Emily’s tagged me on this 8 Things meme. My first thought? I’m so open and transparent I can’t possibly have eight new things to tell the world. Any eight things I haven’t already divulged must be so trivial even my filter-less brain recognizes this fact. But here goes anyhow.

1. I am unduly grossed out by sweat - my own, and the sweat of others.
2. The little man and I took an unplanned break from our YWCA, for at least six weeks (but I was still paying for it). After working out yesterday my butt muscles are seriously sore.
3. I don’t mind washing laundry, but I have some sort of mental block against putting said laundry away properly. It just doesn’t happen. Instead I dig through baskets of clean laundry when it’s time to get dressed. Naturally I can’t find a damned thing this way, and end up rotating through the same few outfits that float to the top.
4. The Fratellis played in town last night (at the Varsity, and in-store at Electric Fetus). I found out this morning. I am not well pleased.
5. While I am very social, I’ve always felt like a disconnected loner. The number of people I feel genuinely connected to is small and shrinking all the time.
6. On a related note…I’m pretty sure I’m somewhere on the old autism spectrum, but I’ve never been diagnosed.
7. Pacing is a problem. I get my hands on a good book (or a DVD box set) and I blow right through, cover to cover. Can’t stop until I’ve reached the end. If only I could force myself to slow down and savor these things instead of being so damned manic.
8. For the last dozen years I’ve been web-obsessed yet, somehow, and I don’t know how, I’ve only just discovered these G.I. Joe parodies. Last one there is a penis pump!

Bonus: Soon I Will Be Invincible was a wonderful read (and over all too soon). Next up? Heart-Shaped Box, which comes highly recommended.
Plus: A friend just got back from ten days in Denmark. Now if he’d just post some photos from the trip.
And: I feel like I killed seen heard read. The last post came just after James met me, and he hasn’t posted since.

Oh, the wackiness of the year-round school schedule. Tomorrow the little man starts second grade. He’s been in this program since kindergarten, and really has made significant progress, but lately it’s been…painful. Developmentally he’s just catching up to his peers in many ways. Ways that include testing boundaries and sassing me. While I’m glad he’s made gains I could do without the foot stomping, door slamming and other histrionics. But even after he has successfully pushed my buttons I step back and realize how far he has to go. Still, my fingers are crossed for more forward momentum this school year.

Bonus: I wasn’t able to attend Comic Con, but what’s the next best thing? Why, bootleg footage from the upcoming Iron Man movie, that’s what.

I’d planned to take the little man down to Chicago this weekend, for the Wicker Park Fest (I do hope Emily and Steve attend, so I can live vicariously through them). But I’m just now recovering from that stupid sinus infection. And tomorrow night is a friend’s going away party/show that I don’t want to miss. Plus the long drive in this sticky heat with all the road construction everywhere, well, I’m nearly having a panic attack just thinking about it. Instead I will look forward to taking some time off when it’s cooler and calmer out. Say October-ish. It’ll be here before you know it.

Bonus: For anyone who may have missed my birthday, feel free to pre-order these Big Lebowski action figures for me. Thanks.
Plus: A shout out to Empress Eve, who went under the knife today. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
And: The little man would love these Super Mario Brothers toys. Hmmm. His birthday is coming up.

Today I paid a trained professional $180(USD) to duct tape my dishwasher back together. If I’d known that’s all there was to it I would’ve done it myself. Sigh.

In other news…when Kinky Boots was first released I intended to see it, yet somehow missed it. But it will be part of Brit’s summer movie series. I need to get my ass over there for that. My ass was actually in the vicinity of last night’s music and movies event, in Loring Park. And I really really wanted to see The Plastic Constellations. But the little man and I were both feeling a bit off. Plus it’s way too damned muggy out. Hoping to get my mojo back later in the week. At least my lungs are less hurty than they were.

Speaking of movies, I just watched the trailer for Wes Anderson’s The Darjeeling Limited and some exclusive clips of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust. Mr. Gaiman will be at the San Diego Comic-Con this week/end. As will the wonderful Amy Winfrey. There’ll even be a special all-Making Fiends panel this Thursday, July 26th at 11:30am. Wish I could be there.

Bonus: The little man has such alarming, vivid dreams. He just told me of the time he was tethered to the school bus, like a kite, and floated along above the bus all the way to school.
Plus: How did I not know of Pink Tentacle before? I love tentacles (but not in a tentacle porn sort of way) and we also have a shared love of robots. But it was Pimp My Rice Paddy that brought them to my attention.
And: J totally has the jimmy legs.

Another weekend has gone by in a blur. Friday night the little man stayed over with his grandparents so I took advantage of it, despite my exhaustion. J and I saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (not bad, but the Alfonso Cuarón directed one is the best of the bunch so far). We then tried to have dinner at Singapore but it was closed. Permanently. Instead we doubled back to eat at Mysore Cafe (which is now buffet only on Friday nights, and kinda pricey). After dinner I needed a little nap. Unfortunately I slept right through Whitejazz’s set at the Turf Club. Doh. But I did stay to socialize - and to see Signal to Trust - so it wasn’t a complete loss.

