I'm just a cock-eyed pessimist

In the middle of the night last night, Shadow started whining. We thought maybe he was having bad dreams, but he appeared to be in pain, although not too much and nowhere specific. I checked all the info I could on dog emergencies, and it didn't appear to be anything life threatening, but we're off to the vet in a few minutes.

The vet said Shadow appeared to have both an ear infection and a neck strain. He gave me several different levels of response, from conservative (aspirin and ear ointment, cheap) to agressive (canine MRI and neck surgery, $2000). So Shadow gets heavy ear cleanings and aspirin, and if he isn't showing signs of improvement in two days I'm to come in at 8 AM Friday and get him checked out again.

In other news, I'm going in to Expedia tomorrow for an interview. How exciting! And I just now checked on IDX, no news there, which I assume is bad news since the guy has had my information for a week now.

Late this afternoon I moseyed over to my brother's house and spent an hour or so potting up flowers for centerpieces for his wedding to Maurie in two (and a half) weeks, then picked up Worthy Opponent and went to Seattle Center to see the Bumbershoot Art Exhibit. As I expected, Ben Rubin's show beat the others by a mile. The "interactive poetry" exhibit was as unappealing as I always find poetry when not on paper or being spoken by its author, and the mixed bag of the "Final Judgment" group exhibit brought down the excellent 3-D artwork inside (plus the insipid commentary on the cards "explaining" how the various works related to the theme made me want to run from the room screaming). After we left, we were supposed to catch Le Roi et le Oiseau at the Grand Illusion, but I guess since it's part of the childish film festival everyone who might want to see it would expect to be in bed at 9. The bubble tea, banana fritters, and Boggle that we enjoyed at the Pochi Tea Station were pleasant anyway, and we considered the evening very well spent.