Melançon Enterprises • a multidivision multinational since 1980

Reading White Oleander, by Janet Fitch. Right in the middle now. Through to the end of Chapter 17, Astrid is at Claire's. (OK, it's official, I do not remember names. I just had to look up Astrid's.) It's been too long since I've read anything not online; read anything that is not politics or technology, Drupal.

It is good. It reminds me that I am moved by words, no by narrative, as much as anything. That I am made to care about the characters.

Dinner party, no one came but Manda. I joked that inviting everyone else was an elaborate ruse to get us an evening alone together.

Mom went out to the bookstore and Dan Cloutier's performance at the arts center (she said the drummer was good) and left us alone.

I cooked and she did her homework.

(The food- more vegetable stir fry, but a little different: http://mlncn.com/node/1156 )

Andrew's committed to quitting smoking in return for the following bribes:

10 days - $100
6 months - $300
1 year - $600

This comes after Dan's ceremony and, before that, my taking a cigarette and smoking some to prevent him from (my first ever, and last).

[Regarding trying to help Andrew quit cigarettes.)

me: Who's side are you on?
Stefan: I'm on my side. I'm just here to watch the show.

and Dan picked us up at the bus station.

Manda: You can get whatever you want, you just have to set out to do it and start taking the small steps.

Rich: Some things are realistically out of reach. (Being a race car driver; drive in video games instead.)

Manda: You could still go work in a garage [etc.]
May find on the path another path that is what you really want.

Me: There should be more basic societal supports for everyone – raising children and making a living should not be completely all-consuming.

2009 is starting out almost as surreal as 2008 was... I'm sitting in Rich and Manda's friend Christina's hospital room, while Manda does reiki on Christina – and the baby in the womb – while Christina's husband Peter describes in detail to Rich a Facebook assassination game.

We'll go with alphabetical order:
[Assorted expletives.]
Ben
Benjamin Gi
Benjamin Melangon
Benjamin x [from domain hoarders that snagged pwgd]
Ben(ny)jamin
Benny Mo
Bon
Jamin
Carbone
Getaway, Getaway Driver [yes, ironically]
Melançon
Melankon
Mother Sparrow

At Vafa's party, i got compliments on how i was dressed, which never happens, so I was confused – some combination of wearing suit pants, I guess, people assumed I was trying and they should say something, and a dress shirt, decently fitting blue sweater, and G's corduroy jacket.

My hair looked as good as it has long but it still could use, uh, styling or something.

Ariah and Doug and Kathryn and Alex are sacked out in Dan and Shannon's living room after I drove them all here in the van, from Vafa's rocking party, where beiruit and rock band and some cards and a great deal of wandering around and drinking (none for me after the first hour or so of arriving) and a great time was had by all.

Happy New Year!