Good Day.

This was a Good Day. Is a Good day.

Spent most of the day with Juggler hanging out, including napping (it's been so long since I sort of randomly fell asleep with someone during the daytime). Woke up too late to go to croquet, but got home in time to finish the greenhouse and make supper for my family, it was really lovely to have them over. I'm definitely going to do Christmas Dinner for family and friends this year. Although it's a bit touch on the pocketbook, it's good to have the people I love in my house.

My ratties got to come out and socialise, Merlyn was very happy with the attention. Now they have chicken bones to chew, I have my very own bed to sink into, and my book here.

Guess what? I spent yesterday and last night without a book to read by me. Lately I've been needing one for the emotional reassurance/escapism brings me - or maybe that's the reason I'm feeling better today?

Had a few weird moments with Kynnin yesterday. Thank you, Tillie, for helping me keep my head on straight, and reminding me of the mantra.

Hooked up with Devon yesterday, too, for just a little while on Granville Island. It was long enough to get - ack! - supplies to start inking a bit again. This is terrifying, I thought I'd put art behind me, but I don't need to do it well, just to do it.

Actually, yesterday I was pretty messed up all 'round. I did get to the farmer's market with Chris, which was lovely, but the whole day I was emotionally weird, and I had an 'episode' between oh, 12:30 and 2. They seem to last about an hour and a half, and I can recognise them now, but they're still sucky.

What are they? Well, they start with a panicky feeling, they go into extreme paranoia/pessimism/feeling like everything is absolutely totally the end of the world and significant no matter what it is for maybe an hour and a half, and then they slowly trail off over a period of a couple of hours. I tend to feel like I'm gonna die during them. They don't happen often anymore, which is good, and I have no idea what they're about. I've learned to not talk to anyone during them, so they actually do go away as opposed to getting dragged out by my (irrational) interactions with others.

Watched 'Secretary' with Juggler. He likes it. His face during the spanking scene was lots of fun to watch.

That really is a weird movie. A lot of it would be very believable if set in the 1800s, early 1900s, but it's not and so it ends up being very surreal.

Jeeze, it's late. Now to sleep.

Whee-ooo!

I just knocked a massive number of things off my to-do list, including:

o meet the person who's doing my hair for a contest, and schdule the hair appointment
o get rattan to make canes
o mail cheque for compost (I just got billed this week, fascinating)
o greenhouse finished (well, last night)
o parade around in new clothing
o work for today
o fruit'n'veggies bought

While I was at the produce store, I saw this on a jar of tahini: Gamsen extra tahini. Titanium free!. Is there usually a problem with titanium in tahini, or something?

Also in the news: my rats haven't yet chewed through their water bottle.

Weird extra stuff: there's a picture of a dead politician on the front page of one of the daily papers, and it has, as a headline: all politicians should be like him.

I don't think they meant dead, but oh, well.

Steinbeck continues to hone his tongue in his letters. It's now really razor-sharp. I could quote all day, but instead, here's a bit he wrote about reading, which isn't witty but is kind of how I feel when I read all day: I've been doing some concentrated reading--a lovely thing--and not done by me in recent years. To read and read in one direction night and day; to pull an area and a climate of thinking over one's head like a space helmet--what a joy that is! No telephones, no neighbors, no decisions except great ones--that is a good way to live for a time.

Oh, fine. Here's a bit more:
The blinding flash and mushroom cloud of the suggestion that a Salinas school be given my name is shattering as a compliment, and I love compliments are well as the next man-- maybe better. A heartwarming honor it is, even as a suggestion.

So far only my first name has been given to an institution. [His first name is John]

Perhaps it is well to inspect honors in the light of cool reason lest the footprint on concrete disclose a bunion. Do the proposers of the naming wish to subject my name to the curses of unborn generations of young Salinians? Think of the millions to whom the name Horse Mann is a dirty word.

But the danger of the situation is not only aimed at me. Consider, if you will, the disastrous result if some innocent and talented student should look into my own scholastic record, seeking perhaps for inspiration. Why his whole ambition might crash in flames. [He dropped out of university]

In view of these sober afterthoughts, and bing still shaken by the compliment implied, I hope the Board of Trustees will think very carefully before taking this irrevocable step.

If the city of my birth should wish to perpetuate my name clearly but harmlessly, let it name a bowling alley after me or a dog track or even a medium price, low-church brothel--but a school--!

Anyhow. I really love American authors of that period.

Awww.

So I bathed Merlyn today. He seems to need bathing fairly often (fairly being relative) or he starts to lose hair on his legs (?). So I feel bad when I do it, he hates it, and I gave him warm laundry to snuggle in and a plate of olive oil (good for his coat). So there he is frantically licking up olive oil with his fur sticking out all over the place.

SOOOO cute.

David Francey

From the Mission Folk Music Festival:

When you hear a sound like broken glass
That's my heart every time that girl walks past
When you hear a sound like the rush of wind
It's just me catching my breath again

Also, a song I really like right now, called Chariots Fall: http://s31.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2R64359UZJB5B2TYXXMRA1ZODQ

Third Post: Estry?

I'm hoping I can borrow your camp stove for the folk fest. Is that possible?

HaHAH!

Juggler, I was right. Rattan is a palm.

"Rattans are spiny climbing palms in the tropical forests that can attain lengths of over 185 metres. There are 13 rattan genera with 700 known species."

http://www.survivaliq.com/survival/edible-and-medicinal-plants-rattan-palm.htm

http://www.answers.com/topic/rattan

http://www.dipbot.unict.it/Palms/Descr03.html

So they're kind of palm trees that climb up other trees with sharp hooks. Cool. I wonder if they're growable indoors....

Edit: http://www.rarepalmseeds.com/pix/PleHim.shtml Temperate, oh, my, god...