I just took another tiny little baby step on the path to dropping out, a.k.a. liberation. Maybe I'll write about it later. Then again, maybe I won't.

Last night, after I returned from meditation class, I found that the book I had ordered last week had arrived in the mail. For all I know, placing such a transaction on a credit card might have just landed me on some FBI watch list, or put me on the radar of the Homeland Security department. You never can be sure of these things, especially with the Patriot Act, Total Information Awareness, etc. At this point, I am beyond caring. Eat my shit, John Ashcroft.

For the past several months, my mom has been saying things about the dangers of a substance called trans fatty acids. She is not only a registered nurse, but also stays current on the latest health trends in medical science (her knowledge is usually a few years ahead of most mainstream medical standards). So generally, when she says something about health-related subjects, it ends up being right. Despite this, I have usually ignored her most of the time because I don't like being told how unhealthy everything I do or eat is going to make me. But last night, curious after having heard a few bits and pieces about this particular subject from other sources, I read one of her little books.

Saturday, I woke up bright, early, and energized. I decided that instead of driving, I would try riding my bike to $mentor[0]'s residence. Our designated meeting time was 10:00. I wasn't sure how long it would take so I allowed plenty of time, and departed at 07:30.

As an American, watching this film was a vindication. A theraputic release. Though it is sometimes difficult to watch, it is necessary for the country to confront the issues the film presents if we are to heal. We must face the hard truth.

Tonight, I did what I thought I wasn't going to do.

I've been reading the book No Trespassing: Squatting, Rent Strikes, and Land Struggles Worldwide, by Anders Corr. So far, I have only made it through the first 2 chapters, both of which have been fascinating.

This midday random thinkling is brought to you by xmms's random mode.

Today, my productivity was very mediocre. Toward the end of it, scott and I discussed things for a while jabber, and my encouragement level has been lifted somewhat. This thing might just work yet.

It's Wednesday afternoon. I've gotten very little accomplished so far this week. Uninspired to write, feeling like a pseudo-prisoner in this room during most of the daylight hours, I've tried repeatedly to focus my mind on the vaguely defined tasks at hand, as deadlines loom. My mind rebels, refusing to process the information in front of it, refusing to create the mental constructs that transform themselves into code, refusing to comply. I procrastinate, thus prolonging my sentence. My dispair deepens.

less than communicative. yeah, like me.

I was about to go to class, but then I decided I didn't really feel like driving all the way to Boulder tonight, plus I really wanted to finish getting Argo up and running. So I stuck around here, ate some of my dad's vegetables, and read more Ran Prieur while files were copied, did an epic debian upgrade happened, and took care other little details that needed attention.

This may be the last rambling written from Rygel.

A whole big batch of stuff is going on today. Here's the rundown:

Last night, I took a detour to Best Buy on the way home, where I purchased Season 4 of Xena Warrior Princess.

While I was on my way in to work (a.k.a. here) today, riding in the rain, a name for my new bike finally came.

I'm up early today. I woke up at 5, and decided that if I couldn't get back to sleep within 15 minutes, I would just get up. 15 minutes later, I looked at the clock and I was still awake. So here I am. I left mom's place at 0600, and biked over here. Now I'm almost feeling a little sleepy again.

At the moment I found myself heading eastbound beneath the I-25 underpass, with lots of energy left to go before I would get tired, the sentiment echoed through my head. "This is the shit." With that, I decided to be more ambitious than previously planned, and see if I could find a way all the way to downtown Denver. I got close enough to call it viable.

I am now within easy walking distance of downtown Denver. A kilometer to the east, I can see Union Station. A kilometer to the south, I can see Six Flags Elitch Gardens. A kilometer to my north is a park where I stopped and a 2 dot dogs a few minutes ago. I didn't think I would ride this far!

I'm finally getting around to ripping some of the cds I ordered and received just before my road trip. Yesterday, the replacement for the bad one arrived in the mail, sent by one of the friendly people from the company, along with a postage paid envelope to return the defective version. Thankfully, the new copy sounds great in every player I own. A happy resolution after all.

