Lots going on since I got back online the other day. First off, I finished the latest issue of The Commoner, which is a volunteer typesetting gig I picked up a while back. This issue should have been done weeks ago, so on some level I feel bad about that. Though this particular issue is about twice as long as I was expecting when I took the gig; it’s actually a book-length manuscript, about 240 pages. The Commoner does very good work, looking at modern issues theoretically, through the lens of commons vs. enclosures. Very necessary stuff. When the issue actually gets online, I’ll post a link here.
Secondly, I’ve really been appreciating the hell out of my friends lately. I’ve been in a space of gratitude for these people for a long time; it’s just been intensified recently as they have been at my side through the ups and downs of the past couple of months. It would have been easy for me to slide into a deep sea of misery, doing nothing but whining about how unfair the universe is and giving away my power, wallowing in a long, continuous fit of self-deprecating and self-imposed perdition. But that’s sooooo unattractive and nauseating. I’m glad these people have helped me to remain focused, and to know that despite the sadness in and around me lately, I’m still incredibly lucky. Love can be difficult. But even at its worst, it remains a grand thing, a thing that confirms for me that we are powerful beings indeed. The question, after all, is not will we have challenges in our lives, but rather, how will we respond to these challenges.
The Freakwitch gig went well the other night. I’d never been to the Asylum before, though over the past few weeks I’d been told that they seem to have a hard time promoting their shows. These rumors were confirmed when only about 30 people turned out for the Mike Keneally band. What a shame. But, the people there seemed to enjoy our set, which is good. We played fairly well, I thought, even if it was only a 30 minute acoustic set.
There is a new version of Ubuntu Linux out — actually it’s been out for 2 months now. I want to upgrade my laptop to this new version, as I’ve managed to utterly break java in my current installation, which is the previous version of Ubuntu. I also want to upgrade my old desktop machine, which hasn’t really been actively sysadmined for almost a year. Sheesh.
All for now, I have a busy day ahead (chores, go to the gym, then Freakwitchery tonight).