Random Thoughts at Midweek

• I was out sick yesterday, the sinus congestion having finally caught up with me. That and not enough sleep. The worst part was missing my Theology of the Body class on Monday night, and my swing dance class on Tuesday night. But I think my body was telling me I needed time to myself. So I took it.

• I'll be fifty years old at the end of the year. You know that old saying about when life begins? Now they're saying that "life begins at 50." They've got a point.

• I have an update on Friar Benedict Groeschel's condition from the superior of his order, Father Glenn Sudano. This is current as of yesterday. Besides being downright entertaining and not taking himself too seriously, Father Groeschel's writings and lectures have been an inspiration for many of us. But as the notice says, he's "not out of the woods yet," since he's 70 years old, and has a history of heart trouble, including (as I recall) a serious bypass operation some years ago.

• One of my favorite singer-songwriters, John Gorka, will be appearing at the Birchmere in Alexandria this Friday. I've gotta go see him again, as it's been over a year since the last time.

• Another item has appeared in the news about hotel heiress Paris Hilton. I keep tellling myself, this gal seems to have a lot of free time on her hands. Doesn't she have a job or something? If she's going to inherit a hotel chain, would it do her some good to learn something about how it all works? Her daddy could start her out at the reservations hotline, even move on to concierge. By then she could have her own office. Anything but all this goofing off. I mean, this reality TV show kick can't last forever.... can it?

• My son will graduate in five months. Then his mother will probably leave the area, and he will probably move in with some friends of his. I'm thinking about what I'm gonna do after all that happens, once the boy doesn't rely on my support as much as before. Maybe the time has come to live in more than one room. You know, have a separate room for "living" and "sleeping." Maybe even an extra room for "sleeping." I could call it a "guest room" or a "den." What a concept!

• I was going through some of my stuff (and one of the consequences of having a lot of interests, is that you accumulate a lot of stuff), and found a three-videotape series on "How to Play the Piano." I've got an electronic keyboard that I purchased on eBay last summer. I suppose I should learn to play it at some point.

• Speaking of playing, I'm falling behind on my guitar practice. I could lose my touch. Heaven forbid!!!