It's almost noon and I'm still farting around here. I need to buckle down and get to work. I have a list of numerous non-related items for blogging. I was going to post last night but I couldn't connect. Technology: it's not magic.

Item #1 -- the Oregonian, not my favorite newspaper, had an article about blogging in the Living Section recently. Everything in the Oregonian living section feels like old news. It's like they get their ideas by looking at what everybody else has already done, especially if it was done, like, three years ago.

Item #2 -- we finally saw Punch Drunk Love last night. What a weird movie. I didn't hate it but I'm not sure it totally worked. I liked seeing Adam Sandler doing something interesting for a change and Paul Thomas Anderson knows how to create a deep feeling of dread in his audience, and the scene with the sisters was great, but there were moments in the soundtrack that made me want to stick forks in my ears and I don't think the story hung together very well. It was like since everyone gave him a hard time for Boogie Nights and Magnolia for being so long, so he whacked up this thing just to prove that he could and stuff felt disjointed and chopped up.

Item #3 -- My book reading is unmanageable at the moment. I keep starting new books. I have at least four books on my night table with bookmarks but at least three more in my room. And whenever I have a moment to sit down and read, I find myself opening a new book. Probably not a real problem but the situation comes into conflict with my "project oriented" approach to living in which I like things to have a beginning and middle and end and dislike loose ends.

Item #4 -- I sent a check to Movieline in November and still haven't rec'd a magazine. I'm going to have to follow up on that.

Item #5 -- I was at the library a couple of weeks ago (see item #3 on compulsive book reading) and I couldn't decide between two books so the deal-maker was that one book had a note in it from a previous borrower. If the scanner was handy I'd post it -- it's a small sheet of yellow paper and on one side the person (guess: female) had her shopping list. She needed light bulbs and jewelry from Fred Meyer and deep conditioner and car supplies from WalMart. She also had holiday shopping items like snowboard pants or a scarf/hat for Meg and other ideas included guitar lessons and a Starbucks giftcertificate. On the other side she has notes for a health problem: something in throat, AM sickest, Nauseous, must eat but don't want too. Also: sharp pains in ribs/back. The killer was the note at the top: I [heart] hummus.

Item #6 -- I had another dream about my High School reunion. This time it was like a high school reunion Xmas party and Antje (not from H.S.) was there making me drinks. What are these recurring H.S. dreams all about? Is there some old business I need to revisit?