The best thing about my sister keeping a blog is that I find out nice things like she has a copy of Lord of the Rings on DVD so I don’t have to go rent it!
I’m 8 pages into FlatCat, and Jon has graciously reconfirmed his willingness to illustrate it. Jon, if it makes tons of money, I’ll take you out to lunch (just kidding!! 50-50?)
I’m eight pages into writing FlatCat and I’m a little stuck. I thought I had it all worked out. This would be the first book, soon to be followed by a whole series of FlatCat stories. How do you end the introductory book though? Do I go back and rewrite it so it doesn’t rhyme? I’m pretty happy with what I have so far, but not thrilled. What to do, what to do?
In keeping with my theme started yesterday, let’s pay homage to the punters of yesteryear.
Watching the Pre-season game between the Texans and Giants, I’ve seen about 6 ads for ABC’s new gimmick series, Push, Nevada. It looks like a cheap Twin Peaks ripoff with a touch of U-Turn. The only rays of hope I can see for the series is the use of Social Distortion’s cover of Ring of Fire and the presence of the excellent Jon Polito (who I’ve loved since his turn on Homicide). Not worth changing my viewing habits for, but if there’s nothing else on Thursdays at 9, I may check it out.
An A/C update… We are back to living in climate-controlled comfort. I put in a new filter, washed all of the lint out of the A/C unit outside. Cool air is blowing out of the right vents, and warm air is being sucked in the correct ones.
On to what I really brought this window up for. I’ve mentioned this before (so long ago that no one who reads my ramblings now would remember, or done well enough to inflict it on anyone): I love pre-season NFL football. Why? The games mean nothing as far as the team goes and are unrelated to standings or stats. But, the drama is there. There are 91 guys who go to training camp. 54 end up making the final team. Watching guys you’ve never heard of playing their hearts out trying to earn a spot on a team in the sport they love is just great to watch. Watching 3rd team offenses against 3rd team defense fills me with hope.
For example, the Redskins clobbered the 49er’s on Saturday night. The Redskins actually looked really good. For someone who didn’t pay attention, it would be a sign of a good season to come. If you paid attention though, the Redskin’s first team spent 90% of their time in the game playing the 49ers second team.
The other great thing about pre-season football is that every team in the NFL is full of hope (unless you happen to play for the Bengals), and everyone has a chance to reach the Super Bowl. It’s a great time of year, the end of the summer sports drought (and thank goodness for that.. if I had to watch another SportsCenter where nothing but baseball was shown, I think I would give up and start watching the Soap channel).
The season starts in less than a month. Two months later, we get the start of the NBA, and the glorious fall and winter of real sports. YES!
The vacation’s off to a great start. Our A/C died yesterday, so we spent yesterday sweating it out in 95 degree heat, and last night sleeping in a humid sweaty heap. Now, $390 later, we find out that the dryer has been venting lint right into the outdoor A/C unit, and that means if we don’t get it cleaned out soon, it’ll explode on us. For a townhouse that’s apparenltly worth a ton (at least the county says so on our latest tax appraisal), it feels like it was designed and built as a high school shop project.
I’m still sweating. I think I’ve lost about 20 pounds in water alone in the last 36 hours. Now, I have to go figure out how to duct the dryer vent out past the A/C… and we all know how handy I am.
Wish me luck.
My vacation is spread out before me like an unspoiled field after the winter’s first snow. Sixteen days of no conference calls, no urgent submissions to QA, no last minute changes to implement someone’s 11th hour bright idea, no changes because someone finally read the contract. I have sixteen days to finally write FlatCat, play with Max, cook, go to the aquarium, eat meals with my wife, watch movies, stay up late, laugh, go out with friends , take naps and when that all gets old, do nothing at all.
Tonight, I’m going to stay up as late as I want doing nothing at all important. After everything was done at work this afternoon, I downloaded some new games for the Powerbook, so I may play those. I rented a movie, I may watch it. Or, I may watch all the stuff stacked up on TiVo. Who knows? Who cares? I have nothing to do, and I love it. For the first time in about three years, I have a stretch of time in front of me with no urgent things that need to get done. I’m almost unsure how to handle it. We’ll see what happens.
I’m not sure where the author’s loyalties lie, but this article doesn’t paint the same doom and gloom picture of AOL as the Post did.
Dave’s found the world’s funniest picture. The comments will be priceless.