Reading: My Sunday copy of the Washington Post. I feel like a true Washingtonian now, perusing my Sunday paper. (Even though I live in Virginia.) Watching: WAY too many things that are making me cry. The first was I Am Sam. Why, why did it take me so long to see this movie? It is just about the most beautiful movie I have seen in a long time. I watched it Friday night with Michelle, then had to watch it again on Saturday before grudgingly returning it, at which point I got Life as a House, because I decided that I need to watch every movie that Eliza recommends. Finally, I will be watching Door to Door tonight (which you should watch also), and I anticipate much weeping. Listening: To the I Am Sam soundtrack, which I effectively stole via Madster. Fractious Times

(There's also one up for the 9th; go back if you missed it.)

What do I have to tell you? Not much. But the fact that Melissa updated practically every day leading up to her wedding, and Athena has been updating practically every day while waiting to give birth, I decided that the least my unemployed ass can do is post an entry or two.

But there is so seriously nothing going on in my life that is even worth putting up here. The day after my parents left (last Monday), my back went out again, so I spent the next three days in various stages of a Vicodin and Flexeril-induced coma, sleeping most of the time. I talked to my mother on Friday and she asked if I was going to come home this weekend, and I told her that to me, it feels like they just left. So no.

I do have big plans for the next couple of weekends, though. First I am going to Connecticut to see Kate's show with Rob and possibly Melissa and some other people. The weekend after that, I will be in Philly to celebrate Wes's thirtieth birthday by eating food that he and Corina have made. So there will be entry fodder over the next couple of weeks, for sure.

Right now, though, I got nothing.

Okay, well, here's a story.

As most of you know, I am extraordinarily challenged in the financial area. I screw up plenty of things very well on my own, which means I do not need the help of Progressive, my car insurance company.

So. My old policy was set to expire on July 9. I called them before I left Kansas City, asking if I needed to do something with my policy, since I would be in a new state and whatall. They said no, you'll be fine in the meantime, just call us at the beginning of July and we'll set you up with a new policy.

Now. My insurance was paid monthly via an automatic deduction from my checking account, and the policy was going to renew automatically on July 9. So when I called on July 1, the first thing I told them was that I needed to make sure my old policy did NOT renew with any deductions from my checking account. Yes, yes, of course, we'll go ahead and cancel that, and now I will transfer you to someone who will write your new policy, to go into effect on July 10, which went swimmingly.

So then, on Friday, my landlord called but did not leave a message. The first thing I think of (which shows you where my head is all the time) is that something went bouncily awry with my rent check. So I call my bank in Kansas (no, I do not have a new checking account yet -- I told you, I screw up plenty on my own) and discover that my rent check cleared just fine, but I am $153 overdrawn.

Guess who took out their insurance payment? I had just enough in there to cover my rent, so if my landlord had waited one more day to deposit my check (the insurance payment came out one day after his check posted) the rent would have bounced, and I would have been in huge, unthinkable trouble.

So I call Progressive, and they apologize profusely and promise to return the money in the next three business days. However, it caused an overdraft, so my bank charged me $20, and Progressive needs written proof of that before they'll refund that part, and my bank wouldn't fax anything to them, so I have to wait to get the printout in the mail and then fax it to Progressive myself.

I still shudder to think what would have happened if my rent had bounced. My landlord knows all about my horrendous credit, and even though this time it really would not have been my fault, I would not have wanted to have to explain it to him.

As it turns out, all my landlord wanted was to tell me to get a copy of my key for the condo association's office, so they can come in and set a trap for the animal in the attic, which I don't even think is there anymore anyway.

That is so totally all I have to say. I have to go get my laundry and possibly some dinner before Door to Door comes on. And so I leave you.