Entries by tag: travel
So I've spent the last week and a half on Oahu for work. I'd never been to Hawaii before - and as lovely as the island was (what I got to see of it) I was pretty glad to get home this morning.
Because, mainly, the personal drama I had to deal with regarding a health issue. See, the day I traveled out, I woke up with a slight swollen bumpiness near my hairline on my forehead. I didn't think much of it, it wasn't readily apparent, I went off to Hawaii (15 hour trip - two six-plus hour flights with a two/three-ish hour layover in the middle). I arrive in Honolulu early in the morning - like 6am early, and get to the resort and checked in before eight (bless them for finding me a room so early in the day). I shower and change into something appropriately summery (going from forties, wet rainy to mid eighties, sunny and humid) and wander off to find the NOC (Network Operation Center - the guys we take with us to create and maintain out network wherever we go - we feed them well and they always have extra) thinking I might be able to get some food there. I am actually lucky in that they have breakfast just being served and I say hellos to people and tuck into breakfast and open my laptop to get online. Now the venue is hosting another huge event right before my work event so I am not sure where to find our office (and only one other of my collegues is yet onsite - others due throughout the day). I email my co-worker to let her know where I am and work between breakfast and saying hi to everyone that shows up.
The day is long (and ends with a wander to the mall a mile away that I am glad I went on even if I was exhausted, because I'd be back the next day for a whole other reason), and I am grateful to fall into bed by 9pm. The next day I wake up (pre-con meeting scheduled for 10:30) and that little bit of swollen bumpiness has morphed into angry red burny/itchy and is slightly bigger patch. Still high on my forehead near my hairline, and my hair covers it completely.
I am thinking, maybe I should contact my doctor. It is five am in Hawaii, which means it is about lunchtime back home, so I email him about what I've noticed, and btw, I'm in Hawaii, and did he have any thoughts.
An hour later I am showered any my doctor has emailed me back telling me to go to a clinic or an ER and be assessed by a doctor. He thinks it might be shingles. So at breakfast, I ask my coworker - the resort has a doctor in case of issues, right? and she thinks they do, so after the pre-con we'd talk to our (awesome) hotel guy and ask. We go off to the pre-con, and after (about 11:15amish at this point) we ask, and he says, yes, there is a walk in clinic and he could take me there.
11:40am I am sitting in the walk-in clinic waiting to see the doctor. By 12:30pm I am on my way back to the mall and the CVS there to get a prescription for anti-virals. It is indeed shingles. The doctor was super nice and friendly and all apologetic that the medication will make drinking any sort of alcoholic beverage "ill-advised" and I had to reassure her - no, it's okay! I don't drink! You aren't ruining my beach vacation in the slightest! Honest!
I spend a week taking antivirals and the first couple of days the rash gets worse before it starts to slowly flake away. The medication also makes me kind of queasy in the evening, and it caused my face to swell slightly for a couple of days. But other than sleeping more than usual, and excusing myself from a lot of evening activities to rest, I was mostly okay. It wasn't fun, but it didn't linger, either. Mostly, I think because I got it checked out RIGHT AWAY.
All I jeard the whole week were HORROR stories of people who lingered in a daze of pain and exhaustedness for multiple weeks. But they also waited before getting it checked out by a doctor. Getting on the anti-viral super early seems to be key. I mean, the body will eventually fight it off - but it might take a month to get rid of the virus and even more time to regain your energy. Don't fuck around with it. Get it checked and get on the medication ASAP.
Anyway, I finished the meds on Friday and on Saturday we had a day-long ADVENTUR! planned. There were nine of us and seven of us worked together, one was cousin to one of us and one was husband to one of us - so essentially all co-workers/attached and our guide.
