Friday. Up maybe ten minutes later than usual thinking, after I'd gotten up and turned off the alarm, maybe this would be a morning to sleep in a bit later but found myself wide awake rather than dozing off. OK, if that's the plan, that's the plan. To breakfast and back, the sky overcast without rain. They're saying a clear weekend before the next storm strikes, the unusually warm weather we've been having a thing of the past. Good enough, future and past for a weather forecaster is about a week. Another week of rain and then spring and summer? Why not? Keep this whole thing upbeat.

My sister has a song up on Youtube, thought I'd put a link to it here. For two people who slipped in to the corporate straightjacket after college, we seem to have maintained our hands in our earlier, more satisfying pursuits. Probably an error, that corporate thing. A lack of gumption, a lack of bravery, a lack of imagination on our parts? Take your pick, I myself will admit to all three.

No apparent repercussions from last night's sharp cheddar cheese interlude, no funny looking ocular migraine symptoms creeping in from the back yard; the sake too, just the two glasses over the course of a number of hours. I'll let go of the cheese before I'll let go of the occasional drink. I'll let both go if I have to, but not yet. Not yet. Still, maybe it takes twenty-four or more hours for whatever it is in the things to take effect. We'll remain on guard for a bit longer I think.

For some reason I've always liked the photograph up top. It was taken of a bridesmaid at a wedding I photographed some years ago, this the early morning segment where the family was preparing for the Chinese tea ceremony (the Chinese wedding) to be followed later by the church wedding (covering all bases) and I've always liked the position of the hands on her lap (waiting on the nail polish to dry) and what I see as a somewhat far away look in her eyes, so I made an oversized print some years back and had it custom framed (for about four hundred dollars - I was working, I was flush). Photographers do odd things, I guess. This one does.

Later. It's not raining nearly as hard as it was yesterday, but it is raining none the less. Stuck my head out earlier, looked around, returned to the apartment. Another day of futzing with the web sites and sharpening up one or two photographs I think. Nothing wrong with that, but I suspect we're spending the entire day at the computer when you add all the news site surfing I seem to be addicted to these days. How much can you read about the Middle East? Wisconsin? Quite a bit for someone who's never been to the Middle East, hasn't been farther east than Long Island as a matter of fact.

Got a call from Mr. E just now reminding me we're meeting with some of the usual crew at House of Shields in San Francisco late this afternoon. Hmm. Forgot about that, didn't mark it on the calendar, another memory lapse. I'll go. Looking outside at the rain I'll go, but I'll return in good order early and get to bed by ten (hup! hup!). Yes I will. Really.

Later still. Oh man do I not want to go to San Francisco this evening to drink Guinness with the troops. Locally, yes, I have to admit I'd be up for that, Roy's, but driving downtown and parking, getting on BART, getting back. I'm not up for that. Which gives me pause.

Am I becoming a total recluse? Going over to the city to see friends once a week, that's a problem? An issue? A stumbling block? Might be. Well, what am I saying, it's real, it's just how much does it add in tipping the balance to staying here this evening? It isn't raining and it might not rain for the rest of the day, but how much does possible rain add to the decision? It's Friday, after all, a time to loosen up, let it out, have a Guinness draft. Or two.

Evening. I skipped out on San Francisco and spent the evening noodling with an old scanner (a really old scanner) that I couldn't get to work with Windows XP, let alone 7. So it goes on the scrap heap. It was a good scanner for its time, I don't think I want to know what I paid for it back then, but there's another inexpensive one on the way right now from Amazon. I have a use for it.