2005-07-18 - 5:00 p.m.
Ten years ago: I had moved back from the East Coast, and was getting ready to move out of my parent’s house and in with one of my best friends. (I’ve since lost contact with her.) I was working at a little software importing company, getting active in the SCA, and trying to sort my head out.
Five Years Ago: I had just bought my house, proposed to my girlfriend, bought a minivan, and switched to a better job at the same federal agency. I was working on my cookbook translation, trying to get it into shape. J was already starting to plan the wedding.
1 Year Ago: I was in counseling with my mother, and things were going well. The Professor was mastering walking, using words, and eating with a spoon. J and I were plotting changes to my wardrobe for a job interview.
Yesterday: I spent the day running interference with the Professor. Both she and J were sick, so rather than park her in front of the TV, we sat and drew on an eight-foot length of heavy brown paper.
Today: Back to work. Last week before my annual birthday vacation. I did 100 Atlas pushups while watching “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”. Now my arms hurt.
5 snacks I really enjoy:
1. Grilled cheese on homemade bread
2. Kiopoolu (grilled eggplant, onions, tomatoes and peppers, chopped fine) with naan bread.
3. beef summer sausage
4. Hot wings
5. St. Paul sandwich (egg foo young on white bread with lettuce and tomato)
5 bands I know the lyrics to most of their songs:
1. Tom Waits
2. Queen
3. Los Lobos
4. The Bottle Rockets
5. The Sun Sawed in 1/2
5 things I would do with $100,000.00
1. Pay off our debts
2. Finish renovating the house
3. Donate to the Heifer Project, Smile Train, and Common Space
4. Put J through nursing school
5. Create a college fund for the kids
5 locations I’d like to run away to:
1. New Zealand
2. Australia
3. Alaska
4. Spain
5. Arizona
5 bad habits I have:
1. Overeating, especially on weekends
2. Slacking on exercise
3. Procrastinating
4. Belching
5. Sitting like Ted Bundy (my daughter has started copying me; all is lost.)
5 things I like doing:
1. Cooking
2. Making cool stuff
3. Reading
4. Singing
5. Learning
5 things I would never wear:
1. Drag
2. Thong underwear
3. A Speedo
4. Orange plaid anything
5. A baseball cap
5 TV shows I like:
1. Good Eats
2. Crossing Jordan
3. Oobi! (bare-hand puppet show)
4. Iron Chef (both Japanese and American editions)
5. The Flip Wilson Show (God bless TVLand)
5 movies I like:
1. Shaun of the Dead
2. The House of Flying Daggers
3. Drunken Master
4. Duck Soup
5. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
5 famous people I’d like to meet:
1. Robin Williams
2. John Cleese
3. Ursula K. LeGuin
4. Mario Batali
5. Jackie Chan
5 favorite joys:
1. New books by Kinky Friedman, F. Paul Wilson, or Orson Scott Card
2. Listening to my daughter laugh
3. Spring weekends with nothing to do
4. Cooking for my friends and family
5. Time alone with my wife
