Chapter the Second: Theatre of the Unsound Mind

In which Bhagwan (Protagonist) Fails his save versus…

Shopping.

But first, a humorous interlude. Not that Shopping isn’t funny, because it TOTALLY IS. But the day’s events must now be related in:

Stream of Consciousness Theater!

As previously noted, Today is really Yesterday. Last night’s surprise revelation led me down dark paths of insomnia, Stress, panic, and general not fun ness. I was able to motivate myself to shower around 3:45, and laid me down to rest half an hour or so later.

Our Hero sets all three alarms, and prepares for The Coming of the Carpool, scheduled for 7 AM.

So all three alarms sound roughly as they do every morning, at approximately the same times. Very annoying, but sometimes soothing. You know, Like a bee sting, once the anphylaxis sets in.

Time marches on, and 6:30ish is close enough for me to rise and cook a Delicious Egg Omelette. I tell you, Red pepper flakes, fresh ground peppercorns, and the spicy goodness of PASTRAMI make anything taste good.

And boy howdy, does it ever. Dressed in the still too large white cargos, and relished in the sensation of pulling the belt tight. Although I’m certainly no porker, 182 is not 170.
Vegas put on a few pounds of muscle to go with the few pounds of Dehydration, and the few of Bread and Circus Circuses. It’s hard to tell those from the others, though, so everything must go. This is not a yo-yo, nor is it Dimorphism. And I report to all who care, when one drinks one’s required amount of water every day, one can feel one’s belly tightening and smoothing. One also tries not to talk about food constantly, since it opens one to ridicule.

But I digress.

Today, The Pit of Despair is filled with the Vipers of Vanity and the Vagaries of Time Shifted. Asps are very dangerous, and I suggest that you go first.

No?

Oh, Well. Today’s 11 hours are somewhat more productive than yesterday’s 17, and I complete several projects, am reminded of an incomplete one, urge others to complete theirs, start three more, finish two, and begin another.

Our hero also calls on 5 more potential domiciles. Moving the Fortress will be difficult, but not impossible. I have a Cunning Plan. It involves a lot of panic and flailing of arms. Over there, where the others cannot see.

Appointments are set for the next two evenings. There are 4 front runners, each straddling the 45th street corridor from Fremont to University Village. All have rents that are more than I really want to pay, but I do receive more money these days, and I’m running out of bills to pay off and loans to reconcile. Plus, all of a sudden, I don’t have to pay rent this month.

That Bright side is showing itself through it all.

And boy, how it ever is. Hour 11 is spent compiling a record of last week’s “legitimate” business expenses. Others have commented on this year’s GTS, and this is not a medium in which I generally discuss my job/career/business. Suffice to say, other than the 5 days in which I was unable to do any concrete “paper” work or design (catastrophic computer failure, including a complete disconnect of installed hardware and intended function) on The Project Which Must Be Done, the time in Sin City was well spent and accounted.

The tale of the tape says that even if I had to pay rent, I’ll be receiving 4 checks this month, instead of just three. And if you count the damage deposit, we can push that total to 5. 2-3 of those will go right back out to the next Lord of Land, so it’s not all High Cotton in which we walk. But it’s a pleasant enough stroll that I take the long way home, instead of waiting in needless traffic in the U-District.

Wednesday’s perambulations lead us into 2nd Time Around on the Ave, a store which has undergone several facelifts in the last few years. This latest version is much to my liking, as it is a relaxed and somewhat sterile atmosphere. I was actually in the mood for a thrift store, but used media is good enough for me.

Especially since the very first thing that catches my eye is this collection of one of the finest Sci-fi productions of the 90s, Earth 2. Of course, to complete my journey into Absolute Geekery, I’d also need to pick up Space: Above and Beyond.

After all, how can you go wrong with a bunch of no talent Models, playing awkward and uncertain young people thrust into an unfamiliar and hazardous situation. S:ABAB was the visual equivalent of a Heinlien wet dream, and was everything Starship Troopers was not. No, I will not link you to that trainwreck. Although Verhoeven did the best he could, the Brainbugs have removed my ability to use HTML.

And my Brain.

