September 2009 Archives

....didn't quite work out.  I've been pretty well laid out by the flu since Tuesday, though the tests still haven't come back to say whether it was H1N1 or just some other kind of influenza A.  Either way, I have felt pretty lousy for the last few days, so I apologize for the lack of any real updates since I mentioned them before.  For anyone else who is suffering from this particularly gross piece of PAX swag, I hope it passes quickly for you.

Quite unfortunate, really, since I have been trying to get my affairs in order in preparation for a possible cross-country move.  Being sick for a week has kind of thrown a monkeywrench into that particular opportunity though, so I don't know if it will still be open by the time I actually get things sorted out.  There's not too much more I can say about that here, but for those of you I've talked to and asked for advice, and who have offered your support, thank you -- it's times like these, when everything is on the line, that you learn who your real friends are, and happily, for me, they've turned out to be pretty much everyone I thought they were.

Even if this doesn't work out, though, I'm hopeful that I'll get another bite at the apple soon enough.  After five years of failing horrifically (and, at least in retrospect, humorously) to actually find a new job somewhere outside the University and the place I've called home since 1981, I appear to be slowly picking my way out.  It's a good feeling, and I have to take a sense of accomplishment away from things, knowing I've made some actual personal growth.

Well, I don't have much time to make a real post right now, but I got back from Seattle yesterday and I'm now in a bit of a tizzy trying to get everything sorted here before I leave for Iceland later this month.  Some quick updates though:

• Seattle was awesome.  PAX was awesome.  CCP's party was awesome.  Pictures may follow soon, I just haven't had time to go through them; unfortunately, I didn't take as many as I had hoped for a variety of reasons.
• I really hope I don't have H1N1 (see bottom).  It would be incredibly inconvenient, but I do admit I'm getting a case of the sniffles.  If it comes up with anything else I think it will be time to head to the doctor.
• When travelling with someone, if their schedule does not match yours, it can be very frustrating for both parties.  Likewise, some people need to learn the value of The Plan(tm). :)
  
• Anyone know anything about selling a house in the fall/winter months?  Alternatively, is there anyone looking for a small, reasonably priced house in Champaign in the very near future?

Will try to have some updates soon, but things have become a bit crazy.

So, in a bit of a happy coincidence, I find myself back in Seattle on the 20th anniversary of Shadowrun.  Eric and I spent last night in Chicago and flew out here this morning, in preparation for the Penny Arcade Expo.  It's been about four years since I've been here, and it's Eric's first time taking a cross-country trip without the folks being involved, so it's a bit of a big deal.

Seattle's probably my favorite US city (at least, of those I've visited) -- I'm not sure why, entirely, but I know that as soon as we got on the shuttle to head to the hotel, I was probably in the best mood I've been in in weeks, if not months.  Of course, any sort of vacation might have had the same effect, but Seattle really is such a beautiful place -- green everywhere, and you can see the trees with all actual terrain, instead of it just being...well, flat.  It is easy to walk around and it seems to have a lot of character packed in a small space.

We just took it easy today (Eric was a little wiped out too), but we did do some walking around, just down to Pike's Place Market for lunch and dinner -- yeah, maybe a little touristy, but it's a really cool part of the city to me.  We had lunch at Bayou on First, a Cajun restaurant near the market which was kind of a little hole in the wall, but it was pretty good for what it was -- I had a gumbo that was pretty tasty on a day like today, which was cool and drizzly.  A little overpriced, maybe, but I sort of expected that for the area.  For dinner, we went to Matt's in the Market, which Eric picked out -- though he appeared to have missed the prices (something not to forget next time!).  On the other hand, I think mine was at least worth the $25 -- and that's something I wasn't sure about when I ordered, considering what it was: squid ink fettucine with chorizo-stuffed calamari and cherry tomatoes in what I think was a ginger sauce.  I wasn't sure when I ordered, but it ended up being amazing -- I guess it's hard to go wrong with chorizo, and the squid ink doesn't really flavor the noodles at all (but it makes it look pretty striking).  Eric took a picture, so when I can get it from him I'll stick that up for folks to see.

Tomorrow, Eric and I are heading out to Mt. Rainier for the day, which I'm really looking forward to.  But, it does mean a bit of an early day again -- it will be nice to take a bit of a breather on Thursday before going into full-on con mode.