my studio looks good.  really good.  stacky stained a board, we mounted it to the wall and put some instrument hangers on it.  i ordered two more so that i can get my mandolin and either my banjo or uke up on there as well.  that leaves the floor clear for the other four instruments (three that sit below and one that is "in use" near the mics).  instruments in cases don't get played.  i have solved that problem!

i've got a tiny lamp for ambient light and it feels like the room is huge.  the closet still needs to be addressed, but that will come in time.  it looks and feels like a productive space.  something i've never had before.

i sat down last night to record and enhance my mfc7 entry.  i really like it and in my opinion it only needs some minor tweaking to make it something special.  i started to suck last night, so i quit.  i got a good sketch and a more elaborate structure than "just do this for a while" but not much more.  progress sometimes comes slowly.  i'm ok with that as long as it's there.

my father and stepmother are coming for a visit.  they'll be here tomorrow and are staying through monday.  i imagine it will be a good time.  i haven't seen the old man in a while.  too long.  he'll meet my inlaws and i'm sure that will be fascinating.  i've said for some time now that stacky's dad and my dad are very much alike.  it will be interesting to see how that plays out.  they'll all be at our place for dinner friday night.  then there is the saturday event at the inlaws' to celebrate our holy union.  i'm of the opinion that my m-i-l is plotting something, but that remains unsubstantiated.  perhaps i simply need to recalibrate my spider-sense.

anyway, i feel closer to my father because of what i've been through.  i think i understand him better.  there were some similarities in our situations that i couldn't see when i was younger.  on the balance, he's a good man.  i was harder on him than i should have been and my behavior toward my stepmother over the years was inexcusable.  going forward, i'll be certain that i remember that.  the wisdom in all of this is that sometimes it isn't about whether people are good or bad, it's about the situation.  that took a long time to learn.

my poor beloved whimpered all night long in her sleep.  she's in a lot of pain and i hate that.  it's no fun when the most important person in your life is hurting.  it'll pass.

please refer to previous comments about it being too fucking hot in this state for civilized folk like me.  90 degrees in october?  what the fuck?  i guess the world will end in fire...i'd have preferred ice, myself.

i'll call an end to mfc8 voting tonight!  get your votes in now!