A post in which some long-awaited events occur

I was up early today, and actually feeling fairly perky. I only had one cigarette left (having forgotten, again, to get any last night), but it was cool. I made up for it at work today by going out to smoke with Terry, which I just never do. Usually it takes the start of WWIII or the initiation of an inter-familial lawsuit before I light up at work. But since I only had one this morning, and since it was such a slow day, I rationalized.

I had intended not to get Ava a birthday present this year. She gets so much stuff, and she’s too little to understand where it all came from. The plan was to give her a music card (which she loves) and give Lisa a check for her savings account. But. I was fooling around on Amazon today, and found that they have finally released Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? on DVD. A fantastic movie, and one that I have long wanted to own. This isn’t really the best time for me to buy it with vacation and my birthday coming up and all, but I was worried that the release won’t be on the market that long. It’s not a well known movie, and sometimes they pull them back off the market. So I ordered it.

It cost just under the $25 minimum that Amazon requires for free shipping, so I was looking around for something small to add on to the order (I loathe to pay for shipping). I was considering ordering another Hayao Miyazaki movie when I saw that they have finally released My Neighbor Totoro on DVD also. It is one of Miyazaki’s masterpieces, and I have long wanted to see it. I wanted to get it for Brenden when he was little, but it hadn’t been released at the time. I ordered a copy of it for Ava today. The film has won numerous awards, and I think she’ll enjoy it. He always has such cute things in his movies, but they aren’t dumbed down just because they’re produced for kids. I also ordered myself a copy of Ponyo ( I’ll always have a special place for that movie because it was the first Miyazaki I saw on the big screen). Then I found a David Attenborough that I decided to order. Before I got out of the website I had spent $80 I really could ill-afford at the mo, but sometimes you have to just treat yourself.

My second painting finally made it here from China today! That was very exciting. That means I have to move that gargantuan frame again and round up someone to help me hang it once it’s done, but it’s going to look so good that I’m still stoked.

When I got off work, I wanted something good (i.e. artery-clogging) for my dinner. I continue to be seduced by the raves I read about Five Guys fries, since I am a certified potatoholic. I haven’t given in yet, but I came close today (their website says they even have a veggie sandwich!). The main reason I didn't succumb was that a traffic jam backed up the highway and road where I work so badly that I ended up with no viable way to get by there. To appease myself, I stopped by Publix and got some hummus and pita chips. Not quite as bad for me.

I talked to Dad on my way home, and he was being discharged from the hospital today. Since he's been in since last Saturday, he was ready to go, but had been delayed because they couldn't find his paperwork. I wished him well and got off the call before the impatience started overflowing.

I was torn tonight. On the one hand, I really felt like going and doing something fun, but other the other hand it’s a school night. By the time I went to the grocery store, got home, and ate supper, the laziness kicked in. I decided to compromise by not folding the load of laundry that has been in the dryer for several days now.

Then the phone rang. It was dana, and she needed me. So I put some pants on and headed that way. Their behemoth television died last night, and they needed help getting it into the truck so dana could take it to the dump tomorrow. Greg is up from Atlanta, and between the two of us we managed to wrestle it out there. Afterwards I hung out with them and enjoyed myself until too late. There’s tomorrow at work to get through. So I headed on home and hit the sheets.