Saturday, Mary enlisted the aid of her husband, J.R.; two of their employees, Adam and Helen; and our friend Tom to help me move.

No, that’s not quite right…

What actually happened was, *they* moved me to the new apartment while I, for health reasons, mostly stood around and watched.

Somewhere in the English language there may be words to describe such vast generosity and my thankfulness for it, but I don’t know what they are. Without these people, the move would have been impossible.

Same goes for my friends Bret and Carol, without whom all the stuff would never even have been packed.

Why I have people like these around me is a mystery. *Nobody* could be nice enough to have earned their friendship, least of all myself. Somehow, I got very, very lucky.

Mary, J.R., Tom, Bret, Carol, Adam, and Helen — thank you, from the bottom of whichever of my organs are still functioning. You saved my life.

Later today, it’s back to the old apartment for one last walk-through to pick up some items that were inadvertently left behind. It’ll be strange to see that place empty. Then again, I suppose it’s been empty for a long time. For the past couple of years, I’m not even sure *I* was there.

Signed the lease on Friday. Mary, Bret, and I took the walk-through on Sunday. I like almost everything about the place except the green carpets. I’ve had green carpeting in my current apartment for six years. It’s supposed to be the color of life, but it just reminds me of jungle rot. Other that that, though, the apartment looks like it’s going to be very comfortable. I remain optimisitic.

Maybe, once I’m settled in, we can talk about some more substantive matters again.

Any artists or graphic designers out there who’d like to donate their services toward a new masthead for this blog? (A complete new WordPress theme would be even neater, but that entails a *lot* of work.)

Just thought I’d ask…

I haven’t had much energy for tackling politics lately. Fortunately, Steven Grant has. Here’s a link to the political commentary section of his Permanent Damage column on the Comic Book Resources site.

It’s scary stuff, and I agree with about 99% of it.

Yesterday, my friends Bret and Carol came over and we began packing up the apartment.

Also yesterday, I paid a visit to the Adagio rental offiice and gave notice that I was moving out. As the complex is going condo and all the tenants have been asked to vacate, I found it odd that the printed notice form asked why I was leaving. I wrote: “Because you don’t want me to live here anymore.” I enjoy bluntness.

Today, I mailed my USPS change-of-address card.

Tomorrow, I sign the lease on the new place and pick up the keys.

I really am moving.

Yoiks!

It was March of 2000 when the ex and I moved into this apartment complex, the Adagio. At the end of this month, I’ll finally be moving out. The place is going condo. Even if that weren’t the case, it was time. Actually, it was time at least a year ago. Maybe three.

There aren’t any ghosts in the house. There are barely even memories anymore. But the barest hint of stale mojo still lingers. It’ll be good to get away from it completely and forever.

My new address will be on Sky Pointe Drive.

How’s that for optimism?

There are number of things I’ve wanted to write about — mostly personal, some political, plus a few odd thoughts about music and observations on comics — but I’ve been going through a couple of weeks where the words won’t hook up.

Soon.

O, Death
O, Death
Won’t you spare me over ’til another year?
     — Ralph Stanley

Or:

Woo hoo, woo hoo hoo.
Woo hoo, woo hoo hoo.
Woo hoo, woo hoo hoo.
Woo hoo, woo hoo hoo.
Woo hoo, woo hoo,
Woo hoo, woo hoo hoo.
     — The 5678s

Your choice.

HNY.

I’m not going to wish you “Merry Christmas” *or* “Happy Holidays”. I’m not going to wish you “Happy Chanukah”, “Happy Kwanzaa”, or “Season’s Greetings”, either.

My seasonal wish is simply this:

Enthused
Fuckmas!

May each and every one of you get laid by New Years Eve. That will truly make the world a more peaceful, more joyous place.

My answers to Ninth Art’s First & Last Quiz.

(By the way, Moe actually *showed* me how he combed his hair back so he could travel in polite society.)

Take a look at the other interviews in this series, too. They’re all interesting.