Hello, 2006! And Goodbye Guilt ...

You ever have really bad chocolate? I hate it when that happens. You would think that even terrible chocolate is better than, say, really good goat cheese, right? (This only applies to me, because I think that goat cheese is perhaps one of the most vile tasting "edibles" on the planet. And this always makes me feel like such an outsider since everyone I know covets goat fucking cheese like it's simply the finest food available to man. Tastes like vomit-dirt to me. Sorry, epicureans.)

Why am I blogging about this? Because there are no Red Sox headlines worthy of discussion. I would like to talk about Jim Rice, but I don't want to jinx it.

Hope you all had a safe New Year. I've not made any major resolutions, but here are things I will try to do with more frequency:

1. Read. (I've got a back log of several books and since I no longer take public transportation to work, my biggest challenge this year is going to be finding the available time to read. Speaking of, has anyone read T. C. Boyle? I read a short story of his and really enjoyed it. I've contemplated getting more of his stuff.)

2. Paint. (I started painting a lot recently. My goal is to enroll in the Somerville Open Studios this year. I haven't done it since 2000.)

3. Improve My Swing. (By this, I mean my batting swing. I'm signing up for softball again this year and I want desperately to improve, offensively. This means one thing: Batting Cages - effective immediately)

4. Volunteer. (I will be volunteering for the Animal Rescue League - as soon as they call me. I've already gone to an orientation. I'm waiting for my application to be processed. I seriously can't wait to start this. But, I've got to admit ... I'm a little nervous because I've heard nothing and it's been a little while ...)

5. Work on Guilt. (I find it nearly impossible to go an entire day without feeling varying degrees of guilt. Thank you, Catholicism. You rule. It's so bad, it actually kicks in on it's own. Totally unsolicited and always abundant. Half the time, it's over small and completely meaningless things. Speaking of Catholicism - how is it that this religion preconditions you to feel horrible guilt 24-7, but does not allow you to exonerate yourself from feeling this way? Especially when you're supposed to forgive others with reckless abandon? Underlying message: Suffocate in Your Own Self Hatred. How is this a loving religion? I don't understand it. They should have handed out self flogging devices when we made our first communions.)

I hope the Sox do something noteworthy soon. You certainly don't want any more of these weird, theological blog entries from me.