:: anne in the attic ::

Create Your Own Countdown

:: Monday, January 31, 2005 ::

Count January GONE. Sometimes the acceleration of time as it coincides with the aging process just floors me.

For the past month, I have been enjoying my new status at work, the one that guarantees me two days off a week. Today happens to be one of them. And I have spent it running errands and getting things done: vet for both cats, car wash, haircut, mortgage shopping, and acquiring various other things I've been meaning to get for a while now (another guitar stand, second kitty carrier, parking pass). And my house is still a bit disheveled. But how can a person be expected to stay inside and fold laundry on such a gorgeous day as today?

Yesterday was also such a day. Mom drove down from Corvallis and we spent the morning having me sign some legal papers, then pruning the lilac and another tree next to the driveway. She brought all of her most useful pruning tools. We worked hard, cleaned up, had lunch, did a little shopping (I took her to Pet Mart, as she is adopting a cat soon-- her cat of 20 years died last winter). By evening, though, my arms hurt so badly from the work we did that I was popping ibuprofen and wrapping a heating pad around them. I had a tentative guitar play date that had to be canceled because my arms just went lame.

Other than the scattered pieces of my mind recollecting themselves into a cohesive working brain, I've also had ample time to start being creative in the studio. I've laid down a few rough studies of songs and have been building on those this month. Mostly, though, I've been enjoying the new Martin I bought a few months ago-- good investment. While I was in the guitar store today, I did look at mandolins (for texture), but didn't buy. After talking with a mortgage lender at the credit union, I know I need to hunker down and really start stashing for a decent downpayment on this house before rates get too high. I think if I'm really strict with myself, I can do it within a year. Getting a housemate will help with that, I'm sure, but I hate the process of screening strangers, so have put it off these past couple of years.

Nothing really earth-shattering is happening these days and I'm happy with that. Some semblance of normalcy is a long time coming. Knock on wood.

:: Anne 3:58 PM [smartass remarks] ::
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Funny how you crest a particularly sharp learning curve and suddenly an entire host of techniques and patterns become available to your repertoire. I've had just such an experience the past couple of days. The thing I learned was something that has probably been simmering in the back (I like to think that I spent some dream time working on it) for a couple of months. I finally dared to tackle it, and it just came, not nearly as daunting a task as it seemed weeks ago, and a catalyst for other things I'd been wanting to do as well. And now, there's a little less fear in me, perhaps a tad more confidence about that area of my life. And that's something I've been sorely lacking of late.

:: Anne 11:49 PM [smartass remarks] ::
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