A Disturbingly Productive Thursday
February 26^th, 2004
3:11 P. M.

Again today, I went down to the University of Kentucky to partake of their College of Arts and Sciences' open house week. I finally got in to talk to and academic advisor, and I told her of my situation. I stated in my bio that I have attention deficit disorder. (Of all the people who have chimed in on this disorder, I like George Carlin's comment the best -- which I will paraphrase; Now, there's a disorder that makes sense! There's very little worth paying attention to!)

Well, I managed to get important dates from the advisor, and more importantly, I got the names and numbers of a few people who will be able to help me through my education. Oddly enough, one of the people (a career counselor) is the mother of an old friend of mine from when I first tried to go to college.

That friend is, herself, working at the University now! She was an incredibly cool person, which isn't to say she will not be anymore, who was into Mystery Science Theatre 3000. That's how I came to know her. There was a MST3K community on campus back in the early 'Nineties. I wonder if they're all still circulating the tapes? I could find out in the next few months!

Before anyone starts asking ... no, I don't know what my major's going to be. I'm going there to see what I'll be interested in doing for the rest of my life. More than likely it will involve writing. I know not whether it will be of the creative sort (which I still haven't gotten around to posting any creative stuff here), or if it will be journalism.
I shiver when I think about becoming a journalist, though. Just watch All the President's Men to get an idea of why I don't like that particular prospect. Journalists are no more popular now than they were when this story was taking place. In fact, I think I've noticed them being far less popular now than they ever have been. I was thinking about writing more of what I've noticed about journalism these days, but I think I'll skirt around the issue (or, polly-fox a no spin zone).

Jeez. The last thing I want to do is go head to head with "The Establishment." No one agrees on what "The Establishment" is anyway. I think it's more appropriate to call it "The Distraction" or "The Misdirection" anymore. In the Sixties "The Establishment" was a right-wing entity. Now, it's a left wing entity (according to the vulpes, that is). So, if no one agrees on that, then I'm not going to write about it.

Therefore, I rule out journalism. I can't see me selling myself out like that. But, how about some sort of science then ... Physics perhaps? I've already tried that. Phried my brain on Physics.
I liked acting quite a bit when I was in High School. I was supposedly good at it, too. Maybe I should look into having that as a career goal. People do have a tendency to look down on actors, too. But, I don't think it's possible to sell myself out as an actor, is it? ...

Tuesday's Gone
February 25^th, 2004
1:38 P. M.

Right of the bat, I know I would get flak for saying this in public (especially around my hometown) but, I don't like Skynyrd. Sorry, but I'm not nuts over the South, nor a lot of Southern Rock (except for the Allman Brothers), nor even a lot of Country music (except for Junior Brown, Dwight Yoakum, and Allison Kraus.)

I did pick the title of today's post for a reason, though. It's because I thought about posting yesterday, but decided to take the day off instead. I did a hand written entry, but I don't know when I'll get around to typing it up.

But, for today's regular feature, I found a brand new blog (at least it's new to me) that had a really neat quote about a current event that I've been wanting to write about. I haven't been able to, though, because the thought of the Constitution being amended for this particular purpose makes my blood boil. The short version is the only version I can come up with, but it goes like this; The Constition bans the President and Congress from making legislation that prohibits the free exercise of religion. If this President and Congress passes this particular amendment, they have in effect decided how individual churches and religious organizations can practice their rituals.

I know, however, that I'll never get anyone to see things from this point of view. No one will fully understand what's wrong with this proposal until well after it is too late.

Back to the original subject, though ... on the new blog I discovered (Manhattan Transfer), I found this week's

Humpday Quote of the

Week!

"So, you heard about the President coming out against same sex marriage?"

"Yeah, and good on him. It's about time."

"Really? I'm surprised you're against same sex marriage."

"It's not something I talk about but I've been trying to get my wife to try different sex for years."
Overheard by the author of Manhattan Transfer at lunch at a Times Square dive.

