Oldbie.org

I got back from Google about two weeks ago, and I think I'll save that particular story for another day. It's been awhile since then, and I've been extremely busy. Things haven't really slowed down... but tonight was nice, quiet, and I spent it doing more or less whatever I wanted.

Our friend Shawn was in town for a couple of weeks, which was a blast. We got to show off our house, our neighborhood, and our town, and it made me realize how happy I am with where we're at. We went down to Lake Hartwell, on the SC-Ga border, and had a great weekend full of dogs and tubing and swimming. It was hot as hell, but we had a good time.

Classes started, too. It's been a blur, learning to balance work and school. I'm working on Saturdays now, which leaves Sunday as my only real day off. Mondays and Tuesdays are spent in Greensboro, in class. Natania's working now, too, so she's out of the house more often. This is what we call a "transition period."

Calli started coughing a few days ago, too. This happened to correspond exactly with the disappearance of her blue microchip tag, so I assumed that she had swallowed it and it was stuck in her throat, or something. Took her to the vet today, and it turns out she's just bruising herself by pulling too hard on the leash. We just need to get her a new collar... thank God.

So, last week I installed a wireless router and I'm sitting in the living room, typing this on the iBook. I've been painting miniatures and checking the PA Games and Technology Forum. It's really nice. Life is nice when it's slow. And it's more appreciated when that slowness is plopped down right in the midst of a bunch of craziness.

Posted by Michael Harrison at 12:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Thursday, as I merged onto Interstate 40, I noticed that there was a little green fellow hitchhiking on the passenger-side mirror of the car. I'm fairly sure it was a Spissistilus festinus, or what the oldsters call a "Three-cornered Alfalfa Hopper."As I was already accelerating toward the usual 80 mph that Triangle drivers find comfortable for their morning commutes, I couldn't do much but give the little guy a few cautionary glances every few minutes or so. I cruised along, finishing up with Sarah Vowell's spectacular Assassination Vacation, and when I arrived in Raleigh, somewhere around the Oberlin off-ramp from Wade Avenue, my stow-away jumped ship. I hope he finds Raleigh a happy place, though I must admit, I myself am a Chapel Hill-ian through-and-through.

This is, of course, after only living here for two months. What can I say? The place feels like home. We have the house in such wonderful order, and the yard looks like heaven, the back porch is splendid, our neighbors are great... and I love the towns. Carrboro and Chapel Hill, which we are nearly smack-dab inbetween, are bastions of thoughtful-mindedness in an otherwise selfish state. "Hippie" and "hippier," my friend Geoff calls these two towns, and he's right. But in a good way.

Saturday was "Movie Night," which is the newly-instituted tradition of getting everyone together in one place to watch one of our rented Netflix. Natania and I took a trip to the Carrboro Farmers' Market, which rocks the socks off of Greensboro's. We got out of there, spending $9, and we had a treasure trove of goodies, too. I even got a cup of homemade root beer.

We made dinner and sat down to watch Wizards. And... I didn't really get it. I suppose it has its merits, but for the most part I was simply appalled at Bakshi's ridiculous attempts to tell a simple story. It seemed that everyone else agreed, and we'll be attempting to pick something a little less lame for the next movie night. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Today, I spent a good deal of time totally and completely geeking out. I drew this map for the upcoming Dungeons and Dragons campaign that we're starting... I think it looks fairly good, although I'd like it to be a bit more stylized. I was looking at these Dutch city maps from the 1649 Blaeu atlas, Toonneel der Steden, and really wish I could reproduce the same old-world look and feel. Practice, practice...

Posted by Michael Harrison at 12:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)