Mr. Pupularity

It's too soon to post about Boz again. I know. But this is big news.

Boz won third place in One Colorado's pet popularity contest! He even gets a prize! I don't know what it is yet but I'll find out next week. And although Boz is clamoring to find out ("what'd I win? what'd I win?") I know it's not the loot that matters to him. It's the love.

The other winners will receive their prizes today at One Colorado's Pet Day from 1-4pm. Boz has to miss the festivities because he's not a crowd-loving guy. But he sends his congratulations to the winners: runner-up Kirby the Bunny, and the champ, Sophie the cat!

In a side note, I've known Sophie's person for about 12 years. I've never met Sophie, of course. Her star entourage is impenetrable.

By way of a segue, there's a new photo blog in town called Seeing Sierra Madre. Blogger Adele is fun and funny and even seems to think I could get away with something called Boz Daily Photo. Of course, she's got Spencer.

Whatever Wireless

I take my dry cleaning up the hill to Merit Dry Cleaners in Altadena. I'm sure there are good dry cleaners in Pasadena, but I've been a Merit customer for a long time and they've always done everything perfectly, so why change? (Actually, I did try two other cleaners, long ago. That resulted in one ruined garment per cleaner, so I went back to Merit and lived happily ever after.)

The savvy among you are well aware that the photo above is not a picture of Merit Cleaners. It's a picture of Whatever Wireless, a new business at 843 Mariposa Avenue in Altadena. Whatever Wireless is sandwiched between Merit and Altadena Hardware. But it's part of Merit, a new venture for a long-time Altadena business.

Some people have been wailing for new businesses to come to Altadena. Here's a shiny new business, owned by a loved and respected Altadena family. And the grand opening is tomorrow! (Tell Seiko I sent you.)

Think you don't need a cell phone in Altadena? Maybe not. But you go other places, don't you? And how am I going to reach you there?

Drive-By Elephant

I think I've mentioned before that I take an excursion (I excurse) to Hollywood once a week for a voice-over job. It is a delight, a great job. I'm fortunate to have it.

Around the corner from where I record at Bell Sound Studios is the Hollywood location of Anawalt Lumber at 1001 N. Highland Avenue. I've long wanted to take a picture of their elephant. I haven't had the opportunity, though, because I always forget the elephant until I'm in the car, and traffic doesn't stop long enough at this corner (this is the Romaine St. side of the building). Yesterday, though, lucky me! The guy in front of me just couldn't get a break to turn onto Highland Avenue, so I got to take a quick pic.

I believe the elephant is the Anawalt logo. This one's nicely done, though I'm worried about the future of his tusks.

Check Out

I mentioned in March that I'd ventured past the Pasadena border to check out a book from the Glendale Central Library. Yesterday I checked out Glendale's Pacific Park Branch at 501 S. Pacific Avenue. It's part of a community center, next door to a school. A lot goes on there.

I chose this branch because they had a copy of the book I wanted. I knew they had it because I checked the website before I went over there. You don't have to guess, then find out when you get there that they don't have it or someone checked it out. I love that. Plus the librarians were extremely friendly and helpful. It was a convenient, snappy visit.

There's a lot to love about any library. (I like inconvenient, dusty, slow-poke libraries as much as I do snappy ones.) The Pasadena and Glendale systems enhance each other by being one big system, at least in effect. I can use my Pasadena library card to check books out of the Glendale library. I can return a book I checked out in Glendale by taking it to a Pasadena branch, and vice versa. And if I can't get to Glendale to pick up a book they have, they'll deliver it to the Pasadena branch of my choice.

All of that's paid for with my tax money. It's a pretty good deal.

PB Phone Home

First picture taken with my new iPhone. I guess I'm not the only one who thinks it's Christmas.

So my brother called yesterday while J. and I were hiking out of cell phone range. When we got back into range and I saw the message I thought, "I know! I'll call him back!"

Yeah. I'm crazy that way.

You've got to have a phone--or at least I do. Yet since last year, when my phone began its downhill slide to iHell, I've put off buying a new one. We're having a recession over here and I'd rather save money for a vacation than spend it on a phone.

But it was getting ridiculous. John's tired of hearing about how slow the phone is, how bad the service is, how I can't download new apps because the operating system is too old. There's a tiny pocket of space in my office where I could make a phone call if I leaned sideways and didn't move my head, but mostly I've been going out to the median to make calls.

Yesterday, even that option was no longer available. When I stood by the road and tried to return my brother's call, my poor old iPhone decided not to be a phone anymore.

So I got a new one. And a new carrier (yahooey! that's a biggie). Then I called my brother. (The smiley face goes here.)

Zen Monday: #192

Zen Monday is the day you tell us what the photo is about, rather than me telling you. I'm sure there's a logical explanation for this one, I just don't know what it is.

Here you go. This one's for context:

Sunday Morning Cup & Pup

I was going for a picture of steam. I like the bonuses I got: bokeh leaves outside the window, streams and spangles of light inside, and a post-breakfast pooch all curly-uppy on his bed in anticipation of the arrival of the sun, which is his, to heat his tummy.