bkdelong

Typing this post from a Boeing 717 in the air over Texas. About to land in the next 45min for a "work event" - the IANS Lone Star Information Security Forum. It starts tomorrow AM and ends Wednesday afternoon so I do have quite a bit of free time on either end - heading our Thurs AM.

I get home Thurs afternoon, complete any loose ends for work and then drive to Western MA so, Fri AM, I can drive down to Maryland with my mother and brother, to our youngest brother's house in Pasadena, MD. It will be the first time in a while us 3 brothers have been together for a non-event vacation and there will be much movie watching, geeking out tech-wise, a bit of drinking with scheduled highlights including a crab fest/feast and a trip to Harpers Ferry where I don't think I've been since Middle School.

I had a really content weekend these past few days peppered with the bumps and hiccups of pre-travel anxiety. I'm working hard on erasing those out because I become a bit of a jackass. Thankfully I have a quickly forgiving son and an incredibly patient partner.

Saturday, I helped move lediva from her apartment in Jamaica Plain to her new digs in Davis Square, Somerville. I have to admit, I figured I'd hang out and move a few things to give her a hand. Surprisingly, I found myself in a bit of an inverse role to my usual moves. Normally, I defer to my wife when it comes to large tasks of coordinating and organizing; determining how to pack and what needs to be accounted for throughout the process. I don't think it's due to lack of competency - more laziness than anything else.

However, I was able to step up and take a bit of that role on during the move. As I walked in and out of the apartment helping carry things into audioboy's van. That little "targeting computer HUD" gimmick I mentioned in one of my previous futurist posts took control as I visualized the van and then each of the "big objects" that needed to get moved.

We had a limited time window of late afternoon/early evening and while there was talks of additional moving for Sunday, I don't think anyone wanted to deal with that. We didn't really have lots of boxes as clothes were put into large plastic bags and most everything else was loose. Get the big stuff carefully positioned in the van and then everything else could be shoved into the cracks around it.

For the first leg in JP there was lediva, audioboy, and smacaski. Once we got to Davis, we were joined by read_alicia, postrodent, circuit_four, and shatterstripes. The room in Davis was actually up 3 flights of stairs - the one getting to the porch, one up to the second floor and another up to the 3rd floor room. We decided to put most everything (except the beds), in the 2nd floor living room ideally where it would be dusted/cleaned by others between trips.

The car rides were filled with geek references galore and absolute enjoyment of the gorgeous weather. Driving into Davis Square was a treat as everyone was out and about providing a fascinating menagerie for a people-watcher. I even spotted coraline (who I only know in passing from a few SCA events), walking past the car as I was carrying something in and contradictacat who I've met at a few LARPing events.

First trip was done quickly, second trip had us joined by postrodent in JP. The bed took up most of the van and we got a few clothes out also filling up ledivas car. The hardest thing I did that day was probably us all getting that mattress up to the third floor.

Surprisingly, everything else was pretty easy. Those who have not "seen" me in a while probably don't realize I've lost 50lbs since last Fall and thus everything is a lot easier overall. However that third trip I was truly knackered and ready for a break. But we had gotten everything out of the place in JP with the exception of a few odds and end lediva can go back for.

I was in the kitchen at one point going through the Britta and downing cold water when I heard a shout that I was being ticketed. I tried to set the pitcher on the counter and simultaneously twist toward the door to run out of the house. The Britta didn't quite make it.

Needless to say, the Somerville Parking agent was kind and let me be on my way ticketless. I pulled around the block, and headed back to the house with my blinkers on - I left both the front door and the apartment door wide upon and I had a pitcher-full of water to clean off the floor.

lediva had a singing gig to get to so she was getting prepped when all this happened. By that time I was so tired, my body was a glowing ember with a sheen of grimy, damp sweat - just enough to keep my body coated and preventing it from truly cooling off. The only way I was going to get cool was to take a shower.

My wife and son had called earlier to see what my dinner plans were so I encouraged them to stay and continue the wonderful playdate they were having- a combination of strawberry picking, pool swimming and a lot of fun. I suggested they stay for dinner.

I waited out on the porch for lediva to head out and then went my own way back up 93 to Salem. Got my shower, took some Tylenol and Advil along with a tall glass of cold water; settling in for the evening. I was content and the aches in my body made me satisfied that the enjoyment of chatting throughout the day with some cool people was well worth some physical labor.

I think I'm ready to start hitting up a gym. I've never been and haven't done anything with free-weights since high school when during my stints as staff at Boy Scout camp, we setup an after-hours workout room in the back of the Quartermaster where we could pump up the music and do some weight training. Anyone willing to school a newbie?

So when my son arrived home, half asleep and sniffling, he was handed to me to take up to bed. I was so looking forward to a nice cuddle as he drifted back off to sleep I was instead subject to a wailing, overtired, startled boy beating his fist against the side of my head as hard as he could in the state he was in. I got him upstairs to his room and tried to appeal to his rational side and make him realize what he was doing.

It didn't work. So I bellowed in my resonant, heraldic voice for him to stop, thoroughly startling and reducing him to a stuttering sob. Way to scare him....I'm such a good father. :( *sigh*

It worked out in the end - we both got our apologies in and realized that we were both in the wrong but that didn't happen until the following day leaving at least two people in our household to go to sleep saddened.