Doctorate Get & A Moment of Being Alive
First, hearty congratulations are in order for one of my most longstanding clients, who successfully defended their dissertation and now holds the title of "Doctor." It was a long and sleepless road, which I have occasionally provided NPC support on for the past six years, and I am very happy for them to finally reach this day!
^ _ ^
Now! On to the main course!
I was shocked to see how much of August is over. After my three-week vacation, I spent nearly three weeks under a toxic miasma of stress and nerves, only barely able to perform my very modest quantity of freelance work. Deadlines were missed and the work snowballed, leading to many agonizing days and nights, and virtually zero creative progress on anything. Terrible. -⌒-
I am in the process of Doing Something About It, but in the meantime I am presently emerging from that cloud, having completed the last of all the outstanding batches yesterday. The fluster isn't over yet, however, as I have other responsibilities hanging over me. Last night I was quite productive on this count, with the highlight being the ungodly amount of time I took to transfer my fermented tomato seeds to a paper plate to dry, which was (necessarily) done one seed at a time.
Today I had two main tasks outstanding. One was plasma, which I did. The other is an unrelated thing which I am running too late to tackle now, owing to a previously unscheduled call coming up shortly with a friend of mine who wishes not to be named. (I really need to come up with a pithier phrasing for it.) But the events of today, as they unfolded, did yield one special moment.
You all know of the euphoria that often comes on the calm-down from exercise. You also probably know of the euphoria that comes from discharging a burden and being free to do as you will. Getting home from plasma typically entails a little of both, as I've usually got groceries to haul up and put away. Owing to being fat, vastly out of shape, and prone to running hot anyway, this is pretty decent exercise for me and usually has me pouring sweat and ready to sit down. The enervation from the plasma loss augments this, and also gives me a powerful appetite. So, over the years, it has become an increasingly solid ritual of mine to get home, push through my spate of domestic chores (getting my shoes off, putting the groceries away, changing into more comfortable clothes) and sit down with something to eat. From that point it's a great relaxation, and on the days when it really hits good, the relaxation is quite satisfying.
But on some occasions there is more...
Like tonight. The aforementioned happened to coincide with the final minutes of sunlight, under cloudy skies that have rained most of the day. But in the west the Sun poked through, and cast a tremendously thick, golden haze over the busy Bay, filled with a sailing ship, a container ship, several smaller craft, and a roving flock of birds. Recognizing the potential for a truly exquisite sky unfolding before me, I did the unthinkable: I got up, put my sweaty clothes back on, and went out onto the balcony to watch the last minutes of the Sun, the sunset, and a bit of the twilight:
[Image here after Call with They Who Shall Not Be Named]
I spent about half an hour out there, on the corner of my balcony next to Tomato Friend, looking quite good in the eerie red-gold light. During this time I once again dried off and cooled down, and grew very comfortable.
There was something in the air...a chill. The first taste of autumn, still formally a month away. Bits of my ears and nose and fingers on the balcony rails were cold, but I was warm, well-padded with flesh, dressed in my full attire for going out, and with all of that flustery heat pent up in me. I was exceedingly comfortable, but the chill air made it special.
Together with the shining golden haze, which faded to the golden sky you see above, which in turn faded still to a ruddy-spotted sky and a bronze Bay, the chill in the air, and my own warmth amidst it, and the bustling Bay with all the boats and birds and ships, and the noises of people having Thursday evening cheer...I felt truly alive.
It was vivid. It was exhilarating. And it reminded me of all those times I passed over the freeway in Seattle, long ago.
With the last pinpoint of sunlight folding below the horizon, I bore witness to the end of another day, a day unto itself, that will never come again. Some days, I waste. I can only admit that and try again tomorrow. But no day is wasted, if one feels alive in it...even if only for a moment.
^ _ ^
Now! On to the main course!
I was shocked to see how much of August is over. After my three-week vacation, I spent nearly three weeks under a toxic miasma of stress and nerves, only barely able to perform my very modest quantity of freelance work. Deadlines were missed and the work snowballed, leading to many agonizing days and nights, and virtually zero creative progress on anything. Terrible. -⌒-
I am in the process of Doing Something About It, but in the meantime I am presently emerging from that cloud, having completed the last of all the outstanding batches yesterday. The fluster isn't over yet, however, as I have other responsibilities hanging over me. Last night I was quite productive on this count, with the highlight being the ungodly amount of time I took to transfer my fermented tomato seeds to a paper plate to dry, which was (necessarily) done one seed at a time.
Today I had two main tasks outstanding. One was plasma, which I did. The other is an unrelated thing which I am running too late to tackle now, owing to a previously unscheduled call coming up shortly with a friend of mine who wishes not to be named. (I really need to come up with a pithier phrasing for it.) But the events of today, as they unfolded, did yield one special moment.
You all know of the euphoria that often comes on the calm-down from exercise. You also probably know of the euphoria that comes from discharging a burden and being free to do as you will. Getting home from plasma typically entails a little of both, as I've usually got groceries to haul up and put away. Owing to being fat, vastly out of shape, and prone to running hot anyway, this is pretty decent exercise for me and usually has me pouring sweat and ready to sit down. The enervation from the plasma loss augments this, and also gives me a powerful appetite. So, over the years, it has become an increasingly solid ritual of mine to get home, push through my spate of domestic chores (getting my shoes off, putting the groceries away, changing into more comfortable clothes) and sit down with something to eat. From that point it's a great relaxation, and on the days when it really hits good, the relaxation is quite satisfying.
But on some occasions there is more...
Like tonight. The aforementioned happened to coincide with the final minutes of sunlight, under cloudy skies that have rained most of the day. But in the west the Sun poked through, and cast a tremendously thick, golden haze over the busy Bay, filled with a sailing ship, a container ship, several smaller craft, and a roving flock of birds. Recognizing the potential for a truly exquisite sky unfolding before me, I did the unthinkable: I got up, put my sweaty clothes back on, and went out onto the balcony to watch the last minutes of the Sun, the sunset, and a bit of the twilight:
[Image here after Call with They Who Shall Not Be Named]
I spent about half an hour out there, on the corner of my balcony next to Tomato Friend, looking quite good in the eerie red-gold light. During this time I once again dried off and cooled down, and grew very comfortable.
There was something in the air...a chill. The first taste of autumn, still formally a month away. Bits of my ears and nose and fingers on the balcony rails were cold, but I was warm, well-padded with flesh, dressed in my full attire for going out, and with all of that flustery heat pent up in me. I was exceedingly comfortable, but the chill air made it special.
Together with the shining golden haze, which faded to the golden sky you see above, which in turn faded still to a ruddy-spotted sky and a bronze Bay, the chill in the air, and my own warmth amidst it, and the bustling Bay with all the boats and birds and ships, and the noises of people having Thursday evening cheer...I felt truly alive.
It was vivid. It was exhilarating. And it reminded me of all those times I passed over the freeway in Seattle, long ago.
With the last pinpoint of sunlight folding below the horizon, I bore witness to the end of another day, a day unto itself, that will never come again. Some days, I waste. I can only admit that and try again tomorrow. But no day is wasted, if one feels alive in it...even if only for a moment.