So my little brother is here. He is in the garage right now cleaning my bike with W-40. It's a good bike, I like it. It was my first most expensive item I had ever gotten. I feel like I am hovering though...I suppose. It is a ways from his Mom's and has to be a little more exciting than sitting around in the trailer playing the same old games with his brother and watching rented movies. Which he can do here too, of course. Not to mention we have cable, but he seems to only like TV Land, because it's old.' Hm.

I need to figure out the ftp information and put it on this computer before I can upload this last weeks in pictures. I still haven't gotten the camping picture from Adrian...I guess that will go up when it goes up.

I need to write today. I started a new story. My goal is to keep it to 3000 words or less. My goal is to write one page today, and then do at least one page every day. I gots to really start edit my other ...uh..novella.

This last week was great. A total rock star week. It started by driving to Chicago last Wednesday to see Skinny Puppy (which was one of the best shows I have ever seen!...wow), to visiting with Kate and Eric. Ahh how nice it was to hang out with them again, like an old shoe...comfortable and relaxing. Turns out they aren't leading the total rock star lifestyle I have been thinking they have been leading. It's nice to know that others have mellowed just as much as me. Well maybe not as much as me, but to a degree. On Thursday we brunched at Swedish diner in Swedish town. I miss eating out in places like that. In Madison it would be a big deal to have a place like that, but in Chicago it's another run of mill. I miss the diversity.

After brunch Tim and I went over to our old neighborhood and found Greg sitting outside of Chase Cafe playing his guitar. He noticed us before I could take a picture--dang. Then we saw his new apartment -- wow, what a great place and such good fortune. Afterward we went to the Lighthouse for a drink and more chatting. I really miss the Lighthouse...oh to have a bar across the street that was comfortable and cheap to visit.

On the way home we stopped at Ikea to get some things for the house. Wine glasses, knobs, hooks, shelves, a plant shelf for the kitchen, and rugs. Totally boring stuff, but exciting for the house and for me! We got back to lonely puppies, pet them and then went over to Sarah and Luke's for dinner and to see their new place. It was really nice and Sarah is SO creative that she inspired Tim with ideas for decorating our guest room.

Friday was ... Friday. There was a little domestic drama, but it all worked itself out by midnight. Saturday we got up and headed out to walk dogs at the GPA kennel. Thank goodness I went, otherwise Tim would have been there all day walking dogs by himself. There were other volunteers there, but all they did was brush the dogs, and then take them out to the big play area and yell at them. None of the menial labor of walking them...dear god no. Then I drove back to Janesville before Tim took over and we came home and hung out until that night when we went to the Inferno for Bella Morte (which I had thought for some reason would be Cruxshadows). I drank too much, and we left at the encore.

Sunday, I paid for my sins of not eating Saturday night and drinking too much. I felt so...tender. But not as bad as it could of been...it was only a 3:00 hangover as opposed to a 7:00 hangover. As a result, Tim had to drive us to Warrens (near Tomah) to pick up Andrew. Turns out....that Cody (Andrew's older brother) had a baby! Their mother, Lori had mentioned on the phone that Cody wanted to show us his new baby. We debated the whole way over what the 'baby' would be. I said a new car or something, but Tim was convinced it was human child. Turns out he was right! The little girl is seven months old! We berated Andrew for not telling us, especially since I always make it a point to ask how his brothers are doing. The last report he said "Oh, Cody got fired from his latest job and got a job at a gas station. Oh and he moved to a big house." That was it. He of course claimed that he had told us. Figures. I asked Lori how her sister was doing, and she reported that she had two more kids! Geez...Cody commented that we need to call all of the people we haven't talked too in awhile to see who has procreated.

Cody is only 18 or 19. The other brother Alex, is looking for a job...but they don't come easily to a 17 year old complainer in a small town.

I drove most of the way back. At first Tim told me to go on the interstate...which I didn't want to do. Especially since Highway 12 was right there. But I got on the Interstate and nearly got us killed because I didn't accelerate enough on the on ramp (according to Tim). I got stressed out, we yelled a lot and finally got my way back on to Highway 12 where I could practice the whole shifting thing more. Yes, I stalled at almost every single light stop, and in Baraboo Tim was sure the end was near. Sigh. My nerves were wrecked by the time we got to Saux City and I happily relinquished the wheel to Tim who got us the rest of the way home. I had to remind Tim that drivers have at least 30 hours of driving practice before they take their test, and I only less than 10. He just doesn't seem to get that it takes time to learn how to drive--especially when there is shifting and a cranky, impatient teacher at my side. He keeps insisting that I need to take a class...but that isn't it. I KNOW how to drive, I have already taken a class...it's that whole fucking shifting thing. It just needs time. I would like to practice with someone else...but I can't think of anyone that would want to drive with me. Sigh.

We got back, watched Salem's Lot on TNT, ate tacos and then went to bed early. I needed it...it was a long exhausting day.

Last issue of Time Magazine had a section on Blogs. I like to think that I was part of the revolution starting mine in 1999, but ... I am not famous yet. After reading the expose, I feel like I should be writing political bullshit, or social satire, and more funny/interesting tidbits about daily life instead of the drivel that pours out of my finger tips.

At the same time, I like reading those boring drivel bits about daily life and find myself glossing over long 'rants' (I hate that word) about politics, philosophy, etc. Oh, and I also hate the word "snarky." Uhhh vomit anyone?