The holiday and New Year's report card
The last sort of update was all about the accident we stopped for along the way so let's pick up from there.
Driving down was good. Google has for years been trying to tell us that the GW Bridge is the fastest way between where we start and where we want to go and mostly we ignore it in favor of the Tappan Zee. That latter bridge is under construction whereas the years of hacking at 95 both north and south of the GW have made some actual improvements. Twice now we've done the GW and it's been a breeze. I still want to go over the new Tappan Zee at some point but this trip was already going to be long enough. I should've trusted my instincts to go cross-country rather than crawling along tiny back roads in Sturbridge trying to avoid the 84/90 disaster. But I digress. We drove, it was OK, if long, in both directions.
Xmas with the parents was OK. I got some cool things, my father dug up yet more embarrassing memorabilia (why on G-d's green earth does he have a cassette recording of a random school play I don't even remember? The tape of my Bar Mitzvah I can kind of understand, but no I don't want that to exist, either.) We ate well, had less adult time than we would've liked, managed one long walk, and got home to our own bed and our beloved puppy whole.
Pygment took the week off between returning and New Year's. I "worked" most of it, which is to say that I sat in a chair at my workplace and mostly did Arisia things. Most of the publications deadlines and heavy lifting happen around this time and while my Div Head did the yeoman's share of the labor I put in a few full days.
We had intended to get to a house-cooling party Friday night but between illnesses and lack of sleeps we just didn't have the spoons. Likewise, a planned trip to a Framingham party seemed like more driving than we could manage to do on Saturday. We did go to one NYE party and... hold your hats folks... I did not have social anxiety.
Like, whoa! If you've been reading along you know that 2016 has been a bad year for me in social situations. My usual tolerance is about 90 minutes then I start wanting to flee. New Year's Eve I went for three hours and would've gone longer if (a) my back hadn't given out from dancing and (b) we knew we'd have to get home to kick the kids off the electronics and make them get some sleep. The rain nixed a planned firepit so I still haven't properly burned all the things from 2016 that want burning - as someone said the past year might require like an entire essay book rather than the typical slip of paper. I might do that for real some night or metaphorically here.
Also, I dressed - or rather skirted - up for New Year's. I had forgotten to pick up my kilt from the dry cleaners and didn't realize it until the last minute so Pygment loaned me one of her skirts. I also wore the new vest I'd bought at King Richard's a while back. Unfortunately, the combination of the two meant I had NO pockets (y'all can stop laughing now). Once again Pygment to the rescue with a nice clutch that was big enough to hold my wallet and phone.
I talked to cute new people, one of whom gave me her card and email. I have emailed and we'll see if that gets any response. As always I'm all the self-doubt ever.
The long-distance girlfriend decided to visit just after Arisia so we'll get some time then. Unfortunately I don't think the long-distance thing is working out. Seeing each other three or four times a year is just not enough, at least for me, and I think not enough for her either. I expect we'll have fun together, as we usually do, but I miss that girlfriend energy in my life. Once I unbury myself sufficiently I might start doing something about that.
On New Year's Day I decided to take the plunge and bought myself a new Prius V. I'm going to sell the VW back to them, but that won't happen until middle of next month. The car, with the extras and taxes and all, ended up being expensive, but they were offering zero percent interest and I expect interest rates to rise during 2017. Getting this car was likely not going to be cheaper if I waited. Still, spending that much money is nerve-wracking, and I am really sad that I have to give up a vehicle which uniquely meets my three main criteria (great mileage, great carrying capacity, great performance). But like most things too good to be true this one was also too good to be true.
So now I'm back at work, trying hard to convince myself that I don't have whatever virus has knocked out Pygment and Thing 2 this week. There will be no smooching strangers until further notice.
How was your New Year's Eve? Do anything you want to share with me? Please share.
Cross-posted from Dreamwidth, at http://drwex.dreamwidth.org/938708.html. You can comment here or there.
Driving down was good. Google has for years been trying to tell us that the GW Bridge is the fastest way between where we start and where we want to go and mostly we ignore it in favor of the Tappan Zee. That latter bridge is under construction whereas the years of hacking at 95 both north and south of the GW have made some actual improvements. Twice now we've done the GW and it's been a breeze. I still want to go over the new Tappan Zee at some point but this trip was already going to be long enough. I should've trusted my instincts to go cross-country rather than crawling along tiny back roads in Sturbridge trying to avoid the 84/90 disaster. But I digress. We drove, it was OK, if long, in both directions.
Xmas with the parents was OK. I got some cool things, my father dug up yet more embarrassing memorabilia (why on G-d's green earth does he have a cassette recording of a random school play I don't even remember? The tape of my Bar Mitzvah I can kind of understand, but no I don't want that to exist, either.) We ate well, had less adult time than we would've liked, managed one long walk, and got home to our own bed and our beloved puppy whole.
Pygment took the week off between returning and New Year's. I "worked" most of it, which is to say that I sat in a chair at my workplace and mostly did Arisia things. Most of the publications deadlines and heavy lifting happen around this time and while my Div Head did the yeoman's share of the labor I put in a few full days.
We had intended to get to a house-cooling party Friday night but between illnesses and lack of sleeps we just didn't have the spoons. Likewise, a planned trip to a Framingham party seemed like more driving than we could manage to do on Saturday. We did go to one NYE party and... hold your hats folks... I did not have social anxiety.
Like, whoa! If you've been reading along you know that 2016 has been a bad year for me in social situations. My usual tolerance is about 90 minutes then I start wanting to flee. New Year's Eve I went for three hours and would've gone longer if (a) my back hadn't given out from dancing and (b) we knew we'd have to get home to kick the kids off the electronics and make them get some sleep. The rain nixed a planned firepit so I still haven't properly burned all the things from 2016 that want burning - as someone said the past year might require like an entire essay book rather than the typical slip of paper. I might do that for real some night or metaphorically here.
Also, I dressed - or rather skirted - up for New Year's. I had forgotten to pick up my kilt from the dry cleaners and didn't realize it until the last minute so Pygment loaned me one of her skirts. I also wore the new vest I'd bought at King Richard's a while back. Unfortunately, the combination of the two meant I had NO pockets (y'all can stop laughing now). Once again Pygment to the rescue with a nice clutch that was big enough to hold my wallet and phone.
I talked to cute new people, one of whom gave me her card and email. I have emailed and we'll see if that gets any response. As always I'm all the self-doubt ever.
The long-distance girlfriend decided to visit just after Arisia so we'll get some time then. Unfortunately I don't think the long-distance thing is working out. Seeing each other three or four times a year is just not enough, at least for me, and I think not enough for her either. I expect we'll have fun together, as we usually do, but I miss that girlfriend energy in my life. Once I unbury myself sufficiently I might start doing something about that.
On New Year's Day I decided to take the plunge and bought myself a new Prius V. I'm going to sell the VW back to them, but that won't happen until middle of next month. The car, with the extras and taxes and all, ended up being expensive, but they were offering zero percent interest and I expect interest rates to rise during 2017. Getting this car was likely not going to be cheaper if I waited. Still, spending that much money is nerve-wracking, and I am really sad that I have to give up a vehicle which uniquely meets my three main criteria (great mileage, great carrying capacity, great performance). But like most things too good to be true this one was also too good to be true.
So now I'm back at work, trying hard to convince myself that I don't have whatever virus has knocked out Pygment and Thing 2 this week. There will be no smooching strangers until further notice.
How was your New Year's Eve? Do anything you want to share with me? Please share.
Cross-posted from Dreamwidth, at http://drwex.dreamwidth.org/938708.html. You can comment here or there.