Clinging to life isn't nearly as exciting as it sounds

My plans to explore more of the ins and outs of Ann Arbor foundered recently when a sudden plague of microbes or Allergens or both washed over me just as obscenely humid weather descended. The predictable result was that I woke at 4 in the morning drenched in sweat, throat clenched and raw, while my bleary eyes desperately tried to close the windows and activate the AC. I managed neither but I did manage to make my way to the medicine cabinet. No small task as it's past several doors, house cats, and flight of stairs. After a cheerful breakfast of 'Tussin , IBprofin, and two different prescription allergy meds I returned to bed for roughly 18 hours.

I don't know why spring always surprises me so. I'm sure this has happened before so it's probably blooms and whatnot that did me in. On the other hand I've also been hanging out with plenty of sick people, not the fun moral sickness either. I suppose I've no problem blaming God, Man and everything in between because hey it's not like they'd care about my whinging* anyway. And sometimes a good whinges* just what you need.

So of course one day afterwards and just north of decrepit it happens that I go to Detroit for a party. This is after another 4AM wakeup mind you. And of course It aint no party like a Detroit party Cause a Detroit party dont stop. So that was last night and as opposed to most parties I attend I remember everything. Everything being a lot of music and me falling asleep on a couch or two.

Finally, in preparation for the move, I've had to start boxing up the things to be stowed away. For me this is mostly books of which I've got a few thousand. I'm not sure if anyone else collected as fervently as I did but looking back on my reading habits in those days is a bit embarrassing. So mostly I'm stowing away the mountains of paperbacks and keeping the good stuff front and center. Well. Better stuff anyway.

*Primarily British they tell me, but the I like the way those letters line up.

Possibly the last post for a while

Huh. My computer just alerted me that this evaluation copy of Windows will be expiring in an hour. I did know this would happen but it's about 60 days earlier then I expected. And of course I can't call Microsoft because they're help center's closed till Tuesday.

I'll just be furiously backing things up here then. Thanks Gates!

Edit:False alarm? The appointed hour arived and my computer suddenly shut down. But then it restarted with not a word about the warning it had delivered.

He's a wiley one Mr. Gates, I wish I knew his game.

Edit2: Ah, it will be shutting down with 1 hour notices randomly from now on. Good show old boy, I want to shit in your neck.

These are the songs that we sing

This post was originally composed on paper by candlelight. I’m not normally so romantic but a summer storm knocked out the power and I had both a candle and paper handy. It’s an interesting change of pace but not as different from a keyboard as you might think. Maybe it’s just a quirk of mine but I’ve always composed (and edited, and crossed out) in my head hours before I commit it to the page. The big difference with a pen and paper is that I can’t go back and switch words and grammar as I am wont to do. Of course this, what I’m writing now, must be transposed for others to read it. And why not edit then, it’s not like you-the reader-could stop me. Or that you’d ever know.

Pride holds me back.

Aside from scribbling with sharpened quill my other activity of late is reminiscence. I suppose it’s a bit premature (My only recently booked flight won’t leave for three weeks, June 14^th if you like specifics.) but still hard to avoid. I’ll be driving along a peaceful throughway and think about how I’ll not control my means of transportation for years to come. Months may pass as I shuttle between cab, bus, train, and the underground before foot hits peddle again. Do I mind?

I’ll really miss the people though. A short 3 months ago I found a café (The Ambrosia Café on Maynard next to the parking structure and across from the Borders) I really like. And for just a few weeks now I’ve finally clawed my way to regular status (they might not know my name but they know I like room for cream). And in 3 weeks I toss it away, to begin the search anew in Brooklyn or around the east side. Not that I think it’s hard at all to find coffee in New York but will it be the right coffee? I can but hope.

Speaking of hope after the power went out brother, father and I piled into the minivan to the closest sports bar to watch the home team punish a series of interlopers intent on stealing our pride and trophies. It was a grand old time, especially when dad paid for our beers (like the Piston’s victory, his generosity was never really in doubt but one must go through the proper motions). One sore point and an increasingly common one as colleges empty and old strangers pile back into this the town of my childhood is that as I glanced around the packed bar I kept seeing people who I did and did not know. Names never entered into my ruminations as I stole glances at eerily familiar faces. All I really wondered was where I’d seen them before, and if I were also getting drunk at the time.

That there is the heart of what excites me about moving, and living in NYC. I’ll be removed almost wholly from the context of my development and adrift in a city to which I’ve only a genetic link to. I could remake my personality or modus operandi (Sister’s suggested I try for lady’s man. She’s very kind.) entirely, or simply act as I always do and observe if folks respond differently. So that’ll be kind of weird. But if I can make it there, I can make it anywhere.

Still I realize as people everywhere are fond of telling me, that New York's a different kind of place. I'll need to be canny, and tough. Or something. Anyway I've already begun practicing protective falsehoods and deceptions.

I didn't really write this longhand. Not even a little bit.

ZOMGSCOTTPILGRIM#3IWISHITWASTOMORROWTODAY.

Edit: It's very good you should all go read it now.

It's a strange feeling

Two items, of not insignificant importance. Item the first: I have a brand new cellular phone. I'd put the number here but I don't like having that information on the internet. A conundrum yes, if you've no other means of contacting me. Poppycock says I, if I haven't mumbled something to you via sattalite then send me an email to that effect and I'll make it right. Don't have my email either? Well...leave a meaningful comment here perhaps.

Item the second, I've accepted a formal offer to work at a lab in New York City. I'm tremendously excited about the prospect and all that it entails. Now the logistics of it all still need to be worked out, and I'm hoping this will be done over the next few days. Then I've got a few weeks to scout apartments, make arrangements around these parts and then holy christ Its off to the big city. If you'd like to know more perhaps we can talk about it on my cellular phone.

My my my.

Ahhhhh....

Sunny days are here again.

Mmmmmmm...

Forsooth I return

It's been a quiet week here at chez Hennessey Filled as usual with contemplation, study and intellectual pursuits. And the occasional ninjanomics. Still in between slices of brie and the occasional snifter of brandy a few small items of note have occured here and there. A not exhaustive summery of some follow:

I gave up and gave up giving up coffee in the span of maybe 5 days. This morning actually was the first time I've made myself a cupa in a while. It was an excercise in hilarity. My folks bought this awesome grinder/brewing coffee pot which turns fresh beans into tasty drinks. So this morning I clean it carefully, add the beans and filter, and hit brew, 1-4 cups. Then, "oh crap! I forgot to add the water!" I look again. "Oh crap! I forgot to add the coffee pot!"

Yeah.

Then I got a haircut for reasons I'll eventually elaborate. The day before I got a post card from the group, locks of love, that I donated my pony-tail to. It said, Thomas went to great lengths to help a child. That was darling. My hair's so much more managable now. I only regret how little there is to run my hands through.

40 years from now I might find this post and let out a long bitter laugh.

I'll elaborate more now on this maybe possibly oppurtunity that I don't want to even think of counting on. It's at a neurodegenerative disease lab at Weill Medical school of Cornell in New York (City not state). I'd be a research tech in a lab studying how Huntington's disease can debilitate and destroy body's and minds. Lately I've been desperatly cramming background information about the research the lab has done so far. The reason is I've been invited to a conference where my possible future boss will be giving a presentation. It's here in Ann Arbor, on Monday. I''ve got a useful undercurrent of terror and hope motivating me now, which is a nice change of pace.

A week from now I might find this post and let out a long bitter laugh.

But for now, I'm feeling rather optimistic.

Cheers.