Popcorn, Chicken Strips, Kick Ass Jazz Music!
February 23^rd, 2004
2:22 P. M.

I'm fixing lunch and watching the new Ocean's Eleven. That movie has a great soundtrack. I also like how the guys in the new one actually walk away with the money. Criminals beating criminals ... wahoo.

Anyway, on a completely different subject (which, in case you haven't noticed of late, none of the post titles I pick really match the subject of the post), I had an interesting day yesterday. I was getting ready to go out with a friend of mine when she called me and asked if I wanted to meet her horse. Yes, she owns a horse ... she won him at a raffle when she was in college -- how lucky is THAT?
Well, she implied that she was going to let me ride him after she was through. Her mistake was that she let me watch as she rode ... apparently, he's a steeplechaser. I can ride a horse (I think -- it's been many years and I only did it once), but I don't know about riding one that's going to be jumping over obstacles. One day, when I have the nerve, I might try ... so long as he doesn't decide to start jumping over stuff.

Again ... Different subject. Sad news today. Barbie and Ken, who've been a couple for more than 40 years, have officially split. Get the story from News.com.au here.
Ken, my boy, you should've popped the question sometime in the past 43 years. Now, you're going to be having a public relations nightmare ... you know how rumors can start.......

Who Links Who?
February 22^nd, 2004
12:03 A. M.

Hey! How cool is this (technorati.com)? Click on it! Go ahead! Then, type in your blog's URL, and see who's linked to you!

You know what? ... Skip all that. I'm probably the last one to find out about that, anyway. I just found a post from Random. Really. that mentions their blog showing up in my And, other blogs I read...on a once-in-a-while basis list. The post has it right ... I do believe I've only read it once, but I marked it more for my own benefit. It's definitely a blog that I believe needs to be read more than once.

If I must write the truth about one of my links, I'll write it about all. Most of the time I don't read them again until, every once in a very great while, I read other blogs instead of write to my own. I only read The Abyss and Tinmen Don't Dance with any kind of regularity at all. And, I read them only three times a week (I'm trying to finish off my two library books before the 29^th of this month, so I don't read a whole lot else.)

If you read that last line and wondered "Why the heck is he struggling to finish two books in a month?" I'll tell you. It's because, even after all these years outside of school, I still have trouble concentrating on any one thing for a stretch of time. No matter how much older I get, that never changes. Ah, well ... I suppose I'll work around it somehow...

Sorry if this post is jumping around. The Chapelle Show is on, and it's pretty funny tonight.........

I Was Called a Cynic Tonight!
February 21^st, 2004
1:37 A. M.

It was really last night when I was called a cynic, but I count it as tonight because I haven't gone to bed yet.

The story, though, starts at work about an hour and a half ago. We were caught up, my co-worker and I, so we went into another department to hang out and talk until the final shipment came in for the day (I'm not going to make it any clearer where I work because of what I have to say). The guy in this department said, "Our weekend person is retiring soon, so there will be a position open here."

I just blinked and said, "Retiring, huh? I didn't think that sort of thing went on here. I thought that people got fired before they could get any retirement benefits out of this place." To be fair to my statement, though, there was an older person fired about a year ago who didn't have much longer to retirement. From what the rest of us heard, the reason for the firing didn't seem to be ... reasonable...

But, at this point, the guy said, "Ah. So you're a little cynical, huh?"

I laughed heartily, and thought for a second. Then I asked, "Is this the part where I say, 'No, I'm a realist'?" Then I continued, "I'm not going to say that, though. I'll own up to my cynicism."

I think there are far too few genuine cynics in this world. A lot of people out there seem to confuse bitterness and anger with cynicism. There are some folks out there who seem to think that cynics are pessimistic, too. (Read Effing the Ineffable for an idea of what I'm trying to say. I think these folks who call themselves cynical were just stuck with the label because no other one would fit quite as well.)

Just on a lark, I went to Merriam-Webster online to look up cynic, and got the definition to which I just linked.

