It’s been damn near two weeks since I updated this site - - and in blog time, that’s a long time, hey? Hmm…do you own your blog, or does your blog own you? Ever feel beholden to this thing called blog? I know a lot of folks who do… and in the last 5 years that I’ve been maintaining this lil’ blog, there have been times I have. In the last week, however…I almost forgot it was here! Bad, baaaaaaaad blog owner!

I think after finally finishing the book - I needed a mental break. Not too mention a physical one away from things computer related. I didn’t realize the level of exhausion I was putting myself through until it was all over - and then, it hit like a brick. Isn’t that always the way?

In the last week, I finished up Michael Palmer’s latest, The Fifth Vial . I’ve been a longtime fan of Michael Palmer’s book, having read every single one he’s published - The Fifth Vial was no dissapointment. At the risk of spoiling the story for anyone - I’ll reserve my full review for my Amazon review posting. I finished the book sometime around 1am on late night - it is one of those page-turners that you just can’t put down..at least, I couldn’t. I ended up surfing to the authors website and dropped him a note about how much I enjoyed it. To my very pleasant surrpise, he wrote back and we shared a few emails the following day…that’s almost as good as an autograph! It’s really nice to hear back from an author - - I’ve written to Clive Cussler and Stephen King a few times with no reply ever..and the first time I write to Michael Palmer, I hear back from him within 12 hours. I he must be really, really procrastinating on his next book!

The next day, I cracked open a new book that looked really interesting and I’m only about a 1/4 of the way through it so far, but I’m really liking what I’m reading. It’s called The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. …”Late one night, exploring her father’’s library, a young woman finds an ancient book and a cache of yellowing letters. The letters are all addressed to “My dear and unfortunate successor,” and they plunge her into a world she never dreamed of - a labyrinth where the secrets of her father’’s past and her mother’’s mysterious fate connect to an inconceivable evil hidden in the depths of history…”

I’m finding it very interesting, so far - I’ll let you know how it goes when it’s over. Which might be awhile, seeing as how it’s 656 pages - but I’ll muttle through.

Aside from catching up on my reading - I’ve, of course, been working and desperately need to update my portfolio with new projects that I, and the other designers at E.Webscapes, have completed in the past few weeks.

I have big plans for the weekend to paint the kitchen. Stopped at Menards this evening to pickup the paint and supplies. The next weekend after that, we’ll be laying laminate flooring in the kitchen (paint first - - flooring second!) - - and subsequent weekends after that will see my living room and foyer painted, as well as our master bathroom. I caught that home improvement bug recently - so I figured that I would ride that wave while it lasts.

Finally, this evening, I picked up my daughter from work. She’s 16 and started her new job at McDonald’s about a month ago (we call her McMissy). McDonald’s opened up a new store (replacing the old one which they tore down) and tonight was the grand opening, so I went a little early to check the new place out. Not that I’m much of a McDonald’s fan - I try to avoid the place as much as McPossible…but I had to show some support. I stepped into the new place and saw fireplaces, plasma TVs (two of them!) and two comfy leather armchairs in front of the fireplace.

I ask you - are you tempted to take your Big Mac and curl up in front of the fire your local McDonald’s restaurant? I thought it was a little strange… and found it to be a little Starbucks-ish. I remember reading an article 10 or 12 years ago that McDonald’s used to purposefully design their stores so that you weren’t comfortable sitting in their restaurant. They didn’t want you hanging out there..because it’s fast food. Easy come..easy go. Now you can curl up in front of the fire, eat your dinner and take a nap, apparently.

So strange.

But, hey, the girl is employed and McDonald’s really is a nice first job experience - - it was my first job when I was 15. Guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!