Airy Nothing Chatter

I'm not at all thrilled when programs I have taken out of start up get back in. It over crowds my computer and some of them are things I only use occasionally. On the other hand, the icons for some things I need often, like my sound icon, don't bother to show up at all! Bah!

I didn't get much done today. I slept a couple of hours longer than I intended to. In my defense, I didn't sleep well once I finally got to bed, and I have had a back ache since sometime in the night.

When I started this post, I had a purpose. Beats me what it was, now.

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Saturday I spent the whole afternoon looking for the right pipes for the dryer vent. Apparently most people go with the accordion pipes, but the one I always see recommended is the regular tin pipe. Finally, at Ace Hardware, I finally found someone who did more than say "Those are what we have." He explained the different grades and showed me the cleaning tool. I hadn't realized there are two sizes and I hadn't measured, so I had to go back today.

There are some photos behind the cut.

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I spent the whole evening and half the night posting this blog entry:

Puttering Around That's what I've been doing for a few days now. A little this. A little that. Click pictures for full size. I did some re-potting. Mouse over to see what these plants are. I may have to redo the Burro's Tai... read more

When I was writing this, I was listening to:
George Winston - The Venice Dreamer (Part 2)
George Winston - Cloudy This Morning
NatureQuest - Seaside Serenade
George Winston - Living in the Country
George Winston - Living without You
George Winston - Goodbye Montana - Part 2
George Winston - Treat Street
Don Shetterly - A Mother's Day Gift
George Winston - Merry Go Round
Dan Gibson - Beauty Abounds

Watched Mississippi Masala tonight. I was expecting a typical Indian style love story. It is a love story, but not typical, certainly not typically Indian (R rated with an obvious love scene). It's not romantic comedy and has a lot more meat than typical love stories. It addresses issues of love, family, loyalty and racism. It was fine acting by every one, but especially Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury.

Mississippi Masala is set in Uganda and Mississippi and juxtaposes the racism, both subtle and obvious in each country. It also shows the love and loyalty in each country, that transcends race. The movie also addresses the meaning of home. Is it where our ancestors come from? where we're born? or where we (and our family) are?

Meena's family is forced out of Uganda when Idi Amin takes power. Eighteen years later they are in Mississippi living in a motel run by other Indians. Her mom runs a liquor store and her dad is still trying to get his land in Uganda back. Meena, now 24, is a maid at the motel. She meets Demetrius when she runs into the back of his van. Okay, the romance is fairly unoriginal, but it's all the rest of the movie added to it, that makes it a good movie.

That was time passing. I can't believe it's the last day of July, already.

I've been painting and building for weeks and still have more to do. The shelving for my son is done. The master bedroom is almost done. Just need to finish up the closet. Then I get to work on turning the former master bedroom into a guest room, which will require more ripping out of yukky carpet and painting again. Then lugging furniture up from the garage.

After that room I need to paint Mom's bathroom. At least that's a tiny space.

Next it's cleaning out the garage and putting up a wall to separate the laundry area from the rest of the garage. Then more painting. After that, I think I'm done with painting and building for a while. I hope!!

Pretty exciting life, huh? I'm hoping that when some of these things are done, life will become a little more interesting. I'm not really sure how.

If I can put enough money aside, I'm going to take Patrice Baldwin's bookmaking course. That is exciting, to me. I've known Patrice online for a few years and I've always wanted to learn how to make books, but traveling to her was never feasible. An online course will be great. Woohoo! I'm hoping I can do that before the end of the year.

I want to start working on my fabric art by the end of September, too. All the painting and building has kept me away from the computer for a good part of the day. When it's done, I want to use that time more creatively than surfing around the computer. I'll be perpetually behind on all the things I have here online, but that's OK. Better behind on the computer than depressed for lack of creative outlet.

Right now, I'm going to go sit in my comfy chair and read. It may or may not be the book listed here. That's just one option.

Currently reading:
Chinese Lives
By: Xinxin Zhang

When I was writing this, I was listening to:
David Packer - Needle Work
張國榮 (LESLIE CHEUNG) - 可人兒
R.E.M. - Leaving New York
P.D.Q. Bach - Bach Portrait
Bob Dylan - You Wanna Ramble
張學友 (Jacky Cheung)- 抱雪
成龍 (Jackie Chan) - 我只在乎你
Andrew Bird - Spare-Ohs