Untitled (track 1)

As I write this the cool north wind finally revisits my town. The window shears blow open knocking some magazines I left on a small table by the window down. As soon as the wind hits me the cool air re-opens my nasal passages and I can breathe again. I haven't been able to breathe properly since Thursday. It's December and the temperature is 85 degrees with near 70% humidity. It's a sauna outside. The mold levels are through the roof. I know when this happens I won't be breathing right for a while.

But the wind shift drastically changes the temperature. Within an hour the temperature drops a good 20 degrees and the humidity falls to where you no longer feel it on your skin. I can breathe again, my sinuses draining properly now. My ears unclog and I can hear normal again. No more echoing.

I haven't posted anything in a while as I fired my last ISP/Cable provider (Time Warner) whom decided to up their bill a good 50 bucks. So having now switched my provider to Ma Bell, I pay less than I did before and get really good internet service (no more dropped wifi waves) and 100 extra channels on my telle. I can't stop watching the Japanese channels and their crazy shows.

MTG is out of town on a much needed vacation from work. She kept debating on going or not but I told her to get out of here before work dragged her down. And while on vacation one does not check work e-mail or anything remotely work related. Thusly I demanded she leave her crackberry and laptop, and only taking her personal mobile with her. Just get out of here and have fun. So away she went to spend a week and a half with her friend up north. Calling a couple of times to check on me.

I was pretty much ok until the stupid weather changed again. The beginning of last week was great. Temps in the 40's no humidity. Then Thursday night, the temp went from 60 to 70 and the humidity went sky high. The mold count rocketed and I damn near lost my voice from being stuffed up. It's December the weather shouldn't be getting close to 90 degrees. It was 90 further down in South Texas. Cold one day hot as hell the next. No wonder half the people are sick all the time. Oh well, I should know better. It never actually gets cold down here for a good while until mid-January.

Once more my hair is grown very long. Not to my shoulders or anything mind you but I need a hair cut. My dad told me however that the old gentleman I go to is probably no longer in business. I had to check for myself. I drove down to the projects where his shop is, located in the middle of an old shopping center. And my dad was right. He had been forced out. They owner of the center demanding five times the rent he paid, only because the government welfare office rented and remodeled half the space there. I read his sign he taped on to the glass door of his shop. "Dear friends" it begins. "Thank you for allowing me the honor of serving you for the past 40 plus years. It is with a sad heart that I retire from cutting your hair, telling stories, reminiscing of past times, talking sports, politics, or whatever came to our minds. I will miss providing this service to you, your kids, your grandkids, and other souls who walked in my door. I will not be opening up a new business anywhere else, and will retire all together. I wish you the best in your endeavors. God bless and stay safe my friends." I read the sign and stare through the windows into the open space with nothing there. The outlines of the barber chairs the only visible reminder of what used to be there. I can see myself reflection in the glass. My hair long enough to be blowing across my face. The hand painted sign of his shop the only thing left on the glass. The people coming and going from the welfare office next door now pay no attention to what used to be. I get back in my car and drove home, unwilling to stop at a Supercuts or other place where they only know how to style hair and what number cut you want. So I left my hair go.

As MTG is away I moped around the house doing paper work for my business and filling out applications for licenses that I need. I got most of it completed and my agenda's just about in order for when I'm actually going to start everything. I haven't quit my job just yet. That'll be some time later. I have to make sure that my project takes off first. But I'm planing an exit strategy as well from my current job. I had skirted around the issue of going out on my own in business but finally thought that what good are dreams if you never make them come true. So I cast my lot in, and see what cards the fates hand to me.

While feeling miserable from my allergies on Saturday, my friend called me and asked if I wanted to go to Austin with her and her folks. Thinking that I'd be miserable either in a car or at home I opted to go. It was actually a very good time. I made new friends despite being stuffed up and miserable. Though I didn't do too much talking at first, manly because I couldn't hear clearly what was being said but eventually did get into the swing of things. I must say her parents gigantic van is super nice. Telle and everything in it. And very tall as well, you literally have to climb inside of it. We were almost level with the windows on the 18 wheelers. We did some things and went to dinner with some new friends. One of which seemed compelled to continually hug me through out the night. Not that she meant anything by it but she was one of those touchy, feely people. I'm not exactly that way so I squirmed ever so slightly every time she did.

And thusly my weekend comes to an end. I finish off my pisco sour and type the final words to this post. The cool wind blowing my hair around as I sit by the window. I wrap some strands of hair around my fingers and let it fall over my face just for kicks. And think of where to look for another good barber, and I wish Mr. Amaya the best, dear friend.