Watching Paint Dry

"Your mother and sisters are going to be here in two weeks," she said, "and LOOK at this place! It's no different than when we first moved in!"

"Well, now, honey..."

"Enough! Enough! We paint!"

So, for the past three days, we've been in a painting frenzy in the entry way, the hall, and most of all... the living room. Just finished coat number two about 20 minutes ago, in fact. Carey feels that the experience of painting is terrific fun, a way to bond two spouses together. Our home! Our project! Our future!

Me, I just want to be finished.

But it's one more strange, grown-up thing that I've never done: painting our very own walls in a house that we've paid for with our very own money. So, I don't know, I guess it is kind of cool.
...


I don't ususally talk politics here, in fear that my ignorance might be completely exposed, but hoofah! are Bush's critics coming out in full force lately! I can't speak for the rest of the world, but most days it seems like I'm the only person in the world who seems to feel that he's done a decent job over the last 4 years.

From the goofy news-report that wasn't a news-report that came from the White House recently all the way to the "could George have prevented 9-11 and did he try to pin it on Saddam?" testimonies of late, the guy is taking a beating. I'll go ahead and say that I full intend on voting for him again in November, but since I'm a California resident, I can't imagine my vote will make a whit of difference.

When are we going to get on the stick and abolish this retarded, antiquated electoral college? Is there anyone left who doesn't think this relic is a ridiculous idea? If anyone knows of a petition I can sign, please let me know.
...


A few people have asked me lately if I'm still on my no-sugar-low-carb bit and is it making a difference? Well, yes, I'm still managing to hang on. I've relaxed it slightly, but I fully intend to make most of these changes permanent fixtures in my life. I've also done a fairly good job of keeping caffeine and alcohol out, too. I've had iced tea now and then, it's true, and I did have a glass of Chinese beer on Friday, but I've way reduced my intake of both. As for carbs... eh, haven't been quite as faithful with that, but I'm not sweating it. Sugar? Still no desserts, no sugary foods, nothing. (I have to admit, though, that I had a muffin this morning... I know, I feel bad. But, that's as bad as I've gotten and, really, I feel as if I'm doing pretty well).

The whole diet bit has yielded some really great discoveries, though. In my body's quest to get sugar SOMEhow, I've turned to fruit juices and naturally sweetened beverages. Specifically, the wife and I have jumped on board with R.W. Knudsen Juices and Beverages and these things are a godsend. Particularly the spritzers. All the benefits of a soft drink, no added sugar, no caffeine, ten times the taste, twenty times more healthy... and... er... nearly 3 times as expensive. But, pah, it's worth it. Go to your friendly neighborhood natural health food store and check it out.
...


Was supposed to report for jury duty last week. Skipped it. Oops.
...


Last of all, I've begun to wrap my brain around the shape of this outrageously huge, sprawling story I intend to tell about the Spanish Inquisition. At the moment, I'm envisioning it in four fairly sizeable volumes and my working title is The Black Legend. Some scripts and/or stories I've written in the past have been fun to do, but it's been rare that I've written something that I truly felt was a story that Needed to be Told. Well, Black Legend, in my humble opinion, falls in the latter category. It's big. It's important. People should know.

Already, though, I've started to cringe when I really begin to consider what I'm getting myself into. This thing is enormous.