November 14, 2008

           This is a sign. Much like any other. It is here today because I honestly don’t have another picture of anything more interesting. So why not? It looks like a pretty good sign, if you ask me. All day with a unique problem. A printer that will not share on an otherwise correctly configured network. I learned a lot. In over 6 hours, I was unable to get it working. ATT and HP both gave me the runaround, saying the problem was in the other’s jurisdiction. I’m used to that. I tested the situation where one computer could ping the other, but not vice versa. It seems I’ve still got some major things that need understanding.
           I only played half the gig tonight. Instead, I took the first two hours and merely played recorded music. The crowd was okay with that and the tips were just as good. This is one of the reasons I know I could run a Karaoke show without much extra effort. If it comes down to economics, I heard that the Karaoke show pays $100. I may have to reconsider my priorities.
           Arnel has some videos of our material. It is coming along considering we’ve never practiced. The club likes me but I don’t think the staff care much when I show up. I have no explanation for this, as I’ve never done more than say hello to them. Everything was okay the first couple of weeks, then suddenly I started getting the cold shoulder. I have no explanation.
           Sad news. Who recalls Bijou, the little white poodle belonging to one of my students? In his old age, he went partially blind and would dash toward the voices of the family. He got outside once and was crushed under the truck tire. This is the pet that once modeled for the doggie wigs in Bal Harbor. Which reminds me, they called the other day for some Internet advice. It is clear too many people believe that a web page is a magnet that draws in customers without any other effort. As usual, the business venture is down to the last dollar and nothing has sold out yet.
           Wallace reports some Frenchies were here asking for white tiles. I never said, but there is a pile of them in the back storeroom. The former owner must have let everybody snoop around the property. They know more about where everything is than we do sometimes.
           A short time ago, I saw a documentary showing how large fish herded their prey into swirling masses called “fish balls”. I’d like to see that again, because I seem to recall them stating this was a newly discovered phenomena. Right now I have in my hands [a copy of] the diary of Joshua Slocum written before June 1898 that states the following passage:
           “I have seen . . . whales swimming in circles around a school of herrings and with mighty exertion bunching them together in a whirlpool set in motion by their flukes. When the small fry were all whirled nicely together, one of the leviathans, lunging through the center with open jaws, would take in a boatload or so at a single mouthful.”