Update Update
I'll be in NYC the Weekend of Dec 3rd-6th. If you're free, drop me a line. I will probably go to Absolution w/Mollybeth on Friday.
I've been so busy lately. Working has been really crazy. I am on one of the biggest projects of my career, along with a team of about 20+ other scientists. Unfortunately, since my small group is the technology arm of the project, there's only about 4 of us that are doing the real research. And of those 4 (and I'm not trying to sound arrogant), I'm the only one with the knowledge and experience to solve the problem(s).
I've been working 50-60+ hours every week for 2 months now. The stakes are high if we present something that fails when the technology is transferred to sites around the world. Everyone "freaks out" when we hit a snag that I know is solvable. I don't mind the work. It's challenging, but being the only optimist in the group drains me. Everyone expects me to solve the problem, but are always questioning my solutions. And to this date, I've delivered on every single promise I've made, much to the sacrifice of my social life.
In a way, I am still not fully recovered from my mother's death and burying myself in work, I suppose, is a way to avoid it's gravity. I'm angry and resentful, but don't know why. It's just there. It burns red hot and my temper is really short these days. Part of it is that my Kung fu school is temporarily closed and I need to find some other means of converting my anger into useful work. I am thinking thai boxing might be a good addition to my MA toolbox.
In other news,
I ran the Chicago marathon in 04:08:37 and placed 10,055 out 0f 45,000 runners, which put me in the top 25% of all runners. Not bad for this 40 year old bag-o-bones. It wasn't difficult and at no time did I feel tired, out of breath, sick, or ready to quit. It was just *painful*.
When I saw the finish line I just started to smile gleefully. 100m past the finish, I picked up my complimentary beers from Goose Island. I felt like a celebrity. It was a great experience over all and really put things into perspective that I really just need to wake up, focus and do shit. My long term goal is to run the big 5 marathons: Chicago, New York, London, Berlin, Boston, + one crazy one like the Great Wall marathon or the African Savannah marathon. I will have to shave a whole 48 minutes off my time to qualify for Boston, but I know I can do it. My 1/2 pace was 25 minutes behind a qualifying pace, so I think I'm in range. Next year in NYC will be a better indicator.
Oh Yeah, I also dressed as Marge Simpson for Halloween, but of course, my "Ralph Cramden school of Costume Design" interpretation was weird, a little creepy and had a pinch of WTF?, which is what I was going for.
SLS moved back to Chicago. It's really great to have her back. She the one friend I can rely on. We're having a great time goofing around like the old days. Road trips are imminent.
I'm going to the March Whitby. woot! It will be so nice to see old, dear friends. The Damned are playing too! This puts my January frolicking on hold unless I just throw up my arms and let it all go.
I just need to hold on until I see daylight, then I am going to run like hell to a better place.
I've been so busy lately. Working has been really crazy. I am on one of the biggest projects of my career, along with a team of about 20+ other scientists. Unfortunately, since my small group is the technology arm of the project, there's only about 4 of us that are doing the real research. And of those 4 (and I'm not trying to sound arrogant), I'm the only one with the knowledge and experience to solve the problem(s).
I've been working 50-60+ hours every week for 2 months now. The stakes are high if we present something that fails when the technology is transferred to sites around the world. Everyone "freaks out" when we hit a snag that I know is solvable. I don't mind the work. It's challenging, but being the only optimist in the group drains me. Everyone expects me to solve the problem, but are always questioning my solutions. And to this date, I've delivered on every single promise I've made, much to the sacrifice of my social life.
In a way, I am still not fully recovered from my mother's death and burying myself in work, I suppose, is a way to avoid it's gravity. I'm angry and resentful, but don't know why. It's just there. It burns red hot and my temper is really short these days. Part of it is that my Kung fu school is temporarily closed and I need to find some other means of converting my anger into useful work. I am thinking thai boxing might be a good addition to my MA toolbox.
In other news,
I ran the Chicago marathon in 04:08:37 and placed 10,055 out 0f 45,000 runners, which put me in the top 25% of all runners. Not bad for this 40 year old bag-o-bones. It wasn't difficult and at no time did I feel tired, out of breath, sick, or ready to quit. It was just *painful*.
When I saw the finish line I just started to smile gleefully. 100m past the finish, I picked up my complimentary beers from Goose Island. I felt like a celebrity. It was a great experience over all and really put things into perspective that I really just need to wake up, focus and do shit. My long term goal is to run the big 5 marathons: Chicago, New York, London, Berlin, Boston, + one crazy one like the Great Wall marathon or the African Savannah marathon. I will have to shave a whole 48 minutes off my time to qualify for Boston, but I know I can do it. My 1/2 pace was 25 minutes behind a qualifying pace, so I think I'm in range. Next year in NYC will be a better indicator.
Oh Yeah, I also dressed as Marge Simpson for Halloween, but of course, my "Ralph Cramden school of Costume Design" interpretation was weird, a little creepy and had a pinch of WTF?, which is what I was going for.
SLS moved back to Chicago. It's really great to have her back. She the one friend I can rely on. We're having a great time goofing around like the old days. Road trips are imminent.
I'm going to the March Whitby. woot! It will be so nice to see old, dear friends. The Damned are playing too! This puts my January frolicking on hold unless I just throw up my arms and let it all go.
I just need to hold on until I see daylight, then I am going to run like hell to a better place.