My dad’s red Corvette just thumped down the road. Ever since I was a kid taking trips with my dad, he’d always try to sleep before heading out, wake up before dawn and head off with me asleep in the passenger seat. Because of this I have many childhood memories of sunrises in beautiful places.
He passed that kind of travel restlessness right to me.
The Corvette, named THumper, no longer has yellow flames on the side. Now it has a more tasteful white racing stripe. It won an award from the Head Engineer at a Corvette Car Show. I think the Head Engineer was just so happy to see someone like my dad, who drove the hell out of the car, put lots of mileage on the thing and showed that it can hold up on the road.
I think there are parallels between the way my father enjoys his Corvette and the community around the car and the way I enjoy gaming.
This weekend I got to drive the car a bit. It is odd to drive a machine that has more power in first gear than a normal car has in all of its gears. I’m bummed that I didn’t get to find more curvy roads. Next time.
We went out to Secret Caverns in Cobleskill. My buddy, Kurt, has worked out there since he was a boy; he hand-painted most of the wonderful billboards that lead to the caves. Kurt was called out of touring retirement to give a tour to the Head Geologist of the New York State Survey and a beaker of science teachers from Albany. Between Kurt’s local history and jokes and the Geologist’s knowledge of the layers evident in the caves, it was pretty amazing.
At one point, my father and my favorite moment, Kurt turned off the lights. Darkness in a cave just ain’t like darkness on the surface. It was an iota of a sensory deprivation tank. We both found it really relaxing. I had an urge all week to go back there and ask Kurt to just leave us in the cave with the lights out for twenty minutes or so, allow our eyes to totally rest and or heads to clean out a bit.
We had a lovely dinner at P.F. Chang’s with Janaki in Albany. It is always nice to share a pleasant meal with my dad and my special lady-friend.
Today we went for a swim and ate at Just a Taste, my dad’s favorite Ithaca restaurant, to celebrate his 67th birthday.
Usually, when I recount a week like this, I find some thematic thread and make an almost short story out of it but it just feels right to set it down for now, in the middle of the night and sort out the details later.
It was just one of those intense weeks when I realize that I was lucky to be raised by such strange, wonderful people.
I took two more days off, because I had thought that I would visit him and would need a day or two for traveling. Now I have a few days to get things done; I’ve made a list in black ink in my day planner.
One of the things to do is give a local Bikram’s Yoga College a shot on Thursday.
How’s your week going?
WAKE-UP EDIT: We also watched No Country for Old Men and proceeded to get into a political argument. That movie just left us raw (in a good way) with all questions raised entirely unanswered.
We didn’t get to game again, dammit. Next time I see him, gaming is going to be a priority. Dust Devils via Samurai or Shock: would be perfect for him.
Githyanki Diaspora 
This is one of the toughest weeks I’ve had in a while:
-6 days in a row of a chaotic job
-6 hour meeting that reinforces the chaos of said job
-$40 to hold me over for another week.
-105 average temperature with grey smoke cover from the California fires
Luckily 2 days more of work until I get 3 off with the girl friend. Holding tight until then.
Gambatte
Good luck, Jesse,
There is a word in Japanese, Gambatte, that is kind of a combination of good luck and hold in there and be tough.
So, gambatte!
Re: Gambatte
ありがとう
Re: Gambatte
ありがとう
Gambatte
Good luck, Jesse,
There is a word in Japanese, Gambatte, that is kind of a combination of good luck and hold in there and be tough.
So, gambatte!
Ack! Hang in there.
You have my sympathy — I’m a total heat wuss.
Ack! Hang in there.
You have my sympathy — I’m a total heat wuss.
This is one of the toughest weeks I’ve had in a while:
-6 days in a row of a chaotic job
-6 hour meeting that reinforces the chaos of said job
-$40 to hold me over for another week.
-105 average temperature with grey smoke cover from the California fires
Luckily 2 days more of work until I get 3 off with the girl friend. Holding tight until then.
This is one of the toughest weeks I’ve had in a while:
-6 days in a row of a chaotic job
-6 hour meeting that reinforces the chaos of said job
-$40 to hold me over for another week.
-105 average temperature with grey smoke cover from the California fires
Luckily 2 days more of work until I get 3 off with the girl friend. Holding tight until then.
Gambatte
Good luck, Jesse,
There is a word in Japanese, Gambatte, that is kind of a combination of good luck and hold in there and be tough.
So, gambatte!
Re: Gambatte
ありがとう
Ack! Hang in there.
You have my sympathy — I’m a total heat wuss.
This week. Hm.
My brother and father aren’t speaking to each other (again), my father’s actually emailing me as per my request, and my brother called to say that our mother’s going to be discharged from the hospital to the nursing home (again).
I have what I suspect is a yeast infection. It is frigging annoying. BUT, it is much less annoying and painful than a kidney stone.
I got rained on on the way home tonight, huddling under scaffolding that leaked rain while waiting for a bus.
We had a larp meeting and started tackling issues of the mostly boxed larp.
I got links to the pdfs of a few books I got — Monsters and Other Childish Things, Curriculum of Conspiracy, and Candlewick Manor.
I am beginning to realize what a loss the sf community suffered with Thomas Disch’s death. I need to read some of his work.
