Playing a bit of catch up

So, I'm back in my apartment for the majority of this week... which I significantly hope is a sign of things to come. I've been saying for weeks that next week I'm going to get my car back... and that next week hasn't come yet. First it's the headlights that don't come in on time, then it's a broke attachment on the rear bumper that hasn't come in, and last weekend my father decided to get the flu while nature simultaneously opened up 6-8 inches of snow on us. I know it's out of my control, but c'mon... pretty please..... I want my car back!!! /rant

It's nice to be in my apartment, as opposed to being at my parents place and paying rent on an apartment I'm not living in. I've missed my city. Though, since I had to take the train to get here there are a score of things that I forgot to bring, a bunch of fresh cold cuts for sandwiches (to save money on lunches... that plan is going well), bills that need paying, some of my guitar music and also pictures from my trip to Portland that I've promised to some of you. Well, I'll be going home to babysit on Wednesday so I'll be sure to bring them back or take care of that post that night. I feel like I've got a hundred things to write about but no time to write about them in. I guess that's a good thing considering the sparcity of the recent weeks. Oh well, when my life gets back in order (stop laughing... that loudly) then maybe I'll get back to posting regularly. However, I will say that for those few of you who read/care (and that I'm aware of) I have been trying to comment on your posts that so that you don't take it personally that I dropped off the face of the planet... cause I didn't ;-P

Ever try to get a retiree to work ahead of schedule...

And because I could not make such a herculean feat happen, I now have to work on Monday. How awesome is that. Is the entire report now done and together? Yes. Could this report have been together last week? Also, yes. However, because these freaking parts too so damn long, it might be late.... again. I look forward to eventually having the seniority to make people jump when I ask for things. Now, I'll be the first to admit it, I'm totally chock full of that young employee eagerness. I want it done, and have motivation to get it done because I haven't been jaded by who knows what. Seriously though, would it have killed him to humor me? I wrote what had to be written in about an hour. Anyway, it's ok... because I love The Agency.

I'll finally get to spend a night at my apartment since the accident. I'm headed back tonight to help pick up a friend from the airport and since it's closer to my apt then back home, it didn't take much to convince them to stay with me. Honestly, when I first moved in I was just kinda like, sure... why not, it helps out BigE, it'd be nice to have somewhere to retreat to, maybe even I could have a weekend place I could write poetry or a novel from in a city. It's turned into a most refreshing feeling of having my own, laid back, relaxed place from which to start my own life. If I'm up writing a blog post through 5am, so be it. If I want tea and to leave it out, or make pancakes, or do whatever there's no more comments to deal with, and if someone happens to make one, frakk 'em, it's my apartment.

So, Tiny Dancer sent me a letter today, just like she promised she would. It was very stream of consciousness, which she warned me about, but it was good. It's nice to see someone else's mind jump around and how it does to make me feel a bit less concerned about my own (in)sanity. No revelations really, but it was nice. I can't recall the last time I'd gotten a letter. Sure a card or two with a personal message inside, but that's different than a snail mail letter. About the only thing that could top that is if it would have been handwritten. I'm even more of a sucker for something that personal. I intended on writing back to her tonight, but the plane flight didn't get in until 2am, then we had to finish watching Downfall, and then it was after 4am. I'll write her tomorrow. My friend and I have a nice long day with nothing to do so it'll give time to chill, and just hang.

Another one bites the dust....

So, after over 133k miles my car might just finally have to be retired for good. I was in a pointless 4 car pile up in Cherry Hill on Saturday evening. I'm fine, everyone involved was actually, but I'm 95% sure the car's gonna be totaled, and that's the end of it. No last minute pardons this time and that upsets me. I'm attached to that car. Not nearly as much as I was the first time, but I like it. I'm pretty set now on getting the same model used again... with the possible exception of a 98-01 Acura 3.2CL. That was the first car I really really wanted. The one my student council adviser had, before his girlfriend bought him whatever ridiculous car she bought him. Whatever. The sooner I get this figured out the better. It bugs me to have an apartment I'm paying for and not living in.

I got my ID and rfid badge to get into all the doors at The Agency today. It's one little exciting step at a time. Though, I don't see there being many more before the permanent job offer has to come. 2-4 more months hopefully. With how long I've stuck it out so far, that seems like just a few days....

I met and hung out with John Scalzi, which is probably one of the highlights of this year. It's amazing to meet, let along hang out with someone who is a celebrity of sorts in you head. He's a science fiction author of high regard for good reason. He's been blogging since before the word existed for it. I went to a meeting of the Science Fiction Society of Philadelphia where he was the guest speaker. We talked about his books to come, things that helped or didn't help writing specific characters, when he'd be back in the area, and funny stories that happened in life. He's a great, down to earth guy.

So, I met a new person the other day, which was cool timing to my post. GMDN sent me it a few weeks back with a promise of keeping in touch better. Yeah, that never happened. Shocking. Anyway, it's as fun and awkward and uncertain as I hoped it would be. I like it. If there's one thing I have to give her though, it's that she knew that this new person, Tiny Dancer, and I would hit it right off with the vast amount of things that we have in common. I don't know, I'm just trying not to over analyze any of this, because right now that would be the simplest thing in the world for me to do, especially with the outlet I have here.

DS and I have been on all hours of the night recently. These are the times I wish I were there or she were here because it's so much easier to give/get support when best friends aren't 2,878 miles from town to town away. Long story made painfully short, a potential love interest was taken over by aliens and trashed 9 months of relationship building in one week. Think Animorphs or Dark Skies, that kind of taken over and abrupt change in personality. She deserves a fantastic guy, and she experienced that for a brief while, but as has become all to common, each and every one has crashed and burned on the "staying fantastic" part. Sometimes I feel like my reassurances that she'll find someone who will last sound empty to her, but they're the farthest thing from it. They're more full and hopeful than my own feelings that I'll find someone one day.....

My first little sister popped back into my world yesterday which was awesome! It's always cool to see how we manage to just play catch up and then jump back into knowing each other like life never made us too busy. She's still happy and going strong.

And that rocks.