The Soft Blue Glow HNT

I'm not sure what happened, but I woke up on Saturday like a man possessed. After taking care of the morning man-ritual, I walked into my back room. Ah, the back room... In other apartments, it would be known as the master bedroom. Not that it's that big, but far more room than the second bedroom. Where others might have seen where to put their bed and nightstands and how to arrange the walk-in closet, I saw music room!! I have collected mucho crap in that regard. I have a spinet piano and two electric pianos in there. And a synthesizer. And my entire desktop set-up so that I could use my music programs to write fantastic arrangements for the band. And still had room to spare for a small desk, a small bookcase and elbow room to use it as a practice room. And the closet could hold my file cabinets, my boxed-up LPs, and all the stuff that I'd collected professionally from my teaching days.

As the years have gone by, the room has changed. The pianos are still there, but they're not used (the main drawback to apartment living--no chance to bang on the piano as stress relief). The fake Christmas tree is in its box on top of a microwave cart that I somehow inherited. Stacks of papers that should be in file cabinets that I've never gotten around to organizing. More little bits of furniture from the family that has somehow made it to me because they think I might be able to use it, rather than get rid of it for $10 at the spring garage sale. Think "Hoarders", but not quite that bad. And the iMac that has been pretty much unused since buying the laptop in 2007. It's much more efficient to surf the web in the living room using wireless while I'm sort of watching TV. As a result of all this, my music room became the storage room.

Back to Saturday... I walked in for some reason, and it just hit me. I had to clean that room out. Ignore the fact that it was going to be a gloriously nice day outside--I wasn't going to leave the apartment until that room was clean! I went to the store to buy some milk. ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON!

It's simultaneously disgusting and uplifting to do a major overhaul like that. I packed away instruments. I found long-lost treasures. I tossed stuff out that day that, on any other day, I would have kept. I went through 3 different cleaning rags. I took three garbage bags out to the dumpster. I made no headway into the closet, though. Baby steps, people. Baby steps!

But best of all, I've reacquainted myself with my iMac. It's been far too long. My Powerbook and I have been having issues with each other, primarily because it's just gotten filled up. And no, it's not dirty pictures! So I fired her back up, got her loaded with all the pertinent updates, and have been spending more time in the back room with her. I even bought a new router for her!

I've decided that I'm going to become a two-computer geek at home. Pictures and music, as well as blogpage work will stay on the iMac. Chatting and surfing (for the most part) will be on the Powerbook. Hopefully this will work out well. I did find out Tuesday night while uploading OHNTs that I prefer to work in a dark room, with only the glow of the screen lighting the room. And it offered the opportunity for some new pics!

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"Life is a cartoon. The trick is knowing when you are the Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, the road, the cactus, the desert, the canvas, the brush, the paint, or the artist. After all that, remember to smile, it is a cartoon after all."
— KC Anton


This week's Mystery Guest has chosen to not reveal herself this week. But if you might be able to find her somewhere else!

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There's some great pictures over at "...the Other HNT" this week (just like any other!). You guys are getting better about leaving comments. Thanks! I've been hearing back from some of them with their appreciation. Keep it up! Also as usual...NSFW!

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You may have noticed that I put up one of those Formspring thingies over there in my sidebar. It's a way to anonymously (or not) ask me questions. I won't answer them here. You'll have to click the link for the answers. I've been less than inspired here recently, so hopefully someone might spark an interesting topic. And please...try to come up with something more original than a sex question. I'd like to think you guys are a tad more cerebral than that!

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You might check out the OsShirt site, too! The shirt is apparently planning its summer schedule, and should be seen around a good number of blogs soon. The blogsite is still behind, but catching up! Should be current by the middle of Spring, though!

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