A Life of Leisure
Hm. Yes. This was an odd morning.
My mattress arrived yesterday, so for the first night in a while I did not slumber in my sleeping bag on a floor. And then, I wake up for the first time in years with nothing whatsoever to be done. No possible work for me. Nothing to really get up to do.
I just laid there staring at the ceiling wondering to myself, is this mattress too firm? For a guy who has been sleeping on the floor more or less for the past two months, it seems an odd question. But, it just did not feel like it was giving enough. Looked online and it seems you do have to break your mattress in over the first couple months with regular rotation every two weeks to insure the layers conform and compress evenly.
So, of course, I have been body slamming the mattress at regular intervals. We'll see how it feels tonight.
...
Eventually I did remove my lazy carcass from bed and did my usual morning routine. Spent part of the morning visiting Reed and helping them with their new Kerberos authentication system testing, for which I received a rather large bag of Skittles as payment. As I am no longer a fully employed programmer, I might just stash them away for a while until I have a need for such high levels of sugar. With the size of the bag, I am sure I could build Skynet in no time.
Went to the bike store as I was out of chain lubricant and with the recent downpours, my chain could use a little tender loving care. Also, as I am biking downtown tonight to see Iron Man, I finally purchased some bike lights. On the island, I did not use my bike very frequently, alas, and there was not nearly enough traffic to justify purchasing lights. PDX is a far different beast entirely.
And, I hesitate to mention this, as I have given them insults and cajoles for so long, but I got a pair of biking shorts. My loins! In spandex! I am tempted to make a joke here about the summer's first blockbuster, but I resist. Oh, how I resist! Just figured if I was going to be doing long bike rides in the West Hills and out to the east, they would serve to make my lower half more comfortable. We shall see if I have the strength of spirit to actually go out in them though.
This afternoon was to be spent reading in a coffee shop, but Natalie, my PDX housemate, informed me that she and Taxi (z'pooch!) were going running in Forest Park. So began a nice little trip where we ran seven miles in the woods with practically no people about. I had intended to not start running in the West Hills until I was in good enough shape to bike there, run, and then bike back without collapsing in exhaustion somewhere on the Hawthorne Bridge, where I would perhaps fly over the side and fall, tragically, into the Willamette River, which is so polluted as to possibly transform me into Portland's own version of the Swamp Thing. Naturally, I would terrorize the Yuppies in the Pearl District and fight for the environment.
Right. The whole idea of driving to run somewhere is a bit foreign. With the dog though, it only makes sense and with two people it does not seem nearly so uneconomical. And, I was surprised that I was capable of running seven miles up and down hills in mud without stopping for so long. Not sure what was up my running in Bend, but it is good to know Portland and I get along so well.
So, that was my first day without work. Just warming up, easing into it. Tomorrow, after sleeping in from my midnight showing of Iron Man, I get to prepare my bedroom for some new furniture arriving from Tropical Salvage. I was originally looking to get hardwood furniture from a place like The Joinery, but the cost is rather prohibitive to me right now. Looking at places like Portico, which specializes in reclaimed furniture and furnishings created from reclaimed wood, was promising but after searching for a couple days I did not find anything I truly wanted and that would realistically fit into my room.
I found Tropical Salvage last night nearby and really liked the bookcases they had and there were a couple nice dressers as well. And so, for the price of one item from The Joinery, I got two bookcases and a dresser. Their ethos is greatly to my liking as well. Funny how I really start spending money only after I stop receiving the nice paycheck of a CTO. Suppose I just have the time and inclination now.
...
Rick's rather touching post about my stepping down (and Derek Jones stepping up) followed by many glowing compliments from the community. Quite nice. I feel like giving out candy canes.
...
Been trying to encourage myself to relax and be patient with how things are progressing involving a certain someone. Whenever I decide on something, anything, I tend to be rather focused on just making it happen. Not obsessively so, just perhaps a bit determinedly. And well, that does not seem the wisest approach for her. So, I keep on reminding myself to be patient and not jump to another decision. I can grow as a person, just a little bit. She's worth it.
