Changing it up

Mercifully, my friend Will helped me build a new metal fence for my back yard so my pups can no longer escape when one of them (Soul Seeker) chews another big hole, the other two bounding after him.

I have no doubt they left the neighbors shaken from their notorious, menacing pack patrol posture for which my three 5-pound Pomeranians are renowned.

Not.

Actually, come to think of it, I helped Will, but what does building a fence credit count between friends?

So I'm back to sleeping soundly, knowing the little critters are locked and loaded inside the yard and can no longer put themselves in harm's way, even for a few minutes. Thanks, Will.

I have so much writing to do - between two feature scripts that are going to be produced, another animated feature and a couple other projects - I decided to change the scenery and ambiance to work. Instead of working at home - great as the fireplace is - I'm going to a local coffee shop with free wifi.

Which one is the question.

I've got a short list I'll be trying to see if it's a good idea. For me because I can work away for long periods of time and don't like to be bothered; for them so they don't think I'm taking up space that could be used by someone who eats and drinks more than I do.

Noise doesn't bother me because I spent so many of my formative years in newsrooms with police, fire, state patrol and sheriff radios blaring - at one time topped with the cacophony of wire service machines clacking and ringing when a bulletin crossed.

I live relatively near the University of Washington district, so there are probably lots of students who have the same idea, so a writer shouldn't cause any problems. It's also the reason there is this list of places in the region with free wifi and decent, reasonably priced food and drink.

I read that August Wilson used to write every day at a certain Seattle cafe. Maybe this will help my writing.

And my shape.

I figure I'll ride my new bicycle to these places so it won't take me an hour or more to walk to them. I'll load my scripts, research books, writing impliments, laptop, bike lock, rain cap, yadda yadda yadda in my new Sierra Club rucksack (could this scene possibly reek any more of Seattle?) and strike out for the first destination - a coffee shop that serves crêpes. Which, hopefully will be authentically French, parce-que je l'aime beaucoup.

If all this works out and I find just the right place, I'll put the picture up here.

Meanwhile I have my selections of songs down to about 40 for the potential singing competition. I'm driving some very patient people a little crazy - singing each of them to see if they think I should perform them. You know, if I sound good enough to perform them. So far we've eliminated one. Another couple of sessions with patient listeners next week should tell the story. I need to get the selection down to about a dozen.

I continue to work out weekday mornings at the nearby gym with my very kewl workout partner. I can't believe how much I'm enjoying it! And how much I continue to change up my nutrition program with good stuff.

There will be lots of news to report in the next few weeks; everything is proceeding positively one step at a time, moving forward as it/they should.

Hey, thanks for reading my blog - so far this month readers from 50 nations are tuning in. I have a couple show biz subjects I want to cover, which is always positive - and the hits go through the ceiling when I write about politics, so of course I'll be sure to cover those subjects.

I'm torn between Senators Clinton and Obama - wishing they'd join forces and run as P/VP. I don't even care who would be which. Together they'd put America back on the track of which we and the rest of the world can be proud in record time. Separately? It will take awhile.

Senator McCain, unbelievably, continues to tell the same tall stories Bush told us that got us into Iraq when we had no business invading the country. There are a million ways to fight terrorists; starting wars in nations that are not a threat to us in a region akin to a very dry powder keg sitting next to a lighted match is not one of them. And continuing to put more and more forces in does nothing to establish peace because the Iraqi government continues to do nearly nothing to create a political solution to their violent differences. Differences that existed before Saddam's iron fist crushed their enmity, and will continue after the US evacuates.

If Iraqis are only shown by invading forces that the way to "peace" is war, then they'll continue the war they have been fighting for centuries. A good role model showing them how to live in prosperous peace would have been a good thought. Too bad our President and his advisors had no idea how to create such a plan.