Our guide was super awesome. He picked us up at the resort at 10am and we didn't get back to the resort until about 7:30pm. We arrived back stinky, sweaty, muddy, sandy, bruised, (only one of us was bloody - not me!), and slightly sunburned. We began the day by coastal snorkling in a reef area - I saw sea turtles from the beach, and a moray eel as well as huge amounts of tropical fish once in the water. Having seen them in their native environment I don't think I could keep fish in a tank anymore...
We then had lunch in a botanical garden (I can't remember which one) and went off to hike to a waterfall - which was muddy and waterlogged and hot - but SOOO WORTH IT once we got to the waterfall and stripped down to our bathing suits again to play under the water. We hiked out (and met two huge groups on our way out - so we felt super lucky that when we got to the waterfall it was JUST US playing there for twenty/thirty minutes or so). We ended the day on the north shore of Oahu stand-up paddleboarding (omg - terrifying) up a channel that no-lie SEA TURTLES go to sleep. So we saw MANY turtles in the channel swimming upstream looking for a good place to rest for the night. They were largeish -certainly seemed more-so to me when they surfaced next to my paddleboard to breathe!
I am still super sore, but really glad the ADVENTUR!ing went so well! And I am feeling pretty good aside from the usual jetlag and such. I escaped with a very small strip of faint sunburn along where my bathing suit lay on my back - probably from when we were snorkling in the morning - maybe my sunblock didn't cover as well, or perhaps my suit rode down in the water and exposed a bit of unprotected skin. Whatever, in the grand mass of bruises (I fell on the hike and popped up bruised but unbloody!) and soreness and bug bites it doesn't even register.
All in all, I liked Hawaii! ...POG juice - delicious stuff!
Because, mainly, the personal drama I had to deal with regarding a health issue. See, the day I traveled out, I woke up with a slight swollen bumpiness near my hairline on my forehead. I didn't think much of it, it wasn't readily apparent, I went off to Hawaii (15 hour trip - two six-plus hour flights with a two/three-ish hour layover in the middle). I arrive in Honolulu early in the morning - like 6am early, and get to the resort and checked in before eight (bless them for finding me a room so early in the day). I shower and change into something appropriately summery (going from forties, wet rainy to mid eighties, sunny and humid) and wander off to find the NOC (Network Operation Center - the guys we take with us to create and maintain out network wherever we go - we feed them well and they always have extra) thinking I might be able to get some food there. I am actually lucky in that they have breakfast just being served and I say hellos to people and tuck into breakfast and open my laptop to get online. Now the venue is hosting another huge event right before my work event so I am not sure where to find our office (and only one other of my collegues is yet onsite - others due throughout the day). I email my co-worker to let her know where I am and work between breakfast and saying hi to everyone that shows up.
The day is long (and ends with a wander to the mall a mile away that I am glad I went on even if I was exhausted, because I'd be back the next day for a whole other reason), and I am grateful to fall into bed by 9pm. The next day I wake up (pre-con meeting scheduled for 10:30) and that little bit of swollen bumpiness has morphed into angry red burny/itchy and is slightly bigger patch. Still high on my forehead near my hairline, and my hair covers it completely.
I am thinking, maybe I should contact my doctor. It is five am in Hawaii, which means it is about lunchtime back home, so I email him about what I've noticed, and btw, I'm in Hawaii, and did he have any thoughts.
An hour later I am showered any my doctor has emailed me back telling me to go to a clinic or an ER and be assessed by a doctor. He thinks it might be shingles. So at breakfast, I ask my coworker - the resort has a doctor in case of issues, right? and she thinks they do, so after the pre-con we'd talk to our (awesome) hotel guy and ask. We go off to the pre-con, and after (about 11:15amish at this point) we ask, and he says, yes, there is a walk in clinic and he could take me there.
11:40am I am sitting in the walk-in clinic waiting to see the doctor. By 12:30pm I am on my way back to the mall and the CVS there to get a prescription for anti-virals. It is indeed shingles. The doctor was super nice and friendly and all apologetic that the medication will make drinking any sort of alcoholic beverage "ill-advised" and I had to reassure her - no, it's okay! I don't drink! You aren't ruining my beach vacation in the slightest! Honest!
