I hate big dogs.

Sorry but it's true. I was a cable guy for a few too many years, had a few too many instances in the bad part of town where the Rottweiler not only outweighed but was clearly more intelligent than it's wife beater wearing, Mountain Dew guzzling and overly fertile caretaker. These comments are not borne of tv watching or movie intake, I was there. Luckily I lived through the experience without any puncture wounds to speak of.

Being scared by an aggressive dog while walking past a fenced in yard can give you a fright but just imagine coming up from the basement to the kitchen and staring eye to eye with the 180 lb Rot that was supposedly 'secured' in a bedroom before you entered the house. I don't blame the dog at all, it's job is to defend the house and family from intruders or people that don't belong there - like a cable guy. The dog will sacrifice it's life without a thought to protect the family, I blame owners for not fully appreciating the loaded gun they are haplessly spinning over the general population's head.

This comes up because I was just out for a midnight walk to clear my head. I had a good walk, clear and cold night tonight, great for quiet solitude and  introspection. I was nearly back to my camper when I heard a big dog bark in the distance, no big deal, except that it was a call to his partner to join in some sort of conflict. The partner happened to be just around a blind corner from me in my RV park. I had seen these two dogs before as I sat on my stairs late at night. Two chocolate labs, pretty good size and likely well behaved...likely but it's not like you can reason with an animal. They will act on instinct passed down through generations of survival of the fittest. There is no credit or background check involved, just fight or flight. Hopefully the latter.

I'm happy to report the dog just ran past me barking toward it's partner. This is why I carry pepper spray when I'm out alone. I know I could best a dog in hand to paw combat, I'd  just rather not deal with stitches or antibiotic shots or possible law suits. I leave nature and people alone and I'd appreciate complete reciprocation.

Ok, dog topic over...except please don't leave your dog's crap in public areas. I swear I'm just so close to following offenders home so I can crap in their yards. It is poop people. You put food in the thing, take care of the output too, it's only fair.

Three gigs booked today, quite exciting! Progress. I haven't written lately because there has been nothing you'd want to read about. Smelly guitarist wakes up; smelly guitarist makes and drinks a pot of coffee; smelly guitarist sends out 50 emails to music venues; smelly guitarist updates umpteen websites; smelly guitarist scratches; smelly guitarist eats a cheap can of soup because he is pinching pennies; smelly guitarist gets less smelly with a shower; not-as-smelly guitarist sends another 50 emails to music venues...and so on. My hands hurt like never before, not because of guitar playing but because of countless frickin hours of computer time. Rock and roll, in the digital age.

This part of our world is beautiful. The picture is from Lake Georgetown, that's about 3 feet deep at the bottom of the picture. The streams and rivers are generally spring fed and crystal clear. The scenery is rolling hills with scrub brush and cacti covering them, a very desolate beauty. I need to get out more and enjoy my time here because I know this will not last forever. I've been trying to stay in and work on my business while also doing my best to not spend any unnecessary money until I get more rolling in. I learned the lesson long ago that if you wait to enjoy life until circumstances are ideal, you'll never enjoy life. You could amass a million dollars for retirement through sacrifice and toil only to wind up dead at 35. Live now and live well, please.