So while Mari and Doug are off visiting folks, I’m holding down the fort at their place. This mainly involves caring for and interacting with their two cats, but that’s not such a bad deal. They have an incredibly nifty house in a relatively peaceful neighborhood, so that’s an upside. The downside is commuting and shopping, but I guess that’s what happens when the guy who doesn’t drive spends a lot of time in the land of the well-wheeled.

Such is life, eh?

In other news, Wendi and I went to the mandatory parenting class this morning. Oddly enough, it wasn’t entirely boring and tedious. There were a few nuggets of useful information, and even some hints that maybe, just maybe, we’re doing this whole “divorced parents” thing halfway-okay.

I’ll take all the encouragement I can get, you know?

So for the rest of the day I think I’m going to kick back, veg out and enjoy my extra-long weekend. You should do the same. You’ve earned it, haven’t you?

First, he made 3D animations. Then, he made AMVs. Now he’s taking on computer gaming itself.

That’s right, my son Alexander has a copy of Game Maker. With it he can create platformers, shooters, driving games and probably any number of other game types besides. If he’s anywhere near as good at that as he has been at mastering Blender and video editing, we should have some interesting little games to show off here in a while.

No, I’m not living vicariously through my son. I’m saving that for when he becomes rich and/or famous…

In case you were wondering what to get the geek who has everything (and by “everything” there I actually mean “very little, so please give me lots of stuff”), I recommend to you my Amazon wishlist, complete with headphones, DVD boxed sets and music. Take special note of the “love to have” selections, if you would. Much thanks.

This has been a public service announcement brought to you by the “Karel Wants Neat Stuff For His 33rd Birthday” Committee.

Also, I’m thinking of throwing a 33-1/3 Birthday Party in July. (It’s the RPM of an LP record, don’t you know.) Tell me that’s not the coolest idea you’ve come across all afternoon. Go on, I dare you.

(Please note: You don’t have to buy anything specifically from Amazon. Nor are you limited to items on that list. The list is provided solely for the purpose of those who, like myself, draw a complete blank when faced with the task of choosing gifts for friends and loved ones.)

Let the weekend commence.

That will be all. Go forth and enjoy, my friends.

Friday evening, 6pm, Backspace downtown on NW 5th and Couch. Be there or be…somewhere else much less cool.

Portland Bloggers, baby.

So the roomies and I played some Age of Mythology last night, and as I usually do when we’re doing computer gaming I left my bedroom door open.

This is significant because normally it’s kept closed so as to prevent the household felines from making me sneeze. However, I’m also loath to just hole up behind a closed door when engaged in fun multiplayer computer gaming with other people in the house. I’m a hermit by nature, sure, but I’m not that rude.

Problem is, apparently both cats decided to make themselves comfy on my bed last night, leading to a long night of me wheezing and sniffling. (The only allergy meds I have are “non-drowsy,” which is not what you want to be taking at 1am when you can’t sleep and have work in the morning.) I resolved to wash my bedding after I got home from work so as to take care of the pet dander problem.

So imagine my chagrin when I arrived home just now to discover that, no, I hadn’t firmly latched my bedroom door when I left for work this morning. Yep, kitties sleeping in my laundry basket. (Go ahead and make fun of me for not having put away all my clean clothes. You know you want to.) Now I get to wash not only my bedding but also my clothes, again, if I want to get through tomorrow with any lung capacity whatsoever…

I love being me. Don’t you wish you were me? You should, you know. It’s a blast.