I spend a week taking antivirals and the first couple of days the rash gets worse before it starts to slowly flake away. The medication also makes me kind of queasy in the evening, and it caused my face to swell slightly for a couple of days. But other than sleeping more than usual, and excusing myself from a lot of evening activities to rest, I was mostly okay. It wasn't fun, but it didn't linger, either. Mostly, I think because I got it checked out RIGHT AWAY.
All I jeard the whole week were HORROR stories of people who lingered in a daze of pain and exhaustedness for multiple weeks. But they also waited before getting it checked out by a doctor. Getting on the anti-viral super early seems to be key. I mean, the body will eventually fight it off - but it might take a month to get rid of the virus and even more time to regain your energy. Don't fuck around with it. Get it checked and get on the medication ASAP.
Anyway, I finished the meds on Friday and on Saturday we had a day-long ADVENTUR! planned. There were nine of us and seven of us worked together, one was cousin to one of us and one was husband to one of us - so essentially all co-workers/attached and our guide.
Our guide was super awesome. He picked us up at the resort at 10am and we didn't get back to the resort until about 7:30pm. We arrived back stinky, sweaty, muddy, sandy, bruised, (only one of us was bloody - not me!), and slightly sunburned. We began the day by coastal snorkling in a reef area - I saw sea turtles from the beach, and a moray eel as well as huge amounts of tropical fish once in the water. Having seen them in their native environment I don't think I could keep fish in a tank anymore...
We then had lunch in a botanical garden (I can't remember which one) and went off to hike to a waterfall - which was muddy and waterlogged and hot - but SOOO WORTH IT once we got to the waterfall and stripped down to our bathing suits again to play under the water. We hiked out (and met two huge groups on our way out - so we felt super lucky that when we got to the waterfall it was JUST US playing there for twenty/thirty minutes or so). We ended the day on the north shore of Oahu stand-up paddleboarding (omg - terrifying) up a channel that no-lie SEA TURTLES go to sleep. So we saw MANY turtles in the channel swimming upstream looking for a good place to rest for the night. They were largeish -certainly seemed more-so to me when they surfaced next to my paddleboard to breathe!
I am still super sore, but really glad the ADVENTUR!ing went so well! And I am feeling pretty good aside from the usual jetlag and such. I escaped with a very small strip of faint sunburn along where my bathing suit lay on my back - probably from when we were snorkling in the morning - maybe my sunblock didn't cover as well, or perhaps my suit rode down in the water and exposed a bit of unprotected skin. Whatever, in the grand mass of bruises (I fell on the hike and popped up bruised but unbloody!) and soreness and bug bites it doesn't even register.
All in all, I liked Hawaii! ...POG juice - delicious stuff!
The last few days have been not quite a haze of jet lag, but I certainly know I've hopped time zones.
Germany was fantastic - I hope we go back! I got to see the Victory Column (totally near the hotel - we were on that end of the Tiergarten) along with random men-killing-things statues (they used to hunt wild boar on the lands of the Tiergarten, so it really isn't a surprise). And the Deutches Technikmuseum (social event for the win with train cars!) and the Checkpoint Charlie museum - right at Checkpoint Charlie - the guardhouse is still there with taxis and buses whizzing by it.
Lots of things I didn't get a chance to see - like the Brandenburg Gates - they were on the opposite end of the Tiergarten from where we were and I just didn't have that much free time to try to go see them. I went to the Checkpoint Charlie museum instead.
I am gearing up to go on vacation - which is my next big ADVENTUR! Hopefully a ton of relaxation and driving around the area dorking about small history bits with friends. Low key. And maybe there will be enough breezes to fly a kite or two.
