SINCE it's almost time for the State of the State message, we should all stop and take a moment to assess the state of a few other things in our lives. Let's take stock of the state we're in
This can distract us from the actual state of the state, which Gov. Ben Cayetano will surely if predictably describe in upbeat terms (after all, he's got to get re-elected and that's going to take more than shaving off his mustache).
Take, for example, the state of my lanai: half painted. I was making good progress until it began to rain every morning and afternoon. I tried painting under a tent I made from the drop cloth and a broomstick, but the cat started tracking the light tan deck paint on the dark brown railing and I lost the will to continue.
Unlike the economy, however, the rainy season is cyclical. Someday, it will get dry, I will finish and SAT scores will rise. Someday.
Then, there's the state of my waistline: holding its own. I haven't resorted to larger trousers, but there's more of me drooping over the same waistband size I wore last year - kind of like a Capitol renovation cost overrun, but not as forgettable.
Finally, there's the state of our refrigerator: mysterious. Our family uses the ''don't ask; don't tell'' system. We stow leftovers in plastic containers and leave them to mature anonymously in the cold darkness.
There's a big one partly full of what might be gravy from Thanksgiving but, like those pesky tax revenue forecasts, we're afraid to open it.