ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN, No. 1 (Hickman / Chechetto; Marvel, 2024)

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At last, not only a Spidey book on the pull list, but a Hickman book. With the exception of his debut, THE NIGHTLY NEWS, I've mostly tuned out of the Hickman renaissance – including the entirety of his X-MEN run (in my defense, I wasn't really reading comics at that point); G.O.D.S. which failed, in every respect, to grab me; and ULTIMATE UNIVERSE, which followed suit (Note: probably would have been better had I read ULTIMATE INVASION; will add those issues to my list). Here, though, I get it: this is the perfect collision of writer and artist and mythology (FWIW: I couldn't care less if Peter is married or not: my objection to him not being married in the mainstream continuity is how it was accomplished, for lack of a better word) and willingness to push into new and daring and exciting areas: it's the first time the Ultimate Universe hasn't read like proto-MCU since its inception. Early mid-life crisis Spidey is something new, something intriguing. This is a special book that lives up to the hype and then some: I'm in it for the long haul – and will most definitely be giving the other upcoming Ultimate books (BLACK PANTHER / X-MEN) a try.

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Snow day number two, "superintendent caught shit for not calling off on Tuesday and (along with the rest of the northeastern part of the state) erred on the side of caution" edition. So far, flurries and somewhat covered roads but nothing terrible (that I can see from the frosted-over windows). Derbz thrilled with prospect of Derbzball in the snow; The Morkie, not so much.

Figured out the interplay between the reMarkable2 and my paper journals: the rM2 is NOT a replacement for paper journals, but for legal pads. A far more useful legal pad, especially since I can make a PDF and stick it in the day's Daily Note in Obsidian and reference when I need to.

Note re: Obsidian: side project of figuring out how to generate a list / table of files created and modified the day previous in Dataview plugin. Still haven't figured out the proper syntax. Once I do, I'll make a keyboard shortcut which should make it easier for me to forget how to do it.

There is new Mary Halvorson music in the world today: EarBliss inbound.

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Not sure why it took me this long into the insulin pump / NuHerbie era to switch my running time from morning to afternoon, but I'm glad I did. Traffic as light – if not lighter (no school-busses, yay) – and no one around. Still have to work out the kinks with the insulin dosage / ratios but that's nothing different from what I've been doing for the last year in the morning anyhow. Will definitely continue – and eventually let Derbz come along.

Giving another workchunk a go, first afternoon I've had free in longer than I can remember. First cup of matcha in same. Missed both.

(Also missed using this space for more frequent life updates and random thoughtlets about anything and everything. Good to be emerging into something resembling a rhythm.)

In better humor this afternoon, much to the relief of the dogchildren and the unsuspecting populace. This semblance of making a day of my own, no matter how illusory, is wonderful.

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Spikemobile a hit – and will be especially once Spike's feet reach the pedals – with nary a tetanus incident (that I'm aware of). Victory. But that's about it in the victory department these last few days. Feeling The Void and its attendant horsemen – Ennui, FuckItAll, and GoToHell – rather intensely today (though it's been a slow burn over the last several).

Big Nowhere continues in The Main Thing, Ennui prancing about as I say FuckItAll and GoToHell to the blinking cursor of empty. Such is the somewhere and the nowhere.

Convinced I need an outbuilding with a loft office above it and room for all sorts of things. Spiral staircase a must: a house we looked at before building the cabin in the woods all those years ago had one and I've been obsessed with them ever since. Emergency Bat-pole too. Maybe a slide instead, IDK.

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First snow day of the school year (I think / maybe there was – no, that was a two-hour delay, those accursed half-measures that fuck everyones' schedule into oblivion). Wind chill advisory, supposedly going to lift around noon, but with wind coming in, right around afternoon run time (switching to afternoon for something different – I like it: sun is beneficial in winter... summer'll be another story but I'll burn that bridge when I get to it). New heater fan in The Paintshop doing the job well enough – better than the previous thing that warmed my ankles and even then.

Today's (and, I suppose, every day's) operative creative / The Work phrase: surprise myself. A challenge – given that I know the outcome of this particular segment – but such is the way I've set myself up for this particular brainjam. Not what but how, not what but how... FWIW: didn't surprise myself – yet, but hey, If nothing else, writing these daily things again gives me the illusion of getting something written, even if it's not the thing I'd hoped for.

Ahead: fixing and cleaning up my old fire engine pedal car (1983 repro of a 1950s car) for Baby Spike's (friends’ little human, not mine) early driver's ed / GTA training. Hopefully won't need too much TLC, but up-to-date tetanus vax probably requ'd. Waivers and disclaimers.