Change in the winds?

I love this weather! Granted, it's the kind of day that gives you false hope for a quick end to the winter chill, but what with sunny skies and a projected high of 71 (71!!!), you can't help but get a little spring fever.

Which I did. I forgot how succeptable my body has become to changes in climate, so when I woke up this morning all snotty and with a sore throat I was surprised even though I shouldn't have been.

OH WELL! That post-to-end-all-posts, my definitive analysis of movies is going to happen soon, believe me. However, I have so much shit to do today that to sit here and expound upon my views would be criminal. I will, however, allow you to know the "score" I give to certain films... scale from 1 (hated it) to 5 (loved it) kind of stuff:

Ocean's Twelve: 2.5
Spanglish: 2
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events: 3
Closer: 4.5
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou: 4
Sideways: 3 (Skippy, I saw this with my brother once I found out that I wouldn't be able to stay in Olathe due to work obligations back in Manhattan. I apologize.)

Did I see anything else? If so, I can't remember, so consider this a tentative listing. I also reserve the right to change the scores at my whim, so check back for up-to-the-minute split-second analyses. I'm off to *hopefully* get my car fixed because LaFawnduh (I changed her name as per all the totalling/resurrecting, a la "Nappy D") is having some issues with her check engine light. And she's a bit overdue for an oil change.

Wednesday it is.

For those who were curious as to when would be leaving the city of trees for the little apple, my answer to you is tomorrow at 5:00pm. There will be a breif stop for dinner and drink in whatever the nickname for Lawrence is, followed by an hour and a half of solid driving.

Today I have only the most tenuous of plans involving me, a shower, and the purchase of a copy of Garden State, which I didn't enjoy that much (especially the ending) but still want to own because, well, it's pretty. Coincidentally, that purchase will bring my DVD count up to the highest it has ever been... 265!

I'll let you think about that comment for a bit.

There we go.

IDIOT!

I finally got Napoleon Dynamite today, GOSH! I had to look at like a buttload of stores to find it, but finally located the genuine article at Target. So I feel a lot better now... we can all breathe a sigh of relief.

What's more, I purchased Shaun of the Dead too (at one of the stores that was sold out of ND), and I must say it has some excellent special features. Actually, both movies have commentary, which is nice. I enjoy nothing more on rainy days or sunny days when I don't feel like making myself presentable for public viewing than listening to filmmakers and actors discuss filmmaking and other things.

I guess that's all... I'm pretty devoid of new and exciting things to say.

Sticky Keys?

So I'm sitting here and I'm kind of jittery for God knows what reason, and I pressed the Shift Key five times, and a pop-up window came on and told me I had activated "Sticky Keys", a wonder for those to lazy to press and hold the shift key. I attempted to write this post using my discovery but ultimately found it too tedious to handle for any longer that the post's title. Can you tell the difference? Neither can I.

I am beginning to realize that my favorite DVD that I got for Christmas is "The Office Special". It's got some really nice special features, and, as many of you already know, I am quite enamoured with this little import series anyway so... I guess it was bound to be. Granted I haven't delved into Return of the King or Spider-Man 2 yet, and I have yet to go out and purchase Napoleon Dynamite (which I hear has become all but impossible to find in these parts).

I want to take this apologize to all grammar buffs for the way I [mis]use punctuation when I have "quotes" and (parenthesis). I know I ought to put them INSIDE these things, but I find myself completely incapable of doing so, and so from now on will not attempt to do it the right way unless I'm doing so for a paper or other scholarly project that requires such effort from me.

I also apologize for my mispellings, my interesting syntactical choices, and my poor diction (resultant from my all-too limited vocabulary).

I feel compelled to go out into the world on this day and do all the fun and interesting things that living in Manhattan cannot afford me; however, I don't feel compelled to take a shower. I'm hoping that upon completion of this post, I will realize that I have been sitting in this chair for the nearly three hours that have passed since I woke up with such hope for the events of the day that I couldn't stand the idea of laying in bed a minute longer.

Sorry too that that last bit didn't make much (if any) sense.

My biggest decision now is when to cart myself back to Manhattan. I could go back tomorrow, forsaking my family and Olathe friends who I still have yet to see, in order to get ready for the party and special guest I will be hosting in my as-of-now-filthy abode. (It's not really filthy, per say, or, at least it wasn't when I left... there's no telling in what state the events that transpired in the final days of its occupation have left it.) Or I could go back on Wednesday, still have time to do things to the apartment, but face more of these mornings of completely frustrating inaction.

