Common sense is not so common.

The 2 bed/bath condo is loaded with a full marble, viking range, dual deep sink, bottom freezer and dish washer goodness just to the right of the entrance. Your guests will smell the gourmet meal from down the hall and the street since you’ll be leaving your terrace door open and you’re in a corner unit facing no one and sharing only one wall with someone else (happens to be the guest bath wall). Directly after is a modest dining room with track lighting, placed perfectly for easy reach to your open kitchen.

As you walk further down the wide fragrant entrance there is a small alcove to the right about 12 feet from the door and it is filled with your latest hobby work. A big desk with all the tried and true tools you need for your next project, or a book shelf filled your your favorite readings and a big soothing half finished and two gracious windows with Hunter Douglas silhouettes above the desk. To further the airiness is an ajar terrace door to the right of your alcove, letting in sun all day and a black drop in the evenings.  The terrace floor is tiled and so clean you can allow your toddler or pet play without worry of falling or mopping up dirt.

Continuing with the left hand rule is the Great Room. This room is large and in charge of your sinkingly comfortable sectional and your state of the art entertainment system. You can lounge, watch TV or play video games here all day long. The rug is a great contrast to the rustic yet classy 6.5" floor boards, padded with inches of foam and cork to absorb your every step.

The bed and baths are neatly separated from the rest of the entertaining area with one guest bed facing south and the master bed and bath facing north. The logistics of the layout is indisputable: your guest wakes up to a bright and early morning adjoining access to the Great Room, while you and your love sleep in late in the cool dark room in the far north corner of your house.

Ethernet, TV and phone jacks in every room and the control center is in the guest bedroom closet. All bathrooms are also marble with one bath tub in the guest bath and two sinks in the master bath. The walls are painted a popular eggshell which you can change as your leisure, and you’ll never have to worry about termite inspections since this building is made from concrete and the toughest steel. Your unit comes with a 5×3 storage room, easily accessible with any of the elevators that also takes you from your getaway house to your two space parking without ever stepping outside.

Down the block is a Whole Foods, down 3 more blocks in downtown Palo Alto. This place sells itself. Let’s not talk about the price until you have fallen in love with the space; or have you already?

Dr. Racional: Hello Lex, welcome. How are you doing today?

Lex: Awful

DR: Why is that?

Lex: The holidays are coming and I have to do my "due diligence" with the family. Which actually wouldn’t be so bad if my cousin didn’t just call me up to say that she’s pregnant.

DR: Why, is pregnancy bad?

Lex: Hmm, for a 39 year old single woman maybe not. I mean she’s got all her life planned in front of her, so maybe this unexpected um event isn’t so bad. She made it sound like she was 19 and pregnant on the phone!

DR: So your cousin is pregnant and therefore it will make time with your family bad?

Lex: It’s not that her news is going to make it less tolerable, it’s that no one else knows about it. I feel like whatever I say will sway her into abortion or a baby registry. I *am* happy for her. She like to confide in me since I’m so good at appearing completely stress free.

DR: Are you stress free?

Lex: <laugh> If I were zen, why would I be talking to you?

DR: Because I maybe your "completely stress free" cousin?

Lex: Well first she doesn’t pay me, and second I have no idea who you are. It’s not like our sessions are ever about you.

DR: Would you like to know more about me?

Lex: Hell no! I mean, I’m paying *you* right?

DR: Yes, but this is your time and you can do what you want with it.

Lex: Give me one reason why I want to know more about you?

DR: I don’t know.
<pause>
Lex: This is really odd. I didn’t know you wanted to be a subject.

DR: I did?

Lex: We always talk about my feelings and you’re always so black and white. This is the first time that you even mentioned anything about yourself. It’s like you want to talk or something but you have a muzzle on! and that muzzle only shows you smiling or non-emotional. So why do you want to talk about yourself again?

DR: I didn’t. I’m saying that it’s your time and you can do what you want with it.

Lex: How about come help me pick out paint colors for my bedroom?

DR: I guess I can do that. More importantly I want to know why you want me to help you pick a paint color.

Lex: The muzzle is back on? Anyfoo, I’m back to talking about my family and worrying about the gift shopping that ensue. Personally I want a dog, but if I can’t have that I have decided I want a cute football player.

DR: Why a football player?

Lex: Because I am so tired of being the guy. I figure what’s more macho than a football player? Plus they are so much more shy than the chain and leather boys at the library.

DR: So you want to be feminine?

Lex: I want him to bring out my effeminate qualities. I don’t know, change of scenery? <smile> <pause> So what are you doing for the holidays?

DR: I’ll be here holding regular hours, having dinner with a group of friends  and taking advantage of the weather for some nice walks.

Lex:  For a person that wants to be unmuzzled you don’t have much interesting things to say.

DR: <smile> We’re out of time for today. We’ll see you back here next time?

Lex: Sure. <walking out> By the way, I was looking at some of the pictures outside. Maybe next time you can tell me about your boating trips.

DR: <smile>

Lex: Hi doc <waking up on the doctor’s sofa>.

Dr. Racional: Good evening Lex! You took a bit of a nap in the waiting room. How are you?

Lex: I am so very tired today. I had horrible arguments with Rin this weekend and hardly got any sleep.

DR: What were you arguing about?

L: How much of a mother Rin is. <pause> In a nut shell I went out a little late with my friends and didn’t come back before curfew. RIn was and is furious about the whole situation and I admit I wasn’t being a very good boy but come on!  Anyway, I don’t want to talk about it. As if two mothers weren’t enough, I need a third live-in kind.

