I saw the above headline on a personal ad on one of the dating sites I go to. It cracked me the hell up. Of course, if I put “I hate it when people don’t learn how to spell” on my personal ad, someone would send me hate mail. But honestly… I think I’d rather date liars and thieves than women who can’t spell. And no, I’m not a world-class speller myself. But hey, I’m not that bad.
Dan and Kathy helped me sand the hardwood floor in my living room. I still have to sand the edges of the floor, then stain and polyurethane it, then cut and place the base boards, and stain and polyurethane those. Then the living room will be done, and I’ll be able to move my furniture in. Then there will be a giant party, which will feature loud music and dancing.
Very interesting essay by Paul Graham about forbidden thoughts and how to express them, or why we don’t.
One interesting question he asks; “Do you have any opinions that you would be reluctant to express in front of a group of your peers?”
Actually not really… and not for the reasons he says. He thinks that if you don’t have opinions you are afraid to express, then you’re a conformist who goes along with others. But that’s not necessarily true.
It’s possible that you just aren’t afraid to express any opinion, no matter how controversial, because you simply don’t care what others think.
I know I say things that make people angry. From strangers, I tend to hear about it. Friends tend to not say anything, or to say something quietly to me. Honestly, I think it’s important to say them. Or I wouldn’t.
But he makes a very good point at the end of the article… “The most important thing is to be able to think what you want, not to say what you want. And if you feel you have to say everything you think, it may inhibit you from thinking improper thoughts. think it’s better to follow the opposite policy. Draw a sharp line between your thoughts and your speech. Inside your head, anything is allowed. Within my head I make a point of encouraging the most outrageous thoughts I can imagine. But, as in a secret society, nothing that happens within the building should be told to outsiders. The first rule of Fight Club is, you do not talk about Fight Club.”
I saw Big Fish over the weekend. It was pretty good. Very enjoyable and uplifting.
Got my first oil change for the truck. And spend the rest of the weekend trying unwrap and catalog my mother’s Avon bottles for sale on eBay. That was exhausting. I accomplished a lot, but this is a big project.
According to Intelligence Ranking by breed:
Adaptive Intelligence (learning and problem-solving ability): this is specific to the individual animal and is measured by canine IQ tests.
Instinctive Intelligence: this is specific to the individual animal and is measured by canine IQ tests.
Working/Obedience Intelligence: this is breed dependent.
For my dog:
Chihuahua: 67 – Fair Working/Obedience Intelligence.
Shih Tzu: 70 – Lowest Degree of Working/Obedience Intelligence.
In other words, I have a pretty dumb dog. But that’s okay, because he’s CUTE.
Over the long New Years weekend, my friend Cate, who was in from Germany, came over and we went to Dan and Doug’s New Years party (photos soon!) along with Kathy and had a good time. Cate and I went to the Catholic supply store downtown and got religious medals (I know, I know, I was just saying below that I’m not a fan of the Catholic church. I still like the saints, though. They never did anything to me.) and went to the 62nd Street antique mall. It was great to see Cate again, and I hope it’s not two years before I see her again. I’m hoping to visit my sister in England, though, and if so, maybe Cate and I can hang out in London.
I went to see House of Sand and Fog with Melissa. Deeply depressing. If you see this, do it on a bright sunny day, not a dark gloomy one like we did.
And I did more painting in my living room. I also read ALOT. I finished Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides, and read Angels and Demons, by Dan Brown, the guy who wrote the DaVinci Code.
Middlesex was excellent. Angels and Demons was good, but not off the charts good. If you liked the DaVinci Code, you’ll enjoy this. I had it figured out well before the end, though, and it basically followed the same formula the other: Langdon as hero, girl as intrepid side-kick, a race against time to solve a puzzle, with an anonymous, unknown bad guy who turns out to be someone familiar to you in a wild twist at the end of the book. The appeal for me is the idea of clues to mysteries hidden in plain sight, amongst objects you see every day, with a scavenger hunt like puzzle attached. And I love the idea of secret societies, unusual iconography, etc.
Man Trapped Under Books, Papers Rescued
EW YORK – A man who says he sells books and magazines on the street was rescued after being trapped for two days under a mountain of reading material in his apartment.
Patrice Moore, 43, had apparently been standing up when the books, catalogs, mail and newspapers swamped him on Saturday. Firefighters and neighbors rescued Moore on Monday afternoon and he was hospitalized in stable condition Tuesday morning with leg injuries.
My mother knitted me a cool winter hat, and also got me a Bundt pan to make Monkey Bread (because I dropped HUGE hints about wanting one!).
The Year of the Monkey is coming up (Jan 22nd), you know. I know because I was born in the Year of the Monkey. and Monkeys Are Cool ™.
Mullin Remodeling did an excellent job repairing the damaged floors in my living room and foyer. They came on Tuesday, swiftly tearing up the burned section of the living room floor and replacing the plank flooring. In the foyer, they also took care of a problematic area where an old furnace intake vent had left its mark. The repairs have made a world of difference, and I can’t wait to share photos once I catch up on everything else I need to do.
Now that the floors are in good shape, I’ve got a bit of work ahead to bring the living room back to life. I’ll need to sand the older section of the floor to blend it seamlessly with the new planks. After that, there’s painting the floors, cutting and placing the baseboards, staining and finishing them, and finally moving my library back into the room. I’m estimating that this will take four or five weekends to complete, but it’s worth the effort to make the space feel fresh and welcoming again.
It’s amazing what new floors can do for a space—they set the stage for everything else to shine. And while the DIY path can be rewarding, not everyone has the time (or the knees) for weekend after weekend of sanding, staining, and hauling furniture. That’s where professional help makes all the difference. With the right team, the entire process can be streamlined, leaving you with more time to enjoy the finished product instead of chasing after it with a paintbrush and dust mask.
If you’re in the midst of planning your own floor revival, partnering with a trusted flooring company hounslow residents rely on can save more than just time—it can ensure a cohesive, polished result. These specialists bring experience, the right tools, and often, suggestions you might not have considered. Whether you’re restoring an older floor to its former glory or laying something brand new, they’ve seen it all and know how to avoid the common pitfalls.
Plus, there’s something to be said for walking into a room that looks exactly how you imagined—minus the back pain. A seasoned flooring team can take your ideas and elevate them, matching grains, blending stains, and finishing everything with precision. So while rolling up your sleeves is always admirable, knowing when to call in the pros is half the battle—and your living room (and library) will thank you for it.
This project has got me thinking about the potential for more extensive residential home additions in the future. Enhancing the living space by possibly adding a sunroom or expanding the living area could not only increase the functionality of my home but also boost its value. Residential home additions are a great way to customize your home to better suit your needs, and seeing how well the floor repairs turned out, I’m more inspired than ever to explore these possibilities.
My dad gave me a compound mitre saw for Xmas. It’s very cool. Plus, I get a brad nailer free as a bonus. That’s really cool! Now I have everything I need to do the baseboards in the living room, and I can do crown moulding, too. Excellent. The carpenters are coming tomorrow to repair the hardwood floors in the living room. Which means I better get stuff ready tonight.