Progress

A checklist of things accomplished and to be accomplished since the beginning of 2009:

* New exhaust system on car (ostensibly to pass this year's E-Check, though also to keep me from inhaling unhealthy amounts of carbon monoxide and keep me from smelling like the interior of an auto repair shop 24/7): check.

* Power steering on car repaired and functioning nominally: check.

* Possibly impulsive and ill-timed purchase of new, very speedy PC from MicroCenter, partially on a $200 gift card I'd received for Christmas: check.

* Heater unit maintenance to clear out a few years of dust buildup: check.

* Completion of re-inspection by Inspector Dickhead: check.

* Cleveland Indians 2009 spring training: in progress.

* Record Den sales status as of end of February 2009: cautiously optimistic following an absolutely awful January.

* Pointless obtaining of permit/plumber inspection for new water heater installed last year (by licensed plumbers, I might add) in order to get the city of Willowick off my back for this year once and for all: pending.

* Next six months of car insurance paid off: pending.

* A couple more dental fillings in April (which, if nothing else, finally closes the book on that ongoing project): pending.

* Dad's status on physical rehabilitation (following a late January bout with pneumonia in his other lung): pending.

* Current pace of Amazon sales: tortoise-like.

* State of condo cleanliness: cluttered.

* Setup/installation of new possibly impulsive and ill-timed purchase of new, very speedy PC from MicroCenter, partially on a $200 gift card I'd received for Christmas: delayed while trying to backup and offload ridiculous amounts of files from this one.

* 2008 income taxes: delayed until I can get needed dividend info from Dad.

* Scheduling of an ultrasound test at LakeWest Hospital (a very cheap and cost-effective procedure, I'm sure) to ascertain that Chuck is no longer hanging around: delayed awaiting the completion of "bill week".

Things are gradually becoming better than they were when I last updated this blog. My overall mood is improving considerably. There is a new U2 album next week. Baseball season starts in just over a month. Best of all: summer's comin'.

NP: (Various Artists) Cafe Del Mar Volume Five