I came to the library early today, mostly because of the kind of day it is--dreary with heavy snow that downshifted to wet, cold rain early in the afternoon, and skies so gray as to make Charles Addams feel down in the dumps.
The first thing I noticed when I came in today is that a handsome couple at the top of the stairs were not wearing masks. I assumed they were there to get their photos taken (or maybe to get married--though I don't know if that sort of thing is done in this building, and if it is, if they do it on Saturdays), and I dismissed the thought as I walked away, only to be reminded when I got into the library proper and saw multiple people with no masks on, both sitting and studying and walking around.
I thought, "Wait, did I miss it? Is the pandemic over? Are people able to just move about, their faces naked now, enabling my unworthy eyes to behold what should remain forever private?" But no, the signs are still up, the ones that say "Do not remove your mask while reading or studying," and they just did the twice-an-hour announcement that says to stay six feet apart and wear your fuggin' mask. I just don't know why so many people don't have them on, except for that they might have heard that the masks aren't really enforced anymore.
Sit-ups Today: 100
Sit-ups In February: 1473
Big Anklevich the other day said something to me about wondering why I was so pro-mask when I do not have a reputation for obeying/valuing rules, and it made me think. I think the real reason is that the anti-mask people are so reprehensible, and their reasons for not wearing them are so entrenched in everything that is wrong with our country that I would rather be uncomfortable on the side of right than breathing deeply and picking my nose freely on the side of wrong.
That does remind me, though, of something I thought about earlier today, when preparing to go out and record another Storage Unit Serenade (I had started it the last time it snowed, but forgot the lyrics halfway through, so vowed to learn them properly for the next time it snowed), before the snow turned to ugly rain and I changed my mind (maybe tomorrow). As I've mentioned quite a bit this last year, Big told me a couple (okay, seven) times that he always knew a story was written by Rish Outfield if the main character was a big loser.
So today I thought, in March, I'm going to set a goal to write a story where the main character is not a loser, where he is a man with a wife and happy children, a job and motivation and reasons to see the glass as half full. It seems like a goal worth setting.
And speaking of goals, in the almost two hours before the library closes today, I should at least get a thousand words written. Is that something I can do?
Push-ups Today: 60
Push-ups In February: 1249
Well, big shock--I didn't achieve anything much here at the library. I did spend a good hour shortening my contest story, but still didn't get even close to a thousand words (last count was 1140, down from 1332). A waste of time? Oooh, yes. And don't forget that they close an hour early on Saturdays--for no good reason I could ever been convinced of--so even if I had gotten into a froth of creativity, like I did a couple weeks back, I was doomed from the start.
At night, once everybody was in bed, I set up my microphone again, for attempt number three at recording "Waffle Iron Man." I decided to warm up by recording a 2009 story of mine called "The Freshmen," which has the distinction of having been rejected by both the Drabblecast and PodCastle, not to mention the Dunesteef.
Unfortunately, after I recorded that, I decided to watch the opening sketch on "Saturday Night Live," and well, I never went back. Sorry, kids.
Words Today: 551
Words In February: 9471
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