Friday, Jul. 30, 2004
Ten Things I Did This Week, posted at 11:37 p.m.
Epiphany in Baltimore has moved to epiphanyinbaltimore.blogspot.com Things are not very interesting right now in the world of epiphany. It's just relaxed, even though I did work a double today. In my first shift since last Thursday (yes, folks, that's a whole week off in a row, the last five days unrequested - it's just slow and we've hired enough folks), I worked a double and made about $60. Shitty, yes, but it could be worse.New developments:
1. I've decided to develop a house concert page via Baltiblogs, and I've set everything up, but I find that I don't have a clue how to use it. I'm going to keep fiddling around, because I'm going to feel silly if I can only use blogging software aimed at 15-year old girls.
2. I did laundry yesterday, which is a momentous once-a-month task that is never as bad as it seems like it should be. At this point, I could probably afford to buy a washer and drier, but I see myself moving out of this place within the year, if not 6-9 months, so I don't want to get it and then move them. I've gone since 1995 without living with a washer/drier, so I can continue to do it. Sudsville is a very friendly place in the middle of the week during the afternoon, as it turns out.
3. I think Doria Roberts might be the kickoff show for the House Concerts this year. She played in May '03 and many said she was the best to ever appear. I think the show is going to be Friday, September 17. Everything is very hush, hush right now, though, and uncomfirmed. Another possibility was Rose Polenzani, but it looks like she could only do a Tuesday night, and I'm not sure these things would go over well on Tuesday nights. The other big booking is pre-Thanksgiving weekend, so I've still got to find someone for October.
4. I think it's a sign I'm becoming healthier and happier that I'm getting into the house concert thing again. I'm also seriously considering moving the shows into the basement. I've spent much of this summer cleaning up down there, getting as much shit as possible into as concise a space as possible, and now it actually looks presentable. I could possibly move my bedroom down there, so I could have more privacy. But, let's face it, there's not a whole lot of reason for that at this moment. Moving the shows downstairs would make things a whole lot roomier and probably make for better sound. However, seating is limited, so I might have to find some cheap chairs somewhere, as well as a cheap carpet. I'm hoping the landlady hires someone to really clean it up down there now that the sump-pump is installed (this week's other major development at the homestead).
5. I don't think I'm that interested in buying this house. I might be able to get it cheap, but I also have a feeling the landlady overestimates its value. It's basically a shitty old house. I'm sure there's lead in the paint and tons of stuff would have to be done right away - new windows, painting everywhere, new floors. I've actually signed up for my first home-buying workshop, and I think I'm going to direct my search in the Ednor's Garden area, edging towards Waverly where the houses are still cheap. I like that the neighborhood is racially diverse, I like that the area is building up (I plan on joining that new YMCA next month when it opens), I've got a couple of friends who recently bought in the area, I like how close it is to my school, etc. I'm still not sure and to be honest I haven't thought a great deal about it, but now that I'm getting myself more and more into a place financially where I can think about home buying, I have finally decided to sign up for that meeting. It's September 11.
6. Major developments at the restaurant now because Head Manager has put in his 2-week notice. It came out of nowhere. I was seriously thinking about trying to find a different place to have my second job, but now I'm going to stick around for a bit just to see what happens. I liked the Head Manager and am worried about what might happen, but I also think I'm way too fatalistic and pessimistic about the leadership I've had in my life. Sometimes I'm just okay with everyone too much, and I don't realize that things could be much better because I just haven't seen much better.
7. I find myself getting into these stupid lies about what I'm reading. I am reading an awful lot this summer, but probably not as much as I intimate to my fellow English teacher friends. Like, for some reason, I told a colleague that I was holding myself to a 100-page a day goal for every day this summer. Now, this is a noble goal, and I guess it's some sort of distant goal that I have. But, have I read 100 pages in any single day this summer? Maybe a couple of times, like the day at the airport when I was really into The Known World or the two or three days it took me to plow through the riveting Life of Pi. Now, I'm reading The Corner. It's very good, and we're thinking about making it our All-School Book this summer (Justification, from another colleague: "how about The Corner? I think the kids might be amazed to see how the lives of people in their neighborhoods are rendered in well-crafted, compelling prose. They've all seen the TV show, of course, but the book contains a lot of insightful commentary on how Baltimore devolved into its present situation. And the characterization is really strong."), which means we'll asking all students, staff, parents, and alumni to read the book, and we have a bunch of activities surrounding it throughout the year (show the movie, chat with the authors, expert speak, etc). Anyhow, I'm totally blabbering now, but I told this guy I was doing this 100-page-a-day thing, and now I'm compelled to finish this book by the time I see him next week for the O's game on Friday. Now, it's a good book - excellent, even - but the damn thing is 540 pages and I don't know if I can do it.
8. I swam laps today. Swimming is really hard. I'm trying to run an hour every other day (Tuesday I ran 5.25 miles, Thursday I ran 5.5 miles... I walked a bit during each as well, but I finished a complete 60 minutes as I try to build myself back up to an acceptable fitness level). Anyhow, I have water in my ear now, and it's driving me insane. I've bought swimmers ear drops, to no avail. I can't hear very well.
9. I really love this guy's writing. They're very personal music reviews, and not only do I usually agree with his opinions, but I'm often staggered by the beauty of his prose. I've noticed lately that he's doing more and more just essays, where not only is the music incidental, it's not even there. This week's entry was very, very good. Inspiring, even.
10. I joined Columbia House CD Club again. My shipment of my first seven included CDs by Murphy Lee, Erykah Badu, Alicia Keys, Coldplay, Dashboard Confessional, John Coltrane, and Joss Stone.