by

janauary crazy

What a crazy week! The week ending today started last Friday when the 2007 MIT Mystery Hunt began, at noon. From that point until about 2 am Sunday morning, I was puzzling. I posted some details on Vox but the specific are this: we came in second, I helped a little, it was terrificaly fun, I want to be a better puzzler. I haven’t stayed up all night in a long long time, though the fact that I routinely stay up until 3 or 4 am was a big help to the team, I think. So, Friday and Saturday were the same day, for me.

Sunday I drove home late. As soon as I got home I realized I had left my laptop cable at Kate’s house. Fortunately I always have a spare…. laptop. Kate mailed me the cord, but having almost a week of stuff happening on a backup laptop is like some sort of lost time thing. I was out of it all week.

Monday I swam and spoke to a reporter from USA Today about my “breaking up in the age of social software” post. She is writing a story that she was hoping to get into the Valentine’s Day issue (they say there is no such thing as bad publicity) but it may be written some other time. I think she was a little dismayed that my breakup was not a series of minor and major disasters and stalker-like bad behavior, what can I say?

Tuesday I got into a small accident on my way to work. I am fine, the car is fine, no one else was involved, just me and some ice. Stan came over to look at it once I drove it to work and said it looked okay. I had the car checked out today and it will need a new headlight and a new grille (grilles on Hondas are teeny). My mechanic scraped and pried off the broken parts, stitched up the cracked bumper with a series of zip ties, said I was very lucky and told me to come back for the headlight next week. I am currently driving an illegal (i.e. one-headlighted) car. Somehow this makes me feel like more of a Vermonter. Forrest and Kelly took me out to dinner to celebrate my soft landing, they are crazygreat.

Wednesday I got interviewed and photographed by two nice guys from the Valley News. Channing, the photographer, has a blog and a website. Alex Hanson, the reporter, doesn’t (or it’s a secret). I talked about blogging and the digital divide and Vermont and Romania and had a really fun time. I still feel weird being all “blah blah me and my interesting stories” even when it’s the express purpose of the conversation, but the last eight months or so has been all about being around people who haven’t heard them all before. I find everyone else fascinating too, interviews are a hard time to explain that.

Thursday was a normal work day which meant helping people with their computers and PowerPoint slides and scanners and typing tutors and whathaveyou. I got a lot of bills paid and spent some time on the phone with Kate buying a lot of plane tickets. Our trip to Australia starts in five weeks and will include Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and a road trip! So great. Last time I asked people if they wanted postcards. This time I will not because postcards seemed to take forever to select and write and were somewhat spendy to mail. So this time, remind me, and I’ll send you a “Howdy from Australia __your name here__” photo which will probably be more fun anyhow, for both of us. This is the most money I have ever spent on travel, ever. My travel is mostly going to be reimbursed since this is a work trip for me. Mom and Dad and Cindy pitched in for Kate’s travel which was very nice of them.

Today I got the good news from the mechanic, saw Rick and Sarah at the Equal Grounds cafe in South Royalton did some more swimming with Kelly (up to 3.7 miles for the week, 10.5 for the year, oh my god I am becoming that “let me tell you about my gym” person. I apologize in advance). Then Kelly and I did errands which is one of those dopey things I like to do. I came home and made some killer risotto, completely trashed the kitchen, and am trying to figure out whether tonight is a better night for cleaning the place up, or…. not. My guess is I’ll go with “not.”

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What do you think?

Comment

  1. Hi, Jessamyn– got on to show my spouse your waterfall video on youtube. We are both big waterfall fans. I’m glad you weren’t hurt in your wreck, and I know what you mean about feeling like a Vermonter. I was so surprised when I moved to Arkansas and there were old cars without salt damage!

    I didn’t go to Seattle, but will you be in D.C.? I wouldn’t mind actually meeting. I don’t drink, but iced tea is very Southern….

  2. that reporter should talk to me! i have an ex i don’t talk to from years ago who keeps track of me via my blog and flickr and occasionally sends me nasty emails based on what he sees going on in my life.