Is it Friday Yet?

What'll They Think of Next?

How about a little online "Television on Demand" at Akimbo.com?

There are a lot of the cable channels that you get on your cable or satellite subscription -- Turner Classic Movies, DIY Network, Discovery Channel, etc. But unlike television where you have to watch whatever's on, you pick what's on. You select a program, pay $2.99 to watch it, and have access to it for 30 days.

I was chuckling thinking that, during the summer when it's so darned slow here, I could tune in to DIY Network and study up on woodworking or advanced knitting procedures.

My Aunt Wanda and Uncle Bob have programming on demand for their cable television subscription, and that's pretty cool, but to be able to have it on the computer at work opens a whole new problem for employers, wouldn't you think? Shit, some folks will never get anything done at work! LOL!


Finally, this weekend we'll put the last touches on that damned entryway that we started re-doing what seems like years ago.

Lisa has had a ball with her new table saw, and her new Dremel tool that I bought her for Christmas has really been a fun toy to have around, too. Let's not forget the air-nailer and compressor either. Without that, putting in the luaun and mouldings would have netted us at least one injured finger from hammering by hand. Let's just say that, like Lisa, I've become quite the fan of power tools. Any tools, really.

I found a coaster that's a watering can with birds on it, and decided that, for a buck-and-a-half, I could try to make it into a switchplate cover. It worked out nicely -- once I get the new ISB port installed on my computer (this weekend) I can upload the pictures of the complete rennovation. I think it looks great, and I can't help but grin every morning when I see it.

Lisa and I had a bit of a spat the other night. It happens so rarely that I think it affects both of us hugely. Neither of us slept very well night before last, and she was up at the first sound of the alarm at 6:00 yesterday morning -- fully 45 minutes to an hour earlier than we had to be.

I thought about it a lot yesterday -- about how fortunate we are that we have little to no conflict in our relationship. And, anyone that knows me knows that's really something. We have such good compatibility that we rarely conflict over much of anything. And, for what little disagreement there is, it's usually met with humor on both sides and put behind us quickly. Once upon a time, in another life and another marriage, a lot of screaming and yelling would have happened, followed by days of deafening silence and awkwardness. Sometimes the negative part of me asks "Is my relationship really that good, or have I actually grown since that previous life?" No need to Rubik's Cube it though, I suppose.

I was digging around in the closet for a long-sleeved t-shirt to wear today and came across one that I'd forgotten I had. It's for the Rock'n'Roll Marathon in San Diego, California. An old friend of mine walked in the San Diego Marathon in January 2000 -- I was there to provide moral support. That afternoon, she registered for the Rock'n'Roll Marathon that was scheduled for June of that year and, for some reason, they sent her two training packages and she gave me one.

Anyway, that's ancient history but it's sort of funny in an odd sort of way, too. I've taken to walking a lot these days, with daily goals and all sorts of anal tracking tools to monitor my weight and health. I really enjoyed one of the free programs at America on the Move where you can sign up for a walking program that helps you to track your goals and your accomplishments by mapping out one of several routes throughout the globe for you to "walk." If you think you've really got "the stuff" you can try Racewalk for good information on racewalking.

My ultimate dream is to take a long, long, long vacation and hike the Appalachian Trail, camping along the way, roughing it, using survival skills, and enjoying living like a pioneer. Until then we'll have to content ourselves with some of the local camping and hiking locations and communing with nature that way. We had to cancel our plans to camp this weekend as it's supposed to rain. And rain. And rain. And the temperature isn't supposed to even hit 60 degrees. So we'll stay home and putz around the house, finish up the entryway, and commune with nature in the backyard, in between rain showers. Maybe next weekend...

And, in between it all, I'm still fanatically riding my bicycle, like Miss Gulch from The Wizard of Oz around the neighborhood.

With all the walking and riding, you'd think the fat and weight would be melting right off me, wouldn't you? Not so -- went to the store and bought myself some new "fat pants" just two nights ago. Size 14. Me, who used to be a size 5 petite, who never weighed 100 lbs. without being pegnant. Well, maybe the ol' metabolism will kick in soon. And maybe pigs will fly, too.

I'm actually looking forward to this rainy weekend. I'm thinking a nap will be just the ticket. Eh?