Confessions

Being away from friends and family has really increased the amount I write. I think I spend more time writing people than I do getting stuff written on the story I was supposed to have been working on this month. Oh well, I think between this blog and emails I write to people I think that I are reaching my 2600+ word goal each night... however it's not resolving itself into any sort of "fictional" piece. It's "just" the story of my life. Threads of which only I understand. Thus, before I have even truely started, I have given up the NaNoWriMo. Forgive me gentle reader as I cannot write emails, blog entries and 2600 words of a novel, AND go to work at the same time.

The upside of this however is that I have generated two new ideas for stories that I think will end up being "short" and I think I will try to flesh them out, wrap them up and see where they go.

Attempted to be nice and save the bird from a day of boredom by taking him to the office today. I am going to say that so far that was the biggest mistake I have made in Colorado. (Wouldn't THAT be nice if that was only ever the worst.) Every time I left my office he would make all sorts of amazingly loud noises. I don't really know what he was thinking, but "Alert everyone in the building that I am by myself in Ben's office!" must have been somewhere in there. Then when I would be in the office (he was seated not more than 2.5 feet behind me and to my left) he made some sounds I have NEVER heard him make before but they were very very loud. (It sounded like someone was trying to tear his wing off.) Niko came home for an early lunch... and staid. He won't be returning to the office again. I mean ya try and do something nice for some birds...

Lisa arrived safely in... other parts of the world. It's strange to even try to wrap my mind around the fact that she is something like 13 hours ahead time wise. She's starting to wake up as I get off work and come home. Sounds like she has internet access there at the camp she is at. (What kind of "camp" is that huh? I'd love to have gone to a camp with internet access. (Sounds like it's all wired though... remind me to travel with a small wifi access point if I go with my laptop.)) She says she is really enjoying the food and getting to know her fellow team members.

I'll make her get on the blog here when she comes back and talk a bit about her experience along with some pictures.

The weather continues to hold out here in "the Springs" and it is turning out to be a "warm" fall thus far. Long term weather forecasts show snow next week sometime... I think the running average for amount of "correct" weather forecasts here so far is running in the high 20 percents. Who knows, we could wake up with snow tomorrow morning and it could be 70 by the time I get out of work. (It'll feel like summer all year round in my office, it hit 82 degrees in there before I left this evening.)

I've been going to bed kind of late recently. I guess that Lisa had a "come to bed early" effect on me.

Did I mention she made a bunch of food for me before she left? She wrote up a document on how to prepare it all and called it the "Ben-u". While I can cook and fend for myself if IS easier when there are two people around. (I'm understanding where you're coming from a bit better now Ryan.) I think I would be eating POORLY this week if Lisa hadn't prepped food. But you know I HAD to get pizza at least once.

Quick observation about drivers here: Seattle drivers freak out in the weather, which is funny because you'd think they'd be used to it. Colorado drivers never bother to look behind them. Lets say you're backing out of a parking spot. You look left, parked car, you look right, parked car. What can you naturally assume? hy that everyone around you is parked and there couldn't POSSIBLY be anything moving around you! It is now time to back up, rapidly, while staring straight ahead.

Lisa helped me to avoid being slammed into the other night and if was down to less than 6 inches that the other car was from my window. Parking at the super market the same thing. People will load up their cars, get in, glance sideways, and back up. Never mind people, or potential other hazards.

The flip side of this is that when I am backing out no one stops for me. I can be blocking 3/4ths of the lane as I am backing out of my spot and Mr. I'm-in-a-hurry will still attempt to squeeze behind me.

Drivers are nicer in Seattle.

I am going to cut of my rambling, not tell you about my pizza place observation, or why Lowes is better than Home Depot. Nope. That's the end of my post for tonight.

~B.