Running Short on Ideas
February 20^th, 2004
2:48 A. M.

Well, I promised myself when I started this blog that I would write to it as often as possible. (I had planned on writing to it every day, but I broke with that within the first month -- easily.)

In keeping with that promise, I bring to you another short and rambling post. It will go nowhere, it started nowhere, but it will be graciously short.

Gee. I should really get serious about my writing exersizes....

Winding Up for the Weekend
February 19^th, 2004
2:51 P. M.

Good afternoon, everyone! I didn't come home last night, and there was no one to "let me have it" for not doing so. I still don't know if I like that situation or not. I'd rather have someone to whom I would owe an explanation if I were to come home at two o'clock in the afternoon after leaving at four thirty on the previous day...

Ah, well. I know there are guys out there who would tell me to enjoy this while I can. To them I would now say, "Shut the hell up, and enjoy your wife and kids!"

I know I called this post "Winding Up for the Weekend." However, I suspect that this weekend is going to be just like every other one before it. I'll be all wound up, with no idea where to go or what to do. I haven't been going to the pub so much lately ... having a car payment has put a damper on a lot of going out. (Which then makes me wonder how I'm supposed to be able to go out and meet someone special if I can barely afford to pay my own way.) So, I'll either do a bunch of random, low or no cost things, or I'll end up at home playing video games (I've been playing Final Fantasy 7 and Crono Cross.) I would much rather have human interaction, though. If anyone can help me think of things to do that cost (next to) nothing to do, I would appreciate it. (In fact, I would love to be able to go to a Blog Meetup, but those things are always scheduled when I'm at work. Would it hurt to have these things on a weekend? Or, am I going to have to start an alternate weblogger gathering?)

I've discovered a brand new blog today. It has a look much like this one, and quite possibly, may even have a style similar to mine. I can already tell that it will be a fun one to look in on from time to time ... it already has a link to a neat name generator. This blog is called "Got A Sec'?". (Strange punctuation, huh?)

A Two for One!
February 18^th, 2004
4:30 A. M.

I couldn't make up my mind which of these two quotes I liked better, so I picked them both. Now, hopefully, I can get to sleep before 5 A. M. But, now it's time for the...

Humpday Quote of the

Week!

Few things are harder to put up with than a good example.
- Mark Twain (1835-1910)

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.
- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

I'm Tired
February 17^th, 2004
4:14 P. M.

I just crawled away from work at 3:30 A. M.

I'm not up to writing much tonight, but I thought it would simply be good exercise for me. I resolved last year to write more often, and perhaps venture into writing short fiction once again. I haven't done anything like that in over ten years. It would be good to know I've still got it ... but until six months ago, I hadn't been doing any writing (other than checks to my creditors, that is).

Good night, everyone. And sweet dreams.

What a Weekend...
February 15^th, 2004
11:37 P. M.

I got some disheartening news today. D's latest attempt at pregnancy ended last week. She miscarried ... I am glad, though, that it was early in the pregnancy. I couldn't imagine what it would have been like for her to have been four or five months along and have this happen. I know she is in pain right now (emotional and physical). I wonder how much worse it would have been for her...

She still has eleven more embryos to go. She told me that she's going to wait a little while before she tries again, and I'm glad for that. She needs time to rest.

Well, D, I had my hopes up this time, too. After all I've seen you through, I thought it was high time for this dream to come true.

That pretty much has me tapped out ... I can't write much more tonight. She and I have a long history together ... I blame my late best friend for her current troubles. And, I blame myself. Part of me knew he was no good for her from the start ... but I said nothing.
Nothing...
Nothing.

Sweating My Way Through Another Valentine's Day
February 14^th, 2004
1:34 A. M.

I've made it to the threshold of another Valentine's Day. I'm not going to lie to you all out there, nor am I going to hide anything from you -- it's been a rough week. That's a good sign, I think.

