who gives a fuck about an oxford comma

I had quite an excellent day, although there wasn't time to do everything I wanted to do. I spent the morning writing, which went well. I also had a call with an old college classmate who reconnected on LinkedIn; she told me a bunch of stories about Iowa that she remembered me telling her twenty years ago, so I guess maybe I should write a book with those stories because apparently they stick in others' memories. It was great to catch up and I think we'll do it again, so that's a nice highlight for the day.

At some point, I made an omelette and some toast for lunch, which was tasty. I also did some more stuff in my office, and did some more prep work in the garage. And in the evening, I went to a meeting of my secret society; I got drafted into being a temporary note-taker for the night, but it was all good. The dessert after was also pretty tasty, and I got to indulge in some good royal gossip with someone, so it was a worthy outing.

Then I talked to my mom in the parking lot for a bit, came home, and did a bunch of stuff that I needed to get done. And now I'm going to go to bed slightly later than intended but slightly earlier than usual - goodnight!

heat wave, the slow lane

I had a mostly excellent day, although I easily could have fallen into some Tuesday Scaries (not really a thing, but you never know) because the weather seemed rather gloomy. It wasn't actually that gloomy - it was still warm out, but the wind and clouds made it seem wintery.

However, I did do quite a bit of writing today, which was excellent - I'm feeling my way into the story and it's taking some weird (aka exciting) twists already. I'm willing to see where these twists go, as long as the setting doesn't change - but we'll see what happens.

Beyond the writing, I did some house stuff, took a short walk, and discovered that I still can't get ceiling paint in town (the paint-ordering guy at the lumber yard, whose name I know but will not share for privacy reasons, said that he hopes to get it 'in his lifetime' but has given up hope for now). I also spent some time working on prepping the garage to paint it, which felt like a worthy endeavor. And I did the reading for my class this week, so I feel quite accomplished.

And now, I need to sleep - goodnight!

nirvana on the last try

I had a v. lovely day in #smalltownlife - while fall is definitely in the air and the colors are absolutely gorgeous, it was almost eighty degrees today. This was perfect for a long, meandering drive with my dad around the southern reaches of our county. I asked him to take me around and show me tings, although I didn't have any specific destination in mind - I am trying to figure out the vibe of my book, and because of my dad's unique history with this place, he has more stories than I will ever have.

So, he took me down a bunch of dirt roads (although one, which is part of the Iowa/Missouri line, was impassable enough that we didn't try it) and various gravel/paved roads and showed me things he thought might be interesting. I took a few photos to jog my memory later, and I made some notes. While most people think Iowa is flat, this area definitely isn't -- any number of things could happen in the draws and valleys that are shrouded by timber, and my mind is buzzing with possibilities.

All in all, it was a great afternoon, and I'm glad we made time for it. The rest of my day was fairly unproductive, but I need to get some more stuff done tomorrow - so I think it's time for bed. Goodnight!

we rattle this town, we rattle this scene

I had a long but good day of house projects, and now I'm v. tired. I made some eggs and coffee this morning to get me and [censored] fortified, and then we did a whole bunch of moving of various tings to various places. Between my dad's equipment and [censored]'s stuff, moving tings around certainly goes differently than it did when I lived in cities by myself - for instance, [censored] was able to move a treadmill from the garage to a shed across the yard on a skid loader, which was way easier than any other method.

I will spare you the (occasionally illicit) details, although I will say that bringing my dad's dumpster to my house was way easier for clearing the previous owner's stuff out of my shed than it would have been to take all that stuff to the dumpster. So we cleared out a bunch of shed stuff, then moved a bunch of garage stuff to the shed. We're still hoping to be able to paint the garage next weekend, and we made a good dent in getting it cleared out, but we'll see what happens.

At some point I took a break from garage stuff to make dinner (chicken tortilla soup, which is always good). And eventually, I took a shower and spent the rest of the evening writing + messing around online while [censored] watched videos about garage floors. And now it's time for bed - goodnight!

they reach into my head to steal the glory of my story

I had a pretty chill day - some would argue that it was too chill, since I didn't finish getting my stuff out of the garage (which has been on the books for weeks). However, I have acquired the paint for the garage and have also purchased new garage door openers, so I would argue that I'm making some contributions, even if it's still going to be a slog to get to the point that [censored] and I can paint it next weekend.

