• I have this hummingbird feeder I bought…nothing special. The other day I went out to put new food in it, and I swear there were 4 birds watching me the whole time, like “Hello, Lady, it’s been, like, freaking hot, how’s about you get on the ball already?” They stared at me when I went out to take it down, and when I came back outside with the fresh bottle, they were still staring at me when I put it back up. FREAKY!
  
•  I did my first piece of Guerrilla Art! I was so nervous that my hands were shaking when I put it up in my apartment’s mail pavilion. This is not the “big piece” I wrote about before…but that one is going to take some planning. I’ll keep you posted.
  
• You know you’re obsessed with Harry Potter when the name plate on your door looks like this:
  

Praise the LORD above!!!

MY AC IS FIXED!!!!!!!

Yesterday the maintenance man from my apartment complex came over to take a look at it and the first words he said upon entering were “God, it’s hot in here.” Yeah, thanks. He poked around a bit, played with my settings, and then went downstairs to look at that big box fan thingy that the lovely cold air comes from (I don’t know). Then he came back up (it was still over 100 outside, mind you, and I live on the top floor) and felt the air that was blowing and said “This is actually hot air, you know that, right?”

Well, I do now.

Turns out the entire unit was shot and the compressor was all wound up or the transitionator needed more power steering fluid or something and I’d have to have a whole new unit installed. Which meant ordering one. And having the AC dude come and put it in. I’m thinking I’ll be lucky to have it done in a week. Fortunately, being a displaced Southerner, I was very polite and was sure to say thank you and even offered him some sweet tea, and he was so flumoxed by the kindness that he pushed me up on the repair request list.

And THEN, I come home today and there’s a note on my door that says “Your AC is fixed :)” Now I’m lying on my couch with it set to 72 just because I CAN!!!! (Chill out (ha!), I’ll set it to a normal and responsible level before long.) But I won’t be complaining if I go to bed with goosebumps. Remind me of this come December, though. On second thought, please don’t. I want a free reign to whine whenver I feel the urge.

I totally need to send Mr. Fix It a thank you note and maybe even a batch of my famous cookies. Do you think maintenance men perfer thigns with chocolate or more spice-like?

I also called everyone in my phone book to let them know, just in case they cared (they didn’t). I probably just got myself taken off a few Christmas Card lists…and I’m not sure that that’s a bad thing.

In other news, I got the Guerilla Art Kit by Keri Smith and I’m so excited to start doing weird crafty things all over the city! I’ll post pictures of whatever I do so y’all can keep up with me. I have some fun ideas already, and I went to Michael’s to get a few supplies so I won’t be stuck when an inspiration hits. My first project idea is a little risky, just because it’ll take time and will need to be somewhat public for it to be seen, so I hope I don’t get “caught.” Needless to say, it’s not at all dangerous or permanent or anything like that.

I’m now done with Disc 1 of Friday Night Lights. I plan on writing a review soon. I’ll do one for each disc of the first season, since it’s already done. And be-ye warned….I’m going to be posting a LOT of TV stuff once all the new shows come up. Partially because I’m a nerd and I loves mah TV, and also because with Nicole being out of the country, I figure she’ll need SOME way of keeping up with what’s important in life. So there will be many recaps and reviews of shows, but I’ll be sure to warn y’all if I post anything spoilery. I know how the internet can get all in a tizzy over that stuff (and trust me, I do, too!).

If you haven’t read John’s updated blog recently, please do so! I love his dream Haiku’s!!

Have a lovely night, Internet! I’ll have a drink for you (oops, already did! How’s about another one?).

I was emailing with John earlier today (No, I don’t have any other friends. Don’t bother asking) about feeling frustrated and disappointed with the lack of notable progress in our lives. I mean, I’m almost 20-something-older-than-I-am-now, and I don’t have a book or a script sold, I’m not done with my graduate degree, and as my mother will glumly point out, I’m neither married nor pregnant. Sometimes I just can’t stop that inner voice from getting too carried away with the self loathing (As Mama Lamott calls it, KFKD). I even tried taping an eviction notice to my forehead, but he stayed put. If he eats my Mint Brussels or messes with my TiVo lineup, though, heads will roll. Mine, in all probability, but I’m not letting little details like that get in the way of my threats.

I need to remind myself that things take time. That I am writing and making progress. I mean, I’ve written and co-produced 7 projects at work this year! That’s not too bad! I am 70% done with my MFA. I am still writing, even if it’s just for the sake of writing and not for any sort of publication or submission.  I’m still taking pictures and interacting with beauty and nature…

I need to remember that, as much as it would be pretty cool, the point of being an artist is not recognition or money, it’s to create. And as long as I continue doing that, I’m in pretty good shape.  And I need to remember that it’s OK to be gentle with myself, since the world is definitely not going to do it for me.