I find as I get older I care less and less about what "people" think. Introvert that I am people wear me out, but it used to be paired with social anxiety where I would push to do something even knowing I would maybe have a good time doing it, but would pay for it later with exhaustion because people tend to suck my energy dry (except for when I am on stage, where, oddly, the exchange works the other way). I have less anxiety about saying no. Maybe it is age.
Germany was fantastic - I hope we go back! I got to see the Victory Column (totally near the hotel - we were on that end of the Tiergarten) along with random men-killing-things statues (they used to hunt wild boar on the lands of the Tiergarten, so it really isn't a surprise). And the Deutches Technikmuseum (social event for the win with train cars!) and the Checkpoint Charlie museum - right at Checkpoint Charlie - the guardhouse is still there with taxis and buses whizzing by it.
Lots of things I didn't get a chance to see - like the Brandenburg Gates - they were on the opposite end of the Tiergarten from where we were and I just didn't have that much free time to try to go see them. I went to the Checkpoint Charlie museum instead.
I am gearing up to go on vacation - which is my next big ADVENTUR! Hopefully a ton of relaxation and driving around the area dorking about small history bits with friends. Low key. And maybe there will be enough breezes to fly a kite or two.
I find as I get older I care less and less about what "people" think. Introvert that I am people wear me out, but it used to be paired with social anxiety where I would push to do something even knowing I would maybe have a good time doing it, but would pay for it later with exhaustion because people tend to suck my energy dry (except for when I am on stage, where, oddly, the exchange works the other way). I have less anxiety about saying no. Maybe it is age.
Is all over my town.
There are two ways to exit my neighborhood to the south, and two ways to the north. In both cases you have to get to the main road and head east or west on it before you can actually go north or south. About six weeks ago, one of the routes to the south (westerly) was closed for bridge repair - the most convenient one to my bank, to the closest Stop and Shop, to the closest Whole Foods, to the main Post Office. Its just a CONVENIENT way to leave my neighborhood. Closed until (at the very least) Fall.
Okay, I can still go west to go south - I just have to go alllll the way around. About ten to fifteen minutes out of my way depending on traffic (tertiary roads, highly traveled, and looping back to where you were, just on the other side of the closed bridge). Annoying but do-able.
Leaving my neighborhood the up and around way to the west, there are traffic signs indicating a traffic pattern shift starting tomorrow. Road crews are going to be doing a widening project, so traffic in that direction is going to be even worse - they expect heavy usage and major delays. I go that way ALL THE TIME. I don't want more construction happening there!
Getting out south and east is the same traffic pattern as usual, but getting IN south to the easterly direction they've put in another detour to do some sewer repair - also going to take a couple of months to complete, but totally messes with the traffic pattern in the other spot.
Going to the north east or west is still clear of construction, but getting out of the neighborhood to head towards civilization (Mass Pike and Route 9 are both *just* south of my neighborhood) is getting annoying and time consuming.
I am super happy my town is doing much-needed repairs to its roads and infrastructure (water mains, sewers, etc.) but having it all happen at the same time is a little... weird! There are like four bridges closed in my town for repair. Orange DETOUR signs are up everywhere.
On the plus side, a bunch of pot-holey roads have been repaved lately, so there is that.
On the minus side we've had two weeks of plus90 degree weather, I do not envy the construction crews working outside in this weather. This week should be marginally cooler (mid eighties instead of mid-to-high nineties). But I'm off ADVENTURING to Europe mid-week anyway.
There are two ways to exit my neighborhood to the south, and two ways to the north. In both cases you have to get to the main road and head east or west on it before you can actually go north or south. About six weeks ago, one of the routes to the south (westerly) was closed for bridge repair - the most convenient one to my bank, to the closest Stop and Shop, to the closest Whole Foods, to the main Post Office. Its just a CONVENIENT way to leave my neighborhood. Closed until (at the very least) Fall.