But back to Earth 2. Tim Curry at his most Malicious, Clancy Brown at his most Heroic. And only 29.99. “Self,” says I, “can you justify spending $30 bucks on yet another season of TV on DVD?” For those who cannot see for themselves, there are 4 such seasons sitting at my left, with 4 more in the front room and 3 more on the way from the internets. 4, if you count the laserdiscs. All Unwatched, of course.

“YES” says the Id.

SuperEgo continues the attack, with “After all, you have unexpected expenses coming this month, 11+1 Seasons of TV on DVD unwatched, 17 unwatched DVD movies, Paper Back books, Graphic novels, and Laundry to address. Not to mention the Dishes, Cleaning and prepping your home, and last but not least, spending time with your Lovely Lady.”

(SuperEgo really is a buzzkill. Also, Ego would have ranked the SO much higher. Certainly before dishes and laundry)

ID: “WANT”
SE:” Reaaaaaaly?”
ID: “WANT”
SE: “Reaaaaaaaally?”
Ego: Hey, Fellas, remember when we were lookign for a Bathroom a little while ago? We still need one. Can we table this discussion for a while?
ID:”WANT–OOOHH LOOK CSI!”
Ego and SE: “Dude, we have that one”
ID” WANT Oh Yeah. but not THIS one”
Ego and SE: “NO”

(Turns out, Ego’s kind of a prick too. Go figure)

Ego: “What’s that over there. Looks like a bathroom”

Sufficiently distracted, and aware (and self-aware) of the surroundings, down the racks we go, to the section of CDs labelled “Soundtracks.” I have opined in the past that shopping is a process of Discovery, not accquisition. One engages in it to bring home things that already belong to you, not things that you “want” or “need.” As a basic need, Groceries are usually exempt from this philosophy, but if you approach it with the right mindset, a trip to the market can be just as effective in getting what you need.

But Stuff? Stuff is a completely separate phenomenon. Stuff is “Mine” or “Yours” or “Theirs.” The latter being the most spiritually rewarding, since it engenders the Giving of Gifts. But tonight, it’s all about me/us. ChaosElemental took me down to Everyday Music (Capital Hill) on Friday night, and several things belonging to me traded places with money. But there were far too many choices there to do the full on voyage of discovery. I’d literally need an entire day to scout that locale properly, one I fully intend to spend someday next month.

After I move.

But 2nd Time around is just small enough that I can ignore those things I don’t immediately hear from. Soundtracks were speaking loud enough (but not as loud as Earth 2), and several things made the “stack” and walked with me for a while.

(Wait for it)

(..)

(..)

The OST disc to Stand Alone Complex, 2nd Gig was a no-brainer. At a third of teh intarwebs’ going price, it’s amazing melodies and interlingual harmonies made it the catch of the night.

Until the Veil opens, and a Choir of Digital Media Angels sings forth.

For one of the “lost” has come home. (Screw you, Brain Bugs!)

Stairways to Heaven is again in my possession.

And after some witty banter with the attendant, I convince him that he Has. To. Play It. to understand what it’s all about. We geek for a bit, and his smile threatens to split his face when the “Rock Lobsters” spin out their interpretation of Page/Plant. While talking, he asks the obligatory “anything else you need to day?” question. Luckily for him, Ego and Superego are lulled by the Camraderie of Nerd, and ID surfaces fast enough to say:

ID: “No, I talked myself out of that Earth 2 collection in the case over there”

Our New Freind SATAN is out from behind the counter faster than a speeding bullet, and he’s over at the case, peering in and saying, “Which one is that?”

Ego can’t resist, and repeats the facts above, while embellishing a bit on how cool the show was. SE is in the middle of saying, “I’ll probably come ba…” when BEALZEBUB is suddenly back at the register offering an apple flavored with, “I can give it to you for $25.”

ID/Ego/SE: “SOLD!”

The man knows his business. And now I do too.

The rest of the night is good, with an amazingly tasty Americano aqquisition at the Trabant Chai house. They also have a bathroom, but I wouldn’t go in there just yet. Give it a day or so.

Feeling better about things. I really am. Still panic-y a bit, but that will pass (did I mention the flailing?)

The Stairway helps.

See you all tomorrow. Gots me some eatin’ to do.