Last year, I was still in shock over having to break up with my ex-girlfriend. So last February 14^th I was, in a manner of speaking, numb as a statue. This year I have been far from numb. It's been at times agonizing. I've been trying to keep busy, though ... keep my mind on other things.

That's been difficult, though. All I've been able to think about some nights is what I have to offer a significant other. To tell the truth, I've never thought it over before. I know there are a lot of people out there who, for whatever reason, like to rationalize romantic relationships out of existence before these relationships can even take form.

Folks always have questions ... questions I can't answer.

What makes you different from all the other guys out there?
I really don't know.

What do you have to offer me in a relationship?
There's only one way I can think for you to find that out. But, right up front, I don't know. If you're looking for some magical answer, I have none.
All I can tell you is that I would like to cook for you. I wash dishes after I'm done with that, too.
I like giving massages. I'll even draw you a bubble bath after a hard day at the office (or where ever you happen to work).
I would like candle light dinners at home. Really, I like any excuse to have candle light going.
I would like keeping the T. V. dark so I can devote my attention to you.
I would like to hold you as you tell me all about your day.
I would like listening to some easy going old style jazz as we unwind from our day. (In other words, not that "lite jazz" stuff.)

What about your career? What would you like to do for a living?
I think of work as a way of financing the rest of my life. Simply put -- I work to live, not live to work. As far as careers go, I really don't care what I'll wind up doing. I want to devote myself to my home life. Too few people do that today. Even those "Family Values" people seem to me to put far too much import on things like careers.

You seem like a nice guy. You're just not what I'm looking for.
They all say that. But, hey! Thanks for the honesty.

Iiiiiiiiiiiittttttt's Frrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiidaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!
February 13^th, 2004
3:08 A. M.

What does it mean if the day before Valentine's Day is Friday the Thirteenth?

Probably nothing, but I just wanted to call your attention to that.

I'm just burning through the last little bit of ink left in the printer at the moment (I'm printing up a hard copy of the first month of This Space for Rent! It's 38 pages long ... surely it's long enough to burn through the last one sixth of a cartridge that is left).

By the way, I'm starting to regret my decision to hyphenate my blog's address. It's a pain in the arse trying to remember to use those dang hyphens, anyway.

Maybe I should quit goofing around here and get on with the
Friday Five. And, boy oh boy, it's going to be a fun one!

1. Are you superstitious?
No, I'm not. Knock on wood!

2. What extremes have you heard of someone going to in the name of superstition?
I think I heard of someone nailing a cockroach to a 3 by 5 index card onto their mailbox after hearing a fly fart, just to ensure that they could get rich.
No, wait ... I just made that up.

3. Believer or not, what's your favorite superstition?
My favorite superstition? If I were to be honest about that, I would either shock or offend some really old friends of mine. I may perhaps make enemies out of people I don't even know, so I'll simply leave that question alone.

4. Do you believe in luck? If yes, do you have a lucky number/article of clothing/ritual?
In a book called "Centaur Isle" by Piers Anthony, there is an ogre that responds to someone suggesting he not push his luck. Piers Anthony's take on ogres (in case you haven't read any of the Magic of Xanth series) is that ogres use rhymes in every sentence they speak.
This ogre's response to the suggestion that he "better not push his luck" was partly inaudible because he smashed through a wall as he was saying the first word of a two word rhyming response that concluded with the word "... luck"
His response to the idea of luck is the same as mine.

There is also that old song "Born Under a Bad Sign."
"If it weren't for bad luck / I'd have no luck at all."

5. Do you believe in astrology? Why or why not?
Great! Ass-trology, you say?
Um, no, I don't believe in it. Why not? Because (1) I don't think the stars even know we exist, and (2) even if the stars knew we existed, they would probably be trying to screw around with us. Stars can be such jerks.
We are talking about those giant gas balls, aren't we? Or, are we talking about those things that twinkle in the night sky?

Dislcaimer;
The author of the preceding post realizes that most prominent people are really down to Earth folks who are not too diferent from anyone we all may know. There are, however, enough notable exceptions to this rule for the author to feel comfortable enough to go for a low jab at the rich and famous.