Okay, I can still go west to go south - I just have to go alllll the way around. About ten to fifteen minutes out of my way depending on traffic (tertiary roads, highly traveled, and looping back to where you were, just on the other side of the closed bridge). Annoying but do-able.
Leaving my neighborhood the up and around way to the west, there are traffic signs indicating a traffic pattern shift starting tomorrow. Road crews are going to be doing a widening project, so traffic in that direction is going to be even worse - they expect heavy usage and major delays. I go that way ALL THE TIME. I don't want more construction happening there!
Getting out south and east is the same traffic pattern as usual, but getting IN south to the easterly direction they've put in another detour to do some sewer repair - also going to take a couple of months to complete, but totally messes with the traffic pattern in the other spot.
Going to the north east or west is still clear of construction, but getting out of the neighborhood to head towards civilization (Mass Pike and Route 9 are both *just* south of my neighborhood) is getting annoying and time consuming.
I am super happy my town is doing much-needed repairs to its roads and infrastructure (water mains, sewers, etc.) but having it all happen at the same time is a little... weird! There are like four bridges closed in my town for repair. Orange DETOUR signs are up everywhere.
On the plus side, a bunch of pot-holey roads have been repaved lately, so there is that.
On the minus side we've had two weeks of plus90 degree weather, I do not envy the construction crews working outside in this weather. This week should be marginally cooler (mid eighties instead of mid-to-high nineties). But I'm off ADVENTURING to Europe mid-week anyway.
And still recovering! Vacation this year was the western shore of Chesapeake Bay in a beach house in Maryland. It is so awesome to get together with good friends and not have to worry about personality conflicts.
We are also way way WAY interested in history - so our day trips in the area are focused on things like state and national parks, historical sites, lighthouse tours and museums. My mother teased me about our "wild ways." I supposed five thirty and forty-something women don't usually do this sort of "lets go somewhere and take in as much history as we can" kind of vacation. We got asked if we were all teachers! None of us are - KM is the closest as she is employed by a school - just not as a traditional teacher.
Some highlights of what can be found in southern Maryland include (when asked, ALWAYS WATCH THE VIDEO!):
The Belair Mansion, and Belair Stables (both take donations but do not cost $ to tour). Belair had been a working plantation, and the Stables had produced many many many fine thoroughbred horses. Two which won the triple crown - Gallant Fox in 1930, and Gallant Fox's son Omaha in 1935 (the only father-son triple crown winners ever).
The Thomas Stone House National Historic Site (no fee, donations only). Manned by the National Park Service, this house was built in 1740 by Thomas Stone for his family. It was also a working plantation. Thomas Stone was the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence - he was a moderate, wanting peace with England, but when push came to shove believed in breaking with England rather than surrender rights. He was not as much a hot-head radical as some of them, so he is a lesser known signer.
The Dr. Samuel Mudd House (tour costs $ - not a lot, but some). The docent and docent-in-training that conducted our tour were personable (Dr. Mudd was the doctor John Wilkes Booth went to when he broke his leg after assassinating President Lincoln - Dr. Mudd was tried and jailed for being part of the conspiracy, although evidence leans toward him not being quite that black-hearted. Not a choirboy, but not a killer, either). The house was interesting to see, and they had a lot of the ACTUALFAX stuff from the Mudd family - and quite a number of pretty wooden furniture pieces Dr. Mudd made in prison. Dr. Mudd spent nearly four years in prison before he was pardoned, and he came home and he and his wife had five more children (to join the four they already had).
Calvert Marine Museum and the Drum Point Lighthouse.
Cove Point Lighthouse.
Piney Point Lighthouse.
...Not very many Dairy Queens :(
It was awesome, and low-key. We beach combed, watched the sunrise and the blue heron fish. We puzzled - and completed three the week we were there. No kite flying - sadly the winds were not with us. We watched ships go by. We ate delicious food (possibly way too much food, but hey - it was vacation!)
