I know, I'm a lazy, non-posting scumball lately. I promise I'll get back in the habit once classes start again. (My procrastination potential increases in a linear relationship with the amount of schoolwork I'm supposed to be doing!)

I've been trying to make my "goof-off time" count. Among other things, I've actually read some books that have nothing to do with technology management, including:

• Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
• The Map That Changed the World: William Smith and the Birth of Modern Geology by Simon Winchester
• The Natural by Joe Klein
• A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson (originally reccomended by Danielle, I believe)
• Look at Me by Jennifer Egan
• The Summons by John Grisham
• Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich
• Chicago Then and Now by Elizabeth McNulty (Christmas gift from my mom who went to a conference in Chicago and fell in love with the city.)
• Fresh for '01 You Suckas: A Boondocks collection by Aaron McGruder. (Still my one of my favorite comics that the local paper is too chicken to carry.)
• Most of the relaunch issue of the Oxford American, which has been on woefully shaky financial ground for the last few years, but is supposedly coming back.

I've even done some cleanup around the house, although it's still pretty disorganized. But at least they're no longer sending out avalanche warnings for the area around my desk. And I used rubbing alcohol (folk remedy suggested by some website) to clean the little aphid thingies off of one of my big houseplants. The patient is in remission, but we'll see how it goes.