Is it a good sign when you call the people you're counting on to secure tens of thousands of dollars in loans for you with questions, and instead of receiving useful answers, instead you hear long, uncertain pauses punctuated with the occasional "umm" or "err"?

This update is mostly for Joan's benefit, but you can play along at home if you like. Anyway, I listen to Rewind on the local NPR outlet on the way to deposit my paycheck at the bank every Saturday morning because, well, that's the only vaguely news-related show on then. Rewind does a lot of kooky human interest segments like the one in today's show at 47:30 or so. The website of the "movement" to impart biblical lessons from Barney Fife, by the way, is available here, if that's your thing.

I don't really understand any of it, but maybe that's because my television watching is down to about two hours a week... if there's a good movie on the digital cable channels. I'm always amazed at how much good media is out there that I haven't seen because I never go to the theatres.

Ahh. The one thing I really like about dental work is that after twelve hours or so, the pain is gone completely. Go to bed hurting, wake up feeling fine. This never happens with, say, leg surgery or horrible illnesses. Dental work is all right by me.