Dreary doesn't begin to describe it.

New England during monsoon season is as dreary as anything one can imagine. True, it helps that there are vibrant leaves about, but thanks to all of the rain, they're mostly underfoot, which is pretty but treacherous (they're slippery little suckers).

That the dogs do not smell their best damp isn't helping the general ambiance around here, either.

And though I am not a cat person, I cannot help but be worried that our Butler's blood work indicates there may be some cancer in his carcass. Nothing's definite until the biopsy results are in next week, but he apparently has an abundance of the sort of white cells that signal big trouble.

We shall have to wait and see, as is almost always the case.

On other fronts, I just finished a little bit of freelance work, so feel terribly productive and all that. It's silly what a little paid work will do for this gal, but then, it's not silly what not having any paid work would do to this gal, so we'll just enjoy work when it comes.

In the hopes that it will feel welcome and keep coming back for more, see?

As for "real" work prospects, there's been no word from the earnest folks I interviewed with last week. And my experience suggests that no news from a prospective employer is generally bad news.

But you know, I'm handlin' it.

That's one of my favorite movie lines of all times, btw. It's from the classic "Desert Hearts," and it's the wonderful reply to a not-terribly liked woman saying, "Long time no see." (Isn't that wonderful? Maybe you had to be there....)

Finally made my lodging reservations for my P-town roundup performance. Perhaps one of these decades I will get my act together and stay around for the whole roundup, but considering my finances and all, it's likely best this is another over-nighter. Besides, it might be weird to perform for people one night, then spill my guts in workshops the next.

Perhaps it's best to keep a little separation between my comedy and program, eh? (That's my rationalization du jour, anyway.)

What else is new? Well, the president is now talking about reducing (or was it eliminating?) the individual tax deductions for mortgage interest and health care expenses, which would eliminate two of my major sources of tax relief for good.

Of course, since the miracle that is Busheconomics has hit my personal fan in the form of a 66% paycut, I guess I won't have high taxes to worry about for the foreseeable.

There's some good news in there somewhere, right?

No matter how you slice it, I just can't make Bush funny. He's a shitheel to end all shitheels, and I can find no relief from the ruination he's causing through The Comedy.

Yet.