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this morning i sanded down all the newly patched spots then gave the door one final wash with my last piece of steel wool. i changed out the newspaper and got ready to paint. the painting is actually the easy part of a paint project; it's the prep work that's more difficult and takes a long time. i've done so much painting in my lifetime that it feels like visiting an old friend: smelling the aroma of a just-opened paint can, stirring the content, presoaking the brush in thinner, applying that first paint stroke. it took me less than an hour to prime the door (this is the initial prime coat; the final coat is tomorrow). i came across this helpful website that diagrammed the proper sequence of door painting.

i finished by 1:30. i set up a fan in the bathroom blowing outwards then gently closed the door to contain the smell. i left for belmont soon afterwards. after some leftover rice porridge for lunch, i went with my mother to home depot. she dropped off some stuff at a nearby donation box while i went and bought some white oil paint ($8.98/quart). rust-oleum is really intended for painting on metal surfaces, but i figured it'll work for the door as well. i also picked up a 3-pack package of air filters ($6.48 20x20") and a roll of plastic (fiberglass) window screen ($5.49) - materials for my DIY box fan beef jerky machine.

my parents are thinking about getting another HDTV. the one we got a year ago for the living room has basically been co-opted by my sister. instead of fighting with her for control of the HDTV, my parents have decided to get another set. my mother wanted a 46" for my parents' bedroom. we moved the 40" samsung from the living to do a size test. a 46" would just be too big for that room, potentially partially eclipsing a window. a 40" would be the ideal size, despite the longer viewing distance from the bed. i told them they should wait until the holidays when everything goes on sale but my mother can't seem to wait anymore.

we had domino's pizza again for dinner. i don't think it's the best pizza in the world, but it's convenient and cheap. ordering online, i don't have to deal with a person until i go pick up my pizzas.

back at home, i was surprised by the paint smell despite my bathroom ventilation setup. even more surprising was that the door wasn't dry yet after 7 hours. it may take 24 hours or more for the paint to completely dry, one of the disadvantages of oil (compared to latex). with my new roommate moving in wednesday morning, i was running out of time. i set the fan blowing directly onto the door to speed up the drying. when i checked again hours later, it seemed to be better, but still sticky in some areas. most of the flat surfaces are dry, while the moulding still feels tacky. i wonder if it means i didn't remove all the citristrip and some residue is preventing dryness? i'll check it again tomorrow. whatever the case may be, the paint show must still go home. final coat mañana.

september is like the spring time of television shows. old perennial favorites reappear, while fresh new ones sprout up as well. i wanted to check out lone star on FOX at 9:00 but watched the event on NBC instead. it has a suspenseful 24 vibe, but with a touch of lost mystery. it's intriguing enough that i'll watch it again next week. at 10:00 i was torn between the hawaii five-o reboot on CBS (grace park in a bikini!) and the much-publicized chase on NBC. in the end, perennial favorite castle on ABC won out. as for the shows i missed, i'm sure i'll be grabbing them online within the next few days.