Once again, I am caught up on transcribing my pen and paper introspection to the Nth degree ramblings. Is this going to turn into a regularly recurring cycle?

I have too many of these things queued up. Now I am adding yet another. Being on the trip got me in the habit of carrying this notebook around, and writing in it wherever I was, at any time. Now I can't seem to stop.

Today, I did what I've wanted to do for the past 2 years. I went and bought a bicycle. This can be attributed entirely to the recent successes of x13. (That, and the fact that I live with my parents and haven't had to pay rent.)

Still awake and processing again.

Maybe writing will help. Maybe it won't. Either way, I write. Pen and notebook. What I have here.

After my night time cat adventure, I slept for several more hours this morning.

If I had Norah Jones music, I think I'd listen to it right now. A few months ago, I listened to the copies of songs I had borrowed from Yanthor, but never really got into the music, so eventually, I deleted them. Good stuff, but not really my style. Not normally. Now might be an exception.

When I went in to wash my hands and face, I just discovered that in the absence of kitty litter, Patches resorted to using the bathtub. Couldn't have been more than 5 minutes ago. There are far worse places he could have gone.

Yesterday afternoon, I went over to the Temple of Castor and Pollux to borrow Elssbett from Kiesa.

I ended up spending the whole night here, on the couch at the Neighborly Abode. Patches alternated between wandering around to explore the apartment (his second favorate place: the windowsill), and laying on the couch next to me (his favorite place, I think). Then again, right at this moment he seems to like the area around the computer desk.

What have I just done? 10 minutes ago, I was planning to come in here and write about BLUG demos, ruminations about life, and my future. But now, there is a little furry creature standing next to my chair, using its vocal chords to produce sonic vibrations that rip at my heart.

For the first time since the fest, I watched Avalon again last night. Lovely movie. I'm going to discuss a little bit of my interpretation. For anyone who hasn't seen it, be warned. Below this point, I'm going to be discussing SPOILERS.

A dream of mine has just been re-awakened again.

Is there something in the air that causes us to be unproductive? If so, the air today has been rich with anti-productivity particles. Not that I mind. I too dream of an apocalypse.

Yesterday, when I opened the trunk of my car, the smell, thick and heavy, instantly hit my nose. Beer.

All my queued up content from the trip and after has now been entered. Just to make sure nobody missed anything, here's a list.

Too many backdated ramblings in the queue. Too much heat. Way too much. And it's only June. Add "air conditioning" to my list of desired work benefits.

I just finished watching the Tori Amos DVD, Welcome to Sunny Florida. Overall, it was excellent. I am reminded again what a virtuoso she is.

Continuing in the tradition of creating a charming new fairy tale while poking fun at the old ones, this movie is a highly enjoyable romp as Shrek and Fiona journey to a land Far Far Away to meet the parents. Very funny. It lives up to the original.

I sped like a maniac back to CO. I was lucky there were no cops.

I am now back in Colorado. However, even though my computer is only a fraction of a kilometer away, I find myself sitting outside at a picnic table, using a pen and paper as the small amount of daylight in the sky is about to disappear.

I just finished reading Philip K. Dick's The Main in the High Castle. The copy I read, with worn, tattered, bent pages, practically reeks with historicity. How many people checked this copy out of the library, took it on trips, and read it before I? This edition is dated 1992 -- barely more than a decade old, yet it looks aged and ragged. I relish the irony.

This week, I haven't been very faithful in keeping documentation on events updated. It is Friday evening. I am in Humblik's apartment. I have been in Lincoln since Wednesday evening. But to get updated (briefly)...

Sunday night, at around 2000 CDT, I arrived at grandpa's condo. It began with the customary welcome greetings. Mom and bouncing were there as well. Much like on many previous occassions, grandpa commented, "My goodness, you have grown taller than you used to be. Or maybe I have gotten smaller."