Temporary Sanity

My Dog

Paul — Mon, 30 May 2011 06:03:58 +0000

My dog wasn’t well groomed. He had a unrelentless scraggly look to him.
My dog wasn’t well behaved. He was stubborn and willful and often snapped at strangers.
My dog didn’t care for dog biscuits. He didn’t care for dog food either.
My dog was not well trained. He would run away when off the leash and would never respond to me calling him.
My dog didn’t do tricks. He wouldn’t even “sit” without you having to push him down. He would retrieve a ball if you threw it, but then he would not give it back to you.
My dog anticipated when it was time for a bath and he would run away and snarl at you if you tried to pick him up.
In short my dog was one of the most difficult pets I have ever known.

I really miss my dog.

What I don’t think

Paul — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 17:29:25 +0000

I don’t think Americans should be afraid of so many things. If it’s true that we fear only what we don’t understand (and I believe it is) then we need to understand gays. We need to understand Muslims. We need to understand the real situations around the world rather than just accept what has become nothing short of a sloven media’s version.

I don’t think it benefits anyone to be so locked in to the virtual world. This trend has taken a very bad turn. Instead of really being with and relating to people, we live in our phones, computers and televisions. Now in some sick effort to make it more real, we are seeing everything in 3D. When we have reached the place where we can no longer relate to anyone face to face, what then? These simple tools are not a substitute for our lives.

I don’t think as a society we should sit back and watch our children adopt the idea that life is entirely about making money any way you can. Parents need to accept the responsibility for teaching their kids what it means to be human and what it means to be respectful.

I don’t think the vast majority of good people should let the loud minority of thugs speak without rebuttal. Loud is not an argument. It is a volume. Wrong and right are not that complicated. When we see something that is wrong, someone mistreated or violated in some way, some distortion of the truth, lying, cheating, stealing…we have a responsibility to speak up. If not you, who then?

Lastly, I don’t think is has been a good policy of mine, not to say what I do think. That’s going to change.

Route 9

Paul — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 20:44:21 +0000

This was fun…

Spy Jam

Paul — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 02:10:18 +0000

Let it go…

Paul — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 18:57:38 +0000

I think I’m becoming a “vidiot”. Anyway, here’s another ballad…

Picasso

Paul — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 22:46:22 +0000

This is an improvisation I did on piano and guitar based on the work of the master, Pablo Picasso.

Forever

Paul — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 22:44:02 +0000

The second in a series of my acoustic videos

Fallen

Paul — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 17:42:12 +0000

I decided to start posting some of my songs on youtube. Here’s my first effort, so be kind.

Reposting “Missy the Cat”

Paul — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:14:26 +0000

Once again I came across this gem and I am reposting it for those who have never laughed so hard, they pulled something out of a socket. I love this…

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.15am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Poster

Hi
I opened the screen door yesterday and my cat got out and has been missing since then so I was wondering if you are not to busy you could make a poster for me. It has to be A4 and I will photocopy it and put it around my suburb this afternoon.

This is the only photo of her I have she answers to the name Missy and is black and white and about 8 months old. missing on Harper street and my phone number.
Thanks Shan.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.26am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
That is shocking news. Luckily I was sitting down when I read your email and not half way up a ladder or tree. How are you holding up? I am surprised you managed to attend work at all what with thinking about Missy out there cold, frightened and alone… possibly lying on the side of the road, her back legs squashed by a vehicle, calling out “Shannon, where are you?” Although I have two clients expecting completed work this afternoon, I will, of course, drop everything and do whatever it takes to facilitate the speedy return of Missy.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 9.37am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Poster

yeah ok thanks. I know you dont like cats but I am really worried about mine. I have to leave at 1pm today.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.17am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
I never said I don’t like cats. Once, having been invited to a party, I went clothes shopping beforehand and bought a pair of expensive G-Star boots. They were two sizes too small but I wanted them so badly I figured I could just wear them without socks and cut my toenails very short. As the party was only a few blocks from my place, I decided to walk. After the first block, I lost all feeling in my feet. Arriving at the party, I stumbled into a guy named Steven, spilling Malibu & coke onto his white Wham ‘Choose Life’ t-shirt, and he punched me. An hour or so after the incident, Steven sat down in a chair already occupied by a cat. The surprised cat clawed and snarled causing Steven to leap out of the chair, slip on a rug and strike his forehead onto the corner of a speaker; resulting in a two inch open gash. In its shock, the cat also defecated, leaving Steven with a wet brown stain down the back of his beige cargo pants. I liked that cat.
Attached poster as requested.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.24am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

yeah thats not what I was looking for at all. it looks like a movie and how come the photo of Missy is so small?

