Simon: Hello?

Omar: I'm looking for Simon.

Simon: This is Simon. Yes?

Omar: Hi, Simon. My wife and I have a painting you framed a few weeks ago. We live in New Braunfels.

Simon: Could you say again? I could not hear you.

Omar: You came to our house, my wife and I, and did a frame for a painting. We live in New Braunfels.

Simon: Where do you live?

Omar: New Braunfels.

Simon: Yes?

Omar: New Braunfels

Simon: Ah yes. You had a painting.

Omar: Right. And it looks like the bottom is no longer stretched anymore. It's getting a little wrinkled there.

Simon: Ah yes, that happens sometimes.

Omar: Really?

Simon: Not very often, but yes. Maybe... one time out of 20. I am surprised.

Omar: So were we.

Simon: It is very easy to fix.

Omar: Great!

Simon: Yes.

Omar: ...

Simon: ...

Omar: So you can fix it?

Simon: Oh yes, it is very simple.

Omar: Great.

Simon: ...

Omar: When can you fix it?

Simon: Well, I cannot, you see, because I am not in that state.

Omar: You're not in... a state of fixing things?

Simon: I am not near you. I am in another state.

Omar: Oh.

Simon: Yes. But it is very simple. You can take to Hobby Lobby. $50. They can fix.

Omar: Hobby Lobby, huh?

Simon: Or anywhere that can do the frames and the stretch.

Omar: OK. Well. Huh. Do you know when you'll be back in Texas?

Simon: No, I am very far away and who knows.

Omar: Right. Another state.

Simon: You can call me in the future if you have any other questions about the frame.

Omar: OK, well I'll just take it to Hobby Lobby then.

Simon: Goodbye!

Click here for the Flickr.com version.

Lilly finds the iPhone DELICIOUS.

Let me get the links out of the way first:

A story I wrote about a Web site called SoulofAustin.com, part of the Masters of their Domains series, ran in the paper on Monday.

I review I did of the new game "Burnout Paradise" was in today's paper.

And there've been a ton of new Videogamey entries, including one about "lolKilrathi" and a bit about Dragon's Lair.

So.

Last week I posted a Twitter that said, "Apparently, I am no longer a member of a Latino comedy troupe."

My first instinct was to write a post about what happened (fly-off-the-handle writing is what got me in trouble in the first place), but I decided to wait through the weekend and see if anything could be resolved or smoothed over.

It really wasn't. I put in a call to our artistic director Thursday and my message was never returned. So I spent the weekend being angry, then hurt, then just disappointed in several people I had come to love like family over the last 10 years.

It was a very stupid way for things to end. It had to do with my leaving a meeting early with Lilly and then taking the bait and responding to a very angry group e-mail from our artistic director when I wasn't even the sole target of its anger and frustration.

It all came at the eve of a big project with a cable network, which exacerbated things, and I flew off the handle when a cast member chimed in in a way I found belittling.

So I wrote an e-mail bringing up some scheduling issues I have (admittedly a bad and ill-timed move) and saying I was out if this is how things were going to be... surprise, surprise, that was taken at face value and I was out.

Another e-mail from the AD was sent to the group that I wasn't supposed to see. It took potshots at me for creating drama and timing it at such a crucial point (yes, I spent 10 years waiting for this moment to spring my trap, of course), and saying the group was "net positive" without me. That kinda hurt.

I sent an e-mail defending myself and then wishing the group luck on the big project, which I'd no longer be involved with. It was a goodbye mail, I guess.

Nothing over the weekend -- no phone calls or word from anyone else.

So that's the short version of what happened. It all went down over e-mail, which is a shame.

Since last August, when I did a lot of work writing, producing and working on videos for the last show, I'd been trying to figure out how to contribute to the group after Lilly arrived. I'd taken to writing blog entries for the troupe site, taking her to meetings when I could and trying to help with publicity. I knew I wouldn't be able to perform again anytime soon and that the next set of writing meetings for a new show were going to be brutal for my schedule given our commute.

So in a big way, it's a relief to be out and not be so stressed trying to do everything. It's probably the kick in the ass I needed to stop trying so hard to juggle so much.

But 10 years is a long time to work on and be in love with something and suddenly have it fall out of your life, on bad terms. It's a breakup any way you look at it and right now I need to get as far away from it as I can.