Rodent Update

Execution has not yet occurred. Last night's damage was a chewed corner on a box of mango juice (which I'd left on top of the food cupboard figuring it wouldn't be attractive) and a second chewed up empty plastic storage bin that is a twin to the (now hidden) bin of bird seed. We have a learning process: "plastic storage bin = seeds". The peanut-butter-baited trap, however, was untouched. I've now upped the ante by embedding a few sunflower seeds in the peanut butter. Mr. Jaws has not yet discovered about pushing open (or gnawing through) the sliding doors of the food cupboard, of which I live in dread since it has all sorts of edible goodness in there. If I had more time, I'd pull everything out for the time being and put it somewhere even more rodent-proof.

Just finishing up breakfast and off to give my lectures. Wish me luck and endurance for my vocal cords!

Dear GPS Nav Unit Programmer,

When I set the route-finding preferences to "avoid tolls", I mean "If I'm heading to Palo Alto or Mountain View, route me by 237 rather than taking me across the Dumbarton bridge." I do not mean, "When I'm traveling from Emeryville to Vallejo, route me south around the bottom of the bay, up the penninsula, across the Golden Gate bridge, and then east again to Vallejo." But noooooo. I had to endure the entire trip from Powell St to the Carquinez Bridge with the Nav unit insisting at every offramp that I should exit, hang a U, and head for San Jose. "Avoid tolls" has now been removed from the routing preferences. I have yet to determine what combination of preferences will ensure the most sensible route.

The Clothing Lectures

The lectures went off very well. The crowd was small but enthusiastic. My voice held out fairly well (even through the rehearsal of the evangelical christian rock band to which the theater rents out a meeting space). I got asked several times what I was going to teach next and when. Food for thought. I came home and totally crashed. Tomorrow will be a relax-and-play day. Well, except for getting around to doing last month's accounts. And except for doing my promised research-and-design work for the GLBTEtc. booth for the company "diversity fair". (Why, oh why, did I volunteer to be on a committee? Didn't I swear not to volunteer for things? Didn't I swear not to take on new projects?)