Life Is Such A Sweet Insanity.

When it rains, it pours. That’s what I’ve always heard and that’s what I’ve always believed. It’s proving to be true once again.

I’ve been checking out job opportunities to carry through until school starts up again. I’ve chatted with folks I haven’t talked with in a while, hoping that my conscious effort to not burn any bridges when I left a position really meant that I didn’t burn any bridges. It’s funny, when I leave a job I swear that I’ll keep in touch but I’m not as good at it as I hope to be. I guess I think of the whole experience as closing a chapter and moving on in the book of life.

I’ve had several good meetings this week with several people. And now I have several opportunities to choose from. What to do, what to do.

I feel like I’ve been kissed by opportunity.

Sweltering from the oven we call our home, Earl and I decided we needed a breath of air-conditioned air, so we are currently parallel parked on a hightop at the local Panera. This is the store that I often say has gone ghetto, as this is where many customers don’t know what Asiago cheese is and allow their children to color on the wallpaper.

In short, it’s an experience.

Tonight isn’t too bad, I have to admit, as the place is only about a quarter full. As soon as we walked in, I waved hello to a recent classmate. I told Earl she is the one that yapped out the wrong answers throughout the entire course. Other than that I find her quite charming. Perhaps we’ll be in another class together again this fall.

There’s a little piece of woof sitting directly behind Earl. When Earl saw me steal a glance, he informed me that he sat here for a reason. He’s so thoughtful. I wonder if I can sneak a picture somehow.

There were two girls in line in front of us who were audibly impressed with the presentation of the pastry they ordered. I saw a bear claw with a strawberry on top, but they apparently saw a piece of art. To each his own, I guess.

We were going to go use the new wi-fi service that has blanketed the downtown area, but you have to sit outside to enjoy it tonight because all the sidewalks have been rolled up for the evening. It is after 8 p.m., after all.

I’m probably going to be a little ranty in this blog entry, so if you’re not in the mood for that sort of thing go somewhere else over the rainbow or something.

Have you ever had one of those days where it feels like everything you attempt is such a struggle to accomplish? I think I’m having one of those days. I fully realize the fairly charmed existence I have as a full-time college student during summer break, but some things just bug me.

I started off the morning with a bike ride. All was well and good until I was about two miles from home when I got a flat tire. Unfortunately, I was on a fairly busy roadway at the time. Looking back I should have just stuck to the canal trails. Nevertheless, with the way people drive these days I didn’t feel comfortable changing my tire on the side of the road, lest I get run over by a Paris Hilton wannabe yapping on her phone, sipping her mocha-chocha la la la la and driving her Hummer, so I opted to walk home instead.

This is where it got interesting, as it seemed that I somehow had a target on my back and front as people were literally aiming for the cyclist with the big mustache who happened to be walking.

Let me just clarify a few things here so that we’re all on the same page. Riding your bicycle on the sidewalk is illegal. Riding your bicycle facing traffic (on the left shoulder in the U.S.) is illegal. Walking with traffic (instead of against it) is illegal. I saw all these things while walking back from the scene of my flat tire. Oh, and while I’m talking cycling, can I just say that if the cyclist is wearing a cycling jersey, cycling shorts, a helmet and cycling gloves, in addition to riding what appears to be a very expensive bicycle, there’s a really good chance that he or she knows what they’re doing and there’s no reason to “toot toot toot” at them to let them know they’re there. We know you’re there. Just show a little respect and you’ll get the same instead of a cycling gloved finger aimed in your direction.

By the time I got home I was very sweaty and moderately cranky. I would have loved to lose myself in a geek world in the cool confines of our cellar, but I told Earl I would go job hunting today so I made myself look presentable and headed over to the local temp agency. After all, I’m just looking for a position for the next six weeks or so until school starts again. Unfortunately, the fine folks at the temp agency don’t accept walk-ins in the morning. I was instructed to come back this afternoon. I wish there was a sign posted somewhere, anywhere in the office so I didn’t waste my time or the time of the receptionist who was busy reading tmz.com on her computer. So I’m heading back there this afternoon.

Things are just bugging me a little bit today. However, when I came home for lunch I was delighted to see that Earl was here as well so I’m sure my afternoon is going to be much better.

I’ve never been good at art. My cousin’s daughter can look at a photograph and draw an incredible portrait that would take your breath away, but me, I can’t even paint by numbers. In Sociology class last semester I was asked to draw a person and I drew a stick figure. My fellow students made fun of me, though they refrained from yelling “neener, neener, neener” and pointing. I think the mustache scared them.

For my father’s 60th birthday party (which went very well, despite Mother Nature being quite feisty with the weather at times this afternoon), I made a photo collage of various pictures from over the years. I tried to select photos that would mean something to him and stick to the family theme, incorporating many elements of his life experience. Now this is something that I enjoyed doing very much. I can handle grabbing photos, scanning them, printing them out and arranging them in an interesting manner.

Rosie O’Donnell often takes photos and does artful things with them and then makes a video to share with the world. I’m thinking of taking a stab at doing the same. Even though I mix up the concepts behind decoupage, papier mache and fondu, I should think that with today’s technology I should be able to make up something that’s interesting and expressive.

And isn’t that what art is all about?

Earl and I, along with my sister and my stepmother, are hosting a big birthday bash for my father tomorrow. We are expecting around 30 people or so. It should be a really good time.

One of the amazing things about hosting a party here at the house is the sudden realization that we have some projects that need attending to. I find it quite humorous that when we are doing the daily routine bit we don’t really give a flip that the downstairs toilet has a slight leak or that the siding is hanging precariously off the back of the house as a result of a recent thunderstorm. But have a few people over and bam, there’s Earl and I grabbing the toilet like a bunch of thugs, yanking it off the floor, expertly replacing the wax seal and cramming the toilet back in place. It was a 20 minute job that we should have done when we first discovered the leak but who really has the motivation to do it. That’s what makes having a party so much fun. It gives you the extra boost needed to scrape gunk off the bathroom floor.

I guess it’s kind of startling to see what we’ve done to make the house presentable for the party. I’ve repotted plants, I’ve stored the garden hoses away (I don’t even do that for winter), hell, I even swept out the camper in case someone wants to use it for an afternoon delight (o.k., since it’s all relatives come to the party that last thought just kind of creeped me out). Tomorrow morning I might go absolutely insane and change the cat’s litter on a non-garbage day.

Such a walk on the wild side.