It was exactly what a vacation is supposed to be... It was restful and lovely and I could have used another week! ♥
We are also way way WAY interested in history - so our day trips in the area are focused on things like state and national parks, historical sites, lighthouse tours and museums. My mother teased me about our "wild ways." I supposed five thirty and forty-something women don't usually do this sort of "lets go somewhere and take in as much history as we can" kind of vacation. We got asked if we were all teachers! None of us are - KM is the closest as she is employed by a school - just not as a traditional teacher.
Some highlights of what can be found in southern Maryland include (when asked, ALWAYS WATCH THE VIDEO!):
The Belair Mansion, and Belair Stables (both take donations but do not cost $ to tour). Belair had been a working plantation, and the Stables had produced many many many fine thoroughbred horses. Two which won the triple crown - Gallant Fox in 1930, and Gallant Fox's son Omaha in 1935 (the only father-son triple crown winners ever).
The Thomas Stone House National Historic Site (no fee, donations only). Manned by the National Park Service, this house was built in 1740 by Thomas Stone for his family. It was also a working plantation. Thomas Stone was the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence - he was a moderate, wanting peace with England, but when push came to shove believed in breaking with England rather than surrender rights. He was not as much a hot-head radical as some of them, so he is a lesser known signer.
The Dr. Samuel Mudd House (tour costs $ - not a lot, but some). The docent and docent-in-training that conducted our tour were personable (Dr. Mudd was the doctor John Wilkes Booth went to when he broke his leg after assassinating President Lincoln - Dr. Mudd was tried and jailed for being part of the conspiracy, although evidence leans toward him not being quite that black-hearted. Not a choirboy, but not a killer, either). The house was interesting to see, and they had a lot of the ACTUALFAX stuff from the Mudd family - and quite a number of pretty wooden furniture pieces Dr. Mudd made in prison. Dr. Mudd spent nearly four years in prison before he was pardoned, and he came home and he and his wife had five more children (to join the four they already had).
Calvert Marine Museum and the Drum Point Lighthouse.
Cove Point Lighthouse.
Piney Point Lighthouse.
...Not very many Dairy Queens :(
It was awesome, and low-key. We beach combed, watched the sunrise and the blue heron fish. We puzzled - and completed three the week we were there. No kite flying - sadly the winds were not with us. We watched ships go by. We ate delicious food (possibly way too much food, but hey - it was vacation!)
It was exactly what a vacation is supposed to be... It was restful and lovely and I could have used another week! ♥
In Vancouver. Weather is perfect. Meetings going well. Going to spend a little bit of time in Stanley Park tomorrow.
...why did no one ever tell me this game existed? It is awesome. (for those that don't know it is like apples to apples - but rated NC-17, XXX - so totally hilarious)
One of my top ten memories of Ascendio is playing this game on Friday night with a whole group of people - Mark Oshiro of "Mark Does Stuff" included. That man is a total riot (also way way WAY clever).
And I got to say incredibly wrong and dirty things out loud to a whole bunch of people. Good times.
Finally home from Ascendio. Exhausted (so exhausted I actually slept on the AUTO TRAIN). Con report:
Was awesome. Spent too much money. LOVED seeing everyone. Chalk Twins was another top ten highlight - along with Cat Tosenberger - because she is Cat Tosenberger.
Afshan Azad is a total sweetheart - and Chris Rankin can SING. Hotel was gorgeous; food was great; all the pre-con work paid off.
Bed now.
One of my top ten memories of Ascendio is playing this game on Friday night with a whole group of people - Mark Oshiro of "Mark Does Stuff" included. That man is a total riot (also way way WAY clever).
And I got to say incredibly wrong and dirty things out loud to a whole bunch of people. Good times.
Finally home from Ascendio. Exhausted (so exhausted I actually slept on the AUTO TRAIN). Con report:
Was awesome. Spent too much money. LOVED seeing everyone. Chalk Twins was another top ten highlight - along with Cat Tosenberger - because she is Cat Tosenberger.