Beyond that, I did clear out a bit of garage stuff today, which was better than nothing. I also put away some stuff upstairs, making yet another small dent in my disorganized post-move detritus. And I did a small bit of organizing in the basement. Someday, my house will be tidy and clean, but it is not this day.

In the afternoon, I took a break from house projects to go to a 50th anniversary party for Clell and Lee Ann. This is the kind of thing that I would normally have missed without a second thought because I wouldn't have flown back for it, but since I was here, I went. It was pretty nice and there was a good turnout, and I spent some time talking to various people (including the other, unrelated Clell; and also Clell's niece). Before we got to the party, [censored] and I also stopped to see a guy about [censored], which resulted in me getting some decent town gossip from the guy's wife (who is the mother of one of my high school classmates). So all in all, it was a very good #smalltownlife afternoon.

Then I came home, prepped some food, and went out to my parents' house to make dinner. I made a creamy chicken and mushroom parmesan dish with mashed potatoes + a caesar salad, and it was pretty tasty (if I do say so myself). And now, I should sleep in the interest of getting some tings done tomorrow - goodnight!

going down the old mine with a transistor radio

I had a v. nice day, even if it was approximately Day 23 of ignoring [censored]'s request to clean out the garage. When I woke up, I drank some cold brew and then took a walk around town, mostly in service of dropping off my water bill payment + some stuff to mail at the post office. Then I came home and wrote for awhile before taking a shower and eating lunch (an assortment of leftovers) with [censored].

After that, the afternoon was mostly spent in my office - I had a follow-up chat with Alyssa, and then I did an hour of reading for my class before it met this afternoon. The discussion was pretty good, overall - it's been a v. long time since I've been in a workshop-style writing class, but it is good to get the juices flowing.

At some point, I was going to start cooking dinner, but on a whim [censored] and I decided to check out a new-to-us restaurant in a town we never go to (Garden Grove). I'd heard about it last week, and it's only open Thursday-Saturday, so we decided to see what it was all about. It was actually quite nice inside - it's in an old recently-restored hotel, and the decor is pretty nice (and features some trains, which my family is into). The menu is limited mostly to burgers and pasta and various fried tings, which isn't great for the gluten-free life, but my burger without the bun was quite tasty - and their cheese curds (which definitely had gluten) were excellent. So, having sussed it out, I would go back - and it's nice to add possibilities to the food options around here, even if it is 25 or so miles away.

Then we came home, and I mostly messed around and did nothing until now. And now I should sleep - goodnight!

all night long, writing poems to california

I had a fairly excellent day, all in all. I did some stretching and a bit of kettlebell stuff, and then I spent the morning doing some legit writing, which felt great. It's quite likely that none of it will make it into the final draft, but it's also quite likely that I'm getting into something interesting. We'll see where it takes me tomorrow!

I also had lunch with [censored], although we ate different things. Then I did a bit more work before talking to Alyssa, who was a delight. After, I did a bunch of random house stuff - I put together the rest of a set of shelves, did some laundry, tidied up the kitchen, etc. And eventually, I made dinner - I roasted some salmon, along with some roasted potatoes and some roasted broccoli, and even though everything roasts for different times and even though (or perhaps because) I used approximately one gallon of olive oil, it all came together right on time and was quite delicious. I ate it while [censored] and I watched some TV (Big Bang Theory reruns + some replays of this week's SNL - ooof, that cast is gonna need some time to gel).

Eventually, I came upstairs and read part of a book on the folklore of rural crafts (especially beekeeping and blacksmithing), which is way too high level but also gave me some interesting avenues of exploration. And now I need to sleep - goodnight!

headlights pin the highway down

It was a gorgeous day in rural Iowa - winter is still coming, but today was warm and sunny. The fields are golden, descending into brown; harvest is ongoing, which means an uptick in the number of trucks going by my house at all hours of the day, headed out and back to fields with loads of grain. In a few weeks everything will be brown and grey and dead, but for now it's still gorgeous, and I want to soak it in.

Unfortunately, I slept in this morning - I woke up at five with a v. unusual sour stomach, which is unusual because I used to do that all the time when I was working but haven't had a sleepless interlude like that in a couple of months. So, when I did go back to sleep, I let myself turn off my alarm. Despite that, I had a good day - I made tea and read some of the readings for my fantasy/scifi class while sitting on my balcony, which was great. I also made a perfect omelette for lunch. I went to the flooring store to have yet another entertaining conversation with the proprietor and confirm the flooring I want to get for my kitchen/main floor bathroom. I ran to the grocery store to get more eggs, since I'm living on omelettes.

