Should I be concerned?

Last year, my office mate and dear friend, Stubbie, passed away. But, Stubbie has left us only in spirit to go to the Pearly Gates, for he is still with us in body.

Lately, as I was sweeping Stubbie's crypt, I noticed some yellowish/moldy goo peaking out from the soil. This was a month ago. So, I thought I needed to change out the soil, which also meant ditching Stubbie. That I really didn't want to do. When I dug into the soil, I only saw yellow goo on the upper levels, so I thought I could fix the situation by replacing the upper level of the soil without having to remove Stubbie's body. That was two weeks ago.

Well, yesterday, I came into the office and found a bright yellow form emerging from the soil. It looked like a mushroom to me, but I couldn't be sure. So, I consulted Cl. Panic who found the situation interesting. Today, you can definitely tell that it's a shroom.

So, should I be concerned? For those of you who are "familiar with shrooms," is this thing going to start spewing toxic spores? If so, when? Because I want to keep it around for a couple more days just to see what it does.

3/10/2009:

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Goodbye, Stubbie

Today, Stubbie was laid to rest in a flower pot all his own. Here is a haiku for my dear friend:

Stubbie, dear fishy,
To the Pearly Gates you go.
Be yourself always.

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Sad News -- Stubbie is Gone

I am very sad today because I received a text message from Stubbie's Godmother telling me that Stubbie had passed on. Cl. Panic's secretary found him early this morning. He had still been swimming around and around last night when I left to go home. Poor thing. I don't think I'll get another fish. Instead, Cl. Panic had the brilliant idea of getting two plants and putting Stubbie at the bottom of one of them. That's just what I'll do.

Memorial services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 4pm PST in my office. All are welcome.

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Please Pray for Stubbie

He hasn't been feeling well, lately. For about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks, he hasn't really been eating much. Today, when I came in, I noticed that one of his little fins (not the big ones) was missing. (It's the tiny one on his right that is just below the main fins on his sides that he uses to move himself around.) Also, he looks kinda bloated, and he is listing to the right. Here's a video. Near the end, I think you can see him listing to the right.



I just don't know what to do! Stubbie's Godmother suggested that maybe he doesn't like the office's filtered water and I should go back to giving him dechlorinated tap water. I'm going to try to change out his water little by little today to see how he does.

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Kitty Korner (1/19: Pet Edition)

Today, we have two new pets to introduce. One is my sister's, [insert name here]'s, new pet. Here he is being held by my niece. His name is Scottie:What a cutie pie! He is also known as "Ah Dan" ("egg" in Chinese because he smells eggy). Unfortunately, there's a "gai gai squeezer" at his house (don't ask--I'm too embarrassed to even explain this).

Next up, we have a new installment at the Nu residence. Since I was on vacation for two weeks last Christmas, I brought Stubbie home for the holidays. At first, Mr. Nonny Nu disapproved because he thought I was imprisoning Stubbie against his will. Mr. Nonny Nu even started referring to Stubbie as "Captured." But as the days wore on, Mr. Nonny Nu's heart was stolen as he realized how happy Stubbie was whenever people walked by his bowl and said hello to him. On the day that Stubbie was set to go back to Nu Nu & Nu, LLP (here's Stubbie on his first day back at the office), Mr. Nonny Nu got a fishy of his own. Introducing Charles Waterhammer:
And, here is a video of Chuck enjoying his new home:

Oh, and here is a video of the Backyard Petting Zoo, Possum Division:

Finally, we have our two little love bird kitties, Kash and Skillet. These two are always together. They even do things in unison:



Isn't that crazy?? But, as invididuals, they each have their unique qualities. For example, Skillet will always show her analytical side, which is even more powerful when she turns on her laser beam eyes (she takes after Ca Loc). Here she is on top of Mr. Nonny Nu's amp and checking out a squirrel in the front yard. Kash, on the other hand, is a quiet fellow, who reminds me of the very proper Mr. Darcy.

