Skipped an entry yesterday, but nothing of great note occured anyway. I worked on my RPG stuff to some extent, and had my usual therapy session, which continues to be productive. Listened to Roger Glover, whom I enjoy, particularly the single, "The Mask". Like Jim Capaldi, I really liked the one song, but wanted to hear more stuff to see if I liked it. Family Group tonight for my son, then on to new comics, which should be a good week. Baseball game tomorrow night, which I am looking forward to, although to some extent I wish I didn't have anything to do in the evening. I am considering making a purchase of some Steely Dan: there are several songs of theirs I like. Not unlike Chicago in that respect.

Okay. Got a haircut this weekend (got a real job two months ago). Spent some time working on role-game characters, and getting caught up on e-mails. Bought some stuff on-line. Happy-happy-Joy-Joy. Could have used some extra time off, but that will have to wait til another time (when I actually accumulate some leave time). Until then, I'll just have to enjoy my weekends, such as they are. Not a terribly exciting weekend otherwise: didn't do a lot, nor had I really planned to do so. The high point of Friday night was watching Godzilla:1985 in my downstairs area. I don't have a phone down there, so I don't get interrupted. Not having a phone definitely helps me keep my sanity. Therapy tonight with my son, then for me tomorrow. Wednesday will be what it is.

Okay, it's Friday the 13th. But, it's not a bad day, so far. Hopefully, the trend will continue. A haircut is necessary this weekend: I'm really shaggy and sloppy in the back. A shave would be good too, I just haven't felt like it in the last couple of days. Picked up a couple of new comics from my alternate shop. The day is half-done, and I couldn't be happier about it. I like it when I get complimented on my job performance (now, if I can get that when it's time to review my salary)... Hopefully, my son will have a good time out with his mother this Sunday. Hopefully, they'll be out for a few hours, and not just a quick trip.

Well, Wednesday came, and went. Groups session was okay, just less productive than I might have asked for. But, it's a new group (for us), so a fitting-in period is to be expected. I was pretty happy with last nights comic haul, although my shop got shorted on Sub-Mariner. I hope to have it next week. Probably going to have my RPG group this weekend, and I am looking forward to that. Might try to see Transformers Saturday afternoon, but maybe not. We'll see. I would like to spend some time in the basement without interruption, but I know how that goes (or, doesn't). My plan for Friday night is to sit up, work on game-stuff, listen to music, and go to bed at 03:00 or later if I so feel like it.

It's not like I have a lot to say: I simply want to maintain the discipline of writing regularly, if not routinely. I took Monday off sick: I was losing my voice, and I had the leftover symptoms of a cold. Tuesday I had my therapy session, which went well enough: they're never bad, just some days are better than others. I continue to encourage my therapist to challenge me, and make me "go places" I might not want to otherwise. It's New Comic Wednesday. I think I have a few titles to look forward to today: I also need to remember to add a couple to my list of regular titles. Talking to my roommate over the weekend about my collection in the past, I shocked her when I told her I used to collect about 210 titles a month. Back then (Marvel and DC average price was between .65, .75, and $1.00), there was First Comics, Comico, Eclipse Comics, Now Comics, Dark Horse, Aircel, Jademan, Continuity Comics, and many others. I read probably 1/2 the Marvel and DC product line, and supported many titles like Nexus, Badger, Dynamo Joe, Scout, Grimjack, Judge Dredd, Elementals, Samurai, Dragonring (later, Dragon Force), Warlock Five, Oriental Heroes, Force of Buddhas' Palm, Drunken Fist, Tales of Terror, Alien Worlds, Miracle Man, Last of the Viking Heroes, Johnny Quest, Astro Boy, Speed Racer, Syphons, Armour, Samuree, Megalith, and many, many more. Aside from being sick, I had a fairly decent weekend. Quiet and relaxed. I visited an old friend, and we had a good time hanging out. My son was at my sisters, and that aided my quiet. I got to sleep in, which is never bad. Pay-week this week: yay!!! I will continue to get things taken care of, and I will work to storing some "soft" money, so I won't be totally strapped on Rent Week anymore (although, I was happy to just be able to make my half). There's been beer money, comics, CDs, and we got to see FF2 and Spidey 3, so I am really happy. Or, at least, happier. When my teenager stops going through his period of turbulence, then I will be closer to fine.