My mattress arrived yesterday, so for the first night in a while I did not slumber in my sleeping bag on a floor. And then, I wake up for the first time in years with nothing whatsoever to be done. No possible work for me. Nothing to really get up to do.
I just laid there staring at the ceiling wondering to myself, is this mattress too firm? For a guy who has been sleeping on the floor more or less for the past two months, it seems an odd question. But, it just did not feel like it was giving enough. Looked online and it seems you do have to break your mattress in over the first couple months with regular rotation every two weeks to insure the layers conform and compress evenly.
So, of course, I have been body slamming the mattress at regular intervals. We'll see how it feels tonight.
...
Eventually I did remove my lazy carcass from bed and did my usual morning routine. Spent part of the morning visiting Reed and helping them with their new Kerberos authentication system testing, for which I received a rather large bag of Skittles as payment. As I am no longer a fully employed programmer, I might just stash them away for a while until I have a need for such high levels of sugar. With the size of the bag, I am sure I could build Skynet in no time.
Went to the bike store as I was out of chain lubricant and with the recent downpours, my chain could use a little tender loving care. Also, as I am biking downtown tonight to see Iron Man, I finally purchased some bike lights. On the island, I did not use my bike very frequently, alas, and there was not nearly enough traffic to justify purchasing lights. PDX is a far different beast entirely.
And, I hesitate to mention this, as I have given them insults and cajoles for so long, but I got a pair of biking shorts. My loins! In spandex! I am tempted to make a joke here about the summer's first blockbuster, but I resist. Oh, how I resist! Just figured if I was going to be doing long bike rides in the West Hills and out to the east, they would serve to make my lower half more comfortable. We shall see if I have the strength of spirit to actually go out in them though.
This afternoon was to be spent reading in a coffee shop, but Natalie, my PDX housemate, informed me that she and Taxi (z'pooch!) were going running in Forest Park. So began a nice little trip where we ran seven miles in the woods with practically no people about. I had intended to not start running in the West Hills until I was in good enough shape to bike there, run, and then bike back without collapsing in exhaustion somewhere on the Hawthorne Bridge, where I would perhaps fly over the side and fall, tragically, into the Willamette River, which is so polluted as to possibly transform me into Portland's own version of the Swamp Thing. Naturally, I would terrorize the Yuppies in the Pearl District and fight for the environment.
Right. The whole idea of driving to run somewhere is a bit foreign. With the dog though, it only makes sense and with two people it does not seem nearly so uneconomical. And, I was surprised that I was capable of running seven miles up and down hills in mud without stopping for so long. Not sure what was up my running in Bend, but it is good to know Portland and I get along so well.
So, that was my first day without work. Just warming up, easing into it. Tomorrow, after sleeping in from my midnight showing of Iron Man, I get to prepare my bedroom for some new furniture arriving from Tropical Salvage. I was originally looking to get hardwood furniture from a place like The Joinery, but the cost is rather prohibitive to me right now. Looking at places like Portico, which specializes in reclaimed furniture and furnishings created from reclaimed wood, was promising but after searching for a couple days I did not find anything I truly wanted and that would realistically fit into my room.
I found Tropical Salvage last night nearby and really liked the bookcases they had and there were a couple nice dressers as well. And so, for the price of one item from The Joinery, I got two bookcases and a dresser. Their ethos is greatly to my liking as well. Funny how I really start spending money only after I stop receiving the nice paycheck of a CTO. Suppose I just have the time and inclination now.
...
Rick's rather touching post about my stepping down (and Derek Jones stepping up) followed by many glowing compliments from the community. Quite nice. I feel like giving out candy canes.
...
Been trying to encourage myself to relax and be patient with how things are progressing involving a certain someone. Whenever I decide on something, anything, I tend to be rather focused on just making it happen. Not obsessively so, just perhaps a bit determinedly. And well, that does not seem the wisest approach for her. So, I keep on reminding myself to be patient and not jump to another decision. I can grow as a person, just a little bit. She's worth it.
– Posted: May 01, 2008, 06:46 pm