Are we there yet?

And how're we doing?

So. I like lists (mostly). Not so much to-do lists. But ordering is nice.

1. It's April. Taxes are due soon. Did I mention I'm selling yarn now? And that means I get to spend several hours preparing self-employment taxes. MY FAVORITE THING EVER. Portland doesn't care, if it's <10K they just shrug and say whatever and make you send them a copy of the federal. Oregon doesn't care either. But who knows, maybe I'm some kind of yarn drug laundering business. I'll be overjoyed to show the IRS my $4 receipts for disposable gloves. Big spender, me.

2. It's April. It's finally getting lighter later. Thank all the holy cows, because I have had enough of dark, lowering skies. Hey, at least it hasn't snowed this week (yet).

3. We're getting the house painted. And a new fence, and the bathroom needs help, and I am really tired of calling people and talking about how I can give them lots of money.

4. All my reading, watching, and listening appears to be escapism. Hoorah!
a. I recommend books on tape by Lincoln Child for purely-plot-driven "thriller" (but light on the violence) popcorn listens. I just randomly checked out "Deep Storm" and "Death Match". Gets me through the train rides.

b. I read, among other things, The Passage by Justin Cronin, which was a total airplane read*, but with pretty good characterization. I didn't get much done the week I had that out from the library. Great plot, but also interesting ideas and three-dimensional characters.

* by airplane read, I mean: I usually save up books that are mesmerizing page turners for my (infrequent, thank you bob) plane flights. Because I get very very bored on planes, and it helps to have something engrossing.

c. Just watched The Good, the Bad, and the Weird, which is a sort-of-comedic Korean western. Yes, Korean. Western. It reminded me of Raiders of the Lost Ark, except with more horses, more explosions, more train robberies, more gunfights, and a plot that is really just an excuse for all of the above. Super entertaining, and I'm not usually into that kind of thing. I read a comment by someone who called it almost Firefly-esque humor, and that's not a far off description. Also, holy crap, they all did their own stunts.

The trailer's not all that great, but at least the UK trailer isn't totally awful.



5. And why am I bothering to write now? I don't know. Space filler?

I haven't been feeling much like talking for quite a while. Combined with privacy concerns, it doesn't make for much interesting to say. Also lots of anger at current events, which isn't real fascinating either. I am on my media blackout year (Nov to Nov of presidential elections) so I miss most of the useless, rage-inducing news, for which I'm grateful, but some things intrude despite everything. Maybe I should just post pretty pictures. That appears to be as useful as ranting about things I don't seem to be able to change at all.

Mostly I feel frenetic, bored, irritable, lethargic, dull, angry, and tired of being in pain. It doesn't make a good combination. So I'm sort of avoiding people right now, for both their sake and mine. It's a Good Thing to have the distance of written words between me and most people.

Wish me luck with the fence guys. I'm going to have to rip down legions of ivy and do battle with a big laurel branch from the neighbor's tree to prep for them. Don't worry, it'll ALL grow back.