Saturday, second week of winter
"I'm feeling sad and depressed and I don't know why. ...Maybe because I'm looking at this cake that I don't have?" -Claire, 09/26/2011
"One flat out begs me, the other one entices."
Read a series of articles today (blog responses to some earlier articles, the most relevant of which I read at the time of its publication) which made me consider how little I've implemented Plan Iota sub beta in my life. Plan Iota in general is about making better use of my time. The beta revision emphasizes production over consumption and maintenance. I think it needs more work, because I still spend way more time consuming than producing.
Maintenance is a hard word to spell.
So, God help me, let's turn this car around. I am a creative person, and I used to be prolifically creative through a few narrow outlets. Now I have the world at my fingertips, and I pour all my creativity into making mountain fortresses in Minecraft. The fingertips are only used for WASD, LMB, RMB. The world they mold is inside someone else's baby. But I can narrow my focus again - and when I do, I have no doubt that I will be prolific once more.
Granted, prolific does not mean good. But I don't need it all to be good. If the frequency of good stuff over volume is low, that's fine. I want a high frequency over time, and who cares about the dross.
Let's do this.
Some day, somemtime
I see the site is all messed up. Hm.
I was going to post about how messy the apartment is, and how I'm too depressed to clean it, only to find the site messed up and in need of fixing. Hm.
No promises.
Wednesday, first week in the new apartment
New plans! Plan Iota sub delta, which is basically Iota with an emphasis on spending more time producing than consuming. And Plan Omega, which is much less sinister than it sounds. (Plan Omega is a housewarming party.)
Sunday after Independence Day
"That baby! THAT I made in my body. It wasn't even very hard. I mostly just ate a lot." -Claire, 07/08/2012
Claire and I took Margot out for her first concert last night, Judson Claiborne at the Hideout. We both really needed a night out, and we also thought it would be special for Margot's first show to be the band that brought us together. We held the baby up to him and said, "You brought this about." He dedicated the last song of the set to her.
Sunday?
Right now, I'm taking out my frustration with my search for a halfway-decent IDE or editor for python. Finally found one that doesn't seem to be a kludgey mess, but I'll wait to pimp it until I'm a little more familiar.
Saw some good shows recently for free: Jon Drake and the Shakes at the Double Door, and Amy Ray at Lincoln Hall. Now, my love of the Double Door is well documented, but those who know me well are equally familiar of my distrust of anything to do with Lincoln Park, especially 'cultural' whats-have-you. I'm glad to say, though, that I can recommend the Lincoln Hall for several reasons. They are as follows, in the order which I noticed them:
- Easy to find and get to. Helpful with groups, I'm sure, and the red line is right there.
- The staff are both knowledgeable and nice. Generous, even. I mentioned getting in for free; well, that was because I got there after Amy's set was half-done. The doormen encouraged me to go in and enjoy the rest of the show, no worries. Just, you know, buy a beer or something.
- No ridiculous rules about dancing. I'm looking at you, Metro! In fact, I saw several peeps dancing vigorously.
- Green line on tap, 'nuff said.
It's nice to know that not all mass venues are hateful.
A Tuesday
I just realized that the elder catbaby, Matteo Mowser von Badkitten, can tell my right hand from my left - and knows that the right hand is dominant. He never rubs against the left hand to receive pets. I guess I've been underestimating the cats? Or assuming they only use their powers for mischief.
some time later
Well!
So many things have achieved occurrence!
For startsies, we until very recently had not one but both of my brothers-in-law staying with us. We had been encouraging various family and friends to move to Chicago for years, and when the elder of the two seemed ready to make the leap, we kindly offered him a place to stay until he got on his feet. Okay! It was to our great surprise when, a week later, that the other brother was also moving to Chicago, and his plane would arrive in two days. Alarming!
But he, the younger rake, is sorted now. He had enough capital to make the move unassisted, but of course we assisted him nonetheless in many useful but noncommercial ways, like explaining local customs, public transit, and where to look for a sublet.
So!
His elder complement will soon be halfway assimilated as well. Employment is in the pipe, and we hope that soon a separate residence can be tamped down on top of it. Hoo-ray! Though he is helpful and gladly does housework, buys us groceries with his food stamps, and strives to be unobtrusive; nevertheless we are having a baby and we need that guest room for nursery objects.
Though don't think I haven't noticed our pool of free babysitters expanding...
Feeds: