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May 26, 2005
settling in
I'm settling in to Boston life and finding it quite agreeable. I've been interviewing quite a bit this week, and with luck, I'll have something more exciting to blog about soon. But who knows...there were other "sure things" in the past that didn't come to fruition, so I'm not counting any chicks this time. I'll find something at some point, and that's all that I'm sure of.
I really like being closer to Kara. It's very nice to be able to just be in the same room with her without there being any jetways involved. Last night I hung out with her, just watching TV while she did work. It was nice to have the sort of thing that I'm sure makes up normal relationships. I'm not too worried about being together too much at first, since we're making up for lost time.
The apartment continues to progress as I find places to put stuff. I did laundry here for the first time last night...I will admit I was spoiled by having our own washer and dryer in the old place. I'm not as keen on paying a buck-fifty to wash my clothes. But at least we have a dishwasher here.
I also did my first small grocery shopping trip yesterday, and I really ought to run out there again, as we're out of paper towels. The store is right around the corner from here, as is most everything, which should have me getting more regular exercise in no time. There's just no justification for driving somewhere when you can walk there in five minutes.
Tonight we're doing dinner with Jody and maybe Robin and Julie, and tomorrow I'm helping Kara with some stuff around the house. We're spending some time in Rockport for the weekend which will be fun, and if the rain ever lets up, we might get some quality deck time. And next Tuesday is our one-year anniversary! I need to pick a restaurant.
Posted by Mark at 10:37 AM | Comments (1)
May 22, 2005
decor
I spent most of today unpacking and decorating. Man, the place is looking good! I rewired the TV and DVD player with the surround sound system so now everything is working properly in the living room, and I put the zen garden out on the coffee table. I put file folders away, lined up my monitor-top tchotchkes, and generally tried to empty out as many carboard boxes as possible. I still have to do quite a number on the closet, but I suppose I'll get to that later.
I'm feeling warmer and dryer than my ride yesterday. I'm happy to have ridden around 600 miles in two days, but it's not something that I think I'll rush out to do again right away...at least, not with my current bike. The weird thing is that my knees hurt almost as much as my butt. I think that the really upright riding position forces me to keep my knees at an uncomfortable angle, and when I'm shifting gears or using the rear brake, I'm applying pressure in a way that causes soreness. My next bike will have a much more spread-out riding position.
Of course, first I'll have to convince Kara that it's ok for me to sell this bike and spend another few hundred dollars on an upgrade. That might take a few Coach bags to do.
Posted by Mark at 05:14 PM | Comments (0)
May 21, 2005
made it
Made it all the way to Brookline after all. A long ride, but a good one...I spent plenty of time literally outrunning rain clouds and dodging others. I only actually got wet once I got within shouting distance of Boston, though
Saw OCC's showroom, and the actual workshop where they build the bikes. The detail on the cycles is really impressive in person...also, they are huge! The Christmas bike is taller than I am. Paul Sr. must be a big guy.
More later. I'm having trouble sitting down right now. 583 miles in two days will do that to you.
Posted by Mark at 09:40 PM | Comments (0)
the ride, continued
Made it to my parents' place with no problems. I stopped a few times along the way to take layers and rain gear on and off as the drizzle turned to sunshine, and I got to experience the fun of pulling off under an overpass, as I've seen many motorcyclists do over the years.
I decided that I'm in no major hurry to get to Boston, so I'm not even going to try to make it there today. Instead, I'm having breakfast here, and then I'll take a leisurely ride up towards Orange County Choppers in Montgomery, NY. From there, I'll ride on a little further and get a hotel somewhere along the way where I can relax and spend the night. I'll continue on to Boston Sunday morning.
It's supposed to be about the ride, not the destination. I rush around as much as anybody, I'll freely admit. So this will help me slow down.
Posted by Mark at 10:24 AM | Comments (0)
May 20, 2005
typhoon
I rode to work this morning through a veritable typhoon. Between the rain and the wind, I'm quite pleased I made it here safely.
Fortunately, the rain has let up and I'm about ready to head out for the first leg of my journey. The maps are all printed out and my rain gear has been tested, and before long, I'll be in Boston. The weather is going to be marginal during the weekend, but I'll ride rain or shine and I'm pretty much ready for anything.
I have mixed feelings about leaving. Because I'm not officially leaving the company until mid-June, and because I've been sleeping on the couch at my old apartment for the last few weeks, and because I still have ties to the area, I don't feel like this is any sort of final goodbye. So I guess I don't feel all that emotional. If it were like, ok, this is the last time I'll ever be here, it would be different...but as it stands, I'm going to be emailing with coworkers and the like for the next few weeks anyway, so it's more "see you later" than "good luck with your life and everything."
I met up with Mark and some other old coworkers for sushi today. It was nice seeing my old mentor before I head out on the road.
I guess that's enough for now...I should start getting dressed to ride.
Posted by Mark at 04:07 PM | Comments (0)
May 19, 2005
revenge of the sith
My last night in Washington, the last chapter in the Star Wars saga. What a dark movie. But it was good. I don't know if it was lowered expectations on my part, or just its own merits, but I enjoyed the movie the way I think I wish I would have enjoyed the first two. And perhaps, knowing that there is a movie this bleak to look forward to, even the first two episodes become more...appropriate in their levity.
Not too shabby. Now I just want a 6-DVD box set.
Posted by Mark at 09:01 PM | Comments (0)
May 18, 2005
sinking in
I go for a week without blogging, and now I'm foaming at the mouth. Hey, I've been busy.
So I'm checking out this map that shows where you can find the cheapest gas in a given city, and it sort of hits me that I actually do live in Boston now. It's slowly sinking in. I applied for a bank account up there this afternoon, and I'm cognizant of the fact that there is very very little of my stuff down here now. It's like being on a camping trip.
I think that it will really hit me once I've spent an entire week up there. I haven't made a big deal of leaving at work since I'm trying to keep things relatively quiet until I find a new job up there and have a more firm grasp on my future...things are tenuous right now.
Things are not just seriously moving, they are moved, past tense.
Ok, I'm leaving.
Posted by Mark at 04:50 PM | Comments (0)
weekend stuff
So, also, Matt graduated from Penn State this weekend. Good job.
And Kara and I spent some time with my family, and that was fun. The drive up to Boston took about 8 hours, but that included sitting in traffic for about 45 minutes along a stretch of Rt. 80, plus stopping for food. All in all it was a good trip.
We get to figure out how to be a normal couple now. It's going to take some getting used to, being around each other a lot more. It has been a long time since I've been able to just drop by a girlfriend's house to say hi. I'm not complaining, though.
Is it time to go home yet? I feel like taking a nap.
Posted by Mark at 04:21 PM | Comments (0)
three days in DC
Somehow, I now have Massachusetts plates on my car. And later tonight, I'll have them on my motorcycle as well.
I think the job search goes in cycles. There's nothing for awhile, then a few things all start coming together at once. I'm in the busy phase right now, which is a very good thing. With luck, I'll have at least a couple of interviews next week.
So the new place is coming along. Most of my things are where they should be, although to be honest, I'd much rather be up there now continuing to set things up. I have three more days here in DC, then I'm permanently in Boston. This morning was what should hopefully be my last early-morning flight from Boston to DC.
I've got an awesome costume put together for Episode III tomorrow. I am kind of relieved that our department meeting that was scheduled for tomorrow was postponed, though.
Posted by Mark at 11:19 AM | Comments (2)
May 09, 2005
well, I'm home
I'm here! Quite an adventure, but it will have to wait. My wireless connection in my bedroom is working just fine, but I want to get the rest of the computers set up tonight.
More later.
Posted by Mark at 09:44 PM | Comments (1)
May 07, 2005
it begins
I'm shutting down the computer now. When I power it back up, I'll be in Boston.
Wish me luck.
