What was I doing up at 2:30 in the morning you ask? I was struggling to yank the GD chirping smoke detector off my ceiling, that’s what. For whatever reason, an every-thirty-second, high-pitched beep began in the middle of the night. Removing the battery didn’t work, since the device was also hard-wired electrically. Finally, after using a step ladder and butter knife, I removed the plastic annoyance and climbed back into bed. Too bad I didn’t fall asleep for another two hours.

Arriving to work this morning (late, of course), I ran into HR Lady. She said there’s a designer who used to work here who is doing his own thing now… supposedly successful and all that… but someone who is ‘well connected in the design community.’ She wants to take me to lunch to meet him. I’m assuming she feels a little guilty for my moving here then the company turning upside down. I very much appreciate her gesture, and hopefully some good will come from meeting this guy.

Yesterday I spent some good, hearty distraction time clicking through the "bio" section of a local news website... deciding which anchors were cute, who had good names, etc. A poor man's version of hotornot.com, if you will. Then I took it a bit further, analyzing for 'gay clues.' When their bio wraps up with education background instead of "such-and-such has a wife, two kids and blah, blah…" they're gay. Or possibly just hot, successful and single. Gay.

At the grocery store last night, I made an observation. Dallas people are like northerners in a way. They seem so wrapped up in their own space and zone, that they won’t acknowledge someone walking toward them, passing them, etc. People are afraid to just look up and say “hello” or “Excuse me” or just smile. I had noticed myself adapting to this behavior, since my “hellos” and “how are yous” seemed to make people uncomfortable. That’s just stupid. I’m determined to spread a little Tennessee into this town. I refuse to let my surroundings change me.

Oh yeah, back to the store… so in my ongoing quest for more protein-rich foods, I bought some “Kashi” cereal. At first, you think it’s like “Super O’s” or “Frosted Crunch” – the generic store-brand knock-offs… but it’s simply a health cereal. It has 13 grams of protein per cup (unheard of for cereal), low fat, high fiber, etc. Well, I tasted it today… and see why it’s probably not flying off the shelves. I suggest adding fresh fruit. Or maybe a pound of sugar. I guess I should’ve lowered my expectations when one of the features on the box was “Twigs of fiber.” Seriously. Marketing wizards they are not.