Due to wiring problems in this building, or the civilized world's annoying habit of changing its clocks twice a year, I regularly do get the thrill of re-setting the digital timepieces in this apartment. Easy-piesy, in all cases but one. The clock on the microwave often gives me trouble, and the manual is long gone so I have tended to start afresh, trying out possibilities, every time the situation arises. No More. I am going to set it down here so as ever after to be able to use THIS as my manual. First, hold the button that says "clock" down for three seconds. This gets that display off the "timer" setting onto the proper clock setting. The screen will then give me a choice between the twelve and the 24 hour format. Don't go with 24. That is annoying. I was never in the military and though the 'translation' of "1450" into "2:50" is only a little bit of mental energy, it is a bit I'm just as happy to conserve. So t...
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No new babies in my life but I do have a new laptop. It is a bit wrenching to realize how long I have gone without being able to see the letters on the keys. I had worn them right out on the older one. And I am not the conscientious sort of writer who will remain forever free of typos. I'm not proud of it, but I can use these letters. So let's call this a red-letter day for me.
Should I ever write a novel of contemporary life in the U.S. (a possibility asymptotically approaching zero with age and a growing sense of limits) I would include a scene in a book store, or at a book stand, or maybe along the stacks of a library. Somewhere where actual dead-tree books are found collected. In this scene, the protagonist would survey a number of the titles on a best sellers' shelf, and think sardonic thoughts about why these books had been successful. There would be one called " 'The Laxative Diet,' which recommends what that title would suggest it recommends." Its very existence would lead our protagonist to reflect, "Earlier centuries had the good fortune to be bloated, if at all, with fat ." And then his eyes would pass along to the next book. So now you're probably glad this book will remain unwritten, eh?