Good books are like a good meal.

I've been re-reading Neil Gaiman's American Gods and I finished it today while out with Mom as I had to play chauffer to help her find a place in Columbia.

One of the things that struck me on this second read through was the very leisurely pace. Sure, it's not a book I found easy to put down, even knowing what was going to happen, but at the same time I wasn't white knuckling the edges while sitting on the edge of my seat. The story pulled me in bit by bit and then unhurriedly unfolded before me and before I knew it, I'd read all almost-six hundred pages.

Another thing I noticed is how, after finishing, I felt none of the usual let down of "Aw, it's over now." I was sated and happy like I would be after a filling meal in which I didn't overindulge. My mind is still processing and re-examining portions and uncovering things I missed the first time I read it, but it's not because I felt like anything was left out. This story is complete, whole, and near perfect.

At any rate, American Gods is still a wonderful read, and I will probably read it again at some point in the future. I've got Anansi Boys to read next, and then I'll probably take a break from Gaiman and see what else is waiting on my bookshelf. Then again, I might read Neverwhere as I've never gotten around to that (well, I read a couple of chapters, but then Dad got sick and...well, the book is still around unread).

Yesterday and Today

So, Sunday night I decided to put on a load of laundry before bed. Not really a big deal and just something I do when I'm behind in household chores (as I am woefully behind now). I'd already changed into a shirt for bed, so I wasn't wearing any long pants, and I picked up some of the kiddo's clothes from the floor and headed into my bathroom to get some other stuff. That's when I felt a very bad burning sensation in my left thigh, then as I cursed and grabbed my leg, I heard a buzzing sound coming from the shirt I'd been holding.

I threw the clothes into my bathtub and out crawled a wasp from the kiddo's long-sleeved shirt. Yes, a wasp. Indoors. In February. No, I can't quite believe my "luck" either.

Fortunately, it seems I got the stinger out really quickly and there was not even any swelling. There was some burning and a little soreness Sunday night, but since then I've felt all right. This is only the second time in my life I've been stung and the first time I've managed to get a wasp sting. That's really surprising considering how often I've stumbled upon wasps nests before, and how one time my mother managed to get stung while I somehow avoided the notice of several wasps. I suppose that's not bad for being 29 years old and growing up in the country.

Monday saw me recovering from a rough night of sleep (the wasp thing kind of freaked me out in addition to being painful), and then today I had to drive Mom to a doctor's appointment in Columbia (just a standard thing - she's healthy so no one worry). After we finished with her appointment, we went to a Wendy's to eat as there are no Wendy's near here. Right as I walked in the door, I heard a familiar voice on the radio saying, "Never gonna give you up/Never gonna say good-bye/Never gonna run around and desert you..."

I got Rick-rolled by life, y'all.

I kept my thoughts to myself and was glad Mom didn't ask why I chuckled. I really can't imagine that I could explain Rick-rolling in any way she could possibly understand. If I attempted it, she'd get it all wrong and then call my aunt to explain it to her and next thing you'd know my aunt would be talking to me about the Internet and drugs and that it's full of weirdos.

If I come across as silly, it's because I am. I'm very tired after spending three hours on the road with Mom and then taking the kiddo to speech not long after I got back. I left the house this morning at 7:30 and didn't get back until 3:40 this afternoon. That's too much time in a car. I'm still anxious and still dealing with a lot of anxiety, but I'm hanging in there and will continue to do so. I'll probably explain more later.

Yeah, I think the Rick-rolling probably sums up my day very nicely. Not a bad day by any stretch of the imagination, but a little exhausting with just a hint of absurdity thrown in to keep me on my toes.