It’s a sunny Sunday. We ate fresh hot oatmeal on the back porch this morning, enjoyed the sounds of birds and the blue sky overhead. Later, after Brian went home, I did some housework, laundry, while listening to the very frustrating A’s game.

Then I walked to a cafe about a mile from my house and read fifty pages of my friend’s manuscript, which is very, very good. On the way home I bought cat food.

I phoned some of my other pals today; one just moved to a new house, one was on an errand to Office Depot with her new boy, one was coming down with a cold perhaps.

I didn’t feel up for class this afternoon, but I hopefully will Tuesday. I finally have my own gi — a black martial arts uniform with a bright white belt. I washed it twice yesterday to remove the starch and tried it on. It seems to fit well; a bit roomy, which is good.

Tomorrow morning I am paying a visit to my awesome dermatologist. I am having another bad breakout, and my skin seems to be out of control. It may only be noticable to me and my skin doctor, but I am tired of being disgusted by my own face, so I will probably do what several of my friends have done (with excellent results) and begin a course of Accutane. It’s pretty much my last resort — I have tried everything else, and at my age I should really not be this zitty. Goddammit. So I’m excited for this, though I know it won’t be easy and I will be dry all over for a few weeks. But after that first month, I look forward to clear skin for the first time in fifteen years.

I mean, I’m not Charles Bukowski or anything. But I produce a lot of oil. Blah blah, you don’t need to read the gruesome details.

In other news! Brian and I are hopefully going to Japan for the first week of April. Tokyo, to be precise. There is going to be a large training get-together starting on the first of the month. Since that falls on a Thursday, I imagine we will arrive in the country earlier in the week to adjust and do our sight seeing. I am absolutely thrilled at the thought of visiting Japan. I have traveled abroad before, but this would be by far my most alien experience.

The sun is setting, and I can hear the wild parakeets screaming in the trees outside. I hope tomorrow is a wonderful day and that Mr. Zito throws well.