Mental Health Weekend

Step One: Get intoxicated. Done with assistance from Lawyer Girl and a bottle of superfine Cabernet she’s been saving to celebrate with me.Followed by retsina. Folowed by cupcakes which were *not* alcoholic.

Probably better if, during Step One, do not come trapsing home around midnight thoroughly foxed only to find one man holding down other man facedown in asphalt in some sort of involuntary circumstance directly in path between Metro and apartment. And sidle past, pretending not to see (or hear threats top man is making to bottom man). And then call 911. Kinda ruins the buzz.

Step Two: Sleep. Lots.

Probably better if not right through “getting-ready” stage prior to leaving for dinner party.

Step Three: Watch TV.

If you don’t have TV (which I don’t), watch Netflixed TV shows on DVD. For instance, Firefly. I was told Firefly was a brilliant show that did not get it’s rightful chance in the universe. Since thought Buffy was most brilliant show ever and Angel was kinda halfway decent, tried it when it was first on air. Was not impressed. Did not watch more. Now working my ways through DVD, and its slowly growing on me. Still like Buffy more. Think ::cough:: that Whedon might have recycled a few characters here and there. I keep thinking, “Well, *that’s* a Drusilla/Willow/Xander/Buffy/Giles moment.” But it’s pretty cool. Whedon’s great with the character development, no matter what characters he likes developing. Looking forward to the movie now.

Step Four: Read books.

I read a stack this weekend (they’d kind of backed up on me during deadline). Some were… okay. Some ripped holes in my brain and settled in for the duration. I read two that were simply amazing: AFTER, by Francine Prose, which is the story of a school that goes through… changes after a Columbine-like incident at a neighboring school. It starts off as a cautionary tale, then morphs into wacko disturbing dystopian territory, but manages to pull you along for the ride. Very well done. The other one is SO YESTERDAY, by Scott Westerfeld (Okay, I know, but I’ll stop writing about his books when they stop being so fabu). This one is *not* science fiction, but it’s so sharp and so funny and the voice is just… well, go read it. It’s about professional “cool hunters”.

Now, there are two things that happen when you read really cool books:

1) You get fired up to write one.
2) You close it and go, “Damn. I can never write something this good.”

Trying to decide where I am.

Step Five: Cuddle.

With a loved one. Whatever you’ve got handy: Kid. Puppy. Sailor Boy. Poor Sailor Boy had the sniffles this weekend, which made him oddly cuddlier.

Step Six: Cook and eat something soothing.

I always choose tomato sauce. ’cause I’m Italian like that.

What do you do?