It's hard to understand past mindsets. I remember them; I remember being in them. Jokes.

So thoughts/material for Surly's roasts:

The best part of planning this roast is for the past 6 months I've been able to lie in bed at night just thinking about making fun of Matt. Whenever I have a stray moment, my thoughts turn to you. And your many, many flaws. In my minds eye I see a giant, shining, glorious, and completely nude Matt. I soar over him, probing him for weakness. (By the way, you're totally into it.)

I learned a lot. Mostly I realized it's easy to make fun of Surly, but it's hard to make fun of the real Matt. Sure, we all have that image of a scruffy kid in aviator sunglasses and a serial killer van, but he has been nothing but a good friend. Hardly serial-killed any of us.

I'm sure I'm not the only one that's been having this struggle. Half of us in here do comedy and entertainment, and a few of us are even good at it. NAME, you're not. Alan, your T-Rex impression was very funny in high school. Leah, you're pretty good but you're playing other people's music so I guess that doesn't count. Lauren...wait, do you do even do anything?

By the way I planned these jokes months ago. I wrote them on my blog, where I knew they would be secret and safe. You guys are just that predictable.

Non-material-wise, I'll probably have to get everyone's prepared jokes ahead of time, so I can kind of Family Feud them and make sure they aren't doing the same ones. I could mention that. 

I dreamed of doggos. The sky weighs heavy on the sun; it rises each day only to be pushed down again. And it rises again.

Physically shaking my head to clear out all the news articles I've been reading. So many power struggles. So many people so sure of themselves. 

Maybe it's a game to some. Although to them I would say, there are actual games you can play if you like conflict. Many video-electric games too. Lots of fighting in those.

Travel. Travel? Yes. Look into that. Oh, and clicker training for the hounds. Might be time to learn that. Maybe I'll do the dolphin thing. Have a little target on a stick. Touch the nose to the target, get a treat. Chain behaviors. Have them jumping through hoops and doing back flips in no time.

Failing that, as long as they come inside from the yard when I call them, I'll be content. They can still give me exasperated looks, as they do now whenever I call them in. I'm here to train, not suppress their instincts.

My google photos sent me a reminder picture from January and dang, I did lose weight. Gotta keep moving, because Cheebus knows I ain't gonna stop eating.

A comic I follow made a comic about writer's block. There's nothing funny about writer's block. I'm not sure how it applies to drawing comics. I suppose they come up with the joke first, and then draw it. Personally, if I could draw, I would make a hundred different images of my characters. Performing specific actions, and having different reactions and expressions. Then I'd create a hundred backgrounds. Then I'd create a hundred side-characters, just basic forms that can be mouthpieces for the setup of the joke. 

Then I'd learn to program and shuffle the images randomly. 

And none of my comics would have jokes about writer's block.

I'm okay with taking it a step beyond writer's block, and discussing what the artist is trying to accomplish. For example, saying "I have writer's block' tells me nothing, except that the person is trying to write. Saying "I want to write the Great American Novel" tells me much more, and even allows me to respond with "Well, America's not that great so that shouldn't be too hard."

"I want to write something that makes people laugh." 

"Then you'll have to learn about things people think are funny, and honestly most of those things are terrible."

"I want to write something revealing about my inner self."

"Great, just don't expect anyone to read it."

A long time ago I was thinking about having a roast for my friend Matt, aka Surly. Mostly an excuse to have dinner and make fun of each other. Like in the olden days.

Felt better yesterday evening. Did my full workout. Motivated not to skip anymore. 

Things I might want for my birthday: A List: 

-Samsung 55" Class 8 series 4K TV. 

-Bose Soundbar 300

-Electric Roaster Oven (mostly for cooking beans, preferably with a metal insert.)

-Deep clean car wash. It's been a long time since the interior has been really cleaned.

I might also need a new pair of walking shoes. It's only been two months and usually they last at least 3 but I have been walking harder. 

Oh and a doctor's appointment. It's been too long. 

Feel like I've been moodier than usual. Disrupted, maybe. Because I'm trying to do more social stuff, maybe? Went to a baptism for my nieces on Sunday but I didn't go to the gathering afterward. Turn down free food? Very suspect. 

Walked for a bit, but not as long as I usually do. Skipped walking on Saturday too. 

Something is knocked loose. Gotta knock it back into place. 

Now I'm listening to Arcade Fire. Oh, how I loved them. Headphone music. 

You better look out below!

What is it, then? Sleep? Nothing unusual in the past week, according to my smartwatch. Too much garlic? Not enough garlic? 

Lack of vitamin C? I bought a Key lime pie, that should have some vitamin C in it. Vitamin C is very important for holding scar tissue together, and I have many many many scars. 

Better eat a little more of this dried fruit just in case.

Maybe I'm not drinking enough water. Unlikely, but possible, given the warming weather. 

I was talking to my nephews about doppelgangers, and I reminded that that once you figure out someone is a doppelganger, the most important thing is to not let them realize you know, but to try to trick them into revealing the location of the person they're replacing. Their monster hunter training continues to this day.