Afshan Azad is a total sweetheart - and Chris Rankin can SING. Hotel was gorgeous; food was great; all the pre-con work paid off.
Bed now.
Not that that is a news flash to anybody.
Stress-induced insomnia has me working with about three-four hours of sleep a night for the last two weeks. Somehow the hours between 5am and 8am are the best hours I've been able to consistently sleep.
Last night I got over five hours and so am feeling a little hungover - without the usual reasons to feel hungover.
Gearing up for vacation - although it is less vacation than "time off real-life work." It is still work, just not work I get paid for. Gwen and I leave here on Saturday, car packed to the gills, and make it to just outside Baltimore Saturday night. Sunday we go the rest of the way to Virginia and catch the Autotrain to Orlando. Monday morning we'll arrive in Orlando and check in to the hotel. We'll be there until the next Monday when we retrace our steps to Boston.
Maybe then I'll be able to sleep.
Stress-induced insomnia has me working with about three-four hours of sleep a night for the last two weeks. Somehow the hours between 5am and 8am are the best hours I've been able to consistently sleep.
Last night I got over five hours and so am feeling a little hungover - without the usual reasons to feel hungover.
Gearing up for vacation - although it is less vacation than "time off real-life work." It is still work, just not work I get paid for. Gwen and I leave here on Saturday, car packed to the gills, and make it to just outside Baltimore Saturday night. Sunday we go the rest of the way to Virginia and catch the Autotrain to Orlando. Monday morning we'll arrive in Orlando and check in to the hotel. We'll be there until the next Monday when we retrace our steps to Boston.
Maybe then I'll be able to sleep.
...but then I realize I've just been incredibly busy. The next three months are gonna be hella busy for me. Which is good and bad - because I can only try to complete all the things on my plate in a timely manner while still remaining gainfully employed. So little things like posting in my journal may be few and far between.
Speaking of employment I went out to the mothership last week and took part in some company party shenanigans. We went to a baseball game (Giants vs Marlins - Giants lost). Those who know the game I've got a question! We all know baseball is all about statistics (well, because you've gotta have something to focus on during the game because the game itself is about as exciting as watching snails move). On the jumbo screen thing under where the paste up player statistics they had the innings with the score, and next to that was "R [number] H [number] E [number] L [number]" lit up. Runs, Hits, Errors, and ??? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? There were three plays in the whole damned game that were exciting. Ah, well. We went and partied as a company! Who doesn't love baseball (other than 80% pf my ... company...)? It was fun because of the people I was with.
Ah well, by August it will all settle down!
At the end of the month I'll be dog-sitting for my folks - six days living in my parent's really really really nice house with Max. And my dad said he'd lay in food (which, um, no... I'll bring my own, thanks! mainly because I don't want to go into why I don't use milk in my cereal anymore and why I eat the cereal I do at all and actually, no I'm off pasta for numerous reasons too annoying to go into). They're going to Myrtle Beach for a reunion of my Dad's ship. He was in the Navy and age and a half ago, one of the last sailors to serve aboard the destroyer (no, I don't know which one - but it was back in the late fifties/possibly early sixties?, so really, an AGE ago - I'm not sure when exactly he got out) before it was mothballed. He expects to only recognize two or three people - one he is pretty sure won't remember him at all.
Other news is one of my friends from high school's oldest son is graduating from the same high school we went to on June 1. I am technically old enough to have a kid of legal drinking age, so one graduating from high school shouldn't feel big, but it does. He's not even the first of my HS friend's kids to graduate from high school, either. Maybe I'll go. If it is a nice day graduation will take place on the town green and since I'll be dog sitting in town anyway...
There was something else to relate here but obviously I've forgotten. So I'll go on to my last mention:
Steampunk City [http://internationalsteampunkcitywaltham.org/] this weekend! I'm *SO* looking forward to that!
