"SPACE, the final frontier..."

If this room isn't done soon, I'm going to be out of it.

Uh, space, that is. Just one of the many reasons the basement is undergoing major surgery.

I would appear to have far too many DVDs. My better half will occasionally ask me when I have time to watch them all. Of course, I don't really have time to check them all out. But some of my friends do.

I have become the equivalent of a discount Blockbuster Video. Indefinite rentals at 100 per cent off the price of the competition.

In fact, I have no idea which discs are currently visiting other DVD players, but there must be at least a dozen or so at other locales.

This isn't stopping me from adding to the collection. And although I don't get to see the lot of them, I try to see as many as I can.

For example, last week I snared a copy of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, the movie adaptation of the classic Tennessee Williams play. The film starred Elizabeth Taylor, when she was younger (and less weird) and Paul Newman, when his eyes were more blue (and the salad dressing was just a glint in one of 'em). I had actually never seen it, didn't really know what to expect, but enjoyed it anyway. For a Cat, Liz was really a hottie, and I could certainly see why the ladies took a shine to the Brickster.

Up next? Any one of several.

If I can actually make enough space for them all, that is.

"Now Playing: Arachnophobia 2"

So I went downstairs the other day to fetch myself a beverage, and since I'm obsessed with this basement thingy, I thought I'd take a look to see how the day's compound application was drying.

Little did I know that I wasn't the only one checking things out (see attached photo -- screaming is optional).



This not so little guy was roaming around the floor next to the wall. The pic is a little blurry, but suffice to say that, outside of the tarantula that encountered the flatter end of James Bond's shoe in Dr. No, I have never seen a spider so big. From end to end, with the legs, it must have been a couple of inches long.

If I'd been even the littlest bit adventurous, I'd have caught it and turned it into a meal. But then I never can decide what vegetables go best with a nice, tangy sautéed arachnid.

"I think I feel like getting plastered..."

Progress.

It's a fascinating word that can only take on true meaning when your ceiling is completed. At least, that's how I see it down in the dungeon to was (AKA the basement to be).

This project has been on the scenic route for the longest time, owing to a great many things, mostly my contractor's availability. Did I mention that I'm not doing this myself? I could have sworn I did.

But no matter. Whether I did or I didn't, the only know truth at hand is that I'm not. Not that I couldn't. I probably could. It's just probably better that I don't, so I haven't.

But I'm helping out. I have to. A 4 foot by 8 foot sheet of drywall is too much for one person to lift and screw into joists at the same time.

Anyway, onto some proof of progress.



This is a shot as one approaches the main room, which at this point is all that counts. To the right are stairs, underneath which will be storage. The fridge on right sits between the storage and the main room in a conveniently built nook. On the left is the laundry room, which also includes a decent sized storage room. Behind the photographer (who shall remain nameless) is the entrance from the garage on the right, and a yet to be constructed bathroom on the left.



Upon entering the main room on the right is a closet just big enough to fit Tom Cruise. Thankfully, he doesn't know about it.



Once inside the room there isn't much to make it special, except for two notable features. This first one is a recessed portion that will be filled with a custom-built shelving unit for the gazillions of DVDs that are currently in my possession, with room for plenty more. It will measure about 6 feet wide by 6.5 feet high. Tom Cruise will be allowed to hang out here -- several times over.



The best part of the room is a solution to mission impossible. Had I gone with my original plan there would have been little room between the sofa and television once said sofa was rolled out into a bed, yet I had no more space to expand the room. Or did I? Behind the wall on the opposite side is the basement drain. I couldn't cover it, but there was no reason I couldn't build over it. Thus, the recessed entertainment centre was born. There is room for a TV as big as 46 inches as well as book shelf speakers and anywhere from three to six stereo components, depending on the size of television. I've settled on a 42 inch plasma, which is currently occupying a space in the basement hallway, much to my impatience.

To summarize, the basic shape of the room (minus the closet area) is about 16 feet by 10 feet, although it's not as wide on the other side of the room, making shaped sort of like a backwards letter P. Hopefully, now that the drywall is all but complete (just some mudding and sanding to go), I should be painting in about a week and a half. After that, it's trims, a quick sub-floor and some carpet.

Then it's time for furniture shopping and some serious celebrating.