Start work early this Wednesday morning, so to get used to it, I've been going to bed earlier and earlier. Went to bed last night at 8 p.m., and got up this morning at 3:30 a.m. It's odd, like I've moved three hours into the future. Jack is still on regular time, so if he's in bed when I go to sleep, he often stays there, quietly reading Oz books on his iPhone, or doing acrostics with his itty bitty book light. And since we have one of those beds that you can jump on without spilling the glass of red wine, he can easily get out of bed and go watch TV in his study or downstairs without waking me.

And since I now get up three (actually more like four) hours before he does, I've been spending time quietly in my study, watching Looney Tunes cartoons, playing computer games, chatting online with Europeans or anyone else awake at that time. The fact that Jack is still sleeping puts some constraints on what I can do -- I don't want to vacuum, empty the dishwasher, or move around too much, because he needs his sleep as much as I do. One thing I'm going to have to do is take the telephone out of the bedroom -- for us, now, 8 p.m. is too late to receive phone calls.

Current Mood: tired

Training's all done. I'm a Virgin now.

* * *

Been commuting down to the corporate headquarters in Burlingame all month now. I swear, you could post a big billboard by any of the highways here that reads:

DON'T SLOW DOWN

KEEP MOVING

MAINTAIN SPEED

and there'd still be tangled traffic from drivers slowing down to read the thing.

Current Music: Cliff Bemis' Christmas album

So, OK, I haven't posted in a while.  Fine.  I have a note from my mommy right here (which is interesting as she's been dead for over 20 years).

And what have I been doing in the last couple of months?  Traveling.  A lot.  Some for work, some to see friends. 

El Paso

A day trip in late October for work.  Conclusion - don't go to El Paso again.

Albuquerque

Another work trip, three days in all.  Technically I was just north of Albu-quirky, in Rio Rancho, one of those instant town kinds of places that seem to pop up almost overnight.  Memories of the trip are very positive.  Incredibly nice folk no matter where I wandered.  Albuquerque had a squeaky clean feel to it yet it's a city with a lot of history.  Had the good fortune to eat ('dine' is too fancy a term) at Mannie's, a local diner-esque joint, with the ever charming billeyler and abqdan.  After dinner, we moved onward to the Bill and Dan mansion for a brief stop.  I'm glad I upgraded to the full dollar tour as it included a visit to the Shower-From-Hell shrine which featured a dazzling array of spray jets and controls.  It makes you yearn to be dirty.  We then ventured outside again for an Albuquerque by night tour ("over there in that dark area is the river...").  I hope to get back for another visit one day soon, maybe in daylight.  Imagine!

Hawaii - Big Island

Off to the rock for the Turkey Day holiday to spend some time with mfpatterson, his partners Earl (LJ challenged for the moment) and Mark/mark_link, and at least three dogs and six cats (although they seemed to multiply and divide into more as the week progressed).  I need to do a separate post about the journey and why living in such a place is far from an endless supply of palm trees and umbrella drinks.  Who knew that an evening coqui frog serenade could be restful?  But it was!  Seeing some of the folks I most care about on this planet made the trip very, very special.

Los Angeles

Really not a visit but a trip up with my good friend Dan to wander the LA Auto Show.  My itch for things automotive was well and truly scratched.  Prettiest car at the show was the Fisker Karma.  Never has a four door sedan looked so seductive.  Hands down winner of the "Only a Mother Could Love" award went to the Porsche Panamera.  Ugliest.  Car.  Ever.  Amazing too how $8,000 of extras will render the interior a 1950's cabin cruiser look-a-like.

Ran into animbear and redbeardedblond while in Porscheville and had a lovely chat about lust objects, some of them automotive.  Richard's Tales of Auto Sales were especially entertaining.

San Francisco

Another weekend in Sodom-on-the-Bay.  I was reminded what Bay Area rainy weekends are like.  VERY reminded.  It is indeed an enchanted kingdom, if a bit soggy around the edges.  Ran into fuzzygruf and double_ohsteven at, wait for it, Starbears.  I think they have specially reserved seating these days.

Palm Springs

This coming weekend to see a former co-worker, George, and his partner of 30+ years, Neal.  Always fun, always lots of good food, always a pleasure.

Seattle

Off for the XMAS holiday to see the other half of the 'family', none of whom are on LJ, the slugs!  I've been to Seattle during this time of year on a bunch of occasions.  Yeah, it rains, yeah, it can be way too cold.  But the place has a visceral roughness that fits the season.  All those hunky bearded mens...


After all that travel, I intend to let my luggage relax for a bit until after the first of the year.  For a few days...

Current Mood: pleased

For bearpawly's annual Santa Hat fun



( and there are more )

and one NSFW one behind the ( cut here )

Tags: santa hat day
Current Mood: giddy

I went Christmas shopping for my 6 year old niece who wants a Hello Kitty digital camera. I saw this and I know she also likes sushi, but I think this might traumatize her:



My two nephews, in the spirit of Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Speech that Sarah Palin and her ilk loved, want guns for Christmas. I'm a good uncle. Guns it is, it's just with Nerf bullets I can't say "You'll shoot your eye out."

Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: DJ NoNo - Scarey Xmas

I've never felt before that my spam e-mail was so targeted to me personally. I'm deeply honored.

I was informed via email today this this logo


is going to be published in the LogoLounge book "Master Library Series, Animals & Mythology" ... I was notified several months ago that it MAY be included, and today it was confirmed.

I'm very excited, and honored.

Funny thing is, the client I did this for (Red Penguin Mobile Marketing) turned it down, saying it wasn't professional enough (they picked what I think is a boring design, and payed way too much for it, but I digress) ... along with 2 other designs I did.

I don't know when the book will be published, but I'm sure I'll let you all know :-)

Current Location: Apartment
Current Mood: excited
Current Music: TV