When I got home, I did a bit of organizational stuff, and I also took a bit of a walk. And I ended up making another batch of burrito bowls in my instant pot - it wasn't what I intended to make tonight, but my salmon hadn't thawed out, and I wanted something easy. So I ate that, then did some more stuff in my office, and then greeted [censored]. And now, I should consider going to bed and trying to get up early again tomorrow - goodnight!

lost inside a dream with halls that never seem to end

I have nothing of interest to report - today was very Mondayish, in that I had a lot I wanted to get done but also not a lot of desire to do it. I did, however, make some progress on unpacking more of my office - I need some more shelves, but I'd like to get it mostly organized this week so that I have at least one finished room in the house. I also spent some quality time on my balcony writing / journaling, since it's still warm and I want to take advantage of it. And I continued contemplating the book I'm writing, which is its own weird internal process that I can't describe.

But with no further updates, it's time for bed - goodnight!

but i sang 'em all to another heart

I didn't get as much done as I intended today, but I also didn't succumb to Sunday Scaries, so I'll take it as a win. I did my usual morning stuff of making coffee + taking a shower + making scrambled eggs, and the eggs were just as delicious as usual. I also procrastinated, which is rarely delicious. But I did spend some quality time in the basement - I put together most of another set of shelves, and I unpacked all the dry goods that were in the basement so that I could see what I have in my stockpiles. I need to see if there's anything I need to stockpile / order before winter, and I also want to be ready to try some new recipes this fall, so knowing what I have is critical to that goal.

At some point, I saw my mom, and I also saw my dad; and I drove out to their house to abscond with some leftover barbecued chicken so that I wouldn't have to cook tonight, which was #worthit. After [censored] left, I sat on my balcony until it was too dark to see, and then I ate a baked potato with the chicken and mostly called it a night. I did write some tings that I'd been meaning to write, but none of it was noteworthy.

And now, I think I'll try to go to bed early (but we'll see if that actually happens) - goodnight!

sex, drugs, etcetera

I have nothing particularly noteworthy to report today. I somehow continue managing to sleep in despite having no window coverings in my bedroom (it's a good thing I can sleep despite it, since they're backordered until late October). So, I eventually got up, made coffee, and then made some v. delicious scrambled eggs with bacon, onion, and mushrooms. Then I took a shower, and eventually I buckled down to do some house work.

The main task for today was to get the basement in a bit better order so that I can shove a bunch of stuff into it from the garage. While [censored] was doing a variety of [censored] tings, I put together the two sets of wire rack shelves that came with me from Denver. [censored] graciously picked up three more sets of similar shelves on the way here this weekend; I didn't put those together, but the two I already had were a good start toward getting some boxes out of the way.

The other things we somehow successfully got out of the way were the water heater that died last Thanksgiving + a dryer that also died. I sort of assumed these things would just stay in the basement forever, since I certainly wasn't hauling them upstairs myself. But [censored], in a move that managed to surprise me even though I should not be surprised at what [censored] has the tools to do, was able to pull both the water heater and the dryer up the steps using a dolly + a [censored] attached to his [censored] and powered by his other [censored]. My effort mostly consisted of pushing the switch when told to push it, which pulled the cable and dragged the tings up the stairs. This was certainly better than dying while trying to lift either of those things. So, this felt like quite a successful adventure.

After that, I watched pieces of the Iowa State football game (sad), and also did some more organizing / started hauling things downstairs. Eventually, we went out to the parents' for supper - my dad smoked a brisket, and even though it had been smoking for twelve hours, it didn't get quite to the temperature he wanted. Still, it was extremely tasty, as were the scalloped potatoes that my mom made. And we were almost interrupted by Stinky (the neighborhood skunk), but [censored] scared him off before he made himself at home on the back porch.

