• I finally got a class in the pool this morning. It was only 60 degrees out, but I and the two brave souls who showed up were tired of waiting for it to feel like summer. Most popular songs of my latest class mix: 1. Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood singing “Summer Wine,” 2. Vampire Weekend’s “M79,” Material Issue’s “Valerie Loves Me,” and 4. Coldplay’s “Don’t Panic.” I stuck R.E.M.’s “Nightswimming” on the end so I could swim laps to it. I’ve always wanted to do that. Love that song.
• Today AJ and I were supposed to go to Trader Joe’s and then to the pool. We have done exactly none of those things, as he disappeared almost as soon as I got home from class and has been running rampant around the neighborhood with assorted neighbor children. He even conned The Boy Across The Street’s mother into inviting him for lunch and she may be taking him with her kids to swim at her mother’s pool later this afternoon. Score!
• My encyclopedia articles are as done as I can make them — the death date and location for one of the biographees still eludes me — and yet I’m terrified to turn them in. I’m trying to give myself a good talking to. Maybe one more proofread will help. One of the things that is making me nervous is that they have asked for no footnoting of information. The last time I wrote an encyclopedia article, I had to source every single sentence. Here they’ve said to include one and at most two sources, preferably sources that are easily accessible to laypeople. I guess that means they trust me. So why don’t I feel like I’m trustworthy? Or maybe I just want them to know how many books I’ve read for each of these 200 word things.
• I have received a couple of gifts in the mail recently and have completely neglected to mention them. The first was a copy of Gina Barreca’s “It’s Not That I’m Bitter,” courtesy of Louise Crawford at Only The Blog Knows Brooklyn, which I won in a giveaway. I find it irksome in its doomed attempt to describe What Women Are Like, puzzling as an artifact by a professor of women’s studies, and compelling, like a train wreck. The second was a mix CD from Dr. Geek, which, unfortunately, I have not yet listened to, mainly because my computer has no more room for music files and does not allow me to play CDs while doing anything else at the same time. But it was lovely of him to send it and I look forward to hearing it.
• As regards that last comment about my computer, I am pleased that I did not, as I almost did, go out and buy a new laptop two weeks ago, because Apple just revamped the very model I planned to purchase. Mostly it’s better and best of all, it’s $200 cheaper. But the new model has a built-in battery, meaning you can’t change it out when it craps out on you or if you run out of juice while you’re stuck in the airport on layover. Instead, you have to pay 129 bucks and take it to a tech to get it replaced. Given the amount of trouble I’ve had with Apple batteries, I’m extremely skeptical about this new development. Does anyone out there know anything about the new battery in the macbook pro? I’m looking at the 13″, if it makes a difference.
• My stats and comments have dropped dramatically this week. Is everyone on vacation, or have I officially bored everyone to tears? I’m hoping at the very least that I’m only boring the pants off of everyone. That, at least, sounds like it has the potential for fun.
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