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Is Stubbie Trying to Tell Me Something?

Stubbie hasn't been eating in the past couple of days. I changed his water on Monday, so it shouldn't be because he has a dirty house. His fin is up, and he is active, so it doesn't look like he's sick. When I feed him, he swims toward the food but doesn't eat it. I just don't know what's wrong. He does have a modest bubble nest going, though. Do you think it's "that time of the year" for him?

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Stood Up at Castle Rock

I wasn't able to go hiking last week because I had to work, so I was really looking forward to going this weekend. Unfortunately, Stillman emailed me and said she couldn't go because she pulled a muscle, so I thought I'd take Mr. Nonny Nu instead. When I presented this to Mr. Nonny Nu, he agreed to go. Well, Saturday morning rolled around and Mr. Nonny Nu was too busy being a sour puss to hike. So, I just went by myself. I wanted to conquer Castle Rock anyway, since it scared me half to death the last time I was there. Don't laugh--I'm not crazy for thinking that.

I haven't ran in a week and also missed hiking last weekend, so I went with a healthier menu today.

Although Castle Rock doesn't allow dogs, they apparently allow other pets. I might bring Stubbie some time.

You all aren't strangers to Castle Rock, so you've seen that it's basically half shady tree hike and half death-defying cliff trotting hike. The shady tree part is called the Ridge Trail and the cliff part is called Saratoga Gap Trail. This week, I went backward, taking the Saratoga Gap Trail first, then looping back on the Ridge Trail. Before getting to SGT, however, I went through some shady tree areas. But first, I took the detour to see the Castle Rock. I figured that I should see it at the beginning of the hike in case I die later on during the hike.

I thought I had seen it last week, but what I saw wasn't Castle Rock. This is Castle Rock. Someone was climbing it, but he had a helper. I looked around and saw that there were people practicing their techniques on smaller rocks. I thought I'd give it a try. I just jumped onto the Castle Rock and started scaling it. After about 20 minutes of this, some of the climbers I saw before came by to check on my progress.

So, with that bit of encouragement, I returned to the hike. Hey, did you know that, at Castle Rock, the park rangers actually walk the trails and pick up trash? I met one of these guys. He had walked all morning and only found this much trash. Must not be a lot of litering going on around here. Okay, so I finally get to the Ridge Trail. At the beginning, it was lined with beautiful, mossy manzanitas, and yellow, red, purple, and white wild flowers. There were also some other yellow wild flowers that looked like bananas. Of course, I finally got a couple shots of the swaths of wild irises I told you about a couple weeks ago (swath #1, swath #2). All throughout my hike on Saratoga Gap Trail, there were hordes of industrious butterflies working on these flowers, and one let me get so close that I could see its fur. There was also a lone bumble bee who didn't seem bothered by my presence.

Soon enough, I got to the point in the Saratoga Gap Trail that (I think) gave the trail its name. As I trudged along, I came across some poop from a carnivore. (Yep, that's right, I spent some image memory on this one so that I didn't have to resize the image or crop anything out--I wanted you to see the detail in this very important picture.) Now, when our guest blogger MonkeyPig was in the Everglades, she regaled us with some alleged alligator poop. At the time, I was not buying the whole "this is gator poop" story, since there weren't any feathers or fur in the poop. After extensive debate, we concluded that the only thing we knew about the poop was that it wasn't MonkeyPig's.

Anyhow, when I finished the hairy poop analysis, I continued on my hike and, lo and behold, a really cute jack rabbit came running across the path. Then, I arrived at the treacherous part of the hike where I only had a narrow ledge to walk along. Some places were so treacherous that there were metal cables attached to the rock so that we could hang on for dear life.

