Tis the Season

Finished this hat last night while watching a biography of Jimmy Stewart, which seemed entirely appropriate. Now I want to head up the road to the Blockbuster video shop that's going out of business to see whether they have The Philadephia Story.

I adore black and white movies, especially the ones with lovely costumes and snappy dialog. Sometimes the acting isn't up to our modern (methody) style, but observing a way of life that's completely foreign and yet familiar has a lot of comfort.

My local yarn shop has all its sock yarns at 20% off, so I plan to head out in a bit for some browsing. Tomorrow is another stitch n' bitch at Kate and Becca's and I may need something new.

Er, other than the fact that I already have something like 50 different types of yarn around here, apparently. I believe I am stocking up for a wool shortage! Yeah. That's it.

Recharging

Some days are just much better than others.

Today, feeling a little mopey, so I'm going to watch some Star Wars, wind yarn into cute little center-pull balls and maybe start a pair of Skyp socks for Kevin. After all, he has a thing for socks and I am his "other" wife. :) It'll be nice to knit something for someone who'll appreciate the effort.

Later on, after scrubbing out that awful bathtub (it needs serious re-enameling and so every bit of scum that can catch on something, does), will take a hopefully relaxing Lush-infused bath.

I'm not angry over the break-up with Dan. It's just so, so disappointing. And it's not even that the reason is, well, unreasonable. All it means is that our paths ran along together so well and now the paths diverge.

I miss him. I'll miss having him in my everyday life because I am, at this moment, still in love with him. He wants things I don't, I want things he doesn't...so there's no future. Meanwhile, I'm allowed to mourn and be occasionally mopey...and so I am.

Home

I had a pretty good weekend. As with all holidays, the time sped by and suddenly last night I had to head to the airport.

Friday started at 3AM, since I live an hour from the airport and had to get to the off-site parking lot, shuttle to the airport from there, and check in two boxes of Dan's things that accidentally shipped with my household goods. That left me pretty exhausted, but so happy when I finally landed at SeaTac.

Flying to Seattle is always a homecoming for me. I picked up my rental car and headed to Candyce's house, which has been my second home ever since I met her. Driving across the floating bridge, I reflected how the last time I drove across the lake, I was happy and excited. I didn't imagine that my next trip to Seattle would be bittersweet. By the time I knocked on Candyce's door, I was in tears and saying (as I often did when arriving there), "Honey, I'm home!" had quite a different feel. We cried for a bit because we miss each other and because she sensed my unhappiness.

That's what I love about Candyce. I don't have to explain myself, she just knows.

And so, the weekend flew by. Game night was great (as usual). Dim sum was awesome (as usual). And though I had to drop out of shopping with Candyce and Lorien on Sunday, I did spend the day with Phil. Rob met up with us as we were downstairs in Uwajimaya's, giving Phil the scoop on living downtown and how the best Asian grocery store in the Northwest is wasted on him. ;)

Yesterday, Candyce and I spent the day in the hospital as she was getting meds dripped into her to help break up her migraine. I finished a Tidal Wave sock and started on its partner by the time she was finished and feeling a bit better. As you can see in the accompanying photo of Candyce in her Jayne Cobb Hat, she is feeling better today. Yay!

I'm looking forward to returning to work tomorrow. While the move wrenched me away from my friends and family, I love my job. Liking what I do makes up for a lot.

I'd like to thank...

...Suz. I can't think of anyone else who encouraged me, nurtured me and made me feel as though I really could do anything in games if I put my mind to it.

Thanks, Cosmic Twin. I'm sure it's still your influence that's blessing me in all sorts of ways that I don't deserve.

It's kind of funny to see my name on a list like this. I'm tickled that Melissa's also on the roster! Went to Target tonight on the way home from work, but this one didn't have a copy.

I know that Carolyn was researching and writing the article for a few months. When she first asked for nominations, I nominated Suz. Unfortunately, the article was going to be about women currently working in MMOs, so Suz didn't qualify. But she qualifies for my personal list. Without her, I wouldn't have gotten so far.

There's a certain bittersweet quality to this sort of thing at the moment. I wish I had someone to share the moment with here with me now. Someone who'd hug me and take me out for a celebratory incandescence. Instead, I hugged the cats (who put me in my place with their lack of impressed-ness) and settled in to work on my Owlings.