Isn't It Great That There's Someone Looking Out for Us?
February 12^th, 2004
2:06 A. M.

I was just reading a brand new blog (it's new to me) called "A Rift in the Space-Time Continuum." It, so far as I've read, has nothing to do with Physics in the slightest. The writer tonight was on a fairly interesting topic, though.

And, if you've taken the time to read the new blog (I'll recommend waiting 'til you get home ... it features a much heavier use of the "f" word than you'll find here), I can corroborate most of what they were saying. I've been around plenty of people who have used this particular substance, and when I think about the differences between what I've seen, and the depictions in the ad campaign against it ... I'd say that the campaign has to have been written under the influence of some illicit substance.

I know what you all are going to say, "That stuff's bad for you ... it should remain illegal."

My response is this, "A lot of things are bad for you. Should we outlaw it all?" I just got done eating some roast beef ... And I'm having a beer ... and bedtime is going to be soon. I know it's bad for me to eat and drink just before bed time ... it's so irresponsible.

Should I be considered a criminal because of that?

The Humpday Quote of the Week!
February 11^th, 2004
4:04 A. M.
The whole Universe is a large joke. Everything in the Universe are just subdivisions of this joke. So why take anything too serious?
-----Frank Zappa

In order to keep my readers on their toes, I changed things up a little this week. That, and I'm home tremendously later than usual today. I would have had this post done two hours ago, had I not been at work...

Thirty Years of Padding Around on This Rock, And This Is All the Traveling I've Done?!?
February 10^th, 2004
2:51 A. M.

Take a look at this little travel map I made over at world66.com. If the problem with the image goes away, you'll be able to see that I've been to Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky (which is convenient seeing as I live there), Tennessee, Alabama (where my sister lives), Georgia, and Florida.

create your own visited states map
or write about it on the open travel guide

Pitiful, isn't it? It motivates me, though. In the next few years, I'd like to add some more red to this map ... I'd like it to look a little more like D's.

Monday, Monday! (Bah Dah, Bah Dah Dah Dah!)
(...Sounded Better When the Mammas and the Pappas Sang It...)
February 9^th, 2004

Quick blurbs today. That's all I have time for.

Is everyone else looking forward to Valentine's Day as much as I am this year? I know a lot of you dread this holiday, but I don't! I didn't go out and buy anything for this coming Valentine's Day. You know what? No one is going to be pissed of because of that! I think I'm starting to like not having a relationship at times like these!

On a completely different subject, I was looking at my profile on MSN, and I accidentally clicked on this link right here. I thought it would be a strange thing to share ... since I'm the kind of person who doesn't seek approval (at least openly), I never thought anyone would have to "come out" to their family about their personal religious practices.

Back at the Library Again
February 8^th, 2004
1:34 P. M.

And, why shouldn't I be? I like being out and about, after all. I've gotten so tired of hunching over a keyboard at my dim-lit domicile. I prefer the hospital white surroundings of the downtown branch of the Public Library! There are other people here tapping away on whatever the heck it is they're working. If I am to become accustomed to being a writer, I probably need to be able to write in circumstances much noisier than a library's computer center. (Which I frequent because I think that it's a lot cheaper to print things out here at 10 cents a sheet ... I don't print frequently, but when I do finally run out of ink, I usually have trouble convincing myself that I should spend thirty-two dollars on an ink cartridge when the printer itself can cost only forty.)

Another thing the library computer center is going to be good for is to change the mystery surrounding some diskettes I've inherited. I could have said "solve the mystery," but I think "change" is a better word, for the mystery could also deepen today. I can't seem to get these disks to format at home. It doesn't matter if I hold my tongue the right way, Windows XP keeps telling me that it can't format the disks I keep putting in the A drive.

If the older edition of Windows the library has on its computers says the same thing ... I have a real mystery on my hands ...

Another Day of Internet Issues
February 7^th, 2004
1:20 A. M.

