Plans.

I think it’s important to have a plan. I know that my parents are planning for their old age– not only in terms of money, but in case their judgement becomes shaky. This is on my mind because of my mother’s parents.

A few weeks ago, my grandmother napped all day. My grandfather was not concerned. She was in a diabetic coma, and it was pure luck that she woke up the next day. Their three daughters only found out two days later. Since then, she had continued to slip under every few days, despite a hospital’s best efforts. They didn’t plan for this, or make any efforts to organize or gauge their financial status. They didn’t tour assisted care facilities in their 70’s, so in their 80’s it falls to my mother and her sisters. I went to see my grandfather last week, while his wife was admitted to the hospital. I asked if he’d been thinking of what the future held. He said they would stay put until they couldn’t keep the farm up any more. But they already weren’t, and didn’t seem to realize it. A woman from their church did their cleaning. My aunt did their mowing. They spent six hours each day preparing and cleaning up after two meals. The house and surrounding trailers and storage sheds were rotting, the house teeming with molds inside the insulation. The pipes were paper-thin with age.

The three daughters convinced their parents to move. By now most of the important items have been transferred to an assisted care facility. They will have activities, their car, and a place to garden. They will be close to a hospital and meal prep will consist of getting to the cafeteria at an appointed time.

My mother has been here, five hours from home, for over a week. When she called last night she seemed on the edge of a breakdown. I want to take care of her, but midterms are coming and I feel guilty for being unable to drop everything. She has worked as an accountant and a tax preparer, and has become the sister in charge of the finances. Shoe-boxes of papers, no organization, some dated in the 1950’s. Papers as old as my mother.

Planning is important.

Really?

I still have hope for the world because of Craigslist’s Missed Connection and Free sections. Craigslist came into my life a bit less than a year ago, and has brought me:

- dates, good and bad, which became fodder for a documentary

- subjects to interview for the documentary

- Drummer

- an apartment and roommate which do not suck

- various furniture

- fodder for other art endeavors

- a 250GB USB2.0 external hard drive

- knowledge that a fainting goat can be obtained for $40, and that some males believe declaring their need for a BJ entitles them to one.

For anyone who does not think Freud is total crap, I would recommend the book Men, Women, and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film, by Carol Clover. My own enjoyment is hampered by the provisional statement in the first sentence, but it is still fascinating.

I have devised a simple system for shooting first-person POV anaglyphic 3D video. If you have access to power tools, the whole rig is very affordable.

I turn 21 on October 8th, and have no classes until two the next day. Excellent.

drop of/f the world

School started last Monday. I am getting my mind kicked back into shape, though it is not a pleasant process. I feel high-strung, nervous, and grouchish. I am putting two pieces in a 6-person show for the 13th. This is short notice. One piece is not complete. I do not know when I will find time.

Drummer has a new job. It was getting very dire there for a bit before he got severance pay from the last. This new one starts tomorrow. I think he is excited.

Blah. Political hypocrasy is rampant, that’s all I’ll say on that front.