It could be worse

I was feeling a bit stressed today (my dog had another seizure last night, work has been crazy-busy, my diet is slipping, I am once again baffled by a female of our species, etc.) Then I got the message that a former coworker passed away. I wasn't particularly close to this fella, but I knew him well enough that his death got me thinking. I have a dog. I have a job I like. I'm living in a place that I like. I was getting ready to go on a bike ride with some folks from work. I might be dealing with some stress lately, but I'm alive. It could be worse. Rest in peace, Mark R. (not me... that was his first name and last initial... I didn't see coincidence until I just typed it)

Time

One month ago, I had more time on my hands than I could imagine. My biggest problem was trying to fill my days. Don't get me wrong: I managed to fill my days... I simply didn't feel any pressure about things. Now I'm back to feeling time pressures. There are more things to do with my day than I know how to handle. I love my job, and wish I could work 24 hours a day at it. But I also love my dog, and he needs me to be there for him. And I want to have a social life. And I miss being able to work out as much as I want. In the "Grand Scheme of Things", I enjoy all of this. I value every minute of every day. ...I just wish there were more minutes in my days :-).

No, I mean it!

A few folks have asked if the picture of Dreyfus (see my last post) was staged. I assure you, it was not. Here's one I took tonight. Same position, different location:

Make yourself comfy!

I kid you not, this is Dreyfus's current favorite napping position: I love my dog.

Home Sweet (new) Home

To everyone who has been phoning or emailing to ask: The move to PA was smooth and easy. I left Raleigh at 8:43AM this morning, arrived here at 4:30ish, and was in my aparment by 5:00PM. I'm typing this from my comfy leather chair, in my new apartment, at 8:46PM. One of my neighbors was nice enough not to secure their internet connection, so I have free wireless internet until I get my own hooked up :-). Dreyfus didn't mind the ride. He had a big, flat seat on which to rest. He put his head on my lap, napped a lot, and didn't complain. I enjoyed having him with me. He was a great travelling companion. Every apartment has at least one quirk. This apartment's quirk is the lack of a fan in the bathroom. But I have a gas stove, so I'll call it a wash. Although I loaded the truck entirely by myself (stupid!), I was smart enough to recruit a friend (thanks Bill!!!) for the unload. The two of us made short work of the heavy stuff. I still have to unload the lighter stuff. I start work Monday. I'm looking forward to it. Bill promises me I'll be busy :-). I suspect my commute will be bike-commutable. The road to work is busy, but has a fairly nice shoulder. Bill tells me there is a shower at work. I can walk to the YMCA in no time at all, so if you don't see me logging workouts on my triathlon blog, feel free to kick my butt. I have no excuses. My UHaul truck didn't have a governor on it. Driving a UHaul truck, while towing your own pickup truck, at 80mph, is... exciting, but only in the "I can't believe I'm stupid enough to be driving this fast" kind of way. A tip from your pal Mark: If you move to a new apartment, then go out to eat mexican food with a friend, make sure you have unloaded and unpacked at least one roll of toilet paper BEFORE you break in your new bathroom.

Packrat

One of the lessons I learned during my 2001 Applachian Trail thruhike was this: Being forced to carry everything you own - 8-10 hours a day for six months - gives you a desire to own as little as possible. Since my thruhike, I've done a good job of going through my possessions at least once per year, and throwing out stuff I no longer use. But a few things have slipped through my annual purges. In the past few days, I have discovered the following items in my apartment:

• Two empty boxes labled "101 Pond." Pond was the building at Penn State in which the computer science department was located. I graduated from college more than a decade ago.
• A long-sleeved J-Crew polo shirt. I haven't ordered anything from J-Crew since high school. I graduated from high school in 1990.
• A book titled Writing OS/2 Device Drivers in C. (If you don't understand this reference, imagine a book titled Recent Advances in Cotton Gin Technology.)
• A library card... with an expiration date of June 1, 1984
• Three very high quality Everlast leather jumpropes. I have no idea when, where, or why I aquired even one of these. Three of them??? [Insert picture of me with a puzzled look on my face ___HERE___]
• A complete set of rock climbing gear (two pairs of shoes, two harnesses, three chalk bags, carabiners and cordelettes, etc.), along with 97 back issues of Climbing magazine. All purchased on EBay earlier this year. I used the shoes a few times to play on a local boulder, read most of the 97 issues of Climbing, then buried everything in my closet and haven't thought about it since.
• A cycling helmet purchased in 1987, but not used since 1989.
• Two VCRs, both 100% broken beyond repair.

I want to tell myself that I'm not going to move anything unless I know it is something I will use (or want for sentimental purposes), but I can almost guarantee that I will go through this same exercise in another year or two. I should start a "Packrats Anonymous" club.

Dreyfus!

I have decided to adopt Dreyfus (pics from his visit to my place last week.) I'm going to set up something like Oliver, Daily, but it might take me a while. I have a lot on my plate over the next few weeks.

Take care, NC!

Those of you who know me, know that my professional and personal lives have been nonexistent (or unfulfilling) for far too long. In 2001, I had my Applachian Trail thruhike to get my life moving forward, but the momentum I gained from that experience has faded. My more recent life adventures have been... less than productive. Let's call the last 2.5 years "rebuilding years" and leave it at that. So I'm moving. I need a change of scenery. By the end of next week, I'll be living in Camp Hill (Harrisburg area), PA. I grew up in State College, PA, so I don't imagine I will experience too much culture shock when I return to PA. I will be working at a vibrant and growing software/consulting company, where I believe I will enjoy getting up and going to work every morning. I'm excited about being in an environment where everyone knows what they are doing, and why they are doing it. Still, I'm going to miss North Carolina. I've been here for seven years, and I've grown quite a bit over those seven years. I've made wonderful friends, picked up a few new hobbies, and lost nothing more than some hair :-). I don't feel like I'm running away from my past... I feel like I running forward to new adventures... but North Carolina has become a part of me, and I'll miss that part of me when I leave. So long, North Carolina. Maybe our paths will cross again some day.