Called doctor for an appointment

Made lab appointment, worked on taxes

Started taxes

I meant to get them done, but then realized I didn't have the actual tax forms. I did a dry run anyway. I need to call the IRS and find out whether they meant to send me a CP03A form or what.

Since Plan A didn't happen, I went ahead and shelved the loose books & CDs (except the Gold Digger Atlas, which I am leaving on the coffee table).


Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtiem reading: The Lightning Thief, Rick Riordan

Compasses

Unerring and impartial justice; the perfect figure of the circle with the central point, the source of life. With the square, the compasses define the limits and the bounds of rectitude. In sacred architecture the compasses represent transcendent knowlege; the archetype controlling all works; the navigator.
-- J.C. Cooper, An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Traditional Symbols

Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: Iron Tears, R.A. Lafferty

I'm changing my Lenten Vow

We're about two weeks in and I've been late seven days so far. I doubt my own sincerity, here.

I'm switching to: I will have only one cup of coffee per day. That, I've been doing.


Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: Freeze My Margarita, Lauren Henderson

Dentistry postponed

I realized about noon that I hadn't gotten a confirmation call from the dentist's office, so I called them. They seemed surprised. No, they did not have me down for 2pm. But they can fit me in tomorrow afternoon. I said fine.

This is the second time they've misplaced my appointment. hmph. Looks like I am going to have to have Words with the receptionist.


Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: Unseen Academicals, Terry Pratchett

Further feasting

This time at M's. There was much baking of cookies, most of which I missed because I was on the nod d/t forgetting my morning coffee. There was also scrabbling. K stomped us all twice. We dined on leftovers and pesto. mmm, pesto.

It was good.


Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: What's a Girl Gotta Do?, Sparkle Hayter

Lunch with Cricket

We had a lovely lunch, after which I dragged her off to look at the apartment. I love showing off the apartment. Sometime soon, though, I should get up on a ladder and figure out what all the doors and vents are.

BTW, the shower is 58" wide.


Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: The Ruins of Earth, Thomas M. Disch, ed.

My toe is still purple

...but in a more-subdued range of shades.

Today's excitement was a note from the city forwarded by the realtor, saying that there was a typo on document A, document B needed my signature and had the same typo, and document C was missing. I said, I thought I sent you document C. And they're all, I'm sure you did, but it's not in the file. Can't argue with 'not in the file.' So they fixed the typos, I faxed them my signature, and I'm faxing them document C in the morning.

The city has my paperwork. I think this is the last lap.


Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: Going Postal, Terry Pratchett

Today's earworm

Trailers for sale or rent
Rooms to let...fifty cents.
No phone, no pool, no pets
I ain't got no cigarettes
Ah, but..two hours of pushin' broom
Buys an eight by twelve four-bit room
I'm a man of means by no means
King of the road.
- - Roger Miller

Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: Swan for the Money, Donna Andrews

Happy Birthday, Sean!

Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling

The song in my head for the past two days

Hey look me over, lend me an ear,
Fresh out of clover, morgaged up to here,
Don't pass the plate folks,
Don't pass the cup,
I figure whenever you're down and out,
The only way is up
And I'll be up like a rose bud,
High on the vine,
Don't thumb your nose folks,
Take a tip from mine,
I'm a little bit short of the elbow room,
But let me get me some,
And look out world, here I come

- - Carolyn Leigh


Today's earrrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: Sabre-Tooth, Peter O'Donnell

Migration

Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: The Black Doll, Edward Gorey

Happy birthday, Tiger!

Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: "The Transcendent Tigers," R.A. Lafferty

Good evening

b2 gave me a Mutual of Omaha wall calendar and the Puppini Sisters album with "Walk Like an Egyptian" on it, then took me out for sushi.


Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: Fragile Things, Neil Gaiman

Quincentoratio

AKA, my 500th post.

I hope everyone had an excellent MLK Day/Inauguration Eve.


Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: "Continued on Next Rock," R.A. Lafferty

Caroling

This evening we presented our annual Bottle 'O Cheer to the gang at our Friday pizza joint; they responded by presenting us with pizza and wine. Then we presented each other with Christmas presents. (They say you can't always get what you want. But if you tell your BFF, you might get exactly what you want. To mix a pop-culture reference, I love it when a plan comes together.)

After, we went by Gump's to look at the shiny objects. There was a spouting-whale ornament, and I made one of the employees laugh at me for being an obnoxious drunk. We went to the Palace to see the gingerbread sculptures and the pretty tree. We caroled Market Street on the way to our several public transits. We knew the same arrangement of "Carol of the Bells," so she sang soprano and I sang alto. The alto part is easy to remember, even when boozed up: Ding, dong, ding, dong, ding, dong, ding, dong...


Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: Miracle, Connie Willis

Blue Dress

I spent the afternoon supervising M as she made my Halloween costume (it's gorgeous), and then we went to see Bottle Shock. I strongly recommend the theater - they bring you pizza & beer while you're watching the movie from a comfy armchair. The movie was pretty good. Turns out it's but loosely based on actual events (shocking!).


Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: Last Day in Limbo, Peter O'Donnell

10 of 13

Last week I dropped off an application for a BMR apartment. This morning they did the drawing, and I am now 10th on a list of 13. People from the mayor's office are going through the applications this week to make sure the winners qualify. If eight of the applications ahead of mine DQ, but mine passes muster, I get an apartment. My odds of getting the place seem slim.

I have a date Saturday afternoon with the nice realtor lady. :)


Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: Nation, Terry Pratchett

Directions

The Camiroi have a corpus of proverbs. We came on them in Archives, along with an attached machine with a hundred levers on it. We depressed the lever marked Earth English, and had a sampling of these proverbs put into Earth context.
A man will not become rich by raising goats, the machine issued. Yes, that could pass for an Earth proverb. It almost seems to mean something.
Even buzzards sometimes gag. That has an Earth sound also.
It's that or pluck chickens.
"I don't believe I understand that one, " I said.
"You think it's easy to put these in Earth context, you try it sometime," the translation machine issued. "The proverb applies to distasteful but necessary tasks."
"Ah, well, let's try some more," said Paul Piggott. "That one."
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, the machine issued abruptly.
"But that is an Earth proverb word for word," I said.
"You wait until I finish it, lady," the translation machine growled. "To this proverb in its classical form is always appended a cartoon showing a bird fluttering away and a man angrily wiping his hand with some disposable material while he says, 'A bird in the hand is not worth two in the bush.'"
"Are we being had by a machine?" our leader Charles Chosky asked softly.
"Give us that proverb there," I pointed out one to the machine.
There'll be many a dry eye here when you leave, the machine issued.
We left.

- - R.A. Lafferty

Today's earrings: compasses

Bedtime reading: "Polity and Custom of the Camiroi," R.A. Lafferty