11/5/03 5:15 AM: Woo hoo! *Hannibal dances excitedly around his living room*

I'm having a good week. I planned for November to be my "paperwork" month, dealing with everybody (USC, DMV, etc.) this month and doing all the things I've been avoiding. That's going well -- some leads on straightening out my degree, money handling well, and so on.

The hope is that I haven't peaked early -- I went for the second qualifying round of Hollywood Karaoke's contest (karaoke showdown?), after getting my face punched in for the first qualifying "heat" with what I felt was my best song, George Michael's "Kissing a Fool." So I listened to the judge's advice, altered my presentation a hair, changed songs to 3 Doors Down's "When I'm Gone," and WON!

That's right, not placed, but came in first, stomping the hell out of some really impressive competition (including a newcomer to LA named Chandra who rocked Tina's "Proud Mary," a tall guy with poor mic technique who nailed Edwin McCain's "I'll Be" and the man I call "Journey Guy," Jonathan doing Journey's "Faithfully"). I won fifty bucks in cash and now have a berth in the November 25th competition, where I'll invite all my friends to cheer like mad bastards and help me try to get some of that filthy lucre.

Before going, I decided that if I couldn't place with "When I'm Gone" (I had no belief I could win outright), I was done with the contest. At $5 an entry, who needs the stress, I figured. But I nailed it (even though I felt I made one mistake, which I'm on the look out for now), and won, with an expression of surprise that everybody commented on ("You had to know, you were so good, congratulations ..."). It was a real blessing, and whatever I do in singing now, I'll be able to list "Finalist in the 2003 Hollywood Karaoke Contest" as an accolade.

Singing three or four nights a week, I can see how people really get addicted to karaoke. It's so ... forgiving. If you're even a little bit good, the rewards are massive in terms of sheer good energy headed your way. I don't know that I'd wanna be a professional singer, touring and all, but I like singing and I am having a ball. Oh, and the fifty bucks and validation helps.

So even coming home to a new car blocking my driveway (my parking situation here is so hellish) didn't faze me. I got all my work done, and came home to a house that's starting to look the way I want it to.

Speaking of, I did something cool to my bedroom. I have these kind of slatted windows, and I noticed that cold air was getting in. So I went out and bought a shower curtain from the discount store on the corner (shower curtains may be among the world's finest home accessories) and duct taped that bastard all the way over the window. The room instantly stopped getting as cold. Plus, now it has a nice reddish tint to the light from that direction, which is hella cool. Heh.

When the two room dividers I got off eBay show up (ignoring how I got ska-rewed on shipping, because I'm in a good mood), and I hit Anna's Linens for some dividing curtains (I'm using shower curtains now to divide my fairly neat "living room" from my nightmarish, chaotic "office," but it's still ghetto as hell), my house will actually be ... tasteful. Who'da thunk it?

Lots of good going on, no real complaints. It may be a lean December, but it'll be a happy December, which is a good thing. I'm moving ahead on a number of writing proposals, I'm getting a balance between website and CBR column (which is kind of fun, staying well informed), the grocery strike has released Ralph's from the stranglehold so I can go to the store, I'm getting into a rhythm with the dry cleaning scam I have, I'm happy with my dating life ...

After looking back over lots of older columns, it looked like I was really unhappy for a long time. Which, admittedly, i was. I'm mad a lot of the time when I write, which kind of skews the view of me, because to be honest, most of my life is spent cracking up laughing at something and having a blast. I lead a virtually stress-free life, and I'm very grateful for it, and I try to appreciate the blessings I have.

Whew. So, comic reviews tomorrow (later today, heh), maybe seeing Matrix Revolutions, trying to get back to my poetry workshop that I have been somewhat avoiding (some of the people there kind of "chose sides" in the whole divorce thing, and it hurt my feelings a little bit, but I'm much better now), and steadily moving forward.

It really is good to be me. I'm afraid to type it or say it aloud, for fear I'll jinx myself, but it is, and I can't deny that at all, this morning.