It is now Saturday morning when I write this, and I do not particularly like Friday, yesterday. I am not excited about decanting that day and drinking it again. I will be very selective and void the bitter bits. Mostly, I had a few meetings on Zoom for work with folks who were so me-focused that it was impossible to understand the problem statement, and people were talking cross-purposes to the point it was like having three meetings simultaneously. Terrible. I later had to take painkillers as my jaw was so locked that I hurt. A very unhealthy meeting for me. Lastly, none of these topics can be discussed here on social media.
But let’s start with Friday and skip the painful bits altogether (the dental pain from locking my jaw returned just writing the above). I rose at 6:30 on Friday, even though it is a work-from-home day—Nike WHQ is in the office Monday through Thursday. My first Zoom meeting was at 7, but I got coffee made in time to drink it during our group’s meeting. After that, I made a NYC bagel with cream cheese. The sink was full of dishes and the dishwasher clean, but it had sat closed too long. I added the dirty to the clean and ran it. I also started my laundry; I like to wash my clothes on Friday and put them away between meetings.
The nice coffee from Uganda (Thanks, Kramers) ran out, and I am back at the liberal Equal Exchange French Roast. Something dark and bitter—much like the image Fox News shows of us woke folks—I enjoy the liberal taste that I have made since President Trump was elected. Yes, every bitter cup reminds me of those four years (sorry if that sounds political and not funny—it is meant to be true and yet funny).
The status and process meetings continue. Somewhere in a break between Zoom meetings, I clean up and dress. I moved the laptop to the kitchen and left the video and sound off while I made a nice lunch. I listened and often stopped and argued with folks who would prefer that I keep silent. After a while, I did. I sent texts to individuals who validated my understanding and then let the spinning and verbal dancing continue. I kept hearing we need to “understand” something–I created it, but since someone else was updating and sharing it, they assumed I knew nothing about it. I decided to remain silent on that point, too, as it would just add to the cross-purposes. Instead, I made pasta, heated spicy sauce from a bottle, split chicken breasts when still frozen to make it easier, and finished defrosting chicken breasts in water. I managed to get the chicken in the oven as the meeting ran over.
Lunch was great, with the flat chicken spiced up by the pasta and sauce. I cooked all the chicken so I could use it in other things. I also replied to a production issue, saying that this is how it works. I received an email reply that was in agreement with that. I was going to recommend a fix, but I realized I should let the data owners work this out (I don’t want to add to the noise).
Frustrated from the meetings, Friday afternoon began with the usual quiet. I worked on my death papers as that was more fun than work (!) and needed to get done. I bought a workbook, “I’m Dead, Now What,” with spaces to fill in for all the information needed if I cash in on 20 May 2024. It is very detailed and covers items I would have missed. It is also very depressing. I also have some Word docs that answer the questions in the workbook on accounts instead of trying to handwrite all those numbers (instead of copying and pasting them). It is sad to write notes on your own funeral and final arrangements.
I also watched a how-to video on my new board game, Inventors, which is coming on Monday. I will play Richard’s copy (how does he get his first?). It was a very long play-through, and I watched it between meetings and reacted to emails, Slack messages, and so on. I also finished my laundry but failed to put it away.
I received my new jewelry glue today. This is wicked, as it is a resin diluted in a smelly chemical. But it is clear, dries very slowly, can be adjusted until it hardens, and can be removed with acetate. I usually use a welding product for plastic to plastic, but today, I tried this on the SMS Defflinger model’s decks and hull. It was perfect—a surprise. Knowing this product, I let the ship rest for the rest of the night. It looks better. I will finish the hull with this glue.
I decided that the pain, the work issues, and allergies would not make my folding of tiny brass parts a success—I should revel in the model’s hull looking good. I rested and took a short nap. I could have slept until Saturday, but I could not do that. I could have had more pasta and chicken, but I decided to drink beer and eat bar food instead. I grabbed my Apple laptop and headed to The 649. Parking was complex, and I got a bartop seat near the window (the bar has no seating), a leftover from the pandemic and still the only location from which to order.
Avery, Stephen, and later Crystal were the bartenders for Friday. Food and exotic drinks are offered. I stick to beer and appetizers. The 649 often misdelivers food, and Avery had to chase people who kept changing tables, which did not improve the situation. The bar was filled almost to capacity with people vaporing in coats outside.
I smiled, did not ogle the women bartenders (who do wear tight clothing, de rigueur for the exotic mixologist bars—and I am old enough that they would be my grandchildren), and was always polite. When Crystal told me she messed up my order for nachos, I told her to take her time and not to worry. I am always treated as a most welcome customer.
I wrote while drinking and eating, one of my favorite relaxations. I found Grammarly and could agree with most of the changes to the 2009 writing I was updating. The changes are mostly syntax, as the writing is just above the stream of consciousness. This is my 4E Dungeons and Dragons adventure that now needs to be revised to 5E. I plan to play this story, Finding a Broken Sword, and republish the revision. The old version is still visible on Amazon. I am headed to just a PDF version on a gaming website.
The story’s bones and rules have already been revised, and I was just editing. I am using the standard monsters for the start of the story. I love to write adventures; it is like writing a science fiction novel, except this one is played. I try to write it so another group, unknown to me, can play it. I have received little feedback, but my groups seem to like my stories and adherence to a pro-player writing style.
Aside: Imagine in another setting where Moriarty had sharpshooters take out Holmes and Watson as they left 21B Baker Street. While perfectly reasonable (and would be what I would do), it certainly does not make a good story. In a pro-player style, our heroes, Holmes and Watson, would likely have had his Baker Streer Irregulars spot the assassins and then have a good chance of driving the sharpshooters away. Or, in more Holmes over-confidence style, somehow Holmes knows that this type of shooter uses a specific bullet and always shoots the chest as a better target than the head. Holmes wears a new-fangled bullet-prove shirt, his own creation, and thus is shot but not hurt when he heads out without Watson (telling Watson to not go outside), and hence assumed dead, Holmes can track the assassin to Moriarty. Moriarty kills the assassin for leading Holmes to him and escapes in some improbable way, of course. Watson later complains that Holmes would be dead if the assassin changed methods. All of this makes a good story (and is tempting to write with the release of Holmes, Watson, and Moriarty into the public domain).
Back to the story, I revised the adventure’s first section and started on the second section. It was about 9ish when the pain required attention, and I was growing too comfortable–sleepy.
I returned home, glued more on the SMS Derfflinger model, showered, and went to bed. I felt much better about the world and soon dreamed of traveling to some now misty place and enjoying more food and drinks. It was not a bad way to end a Friday I could have done without.
Thanks for reading.
Alohawild (Michael Wild's) Website 