January 16, 2005 Thoughts While Shoveling Snow PLEASE NOTE: Spies.com is no longer. There is no redirect to this site, so if you're reading this, you're using the correct address at leftfield.org. Otherwise, you'll be getting an error page, and may have lost me forever. Some very sad news: Heather's grandfather died today. We got the call from Sean this morning. He had been diagnosed with cancer just last week, but apparently it was much worse than anybody thought. Heather's family is, of course, devastated. I feel awful for them, because Sean has said that they really haven't had a death in the family for a very long time. It's never a good thing to have a lot of experience with death, but it does somewhat brace you for it. Our family has been through many, many funerals and while it's never something you get used to, it is something you learn to cope with. The loss is still very raw and very real whenever it happens, but learning early that death is a part of life in such a "real" way early on prepares you for it later, I think. Anyway, there are no words at this time that can help them through their grief. For those of you who pray, give a little prayer for Heather and her family on my behalf, okay? For those of you who don't, a good thought will do. Thoughts while shoveling snow: 1.3" really isn't enough to wake the neighbors up by shoveling. It'd probably be best if I just moved the cars up to the top of the driveway and left it at that. If I just move the cars around, they'll pack down the snow, and I'll have to scrape. Chris took both the scrapers to work, and they're now at the shop, where they'll never see the light of day again. I should shovel. Yay Teri Hatcher! Yay Hilary Swank! Man, I'm a sucker for the underdog. But when someone calls herself a "has been" at an awards ceremony, you just have to love her. And Hilary is just fabulous, as long as you don't put her in a period piece. Now I have to go see Million Dollar Baby. Gods, it sucks that tomorrow is a holiday. I mean, it's great that I get the day off, but I want to send my sympathy cards to Heather's family members, and if they go out on Tuesday, the cards probably won't get to them until after the memorial service on Thursday. Will I look like a jerk, not bringing a sympathy card to the service? Probably a good question for The Fabulous Robert. Am I being self-centered, worrying over how I look to people who are grieving? He always says, "It's not about you." But still, I'd like them to know that I'm thinking of them, and e-mail is not the way to go with this one, and they're probably swamped with phone calls. They are now my family as well, after all. I really need to e-mail Robert and set up a time for lunch or dinner. I have no manners at all. I wonder if Stephanie can take her grandmother's car to work with her on Thursday nights. I know she has classes early in the day, she could take the T home while it's light out, pick up the car, and get a parking permit for the garage under our office building. That way, she's not embarassed by having me pick her up, and we're not worrying about her on the subway. She's 19. She's an adult. Is 19 really an adult, though? Gods, I've gotten old. Damnit, I wish I could shovel the stairs more quietly. I'm going to wake up Mom, and because her boss is a big ol' racist, he doesn't close up shop on Martin Luther King Day. She needs to get up early. Okay, he's not a racist, and it is a retail business, but all they'll be doing is shoveling out the lumberyard all day long. Why does Mom need to be in the office? I wish Chris' business was ten times bigger, so he could give her a giant paycheck every week, and she could quit that job. That joke Laurie told me yesterday was really funny. Maybe I should e-mail it to Susanne. Sort of toss the ball back to her side of the court. Maybe someone will e-mail me if I leave a vague reference to it in the journal, asking what it was. Nah, that's a blatant attempt at getting mail. Damn, this driveway just gets longer every snowstorm. Skottie's in the window. Sorry, buddy, I can't chance you running away this late at night. And you can't even find the ball in the daytime. Some "sporting breed" you are. Why don't I want to see Sideways? I love Paul Giamatti and Sandra Oh. Maybe it's the Thomas Hayden Church factor. I can't forgive him for Ned and Stacey. Then again, I love Debra Messing. Damnit, Debra Messing is in a movie I outlined four years ago! Why don't I write things out when I get my ideas? Why didn't I wear gloves? Oh, right. 'Cause I'm an idiot who's never dealt with snow before. I wonder if the question Terry asked about me wanting to take day shifts was a hint? She is having her second child, after all. Maybe she'll be like Lara, and want to work nights while her husband takes care of the kids. Daycare for two kids is going to be expensive. Would I want to work days? I could do theater again, but I'd lose my weekend shifts, which I like better than other shifts. Still, it's only a matter of time before Laurie goes to days, and I won't have her on my shift anymore. Why is there so much less snow here than in Laurie's town? We're, like, four miles apart. Dan't look a gift horse in the mouth, I guess. Oh, I can watch Starting Over on a Monday for once! I can't wait to see how Cassie does on her GRE prep course. And whatshername, the one with amnesia? Genius! How on earth did they manage to find someone with full-blown amnesia? Why hasn't there been a black Bachelor or Bachelorette? Good gods, I pay too much attention to crap TV. Must remember to set up the flatscreen tomorrow. The rebates expire 15 days after purchase. I wonder if I'll get my glasses sometime this week? I'll get to see Al again! Mustn't think of Al in that way. Focus on the gays, Patrick. They're more likely to sleep with you. Yay! Shoveling is done. It's really late. What am I going to post for an entry? Oh, I have an idea...