Incidentals

Nothing major going on.

Weight wise: I've lost 6 lbs in 2 months, and I'm definitely getting some muscle. The roomie looked at me the other day and said, "Wow, you've almost got breasts." Not exactly encouragement, but whatever. I don't entirely trust the numbers on my scale's body fat reading, but even if it's only approximate, I'm losing almost exclusively fat in that weight. So, that's a good thing. Means I might be decent by December.

The car's all nice and happy. I've decided I'm getting the suspension system done next, because it's at 100k miles (as of last night) and I've never had it worked on. I also got it cleaned, so it's -literally- shiny.

The resort I like up in Guerneville has a cabin open for Labor Day weekend. I'm trying to decide if I want to head up there. Well, actually, I'm trying to talk myself out of wanting to go up there. I really ought to stay home and get some work done. I've been goofing off a little too much on the consulting stuff.

Being an adult has its drawbacks.

I joined a dating site. We'll see how it goes. I swear, though, if I see one more person list Harry Potter in their "favorite books" section, I'm going to have to break something.

The price we pay

My car's been neglected for a while. First, the new job and the horrendous commute before I moved made getting it to a shop on a weekday pretty much impossible. Then, once I moved, it's been fairly non-stop with other commitments that mean I can't be without a car for a day.

Finally, after getting back from Montana, I dropped it off at the shop last night and got a ride from my best friend into work today.

Status report:
Two bad catalytic converters. Yes, my car has two, and they both need replacing. I figured I'd gotten bad gas at some point in the past since a few things went odd, but that cleared up. Or seemed to, anyway. Plus, I'm at 100k miles (just shy), so it's about time anyway.

A bigger concern is that they said the engine had almost no oil in it. Now, yes, it's been a while since I had an oil change (probably too long), but I swear I checked the oil levels either just before my vacation or just after, so it's been max 8 weeks and more likely 6 weeks since I looked, and it was fine. So, that's a little concerning. They're going to flush it, load it with HQ synthetic, and have me flush it again (at no cost) in 2k miles or so.

Lastly, front brakes, but that's not a big deal: pads are under warranty, so it's just labor.

Total cost: about $2500, most of that the converters (which are about 900 each). Luckily, I don't need new tires yet, which would be another $1k. But that'll probably come up in the next couple of months (especially as the weather gets rainy towards the end of October).

It's also a really good feeling to know that spending $2500 to get my car fixed isn't a big deal: I'd actually budgeted for about $3k, not including tires. So, while I'm not happy about the oil thing (hopefully it's just a "wtf" freak occurance and not indicative of some larger problem), I'm actually not upset over the cost.

And my toy will be all spiffy again. Well, as soon as I get it washed, anyway...

And go my own way

So, getting ready to fly home.

Interesting trip in the "something different" sense. I think I know how this friendship thing with the guys will work out: basically, not at all. I'll stop "bugging" them, and I'll likely never get a note or message from them. No blame attaches; I just don't see any interest (socially) at all from one of them, and the other seems more of a "out of sight, out of mind" type. I may be wrong, but years of making these kinds of connections can't be discounted.

Still, it was a nice break to do something unusual. I can't say I regret coming. I have to force myself outside my comfort zone more often. And, they seemed to be glad I was here, at least for the party.

This coming week is going to be pretty dull. Hopefully, anyway.

Big Sky Country

In a matter of hours (literally - 12 hours exactly from now, my plane takes off) I'll be on my way to Montana for the weekend. Should be fun. If nothing else, it's "something different", and as another Richard (fictional) once said: Never refuse an invitation.

I got the guys a Hawaiian "care" package - things like coffee, candies, nuts, lotions, a CD, etc. - since it fits in with the Hawaiian theme. The fun part, of course, is packing around this rather large box in my luggage; luckily, the weather's supposed to be great so I won't need to take any bulky clothes. Otherwise, I might have to pack two cases, especially as I'm taking my tripod (which is itself pretty bulky).

It's also the perseids this weekend, so hopefully Big Sky Country lives up to its name and I can get some decent shots. I'm going to try a higher ISO and see if I can get more vibrant shots without the trace lines. I think, on my camera, I can go up to like 3200 without any issue. So, we'll see how it works out.

Sirius Rising

Wow, been a while.