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.28am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
It’s a design thing. The cat is lost in the negative space.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.33am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Thats just stupid. Can you do it properly please? I am extremely emotional over this and was up all night in tears. you seem to think it is funny. Can you make the photo bigger please and fix the text and do it in colour please. Thanks.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.46am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

Dear Shannon,
Having worked with designers for a few years now, I would have assumed you understood, despite our vague suggestions otherwise, we do not welcome constructive criticism. I don’t come downstairs and tell you how to send text messages, log onto Facebook and look out of the window. I am willing to overlook this faux pas due to you no doubt being preoccupied with thoughts of Missy attempting to make her way home across busy intersections or being trapped in a drain as it slowly fills with water. I spent three days down a well once but that was just for fun.
I have amended and attached the poster as per your instructions.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 10.59am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

This is worse than the other one. can you make it so it shows the whole photo of Missy and delete the stupid text that says missing missy off it? I just want it to say lost.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.14am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.21am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Poster

yeah can you do the poster or not? I just want a photo and the word lost and the telephone number and when and where she was lost and her name. Not like a movie poster or anything stupid. I have to leave early today. If it was your cat I would help you. Thanks.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.32am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Awww

Dear Shannon,
I don’t have a cat. I once agreed to look after a friend’s cat for a week but after he dropped it off at my apartment and explained the concept of kitty litter, I kept the cat in a closed cardboard box in the shed and forgot about it. If I wanted to feed something and clean faeces, I wouldn’t have put my mother in that home after her stroke. A week later, when my friend came to collect his cat, I pretended that I was not home and mailed the box to him. Apparently I failed to put enough stamps on the package and he had to collect it from the post office and pay eighteen dollars. He still goes on about that sometimes, people need to learn to let go.
I have attached the amended version of your poster as per your detailed instructions.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.47am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Awww

Thats not my cat. where did you get that picture from? That cat is orange. I gave you a photo of my cat.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 11.58am
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Awww

I know, but that one is cute. As Missy has quite possibly met any one of several violent ends, it is possible you might get a better cat out of this. If anybody calls and says “I haven’t seen your orange cat but I did find a black and white one with its hind legs run over by a car, do you want it?” you can politely decline and save yourself a costly veterinarian bill.

I knew someone who had a basset hound that had its hind legs removed after an accident and it had to walk around with one of those little buggies with wheels. If it had been my dog I would have asked for all its legs to be removed and replaced with wheels and had a remote control installed. I could charge neighbourhood kids for rides and enter it in races. If I did the same with a horse I could drive it to work. I would call it Steven.
Regards, David.

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.07pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Please just use the photo I gave you.
From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.22pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.34pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

I didnt say there was a reward. I dont have $2000 dollars. What did you even put that there for? Apart from that it is perfect can you please remove the reward bit. Thanks Shan.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.42pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.51pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Can you just please take the reward bit off altogether? I have to leave in ten minutes and I still have to make photocopies of it.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 12.56pm
To: Shannon Walkley
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

From: Shannon Walkley
Date: Monday 21 June 2010 1.03pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awww

Fine. That will have to do.

Chapters and Wings

Paul — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 17:28:28 +0000

I am happy to say I got a job! I start in a couple of weeks, so that’s all good.

But I have to say that being unemployed for the last 3 months has been an eye-opening, heart wrenching and depression situation. I did not take my last job for granted. Even when we were struggling and it looked like trouble for me and my department, I simply dug in and did everything I possibly could do. But it was to no avail. We were all let go, just before the holidays. It was ugly and most of all I was let down. Let down by the fact that there are times when the best you can do will not be good enough. There are times when there is no such thing as good enough. It would have been a blessing to realize this before hand, but I didn’t.

But as we must do with so many struggles in our lives, let go and move on. My new job will have me working in a much more creative and supportive environment and I consider it the window that opened when the door was closed.

Perhaps it was my circumstance. Perhaps it is the fact that I’m a musician at heart and in times of struggle it is where I always turn. Whatever the reason, I always seem to find a song for these chapters of my book. This bad chapter brought me this great song…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW6WqgvYHgc

One day, I am going to grow wings..