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I am tired today, and it seems like a hard day. I had to work on a few items for Susie’s concert. Tears came and went. I also rested briefly and was fast asleep in minutes to wake up too late for a meeting, but they did not need me, so it worked out. I decided to take next week off as the project is shutting down next week for local Spring Break. I was planning to hoard my time off, but it will be a wasted week, and I just can’t do a find-work week.

I woke just before my alarm at 6:25. I was up late the night before writing the blog, and the day before that, I was traveling from NYC. Self-inflicted.

With Susie’s Concert coming this weekend, I see the approach of my surgery, and to be frank, I am scared, and I am having trouble accepting the suffering I face. Brain tumors–f**k. It makes the days harder, the dread.

The air is full of pollen again, and I am choking and coughing all day. This, too, wears on me. I am working from home as I have items coming up for the concert and a package to pick up.

After the initial status meetings, starting at 7:30AM now, I cleaned up and dressed. I boarded Air Volvo and headed to the post office. It was a short wait there to get a large box. When I opened it at home, it was full of packing peanuts, with the expensive books carefully wrapped and stored in the middle of the packing: Leonardo Da Vinci: The Madrid Codex Facsimile Edition. A birthday present for myself. This version comes with an Italian and English translation. I am happy to have a copy of the master’s work. After carefully unpacking, I looked through the books to ensure they were intact and worth the investment. They were excellent. I put the set in my office.

The meetings continued. I cooked chicken for some dinner in the future. I boiled the chicken thighs (boneless and skinless), baked them, and then boiled them with North African spices. They are quite good. I put them in zip-lock bags and will likely have chicken for a few days. While that was cooked, I ate a leftover pasta dish I made a few days ago. It was improved with time.

I did a few more work meetings and then rested, and as I said, I slept by accident. My day ended, and I soon headed out with some laptops, sticks, and games. I showed the pictures and Susie’s ice skating video to Z and Dondrea. They think they will be great.

Z and I played the board game The Lost Ruins of Arnak again. Z was tired and did not remember how to play, but Z soon found the way. Z could have won had Z followed up at the end, but next time, I am sure it will be hard for me to win. Andrew joined us when band practice started. I like the game with three players, and Andrew, who is new to the game, liked the mix of theme, complexity, and deck building with resource management. We played the base version with all the corrections and additional cards. I picked the basic easy game, which worked out for the best.

The Lost Ruins of Arnak is a favorite, and I like the theme of the Hollywood version of archeology in South America. The deck-building game mechanic is also a favorite; combining it with a strong theme and resource management makes it fit my favorite type of game. Another favorite is Concordia, which fits this model, too.

Z was happy to be playing games again. I was happy for the distraction.

I headed home after that, had some toast, and wrote this blog. Thanks for reading. I am falling asleep while writing, so please forgive my mistakes.

I have been working on Susie’s photos most of the night. I did slip out with Corwin to get some Mexican food, but I have been building a photo album in Mac Photo for most of the night. I have got Barb’s (Susie’s sister) photos combined with what I scanned and all the photos I have of Susie from the years on my Mac. I included the last photo I have of Susie on 13 Oct 2024, when she passed. All this is loaded on a stick. I did cry a few times as I watched it as a slide show. I also got Susie’s movie of her skating running on my laptop and found a cable to put that on a large screen. That, too, is on a stick. Ready as I can be.

I am tired now. I will try to write a blog for today. It will be short.

I talked to Dondrea and Bill at the church about some of the items for the service. Bill will do the usual punch, and Dondrea will help me get the audio and video working. They will have the mics for us on Saturday.

I also cooked a corned beef for Corwin while he worked out. After boiling it for a few hours, I just put it in the oven. Dondrea slowly bakes corned beef in beer. I boil and then bake. I then use the boiled water to cook the veggies. We have Brussels sprouts instead of cabbage to go with carrots and a few potatoes plus an onion to add some flavor.

This should be ready about 11PM when Corwin usually gets in from the gym.

Corwin starts his new job as an Uber food delivery driver. He has his truck and a license, so let’s all pray this works out. It would be wonderful if he could make a good wage as an Uber food delivery driver.

I returned home early and discovered that I had missed my birthday present. Every year, I buy something extravagant for myself for my birthday. This year, I selected a used copy of the six-volume reproduction of The Madrid Codices of Leonardo Da Vinci. I did not know it was coming today, and it required a signature and my ID to accept it. I will head to the post office to get it on Wednesday. My copy is translated into English and Italian.

Sorry, I am just bouncing around writing tonight. My emotions are messy, and I am tired and cold. Among the photos, I saw my friend’s daughter, who just passed away. It is hard to see so many folks gone.

Here is Susie on a Vagas trip.

Work was the usual meeting, with a few approvals and change control items. It was a sunny day, and last night’s winds had blown the bad air out of the valley. My coughing was much reduced. It was 70F and sunny in the afternoon. Not our usual endless rain!

I was working in the atrium, and folks stopped by, including many directors, to chat about various work and non-work items. Everyone seemed happy today, and I felt they were happy that I was back from NYC. They also know Susie’s Concert is Saturday, and I believe they were trying to help.

