Started using the health club here at the office today; I can't say I'm real impressed. The equipment, even at its most adjustable, is clearly made for somebody at least five inches shorter than me. And all of the weights are indicated by means of decals ... which have all worn off. Did I chest press 85 lbs or 150? I have no idea, the decals were worn off.

However, the worst part of it all was Chatty Guy. We're talking Mikey from Class Menagerie, at around age 38. After telling us his views on Iraq and Colin Powell (neither of which I was interested in), advising us all on why velcro-closed tennis shoes were better than laced ones (and that Wal-Mart has the best deal on same), he then headed off to the locker room for 45 minutes.

I stalled on the treadmill hoping he'd go (I didn't want to think about what advice he'd try to give me in the shower), but eventually I reached the point where I had just enough time to shower and change and get to work on time, so reluctantly I went to the locker room, where I was confronted by Chatty Guy in his underwear.

Apparently unfazed by the mental emanations of "Don't talk to me!" I was broadcasting at full strength, he attempted to initiate small talk. I responded politely but without enthusiasm and headed off to the shower.

Third Guy came in at around this point, heading straight for the toilet stall and filling the entire locker room with a heady aroma. *cough* Wrapped in a towel and standing under the hair dryer, I emanated mental commands to Chatty Guy to finish getting dressed and get the heck outa there, but he continued to disregard them.

Third Guy came out of the stall and headed for his locker -- only to be pounced upon instantly by Chatty Guy, who gave him a very sanctimonious lecture on how he should wash his hands after using the bathroom. Third Guy, feathers rightfully ruffled, responded that he hadn't left the locker room yet, and produced the dispenser of soap he'd gone to his locker to retrieve.

This, fortunately, had the effect of making Chatty Guy sheepish and embarrassed, so he quickly dressed and made a hasty exit. Third Guy headed out to do his workout shortly thereafter, and I finished my morning preparations in peace -- finally.

I am thinking that the membership fees to this health club would be better spent on that Bowflex I've been wanting...

-The Gneech, mentally rearranging the furniture at home to free up some space

Well drat! It turns out that AnthroCon and ComicCon are on the same weekend this year. How annoying is that?

I did want to go to ComicCon, but AnthroCon is over twice the bang for the buck, for me, so Philadelphia's going to win, this year.

I think I better add the AC paperwork to my "Too Much To Do List."

-The Gneech

I've been having a lot of trouble writing the current storyline in SJ, because it's not coming to me in chronological order. The individual strips are fine, but the order, and the way they link together, has been all over the map. I have big pieces of the ending, and several strips from the middle, but getting the ball rolling has been the hard part.

Neither Leonard nor Conrad have been real cooperative when it comes to telling me what they talk about; I know the final result, but they keep trying to jump to the bottom line instead of giving me the details. Tiffany, meanwhile, is rather deliberately being evasive -- she's not proud of herself at the moment -- and keeps trying to distract me by talking about something else. So I'm taking notes about what she will talk about (BIG plot element coming up soon), but I keep trying to steer the conversation back to what's happening now -- because I need to have strips for the next two weeks!

Well, persistence wins out again ... Tiff finally made a big admission to me today. I knew it already, but I didn't know that she knew, and that is a big piece of letting the story move forward. Because if she can admit it to me, she can admit it to the readers.

Thanks, Tiff! I knew there was a reason I liked working with you. :)

Suddenly, the rest of my week becomes very easy indeed. Now it's all just logistics, which is the easy part!

-The Gneech

I got Wednesday's strip drawn and posted for katayamma to color. I hope it satisfies some of his craving for more detailed backgrounds.

This bloody confusing storyline has got me penciling the wrong strips, tho ... I have three separate sheets of bristol for the three different strips I need to have before leaving for Chicago, because I find myself drawing the layouts for the wrong strip over and over again. Oy.

Somewhere along the line, dopey me forgot to record the plane ticket in Quicken ... which would explain why the bank keeps saying I have $200 less than I thought I did. *smacks stupid self* Oh well, I guess I should have done another auction.

Hopefully, I'll have so much cool stuff to sell at MFF, that I'll make up the difference. ;P

Fortunately, the next paycheck will have my raise on it.

Anyway, I'm dead tired and off to bed. G'nite everybody.

-The Gneech