Days 9-12: Jet Lag

Days 9-10

 

Days 9 and 10 were huge travel days (Thursday and Friday). My first flight from SFO got delayed due to a mechanical failure, so I had to spend the night in Denver. This sounds great until you realize that there's a blizzard and you're getting in at 9-10 PM. On the bright side, I was in Denver! It's an amazing city, especially in the summer. Lots of good eats and nice people. The hotel was very comfortable - best bed I have ever slept on for sure.

 

Day 10.5

 I didn't really plan to go out Friday night, but Jon managed to talk me into it. We went to the Urban Chestnut, a new brewery that a mutual friend works at. They have a number of tasty beers, but my favorite is "Myth". It's an exceptionally smooth and flavorful dark beer. I could drink it all day! Anywhoo, Jon and I played every game we could think of in the bar. We played cards (which he killed me at), chess (which I killed him at), and darts (which we broke about even at).


Eventually, his friend Chris showed up and offered to bring a couple of girls over to his place if we wanted to party. Of course, we accepted the invitation. By the time we got to Jon's it was already really late, and I was tired. Finally, Chris arrives with one really pretty girl (which he has dibs on) and this other girl. My interest wasn't really peaked, so I decided to bail and get some sleep for a change. :) It was definitely the best decision I made that night.

Day 11-12

 

Saturday was filled with bar hopping and watching The Wizard of Oz to the tune of The Dark Side of the Moon.  Thanks for all the crazy times, Pink Floyd!  Of note - we checked out the Twisted Olive.  I've been fascinated by it ever since I first laid eyes on it.  This has to be the most inaccesible bar I've ever seen.  Go up the hidden stairwell three flights, walk across the upper catwalk, and you will find the door to the Twisted Olive.  Unfortunately, it turned out to be a very smokey and loud bar.  It was very small with an older demographic.  We decided not to stay.  The evening concluded with watching Hot Fuzz.  I suppose it was for the greater good.  ;)

Sunday was filled with eating, sleeping and gaming.  You know, the usual.  Hope you enjoyed this week's installment of my crazy life.  Cheers!

Day 9 - Return to California



The weather in California is infinitely superior to that of Missouri.  I love love love my sunny 60s.  The leaves are really beautiful, like fall is clinging on for as long as it can.  I spent a lot of time today processing the events of this weekend, and I've decided that I truly have no regrets.  I'm going to do my best not to over-think this and just have fun.  Things will develop on their own, or they won't.  I don't really think I can/should force an outcome here. 

Sorry this post isn't very exciting.  Flight delays in the Denver airport will do that.

Days 5&6 - Back to the Basics

Day 5:

SJC Taken Over by War of the Worlds Aliens

Sorry I missed Thursday!  I travelled/worked most of the day, and I didn't get home until 1:00 AM Friday.  Bleh.  Looking back, this week has been stressful for two reasons.  First, I didn't know how this whole Mandy situation would work out.  I really like her, which is a vulnerability I'd rather not nurture without some assurance that it is reciprocated.  In any case, the second reason I've been stressed this week is because the first phase of my project is coming to an end.  All of the hard work we've done over the past few weeks is being compiled into a report (eight pages of bullet points on just my stuff) for the group to review next week.

I've learned that attitude can play a huge role in my workplace happiness.  This week, my goal has been to start every day in a positive frame of mind, and although it wasn't perfect, I did a pretty good job. My work was monotonous but not unbearable as it has been the past few weeks.  I even enjoyed a few meetings and felt like my relationships with my teammates was improving.  Overall, I would say that this strategy has proven very effective.

Day 6:



Spending Time with Mandy

As I said, I've been thinking a lot about whether I should invest in this potential Mandy relationship.  I thought I had been pretty clear about expressing my interest, but I hoped to cement that sometime after we went Christmas shopping tonight.  The mall trip was not very exciting, but then one of her friends invited both of us to a bar.  We set out, and I found out on the way that she just started seeing one of her exes.  I was too late...  However, I've decided that she is worth the fight, so I'm going to stick with it.

We went to the bar, had a great time drinking and playing pool, and I told her to dump the guy she is with for me.  She said that if it doesn't work out, I'll get my shot.  Based on our awesome chemistry, I really hope that it's soon.  She makes me feel all warm and mushy sometimes, and I like that.  Honestly, I am a little ill equipped to deal with these types of emotions.  It has been a long time since I genuinely liked someone enough to fight for them.  This may be a first, actually.  In any case, I'm trying to keep my enthusiasm down and prepare for the worst, but it's probably an effort in futility.  I have a serious crush going.

Sometimes it's hard for me to convince myself that I deserve someone great...  Well, I do.

Day 1 - Packing

I have decided to start doing a photograph journal of sorts.  I will post one picture every day that describes in some way at least one aspect of what I'm up to.  You may also see some of my posts tagged 'doc' disappear off of my blog.  Many of those posts were for my benefit more than my readers', and they don't serve much purpose now.  At any rate, I give you day 1:

I am coming off of what seems like a long vacation.  I've had three short work weeks in a row, and it's hard for me to get back into work mode.  *Procrastinate procrastinate procrastinate* 

Anywhoo, I went on a date yesterday that was a total shock to the system, and it got me thinking.  I feel as though my little health crisis has completely distracted me from what is important in my life, and I'm just starting to get my bearings again.  If I am to become the best version of myself, I need to carry a positive attitude into work tomorrow.

I'm going to work hard this week and feel good about what I accomplished when I get home.  That's what I'm shooting for, anyway.  :)