When last we left our adventure, I'd been in the new place a week. Well, it's approaching a month now. Last night I made my first "real meal" - not from scratch, though. I bought these pre-seasoned Jamaican jerk shrimp at the store (frozen, just sautee 'em up and go). I also got a rice cooker, some wild rice, and a bunch of snap peas. Cooked the rice, steamed the peas, made half the shrimp (had 12, so made 6) - oh my god, it was good. I may actually have to start cooking.

Roommate came in and had some of the rice and approved. He did make "gagging" noises when he saw me munch a clove of roast garlic (which I also made last night). I managed to talk him into trying it, and his response was, "What the fuck? This is really good!" So, I've made another convert.

I'm still working out every other day, and there's definite progress being made. My weight's staying about the same (which is good) while my body fat percentage is going down slowly (which is great). I'm also actually starting to get some definition to me, which is frankly amazing. I still have a long ways to go, of course, but it's nice to be at least headed in the right direction.

Speaking of heading in directions, I'm taking a day off and making a long weekend of next weekend: the 12th I'm flying to Montana for a wedding reception for the guys I met in Maui. Should be fun. I'm just not sure if I should be bringing a present or something.

Summer's finally decided to rear its ugly head in the form of 95+ degree days and humidity. I think it's getting cooler by the weekend, though.

Since I'm flying to MT this month, I probably won't be doing anything major for Labor Day. I might go on a day trip somewhere, just for fun, but I'm blowing a grand on one trip already and should probably "take it easy".

It's dangerous to go alone

So, I've been in my new place officially over a week.

I like it so far. I'm taking advantage of the weight room daily, and I love having my own place to do my own stuff. Even having a roommate isn't horrible; he's being very good about the "it's my place/I call the shots" attitude I have. Heck, I'm even running around most of the time in the nude and he hasn't batted an eye (but then, I told him about that before he moved in, and we've gone on trips together so he knew my propensities before).

I am looking forward to when he moves out, though, even though I know that's not until January. I'll stick with the original commitment just because I made it and I know he needs the time to get his financial house in order, but this is definitely not going to be a long-term roommate situation. I'm actually hoping he manages to get himself together faster and can therefore move out early.

The consulting company wants me to keep working until October. I said we'll make it through middle of August and see how it's going. Frankly, I'm burning out on it. It's great money, don't get me wrong, but it's a lot of work/hassle when I'd just like to relax. Having two jobs is tiring, no matter how much money you make.

The new place helps with that a bit, though. Since I'm not driving as far, I get more "down time". Also, with the gym downstairs and even room to spread out my bench and free weights, I'm burning through some of the stress in workouts. I don't know that there's a lot of difference yet, and I don't expect there to be, but I certainly -feel- a fair bit better. I'm also eating healthier, as I've got a fridge and my own kitchen. Haven't really started cooking much, but I can get the kinds of things I like - which tend more towards "snacks" than "meals" anyway, things like pita and hummus or small salads or such.

I'm also trying to adapt myself to the whole "if you can't carry it, don't get it" mentality of grocery shopping, since I'm usually walking to/from one of the nearby grocery stores. Which also means more exercise, more fresh air, etc. The weather's also been cooperating, as I've only had the A/C running two days out of 10.

Haven't really unpacked much, but also haven't really furnished the place. I don't want to set anythign up in the living room until I get an area rug, and I think I know what I want but there are logistics issues (such as making sure someone's home to receive it). For the bedroom, most of my clothes are hang-up-able; what's not is in the "sto-away" beneath my mattress, so I don't really need a dresser.

I haven't even bought a desk for my desktop - but that's a different thing. I've actually decided to do something I've wanted to do for a while: build a kind of lounge chair/console for my home computer. The chair gets delivered tomorrow; its frame is 2" steel pipe, so I can mount things to it pretty easily. I have a rough idea of where I want to go with it, but I'll know more when it arrives.

Anyway, that's the drive-by for the day. Maybe interesting things will start happening and I'll have something to post about.

A dreamer who slumbers

(This poem means a lot to me; for a variety of reasons, it's resonating especially well lately. Enjoy.)

Ode - Arthur O'Shaughnessy

We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams;—
World-losers and world-forsakers,
On whom the pale moon gleams:
Yet we are the movers and shakers
Of the world for ever, it seems.


