Dallas update! Her fur is growing back on her nose, and from our last check-up, things seem to be progressing. We had an interesting night where we upped her dosage and actually gave it to ahead of schedule where she tottered drunkenly around, and I thought I might have killed her. Now we write these things down…
Vancouver update- There’s been a civic strike here for months, and ever since I clued in that parking was free until you get caught, I’ve been playing ticket dodger with the skeleton staff of city meter maids. I’d say I was ahead- several weeks of parking and only two tickets, except that I stayed ‘til 8 o’clock one night, and found my car broken into, with a $400 window replacement required. Sigh… Since then, I don’t stay late, and attempt to break even. Sadly, I figured this all out after having committed to biking in every day, which I had done for about a week. The glee from not paying for parking outweighs the healthy feeling I get from a bike ride. But it’s almost over.
Also Vancouver- There is a deal we can get at work for passes to very nearby Cypress Mountain. For my birthday, I’m considering getting myself the x-country ski pass, which may have the effect of making me go more than a few times. Kate works to 7 or 8pm most weeknights, meaning effectively that my evenings never amount to much in the way of activity. Since my plan to have us living on the North Shore sputtered and died, I have to create another impetus to get over there.
In terms of work- the company I work for was just bought by a 40,000 person mega international. People are excited and terrified. Last week there was a special meeting just to send the message that “No, all the co-ops will not be fired.” One of my projects is now in executive delay mode until the dust settles (although naturally it will be important to show progress along the way…). The paycheque is nice, though.
I’ve been writing again. It seems that time has come, and stories, segments, snippets must all pour out. When I was younger, I knew I wanted to write, but I also knew I wasn’t exactly holding onto mountains of insightful wisdom. Now that I’m older, I’m full of stories and most of the wisdom I’m likely to want- and I’m afraid not to write before I lose my marbles. I suspect no one laughs dismissively when I mention that possibility… Anyway, the writing feels very good, very flowing and natural. At night, my dreams are in story-telling mode. Sometimes I wake up thinking- now if I just wrote down that entire dream, there would be my book! And then the thought of coffee intrudes as my very own Person from Porlock, and I forget everything in my haste to get some java.
The other thing I’ve been doing is plotting my next business venture. It’s been 10 years since I felt that incredible all-consuming drive toward ends, and I’ve got a little notion in my head that won’t quite let go. It has to do with bicycles, so I know it just has to be good.
And THEN, just to spill every little thought that’s entered my noggin in recent weeks- I’m considering doing another masters program at UBC. There’s a creative-writing/film production program there that looks terribly interesting. I’m not sure I could reconcile the financial hit of losing two years of income right now, but I have to weigh that panicky thought against the odds of the earth surviving to my retirement anyway. Might as well be happy until we all perish from pestilence, drought, famine, fire and rising waters, no? Well… I’m still debating.
