Monthly Archives: April 2023

Creating a Suitable Environment for Myself

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For more than a few years now, I’ve felt the desire to spend more time reading and writing. Yet, as that desire remained constant, I’ve actually devoted less time to either task. There doesn’t seem to be much that can be gained for exploring the reasons (some of which are certainly no more than excuses) – I just need to act, but it has become clear that I first needed to create an environment that encourages me to do so.

The problem has been that there hasn’t really been a place in the house where I felt… well… “at home” doing either of those things. I can’t really use my work desk because it’s just too much my place of employment. When done putting in my time for major defense contractor, it’s the last place I want to spend any more time in. Reading or writing on my personal laptop from that chair simply doesn’t work. Furthermore, there simply wasn’t a spot in the living areas or our bedroom that felt comfortable for either activity.

I think I’ve made some headway in regards to creating those spaces – I just need to start trying them out. The other thing that would help is simply picking a new preferred place outside the house. I did an incredible amount of reading and writing from the comfort of O’Faolain’s before it became a victim of the pandemic. I’ve already accepted that I’m just not going to find a pub that suited me as well as that one, but the fact that nothing has even come close has been disconcerting. So, it’s time to just pick a place from what’s available and go from there. (In fact, I’m currently at the place I’ve chosen for the time being.)

Having said all that, time for a few odds and ends:

  • I’ve ordered some new pins and patches for newest denim jacket, number eight in the collection. Between those orders and the unused existing supply, I should have it completely decorated within before Sally’s and my trip to Staunton next weekend.
  • Took the day off yesterday so that we could spend an afternoon in Frederick. Being there reminded me just how much I miss living in a city. Sally has already agreed that we can look into moving into one when the time seems right for us to finally move out of our suburban townhome. I will continue to be patient as long as necessary, but I will continue to fantasize about city life until that day comes.
  • Thanks to the arrival of a recent Teepublic order, I now own five different Marvin the Paranoid Android tees. If I didn’t already own a few dozen other beloved t-shirts, I would absolutely get more. On an oddly related note, yesterday I started openly mulling the idea of getting a kilt. I think that embracing my inner weirdo might be encouraging me to take my need to be different in new directions.
  • Not much of a Twitter user, but if I was, taking part in the Block the Blue campaign would be a moral imperative: Twitter users #BlockTheBlue as ‘verified’ accounts take on new meaning – The Washington Post.

That’s all for now. Making it a point to post more here tomorrow.

Odds and Ends for April 2, 2023

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Alas, couldn’t come up with a better title for the post. A random assortment of items for today:

  • For some time now, Sally and I have been playing catch up with Queer Eye on Netflix. (We are frequently behind on television shows, and typically there is never more than 2-3 current shows that we fully caught up on.) One aspect that continues to amuse me is Tan and his insistence that people dress their age. Although I cannot imagine Sally or anyone else who knows me nominating me for the show, I would love to experience Tan trying to get me to stop using my denim jackets and my Eddie Bauer relaxed fit dad jeans (which are actually a necessity given the size of of my legs – my calves in particular.) I like to think I’d be his hardest challenge ever.
  • The quest to find a post-O’Faolain’s acceptable preferred hangout continues. I cannot overstate just how wonderful O’Faolain’s was and how perfect a place it was for me – a fact that is almost certainly acting as an impediment to my settling on its “replacement.” None of the places I’ve tried out works for me anywhere near as well as O’Faolain’s did before the pandemic killed it. Interestingly, if I lived much closer to Frederick, I probably would’ve already settled on an establishment, but even if that were true, both of the options there simply pale in comparison. There are multiple contenders, but each of them has some kind of significant flaw in my eyes. It’s a shame I don’t live in my adopted hometown – this search would’ve already ended some time ago.
  • The Lego Christmas display is still fully intact on the bookshelf. I am going to have to make it a point to start disassembling it very soon if I’m going to build something else to display there before it becomes time to put together a Halloween display. I really wish I had the kind of space that would allow me to leave my various builds intact for much longer. Along those same lines, it would be awesome if I had the space for assembling and leaving intact at least a couple of the massive 5,000+ piece sets I own. I actually purchased the new Rivendell set yesterday, and I will be building that one soon, as we finally have some space where I can leave a set that large assembled and on display for some time. 
  • I’m sure it comes as no surprise to anyone that I have lots of thoughts about Trump finally being criminally indicted by a grand jury for something he did. In lieu of going into any kind of significant detail, all I’m going to share aloud for the time being is that the reaction of so much of the GOP and the American right in general is only serving to add to my anxiety about the future. Too much of this country is far too willing to embrace fascism, simply because getting their way is far more important than justice, rule of law, and the actual will of the people.
  • But, that isn’t the only thing increasing my anxiety when contemplating what the future might bring. There are just so many significant existential threats to both this country and humankind in general that I’m increasingly finding that the best way for me to cope is to just do my best to forget about all of it, and just focus on spending my time enjoying my interests and socializing with those I love. I know, I’m able to do that because I’m operating from a place of privilege enjoyed by very few – even in this country.

Really nothing else to add at this time. Hope to not go months without posting again.