Dinner was fabulous in their outside patio under the stars.  Nice browsing through The Book Works afterward too.  Simply a beautiful night with the man who’s been my Valentine for five of these special days now.

A bit surprised and disappointed that the restaurant wasn’t full though.  Restaurants have been closing left and right here for the last couple of years now, but even with the weaker competitors culled from the herd things are still very tough here in North County.  We even got a last minute e-mail from a place we’ve frequented in the past on the afternoon of Valentine’s Day announcing special deals and openings for reservations that night.  Admittedly we’d most enjoyed the place under it’s prior chef, but it’s still a decent restaurant and I’m surprised they aren’t doing better.

Using Paperless Post for the office holiday greetings this year.  I’ve dabbled with it since seeing a review of the site a while back (in the N.Y. Times?) and used it for a couple of small invitations, but this was the first large “mailing.”  So far so good, and certainly more affordable than snail mail.  I know I love getting paper cards, and love the collections on the walls and shelves of other people’s offices, but I think with this site e-cards are finally crossing over into the “classy” range.

Resting and relaxing.  Picnicking on the Fourth with the in-laws, then catching the local fireworks in the evening.  While we’re out and about, some photographic repeats of recent Independence Days past.

2008:

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