Thunderboomers

There's a thunderstorm raging outside, and I'm enjoying the sound of it all -- the fury of the wind, the crackling roar of the explosive thunder, the heavy pelting of the rain against the window. I think that were it possible (and I'm sure it is, but not easily) I'd have a sound system in the bedroom that just gave environmental sounds, with this being one of the most selected. One time, when I lived in South Dakota on an Air Force base, I had an environmental sound record of a soft rain playing while some base personnel were in my room to repair something. They kept looking curiously out the window at the clear blue sky, and finally one of them asked me if I heard thunder. I confessed, and he looked scornfully at me. What kind of real man plays environmental sounds?

I'm getting comfortable with the idea of having the dental implants done. I wasn't worried about it, but I was anxious over the cost. Now I'm thinking of it this way: it's not a trivial amount by any normal means, but its about what we save and earn in interest in six months. I'm willing to work another six months (at the end of the period when I thought I'd be leaving) to pay for it. Or help pay: I will welcome any assistance that the insurance folks want to give, or can be coerced to give. And speaking of staying, I got a very guarded piece of good news: the manager of the little tiny piece of MegaGiHugic Software where I work has put my project on the list of things that he tells our customer about. Why is this good? Because it puts pressure on his subordinate to keep the project moving along -- and one of his subordinates told me that if and when that guy complains about the pace of progress, he will casually point out that I spend half my time, easily, working on something else (the something that I'd like to not be doing) and things would certainly move faster if I was freed of that burden. Do I think it'll happen? (sigh) No. But I can dream.

Two days till my wife's birthday. Haven't gotten her a thing. There are perils in being married to someone who is so magical that nothing does her justice (at least, in my eyes). But I'll try, anyway.