Oh, I also want to apologize to anyone who tried to get ahold of me after oh, say, 4:00 yesterday. The battery in my phone died, and then I forgot to charge it until around midnight when I went to bed. It ought to be charged by now, though, and so hopefully if there is a need (or even if there isn't) you will be able to get ahold of me.

Getting "Closer"

So the newest movie in the holiday film repertoire is Closer. Await my thoughts on that and many other films in a post that is soon to come.

We ("we" being my brother and I) tried to see The Aviator, but when we arrived at the theatre the vast influx of Olathe's heathenistic multitude caused the showing to be sold out. We are in talks to see it tonight after the family cocktail party - you'll be the first to know whether or not it happens.

FUNNY STORY: Every year we sit in the "Christmas Room" (read: the living room) and gather around ye good olde Trenary family Christmas tree as we open gifts, and every year we opt not to take pictures. This year, however, due to my parents' recent purchase of a digital camera, we decided to break down and take some snapshots for the as-of-yet nonexistant family album. Unfortunatley, after the first round of gifts had been open, the tree (which has been on an ever-increasing tilt as the years have rolled by) fell right on top of David. He managed to save it from toppling all the way over and thus saved many of the family heirlooms (read: tacky Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments) from certain demise, and for that he is the hero of Christmas. Congratulations, David.

I made out like a bandit this Christmas, but instead of boring you with the list of gifts I recieved (because surely you'll have checked my DVD list - which was updated mere moments after the wrapping paper had been discarded - by now), I will inform you of things I will now have to go out and purchase for myself:

Napoleon Dynamite
Shaun of the Dead
Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 2
an Xbox
games for said Xbox

The whole Xbox thing probably won't happen until well after May, when hopefully I'll have acquired not only a decent paying job but also a flat outside of Kansas, a dog as similar to my friend Isabel's Sammie as I can manage, and the amount of free time/boredom recquired to devote myself to another video gaming system - or maybe I'll "mature" enough to say "Hey, I don't really want another video gaming system; I want a life!" - not that videogaming is immature... I........ I............... I'm going to go get ready to party with the fam. Peace (on earth).

Happy Christmas

Is it pretentious of me to say that? It's not that I am one of those obnoxious Americans who wants to be British and so says everything the Brit way. It's Canadian that I want to be. I guess I just like the way "Happy Christmas" sounds as opposed to "Merry Christmas"... a little less trashy $2.45 for a box of 20 greeting cards from Wal-Mart, a little more non-chalant and jovial. I've tried to wish you all a "Merry Christmas" because I didn't want to shock people with my clandestine desire for a change in the way I speak, but here on my dear old blog I feel somewhat liberated from all of that obligation to my public self.

It's the wee-hours of Christmas morning, and I'm 21 years-old, and I still can't sleep. It's not even that I'm all that excited about present-opening in the morning, but I've just slept a lot lately. I'm drinking some wine and beer in an effort to lull myself into a deep, intoxicated sleep, but so far no dice.

David and I went and saw The Polar Express last night with a very overeager Mike. There was pretty much no convincing him to see a different movie. David and I were underwhelmed (I'd give it a C, maybe B- if they left out the annoying, stupid musical numbers), but Mike loved it ("an A, A+") as he new he would before he even saw it, as his soon-to-be-fiance had already seen it and said it was the best movie she's ever seen (I think we know what that does to my opinion of her). Afterword, we went for drinks at the good Old Chicago, but had the unfortunate experience of bad service. Big surprise, right Logan?

Well, I suppose I'll let you all get to your families and presents now, since I know you all have to log on and read my blog first thing. Have a very HAPPY Christmas (or "Merry" Christmas, if you prefer to be archaic). I'll see you all after this bizarre technicolor shadow of a holiday has run its course. To all a G'night.

F#@$-la la la la

I hate wrapping Christmas gifts. You'd think that, crafty as I am, I'd be rather adept at covering boxes in cheap, festive paper; however, once I've finished, the gifts look like some five-year old's heinous art project.

That's all.

Hum-de-dum-de-do

This is a weird, random thought that probably doesn't really matter in the scheme of things, but nevertheless it is panging around inside my head right now. Does anybody else have a family that used to sleep with the doors open but now sleeps with them closed? I find myself in that situation, and the more I think about it, the more interesting it becomes to me. When did this change occur? What has changed in us from the time when we were able to leave the doors open... like one big communal bedroom? Not that I don't enjoy and essentially require the privacy that I now have, but I guess maybe I'm kind of waxing nostalgic for that feeling of closeness and connection.

