It’s only 7:15PM, but the hour feels much later. N and I just chatted in his bed before he fell asleep. He told me I had “weird plans” after I made up a couple bedtime stories for him. He also asked for me instead of his mother. N and I have grown closer the last few months. I feel good about that.

The day after Christmas can be difficult. T, for example, wants parental attention just about every moment. Today he wanted to play Risk constantly, even though we played both Risk and Stratego (he won the former, I won the latter) yesterday afternoon and evening. I woke later than usual, after seven, and had a difficult time getting moving. T and I drove over to Michael’s to buy a 24 X 30 frame for the Italy collage M made as my Christmas gift. We then cut over to Borders for 50% calendars (Harry Potter for the kitchen, beagles (T’s pick) for the boys’ room, gardens for my office) and Best Buy to pick up the monitor I ordered online yesterday. Best Buy sucked. First, T unleashed the hooks from one of those line-arranger devices, sending the cord flying. He knew how to fix the device, at least, so he’s probably done it before. Ha. Second, I ordered the stupid monitor online so I could get in and out of the store easier. Just walk up to the counter and pick it up, right? Wrong. At first the lady behind the counter told me I would have to wait in the return line. Fuck that. About twenty people were in that line. I rarely do this sort of thing, but I bitched at the help desk, and they got someone to help me. Fuck you, Best Buy. You suck.

The monitor was a bit of a splurge, but our monitor (as of yesterday) was old and huge. Plus, every time I looked at it I was reminded of M’s unwise computer purchase through her brother. She bought the computer, but she didn’t get them to throw in a monitor. Lame. I used a 60 buck gift certificate, found a decent model on sale, and only dropped about 150 of my own cash. Still, that’s extravagant, as far as I’m concerned, but the monitor is cool and should last us a long time.

M’s mom left after lunch. I still felt a bit out of it, so I showered and settled on the couch with the first Bourne movie. T still wanted to hang out, so he watched some of the film with me until he got bored and went upstairs. I read Murakami before dinner, finishing “A Wild Sheep Chase.” Great book. I can’t quite figure it out, I guess, but I don’t expect to figure it out. More as the book settles in my mind. I think there was a lot in the text about evil and desperation and addiction and (this is clear) weakness that defines one as human but could ruin one’s life. I loved the isolation of the last fifty or so pages. Very interesting. I made black beans, feta cheese, and spinach for dinner, finished the Bourne film, and cleaned the first floor of all the leftover Christmas crap. The front porch is a disaster. Maybe I’ll tackle that tomorrow.

The rest of Christmas day was fine, by the way. Shadow and I walked through town and cut through the woods on the way home. We saw a whitetail. T and I played Risk, I read for a while, and all was ok in the world.

M’s mom’s visit was relatively painless.

I was just cruising some of the local school websites and I realized that I’m doing a better job than ever of avoiding getting myself riled up about stupid things. I’m letting them go. Also, I read a newspaper article about Teach for America coming to Milwaukee, and I was able to breathe through what a fucking stupid idea that would be. Well, I was still angry, I guess, but I didn’t think about the issue all day. I’m still thrown by vacations, but I’m breathing better.

Bullet point time!

I like the new Drive By-Truckers, “Brighter Than Creation’s Dark”, quite a bit. The band had three choices: 1) make a slick rock album like “Blessing and a Curse”, 2) try to blow the paint of the walls, like early in their career, and 3) do something else. They went with the last choice, and I think they’re the better for it. The new disc is solid without trying too hard. As far as I’m concerned DBT has nothing to prove, and by letting go of the idea they have something to prove they’ve released the smartest, most grown up record of their career.

D and I decided that “Top Gun” is the great divider of the last twenty years. If you liked “Top Gun”, you are the enemy. If you didn’t like “Top Gun” we could potentially be friends. I’m trying to find a hole in this theory, but I can’t find one yet.

T, S, and I were going to see “The Golden Compass” yesterday, but the review seemed scary, so we skipped the film. I would have loved to see a movie reputed for relative godlessness on Christmas, but I didn’t want the boys crapping their pants. I read “kidnapping” in the review and that was enough. We planned on “National Treasure” instead, but the boys bailed to play with their toys. I wasn’t complaining.

I’m not sure what I’m reading next. I have “Early Bird” coming from the library. I can’t figure out why it’s not at the reserve desk already, as it’s at my library, but maybe the clerks are mad because I brought a movie back late. I don’t know. I suppose I could finish “Jane Eyre.” I also have Ha Jin’s new book ready. Tomorrow I’ll most likely post my 2007 reading list with commentary.

I feel like drinking something other than beer. Not wine. Whiskey or something. I don’t know where to start. Recommendations are welcome.

It’s only 7:35, but we’re close to shutting down for the evening. M’s mom couldn’t believe we go to sleep so early. Winter has arrived in Wisconsin. Dusk falls by six. God help you if the day was grey and the dusk falls early. You might as well go to sleep. Good night.