I Smell Bacon!

Dear B-Reader,



This week I've been starring in the leading role of my very own game of Seven Degrees of Kevin Bacon. Cue the music from Footloose, Maestro.



1st degree: Monday, 1:00 PM, Chipotle on Kirby Drive in Rice Village.

I promised Jeff that I would not miss lunch anymore, regardless of how much attention my work demanded of me. So, just before showing nine properties to my Aggie client, I popped into Chipotle for a quick bite to eat and to make good on my word. As I handed my debit card to the cashier, I made eye contact with the man behind the register and realized that I knew him. But from where? I could feel the synapses of my neurons trying to make connections from one to another, placing this face with a time or location or person. Of course, I have no problem saying what's on my mind to someone, so I blurted out, "I know you from somewhere. Did you grow up in this area - go to Westbury High? etc." After a startled look from the young man, and then a quick grin, he answered, "I went to Westbury Baptist Church as a youth." Ah, the final electronic surge leaped from one neuron to another and the connection was made. He is Jason, who dated my sister when they were in middle school. We chatted a bit, and he carried my tray to the table for me. What a gentleman.



2nd degree: Tuesday, 1:30 PM, 4522 W. Alabama in Afton Oaks.

I held an open house during the middle of the week, which is not atypical in real estate. Although most open houses are on Sunday to be convenient for buyers, some open houses are on Tuesdays for the convenience of realtors. Realtors visit other listings to do a preview for current clients or to gain a better understanding of the market. Sometimes a buyer or two will drop-in to a mid-week open house, if you're lucky. At this open house, a woman walked in and introduced herself as "Kathleen." This time the neurons were already primed from the previous day's meeting, and they immediately placed her as my sister's friend who is also a realtor. Viola! The mind is such a wondrous organ. Kathleen and I had a nice chat about my sister's new home (which you may follow on the Pasche Project blog below, if you need more reading, B-Reader) and about the current real estate market in Houston. Such easy networking!



3rd degree: Friday, 12:00 Noon, Doctor's Office in Texas Medical Center.

B-Reader, sometimes going to the doctor's can be the pits. Not for me, though. I am so lucky to have two great doctors who take excellent care of me and employ the most supportive staff in the world's largest medical center. Today was no exception to my luck in medical settings. As I was sitting at the doctor's office, a lovely older woman sat down in the chair beside me. I was absorbed in my latest read on my Nook, Elizabeth George's Missing Joseph. The lady asked me about what I was reading, and we began exchanging authors and titles, of course, they were all about murder and mystery. We quickly moved onto our favorite television shows, and wouldn't you know it?--she loves the same programs that I love! Glee, Royal Pains, Burn Notice, and of course, The Closer. You should have witnessed the power of this woman's mind as she recalled actor's names, the breadth of their work, and even program times and channels. This woman's synapses are in pristine shape! We continued chatting about this and that, then realized that she lives in my old stomping grounds. We discussed Westbury High School, which led to a discussion about Jeff, which led to talking about the clinic where he practices. And then she told me, B-Reader, that she is a client of Westbury Animal Hospital. She brought her first dog to Dr. Johnston many years ago when Dr. J was a small pup himself (her words). As the nurse called my name, I handed my new friend, Beverly, my card, and she asked if she could look up Jeff the next time she is at the clinic with now puppy number five. "Of course!" I exclaimed, and gave her my card. As I closed my business card case, I couldn't help but wonder, "Is this my Ghost of Christmas in July Future? I wouldn't mind."



My mother always told me to be on my best behavior whenever I was out and about because "you never know who you might run into" (and she would continue with "who knows your mother.). I like Mr. Walt Disney's take on this concept: "It's a small world after all."





* Walt Disney in front of original model of It's a Small World ride.

Katherine Marple

Dear B-Reader,

The gale that blew through H-town this past weekend took with it my home's AT&T UVerse connection. No internet. No cable. No problem. Jeff dusted off our DVD collection, and we sat back last night to a feature presentation of one of our absolute favorites, Mario Puzo's The Godfather. Epic, tragic, and full of what I crave in a good plot -- murder.

Not your first impression of me, eh, B-Reader? Consider me the preppy version of Agatha Christie's Jane Marple. Whereas Jane knits, I compost; whereas Jane rides the trolley, I drive a VW beetle convertible; whereas Jane sips tea, I savor cappuccino. Now really, dear, don't you agree that there is nothing better than a good, old fashioned, vengeful murder in the summertime? Jane does.

Which brings me to my newest fixation -- the Nook by Barnes and Noble. Don't start putting words into my fingers, B-Reader. I'm not the picture of an avid reader. I leave that role to my sister, brother, well, the whole bloodline (I wonder if Mr. Dewey Decimal System is a distant relative?). In fact, I am the metaphorical black sheep of the family when it comes to being a book worm. No slithering around in dusty old books for this prep.

But, what I do love is a great gadget. Clean lines, simplicity, and multifunctional -- those are features that will engage me.

With the Nook, I'm able to read a bit of book A, with the built-in e-dictionary quickly highlight and define a bloody British word that's been driving me barmy, surf the internet, return to reading book A until the suspense is too much to handle, pre-order the next book in the series and save it to my library, read a bit of book B before determining to dive back into finish the murder scene of book A. I can do all of this before you can say Bob's your uncle! Blimey! Oh, and later in the day when my eyes are just too tired to read fine print without squinting and risking premature crows feet, I can increase the font size to extra-extra large! Brilliant!

Speaking of the Nook, I really should stop typing on the blog and get back to my read. Murders don't solve themselves, you know.

Cheerio!





* See the resemblance?