Anyway.

The Faraday Party last night was wonderful... great to catch up with some of my great friends from high school. Tonight, Rick, Skippy, Angie, and I went and saw Spanglish. This is where I would normally rant or rave about the film, but instead I think I'm going to make one big and definitive holiday movie review post at the end of the season. So far I've seen Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events and Spanglish (and Ocean's Twelve, but I've already given my opinion on that one... blegh) SO yeah. You all have that to look forward to now.

Actually, though, maybe as a public service I should give you a hint of my opinion on these films as you may like to go and see them for yourselves before "Sedge's Holiday Movie Review" is unleashed like the empire that is and always will be this site. So, I will just tell you to avoid both films I saw today unless your in the mood for 1) crappy, sappy adaptations of not crappy nor sappy children's books or 2) long, unruly movies that often lose their way while attempting to be far too visceral for their own good.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

My guilty admition is that I did sort of like LSASOUE... if not for what it was then for what it could/should have been. Brad Silberling! BAH! But, as I've promised, I'll have more on all that later.

Next up in my wantonly random list of things that I think you ought to know... Katie (yes, the Katie) is coming to visit for New Year's. I am very excited... excited and nervous and many other things that I don't know how to put into words other than to say I just want for things to go as well as I picture them going in my head... which doesn't really make a whole lot of sense for those of you who aren't me. Unfortuantely I am incapable of mending this problem for you, but if you haven't met my dear friend Katie, consider availing yourselves to attend my New Year's Eve bash in Manhattan in order to make yourself a splendid acquaintance or, dare I say, friend. It will definitely be a night to remember, and I am really excited to finally see her again after so long.

Also, for those living under rocks (or in persons that don't require you to spend hours upon hours here, here, or here) the powers that be have announced the release date for the next Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It will be released a meer ten days after my birthday - July 16th. So THAT'S exciting... especially for you, because I'll be so happy about the book that I won't even think twice if you don't pay attention to my extremely reasonable birthday gift wish list (for more information, please see posts from June 13th-14th, 2004).

Mauhewhehmugggum

Well, the wisdom teeth are out. It's not so bad right now... a bit sore, like someone kicked me in the jaw... but nothing I can't deal with. It's supposed to get worse by day 3, so we'll see. Apparently I said some interesting things when I came out of my sedation. My mom said the nurse came into do something, and when she left, I said "People are assholes."

It's good to know that despite all the medication, I remained true to myself.

Happy Birthday to my dad. I'm not sure how old he is today... somewhere between 45 and 48 (my guess is 47.)

I saw Ocean's Twelve last night, and I'm sorry to say I was pretty underwhelmed. It had a lot of good, fun things and a lot of potential, but I think it kind of left the audience out of the process (which is a shame, because that was what made the first one so successful in my opinion). Where Ocean's Eleven said, "Look at what we're doing... it doesn't quite make sense yet but it'll fall into place later", Ocean's Twelve says, "You don't know what's going on because we pretended nothing was." It's just a bit too much trickery that ultimately excludes the audience from the fun. Too bad.

Well, I'm going to go eat some soft foods and do something relaxing.

I'm getting my wisdom teeth out in about 45 minutes or so, and it's already taken a toll on relations with my family. I've been so grumpy (towards my brother) since I got home/woke up that he told me to go home this morning. However, it should be noted that he was kind of pissy too... but it's mostly me. I think it might also be due to the fact that I've started harboring some resentment toward him as he has never had a job (I've had one since I was 14), he feels no guilt in asking my parents for whatever he wants - an endeavor which is often successful, including the time when he asked if he could go to Japan for a couple weeks. Were I given that opportunity, God only knows what I might have been capable of doing during and after high school. Oh well. Maybe in my next life I can be the second sibling, because being the oldest definitely sucks a whole lot of ass.

I assume that unless the procedure goes extremely well this morning, this will be at least my last post today. Maybe it'll be my last post for longer. In the event that you don't hear from me before Christmas, I want to wish you a happy holiday, and as a token of our friendship (or whatever your reading of my blog makes us), I want to give you a small token that was given me by your friend and mine, Logan. Logan (and everyone else who's already seen it) I apologize that you've already seen/suckled all the enjoyment possible from this rare gem. Look forward to that card I told you and Jess about.

