JANUARY 06.08. So far the new year has allowed me to enjoy simple everyday routine duties, waiting in line at the post office, borrowing a book at the library, stitching an old shirt with a hole in the armpit. Went to joan's on third yesterday for some of their mac and cheese, and beverly center today just to see the new glass wall by the escalator. the glass makes all the difference, more light. Trader joes for lunch tomorrow, gyro wrap with lamb and sauce. Bruce was watching the democrats in new hampshire tonight, i watched for the hell of it, but leaning towards Giuliani- Brian's been canvassing for Huckabee. And the rain off and on, not bad- it's on now, but been dry most of the weekend.

1.01.08. It came as a pleasant surprise when we discovered that Pa would be singing in the church choir Christmas Eve. Pa, who never had as much as a kind word for the bible or the cross, has turned a 180, and is well on the winding path to accepting the Lord in his life. Suppose he was tired of being the only one at home when the rest of us were at church. Both he and I still find the sermons exhaustingly dull but we continue to carry on for the fellowship and the touch of the town. A man grows even wearier of sealing himself off from his neighbor.

This year like the past roughly three decades I waited to the last minute to pick up some gifts for the tree. The thought of trying to wangle for a parking spot at Valley Faire, after 5 hours on the road Saturday morning, convinced me to go to the vallco mall. Vallco is the abandoned ghost mall with the Chinese restaurant but it has a jc penney and a sears. So it was Sears where I handled all the 2007 presents- winter caps, all conveniently discounted, got one for myself too- that’s the problem with Christmas shopping, you end up spending just as much on yourself as you do your near and dear. Brian got me a guitar tuner and an ipod car adapter, very handy on the 8 hour ride down to Sunset Boulevard. Ma got me a beatles tshirt and a box of biscotti. And we’re back to work tomorrow and I look forward, the direction I always look when I wake up to a new year.

12.04.07. Today, things don’t bother me like they used to, I think it’s because you get to a point where you’ve seen everything under the sun and done everything to be done- you’re ready for the Lord to take you home when he sees fit. So it seems all these roads, you’ve been down before and nothing will stop you from that long and curious march to the grave. You have dignity and pride, but in the end it all amounts to a hill of beans, yet you still cling to that pride for dear life like nothing else really matters.... I’m about unhandy as they come in the home improvement department but I still love the idea of home depot. I put a new lock on my door and screwed down a Bemis toilet seat. Bookshelves, a desk. Basic things that don’t require fancy saws or cement mix. Easy things that need to be done- curtains, hooks for the wall. Screwing things is easy. Drive into the Hollywood Home Depot and a truckload of campaneros flag me down. Clear the way Senor. Why have I been bogged down all day long? Maybe it’s a bug of the stomach variety.