The End of July
Time to rip another page off the calendar. I have a very busy August ahead of me, for several reasons.

Dr. Cousin is getting married at the end of the month, which means a trip back to Anytown. I'm sufficiently recovered from my last trip to be excited about going back again. Dr. Cousin is preceded in marriage by his brother, the Cousin Who's On TV; his wedding in June 2000 was probably the most fun event I've attended in the last five years. I doubt this event will be quite as raucous, but I will be hanging out with some of the world's best people. Am looking forward to that.

This has nothing to do with impending August, but I'll share it anyway: The Freelance Gig has been named one of The Week's Best Web Sites by a TV station in Anytown. The cynic in me knows that the Mother-In-Law, who is the eye and the heart behind the photos on the site, has a connection of some sort at this particular station, so it's not like they just stumbled across the site and said, "Hey, that's cool." The giddy first-time web designer in me says, "Hey, if it looked like shit, they wouldn't have posted it." I'll allow Giddy a victory over Cynical this time. That doesn't happen often.

And, last but not least: Many, many elements, most of them financial, still have to fall into place, but we are almost ready to announce a major lifestyle change. If this happens, the Three-Year Itch gets scratched, and it doesn't even involve me quitting my job. I'll share more details as the elements fall into place. Gives you something to look forward to in August.