20151220.0622

I would seem to have done better today than yesterday at rising when I ought to. I was still abed later than I would prefer, but half past five is better than hours later. It is an improvement on which I hope to capitalize; perhaps I will be able to get back to my accustomed timing before too long. I hope so, as I tend to feel I get more done in a day if my day starts early than if my day does not. Perhaps it is a feeling grounded in nothing, but it is still my feeling, and I harm none by following it, so there should be no problem in my doing it--except that there is one in actually doing it, as I have been complaining over the past week.

I got my hair cut and my beard trimmed yesterday. It was time for both to happen, to be sure, and even though things are somewhat cooler, I am glad to be freed of some of the weight. I am somewhat less glad at having seen so much white and silver on the black barber's sheet (is there a word for the thing that practitioners of the tonsorial arts drape over those upon whom they work?). Grey hairs have appeared on me intermittently since I was twelve (seriously), and they have been spreading across my scalp and cheeks and chin. I had not realized, though, how many of them there are upon me; the stark contrast yesterday was certainly informative.

Work continues. My freelance client is looking to expand the offerings his company makes and paid me for a consultation to that end. I am glad of both the money offered for my doing so and the regard for my skills and knowledge the request for a consultation implies. There are not many places in the "professional" world willing to express in more than a cursory fashion appreciation for the kinds of work to which my studies have trained me, at least not that I have encountered as yet. The validation, even if it remains essentially exploitative, is welcome--particularly since it comes accompanied by that most precious of things to business: money. I am looking forward to being advised of what the initial effort for expansion will be; I think I will be the first to do one of the new write-ups.

It is good that work does continue. Yesterday, the Mrs. and I went to have some of the shuttlepod's fluids examined, as people who own vehicles often do. As we did, we were told that the vehicle had grown misaligned and that its tires needed attention. Since we do a fair bit of driving, this was a concern for us, and we had the needed work done. It was not inexpensive for someone on the salary of contingent faculty. There is money coming in, but it not do so for some days yet. I hope that nothing goes wrong , particularly between now and when the money hits and I am able to do more work to bring in more of it.