Merry Christmas

In the "Which Absurd Cat Are You?" quiz, I scored as the Pissed at the World Cat. I was told, "And here we have the next serial killer. Try having some cotton candy, it'll make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, Psycho." Nice, eh?

There has to be a morning after.

After I posted last night I decided to just go to bed, and the attempt was relatively successful. However, now my apartment's still a mess, and I have no drive to try and get it clean again. I keep telling myself about how we have some people coming over tonight and whatnot, but then I remind myself that once I get it clean, I'm just going to be frustrated when it gets dirty again before anyone even gets here. This is the one reason I really can't wait to live alone. Or get married to a woman who has similar if not identical views of household hygiene.

But that's a long way off.

I don't have to work tomorrow which means that I essentially have a four day weekend. I kind of wish I had done something sort of "fun"... even if all it was was staying in Olathe through Monday. I'm in another period where this town is driving me insane... though it's significantly less of an issue than it was last time. Still, I have a feeling I'm going to start upsetting people , and that I'm going to get defensive about it but... yeah.

So let's just nip it all off at the bud.

Okay.

I'm fine.

There's a line in Before Sunset that I really identify with... or hope to identify with someday when I can live somewhere without television and maybe even internet. I was going to quote it but yeah. These two things are comforts in my life, and yet they cause me to not really live. Instead of talking to people and forming firm connections, I sit here for hours on end and type on this thing. Instead of going out and seeking other avenues of entertainment, I sit on the couch and watch Joe watch TV shows that I have absolutely no interest in. I need to cut the media out of my life... the media that tells me how bad I look and how poor I am and how scary the world is. I'm so tired of not being alive. Really alive.

Soon? I hope?

Forced insomnia.

I can't sleep. Well... I could and was, but no more. And that's okay, I suppose, because I've been listening to some good music, and now I'm posting, and next I think I'm going to clean my room up a bit. (Can you have a triple-compound sentence? Is that legal?) I'm actually considering getting an early start to my day now, especially since yesterday I did almost absolutely nothing (other than kick some poker ass and purchase Before Sunset with my winnings).

Of course, that probably won't happen. I'll probably feel tired after posting or maybe after cleaning my room and the dishes that are piling up throughout our apartment. Plus, I'd really like to dust and vaccuum and sweep and mop floors, but I would feel guilty if I were to wake Joe from his restful summer.

Today I watched this movie Broyles has been trying to get me to watch... The Five Obstructions. It was really interesting - and I think I would have really liked it had I been watching it alone... or at least someone who didn't feel it necessary to repeat every mundane fact and occurence as though I wasn't watching it or, worse, wasn't capable of understanding what was going on in front of my face. I won't go into the finer details of the film or attempt to give you my interpretation of it (as I'm still digesting)... suffice it to say it's a piece of "metafilm" (I know there's metafiction... but metafilm?), which here means a film about filmmaking, and yeah.

Oh yeah... court. It went well, if by "well" you mean "boring" or "pointless" or any other adjective that somehow expresses the utter banality of the whole thing. Why did I have to be there? Your guess is as good as mine. Might as well have had my brother or dad or some random homeless guy stand in for me and save the gas money. BUT now my mom is not such a basketcase, which is kind of funny to me because my big fear-fest is over my impeding wisdom-teeth doom. But yeah, she was freaking out so much before that damn fifteen minute (I'm being generous here) "court date" that she couldn't eat or speak about anything remotely off the topic of the "court date". I thought about giving her a mild sedative and letting her sleep in the car, but it was a passing thought. There was a pretty interesting statue outside of the courthouse. I took pictures on my phone, so if you see me and would like to see, I would love to show you. ANYWAY when I told mom about my anxieties about next week's oral surgery, she said "Oh, you'll be fine. This (the "court date") is a lot scarier." Not that I'm freaking out, but come on. Traffic court.... wisdom teeth.... traffic court.... wisdom teeth....

We also went to the McDonald's by my house which was recently remodled after some big truck backed right through the front window and into the line at the counter. It has been Johnson Countified like nothing I've ever seen. Water features, big screen plasma TVs (yes, plural) inset into the walls, pleather couch and lounge chairs... it's actually really nice. Unnerving, tragic... but nice all the same.

Hold your applause, please.