Posted by Mark at 12:09 AM | Comments (0)
May 06, 2005
ep III
Reviews of Episode III are starting to come in. The overall rating seems to be about a 7-8 out of 10, saved mainly by the fact that the visuals are stunning and the story closes up some loose ends. The usual suspects are up to their old tricks: poor acting, poor writing, poor character development. It is to be expected.
I guess as you get older, you really do notice things like that more than when you're a kid. The thing is, it seems like Lucas is making this movie for people who are kids right now, and not for those of us who were kids when the original came out.
Furthermore, I firmly believe that you can make products that are appealing to young people without pandering to them. Kids appreciate people treating them with respect, like adults. I know I always did.
Anyway, I was gonna write more stuff but I should do a few things here before the craziness that is this weekend commences.
Oh, and of course I'm still gonna go see the movie. It could be 2 hours of old Thundercats cartoons dubbed in Spanish and called "Revenge of the Sith" and I'd still go.
Posted by Mark at 08:48 AM | Comments (0)
May 05, 2005
things are getting done
Road munchies have been purchased! Kitchen utensils have been cleaned and boxed! The EZ-Pass has been replenished!
One fun thing I got to figure out is what clothes are going to stay here for my two trips back down here. No point carrying stuff to Boston that I'm just going to bring right back down here. I think I figured out how many things I am going to leave for maximum efficiency.
I spent some time poring over maps on Google maps today, and I'm really getting excited. Not just about this weekend's move, but also about my upcoming motorcycle trip. I have a good route figured out that I'm going to test in the car when we leave Kreamer and head up to Boston after Matt's graduation. If it seems good, that's how I'll ride on my bike.
I am thinking of taking 80 to 81, up to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, then hopping on 84, then to 87, then to 90. Should be a nice, relatively relaxed highway ride that takes me some miles north of NYC and all the traffic there. I have a feeling that we'll be staying somewhere in Connecticut, maybe near Danbury, on the big move.
Kara lands at BWI at 2:30 tomorrow. Can't wait.
Addendum:
Here's a neat geeky thing you can throw into conversation, as in, "Man, this web site is slow. What are they using, CPIP?"
Mood: punchy
Listening to: Groove Salad on Winamp Radio
Posted by Mark at 09:19 PM | Comments (0)
ticking down
One more day to go.
I'm working from home tomorrow, so I don't count that as a day. Today, I'm doing a little more J2EE stuff. Right now, I'm getting ready to play with an Eclipse plugin called Lomboz that I guess does some J2EE-specific stuff. I didn't realize that Eclipse itself doesn't have J2EE support built-in, just Java stuff. I guess I could still use it and do certain bits manually.
I've got a few more odds and ends to do. Haircut, put money on the EZ-Pass, get food for the road and sodas for people helping me move on Saturday. I ordered some motorcycle gear today to be sent to the the DC apartment, so I'll have rain gear, a tank bag and mesh pants for the trip up to Boston in a couple weeks.
Looks like it might rain in Boston on Sunday, but as long as we move somewhat quickly with the wooden furniture and exposed electronics, I'm not too worried about things getting sprinkled on. There was a time in college when a water pipe broke right above some computers in the library computer lab, and we figured we were going to have some major damage on our hands. As it turned out, the computers were all fine after they dried out. Technology can be resilient.
I ordered a bunch of pizza last night, so I won't have to do any more cooking between now and moving. Which reminds me, I guess I should add "do dishes" to my list.
Posted by Mark at 12:50 PM | Comments (0)
May 04, 2005
walls smeared with the paint of a thousand eggshells
So, today I turned my room from a pit with holes in all the walls to a pit with big smears of white paint over where I spackled up the holes in the walls. I don't know exactly what led me to assume that the big gallon of white paint in the basement was probably the same hue of matte white that the house is covered in, but I guessed wrong. It kind of reminds me of a video game level where the walls are covered in random smears of blood, as if to suggest some horrific butchery that occurred just before one's arrival. Except these smears are white. Off-white.
Oh well. In three days, it ceases being my problem.
