This is addicting.

It’s just about as bad as this damned thing that Rather_Reticent made me play.

It’s 12:45am, and I’m exhausted, but can’t fall asleep. Nights like this are often useful for contemplating, organizing, planning. Tonight, not so much. Can’t focus enough. Usually the list comes pretty easily, tonight it’s a pile of too many things that I have to get done mixed with too many things I want to do just for fun mixed with the collected trivia of the past few days.

In Harry Potter, in the 4th book, we’re introduced to an interesting device that becomes very important later in the book, called a “pensieve”:

…Harry did so, staring at the stone basin.
The contents had returned to their original, silvery-white state, swirling and rippling beneath his gaze.
“What is it?” Harry asked shakily.
“This? It is called a Pensieve,” said Dumbledore. “I sometimes find, and I am sure you know the feeling, that I simply have too many thoughts and memories crammed into my mind.”
“Er,” said Harry, who couldn’t truthfully say that he had never felt anything of that sort.
“At these times,” said Dumbledore, indicating the stone basin, “I use the Pensieve. One simply siphons the excess thoughts from one’s leisure. It becomes easier to spot patterns and links, you understand, when they are in this form.”
” You mean . . . that stuff’s your thoughts?” Harry said, staring at the swirling white substance in the basin.
“Certainly,” said Dumbledore. “let me show you.”

It’s a really cool device, like a big birdbath that you drain your thoughts into, and you can examine them from above. When you’re done, you take them back. Or not, I suppose, if you’d like to clear your mind of some fluff.

I was thinking about that, because tonight was one of those nights when, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t keep my mind on a straight path.

Tonight I’m going to use my Live Journal as my pensieve. Maybe it’ll help to just type.

Not much time for a big post today, but this was fun!
How to play: Go to your Archive and copy/paste the first piece of your first entry for the first day of each month for the year 2005. Just paste enough of a chunk to get a quick idea of what was going on.

I started this thing in April…

My friend Duncan is the Brewmaster at Grizzly Peak Brewing Company in Ann Arbor. The Brewmaster is, of course, the head brewer – he’s the guy who makes the variety of beers that the brewing company sells. Well, the Grizzly Peak is one of the more popular brewing companies in the area, and they specialize in several spectacular beers, as well as an unbelievably good Cheddar and Ale Soup. (A bowl of that, with their fresh bread to dip, is one of the best cold-weather meals you can get in the state!) Duncan also makes a variety of special beers that they serve on their ‘rotating tap’ througout the year, often experimenting and coming up with great tasting beers that he’ll just make a couple barrels of and sell ’til it’s gone.

Well, he called me and said he’d named his latest specialty beer after me!

Jeanne and I went this evening to sample some Bitter Tony’s Rye Bitter! (Named, I found out, because I once said to him “I’m a bitter man, Dunc!”) 🙂 We had a great time, the beer and soup were marvelous!

Here are a couple more pics, for that small demographic of folks who’d be interested in seeing me hold beer…

A busy few days for the Williamston Theatre Project. Our Board Meeting on Tuesday went very well. A great group of people, we’ve only got 5 of the 9 we’re hoping to end up with. (Well, that didn’t come out right – we’ve got 5, we’d like to keep building and get to 9, but we want to use the board to help gather the last 4.)

Speaking of WTP, like my new userpic? That’s our logo (or the part without the name of the place!)

So, for those interested, here’s a picture of the front of the building that we’re in the process of acquiring. Very, very excited about it. It’s the tan building with the red awning.

If your eyes happen upon this, quote Schoolhouse Rock and then post this in your own journal.

Several things going on lately, keeping me busy busy busy…

-Very excited, we have our 1st Williamston Theatre Project board meeting tomorrow night. We’re in negotiations to get the building we want, which is just so great I can barely stand waiting any longer. Wish us luck!

-Also, coming up on the end of the E.M.U. semester, so final projects are coming in soon as we cram the last bit of topics into the final 4 days of class.

-In addition, I’ve discovered a ridiculous online game called Outbreak which lets you log in from wherever you are and shoot monsters. Feel free to log on, sign up, and start defending the world from the evil demons. A great way to waste time…because I needed another one of those…go on, see if you can find me on there…you have to guess my username, though!

-One of my favorite weekend things to do is listen to the show Wait wait don’t tell me!. I’ve recently discovered that they have their shows online, and you can listen to them by going to the site and clicking on the link! If you’ve not heard it, go and check it out! It’s a very, very funny “News Quiz Show”. You can even go thru the archives and listen to shows from earlier in the year…fun, fun, fun!

-I had a great weekend, by the way: Friday saw my show at the Performance Network, it looks great. Then, Maggie’s swim finals were Saturday morning (she had to be there at 7:30am, what the hell are these people thinking?!). She did very well, beat her old times by at least 3 seconds in 3 out of 4 events! Also this weekend, we took the kids to see the Milan High School performance of A Christmas Carol: The Musical, where a Humbuggy time was had by all. And, we had dinner with some friends where we had a spectacular Flank Steak, potatoes, an amazing rice dish and Jeanne provided a marvelous chocolate cake. Also consumed was a fair amount of Coke and Crown Royal…

Have a great day, whatever it is you’re doing!

Dear Santa… Dear Santa, This year I’ve been busy! In January I put money in mary919‘s expired parking meter (14 points). Last Wednesday I punched rather_reticent in the arm (-10 points). In August I stole kateherself‘s purse (-30 points). In June I caught a purse-snatcher who stole brisbaine‘s purse (30 points). Last Sunday I ruled Duluth, Minnesota as a kind and benevolent dictator (700 points). Overall, I’ve been nice (704 points). For Christmas I deserve a shiny red ball! Sincerely, Tony101

Write your letter to Santa! Enter your LJ username:

Heh! Bah, humbug…

Swiped from kradical and suricattus.

Um, not for the faint hearted, this story is…awe inspiring…and a bit disturbing. Warning, adult content.

Okay, after you’ve read the story, here’s what I think:

-Feeling under the weather – physically, mentally, emotionally. Yesterday and today, just wiped out. Need more soup, sleep, tea and money, Need less sore throat, body aches, restless nights and bills.

-Despite feeling a bit blah, had a great Williamston Theatre Project staff meeting today. Continuing to move forward, our building is almost secured. WhooHoo! It’s very exciting to hear things like “As of January 1st, we’re probably moving in.” and the like. Looks like we’re going to start out with some small shows, and small seating, and spend a few productions testing the waters for audiences and financing. I’m working quite a bit on this stuff, now, and will probably be journaling a lot of it soon.

-A cool thing; I was talking about how much I’d enjoyed Sarah Vowell’s book The Partly Cloudy Patriot, and Jeanne said “Oh, hey! Wait a minute!” and ran to her bookshelf. Sure enough, on her shelf was a Sarah Vowell book she’d been sent by the local NPR station (WUOM, 91.7), for donating to their last fund drive. So now, I have a copy of Take the Cannoli, and it’s even signed by the author!

-I think it’s amazing that, no matter how good a day you’re having, being reminded of a betrayal by a friend or group of people you thought were friends can completely change your mood for an entire day. On the flip side of that, you can be in an absolutely lousy mood, and have your gray skies parted by having one of your kids run up and, unprompted, jump on you saying “Snuggle time!” and then with a big contented sigh snuggle into your lap. We’re fickle creatures, we humans. Or is it just my Italian/Scottish nature coming out: Quick to jump from emotion to emotion, and slow to let go of a grudge!