So, that was the very end of the Saratoga Gap Trail. I finally made it to the Ridge Trail, which was a whole lot calmer. I thought I'd reward myself with a snack. There weren't any trash cans in the park, so I left the baggie out in plain sight so that the park ranger would quickly spot it on his trash picking strolls through the trail. I'm kidding! I can already hear Stillman thinking, "NO!!! Take your trash with you!!," which I did. So, you all saw the rest of the Ridge Trail from the last time I was at Castle Rock, so I won't bore you with more photos. But, I do have an interesting one that I didn't see because I was walking the other way last time (Ridge Trail first, then SG Trail). Going backward, today, I was able to see the trail from a different perspective. There was a rock that looked like a man's face in profile, so I named it Profile Rock.

Anyhow, I don't know if it was because I went backward on the trail loop this week and saw the cliffs from a different perspective, or I just got over the fear of falling to my death, but it wasn't as scary this time, and I'm kinda proud that I did it by myself.

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I'm Moving!

We are building out the office and there will soon be a mad musical chairs routine going on where people are moved closer to their secretaries and what not. Offices have already been assigned. My current office is TOTALLY AWESOME. It's right near the back stairs so I can sneak in and out without being noticed. Yet, there are a lot of people who also take the back stairs so all my friends come by and say hello/goodbye when they come/go. Also, the plants really enjoy all the afternoon light that my side of the building gets. The only one who could use a change of scenery is Stubbie. He does get a bit toasty in the afternoons.

This morning, I went to check out my new office. Sadly, it's one of those offices where there's a column in the middle of the back wall. The window, which would have run the full length of the office is now split in two. Plus, since the column is sticking out two feet from the window (I just now borrowed a tape measure from one of the construction crew, snuck into the office, and measured it--YES, I'M STILL WORKING AT THIS TIME OF NIGHT), there may be furniture problems.

But, you know what? I'm going to make this work for me. There is definite potential in this office. Previous occupants have approached it with a defeatist, well-I-guess-I'm-stuck-with-this-crap-office attitude and have tried to work around the architecture of the place instead of embracing it and really incorporating its unique features into the whole floorplan. No, this shall not continue. I'm going to make this office the JEWEL of ##### XYZ Boulevard, Suit NNN, City, California, 9####. Just you wait and see.

Anyhow, as I said, I measured the new office. I will circulate a map of the office shortly and you guys can tell me your ideas on how to arrange the office. I hope I can fit in a little armchair area. I'm planning on using the column as a "gallery" area where I will hang a painting. Then, I will probably put Stubbie on the side of the column so that the column will give him some shade from the morning sun (that side of the office is rumored to have morning instead of afternoon sun, especially when the axis shifts in the winter time). Also, that side of the column is the same side as the door, so people can see Stubbie as they are walking by. See? It's already working out.

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Where in the World is Nonny San Diego?

Working, that's where! I have really neglected the blog as well as my running and hiking. Coach Nelson and Stillman are completely disappointed in me, I know. I spent Saturday and today working, which means that, if my internet stalker is true to his word of stalking only on Saturdays, he will work all day next Saturday as well.

But, you know what? My plants are really starting to sprout! At least I was here to see them take their first steps. Also, Stubbie didn't have to spend another weekend with nothing to eat.

So, what do you guys think? Is this blog going to die off? Or, is Nonny Nu going to hang on by a string and barely eek by?

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Potluck: I'm Depressed; Cute Kitty!; Boy, I Hope It Doesn't Rain

It's not often that a Type B uber-optimist says this but, brother, am I depressed today. The time has come for friends to say "adieu." Well, more like "later sk8er." JurisMonkey, after working with me for 4 years, has finally had it. He has decided to head toward greener pastures that were planted long ago. Tomorrow will be his last day. So, today, we had "The Last Supper." Lucky for him, all he (and anyone else) need do whenever he feels lonely or down is to visit the wisdom buffet. You'll be missed! Farewell, buddy! (At least, until I see you at your housewarming party in three weeks!)