I packed up the surround sound and VCR downstairs. One of these days I am going to have to just break down and take it in to have the DVD player part of it fixed, as this part has never actually worked. Always test your electronics before hucking the box, boys and girls. Anyway, I guess I could always just get a new one, but it's become a point of pride. I want MY DVD player to work. Not some other stupid DVD player. MINE.
Also figured out a weird error with my online billpay. I was typically annoyed by the initial response that I got via email yesterday, the one that answered a question that I did NOT ask. What I did ask was why changing a payment caused the application to give the ambiguous error message "please try again later."
So it turns out that if you have a payment scheduled for, say, the 15th of the month--a recurring payment, that is--the application will automagically reschedule the payment to fall on the Friday before. The thing is, if you go in and try to change the amount of the payment and stubbornly insist in not changing the date on which it is scheduled to be paid to a weekday, the application gets confused and gives you that weird error message.
The solution was to change the date. Hopefully their software engineers will put a fix in there for that, or at least add some data validation that alerts you to the need to fix the date.
I thought the living room couldn't get any fuller. I realize now that not only was I wrong, I also have just so much stuff.
Also, surround sound is so much better than built-in speakers. After I unhooked my setup I reconnected the TV, using just the TV speakers. It sounds like everybody is talking through tin-can telephones. If you don't have at least surround for your TV, you're not really hearing TV. You're hearing some kind of tin-can TV.
Posted by Mark at 01:18 PM | Comments (0)
May 02, 2005
ambient
Chillin' out with a Yuengling Black and Tan and some excellent ambient, courtesy of Groove Salad. Makes me wish I had my old disco ball and lava lamp set up, like in the music room at Summit Hills. That was a seriously chill hangout zone. But in the absence of that, it reminds me of Red downtown, or maybe Zuccabar, or even Chi Cha Lounge.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, lounge music is lounge music. But this station plays some good stuff, and it's definitely effective at calming me down. A calm Mark is a happy Mark, especially right now.
I ended up getting through a few chapters of my J2EE book today, and dealt with a few ISS software issues at the same time. Things are going well. I also got some communications about a few job prospects. Nothing that great to report, but there are a lot of things out there. No major worries.
I think I will work from home on Wednesday so I can do some painting. Also, our showerhead just exploded. Figures. Just when I get around to re-hanging the back door, something else breaks.
Posted by Mark at 10:59 PM | Comments (0)
waiting
I had trouble getting to sleep last night. I'm at the point, pre-move, when every trip or activity is the "last time I do this" or "last time I drive down this road" or whatever.
My last shift at REI was on Saturday. My coworkers were really cool and supportive, and my managers were enthusiastic about helping me get in at the Boston REI. So, once I get settled, I'll be filling out an application up there.
I went to the Orioles game in Baltimore with Brian and his friend Mick yesterday, and then we hit Kooper's for a beer afterwards. It was a great day for baseball--the O's won, the Sox won, and the Yankees lost. Nats lost to the Mets, though, but whatcha gonna do. Just nice to be out at the ballpark, watching a Baltimore team that was actually playing pretty spectacularly. Even though Sammy Sosa played a lackluster game, it was nice to see a player like him in person. That's the great thing about baseball...it only costs you a couple bucks to see a game. Yeah, I know an Italian sausage is $5.75. I guess you can always eat outside the park.
Oh, and I finally got around to having a giant Philly-style soft pretzel while I was waiting for Bri. That thing was the size of my forearm. I love soft pretzels.
So, plans for the week...my J2EE book came, so I'm going to go through that and fill in any gaps in my Java abilities. I should probably start working on my next ISS project, but I'm not rushing on that one just yet. I have a few more boxes in the back of my car, and I'm going to pack up the few remaining things, like kitchen appliances and knick-knacks. I don't anticipate the loading of the truck to take very long, what with all the help and the fact that most of my stuff is already in boxes and downstairs.
This time next week, I'll be with Kara in Brookline, Massachusetts. I'm excited, a little keyed up...I've done this so many times before, I should be used to it, but it's still very intense. I can't wait to get up there, but I'll be happy when I'm settled in to my new home.
Posted by Mark at 11:02 AM | Comments (0)