A loosely written short story about the movies I'm missing:

Mitchell's Nightmare

There was a small boy named Mitchell who thought that nothing could go wrong. He would frolick and play in the American Splendor of his hometown, often skipping dinner, until the day turned dark and grey and the streetlamps lit with pops, showering the night with an amber glow.

It was an ordinary Tuesday in the middle of winter. Mitchell had missed dinner again - club sandwiches - but he didn't care. Exhausted from his day of snowy fun, he went to his comfortable race car bed, and with his Eyes Wide Shut, he eased into a peaceful sleep. Peaceful, that is, until he had The Nightmare. Before Christmas, his mother had told him the story of a living, breathing, talking cookie, and he had never looked at pastries the same again. In his dream, the cookie shouted things like "Catch Me If You Can" and "I will eat you, you little bastard!!" It carried scissors and threatened to cut off Mitchell's bare toes. He ran and ran and ran until he had run 8 Miles (which he knew because of a large neon blue pedometer ticking away in the sky where the sun should have been), and then in a cold sweat, he jolted back into reality.

"The Fifth Element!" poor little Mitchell screamed out incoherently into the dark of his room. In the distance, he heard the creaking floorboards which meant his mom was coming. She opened the door slowly. She looked like hell. "You okay?" she asked. "Yeah I'm fine," he responded apologetically. His stomach rumbled; he realized he had forgotten dinner. His mom eyed him keenly. "It sounded like you were putting up quite a Fight. Club sandwich?"

"Yes, please."

---

I finally took count of my DVDs. You'll see the missing titles included seemlessly into the tale above. I've also updated the listing on my DVD list - complete with a new count... 253. Isn't that insane? I need a new hobby. You want to be her?

Ummm... so, now I do have an exam during finals week. My Spanish teacher decided that we hadn't quite made it through to where we need to be in our discussions on "Soldados de Salamina", a nice little movie about the Spanish civil war, so he decided to push our final back to next Thursday. This makes me sad and a little grouchy, but oh well... not much I can do but bitch and moan and just go with it.

I've become a Facebook fiend. It's pretty fun, albeit devilish, since it keeps me from studying for the three tests I have tomorrow. So does my blog, though, and I show no signs of stopping here either.

There are a couple more trivial updates in my life, but I'm starting to feel really guilty for not studying, so I'm going to go and do that now. More updates tomorrow night, when I have become a (pseudo) free man. 'Night.

In with it!

SedgeforRENT is no more. No, my faithful bloggonians, I have deleted the screen name that was so identifiable for a new, slightly more depressing and yet even more humorous one. Get your Buddy list setups ready, because I'm only telling you once. My new screenname is:

BANEnglish05

Yes, it took me a long while, and no, I did not use any of the numerous suggestions (thank you) given me (although I did use them as inspiration). I will now explain the screen name and it's multiple meanings for the one and only time:

BA N ("in") English (the degree that I am earning in 2005)
BANE = the cause of death, downfall, or destruction
So - my degree could cause my downfall, as most of us English majors are aware.
Some also thought of Ban English, which also works, but I don't know that I necessarily want to ban English, as I do like it. It's just one of those things that might cause me to never be successful (if success is defined by money, which it shouldn't be) or happy (if happiness is brought about by money, which it shouldn't be) or any of the other stuff.

Happy Christmas Special

I just got done watching The Office Special. I have to say that the last three minutes of that damn show make the whole seven and a half worth it... not to say that they're not excellent in their own right. I wish more people could/would see The Office before it becomes bastardized by American in The Office: An American Workplace. Sigh.

This weekend has been really good. On Friday, Joe and I up and drove to Topeka to shop for fabric. Sound gay? How bout if I tell you that we were looking for fabric for the top of Joe's self-made (read: welded) poker table? Not so gay now, is it, Froot Loops? That was fun - we had a really good time. Then we played poker on the feaux-suede covered table, and we both lost, so... it wasn't so fun then.

The last week of the semester is here. I want to jump up and down and all that jazz, but I can't bring myself to do it. After all the happiness that is The Office, I feel incredibly lonely. Will my singleness ever end?

I'm debating on how best to punish everyone who didn't do their part in submitting screen name suggestions. More on that later.

Brevity.

1.) Why hasn't anyone updated their blogs recently?

2.) Why hasn't anyone responded to my little project in the previous post?

3.) Noi the Albino is one of the most depressing films I've ever seen.

3a.) Where the hell is the character map on my computer?

4.) Only one more week of school!

5.) Rhonda called. I'm excited!

Putting certain things to rest.

