Today started at 6ish. I managed to sleep most of the night; I was ready to start. My morning and part of the afternoon were back-to-back Zoom meetings.
Susie was up early today. She took her Thursday pill, and then I made her oatmeal for breakfast while listening to my meetings. Susie is still covered with the bandages from the skin biopsies on her head, back, and arms. She no longer needs Tylenol to sleep.
I skipped the Presidential non-debates and my former Methodist church’s charge conference for mostly the same reason. I did not need new sources of stress and unhappiness in my life. From what I read, the President managed to flash his white supremacists’ credentials, and the former Vice President did not deny that he will pack the Supreme Court if the majority of Democrats are in the Senate in 2021. The Methodist Church continues trying to deny that it denies rights to gay people. Yes, no reason to show up for any of that.
Our ballets should arrive tomorrow. I have the Scooby-Doo stamps ready.
Lunch for me was Mexican from Victorico’s Mexican Food (Tanasborne); I had it delivered. It tasted better, this time. I was not sure I would get lunch; GrubHub had to switch drivers for my lunch. Apparently, the initial driver did not get the request. I called her as requested by GrubHub and said she had no order. My lunch arrived 30 mins late with another driver, but it was still good.
Today I was reading and replying to emails from yesterday; I was off yesterday taking Susie to the skin doctor. I managed to catch-up as we had changed work increments, and thus I had nothing pending. I did not get through everything until lunchtime.
I took a walk after I cleared the last meeting today. I am stiff, and my legs are not working right. I find if I walk every day, it is less painful and less weird. I still stagger once in a while like a drunk, but I at least don’t fall. I am not dizzy; I just can’t seem to have things move the way I want. Again, I think sitting in this chair for six months is the main cause. Use-it-or-lose-it.
I made dinner today of spaghetti and meatballs—sauce from a jar. Frozen meatballs baked in the oven until good and hot. It was good, but a bit plain.
I finished Journey to the Center of the Earth today. My verdict is to skip the book and watch the movie. The book has aged poorly, and none of the characters are sympathetic–the old movie is campy, dated and predictable, and still better than the book. I do like the devices and events in the book–they are better done in the movie! Returning to the book, I can see that this might be where H.P. Lovecraft got some ideas. I noticed how the narrative matches a bit to Imprisoned with the Pharaohs–a light horror story I would recommend by Lovecraft and Harry Houdini. I could also imagine Lovecraft’s overly long syntax-pushing sentences could be a reaction to the brevity of the translated Jules Verne sentences. I might have to write a Howard story about an underground journey after reading this.
I also bought on the AbeBooks.com website an 1893 guide to the Chicago Fair. I have read about it, The Devil in the White City: A Saga of Magic and Murder at the Fair that Changed America, and I wanted to know more. The original guide book was a bit expensive, but it was recommended by the author I just read as a source to learn more about the fair. This is my second purchase; I found another guide for about $40 on eBay that is on its way too. I might have to write a story about Howard visiting the fair or a Call of Cthulhu adventure set in a part of the 1893 Chicago Fair.
We are switching out board games on Saturday. Concordia will now be on the “play-list.” This is a worker placement and engine building game with a deck-building component. It is elegant and plays well with two players, as well as with higher numbers. The game is set in the Pax Roma, and you are running a clan trying to get rich and richer than everyone else. Pronouncing the Roman names is part of the fun of the game. You have to get trade goods and build up. Trade goods can be purchased and sold. You can also improve your options by acquiring more cards to use. This takes trade goods or good timing or special cards that you must acquire. Like all good board games, every turn has decisions to be made, and as a good Euro game, you are always short of resources or options. When the game ends, the cards are grouped, and those groups multiply your wealth (points). The game is interesting and every ever so slightly competitive. I am looking forward to playing it at Mox this weekend.
I went back over the event in Tulsa in 1921 today–reading the history. Tulsa 1921 was the subject of the last episode of Lovecraft Country and made me cry. It is hard to see a full-on special effects recreation. The attempt to find the slaughtered’s mass-grave was in the news today–the archeologists have not found it yet.
Another eight-hundred seventy-four people are reported to have died today in the USA from the virus.
I have done this exact video many times. With all that is going on today, I was thinking of this as the song I would want: Lift Up Every Voice And Sing. Sorry to repeat it again, but it was in my mind all night.
And if the things are getting you down then watch this: You Have A Friend. Also a repeat, but it is still good.
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