rattle and bang

Hello everyone. Today's the day my phone line apparently dies at some point. It hasn't happened just yet. What with the pounding and banging, today isn't exactly conducive to talking. Some workers are updating the siding on my parents' house. I presumed most of the hard knocks would come from below me. However, siding apparently hangs from the roof or something. My room is on a corner of the house so there have been a lot of sharp hits. Sometimes, I half expect to have a hammer smash right through the wall or ceiling. Thankfully, it's quieter now in the afternoon.

I've switched to the Eset Smart Security package to protect my computers. So far, other than with the clarity of the license options prior to purchase, I'm extremely impressed. Once you deactivate the graphical interface, everything is totally accessible. I had to buy a separate license for each computer at a cost of $89 per two-year license. Not bad. However, had I gotten a two-user pack, it would have been much more reasonable. I can apparently combine things when it's time to renew my licenses in a couple of years. Other than that snafu, things have gone quite well so far. I'm going to plough through the manual to see about this laptop mode to try and reduce the impact on my netbook's performance or battery.

Lake Jo is pretty much out of the question this year. Simply put, I can do a whole lot more with $300 this Summer if I don't go. I'm just spent too much updating everything and getting ready for the married life I was so damned certain I was about to start. I can't say I'm at all bitter about the lack of extra funds. All the investments I made were designed to minimise what I might have had to eventually spend Janene's money on after marriage. They'll stand me in very good stead both for when I finally either get affordable housing on my own or move in with somebody I can actually damned well trust. I've rejoined PlentyofFish again in the faint hope of eventually finding such a woman. Who knows? Perhaps, I'll actually beet the stupendous odds and meet somebody new this Summer. Realistically, it'll be the dead of Winter before I'm even remotely likely to get anywhere. In the meantime, I can perhaps do some good for people in the forums. I managed to do that before from time to time.

Mobility plans have somewhat altered also. Anje and Tony are moving to Woodbridge so there's no point at all trying to learn to get to their current place. Adam's also thinking of moving but I suspect it'll be quite a while before he does. Also, his place is within walking distance and shouldn't be nearly as hard to learn. Wouldn't you know it? I finally work up the resolve to throw every last trick I have at this whole mobility thing and people either move or decide I'm not worth marrying. Go figure. One thing I'll have to look into is going to a church around here. I didn't exactly intend to stop going for good. It just seemed more practical to start going once Janene and I had settled somewhere. Also, things at the old church just never seemed to get beyond "see you next Sunday." Church is probably the only real practical avenue I have for perhaps meeting new people and for potentially doing some good for people who aren't halfway round the world from me. As much as I enjoy the emails I get, it would be good to feel like I'm part of a physical community. I just wish I could have a sense of permanence in life. Preferably, I'd like to find a woman to spend the rest of life with. That kind of permanant relationship would use a lot more of my potential to good effect and be far more rewarding. Failing that, a place that I could permanantly call my own would give me at least some sense of progress in life. As comfortable as it is here, it just isn't where I should be at damned near thirty-five. The light at the end of the tunnel has certainly winked out for now. I know I've learned a lot and am much more prepared now. I just have to keep on hoping, try to be patient, and make the best of life that I can meanwhile. That starts right now. I'm going to look into the Meadowvale Christian Reform church and see if I can't at least put something new into Sundays.