Old Dogs and New Tricks, Part Two

I haven't been writing because my stupid fingers don't like typing and/or writing all the time and they've taken to swelling up and sending little zaps of pain up into my shoulders. Nice.

But oddly enough, they're not bothered by SEWING.

I know that sewing's not really a new trick. It's more of a new-to-me trick. And I definitely feel like something of an old dog. Be impressed. Be very impressed. Not only did I reattach the top button, I detached and reattached the other two as well....



Dude! Video! Two new tricks in one post!

Legos

Lied. Didn't write twice yesterday. And almost let it slip by again today. Just finished reacquainting myself with the Legos of my youth, literally. Mom dropped them off at my request. I built a houseboat. Mostly. Best part of the day. I'll post a photo when it's done.

Oops

I meant to write when we got home from the Bates fall dance show last night, but then it was morning before I remembered it again. I'll write twice today.

Yesterday was largely characterized by our visit to our friend Andrew's place, where he did the sound mixing (I think that's what it's called) we needed done for the piece we're performing next weekend. Trips to Andrew are always that - trips. It's always profoundly clear after a visit to Andrew that the "reality" in which I live day to day is a ridiculously small sliver of what's going on in the world. Not to mention what a narrow world view is represented in the course of my days. On this particular visit, there was a small crowd of other musicians around, who were intensely curious about what it's like to be serious about dance in a community like Portland where there isn't much of it. It always feels like we're supposed to think about art as a luxury, and I know I do, but being around these guys who live according to it rather than alongside it was refreshing and... alarming, actually. I feel a little more awake.

More soon.

Suspend Oral Hygiene

Dear Reader,

I'm writing to you today to brag about how much money I spent at the dentist this afternoon. I've done better, but given that I expected something just over $100, I think I fared pretty well with a final result of $230. I mean, I could have put more effort into it. I could have said something like "You must have at least one other piece of new technology that you're keeping from me though I absolutely need it if I'm to prevent the rapid and merciless onset of periodontic disease. COME ON." But I didn't. I left it at fluoride varnish and bitewings, which are certainly the most unpleasant experience available when it comes to dentistry that doesn't actually involve cutting of any kind.

But I digress. The funniest part of the visit was when the hygienist, whom I actually like very much, observed that on the packaging for the fluoride varnish it said both "Do not brush for 6 hours following the application of this product" and "Suspend oral hygiene for a full day following application of the product." I won't get into the niggly little details of whether or not they know how long a day is. I'm too tickled by the fact that they wrote "Suspend oral hygiene." Suspend oral hygiene? Really?

Sincerely,

Writer

Details

I remembered today that when I used to spend hours building little houses and other buildings out of Legos, the most important thing to me was making sure the blocks overlapped so that there weren't any seams running up the walls. I tried to find a Lego picture that shows what I mean but I couldn't, and I don't have any Legos in the house with which to stage a reenactment.

Anyway, I know I'm the only one who thinks that's interesting, but I couldn't think of anything to write about and that's what was in my brain. It was a long day.

I just like the moon, is all.

Amazon's Gallery of Wrap Rage

It's another part of their scheme to take over the world, but it's also funny film with funny music.

Filler

I couldn't find the flannel sheets, and then I remembered that I used them, along with several towels, to stuff the freezer back while we were still accumulating produce to put in there for the winter. They should be nice and warm.

Retro

This here's a photo from a week ago tomorrow. It seems like so long ago now, and I'm just getting it off the camera. It was taken after our trip to the O office downtown, where we stuck a cell phone to an ear each, held our breaths, and tried about 75 times each to become the last person someone talked to before they headed out to vote. It was awful, and I won't pretend otherwise. I still after all these years (the first one was 1979 or so) hate calling strangers on the telephone. This is how I know that there's something special about this particular candidate. For the possibility associated with not every candidate would I put myself through this kind of trial.

The photography here is subtle - the I Voted for Change sticker is obscured by the jean jacket, so you won't know who this voted chose, and the Vote Here sign obscured by its wearer. We also, of course, had voted many days before, but wanted to be sure we had a picture with the sign. The batteries died before we could get one with the whole sign. But it was a big day, it was.

More on Homebodity

I headed out this morning to the post office with a couple of important things to mail, not the least of which had to do with Cambridge Parking Permit Season. I spent the trip thinking about what it is that makes people so different - I know plenty of folks who speak of going crazy if they're "stuck" inside for too long. It's so isolating, they say.

I seem to get happier and more social when I stay home for long periods of time. This isn't news to me, really, but every once in a while it inspires me to imagine how the world might be if we found a way to have everyone operating optimally - with the outgoing types out there... going... and the less so less so, etc. By extension we'd probably have folks keeping busy at things that didn't make them want to lose their lunch with boredom or other distaste. I know Jonathan's thinking that none of the chores would ever get done that way - the dishes and the trash pick-up, etc. But I'm living proof to the contrary as far as the dishes are concerned, and I've seen guys hopping on and off of city trash trucks who are in much much much better moods than a lot of the artists I know, so I'm not so sure...

Apparently,

I took the day off. Not only did I not read any work email or do anything else work-related, I managed to not set foot outside the house. I didn't really do it on purpose, but it was made easier by a late-night airport pick-up and subsequent late sleeping (8:42!), lengthy breakfast preparations (in honor of J.'s friend Meghan's visit), and rain. I never said I wasn't a homebody.

Hmmm...

Good thing I talked Lynn into playing, so I feel guilty enough to drum up something to write about today. Let's see. Nope, I really don't have anything to say. I'm extremely underwhelmed by the plethora of unnecessary muscle spasm I was expected to tolerate today. There's just no need for it and I find it downright unpatriotic, frankly. Here I am paying attention to politics for the first time in, well, life, and I'm getting zero support from my cells. I will start an organization called Citizens for More Patriotic Muscle Behavior. It will be a 501(c)(3) because red tape is always a good thing. I will find a way to be the whole board. Also I will start an auxiliary organization called Citizens for Fewer Superfluous and Extraneous Parentheses in IRS designations.

I told you I didn't have anything to write about. And now I'll see if I can find a picture of muscle spasm to accompany this fine post. Oh, my, goodness. Look at this. I swear this is what I found when I searched for images of muscle spasm. Are they allowed to show this sort of thing on the internet? I expect comments.

Phew

Posted for real on Lazy Green Commuter.

One. More. Day.

I really can't even think anymore. I managed to stare blankly at some afternoon TV when I got home this afternoon, rather than sit here at the computer trying not to read everything there is to read about the election. Otherwise I might likely have ceased breathing. I've never been particularly good at handling stress.

One more day. There's no question that there'll be lots and lots and lots of work to do after tomorrow regardless, but the possibility of having this country make a different kind of statement about what we'd like to stand for from now on is so wrenchingly promising I can barely stand it.

Distraction

I'm a total basketcase in these last hours before Tuesday. J.'s face falls every time someone brings up anything to do with it lately, because she knows she'll lose me for another hunk of time as I spin off into preoccupation and acute worry. But I managed to stay distracted for the better part of the day thanks to a visit from Michele, who made the trek up on the bus in the brilliant November sun. The novel is already lagging, but I'm about to peck out a few hundred words before we head off to my cousin's for dinner...

Actual November!!!

It's November, and that means novel writing and daily blogging. We're off to launch the grayest month at mom's, but I'll be back and blogging and chaptering away tomorrow. Happy November!