July 19, 1999

So today has been packed with ordinariness. Woke up on time to get downstairs to wait for the fire extinguisher recharging guy, who was a fraction more than just a little late. But in the meantime I got to do some dishes. And I felt good about it because Dom usually does it and I think he's taken for granted in this regard. But he's gone to Ohio or somewhere for the week, so I'm happy to pick up the slack. I also got to override some kind of oil-lock on the air-conditioner by standing in the humid sunligt with my thumb jammed into this little hole on the side of the big machine. Dom usually does this too.

After the recharging fellow did his thing, I bounced upstairs to fiddle with The Closet. I wasn't happy with my Stupid Stuff, so I moved some things onto School Stuff (where I also added a small section on Internet Resources). The current jewel of Stupid Stuff is a site called True Catholics (though I labeled it "Pope Pius XIII"). Jay told me about it this morning...and it is priceless. A fella who claims to be a Capuchin priest also proclaims himself to be the only legitimate Pope. (The guy in Rome and his three predecesors are heretics.) This is a very smooth, very professional-looking site, loaded with great fifties-era Catholic graphics, good old prayers, and The Baltimore Catechism....to say nothing of the cheesy snapshots from his ascension to the papacy. If you are reading this, you must visit the site. I cannot do it justice - a perfect blend of historically curious, nostalgically evocative, theologically archaic, and mentally twisted stuff.

After lunch I wandered out to get me a floorlamp and a feather-packed comforter. I was successful on both counts. I also picked up on a whim something called a bucket hat, which looked kind of cool on the rack...but looks kind of stupid on my head. I will be wearing it everywhere.

Dinner and a movie (Eyes Wide Shut) with Jay this evening.