--- ASSORTED THOUGHTS ---

      I can only assume that my roommate's job prospect did not pan out as he is still here keeping the couch warm and the TV from being lonely. He had a call for an interview. I can only presume that he went out for it, but was ultimately not offered the job. Oh well. At least he's been sleeping at better hours (from my perspective) so I've caught up on all my television finally but where oh where can this job be? I'm selfish and I want to pretend this apartment is mine and mine alone every day...at least for a little while.

      I've been walking taller for the past week or two now and standing up straight when not in motion, looking ahead rather than down, all in a position as recommended by Anonymous's Life Hacks: a position which in fact, does make me feel more confident for some reason. Perhaps not coincidentally, the lowest part of my back has begun to hurt since assuming these positions. How ironic that a more confident posture would yield back pain. It makes me wonder if I've been keeping my head down for more reasons than simply low self-esteem.

      I've found some old NES and SNES emulators recently that actually work rather well. Some games like Star Soldier (NES) and Bubsy in Clawed Encounters of the Furred Kind (SNES), both obscure titles, don't emulate well or at all which sucks as I learned to enjoy those games on my still functioning original systems. They make good companion pieces to MAME32, an arcade machine emulator which brings back far too many childhood memories of Showbiz Pizza. I've noticed they actually sell original NES and SNES controllers with grafted USB ports. I'm thinking of purchasing them because the keyboard is not always the best way to control certain games.

      I've made my last half dollar purchase for the year at my bank. I got one 40% silver half out of $200 in halves. I'm starting to think the 90% ones I used to find somewhat regularly until mid-2008 is an era that's passed. I won't give up but it's been frustrating. I managed to get four 90% pieces this year: two Walkers and two Franklins. Impaired proofs are some random finds that I've been enjoying. I've gotten enough to justify labelling a Whitman folder in the hopes of completing the set someday. We'll see about that provided my bank doesn't cut me off by ceasing to order half dollars for its customers.