It's Over At Last

About two weeks ago, I finally closed the chapter of my life as a bachelor with a swinging apartment. Well, not actually swinging apartment. More like a disaster area apartment. Posters on the wall, old letters and bills on the floor, clothes strewn about; that was my apartment.

But for all the mess, it was my home for sixteen years. As someone used to say, it was the fortress of solitude. A place that made me safe from all the pains of the world, real or imagined. A place where I could find myself. A place where I could find the Pin@y in me. A place to grow up.

The apartment needed some work when I began occupying it. It needed a new coat of paint. The linoleum floors needed to be changed. The green carpet was about five years younger than I am. The plumbing over time leaked and caused a hole in the plaster over the garage.

Everything was symbolized by the hot water faucet would leak over time. The faucet's gasket would be destroyed by the hot water and the constant on / off maneuvering of the faucet such that the faucet leaked. When I met the SO, I learned that dripping faucets represented money leaving the house. I eventually closed the faucet's supply line just so I could save the hot water. Yup, no hot water in the sink when I did the dishes. That meant that I got the best dishwasher liquid, Joy.

The oven has been broken since the late 1990's. All I remember is that I tried to clean it with a cleaner based on sodium hydroxide. I covered all the heating elements except for the back side. That side got some hydroxide and burned through the heating element. Voila! No oven. I used to cook chicken thighs and legs with BBQ sauce. Without the oven, I had to give way. Eventually, I stopped cooking except for boiling water where I could warm up some bread.

By the time I left, the bedroom apartment had become a storage unit. I ended up tossing so much stuff that it was not even funny. Some materials were placed outside on a table. The material usually found someone willing to take them. I just hope that the materials helped them out just as they did to me.

My books have had to go to a storage area. I always wanted a library. But the storage is $250 per year. I don't know where I can put those books. Maybe in a smaller location. Hopefully.

On Sunday morning, I learned about the power of orange cleaners. I sprayed the oven with the cleaner overnight Saturday and it melted the built-up oil from years of cooking. You could say it was like my last marks on the apartment being wiped away.

Tookie Is Executed

Stanley "Tookie" Williams was executed this morning by the State of California. On the one hand, I understand this as a punishment for his four homicides. At the same time, I can not help but think that when he was sentenced to death, none of his jury was an African-American. It kind of makes me wonder if they really did have a lot of evidence.

I don't subscribe to the notion that the death penalty is a deterrent. I subscribe to the notion that it is a punishment.

RIP George Canseco

I just learned today that the songwriter extraordinaire George Canseco passed away on November 2004.

Here's a drink to you George! You made my life vibrant with your music.

I'm the White Dwarf! Err, the White Mage!

Apparently, killing your best friend makes a difference in the test.

How Frauds are Created

If it is too good to be true, it probably is. Here's an example of a fraud:

JAMES RYAN T
FINANCIAL CONSULTANT
LONDON,U.K.

Subject : Invitation to assist as Next of Kin

I write this august letter in confidence, believing that it will reach you in high spirit and I believe you will maintain the level of confidence and trust matters of this nature requires. Though, I know that this proposal may make you apprehensive and worried, but I assure you that all will be well at the end,as it stands to benefit both of us. A random search based on your locality from the Internet produced your name and email address.

Before proceeding, I wish to introduce myself to you .I am James Ryan T. a Financial Consultant to a deceased Immigrant Mr Andreas Schranner,property magnate who was
based in the U.K., who happens to be my client.On the 25th of July 2000, my client, his wife Maria,their daughter Andrea Eich,her husband Christian, and their children Katharina and Maximilian all died in the Air France concord plane crash bound for New York in their plan for a world cruise.



Since then I have been managing his properties here in the U.K. and some others which he put out for sale. The properties which have long been put out on sale have now been paid for and now the money paid has long been
deposited into his local bank account here.

I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and estate left behind by my client before they get seized or declared unserviceable by his bank.Particularly, the bank has issued me with a notice to provide any of his next of kin or have the account confisticated within a short period of time. my late client has an account valued at Twelve Million Three Hundred United States Dollars (12.3 Million USD).

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating any of my clients relatives for some time now and with no one coming forward since my client passed on and with the bank now giving me a deadline, I now seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to my deceased client, so that the proceeds of his account valued at Twelve Million
Three Hundred United States Dollars (12.3 Million USD). Only can be paid to you. This I intend we share amongst ourselves.

I have all the necessary information that can be used to back up any Claim that we may make and I can assure you that you shall be paid the amount as the next of kin to my late client.

All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Trust me as his personal consultant that this is a risk-free transaction. Pls get back to me immediately with the following
information:

1)Your full names and contact address

2)Telephone and fax numbers .

Upon receipt of this information,we shall discuss further about this transaction.

Thank you in anticipation of your co-operation.

Best regards,
James Ryan T.

Letting Go of the Past

It's the first of December. I asked the manager of the apartment if I could move out on Dec 4. What could he do? If forced to move out last night, the place would have been a mess.

Sadly, someone took a drawer form the table that I had. If they don't come back to pick up the table, may their food taste bad their whole life.

Really running out of room at the SO's place to store stuff. I found some more clothes. Really, I think some of those are just going to the goodwill store. Someone will enjoy those shirts, sweaters, etc.

It's raining and raining hard. Nasty weather. But beautiful also. Can't wait to finish the apartment.

The area where I sleep on the floor is now taken over by a large clothes hanger. Courtesy of too many clothes.