Every blogpost paints a picture, don't it?

We all know things about ourselves.

Some things we know from birth, an instinct that we have that goes beyond self-awareness. Some things we learn over time, as we grow older, as we try new things, we understand and learn more just who we are.

I understand many such things about myself, and today, I wish to share one of them with you.

I cannot paint.

Hm. That seems a little vague. Let me clarify that previous statement.

I shouldn't be allowed anywhere near paint, paint brushes, wet paint, cans of paint, anything that might need painted, anything that has ever been painted, and paint just in general.

Most folks know that I have a degree of patience, depending on the subject. When it comes to painting, I have zero patience and zero tolerance. I want it done, mostly because I find it as much to watch paint dry as it is to actually paint.

The family home is going on the market, so I can move to DeKalb and be near Julie. The only reason why I'm painting is because I want to sell the house for a decent amount of money, and the front room (The Kid's former room) had taken some water damage (the chimney sprung a leak a few years back, and it got into the wallpaper and paint in her room...nothing major, just ignored for a long time), and it needed fixed before I sold the house.

My buddy Tim, a man with far more patience with a brush (and he hates to paint) agreed to come over and plaster the part of the wall to even it out, and then I'd paint it. So far, so good.

Except one thing: I should not be allowed to paint!

I've got one of those paint tubes...not a power paint brush, but the thing where you put a lid on the paint can (that's the same size of the can, making it next to bloody impossible to get the thing on easily), stick the tube with the paint brush on it, and suck the paint into the tube so you're not always having to dip your brush in the paint tray.

In theory, this is a good idea. In practice, getting the tube to actually suck the paint out is, I believe, something developed in the Third level of Hades. Getting a tight fit on the sucker tube requires fixing it on the just right...and patience.

Have I mentioned I hate painting?

There's two coats of paint on most of the walls now. Just waiting for them and the patches to dry. Do a little touch-up (HA!), and it'll be done. Furniture's moved out of that room, so that's one less thing to worry about.

Seventeen more days.