Hey. Happy Pi Day!

It’s the end of a long, slow work week. My health has returned, but my insomnia has decided to make up for lost time. I haven’t had a full, restful night of sleep since Saturday. Well, at least I’m back to normal, eh?

My employers threw a company party at my supervisor’s house, a suitable venue because they have a bigger house than they need and a big basement room filled with toys… pool table, pinball machine, and so forth. I proved yet again that I’m no good at competitive games, but I had fun enough. Side note: One of the guests used to work for Monqui, which means we both know Jaime Cooley, former music director & air talent at KNRK. Small world!

Part of my weekend plans involve cleaning. I’ve been dead to the world for the last few weeks, so my bedroom and bathroom aren’t in the best of repair. It’s high time I did something about that.

Kyla and I have found a new addiction: Top Gear. Hey, we’ve gotta do something while waiting for more Avatar, let alone the new season of Doctor Who.

I think that’s everything for now. More to come, when I start doing post-worthy things with my life again.

If the plugin I just installed works as advertised, this post will show up on my LJ as well as here on Ye Olde Journale.

Since I’m here anyway, how about a catch-up on recent events?

• Friday night, Lil’ and I hung out with friends and family after taking in the crack-laden broccoli at Outback Steakhouse. No, seriously: What do they cook their broccoli with to make them so addictive?
• On Saturday I got the kids caught up almost to the end of season two on “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” I stopped short of the final episode because leaving them with that cliffhanger for an unknown number of weekends seemed a cruel thing to do to my wonderful children whom I love dearly. I was tempted, though.
• Also on Saturday, I cooked food on the stove and in an oven for the first time in a very, very long time. It was just my “famous” pasta-and-cheese, but hey. (Kyla: The combination of cheeses worked perfectly. You rock.)
• Last weekend was another Double XP weekend in City of Heroes/Villains. Several low-level “toons” aren’t so low, now. My top villain is actually my top villain, and she has her pet. My Kheldian is approaching a level at which she might become effective, let alone fun to play. My second blaster is rapidly becoming both powerful and a true joy to fight crime with. And, just for the heck of it, my main scrapper ran a few Rikti ship raids for bucketloads of cash and merits. What can I say? Those high-end enhancement sets don’t come cheap.
• In other gaming news, I bought the new costume parts for the three accounts I’m responsible for. The mastermind named Carmine Santiago, formerly seen wearing a bright red hat and trenchcoat and slacks ensemble, is now sporting a dashing black tuxedo with elegant red trim.
• Kyla and I both took Monday off. (She also had Friday off. Some people, eh?) We mostly just relaxed and goofed off, but I did make a trip out to Fred Meyer and picked up the replacement shaver I’ve been thinking about for the last few months. The old shaver broke (a bit more than it already was broken), which forced my hand somewhat. I went with a Norelco rotary system and so far the results are worth the money. Not only that, but it’s remarkably quieter than the cheap Braun was. You still can’t tell I’ve shaved by midday since my hair grows so darned fast, but at least I leave the house with a smoother face.

I’m still plugging along with my own little renaissance, albeit with fits and starts (like the week-long lack of posting). At least the breaks aren’t due to depressive episodes any more! You have no idea how much happier I am now than I was even three months ago.

Life may not be perfect, but it’s not too shabby either.

A weekend like this makes me feel almost rested and cheerful enough to manage the upcoming workweek:

• Went out on a lovely date with Lil’ on Friday night, including a tasty dinner at a restaurant I’d not tried before by name of Kappaya, along Division in Southeast Portland. (Picture a Japanese restaurant without tonkatsu on the menu. The food was still good, though.) In-joke of the night: “Rocks!” For the record, they are neither modern or much of a marvel unless you’re a hardcore geology nerd.
• Spent most of Saturday with the rugrats and Kyla, watching “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and eating burgers and checking out the newest rendition of the Heroes of Might and Magic V game. The in-joke of the day was not “Rocks!” since we haven’t made it to the second season of “Avatar” yet so we’re not really seeing that many earthbenders. My kids are well and truly hooked on the show now, however. (Insert maniacal laughter here.)
• Spent Saturday night and most of Sunday with Kyla, watching silly TV shows and playing City of Heroes. The last episode of the first season of “Torchwood” is not, upon second viewing, quite as terrible as I originally thought. The first episode of “Smash Lab,” however, left me unimpressed. Think “Mythbusters Lite” but without the engaging personalities. Instead of actual rocks, the show featured concrete.
• Spent part of Sunday evening hooking up the center channel speaker in my surround-sound rig. Yes, I consider this one of the pertinent high points of my weekend. Yes, I’m a dork. My rock music concert DVDs will sound just that little bit better now, which (naturally) ROCKS.
• Spent Sunday night gaming with “the boys,” as per usual, and made a decent showing in both Quiddler and Carcassonne. I didn’t win, but I almost never win and I work hard to be a good sport about that most of the time. The only rocks here were the ones in my head, I’m afraid.

And now, I think I’ll enjoy a few minutes of rock music before I go to sleep. Rock on, y’all.