Fire and BS

Ok, so we have this huge fire just west of Downtown. It's big. There are lots and lots of explosions. A gas-tank facility caught fire. And the gas that was in the tanks exploded. I just did a quick google search and the Houston Post was the only news source on the first page of results that mentioned terrorism in the headline. Folks, a truck full of gas blew up at a facility where they fill tanks. World Peace wouldn't stop these kinds of accidents.
But the real victims are those who were injured -- 3 in the hospital -- and the traffic is going to be hell getting home for the next few days. Turns out the fire was between work and home.
Here's a link to read more: http://www.nbc5i.com/news/13751997/detail.html?dl=mainclick

Phew, I have a new watch. I don't like having to replace something because I misplaced it beyond the ability to put my hands back on it quickly -- but at this point I think the bottomless pit of the climbing gym sucked it into a time-space continuum I cannot enter. In other words: somone took it. So off I went to Nordstrom yesterday to buy a new one. And they didn't have my style... After much hand wringing they found one under the counter. Hurray. I jumped up and down and cheered in the store like and idiot. I also wanted to buy $1000s of dollars of new clothes. But I restrained myself and went home to ride my bike.

Speaking of bikes: Oak Cliff Nature Preserve is more Shadow greatness, to quote Flee. I have been there twice, last Sunday and last night. Sunday, I did not recognize anyone. I rode the loops in the noon-day sun and was beat and beaten... Home I went to sit in the dark, cool office and watch the Tour De France. Yesterday, I took my roommate there for his first trail ride. I flatted. He was thrilled because he got to ride a lot slower when I took to walking. He has been on a mt. bike once before and that was on the roads. Now OCNP is only 1.5 miles from my casa, so it's got a lot of pull. And last night Mike Padilla from the North Texas Trail Runners was just finishing his run when I arrived. He loved it, too. Hopefully, Shannon will come over on Sunday this weekend and we can head over there. Maybe I'll even post it. Could be a party.

Speaking of Parties: I went to a birthday party for my climbing partner, Clive Miskin, Saturday night. His girlfriend, Barbara, arranged the whole thing. We met at Victory Tavern and had cocktails. Then dinner. Red wine, salad, halibut and risotto and then ice cream for dessert. We had a lovely time talking, about running - mostly - because I got to sit with his friends from the Park Cities Running Club. They were very nice. Mike and Cindy Melder were there. Of course, this week neither Clive nor I get to climb. He was gone yesterday to NYC and Richard was still in Tennessee. Thursday I will be in San Antonio, having dinner with Ian, and getting ready for the speech the next morning.

My sister will be here next Thursday. I will be so happy because she can take care of the doggies and stuff. She's giving a half-day seminar and an evening seminar while she's here. She can write off the expenses on her taxes. I have not heard anything definitive about Edgar and, so, I am hoping that she can fall in love with him. She says her Landlord in Arizona won't let them have a dog. But I think we can figure out how to get past that. Edgar is so perfect for her. Justin is very excited to meet her, too. It should be a fun 10 days.

Justin just got back from Montreal, btw. He really liked Montreal, but the friends he was with were fighting almost continuously. He finally ditched them and came back early. I think he was upset by their inconsiderate behavior. It could have ruined his whole vacation. "For a bunch of smart people who went to Berkley they sure are dumb some times," he said. I reminded him: Intelligence is not a common interest.

Right. So I saw a man on the street in Dallas this morning who was so good looking he made my head turn on its own. My very next thought was, "damn, he's only in his 20s." I was thinking about this as I sat at the next light. I notice that all the men I find attractive are much younger than I am -- well, speaking in adult terms only. I'm sure I have very little to discuss with such a person and wonder if we'd find any mutual respect. But from the stand-point of physical attractiveness. Older women are interested in younger guys with hard, lean, thin bodies and older men are interseted in younger women... Then it occured to me that at 25 most women aren't that interested in sex and probably won't put too much pressure on those fat, balding guys who chase them. Women peak sexually at 35. So at 37, of course I am attracted to males in their 20s who want sex all the time. Or at least that's the basic, animal, unconscious reason why I stare at tanned men without shirts standing in front of city hall.