Bill's Notes

It was four years ago this month that we took Patrick the cocker spaniel to the vet for some tests. He seemed to be having some trouble with his leg. Four months after that, he was gone. No need to revisit the sadness.

I just wanted to take a moment to remember the happy little guy, criss-crossing the road when we walked him, trying to intimidate a horse by barking at him (ditto a St. Bernard), finding ways to get out the door (even when we knew the move was coming), the I'm-going-for-a-ride dance, the you're-home dance, the deadly serious look on his face at the mere sound of the biscuit jar opening, and such.

So I'm up with a bout of particularly severe insomnia ...

I have a lot of work to do and can't believe I'm up all night. I haven't had it this bad in a year or two. I've been both exhausted and insomniac for a couple of weeks now. Of course, wait til the sun comes up and I actually have to be somewhere. Then I'll be ready to conk right out.

My bouts of insomnia go back to early childhood; it's something that I've learned to live with. Usually, it doesn't upset me. But it something I have a little trepidation about ... I think, "Will I be able to sleep?"
College was the worst. If I was sober at night (rarely), I inevitably took to walking the campus, like a ghost. When I was a child, I used to sneak out of my room and go sleep on the sofa in the living room downstairs. I don't know why that works, but it seemed to.

*****

I went to the Shore this weekend, to ole Toms River, walked the Seaside Heights boardwalk on a Saturday night, was at Ortley Beach, where I used to work, on a Saturday afternoon, went to Mass at St. Joe's in Toms River (for the first time). But I had a good time — don't recall any anxiety as a result.

It could be work, but I don't discuss my current job in these notes.

It's a little weird, because I've been quite happy for several months now. I had another one of my mystical experiences a few days ago, and maybe this is backlash from that. I dunno. It is a great mystery, as they say.

*******

So what to talk about?

I reviewed some comments and came to the conclusion at least three regular commenters know a heck of a lot more about philosophy than I do. Heck, I'm not even sure of the difference between positivism and nominalism, but both concepts sound the same to me. All I can do is spell the words right. It is a great mystery.

I deleted a bunch of the late Ron M's old comments. Not all of them, but most of them. Not so much a fit of pique as a housecleaning. Don't want to say more about the ole guy. RIP.

I was gonna write a long post about G., and even wrote it in my mind during last night's insomnia bout. But I forget what I was going to say. Couldn't have been important.

That's all.

So a little while ago I'm standing on my deck, and I see, of all things, a squirrel playing with a rabbit. The squirrel was scurrying around like mad, dashing here and there. The rabbit stood still, except to hop up and occasionally over the squirrel when it got too close.

So it was like this:

Scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry.

Hop hop.

Scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry.

Hop.

Scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry scurry.

Hop. Hop.

Scurry scurry scurry scurry.

Hop.

****

It was kind of funny. Mebbe you had to be there.

Sad story of multiple fatal car crashes.

God rest their souls.

That said, is that first name correct? What would be the most obvious nickname for her?

I'm ashamed I think of these things at times like these.

I didn't know Osama Bin Laden reads Bill's Notes. But when he mentioned Islam's low taxes in his recent missive, I couldn't help thinking he's cribbing notes from this post. Glad I could be of service. (Yes, I'm just kidding.)

But just in case ...

Dear Osama:

It's gonna take more than low taxes to convert Americans. You're asking Americans to give up beer and betting on football. You must do better in pointing out the benefits of Islam if you expect some sort of mass conversion.

Just saying,

Bill

PS: I've noticed that you keep coming up with more and more reasons why you're killing people. I'm thinking you're struggling with why you did/do it. Has it occurred to you that you kill people not for religious or political reasons but because you're a homicidal psychopath? Try that out for a reason, I think it'll click in your brain as the truth.

I know there's another anniversary today, but for me, Sept. 11 was my first full-day sober. I haven't had a drink in 19 years. And haven't had a serious desire for a drink in more than 17 years. Thanks to the Big Man Upstairs.

The time do fly, don't it?