DR: I’m sorry to hear that. Let’s go back and talk about your position at the pet hospital. Are you still taking care of the patients there?

L: Yes. Most of the times I come out with a lot more energy than going in, but I’m continuing to do work there. I even managed to make some friends; I mean aside from the dogs. Jamie and I are both  volunteers and for whatever reason share the same times at the hospital.

DR: Do you both walk the dogs?

L: Well, Jamie’s training to be a vet so we talk shop rather than walk the dogs together. I told her about the difficult time I’ve been having with losing patients to health <smile>. She said that it was very sweet I thought that way and that it’s also very natural.

DR: How often do you see Jamie at the hospital?

L: Usually three times a week, but it varies. I go there when I need some quick exercise or furry love and I can bump into her. I think she enjoys my company as much as I enjoy hers. Oh! I’m having dinner with her after our session. Which reminds me to tell you I have to leave early today.

DR: That’s fine. You sound very happy to be having dinner with her.

L: She’s entertaining, easy on the eyes and loves dogs. If I weren’t so gayfully attached, I’d go out with her!

DR: So you’re attracted to her?

L: She’s a swell girl, but I don’t swing that way.  But just because I don’t want to f-k her sideways doesn’t mean that I want nothing to do with her! Eesh, it’s like you’re forcing me to like girls or something.

DR: I did not mean that. I merely want to establish your idea of who this person is in your life.

L: Yeah, we’re just comfortable friends. We talk about boys and what we like and dislike about the hospital. We plan things to do together and with each others friends, the usual buddy buddy stuff. <looks at clock> I have to run. <gathering coat> See you next time?

DR: Till next time.

Lex: <panting> Hey Dr. Racional, sorry I’m late. The weather is horrible and no one knows how to drive in snow.

Dr. Racional: Glad you can make it today. Have a seat. <sitting back down in the chair> How are you?

Lex: <dropping a wet man-bag on the floor next to the couch> Aside from soaking, a bit of arthritis, and in need of new hobby I think I’m alright.

DR: Oh? You took up a new hobby?

L: Yeah, I decided to volunteer to walk dogs at the vet’s office. I like it a lot. I pretty much come in and take a dog out for some physical activity and then bring them back to the hospital.

DR: That sounds very fulfilling. Why do you want to have a new hobby then?

L: Oh, I’ve grown so attached to some of the dogs there! <smile> They are used to me visiting them and wag their tails and say ‘hi’, each in their own special ways. This one poodle in particular is very affectionate to me, which is strange for the breed and has become really the highlight of my time there. <looking upwards> Yeah, Sebastian is a standard apricot poodle who was visiting the office because of a bummed knee and I pretty much rehabilitated the poor thing. <pause, sigh> I need a new hobby because Sebastian eventually left and it was like giving up my own dog.

DR: So you must like dogs then?

L: There are very few things in life that are stable, and I think as long as the dog with you he or she will be a truly loyal friend. So yeah, I like dogs because they are such a being. I’m not saying all dogs are like that; you get out what you put in I guess.

DR: … and you’re sad because this poodle left to go back its home.

L: I’m happy that its feeling better, but I also wanted to continue our trots and quiet time around the park.

DR: I’m going to say something different this time, and I want you to tell me if it is correct or incorrect. I believe that you liked this dog because of the mutual attention.

L: Sure. That is a pretty safe thing to say. I mean wouldn’t you?

DR: Probably. Will you continue walking the dogs?

L: I do get a lot of happiness making these dogs feel comfortable, and the office always needs help. I need to weigh the pros and cons a little more. Maybe I can have a time-share one of them! I need to build, rent-a-dog! <smile>

DR: <smile> That is a brilliant idea. It sure is easy to think of filling your needs with others isn’t it?

L: I’ve learned that once you know what you, yourself need then everything else comes easier.  Soo Machiavellian right? <looks at DR>

DR: It can be. How else has your week been?

L: Well I hit the gym a couple of times and started to eat more. The sleep is better because of those two for sure; I get both tiredness and carb-comas to help! Oh Scary Day was amusing too. I ended up watching this incredibly trippy movie called "Vampiere Lesbos" with a couple of friends and took shots every time there was a cut scene of a scorpion. I slept very well that evening, and apparently everyone else slept fine on the floor next to my bed as well!

DR: You had a fun filled week! What was the best part?

L: This week was so fast, and yet there is more to come. So far the best part is sitting in the park with Sebastian, thinking about how evaporation takes place during the winter in the pond. It was just a clear present moment with nothing but the memories of my Mecca. I’ve got plans on the weekend that I’m looking forward to as well. It’s going to be dinner with Rin + Rin’s buddies Friday night, shopping with the boys Saturday and Sunday will be "coffee and pastry day" – that’s a 50% alone day with nothing but news, coffee and pastries! As so I’ve declared it.

DR: So in the last session you mentioned that it was almost like the transition phase which bothered you. A period where there is no momentum, the calm before the next goal. Do you think that it is still the case?

L: Honestly I don’t know. This week is good, next week maybe slow and bad. The holidays are coming, so maybe it will be filled with activities or distractions to the "next-thing".

DR: Our time is almost up, but we can always talk as long as you are willing to.

L: Oh sure. I plan to continue our sessions. I think it’s good to have a sounding board even if I have to pay for it. <smile> Just tell me if I get lazy; I tend to do that about scheduled meetings.

DR: I will most assuredly give you much notice before our meetings. <stands up to walk Lex out>

L: Doc, <opening the door> I think I want a dog.

DR: That maybe a good idea. Hold that thought for next time.