Last night RO and I went to downtown Renton. Steven was going to join us, but he got delayed returning from work.

We had dinner at the Melrose and dessert at Jubilant.

Downtown Renton is a weird mix. It's a city core rebounding from rock bottom. There are a lot of old crappy buildings. Many are now being restored and some great restaurnts are going moving in.

It's weird to walk around crumbling ghost city but then stumble on a packed little bistro.

Steven is at his wits end with his brother. In the last 6 months Steven has given his bro about $20,000 to get him back on his feet. It's not working. Steven is ready to cut the cord and let his brother fend for himself. The decision would be easier if his brother didn't have a son. Steven doesn't want to hurt the son. At the same time Steven's brother needs a very hard kick in the pants.

C2 writing from Iraq...

How are you doing? I very much appreciate your email but you must be saying 'Dang, it's like he emails Every Day!!' Well, I may have some extra time on my hands. The two people that work for me 'dont like me' because I ask too many questions like "what are you doing?" One guy was supposed to be working on an Access project for several days and when I asked to see what he's done, he got all pissy and deleted his work then stormed off. Later he pretty much said he doesn't have anything to so and then left on his R&R for 3 weeks (but first he told me he didn't like me.) Such is life..

Anyway, God Bless them Italians and GirlScouts. The Italians run a pizzaria here on Base that has internet access FREE from all the web Nazi sex filters that Halliburton and the Iraqis put in place. This means I again get to see pics of hot neked guys!! And the GirlScouts sent boxes of their cookies over here for the poor soldiers and I guess I qualify as they sent alot and give out boxes and boxes to everyone here! Cookies and porn, it just keeps getting better and better! If I didn't read the papers I wouldn't even know there's a war going on!


I even got a very good message from the ... ops guy at Baghdad HQ about my plan/proposal for data management here. They are really backward here (as far as efficient data management) and my proposal made me sound like I knew what I was talking about. I see my next job....

Anyway, I should get back to work making people hate me (buy just asking them to do their jobs.)