On commercial real estate

I used to work with a guy named Mike when I was selling cable TV door to door in the city of St Louis. He did pretty well, then I guess he decided that since he could make money from a sales career, it was time to go into something more lucrative, and he went into commercial real estate. I saw him at McDonald's several years ago, taking his daughter and her friend out for dinner. I didn't even recognize him -- he's aged -- but he remembered me, and told me he's now into buy and flipping houses. I don't know how well he's doing at it, since that McDonald's is not the greatest neighborhood, though it would be convenient to Ladue. I think he told me his street and I know it's not an expensive neighborhood.

On patio furniture

Yes, I'm hoping to soon see some great backyard parties with warm, dry spring weather making people want to invite friends over to hang around, sit on the patio furniture, get drunk and order pizza. I look forward to that because it's been a long, hard winter, and although weather is sort of the least of my problems, it's one that I have to deal with when it's difficult, and snow, rain and ice and cold make my life that much harder, and I'd like it to be a little easier so I can make the effort to the solve my real problems. And such parties can make me money by ordering pizza and tipping high.