9:44 PM:

Erin was here! Erin was here! Whoo-hoo!

(And I've been sleeping most of the time since then, and it's now late Friday afternoon, and I need to get offline. More to follow.)

8:14 PM:

Diane is back!

Oh, in other news, I've founded the Grand Duchy of Shmuel. This is not expected to interfere with my duties as the Grand Vizier of the Kingdom of Mary Anne (aside to MA: I think the Kingdom could use a Web page, for linking to on occasions such as this), because the Grand Duchy is merely an imaginary nation in an elaborate game, while the Kingdom is a going concern.

I'm been looking forward to the release of The Two Towers. Not because I have the least intention of seeing the film in the theatre, but because I've been hoping for new installments of Cassie Claire's Very Secret Diaries.

They're back. And worth the wait.

Also of interest: another writer offers this condensed version of the film.

(WARNING: both of the above links are loaded with spoilers.)

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

I'm currently in the midst of cleaning my apartment, in anticipation of Erin and Tom coming to visit tomorrow. (And also because it's really, really needed to be cleaned, but every bit of incentive helps.) With only a day or so to go, it seems clear that by the time they arrive (a) the place is going to be cleaner and less cluttered than it's been in months, and (b) it's still going to look like it was recently hit by a cyclone, compared to a more typical apartment. I've occasionally been taking time to remind myself that if I were visiting her place -- which is, in fact, planned for the upcoming Amtrak Tour -- there is no conceivable state of affairs in her apartment that could possibly lower my opinion of her. Hey, she's practically family. So I'm not too worried about her reaction to the place, really. I just hope Tom doesn't decide I'm a freak. <wry smile>

(As an aside, for those following the above link... don't they both look adorable?)

6:32 PM:

Current outgoing voicemail message, to the tune of "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen":

If this is [guy's name], lose my card
Though I'm sure you are fine
It's just I'm antisocial
And I'm very short on time

But if you're someone else I know
I'll call back soon enough
Leave your name, number, message, and stuff.
[It's not tough--
Leave your name, number, message, and stuff.]

Remind me to call the bar before I go next time, to be sure that there actually is karaoke that night, rather than relying on the ad in the local community handout. There wasn't, of course; they apparently have it only while school is in session.

Oh, well. At least I didn't do something utterly stupid on the way there, like give my contact information to a complete stranger in a shared cab, who's gonna be calling me tomorrow night about getting together for racquetball or something.

No, wait, I did that, too. Misunderstanding. Almost humorous, really; I thought he was interested in getting in touch about a potential job, and I wasn't going to fight the forces of serendipity on that one. (Especially as I am a bit anxious about that. It's one thing to blithely pencil into your planner: "February: Get job," but it's another thing to actually do it. And then I turn out to be sharing a cab with a manager at one of the places I'd been considering applying to...) By the time I realized he was interested in a social engagement, he already had my card, and we'd reached my stop.

(I'm tempted to blame the black pleather pants. I always suspected they'd get me into trouble if I wore them in public...)

Advice for politely getting out of this? Anyone?