And now, I really need to sleep - goodnight!

say goodbye to hollywood

I had a nice day - the weather is in that perfect in-between phase where it's nice and sunny but not too hot / not too cold, so after I made my coffee this morning, I took a bit of a walk around town. Some areas of town were hit hard by toilet paper this week, since it's homecoming and the kids indulged in a lot of tp-ing around the county, but I'm mostly unscathed. And I got back from my walk just in time to do some journaling while drinking more coffee, before showering, eating some huevos rancheros, and then driving to the next town over.

When I got there, I spent some quality time considering the endless question of countertops - I am struggling to decide how much I want to invest in a house that I will never get my money out of, vs. acknowledging that I intend to have it for the long haul and also cook all the time, and therefore want it to be nice. So, I discussed countertop samples with my supplier for awhile, which was quite helpful. Then, I went to Walmart to grab a few tings, came home, did some work, and took a nap.

Eventually, [censored] and I went to our parents' house for supper, where my dad had barbecued some really excellent chicken and my mom prepped baked potatoes and cheesy veggies to go with it. So, supper was v. tasty, and it was nice to hang out for awhile. When we got back to town, I abandoned [censored] so I could do some stuff for my online writing class + continue brainstorming my book. A v. interesting idea is cooking, but we'll see what comes out....

And now I really need to sleep - goodnight!

but my hand's been broken one too many times

My morning mostly consisted of getting ready and then going to look at flooring again. I'm choosing flooring options for the kitchen/dining room remodel, and redoing the floors in the main floor bathroom at the same time, so I have some incentive to get it right since it's basically the first surface guests see (after the garage, which is basically the main point of entry, and there's no changing that unless I buy the convenience store next door and turn it into a parking lot for my guests so that they can easily come in the front door).

As it turns out, I'm glad I took another look - using the best sample from the previous batch of samples, I chose two different samples to test out, and I think I like both of them better than the previous winner. I also got three samples for the bathroom, all of which seem like they would work just fine. So, hopefully I can decide this weekend so that I can get the stuff ordered and confirm installation. As usual, the woman who runs the business was a bit of a riot, but I felt good about my options, so I'll take it.

Then I came home and did a bunch of stuff around the house. I was supposed to start my online fantasy writing class this afternoon, but I got a call from my dad three minutes before it started saying that their delivery guy had left some wine for me at their house (and forged their delivery signature), but then called my dad to tell him it was there. Since my parents were both out of the house, I decided not to leave my wine to spoil in the sun - in this case, salvaging the wine was more important than showing up to class. Besides, I can watch the recording of the lecture (it's billed as 'flex online' so you can watch whenever, although live participation is encouraged), and also see what I'm getting into before the next lecture, which actually feels just fine with me.

Since I was already out and about, I ran to the grocery store and got some potatoes, and then came home, cleaned my kitchen, and baked one of those potatoes to go with some pulled pork that I had in the freezer. Eventually, [censored] showed up, so we chatted for a bit. And now I really need to sleep - goodnight!

but i ain't never crossed a man that didn't deserve it

Today wasn't quite as productive as I'd hoped - writing is a weird and sometimes stupid process, and I am far enough out of practice with the weirdness of it that I can't always tell when I'm procrastinating vs. when a break is necessary because something is percolating. However, I did mess around with fountain pens for a good chunk of the morning, which *feels* like it's writing related. I haven't used fountain pens in a couple of months at least, and over a certain span of time they eventually dry out and need to be cleaned before they can be reinked. So, I cleaned out some pens, reinked a couple, and am delighted to be back in the pen game (yes, I am a nerd).

At some point in the afternoon, I did a v. light workout, and I also spent some quality time on my balcony with my notebook and one of my freshly-inked pens. Fall is starting to set in, and while it wasn't cold outside, I still felt happy to have a blanket while I wrote. An idea is percolating that is either going to be amazing or terrible, and I'm still feeling my way through it - we'll see what I come up with.

Eventually, I had to put on real clothes so that I could go into town for a meeting of my secret society - it was the first meeting of the year, which meant dinner, which meant I had an extra incentive to show up. My mom saved me a seat next to a woman who is just as obsessed (if not moreso) with the royal family as I am, so we discussed the queen's funeral while things got underway. The supper was pretty tasty (mashed potatoes, roast beef, green beans, fruit, etc), and the social part was good - I've known most of the women forever, so it was fun to see everybody. And my mom and I both won some of the raffle decorations at the end, so #yayme.

