  CURRENT MOOD: Tired. LISTENING TO: The air conditioner. The last few days have been pretty tumultuous. (That's a great word! ) Last week, I was going along one of the back roads of Oxford, and I decided I would leave my mark. Of course, my wimpy Honda Civic doesn't have the horsepower to leave the mark the "right" way, so I had to improvise by yanking the hand brake at 40 miles per hour.
Wonderful for the tires and brakes! So, after leaving two very black skid marks in the road, I couldn't seem to understand why my rear tires were making a subtle thumping sound. Well, I later determined that my very intelligent use of sheer boredom created a enough of a flat spot on both of my rear tires to cause a subtle thumping sound as they spin.
While the flat spots will probably wear evenly again in time, I have to ask myself, "Why? " The co-worker who'd been trying to set me up with the flight attendant called me on Monday to inform me that he had good news. Apparently, he'd somehow convinced her to have lunch with me. It couldn't hurt, I suppose, but I'd prefer that she join me for lunch or something under her own will without feeling pressured in any way.
I guess she's going to call me at some point when she gets back from San Francisco or wherever she is. We'll see. I have not heard anything more about the non-payment of wage complaint that I submitted to the Attorney General. When I submitted the complaint, though, I was informed that they would likely take a month to process the complaint before I'd hear any more.
Legally, the Attorney General has a total of 90 days to produce some kind of results before I will be eligible to file a private suit against the former employer. My new place is working out very well. But sadly, it needs some work. Because it was a summer cottage that was converted to a year-round home, it does not have a basement. It simply has a crawl space under the floor. I don't think the crawl space is properly insulated against moisture, as the house has taken on a kind of musty smell since the summer humidity arrived. I've also noticed a couple of "soft spots" in one or two of the floor boards, which the landlord will need to repair before they become dangerous. It's nothing to worry about now, but as they worsen, they will become a concern. Fortunately, it shouldn't be a major repair... just enough to be a pain in the ass for everyone involved. It's an older house -- about 65 years old. It's bound to have a need for some repairs. (And thankfully, the repair bills won't have my name on them! ) My experience with the new guitar is coming along. I practice for about 20 to 30 minutes a day.
That's about as much as my fingers can take! Strumming and holding the strings has been painful thus far, but now that my fingers are toughening up, it's getting better. I ordered some finger picks too, which should help my cause. So, I guess that's about it. Everything else is going well. The Democratic Convention will be here in less than two weeks. Our bus service is gearing up by doubling the bus schedule to every 15 minutes.
Traffic is going to be a disaster with all of the road closures that will be in place throughout the week. Moreover, various lane restrictions will be in place throughout the week on the few major routes that will be open, encouraging motorists to use alternative routes. My suggestion to you: stay as far away from Boston as you can! And if you must brave the traffic enroute to the city, be prepared for anything .... 
