Sorry I didn’t post anything yesterday. I ended up locking myself out of the house at around 5:00 AM, and couldn’t get back in until 8:30, when J was up, and we left for a trip to Portland. I took two hour-long walks, and spent about an hour and a half trying to teach myself to pick a lock using a screwdriver and two safety pins. It didn’t work so well, but at least it was warm in the barn. Then, of course, I spent the rest of the day rattling doorknobs to make sure they weren’t locked behind me. Locking yourself out: it sucks.
So, I’ll try to make this one extra long to make up for yesterday’s absence.
Didn’t get a lot of reading done this week, because I started and stopped a couple of different books. I’ve settled on Thackeray’s Vanity Fair, for now, which is so far very readable. I did listen to three more albums, so that’s three fewer I have to listen to before I can die. Wait, what? I heard two Pet Shop Boys, one which I liked (Very) and one I didn’t care for (Behavior). I also listened to the Nirvana MTV Unplugged, which was pretty great. I feel like I’ve listened to that one before, but I listened again to be sure, and also, because it’s good. This week I’ll be able to listen to a bunch more; I’ve culled about twenty from our collection that made the list (look out, Scritti Politti, here I come!). I haven’t picked Birth of a Nation back up yet, because, as I say, I’ve been busy and/or locked out. Also: three hours long. As is Intolerance, another movie on the beginning of the list. And I don’t know where I might find the time or inclination to get through all seven hours of Les Vampires. No reason I have to work my way through the list chronologically, I suppose. Maybe I’ll watch me some Dr. Caligari – that’s short. Or some of the Buster Keaton. He seems nice.
Jogging this week has gone well – I finished my second couch-to-5K run this morning (I brought ALL the house keys with me this time). I thought I would feel bad running this winter, but the fresh air and exertion actually feel good, like I’m actually accomplishing something when I exercise. So far I am unharmed, unfrostbitten, and have found myself a well-lit route that won’t get me hit by a car or bitten by an angry little dog. Now I’m looking for a couple of pairs of sweatpants to wear and maybe a lighter-colored jacket, because right now I’m dressed for shoveling snow, not jogging two miles, and it’s hard to move in four layers of clothing.
We went to the bank while we were in Portland, and I now have four bottles of Two-Buck (and fifty cent) Chuck wine and $250 of Christmas cash burning a hole in the bank envelope. Not sure what I’m going to do with it yet, but I know I have to spend it on something awesome before it goes to something terrible like bills or food.
I guess that gets you up to date. Sooner next time, I promise.
