Sure, some people might call it mania, I call it productivity.

In the last 36 hours, I’ve:
- Completed my taxes
- Mailed my siblings Christmas presents (with Valentines Day cards inside)
- Renewed my domain name for another two years (how has it been 6 years already?)
- Watered my plants (a day late)
- Cleaned Grover’s bowl (do you know how stinky those things get?)
- Ordered new checks for the first time since 2003
- Gone to bed early two nights in a row, finishing another trashy detective novel in the process, sleeping with the window open and waking to birds

Ok, so it might not look like much but sandwiched between 9 hour work days, commuting (ok, that takes 20 minutes round trip), and the endless errands of a singleton, it feels good to have that crap done.

For what its worth, you married and co-habitating folk take for granted how nice it is to have someone to share chores and errands with. Need something from the store? Call your sweetie on their way home. Dry cleaning? Call your sweetie. Someone to take the blame for the trash overflowing and the dishes piled in the sink? Sweetie! Bleh.

It’s not as hard when you’re a twenty something and you’ve never had it, as it is as a thirty something having to relearn to juggle life on your own again. It’s as though you’re suddenly far less efficient than you once were. It can feel like you’re walking in molasses and you catch yourself wondering what the hell is wrong with you and why you aren’t able to accomplish as much as you could just a few months ago. You look for signs of disease or mental defect and then realize “oh yeah, that guy. He’s missing?”

Ah don’t get me wrong. I have more good days than bad, and the truth is it’s been a few years now and I rarely think of it at all. If I do it’s a short thought where I give thanks for my freedom, for the lessons learned that I can move forward with.

Isn’t that always the way? When we’re finally able to have that one, solid, good and healthy adult relationship, it’s because we’ve had to endure and learn from the bad ones along the way. The things that once hurt can be the same things that help make you whole.

Leading in to Saturday night, there we plans on the books to enjoy the Chinese New Year with my two Chinese friends and a few other extra/token Anglos who serve as family members. By Saturday afternoon the wife of one of our honorees got sick so they bagged, another of the Caucasians had a family event to attend and that left three of us to our own devices. Since Yo wasn’t going to get a Red Envelope from me, we decided to bag the tradional plan and opt for Mexican instead. Have I mentioned I shouldn’t drink tequila? No? I shouldn’t. Make a note of it.

Rewinding a smidge, Thursday I sent a note to the kids asking if there was anything else I needed to know about the traditions surrounding the New Year and this is what I got back from Who Flung Poo:

Know how to use chopsticks.
Everything has bones in it.
We will have ample chicken feet to eat!!!!
Fish comes with head still intact.
If Chinese don’t eat, you should not either.

While not exceptionally helpful, I did cause me to laugh unexpectedly and spit on my screen a little.

The real deal/hippie version via Daily Om:

According to the Chinese calendar and zodiac, January 29, 2006 brings us the Year of the Dog. This means that we have the helpful energy of this loyal companion to accomplish much good in the world and in our lives this year. When we think about dogs, we think of their steadfast love, loyalty, friendly companionship, and forgiving nature. Dogs are playful, but work hard and rest well. They create balance in their lives. We no longer need to be envious of a dog’s life, because we can incorporate these qualities to our lives this year.

History via Wikipedia

Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It consists of a period of celebrations, starting on New Year’s Day, celebrated on the first day of the first month of the Chinese calendar, i.e. the day of the second new moon after the day on which the winter solstice occurs, unless there is an intercalary eleventh or twelfth month in the lead-up to the New Year—in such a case, the New Year falls on the day of the third new moon after the solstice. (The next time this occurs is in 2033.) The Chinese New Year period ends with the Lantern Festival, on the fifteenth day of the festival.

Legend has it that in ancient China, Nian (“Nyan”) was a man-devouring predator beast that could infiltrate houses silently. The Chinese soon learned that Nian was sensitive to loud noises and the color red, and they scared it away with explosions, fireworks and the liberal use of color red domestically. These customs led to the first New Year celebrations.

All I know is that I was born in the year of the rat and I don’t care much for what that says about me or the commonalities of the folks I share it with.

According to Chinese folklore, people who are born under this Chinese sign are creative, honest, generous, ambitious, quick-tempered and wasteful. Rats are said to get along well with “monkeys” and “dragons,” and to get along poorly with “horses”.
Rats are a symbol of good luck and wealth. They are clever, intelligent and quick-witted. This sign is ambitious and strong-willed, and is motivated by its own interests, which often include money and power. Rats are naturally charming and persuasive. They are energetic and versatile and can usually find their way around obstacles, and adapt to various environments easily. A rat’s natural charm and sharp, funny demeanor make it an appealing friend for almost anyone. The Rat likes to know who is on its side and will treat its most loyal friends with an extra measure of protection and generosity. However, they also have long memories and will rarely forgive or forget an enemy. Rats are strongly family oriented. Although they are often hoarders and can be miserly, they also are very generous to their family and friends. Rats have a great capability for accumulating and holding on to items of value.

A valuable lesson for Rats is to learn to consider others above themselves, at least sometimes, and to be careful not to force their ideas on others. Rats are fair in their dealings and expect the same from others in return, and can be deeply affronted if they feel they have been deceived or that their trust has been abused. Sometimes they set their targets too high, whether in relationship to their friends or in their career, but as the years pass they will become more realistic and tolerant. If they can develop their sense of self and realize it leaves room for others in their life as well, Rats can find true happiness.

In middle age, if everything goes smoothly, Rats will be able to achieve their life goals. Traditionally, Rats should avoid Horses, but they can usually find their best friends and love interests in Monkeys and Dragons.

I love monkeys and dragons.

The city, Friday night.

Nothing says hot dinner lovin’ like a little onion volcano action.

Last night called for Scrabble at my place with Stac, Chrissy and Dej, but our resident diva has been burning the midnight oil working on her new album (you can sample and/or buy her last one on iTunes – search for Dejie) so we’re rescheduling for a few weeks out. Since the last time we played Stac got pregnant and Chrissy got engaged…there was a lot to catch up on, but everything happens for a reason and I wasn’t going to look this gift horse in the mouth. Instead, I grabbed dinner on the way home, inhaled it over the laptop while watching an episode of Charmed, and promptly climbed in bed.

12 hours of sleep, no more, no less. This is what I needed, kids, it’s been a hell of a week and it’s not over yet.

So today instead of something truly interactive, I give you links. First to Dej and then, for those of you with Blackberries, a Google local app for your wee handheld. Via BB, hit: www.google.com/glm. It’ll ask you a few questions during install you’ll never have to answer again, then you’ll have an icon on your BB desktop and you’ll be ready to rock and roll.

Lastly, if you have a public speaking engagement coming up, you may want to read this first.

Enjoy.

Out of curiosity, how many of you are lefties?

Let me know how you ladies do: Intelligence Test

Me? I’m an exceptionally lazy genius, so I scored the minimum to make the grade and quit.

**UPDATE**

Not to be beaten by a boy…ever…I went ahead and punched out a few more.

Kissy boo x2.

***

Final update for the day…28. Because.