Saturday’s start was less than stellar. Woken up by the plumber after about four hours of sleep, so that I could pay him $430 to install a gas shut off valve on my oven. Hot. At least the little man came home not long after that. Somehow I got J to join us for the Art Car Parade, along with our niece and her folks. Post-parade saw much lounging at J’s place, then a quick stop on the way home to pick up Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Which I’ve already finished reading. And no, I didn’t get out of my pajamas today. Or do much of anything else really. And I am ok with that. Especially since my shark week has begun. Yet again.

Bonus: Dang, I want this Inigo Montoya t-shirt.
Plus: The Hello Experiment. Brilliant.
And: QoTD from the little man: “when he is with the girl he is peeing stars” - referring to something in Gimme Gimme Octopus. Not sure if that makes it better or worse.

My arm is bruised from where blood was drawn over a week ago but I am still not fully recovered from the illness that prompted the blood draw. And the illness can’t be entirely blamed for - but certainly hasn’t helped with - any recent awkward interpersonal relations. I can’t win.

Bonus: The 13th Annual Art Car Parade is this Saturday.
Plus: Been listening to the new M.I.A. single, Boyz, (love it) and the latest Interpol (undecided).
And: The annual Japanese Lantern Lighting Festival is next month. Note to self: don’t miss it this year.

We missed The Secret of Martial Arts yesterday as we had a wedding to attend at the same time. Maybe someone took notes? After the wedding reception last night I managed to swing by the Weisman, catching Low right as they were getting on stage. Perfect timing and perfect weather.

I first heard Live Fast, Die Young by the Circle Jerks about twenty years ago. The other day I played it in the car and realized the first line is “I don’t want to live to be 34.” I am 34 now. That’s just weird. Must be weirder still for Keith Morris. Dude is in his 50s now.

On the other end of the spectrum, we played with a friend’s six month old baby girl earlier. She is so danged cute. But I’ve only had a little bit of time to relax today. Still recuperating from illnesses. Got some laundry done. Listened to friends who were guests on Radio K’s Out of Step. And now we’re off to a birthday party, which I made BBQ Tofu for. Afterwards we’re swinging by Yard Fest II. More photos to come, even though I feel like I’ve already uploaded a jillion today.

Last night I foolishly turned down prescription painkillers. Today I am hurting and just trying to keep myself distracted. Or asleep. I am so very bored. Some items of note:

• This is amazing. Craig Wedren & Of Montreal covering Suffragette City. Surprisingly good sound too, for a shakycam.
• Creepy handsoap shaped like hands.
• Definitely need to see Dynamite Warrior. I’ve watched the trailer a few times over.
• Gimme Gimme Octopus. The little man and I can’t get enough.
• Suicidal squid? Very very sad.
• The residents of Keizer, OR need to get over it. You know what might help? A fertility festival, like the one held in Tagata Jinja every year, with portable penis shrines.
• How To Honestly Teach Kids About Sex and Babies
• reddit.com - better than digg? Discuss.
• This book cover made me laugh.

Now what…some more light napping, another attempt at reading, or staring at the wall?

What a week, chock full of longing and loss and general unpleasantness. A good friend’s cat is dying. I’ve got a fever and bacterial sinus infection. And somehow a strange sort of milestone snuck up on me. Eighteen months. Eighteen months since Felix died and was removed from my body via c-section. Not long afterwards the doc told us we could try again, but that we should wait eighteen months until my next pregnancy. That time is now, but there is no longer an “us” so it’s a moot point. Conditions aren’t exactly ripe. I guess it’s just time to acknowledge that and move on.

Which is easier said than done.

After a rousing game of 1984-era Trivial Pursuit, my friends and I had more questions than answers. I took notes in order to do some research later. Later is now. Here are the results:

Q: When did Krushchev bang his shoe?
A: On September 29th, 1960.

Q: We learned that Bill Cosby was the first African-American actor to land a starring role on a television drama, but what show was it?
A: I Spy

Q: Who was Vidkun Quisling?
A: A fascist jackass.

Q: Where did the term “playing hardball” originate?
A: Yes, we were correct. It was from the game of baseball, which is played with a small, hard ball.

Q: If you eat a lot of bananas are you more likely to attract mosquitoes?
A: Inconclusive. I should leave this one to Mythbusters.

Q: Was Indian Love Song some sort of one hit wonder?
A: All right, maybe I wouldn’t have the patience to be a research librarian. Too hard to narrow this one down without more info to go on.

Q: Where did the Salvation Army’s “Blood and Fire” come from?
A: Apparently this describes the blood of Jesus shed on the cross to save all people, and the fire of the Holy Spirit which purifies believers. Ack.

Q: Who was Irma la Douce?
A: Not a who but a what. Specifically a 1956 French stage musical.

Q: Tell us more about the Plains of Abraham.
A: Look here and here and here.

Q: Where did Robert “S for Strange” McNamara’s middle name come from?
A: As Maria had guessed, it was his mother’s maiden name.

Q: What was Lauren Bacall’s birth name?
A: Betty Joan Perske

Q: Totalizator is such a kickass term it sounds like you made it up. Did you?
A: No I didn’t, honest. Looky here.