Well, here it is, Friday again. I got my Pop Goes The World CD in the mail, and I am once again very happy. (A), I have wanted to get a copy on CD for some time now, and (B), I am able to spend money on CDs once more. Admittedly, I went a little overboard this time out, but it was nice to be able to do it. I will get some time to myself tonight, and for part of tomorrow, and I am looking forward to that. I like Fridays, when I can stay up late as I want, and don't have an agenda to have to follow. Good week for comic collecting, but next week will be even better. I'm going to continue my alphabetization project, but I will also be instituting a massive box-replacement project, using the new shelf-drawer boxes.

Well, it's the day after the holiday. Tuesday night was a little odd, but okay in the end. Spent some time being up 'til 04:30. I like keeping late hours, but it's not so easy for me to do anymore. One of the things I miss about living alone is having the freedom for solitude. Sometimes, it's nice to just be alone for a while, with no distractions, and no demands. Managed to see Spider-Man 3 yesterday. It was pretty good. Truthfully, it was a better movie than Fantastic Four 2, although I like the FF more than Spider-Man myself. I will probably not hold my regular game on Saturday, and try to enjoy the alone time I'll have instead. It'll give me some time to get my stuff organized and be better prepared to run the following week. My son will be over at my sisters' for the night, so I'll have one less (major) diversion. Besides seeing the movie, I had a decent dinner (ribs), and watched the fireworks a little from my patio and on TV. I feel the beginnings of a cold coming on: sore throat, stuffy nose. Hopefully, it won't wipe me out too badly. Had a leak in the bedroom sink this morning: bother. Plumber should be by tomorrow to get that taken care of. Then, the roommate goes to WV for the night (comes back Saturday evening). I almost wish she was out a little longer, but oh well. I'm trying to make time to work on characters, and on potential articles for publication. I find it hard at times to get the motivation up or to get my attention focused, particularly when I am made to feel as though I am spending too much time in isolation. My roommate is feeing particularly needy, and she is not one to take up individual self-directed pursuits as easily as I am. It seems at times as though my need for privacy and more seclusive nature fuels her sense of suspicion, which in turn only makes me more reactively protective and defensive. A cycle that can obviously lead to nowhere good. On the upshot, new comics come out today (the holiday threw off the shipping schedule). Not sure what comes out this week, but then, it really doesn't matter: bring 'em on.

Yes. The Shriekback CD was almost everything I could have asked for. It has been over ten years since I heard songs like Newhome and My Careful Hands. I could have stayed up way too late listening to music. Hopefully, the office will close early today. I could use the break. Therapy tonight. Maybe I'm weird, but I look forward to my weekly sessions in a way. Of course, I also feel the usual apprehension of opening up and sharing portions of myself that were (previously) private. I often wonder what glimpses are opened into my psyche from the things I do openly discuss. How much of myself is revealed? How much is enough? How much is too much? I am ordinarily a private person. There are simply things about myself I don't want to make public, or at least share outside of a protected forum like this one. And, to some extent, there are probably things about me no one really wants to know. That doesn't necessarily mean I have secrets that need to be hidden out of necessity: I have not ever murdered anybody, I'm not a pedophile, and I do not owe the Mafia money. But, I still like to keep my personal life close to the vest. (anything I say from here going forward is not significantly personal, however embarassing). Like most Americans, I have filed taxes late and incorrectly. Like most Americans, and probably citizens of other countries as well, I have used the internet for pornographic entertainment. Like most Americans I've obscured the truth for my own benefit, whether it was calling in sick, or exagerating a recent accomplishment in order to impress the opposite sex. Nothing extraordinary, and yet, nothing I want casual observers to know: I prefer that I be the sole decision maker about major revalations, and minor ones too. However, I am serious about my current theraputic process, and have no desire to withhold information, or do anything to impede or sabotage my theraputic work. (on a side note, I also have little desire to discuss my sex life and proclivities with my therapist. However, if asked, I will be honest). I find myself wondering (on a completely unrelated topic) when the last Fourth of July was that fell on a Saturday. "Saturday, in the park. I think it was the Fourth of July..." Chicago. (sorry, that was another one of my moments). In any event, it sets me to wondering, what is it about anything that makes us uncomfortable in sharing? What makes a previously tabboo topic suddenly open territory? For example, what makes one girlfriend subject to sharing your pornography collection with, when several others were kept in the dark (even though you shared your lingere fetish with all of them)? It's a rhetorical question: I certainly expect no answers here. In any event, I'll share: I do not own a firearm, although I support the Second Ammendment. I do not read Hustler Magazine (anymore), although I once did, and support Larry Flynt in his defense of the First Ammendment. I've been fired from jobs in the past, for a variety of reasons. I've been unfaithful in relationships in the past. I prefer Creature From The Black Lagoon to Friday The 13th. Despite being in my 40s, I collect super-hero action figures. I enjoy Japanese Hentai. I once had a drug addition. I have been free from drugs however since 1985 (or so). I have used drugs with the specific intent of causing someone else injury. I was successful. I have been to Lords of Acid concerts, and enjoyed them, although not as much as I would have liked. I have never played Everquest, nor do I want to. I have had the one-night-stand. It was good. Okay, enough of that. Back to the music. Look at my favorites. Check out Hurrah. Great band. The album "Tell God I'm Here" is fantastic. It has the songs Walk In The Park, Miss This Kiss, How Many Rivers, and I Would If I Could.