Then I came home, messed around online, and wrote for another hour-ish. And now I should go to bed so that I can do a million (or at least ten) things tomorrow - goodnight!

so i woke up with entropy defined

I woke up this morning not feeling great, and I still don't feel great - but my covid test was negative, so I'm hoping that my stuffiness/congestion doesn't turn into anything else. When I got up, I made coffee, talked to [censored] for a bit, and then wrote off and on in several different sessions throughout the day. I'm doing some deeper plotting / ideation, which is turning over some interesting potential avenues of exploration, and I want to keep nurturing that early, fragile world of the story so that I can better uncover it.

At some point I talked to Alyssa again, and I also took a nap, both of which were good. And I had a hilarious / concerning / bizarre FedEx experience. I got a text saying my package was delivered, but I knew it actually hadn't been. So I checked the photo that was sent as proof of delivery, and for some reason they delivered it to a (hopefully abandoned) house that had a ton of trash piled in front of it. I say hopefully abandoned because I hope no one actually lives there, but in this town all things are possible. I couldn't discern my box in the piles of trash, but the photo was a bit concerning. So, I decided to drive around and look for the house and/or the FedEx driver - but then [censored] texted me to say that my package was at home, since the FedEx driver either realized their mistake or was auto-pinged that they had delivered in the wrong GPS location. All's well that ends well, I guess, and I'm glad that my new pillowcases are in my house instead of in a pile of debris somewhere else.

Eventually, I had to get ready for dinner (after [censored] v. graciously helped me attach the back to my second adirondack chair). I met up with Hannah about an hour away - we had not seen each other in ages, since I saw basically no one while I was home last year and also haven't made much of an effort since moving back. She seemed to be in good form, and it's nice to know that I'll probably see her more regularly going forward. I probably should have canceled given that I don't feel perfect - but in this case, I thought that she would be hurt / not believe my reasons if I canceled on dinner. So hopefully I don't get sick, and also hopefully I don't get her sick, but we shall see.

And now, I really need to sleep - goodnight!

there's no hand on the lever

I didn't get nearly enough sleep last night, because after I blogged I stupidly stayed up until after two reading spoilers for the new game of thrones series (which I have no intention of even watching). This was dumb, but I did come up with an (entirely unrelated) idea for my book as I was falling asleep, so if that somehow spurred some creativity, I'll take it.

So, this morning started later than planned, but I made some coffee and then wrote about my new idea and played around with it a bit. Then I did some tidying in my office before having a training session with Alyssa. After, I ran some errands (and, as usual in small town life, ran into the mom of a former classmate and also ran into a former classmate, so had to exchange some pleasantries). Then I came home, put together some ottomans for my Adirondack chairs that came today, and took a bit of a nap.

My evening was also chill - I made yet another version of a chicken burrito bowl in my instant pot, and this one was finally a winner (didn't burn, had a good flavor profile, rice was cooked but not mushy, chicken was still moist). [Censored] stuck around tonight and so got some benefit from my experimentation...and feeding some to [censored] means I won't have to eat it for every meal this week.

Then I cleaned up, took out my trash, and did some more writing. And I read a bit of BIRD BY BIRD - it's a writing book that I've read before, but it's also required reading for the class I'm taking, and I can always benefit from reading it again and being reminded that writing sucks a lot for just about everyone....but it's worth it.

And now I need to sleep - goodnight!

in anticipation for precipitation stack chips for the rainy day

I spent a lot of today cooking, which was good for feeding myself and others, but bad for other forms of productivity. When I got up, I made some coffee to get myself going, and then I made a frittata with bacon, onions, mushrooms, hash browns, and cheddar. It was pretty much perfect, if I do say so myself. Then I messed around for a couple of hours before making a couple of batches of chocolate chip chewies. The first batch was perfect, but the second batch was bizarre - I used some expired flour, but I'm still baffled why the chocolate chips all seemed to sink to the bottom of the dough. This meant that the top of the cookie didn't look like a chocolate chip cookie, and the bottom is all chocolate and doesn't really form into a crust. Bizarre.

sssanyway, I then took a shower, cut up the first batch of cookies, and packed them up so that [censored] and I could take them to a visitation for [censored]'s friend's grandma, who died last week. I didn't know her, but I know [censored]'s friend, and the friend's mom was one of my favorite teachers back in the day (as well as being in high school with my dad). So, it was nice to go to visitation - I saw a couple of other former teachers there, and it was nice to catch up with the family even though it was under sad circumstances.

