1/6/01

tight-science.com is finally online, thanks to the efforts of Phil. Of course, seeing as how I haven't actually added any real new content to the new domain other than a redesigned index page, it's all sort of meaningless, but it's a heck of a lot shorter and easier to remember than my old URL. I've also created a mirror diary index page there at http://www.tight-science.com/diary.html.

So, yeah, minor site redesigning has taken up much of my morning when I should have been at work. I should be at work now. I should have been at work yesterday. I'm having a hard time getting motivated to work those grueling graduate student hours I'm supposed to be putting in. It's just hard to get worked up about doing something today, Sunday, when it's not going to be finished for several days anyway even if I start it now, and what does a day or two really matter, anyway, when it's not going to be published for at least another few months? Of course, the problem with that kind of thinking is that it's possible to rationalize putting things off for weeks, and then you end up spending your whole day playing "just one more game" of computer solitaire or reading that trashy book or shopping for candles and a new shower curtain and other stuff you don't really need.

I actually still haven't left the house yet, although it's after 1 p.m. and I've been awake for about 6 hours now. I haven't really done much all weekend. Yesterday, I woke up, ran 13 miles, did some shopping (including buying the aforementioned unnecessary but irresistable new candles and shower curtain) and then fell asleep. I've noticed that on days when I do my long runs, I'm not really much good for doing anything else. I have to remind myself of this fact during the occasional moments when I feel inspired to train for a marathon after this half-marathon is over. I feel pretty certain that I could do it, but it would mean a huge time committment, which I really ought not to be making at this point in my life. But who knows, maybe I'll give in to the temptation...

I haven't even seen any of my friends this weekend. I think I got "peopled out" over the holidays, so I didn't bother calling anyone to make any plans, and nobody called me either. Friday night I worked late and then spent most of the evening playing computer games. Last night, I gave in to temptation and went to the video store and rented "Starship Troopers" so I could see the beginning and the end (you may recall that I saw the middle over at Alvin's house earlier in the week). Have I mentioned lately how much I love my neighborhood video store? They have the most amazing selection, and many of the video boxes have funny commentaries written on them. Last night I saw that the box for the allegedly mediocre Leonardo DiCaprio vehicle "The Beach" had a little sign on it that said "this movie is based on a book by Alex Garland. The book is excellent." My only complaint about the video store is that their videos are only vaguely alphabetized. I've noticed that this is a common problem with independent retailers of books and CDs and other items which one would expect to be alphabetized. I guess it's a minor thing, but it drives me crazy. Maybe I'm a little bit obsessive about this topic--in fact, my own book and CD collections are alphabetized, which people often comment upon. But I'd never be able to find anything if they weren't!

OK, now I'm feeling really guilty about not going to work, so I'm going to go in.

The forum: Are you obsessively organized?