trying to relax

Yeah, bad news again today. (Though tentatively, it sounds less "random" than "guy with a really stupid beef who decided to target certain people" - so I don't feel quite so much like "gee it's probably a bad idea to go in the vicinity of a courthouse tomorrow in case we're seeing the beginning of some kind of craziness"


Yeah, I have plans to go to A Balanced Skein tomorrow. And to the big antiques mall right near there. And maybe also JoAnn's and the bookstore and certainly the Kroger.

I did finish "Environmental Geopolitics" this afternoon, and though in some ways I feel smarter, I...I don't know. The whole idea of "question EVERYTHING, you cannot assume anything, and even 'facts' are mutable" is maybe a step too far for this tired old field biologist who just wants wood to be wood and iron to be iron...

Tonight, this evening, I'm trying to relax - right now I'm watching "The Goonies" (it is on AMC) and that's one movie I can re-watch repeatedly for some reason. (Yes, it's not a particularly artful movie, but there's something endearing about it and I have happy memories about seeing it in the theater as a teenager with a friend). Later I'll probably watch the re-runs of Bob's Burgers.

I also realized that I started Penelope Lively's "The Ghost of Thomas Kempe"  - a kid's "chapter book" about, as you might guess, an archaic ghost in semi-modern England. And that seems to be a good read for tonight. (I also started "Seven Dead" by J. Jefferson Farjeon but it's got some unsettling themes to it, and maybe some of my bad dreams recently have been related to that, so sort of a funny atmospheric semi-fantasy book will be better).

I admit as I rearranged my various Ponies that hang out on the piano (I don't know why I move them before my lesson; my teacher knows I collect them) I kissed each one on the muzzle. It's a dumb thing but it did make me feel better.  And I raced around and fast cleaned house - even using a wet mop on the kitchen floor, it needed it - before piano lesson, and I feel better for having the house a bit cleaner.

I also made the offer (on Twitter, but I also extend it here) - if you want a postcard from me, e-mail your mailing address. I did this as a silly "Yes, it's like putting a Hello Kitty bandaid on a flesh wound, but at least it's something" attempt at a gesture of goodwill. Right now I have sort of generic postcards - flowers, and baby animals, and some National Parks scenes, but I may see if I can find some local ones when I'm out tomorrow. (Not as many places seem to have them any more.I don't know of anywhere right in town that carries them, for example, which is weird, given that tourism is a big thing here)

And then there's this that I'm working on:

I'm up to 16 rows from finishing (and it looks like I'll have enough yarn, I was concerned). This is the Paddington's Garden shawl.

I do want to work through a couple of the partly-done projects (I have a pair of simple socks close to done, and the Augusta cardigan, and a scarf, and the Heartthrob amigurumi) and then maybe start something new. Maybe a sweater, maybe a simplish one on circulars, so I can knit and read...I have several other books I want to read but won't necessarily have to take notes from for teaching.

But I hope I sleep tonight without any bad dreams...