I think I’ve finally figured out cat behavior. For a time now, I’ve noticed that in a house with two people, our cat would find the “psychic center” between these two people and would settle down there. By “psychic center,” I mean the center of activity. If I am doing something very interesting to my cat, and my wife is doing something uninteresting, my cat will be sitting just a little bit closer to me than to her.

Her other behavior involves making sure she knows where we are at all times. When my wife and I are in the same room, this is easy for the cat. However, when we’re in two separate parts of the house, the cat will find out where we are, follow us around that room until we seem to settle down, and only then will she return to her spot (or find out where the other person is).

It doesn’t seem to be that the cat cares about what we’re doing in particular – just that she knows where we are at all times. It’s as if she’s worried that the Cat Supervisor will come by at any instant, quiz my cat on the location the people here, and give her demerits if she fails to answer.

It’s either that, or in some sort of catlike way, our cat is trying to herd all the people in the house.

And who said that cats were solitary animals?

I’ve started consulting full-time for a local company using Linux. I’ve also updated my business website for Siteseers.

I’ll post more when I get a chance to catch my breath.

The imminent arrival of our son (daughter?) has started me thinking fatherly thoughts. In less than six month’s time, I will be face to face with my first child. How will I know how to act? I’ve never been a father before! What if I don’t have an answer when I need one? The responsibility can be terrifying if you let it. Those these questions have crossed my mind, I have always been a “fly by the seat of my pants” kind of guy. I’ll figure it out somehow.

The Fatherly Thinking Phase(tm) led to other thoughts as I was saying goodnight to my wife. Thoughts about my own childhood.

I tried to remember the last time I had been hoisted up into the arms of a parent. This kind of thing I take for granted when I do it for my neices and nephews. I pick them up and dangle them, giggling, upside down.

As a kid, the best feeling in the world was to be held by my mom or dad. And one day they put me down for what was to be the very last time. And at the time I didn’t even know it.

Moments like these go by so fast and then they’re gone forever. Then one day you find yourself playing the other role, and then remember why it was so important.

The best fatherly advice I could ever ask for is from that little kid I used to be. The one who is still longing for one last hug.

Well, today is my last day here at Major Pharmaceutical Company, Inc. I have worked here on contract for six months, maintaining it’s LDAP directory. It has been a lot like flying: hours upon hours of boredom punctuated by seconds of sheer terror. My main task during the day is staying busy.

So, even though I will miss the people I work with, I will not miss the work. Nor the commute, which ranges between 30 minutes to an hour each day on horrible I-40. I never really intended to stick around.

The department, like the company, is in a state of flux. My boss has tendered his resignation this morning. Rumor has it that he was so distraught about my leaving that he couldn’t bear to continue here, but the real reason is that another company offered him more money. And my co-worker Josef is feeling the pressure, being the likely recipient of a bigger workload once the departures sink in. I wish him success.

As for me, I’ll be consulting for my own company, Siteseers Inc.. A number of local companies have Linux servers and need my expertise in keeping them running. I look forward to the challenge.

In a weird way, today doesn’t seem like a “last day” at all.

I was dreaming of exotic locations again today, which got me thinking: I can’t possibly be the only one thinking escapist thoughts.
So, I decided the only thing that can save America is Fantasy Island.
That’s right. Fantasy Island.

Good, campy, entertainment. Big-name stars. Mystery. Breathtaking scenery. It’s like Survivor without all of the bullshit bug-eating.
Fantasy Island is the savior of couch-ridden Americans everywhere.

And don’t think that that so-called New Fantasy Island will cut it, either. If it doesn’t have Ricardo Montablan, it’s a sham!

this is a test.

I notice that the posting time and date are just about five months from the moment the whole world turned upside down.

I’m referring, of course, to the act of “evildoers.” It would be useful to take a long look at how life has changed since that moment. Some changes are immediately noticable, while most are underlying. I cannot shake the deep-seated sense of dread that The Moment brought on. Some sort of innocence has been lost. Some freedom has been taken away. Some bastards from a faraway country succeeded at not only killing thousands, but also destroying the trust of millions.

The world is a less friendly place. It is a colder place. We have been put on a treadmill of fear, always having to watch our backs.

What really sucks is that I was actually thinking the world was learning how to get along. For a brief moment, it seemed that Israel and the Palestinians would find common ground. America wasn’t involved in meaningless wars. And the economy was rising to ever-greater heights. Prosperity seemed everywhere, and few problems seemed unsolvable.

Then all hell broke loose again. For all the jabbering amongst the so-called economic experts, the country is in a funk. The world is in a funk. People are waking up to the new reality and are finding it depressing. It wouldn’t be much of a stretch to compare these times to the fall of Rome. Where do we go from here?

And yet, the sun still rises. My brother had a son last week, an adorable baby boy. And I am set to become a father in August. These babies show that light can exist in a darkening world. They show that love can persevere.

What kind of world do I want for my children?

I just got back from meeting my nephew for the first time. He is wonderful! All the parts are there, including his feet, which he got from his daddy, Allen! He’s got blue eyes (for now), and good hair.

He’s a very peaceful, calm baby. I enjoyed the way he studied my face when I hummed to him. Allen and Tanya sang and played music for him while he was in the womb, so music must seem very familiar to him.

His local grandparents, aunts and uncles were all happy to meet him. The whole thing makes Kelly and me anticipate the Bambino’s debut even more!

My nephew Judah Elias Turner arrived this morning at 1:22 AM EST, weighing 7 pounds, 10 ounces. He and his parents are doing fine.

That’s about the extent of what I know about my newest nephew. I will go to Rex to meet him in about two hours.