On a lighter note, Lucy's Mom has graciously provided some recent photos of Lucy. Lucy, like Stubbie, is a new associate to the firm. The two have vastly distinguishable working habits. Stubbie insists on having "I'm in prison--waaaaah!!" pity parties throughout the week instead of just on TGIF. Lucy, on the other hand, is a diligent worker, unless she is hung over after a wild night of partying. Sushi remains unemployed. All in all, though, Lucy is a very lucky kitty because she has a loving mom.

Finally, an update on the hiking venture. This weekend may or may not be a disaster. Stillman has been apprised of the request for a sighting and has promised that she will, on the morning of the hike, don her "dressiest cap" for the photoshoot. But, there may be trouble in paradise, since the weather reports are looking grim. Stay tuned.

JurisMonkey, I send you off with these wise words from Cat Stevens (you know, that old fogey song you heard in my car):

Well, if you want to sing out, sing out
And if you want to be free, be free
Cause there's a million things to be
You know that there are

And if you want to live high, live high
And if you want to live low, live low
Cause there's a million ways to go
You know that there are

Chorus:
You can do what you want
The opportunity's on
And if you can find a new way
You can do it today
You can make it all true
And you can make it undo
You see ah ah ah
It's easy ah ah ah
You only need to know

Well if you want to say yes, say yes
And if you want to say no, say no
Cause there's a million ways to go
You know that there are

And if you want to be me, be me
And if you want to be you, be you
cause theres a million things to do
You know that there are

Chorus

Well, if you want to sing out, sing out
And if you want to be free, be free
Cause there's a million things to be
You know that there are
You know that there are
You know that there are
You know that there are
You know that there are

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I Guess It Was Just A Matter Of Time

Everyone who knows me knows that I am a clutz. I am famous for tripping and falling in places where no one else has ever done so. So, three weeks into my running routine, something was just waiting to happen. Yesterday, I didn't run even though I had promised Coach Nelson that I would. So, today, I had to run. A mile and a half into the run, I tripped on a section of uneven sidewalk. It's a good thing I was battling 35 mile per hour winds today because I wore sweats instead of my usual shorts. Anyhow, I ate it and now I have yet another scar on my knee to get rid of. But, I went on and finished my full 4.5 miles.

Okay, so what I really want to talk about today is flowers. I happen to sit on the sunny side of a building at work, so flowers should be a breeze to grow in my office. But, no. This is what happened to my tulips, and this is what happened to my freesia. Note the lack of any blooms on the freesia and the complete lack of life in the tulip pot. I bought some yellow roses last week from Trader Joe's but they too have passed on. They are now replaced with these purple ones, but we'll see how long that lasts. Granted, the yellow roses did have gnat problems, but I've since acquired some "plant soap" and the gnats have not shown their faces since then. The one thing I have had some luck with is my cactus. Against everyone's advice, I gave it a major haircut one month ago. I re-potted it, and then lopped off all of its leaves, cut it down to size, and put it in the sun. But, guess what? It has made great strides since then with remarkable new growth.

It has been a real struggle for me in my neck of the woods. But, lo and behold, right next door to my office is Green Thumbs McGillicutty. Sure, she complains about how cold her office is, but her AFRICAN violets are blooming like there's no tomorrow. Even the reflections in the window are gorgeous. There are pink ones, lavender ones, and even *gasp* VIOLET violets. (Doesn't that just make you want to kiss your parol officer?) Apparently, the secret to her success is using 3 parts unicorn blood to 2 parts griffin saliva fed through a long-nosed hummingbird-style watering contraption. Ha! Now you guys know what to get me for Christmas.

So, let's see, we've talked about vegetable (plants) and mineral (sidewalk), so that leaves animal. As you may or may not know, I now have an office mate named Stubbie. In the morning before he puts his contacts on, he looks like this. In the evening, Stubbie's Godmother fixes him dinner before she goes home for the night. Today, I was talking to Stubbie and he asked how the blog was going. I told him that Tubbie said hello. Stubbie says hello, too!

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