It's time I wrote something personal.

Week-end recap:

Let's see. I honestly can't remember anything exciting happening before Wednesday night. I'm sure stuff happened, but it all seems to run together.

Random items of interest (or not):

My mom's white cell count was low and so she missed a week of chemo. I guess this puts her a week off schedule, and while I really want her to get her treatment, I'm glad she got a little vacation from it. She told me that her sense of taste had started coming back a little. Previously things were tasting very metallic to her, which is just one fun side-effect of chemotherapy.

Patrick's band, Suffering Luna (see link on the right) had their first gig with him on drums on Wednesday at the Air Conditioned (Supper Club) in Venice. It was Metal Alliance night and there were about five bands that went on before they did (and they all ran late, so instead of playing at 10:45 as planned, I think SL went on at 11:20 or something). The Air Conditioned is a pretty cool place. They allow people in who are under 21 but then they all get kicked out at 10:30, which was a bummer for us because it meant most of the audience left all at once. Those kids were dressed exactly like the metal kids I remember from high school (skinny jeans, pristine white sneakers, flannel, Slayer and Anthrax t-shirts, funky hair). One kid had a bullet belt. The other bands were mostly indistinguishable (note: is that a real word? It doesn't look right) from one another, except for the band that preceded Suffering Luna, who were called "Hexen." They ended every song with a cry of "We Are Hexen!"

I have an ear infection.

I got my car fixed but it turns out that I also need to replace some very expensive gaskets.

Our kitty Puma has a mouthful of very yucky teeth. He's on antibiotics and has an appointment with the doctor for next Thursday. He's a lot skinnier now than he is in the photo. He's such a good boy.

I had some work done on my flute (couple new pads, oiled, etc. I was shocked that Shozo didn't lecture me on it being dirty; in fact, he told me it was pretty clean!), but my right hand is still troubling me. I'd hoped I could blame it on my flute but I think it's me. My hand position must be off - I'm having a hard time playing a fast, low part in Mozart's Allegro Con Spirito, which we're playing in flute choir. It's the low Ds and Es. It really is bugging me. And it doesn't help that we're trying to take it at the intended speed demon tempo.

I've been reading Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone "alphabet" books. I like a good mystery once in awhile, but Sue has written books A-U. I'm not sure how far I'm gonna make it. I finished L IS FOR SOMETHING on Friday. They're fun books, and Kinsey is a cool chick.

Yesterday I took a break from Kinsey and re-read Robert Heinlein's book HAVE SPACESUIT-WILL TRAVEL. The story is nothing new (humans are judged by intergalactic space council for their crimes against earth, blah blah blah, but the main character, a smartypants kid named Kip and his underage sidekick, a little girl named "Pee Wee" were a lot of fun), and this was one of Heinlein's early books for kids. Fun to relive being in middle school and "discovering" science fiction.

Saturday night we actually went to the movies and may have been the last two people in the world to see AVATAR. I was curious, but not expecting much. I've already read a lot about it. We saw the 3D version, even though we knew it would probably be a minimal experience for me: I'm slightly crosseyed, and my strabismus prevents me from participating fully in the cultural experience that is 3D. It also made learning to parallel park a 10 year mission (I can do it, but I will admit that I sometimes rely on faith). Patrick enjoyed the 3D crap but called AVATAR "The dumbest movie I've ever seen." I'll spare you all our comments. I'll tell you this much: we did a lot of giggling. Patrick actually had to shush me during some of it.

Well - Patrick has just pulled up with a box full of doughnuts. I've been wanting a doughnut all week, so I'm going to hit "publish" and go get one. See you later.