Apparently I am not allowed to use AIM until after December 28th. Allow me to explain - my mom is cancelling AOL, and so in order to do so, we must stop all usage of AOL services. One would think that if a customer were to call and say, "Please cancel my AOL subscription," after they went through all the "But-No's" ("If we were to give you one month free..." "No") that their subscription would be cancelled. Unfortunately, our friend One would be wrong. So apparently my checking my e-mail because I assumed that it would just stop letting me in after a certain date and possibly my signing on to AIM under the Screen name that I created years and years ago on AOL is reason enough for AOL to continue the AOL service even though it was ended. Mom's a bit pissed on this one folks, and I don't know that I blame her. SO...

I need your help. I already have (and have had for awhile) a new e-mail address: trenarym@hotmail.com, so if you could please direct all future correspondence there, I will definitely get it, and will even attempt to respond in a more timely fashion than I've been known to do. What I really need is a new screen name. For some reason I lack the originality or even the imagination to think one up on my own. And friends, I really need this to go better than the past group-think events that I've brought to this blog. That means that I want, nay, REQUIRE everyone who reads this blog to come up with at least one good option - it's the price you all must pay for being allowed otherwise-free access into the deepest reaches of my mind and soul (conveyed to you through my flowing literary prowess.) You can't say that you don't know me well enough to think of something, at least not if you've been reading. Hell, pick a post. After reading 12/23/03's post, you might come up with something like "ColdStoneCassanova" or "MetroSlackual". Or check out 9/25/03, and you might see "NotanOgre" or "KingoftheWashPalace" I DUNNO! I'm just throwing ideas out there! I'm relying on you, and I'm ordering you... HELP ME (or else I might have to change the URL of this site!)

Please post all potential screennames in the comments section of today's post. Entries are due in the comments section by no later than 9:00pm 12/5/2004. The winning entry will be selected by Michael Trenary (henceforth known as 'MRT') and used as his AIM screenname for the forseeable future, and all rights to the name will be transferred to MRT upon notification that the screen name has been chosen. MRT reserves the right to edit or alter any entries to serve his messenging purposes. Prizes may be awarded to the creator of the winning entry, most likely in the form of continued postings on the blog at URL http://trenary.blogspot.com, though tangible prizes will also be considered depending upon the merit of the winning entry. Void in AK and VT. $0.10 redfund in CA.

[insert witty distillation of theme here]

Sometimes I don't know why I even try. It's not like after I'm done it's not going to get messed up again. So why is it I can't help but be livid when the morning after the day that I spent a large amount of my precious time cleaning the apartment, it looks like I didn't do anything? Am I the only person who has this issue? I can't wait to live alone - I already hate myself; there's no need to drag another person into the equation.

ANYWAY I think now that I've officially decked the hell out of the halls, I'm done with my Christmas decorating. Not like I could afford to do any more if I wanted to! I took some pictures of my tree, but now that I don't have internet on my phone, I couldn't upload them on here even if I knew how.

After this week, there is only one more week of school. Tomorrow my last two papers of the semester (I think) are due. I have a quiz today in Botany. I'm going to a concert tonight - the last one I have to attend for Intro to Music - after Melissa and I partake in all-you-can-eat steak and shrimp at Sirloin Stockade (a weekly affair, we're just trying it out because 1.) steak is good 2.) shrimp is good 3.) neither of us have much food in our cabinets.)

I'm getting slightly nervous about 1.) my court date and 2.) having my wisdom teeth taken out. Would I could be like you, Logan, and just say no. I have a feeling it's going to cause more problems for me taking them out than there would be if I just left them in. After my meeting with that hammer and the unfortunate absense of my retainer from my realm of caring, my mouths pretty fucked up as it is... what more are a couple of teeth that haven't even broken through (and probably won't)? Alas, my mother comes into the equation - that faithful follower of all those with PhD or MD or whathaveyou adhered to the tail ends of their surnames. Damn you Raymond Rhodes, MD!!! DAMN YOOOOOOOOOU!

And so immediately after I get the mess that was my semester cleaned up, I have all that shit to deal with. Hopefully I'll be healed by the holiday season (shouldn't take more than a week, should it?) Otherwise things are really going to get messy.

(In other words, I'd better be able to eat all the caviar and escargo that I can stomach and drink all the wine and beer they'll give me at my damn uncle's "Trenary Family Christmas Cocktail Soiree" or there's going to be hell to pay!)