Well, I've been trying to look at my own blog today so I could see if anyone had left a comment. So far, it will load yesterday's entry, but stop right as the (possible) comments are about to load. It was doing that today at around four in the afternoon. Since it has been so long since I've been at home at that time, I thought it was simply because there was a lot of traffic on Blogger at the time. But, just now I've realized that there are bloggers in every time zone on the planet, so there may not be a light load for this site at any time.

So, at any rate, I don't know what's going on here, and I would love to know if anyone tried to contact me about the last couple of entries. (In fact, I've come to enjoy reading reactions much more than actually writing posts.)

I've just tried, once again, to look at the blog, and the links list isn't coming up either. Darn it. I'm too lazy most of the time to type web addresses in the address bars (if you've ever wondered about my ever increasing links list ... it mostly for my convenience), but tonight it looks like I'm going to have to do so.

While I've been typing this entry out, I've also been looking at other blogs. They all seem to be loading up nice and complete. I wonder if I've done something to anger someone somewhere ....

I Didn't Mean to Skip Out on Thursday, But Here's...
February 6^th, 2004
2:18 A. M.
The Friday Five!

But first, a foreword. (It's written by me, but I don't know if it's the first time an author has written a foreword for their own work...)

This week's Friday Five is about taking risks. I don't take very many. For some reason, other than fear, I don't like taking risks. I think of myself as hobbit-like in this fashion ... risks lead to adventure, and "... adventures make one late for dinner!" (from The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien.)

1. What's the most daring thing you've ever done?
Well, like I said in the foreword, I don't really go in for "daring." I'm a play it safe, wait-and-see (and then do something) kind of guy. Most people mistake that for some sort of weakness. I just like to weigh out options.

But, as for the most daring thing I've ever done, I would say it was breaking up with the girlfriend that lead me on for seven and a half years (and possibly kept me from someone who could have made me happy for the rest of my life).

2. What one thing would you like to try that your mother/friend/significant other would never approve of?

Ask D what I think about other people's approval. That, and I like to think that I am surrounded by a fairly libertarian bunch of people (sometimes I think of them as "pseudo-libertarians," though ... their ideas about personal freedoms seem to me to be like personally designed imprisonment), meaning that most of them have already tried things that I haven't yet. (Smoking weed, for example; I probably won't try that, and haven't as of now, but it's fine with me if anyone/everyone else wants to.)

3. On a scale of 1-10, what's your risk factor? (1=never take risks, 10=it's a lifestyle)
3

4. What's the best thing that's ever happened to you as a result of being bold/risky?
(You're my question four, forever more. I love you! My question four! If anyone gets that reference, stop what you're doing immediately and leave a comment!)

This relates back to my answer to question one, so go back and read it again if you have the need. Are you back? Good, here's the answer to question four.

Well, that's still unfolding today. I know deep down in my heart that if I hadn't broken off the "relationship" I had going, I would still be going through the same stuff that I had been going through with that person already. She would have renewed her lease with her male roommate, she would have continued to accepted dates with other guys (to here her tell it, she would accept because she didn't want to hurt their feelings), and she would continue to answer my question, "Will you marry me" with a "Not right now," without even pausing.

So much was indefinite with her. She played a nice little headgame with me, and I no longer have that headgame in my life! She would tell me "You're the most important person to me," then turn around and do all the things I stated in the previous paragraph. I think it took me a great deal of daring to get the fuck out of that. (Yes, I said "fuck." Like I said a few posts back, I don't use "obscenity" very often, but I use it when it's appropriate. I think it was very much so in this case.)

5. ... and what's the worst?

The worst thing, I'd say, is what happened because I didn't take the risk years earlier, when I first suspected that the headgame was going.

I'll leave it at that.

(It weighs surprisingly heavy on my heart even now.)

Tired, Tired, Tired ...
February 4^th, 2004
1:36 P. M.