Speaking of employment I went out to the mothership last week and took part in some company party shenanigans. We went to a baseball game (Giants vs Marlins - Giants lost). Those who know the game I've got a question! We all know baseball is all about statistics (well, because you've gotta have something to focus on during the game because the game itself is about as exciting as watching snails move). On the jumbo screen thing under where the paste up player statistics they had the innings with the score, and next to that was "R [number] H [number] E [number] L [number]" lit up. Runs, Hits, Errors, and ??? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? There were three plays in the whole damned game that were exciting. Ah, well. We went and partied as a company! Who doesn't love baseball (other than 80% pf my ... company...)? It was fun because of the people I was with.
Ah well, by August it will all settle down!
At the end of the month I'll be dog-sitting for my folks - six days living in my parent's really really really nice house with Max. And my dad said he'd lay in food (which, um, no... I'll bring my own, thanks! mainly because I don't want to go into why I don't use milk in my cereal anymore and why I eat the cereal I do at all and actually, no I'm off pasta for numerous reasons too annoying to go into). They're going to Myrtle Beach for a reunion of my Dad's ship. He was in the Navy and age and a half ago, one of the last sailors to serve aboard the destroyer (no, I don't know which one - but it was back in the late fifties/possibly early sixties?, so really, an AGE ago - I'm not sure when exactly he got out) before it was mothballed. He expects to only recognize two or three people - one he is pretty sure won't remember him at all.
Other news is one of my friends from high school's oldest son is graduating from the same high school we went to on June 1. I am technically old enough to have a kid of legal drinking age, so one graduating from high school shouldn't feel big, but it does. He's not even the first of my HS friend's kids to graduate from high school, either. Maybe I'll go. If it is a nice day graduation will take place on the town green and since I'll be dog sitting in town anyway...
There was something else to relate here but obviously I've forgotten. So I'll go on to my last mention:
Steampunk City [http://internationalsteampunkcitywaltham.org/] this weekend! I'm *SO* looking forward to that!
So... Paris is pretty much how I remember it. Food is terrific even "bar food" is better than expected. I am told the "house" or "table" wine is better than the US - but since I don't drink wine I have no opinion one way or the other.
We've been extraordinarily busy and so haven't seen much of the city besides walking by the Arc de Triomphe, and seeing the Eiffel Tower, in all its sparkly glory, from a distance. I hope to at least see a museum (which one is under discussion) and maybe some of the other sights like Notre Dame and Saint-Chappel (I saw one but not the other six years ago). Maybe a couple of the gardens. But before that I have a ton of things to do for work - this getting up at 5:45am and working until 7 or 7:30pm blows. But it is "the usual" for this trip and people don't understand when you say you saw the airport the hotel and the conference center that really, THAT'S ALL YOU SEE!
Also sucks that as I am getting up most of you are in bed, and as I have a few minutes before tumbling into bed it is your evening commute... and so I am far more disconnected than I like to be.
On the plus side I am highly caffeinated this morning and shaking a little bit because of it. BUT I AM AWAKE!!!
We've been extraordinarily busy and so haven't seen much of the city besides walking by the Arc de Triomphe, and seeing the Eiffel Tower, in all its sparkly glory, from a distance. I hope to at least see a museum (which one is under discussion) and maybe some of the other sights like Notre Dame and Saint-Chappel (I saw one but not the other six years ago). Maybe a couple of the gardens. But before that I have a ton of things to do for work - this getting up at 5:45am and working until 7 or 7:30pm blows. But it is "the usual" for this trip and people don't understand when you say you saw the airport the hotel and the conference center that really, THAT'S ALL YOU SEE!
Also sucks that as I am getting up most of you are in bed, and as I have a few minutes before tumbling into bed it is your evening commute... and so I am far more disconnected than I like to be.
On the plus side I am highly caffeinated this morning and shaking a little bit because of it. BUT I AM AWAKE!!!
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