Then I came home, roasted some tomatoes, and wrote for an hour or so while they were cooking. I took them out to my parents' place, along with some unusually bland mozzarella, and [censored] and I ate dinner with them. I then spent the rest of the night cleaning the kitchen, hanging out, and doing a tiny bit of writing before deciding to throw in the towel.

And now I really need to sleep - goodnight!

just a quiet prayer for congo square

I have nothing noteworthy to report - I slept in, then made coffee before getting ready. I also made a perfect omelette - I sauteed some onions and mushrooms, and then I made the omelette and filled it with the veggies + some leftover cream cheese/goat cheese/herb/garlic mixture that I'd made for yesterday's chicken. It was an inspired idea, if I do say so myself - the cheese took it to the next level.

After that, nothing could compete. I did a bunch of stuff in my office this afternoon, but I'm still not as organized as I would like. I contemplated my kitchen decor, but haven't made some final decisions. And I meant to be productive tonight, but instead I went and picked up pizzas, and then [censored] and I got sucked into several hours of Family Guy. C'est la vie, I guess.

And now, it's time for bed - goodnight!

midnight train going anywhere

I got several tings done today, but [censored] and I just spent three hours dealing with my bed, which was a project that I thought would take twenty minutes. In trying to put my adjustable platform bed onto my Denver bed frame, we discovered that the issue a repair guy claimed was fixed last fall was, in fact, not fixed, and is a total problem for me using it with my bed frame. Because [censored] is v. mechanically gifted, [censored] believes he understands how to solve the problem, but it requires a part that I may have thrown away because there was no obvious use for it after the repair guy claimed it was fixed. So, we'll see if I can find the part tomorrow or if the company will send me the part.

So, I'm glad there's a fix, but I had embarked on this project so that I wouldn't have bed frame pieces all over my room - and now the bed frame is put together, but the adjustable base is against the wall instead. Two steps forward, etc. I feel like I have been moving for months, which is pretty much true, but at least I'm making a little tiny bit of progress.

sssanyway. I did some other stuff today, including emptying a giant box of stuff in the garage. And I made a v. tasty dinner - I prepped some chicken breasts stuffed with cream cheese/bacon/herbs and wrapped in prosciutto, and then I took them out to my parents' house, where I baked them while making baked potatoes and roasting broccoli. It was all v. tasty, if I do say so myself. And now, I need to make my bed so that I can go to sleep - goodnight!

you check out guitar george, he knows all the chords

I had quite a nice day today, although it was cold enough to feel like fall is going to kick in in earnest. I picked up my mom around 10:30, and we went to one of the Amish greenhouses in the area to buy some mums. Of course, I couldn't resist picking up a couple of succulents as well, but further acquisitions were prevented by the fact that the greenhouse is mostly cleared out at this point in the season. Their mum selection, however, was top notch, and the guy was quite friendly (even though we clearly interrupted his coffee time), so it was a worthwhile adventure.

Then, we proceeded on to the next town over, where my mom treated me and my sister to lunch in honor of our September birthdays. Despite living here now, I hadn't seen my sister in ages, mostly because she doesn't drive very far and I have been entirely focused on getting settled in. But lunch was nice, and I remain a fan of getting potato chips with ranch dressing there, so it was #worthit.

After lunch, my mom and I ran some errands at Walmart and Fareway - I discovered that Fareway now sells a few flavors of Spindrift sparkling water, which I previously mostly got at Whole Foods in Des Moines, so this was a major victory. Combined with the discovery that my local grocery store now occasionally sells corn tortillas, my menu options are looking up. It's still hard to get fresh herbs (so the thing I wanted to make that requires sage leaves will not have fresh ones, and we'll see how it works with dried ones), and chicken is weirdly challenging (clearly people here do not eat nearly as much organic, air-chilled, boneless, skinless chicken breast as in my old life), but all in all I'm making it work. I also got to meet my mom's old home ec teacher at the grocery store, which was lovely.

Then we came home, and I dropped my mom and her stuff off before coming to my house and putting away my groceries. I then ran a couple of other quick errands, came home, took care of tings, ate some leftover chicken tacos (still excellent), and then hung out with [censored] after he arrived from [censored]. And now I need to sleep - goodnight!