I'm feeling a lot better today ... I didn't force myself to eat today, I was just hungry! I mean I was finally hungry after two days. I did wake up still feeling exhausted, though. I now understand why the doctor gave me two days off. The doctor was very pretty, by the way, and had no ring on her any of her fingers (which could mean nothing) ... I wonder if there are gold digging guys out there who go to a doctor's office ... hmm, what a silly thought ...

Anyway

How D, and all the other women out there in her condition can handle the symptoms I had yesterday and Monday as often as they do, I don't know. All I know is that I haven't been that sick since Third Grade at least. (There are several stories I'll need to tell about that -- lots of abuses of power at my old Elementary school.)

And while the subject of education is on my mind, I found an Albert Einstein quote for this week's

Humpday Quote of the

Week!

It is, in fact, nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry...
-----Albert Einstein

Skipped Monday Update
February 3^rd, 2004
2:48 P. M.

Whew. That's what I have to say about yesterday. And I repeat -- Whew.

I woke up yesterday morning to nausea and headache (as well as an all over body ache) and absolutely no appetite. I can usually handle a breakfast (that hasn't always been the case, seeing as when I was younger I couldn't eat first thing in the morning), but yesterday I had to force myself to eat something at around one o'clock.

And that, of course, came back up at around five o'clock. So much for my 22 year stretch without vomiting!

I'm still not feeling much better today. I'm glad to say that my fever is gone (it hit 101.7 last night), I feel a little more like getting around, and that I didn't have any weird dreams either. That always happened to me when I got as sick as I did yesterday. And, to make matters possibly worse, I had been reading Dracula ... I hadn't vomited in 22 years as of yesterday, and the clock is still ticking on the last time I had a dream about being chased by vampires (which, if you're wanting to know, is about the same amount of time).

But, still ... I'm wondering how my psyche would have handled a confrontation with a vampire now that I'm 30 years old ....

A Surprisingly Productive Day at the Library
February 1^st, 2004
4:24 P. M.

I got to the library about 30 minutes ago, and as soon as I sat down at the catalog terminal, I drew a blank. I knew I was here to look for books to read (preferably ones I had never read before) and I had a few picked yesterday.

I spent all day yesterday running around on the "third date" that was supposed to have been last weekend. The nice little ice storm we had put a damper on that, though. But, yesterday we made up for that. (Quick little tangent here ... I think there is no possibility of a relationship to develop between my date and I. We're basically running around with each other simply to get out of the house and be with a friend. Hence I can flirt with whomever I want ... and yesterday I did!)

Of all the places we went to yesterday, we spent the most time in a bookstore. There, we were running across books we had read for school.

Well, it was more like her saying, "I read this in High School," followed by me saying something like, "I should have read that in High School, but didn't even finish the first chapter."

So, yesterday, I made mental notes about all the books I should have read when I was in English class with D. Since I'm trying to save up money for a (much needed) week long vacation later this spring and college this fall, I decided to bring my wish list down to the Lexington Public Library where I (not so) promptly found Bram Stoker's Dracula and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. (It wasn't that either of these titles were all that hard to find, by the way ... it's just that I haven't used the Dewey Decimal System in such a very long time.)

Now that I don't have to write reports on these books, maybe I'll finish them once and for all!(?)

An Odd Idea. I Hope No One Either Steals It or Has Already Beaten Me to It.
February 1^st, 2004
12:30 A. M.

So, where do some of our stranger ideas come from?

Just the other day, I was at work ... working ... and my mind was wondering. Somehow I began thinking on an odd combination of subjects; Accounting/Investing Terminology, Bible characters and mystery books.
The idea is this ... Pick a character from the Bible (let's say Moses from the Old Testament), pick an accounting term (like "deduction") and combine them to make a title of a mystery book. Then you have "The Moses Deduction."

I started wondering if this formula would work for more than one title. So I tried to come up with a list.
"The Jehosefat Annuity"
"The Jonah Amortization"
"The Cain Pension"
"The Jacob Premium"

..........Hmmmm..........

I could have stumbled onto something here!