Gonzai Gallery

One thing I've definitely not kept up on: posting here. Yikes.

1 Not a damn thing. No exercise and eating terribly.  I'm eating lunch every day but that's the only improvement that's stuck.

2 No cleaning projects done, but nothing badly regressing. Meanwhile, I've collected plenty of organizing, financial and similar such apps for the Kindle, and as a result I've got life-type things organized to a goodly extent.

3 Kept up with the TV shows, and while I've only seen a few movies on the list, I've watched a lot of movies I've wanted to see. Still not where I want to be on music but I've listened to a lot of samples & previews. Slowed down a bit on books, just half of 'Feast of Crows', but caught up on a few magazines.

4 Survived the month of presents and conventions and things with my bank account in reasonable shape. I have got to get the car tuned up (one of the organizing apps is dutifully nagging me about this) and it's hard to schedule with constant medical appointments for both me and Mom. But, for a rare occasion, money is not an immediate concern.

5 Still working but the boss is getting testy again. A junior attorney clicked on a questionable e-mail and got the whole office infected with a whopper of a virus, and the boss is ticked at me instead of him. And the lack of work for me. Yippee. But Mom means another job is tricky.

Reviewing them with myself won't work unless I actually do it, right?

1 Gym - Really screwed this pooch. I actually cancelled my gym membership today. Haven't been there since December, which amounts to throwing $200 in a hole, so I cancelled. Trying to walk CJ a few times a week for now.

2 Cleaning - Got the computer room completely cleaned up; this weekend, it's sort and put away all the papers and DVDs sitting around. Assuming I actually do it, plus one for me.

3 Media - Caught up on TV (finally finished the last season of Sarah Jane Adventures) and the movie thing is progressing in a timely manner. Still having trouble with music (headphones broke, but I wasn't being good before that happened) and behind on reading, although 'Storm of Swords' is coming along. I may finish it before GoT comes back.

4 Money - The car is paid off and I have the title from the bank. It needs to be re-titled to just me (which apparently isn't cheap) but otherwise all good. Tax refunds are in the bank. CJ goes to the vet next week, hoping to get myself to the dentist the week after, then glasses and fixing up the car.

5 2013 - Not so hot. Mom continues to decline and I have now fully taken over all paperwork and bills from her, my health isn't improving to include a new assortment of GI issues (already saw the doctor, tests being run this month), and I'm amazed I'm still employed. I'm bored stiff at work and my hands are killing me, but still there. I have lost a few pounds, surprisingly, and I'm eating a bit more healthy, but that's about it.

So, walking the dog, continue gradual cleanup, stay on top of TV and movies, do something with the music, keep getting things done for myself and Mom until caught up. Mission assigned.

I didn't really( make resolutions this year, ) ore like self guidelines. And it would probably work better if I checked in on them monthly instead of waiting for December. That said...

1. The gym. I haven't been there. Not once. I have walked at every opportunity, but that's it. Renewing this plan, because I have absolutely got to.

2. Cleaning. Kinda haven't done much of that, either. Did clean up a section of my bedroom, and this weekend the computer room is getting cleaned, period. Guests for Superbowl and Mom's bridge upcoming, it's got to be cleaned.

3. Media. Kept up with the TV, but didn't make much headway on the backlog. Kept up with the movies and saw A Clockwork Orange, Raging Bull, M, Midnight Cowboy, Forrest Gump, plus downloaded the films that are public domain. TCM will get me a long way on the plan in February, or would if I wasn't going to be home most weekends in February. The goal for music was one recording per work day, did more like half that. Note to self, maybe a variety of artists instead of a dozen by one artists would help on that. Books - DIdn't expect to get through more than one a month, considering I'm on the A Song of Ice & Fire series. Almost finished A Clash of Kings, a week early. So, acceptable but could be better.

4. Wow. Things are looking up. 1.5 car payments left now. When Mom & I were at the bank last week, the banker kept pestering me to get a credit card, which she assured was fee-free. I finally said yes, and she gave me a card - with a $10K limit. !!! The one I have is, uh, a lot less than that. Then she sent me a copy of my credit score, which I haven't seen in years. It's...about 200 points higher than I expected. Add the new card and the paid off card and yikes, I'll have a credit score to brag about. Never thought that would happen. Meanwhile, I've already done my taxes, and I'm getting a fair amount back. I thought I'd owe the State, but I'm getting some back there, too. In the mail tomorrow. So optimistic in this area.

5. So far, the year has not been particularly good or bad. My health sucks, but Mom's health seems to have levelled off. The money situation is better, but work is dicey still, with very little for me to do and money problems there. Not great, but not disastrous.

Back at the end of February...

Well, first off - RIP Dave Brubeck. A musical ambassador of the first order, thank you for the music.

As you might imagine, 'Take Five' has now been stuck in my head for a couple days. After hearing it this morning, I also have Dan Deacon's 'True Thrush' stuck in there. Sometimes they're playing in my head at the same time. And...they really work well together. Seriously. Someone should get a'mixin' those two songs (I have not the knowledge to do it myself.)

Trying to watch it. Liked the music and cinematography on the 'origin of life' segment, not sure what to make of the rest so far. Of course the other half is I should go to be early, not staying up...

ETA yeah, I watched the whole thing. The music was wonderful. The childhood segment was more accessible than the beginning and end segments, but reminded me entirely too much of my own father, in particular because of the music and the insistence on listening, NOW, and appreciating it whether you wanted to or not. (Sometimes I think it's amazing I like music at all.) I have no idea what Sean Penn was doing in this film. The ending was just weird. I need to go to bed now.

Best. Headline. Ever.


( Massachusetts City Plagued By Horrible Saxophonist )

So last night I watched The Last Waltz for the first time. If you're familiar with the Band, you know they spent a lot of time in Woodstock, New York (the town, not the farm) and the late Levon Helm stayed there permanently, eventually starting the 'midnight ramble' concerts on Saturday nights in his barn.

Today a client called, but the boss was on the phone so I started taking a message. I'd always thought he was in Arizona, but it had been mentioned that he was in New York, so I asked. He said he was in Woodstock, NY. For the heck of it, I asked if he'd ever been to a midnight ramble. There was a silence, then 'you know what that is? I've been 3 times.' I explained I'd just seen The Last Waltz and he said the rambles were like that, except smaller in scale. But it's quite a coincidence, I must say.

Heard this for the first time yesterday, and again today. So I checked out the video. And it's full of doggies! What could be better?


( Real Estate, 'It's Real' )