Queen Mediocretia of Suburbia

Putting the TMI in absentminded

Month: April 2020

  • Weekly Paint Progress: 4/30

    This week the cenote went from this … … to this, which took a lot of work but doesn’t seem that different, unless worse. Essentially I darkened some things and lightened some things and I will no doubt undo all of that. And I drew where a tree will be. The teacup went from this…

  • Online Concerts

    So, yesterday I mentioned online concerts. That’s my new favorite amusement. I’m defining “concert” as any time a musician sits down in front of an iPhone and puts himself out there. So far I’ve attended three of note. Barenaked Ladies are not offering concerts as such, they’ve been taping their parts separately (I suppose with…

  • No Virus In My Head

    I have a big database upgrade scheduled. I’ve been planning this database upgrade for four months. When I’ve pictured the Upgrade Day I’ve always pictured myself in the office, holding court at my desk, answering questions, probably in my black jacket and gold turtleneck and new gold pants. (Yes, I planned what I would wear.…

  • Male Illness

    My brother: the biopsy of his lymph node shows no cancer, and his bile duct cells are abnormal but not cancerous. So … technically he’s fine. He hasn’t been told what might have caused the weight loss, or the constricted bile duct, but since his blood work is fine again I think everyone’s going to…

  • Blue Angels

    I am very excited by the news that Thunderbirds are Go, as are the Blue Angels. Some time in the next two weeks various fighter squads will be flying over major cities. They are scheduled to fly over cities hardest hit by the pandemic. Only 50 people have died in Saint Louis (I don’t know…

  • Drug Test on the Porch

    Well, that was pretty handy. A nurse (or possibly a technician) did come to my porch, as the neurologist promised. She was dressed in scrubs, but she wore her face mask as a necklace. I, on the other hand, wore my face mask as prescribed. I was very impressed with the “sticker” style thermometer. The…

  • Covid Mask Kills My Sewing Machine

    Well, I tried to sew again. I was, of course, trying to make a mask, as is the trend. Gary was wearing a mask and was yet able to smell his strawberry instant oatmeal, and that was enough to convince him that if an odor could get in, so could a virus. I don’t know…

  • Weekly Paint Progress: 4/23

    Last week the cenote went from this … … to this … Now that the bowl of lemons are done, I am moving on to a teacup with lemons from the book: Wow, the top of that teacup is way too high.

  • Rewriting the Novel: Percentages

    I have found myself working on Jerry’s Novel in spurts. I always start by editing what he has, but then that leads to filling in what he’s missing. After a busy night, I calculated how far I was, given how many words I had so far, and discovered I have about one 25% of a…

  • American Gods, or What Is Wrong With Me That I Am Not Enjoying the Most Popular Book by The Most Popular Author

    Neil Gaiman is an esteemed author. American Gods is his most popular book. I enjoy it while I’m actively reading it, but I will put it down for days and have no urge to pick it up again. I’ve had it for over a month and I’m only halfway done. This is very strange for…