A good day gets even better. My order of comics arrived from Midtown. Life is sooo-hooo good right now. Momentarily wrestling with innappropriate thoughts in the office: hard not to, since I work some stone-cold hotties. Anyway, I got my mind back in the game now.

Got my first batch of stuff from Amazon today. I am incredibly happy, and cannot wait to be in my basement listening to the new stuff. I ordered Shriekbacks' "The Y Record Years" compilation, and instead received "Natural History". However, Natural History is superior to the Y Record Years in terms of the songs contained. In addition to My Spine Is The Baseline (which was on the cracked disc I was replacing), I have Nerve, My Careful Hands, and New Home, among others. Between the two, there are the majority of older Shriekback songs I really like, missing only Partyline, and Achtung. On a side note: I will have to give Coromont a listen. I also got Jim Capaldis' "Firece Hearts". I had wanted the song Living on the Edge, which I've not heard in some years (I wasn't certain of who did the song until last year). I will have to give the rest of the album a try, and see if I like anything else. While I would have preferred a CD copy of "Sounds From True Stories", I will happily settle for (once again) having the cassette version. The two main songs I wanted were Cocktail Desperado and Disco Hits, but City of Steel (the Talking Heads version is "City of Dreams"), and "Glass Operator" (the Tealking Heads version is "Dream Operator") are also good pieces. The Darling Buds' debut album, "Crawdaddy", was a much-listened to favorite of mine in the early 90s. I bought the cassette version along with Transvision Vamps' album"Little Magnets vs the Bubble of Babble". I liked the songs "Tiny Machine", "Do You Have to Break My Heart?", and "Makes No Difference". Feeling pretty good. Can't wait to listen to music tonight. But first, have to get through the workday (1/2 way point now), and a family therapy session with my son. Finally got the new Fantastic Four cartoon TiVO'd this weekend. I didn't watch it yet, but I look forward to it. Maybe Tuesday night. I had my RPG Saturday night, and that was a lot of fun. Didn't get to bed until a little after 05:00 Sunday Morning. Sunday, I got roped into helping put curtains up (I could care less about the curtains). I was a little irritated I think because I kept getting put off when I asked for help in putting up my shelves for my weapons and action figures, yet, when curtains needed to go up, I was drafted. In any event, the new music is making me too happy to dwell on any negativity. Hopefully, I'll have a check in the mail when I get home, and then I can pay my 1/2 of the rent, and have money in the bank. And that will make me feel ecstatic (although, I am no happier paying rent than anyone is, despite my ability to do so. I am just relieved to be able to do so).