January 20, 2005

January 20, 2005

C.A.R.E. Centre

DAY 216

 

Today was sunny and warm ... no wind ! A perfect "June 18" day. I've got a huge chip on my shoulder over the cancellation at noon yesterday of our planned trip for today to Lake Livingston State Park. There's a bigger picture / hidden agenda at play here. I don't know exactly what it is, and I don't really care to know, but I'm certainly pissed off ( as are others ) ! As a pilot, I'm familiar with making "go / no go" decisions based on weather, and one doesn't make weather based decisions 24 hours in advance ! One makes the decision 30 minutes before planned departure / takeoff time !

I started work early this morning, eager to finish this mind numbing assignment of taking inventory of chemicals. I was eager to move onto something that might be more meaningful, might have some impact on the welfare and well being of the participants here. I finished ! As soon as I had finished, I was assigned the task of taking inventory of all equipment ; TV's, VCR's, computers, fridges, stoves, cars, and on and on and on. AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH !

I'm demoralized. I've got better things to do with my life ! I want to do something that actually has some benefit for someone. Like walking Ginger for Rodney. Like Joanne visiting Arley daily. Like performing magic that people are still raving about 2 days later. Joanne will generously help me, with moral support if nothing else, get through the next ten days here. She's encouraging me to grind through this nonsense task, but at the same time do some of the things that I've thrown out as worthwhile ideas for us to do. I'd like to conduct a free dog nail clipping clinic for all the participants who have dogs. Perhaps have a "pet parade" in the parking lot on a sunny, warm day. I'd like to present a computer slide show, perhaps of our Paris trip. The participants here sorely lack social stimulation, in my humble opinion, and the administrators have volunteers like me recording data on hundreds of containers of chemical products, and recording serial numbers of freaking microwaves ! ! !

Take a deep breath, Daniel. By the way, while sitting next to Kitty at supper tonight, she asked me if it was okay to call me Danny. I said that I would actually prefer Dan or Daniel, although most everybody here seemed to be calling me Danny. She said "oh, yes ... you're in Texas now. Daniel is too formal, and Dan only has onesyllable. Texans prefer informal names, preferably with more than one syllable". Then she went on to explain how her given names were Kathryn Louise, but she had been known her entire childhood as Kitty Lu, and as Kitty since she's been an adult, and Miss Kitty since she's been "senior". Miss Kitty ? ? ? What is this, Gunsmoke ? The staff here address the older women as "Miss First Name". Guess I'll have to start calling ma petite ingenue as Miss Joanne.

DSK