With wonderful deathless ditties
We build up the world's great cities,
And out of a fabulous story
We fashion an empire's glory:
One man with a dream, at pleasure,
Shall go forth and conquer a crown;
And three with a new song's measure
Can trample a kingdom down.


We, in the ages lying
In the buried past of the earth,
Built Nineveh with our sighing,
And Babel itself in our mirth;
And o'erthrew them with prophesying
To the old of the new world's worth;
For each age is a dream that is dying,
Or one that is coming to birth.


A breath of our inspiration
Is the life of each generation;
A wondrous thing of our dreaming
Unearthly, impossible seeming—
The soldier, the king, and the peasant
Are working together in one,
Till our dream shall become their present,
And their work in the world be done.


They had no vision amazing
Of the goodly house they are raising;
They had no divine foreshowing
Of the land to which they are going:
But on one man's soul it hath broken,
A light that doth not depart;
And his look, or a word he hath spoken,
Wrought flame in another man's heart.


And therefore to-day is thrilling
With a past day's late fulfilling;
And the multitudes are enlisted
In the faith that their fathers resisted,
And, scorning the dream of to-morrow,
Are bringing to pass, as they may,
In the world, for its joy or its sorrow,
The dream that was scorned yesterday.


But we, with our dreaming and singing,
Ceaseless and sorrowless we!
The glory about us clinging
Of the glorious futures we see,
Our souls with high music ringing:
O men! it must ever be
That we dwell, in our dreaming and singing,
A little apart from ye.


For we are afar with the dawning
And the suns that are not yet high,
And out of the infinite morning
Intrepid you hear us cry—
How, spite of your human scorning,
Once more God's future draws nigh,
And already goes forth the warning
That ye of the past must die.


Great hail! we cry to the comers
From the dazzling unknown shore;
Bring us hither your sun and your summers;
And renew our world as of yore;
You shall teach us your song's new numbers,
And things that we dreamed not before:
Yea, in spite of a dreamer who slumbers,
And a singer who sings no more.

If I won the lottery, I don't think I'd move to Maui.

Don't get me wrong, I love it here. I just think that a big part of what I enjoy is being on vacation here, not just being here. If I lived here, had the normal responsibilities, etc., I don't think it'd be the same.

In fact, I think the perfect life for me would be a "permanent vacation": traveling constantly, never staying somewhere more than a month or two, maybe having an apartment in L.A. to come back to once in a while. Something worth considering as I'm a week away from moving. Obviously I'm not in a position to afford such a lifestyle, but at least I know what to aim for.

Something else to think about - that really isn't the kind of lifestyle you can live when you're in a relationship.

Sometimes the carrot is the stick

Dammit dammit dammit.

Why do I always end up in this situation?

2 hot guys flirting with me most of the day. They both want me to hook up with them. Great.

Problem 1: they just got married. Literally, yesterday. Even that isn't so much an issue, since they're both consenting.

Problem 2: I have work I have to do at 4 local time; if I hook up with them, there's no way in hell I'm making my conference call. I also have a tour at 8 I have to be ready for, an hour away.

Problem 3: they're probably leaving tomorrow while I'm on my tour. They might stay an extra night. They haven't decided yet.

Fuck. Sometimes being responsible sucks.

Cardboard boxes

Wow, been a while. Thought I'd published something since the beginning of June.

So, I've started packing - more for the move than the vacation. Packing for a vacation in Hawaii actually requires more planning from the techical side than from the textile side: throw a half-dozen bathing suits, a pair of flipflops, and a bunch of sunscreen in a suitcase and that's that. On the other hand, I'm taking two laptops, two cameras, 5 lenses, a tripod, a monopod, associated chargers and such... there's probably something very wrong about that, but hey, it's my vacation.

But yeah, I've started packing for the move. I managed to fit almost all of my normal-sized paperbacks in a single box; it's a damned heavy box, mind you, but it's one box. I also got all my music CD cases in another. I'm going to try to get a box or two packed every night this week before I fly out on Saturday (... it still hasn't sunk in that I'm flying out on Saturday...), though I can't really pack up clothes and such until I get back.

We'll see how it all goes. I'm just starting to feel the anticipation, but I'm also under a lot of pressure at work and with the consulting job, so I don't have a lot of time to think about it. It'll probably all hit me while I'm relaxing in the hot tub.