Yesterday was a decent day. I decided to stay home from work again, so I graded papers before dawn, then took a health chance and drove to basketball at six. I played ok, although I was ready to throw up afterwards. Through the morning I read for a while (Francis biography) and answered e-mails. Then I drove to the library, read some more, and checked out a slew of discs I had on order and some books/movies for the kids. M and I watched "The Office" I had seen it already, but the episode was good enough to watch twice). At about two the skies were entirely gray and a slow ice drizzle began to fall. I put the Saturn in the garage and watched tv with N while M picked up the boys from school. N and I made cookies (the Heath bar kind, pretty good) while the other boys watched some tv and hung out after school. A full-on hail storm, complete with some of the loudest thunder I have ever heard, started around sundown. I mean, the windows were shaking, and the thunder carried with it elemental fear. Strangely, the kids didn't seem to mind. The kitchen seemed small and comfortable. M and the boys left in the middle of the storm to meet some friends at the YMCA. I decided this weather, icy, brittle snow and rain, falling like pebbles, was too good of walk-weather to skip, so I threw on my coat and walked downtown. The snow stung, and I wished I had worn a hat, and by the time I reached the Amaco station candy-bar sized ice pieces were lodged in my hair. I shook off as best as I could and bought a twelve back of Lienenkugel's light. The guy at the gas station, the guy shoveling the snow outside, commented on how I must have my priorities straight because I walked through a snowstorm for beer. I could have driven, but you know, I appreciate the sentiment, I guess. I walked home, left my coat on the entryway floor, and took a shower. Afterwards I watched some basketball on television and decided to get very drunk. I listened to Vic Chesnutt in the kitchen, waiting for M and the boys to return, and began drinking with midwestern earnestness. After M and the boys arrived home, S (he's six) drew on Christmas catalogs while I kept drinking and listened to an Eels mix CD. M was highly amused by my drunkenness. After the boys were asleep we tried to watch some CSI, but I was too drunk to follow much of it (I don't even remember the plot, something about spontaneous combustion, I think), so I went upstairs to read. As you can imagine, I managed about half a page before I gave up and fell asleep.

I had an interesting dream as well. All I remember is a plant, maybe two feet tall, with leaves all around it, but some of the leaves had faced the wall, away from the light, and had grown stiff and dusty. I think the dream means that parts of me, the creative, non-work side, has been facing the wall for too long, and I won't be happy until they face the sun. Good day.