by James Glaser
March 17, 2006

Last week we had a taste of summer. It was in the eighties, and I thought it was hot, but the local people were loving it. This week in the morning it is about 40, and in the afternoon it might get to 72. I think it is pleasant, but the native Floridians are wearing jackets and coats.

I was at the Leon High School track last evening walking around in a tee shirt. After about a mile I am getting warm and soon after I break a sweat. Other people walking and running are in sweat shirts and sweat pants looking chilly. Once that sun falls behind the school building, the track is in the shade, and I am thinking how perfect it is for walking, and I notice kids on the side line jumping up and down trying to get some warmth in their bodies. Back home in Minnesota the headline in the paper says, "Don't Put Those Shovels Away Yet."

Usually this time of year I am down the basement watering my tomato plants. I would have banks of growing lights on them, and it would be a couple months away from planting. This week I planted five strong healthy plants outdoors, and all I am worried about is too much heat.

I know that heat is coming, but right now everything is beautiful. I think almost every tree and bush in this neighborhood is flowering. I don't know all the names yet, but every street I walk down is a filled with color and different subtle fragrances drift around the air.

Bold Criminals
I was in the studio on Monday, and a couple of men came in and one said, "My man wants us to take the speakers." Hanging from ceiling by chains are two very large, very expensive heavy speakers that the man I used to rent from used in his after-hours club. I knew the guy who owned the speakers, and I was expecting him to come get them any day now, but I was expecting him, not two guys who to me looked like thugs. Well I asked them for some ID like a driver's license. I said if you give me that, and I can write down your automobile plate number, you can take the speakers. These guys had every excuse you could think of, "Hey man, I don't have a license," and "Why you want that man?" So I asked the obvious question, "What is the name of your Man who sent you?" They decided to leave.

That afternoon the guy whose speakers were hanging from the ceiling stopped by, and he knew nothing about those two guys. If those two would have been sharper and said, "Hi there, my name is Joe Blow and Allen (the man who owned the speakers) asked us to stop by and get his equipment. He said if you were here, you could show us where the ladder was." I think I would have bought that and probably would have helped them get the speakers down. They could have dressed better too, and good posture would have made them more credible. I think maybe I am catching on this city scam/crime thing. After years of living in Northern Minnesota you start thinking everyone is honest, because they were up there, but it isn't that way down here. It puts you on your toes more.

Still Plugging Away
I have started working on the fudge book again and think I'll get it all wrapped up in about a month. I am still looking for a good diabetic fudge recipe. Everyone says I need one, but if I don't find one soon I'll forgo that. Also I don't know if self publishing is the way to go. If anyone out there has any experience with that, I would like to hear from you. I know there is a real market for cook books, and there are many publishers who do that exclusively.

The new studio seems more and more like a sure thing. I am starting to think about the space. It is 1400 square feet, and what I would like to do is break it up into a small gallery show room and work area. If there is any room left over, I would think about renting that out. I am just in the thought stage now, because I have been burned in the past, and it is probably best to wait until I am in the space. Who knows, I might just like it all for me.

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