So the challenge, as I see it, is to see if I can sit here and write an entry. Despite being very tired. Despite being fairly distracted. And, as an added challenge, can I write an entry before the battery on my laptop runs out?

I fell asleep a little while ago. Right there on her couch. Very strange. I mean, I had a whole four and a half hours of sleep last night. That should be plenty for me.

Oh, shit. I hope I'm not coming down with something. That would suck. I have had the sniffles today. Crap.

My fingers are willing to type, but my brain doesn't seem ready hold up its end of the bargain. I'm having a hard time thinking of my own name, let alone an idea for a hastily written blog entry.

I could, I suppose, try to condense the last few weeks of my life. Strip out all of the things I can't write, tone down some of the emotions, respect everyone's privacy as much as I can. I could do those things, but then what would be left?

I and to what when kitties beer cold.

Another thing I could do is make something up. Write some fiction. I get this bug up my ass every now and then to write some fiction. There are two problems with this idea.

Problem the first, I don't know if I can write fiction.

Problem the second, I don't have any ideas for fiction, either.

So, I'm basically fucked.

I wonder, does this count as an entry yet?

Sometimes I imagine timid peeps. A rabbit peeking out of its hole, or a tortoise poking its head out of its shell. Curious, but wary. Oh, so wary.

Other times I think it's more forceful, purposeful even. Eyes illuminating. Searching for something. Expecting something. Maybe a little disappointed when it's not there. Maybe a little relieved.

I wish I knew what to do here. What to write. I could make everything better, or I could make everything worse. But I don't know, so instead I do neither. I write nothing.

Nothing at all.

That comic has nothing to do with anything. It's just something I thought of that was funny to me.

This entry brought to you by Alaskan Smoked Porter (773).

Recently - it might have been Monday or it might have been some earlier night, as the last months of my life have quite blurred together - OddlyFamiliarGirl told me that I should write more often. She talked about the things that had first drawn her to my blog; the honesty and the passion that I felt, which would so easily flow from my heart down my arms through my fingers and onto my keyboard. She wanted to read that kind of entry again.

I replied that I couldn't do it, that some things were just too hard to write about.

Like how an important question can seem to go unanswered, but it's not really. Refusal to answer is an answer all in itself. Evasion is taking a stand.

And like how unwillingness to choose is really just choosing to leave things the way that they are. To maintain the status quo, no matter how unstable it is. No matter how untenable the universe is.

And how Patience is a virtue, as some dillhole once said. I suppose I agree with that, most of the time. But sometimes, sometimes patience is a hindrance. Like when it's running out, and you can feel it draining away from you like dirty water spiraling down a drain. It's going away, and you know that you don't have much left, and all you can think about is, What will be left of me when it's gone? Will there be anything left at all?

And how sometimes the only way to be happy is to lie to yourself. To fool yourself into believing, even if only for a few hours, that it's the universe around you that lies, and it's not you lying to yourself.

And how it breaks your heart every single time you're reminded that sometimes love is irrelevant.

And how love can spring from the most unlikely connections, but you can't even come close to writing about that, because it's

What's nice, sometimes, is being able to just surrender. To stop worrying about things that are wrong or have gone wrong or could go wrong. To stop worrying about those things, maybe even forget about them for a while, and just surrender.

Perfect moments don't come along very often. Perfect nights, even less frequently. We all seek perfection, but we never find it. Instead, perfection finds us, when we least expect it.

Out of the ashes of despair can rise the phoenix of joy, or some shit like that.

I managed to surrender for a while. I managed to stop worrying for a while. And, when I did, perfection found me.

Happy Birthday to HatGirl!

HatGirl!

Yay!

I'm guessing that HatGirl was bored, so she sent me this. Well, I'm bored, so I'm answering these questions.

1. Do you like blue cheese salad dressing? Not so much. I like Italian dressing.

2. Have you ever smoked cigarettes? Duh.

3. Do you own a gun? I have some that I inherited from my dad. I probably wouldn't have any guns otherwise.

4. What's your favorite drink at Starbucks or other specialty coffee shop? I don't like coffee.

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Not particularly.

6. What do you think of hot dogs? I like them over an open fire, with the outsides burnt black. Yummy.

7. Favorite Christmas song? I have no idea.

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? A soda with caffiene.

9. Can you do push ups? Sure.

10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? I suppose a watch, if that counts. If I ever get married again, then my wedding ring will be my favorite.

11. Favorite hobby? Shooting pool.

12. Do you have A.D.D? I've been distracted lately. For like the last five years. Does that count?

13. What's one trait that you dislike about yourself? I am perfect in every way. It irritates me.

14. Middle name? Shane.

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? You-know-who. You-know-who. You-know-who.

16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Diet Pepsi, water, beer.

17. Current worry right now? Not being good enough.

18. Current hate right now? The dipshit.

19. Favorite place to be? I like Las Vegas.

20. How did you bring in the New Year? By myself, as usual.

21. Like to travel? I like to be in new places, but the actual traveling I can do without.

22. Name three people who will complete this? Nobody.

23. Do you own slippers? Yes. they look like a bear's feet.

24. What color shirt are you wearing? Light green.

25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? I suppose.

26. Can you whistle? Only by inhaling. I've never figured out how to whistle by exhaling.

27. Favorite singer/band? I'm still on a David Gray kick.

28. Could you ever make it 39 days on the show Survivor? Sure.

29. What songs do you sing in the shower? Lord, I was born a rambling man, Nugget. Tryin' to make a living and doing the best I can, Nugget. And when it's time for leaving, I hope you'll understand, Nugget, that I was born a ramblin' man, Nugget.

Nugget is one of my cats, by the way.

30. Favorite girl's name? If I ever have a daughter, I'd like to name her Launa after my mom.

31. Favorite boy's name? I don't think I care, as long as it's not Trevor.

32. What's in your pocket right now? My rock.

33. Last thing that made you laugh? An accidental game of footsie.

35. Worst injury you've ever had? When this one whore tried to cut my arm off.

36. Do you love where you live? It's okay, I suppose.

37. How many TVs do you have in your house? About 6.

38. Who is your loudest friend? TremensGirl or OddlyFamiliarGirl.

40. Does someone have a crush on you? A few people, I think.

41. What is your favorite book? I think it's The Time Traveler's Wife.

42. What is your favorite candy? Peanut Butter Twix.

43. Favorite sports team? I don't really care these days, but I used to be a big Seattle Mariners fan.

44. What were you doing 12 AM last night? I was just about to come home for some stupid reason.

45. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up today? WTF?