I helped work on the New York Review of Science Fiction, and I am once again in awe of Eugene Reynolds’s Reviewer Fu.
I’ve confirmed our reservations for WorldCon in Denver, and I’ve voted on the only Hugo category with which I’m familiar with all of the entries, Best Dramatic Presentation: Long Form.
I’ve written up two of the games I played in at Origins, both of which were fantastic.
I’ve started mentally planning for DexCon and for‘s hopefully impending visit.
I’m planning for this weekend, where, apparently, the stars are right and everyone is holding a party on the same day.
I’ve actually written a review of Monsters and Other Childish Things and am considering writing one of Curriculum of Conspiracy.
I’ve played in‘s Feng Shui game, kicking demon butt.
I’ve confirmed that one of my favorite Indian places, Bombay Garden, on 23rd and 7th Avenue, is much better for dinner than for lunch, at least if one orders from the menu, as opposed to doing the lunch buffet.
I’ve started to get in various medical bills, one of which I need to call about, because I think it is for more than I owe.
I’m delighted to have my laptop back in working condition, and am planning doing a dvd backup (as opposed to the small hard drive back up I did).
I am frustrated with waiting for the new mini-laptops to be available, preferably in stores, so that I can see and feel them before deciding if I want one.
This week. Hm.
My brother and father aren’t speaking to each other (again), my father’s actually emailing me as per my request, and my brother called to say that our mother’s going to be discharged from the hospital to the nursing home (again).
I have what I suspect is a yeast infection. It is frigging annoying. BUT, it is much less annoying and painful than a kidney stone.
I got rained on on the way home tonight, huddling under scaffolding that leaked rain while waiting for a bus.
We had a larp meeting and started tackling issues of the mostly boxed larp.
I got links to the pdfs of a few books I got — Monsters and Other Childish Things, Curriculum of Conspiracy, and Candlewick Manor.
I am beginning to realize what a loss the sf community suffered with Thomas Disch’s death. I need to read some of his work.
I helped work on the New York Review of Science Fiction, and I am once again in awe of Eugene Reynolds’s Reviewer Fu.
I’ve confirmed our reservations for WorldCon in Denver, and I’ve voted on the only Hugo category with which I’m familiar with all of the entries, Best Dramatic Presentation: Long Form.
I’ve written up two of the games I played in at Origins, both of which were fantastic.
I’ve started mentally planning for DexCon and for‘s hopefully impending visit.
I’m planning for this weekend, where, apparently, the stars are right and everyone is holding a party on the same day.
I’ve actually written a review of Monsters and Other Childish Things and am considering writing one of Curriculum of Conspiracy.
I’ve played in‘s Feng Shui game, kicking demon butt.
I’ve confirmed that one of my favorite Indian places, Bombay Garden, on 23rd and 7th Avenue, is much better for dinner than for lunch, at least if one orders from the menu, as opposed to doing the lunch buffet.
I’ve started to get in various medical bills, one of which I need to call about, because I think it is for more than I owe.
I’m delighted to have my laptop back in working condition, and am planning doing a dvd backup (as opposed to the small hard drive back up I did).
I am frustrated with waiting for the new mini-laptops to be available, preferably in stores, so that I can see and feel them before deciding if I want one.
This week. Hm.
My brother and father aren’t speaking to each other (again), my father’s actually emailing me as per my request, and my brother called to say that our mother’s going to be discharged from the hospital to the nursing home (again).
I have what I suspect is a yeast infection. It is frigging annoying. BUT, it is much less annoying and painful than a kidney stone.
I got rained on on the way home tonight, huddling under scaffolding that leaked rain while waiting for a bus.
We had a larp meeting and started tackling issues of the mostly boxed larp.
I got links to the pdfs of a few books I got — Monsters and Other Childish Things, Curriculum of Conspiracy, and Candlewick Manor.
I am beginning to realize what a loss the sf community suffered with Thomas Disch’s death. I need to read some of his work.
I helped work on the New York Review of Science Fiction, and I am once again in awe of Eugene Reynolds’s Reviewer Fu.
I’ve confirmed our reservations for WorldCon in Denver, and I’ve voted on the only Hugo category with which I’m familiar with all of the entries, Best Dramatic Presentation: Long Form.
I’ve written up two of the games I played in at Origins, both of which were fantastic.
I’ve started mentally planning for DexCon and for‘s hopefully impending visit.
I’m planning for this weekend, where, apparently, the stars are right and everyone is holding a party on the same day.
I’ve actually written a review of Monsters and Other Childish Things and am considering writing one of Curriculum of Conspiracy.
I’ve played in‘s Feng Shui game, kicking demon butt.
I’ve confirmed that one of my favorite Indian places, Bombay Garden, on 23rd and 7th Avenue, is much better for dinner than for lunch, at least if one orders from the menu, as opposed to doing the lunch buffet.
I’ve started to get in various medical bills, one of which I need to call about, because I think it is for more than I owe.
I’m delighted to have my laptop back in working condition, and am planning doing a dvd backup (as opposed to the small hard drive back up I did).
I am frustrated with waiting for the new mini-laptops to be available, preferably in stores, so that I can see and feel them before deciding if I want one.