Hopefully, good day?

1. I still had hot water as of this morning. I am thinking between my shower last night and it sitting overnight, it would not still have been hot if the tank hadn't cycled at least once. (Though I admit to listening hard all evening and not hearing it come on, so who knows?)

I suspect the plumbers may have turned the temperature down a bit; I had it up on the maximum (yes I like hot showers) and they may be mandated to scroll it back "for the children" or some such. Well, when I get my new heater I am going to pay more attention to how it works so I can adjust those things.

2. I got proofs this morning of what I have been variously calling The Paper of Eternal Doom or The Paper that Never Ends or the Endless Paper. This is the allelopathy work I did last year with a student. I admit I MIGHT have contemplated giving up on it around Revision 4 if I didn't have a student co-author who was kind of depending on it coming out as part of her grad-school applications process.

But it looks good and it's reassuring to know that within a matter of weeks I will have a paper copy (And I suppose it will be available online: Oklahoma Native Plant Society is one of the "good guys" when it comes to accessibility, as in ANYONE can read the papers, no subscriptions needed [there may be a short embargo period, though]. I suppose the flip side of this is the work on the journal is 100% volunteer and that may be the thing: the big slick professional journals have a paid staff, and that's why they're expensive to subscribe to and such sticklers (in some cases) about paywalling stuff, and the little regional journals have a cadre of people who are already overworked but are doing it out of goodwill, and people at broke universities or who are students or who are just enthusiasts can then still read the articles. It's kind of sad it's like that - it would be nice if there were some sort of compensation other than the warm feeling of having done something worthwhile for the editor, but I guess that's how the world works now)

3. My Doki Doki crate is on its way (well, it shipped on the 20th) and since I've cut out nearly all other frivolities (to save money for the new hot water heater, and, eventually, I suppose, a new car when the current one dies) it is that much more important to me.

I do get paid on Friday (and, as is typical, my dad comped me back the price of my train ticket so I have to deposit that check) but I know I will have some bills coming in when I get my mail today. (I think I also have to resist some of the other charity appeals I hear, like for scholarships, for the next few months. I hate doing that but sometimes you have to make sure your own oxygen mask is firmly in place, and it's not like I'm going to stop giving to my church or the monthly Mercy Corps donations....)