I will put the sticks, DVI cables, a spare Windows laptop, and my Apple M2 in Air Volvo for Wednesday. I will also play some board games with Z. We have not played for a while. Maybe Scythe again or Concordia, which are all my favorites. I also thought we might try Savage Worlds for a role-playing game one of these weeks. SW is sort of Dungeons and Dragons light, and it would be fun to try it. So maybe soon. Also, the printed rules are cheap, and PDFs of the rules are even cheaper.

In the mail, I received another set of add-ons for my model of the SMS Deffflinger, a WW1 battlecruiser–considered the greatest one made for the time period. I have bought the same set twice, as the model is the deluxe version with the same add-ons. At least I have the spare parts to make mistakes. I am unsure when I will get to this, but I am excited to try.

Well, it is nearly midnight. The corned beef and veggies were great–I had a sample. I need to stop, shower, and sleep. Thanks for reading.

 

 

 

It is the 95th day since I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The surgery for the tumor is planned for 20 May 2024.

For those on the East Coast and Michigan, Susie’s Concert will be repeated in Lansing on 18 May at Grace United Methodist Church. More to follow. Thanks to John for being flexible!

The day started with waking at 6:30 and wishing I had taken another day off. I managed to remember who I was and find my robe and slippers. I found the office and the Nike laptop and logged back in. I read some emails and Slack updates to be aligned with what was happening. I also read some news.

I made liberal coffee and had a banana to go with it. Soon, I was cleaning up and dressing. Despite the good food in NYC, I lost a few pounds, and I am down to 248. I would prefer to be at 240 by now, but that will take longer, I guess. I found the work laptop, loaded my thermal cup with coffee, and boarded an Air Volvo.

Traffic was light, as I was early. I found myself stuck in the lobby of the Nike WHQ Swift building. The security turnstiles were not working, and there was no access all over the WHQ and another site. There is a bug or a data issue. Now, with the lobby full, it is finally decided to just override and let everyone inside, back to the 2nd floor.

My first meeting, the 8AM one, has been canceled, as there are no defects to discuss. Excellent. The status meetings and change control meetings continue for another hour. They are the usual things, but the project is doing well, and it is a bit boring. It is good to be bored when running a dress rehearsal test.

I head to the cafe, but the gates are still not working. I find that glazed salmon over rice and some steamed bo choy are in at the pop-up. I cannot resist that, and it feels so much like home. “Why yes, I will have the fresh steamed salmon perfectly cooked with local perfect veggies,” comes to mind. I love the Pacific Northwest.

I read my Kindle while eating and noticed my eyes were closed. Yes, the warm food and a good book, and I was fading. I returned to Swift, being let back in as the gates are more wall than door now, and let Rajani know I was headed home.

The light cough I had in New York City was returning as a pollen-driven nonstop coughing. Spring was here today, as the rains had stopped, the sun was out, and the cherry trees were in bloom. It was wonderful, but the tree pollen was harsh.

I opened the doors and windows to air the house and then held a change control meeting. I also approved a design and was following along. I went to rest, and suddenly, it was two hours later, just in time for the 4:30 status Zoom meeting. It was difficult to start again, and the open windows filled my lungs with pollen. I was coughing and sneezing, and my eyes were burning. Ugh! I attended the Zoom meeting.

I put on my shoes again and went to Safeway. There, I got the missing ingredients for dinner and a few other items (I still forgot to get a better razor!). With one bag of stuff, I returned and started to make a messy pasta dish following the NY Times recipe. This time, I added more veggies and finished it in a baking dish. It was wonderful.

I had a few bowls. I then started on the laundry and scanning pictures for Susie’s Concert on Saturday. I hope to have them ready on Tuesday. Barb, Susie’s sister, sent me a set, too.

Max Brenner, the chocolate shop in NYC, has connected with the Easter Bunny, and Leta, Barb Wild, and my sister Linda received some Easter Chocolate. More will be delivered soon.

I started on the blog once the scanning was done. The coughing has not slowed down. Ugh!

Thanks for reading. It is nice to be home.

 

 

 

 

I am writing this blog after returning home and sitting at my desk at the Volvo Cave. Air Volvo delivered me quickly from PDX after I had been stored in Long-Term Parking for a few days. The Alaska Air flight from JFK arrived early and without issues. I had an issue as my feet swelled and became icky, and I was barefoot for part of the flight. This is a new issue and has not happened before, but also I have not had to take the NYC subway in a rush and then get in an Uber without a break. Next time, I will change socks, at least.

Moving back to JFK, Michelle and I had flights this evening but on different airlines. So our Uber driver, who seemed to be at Roosevelt Island waiting was ready and delivered Michelle first and then me a few hours before my flight. The Uber trip was uneventful, and we hit only a few traffic sections.

I was late, arriving at 4:45 instead of 4:20 as was planned. I had split off from Michelle and Cat in the afternoon and was touring the Natural History Museum in Central Park. I had reached the extinction room when I decided I should head back. So, I said goodbye to the wooly mammoth and searched for the exit to the subway. After being lost and finding more exhibits I needed to see on another visit, including a full-sized whale, I asked for help twice; I finally found the way out and waited for C line for ten minutes under the museum at 66th Street Station. I connected C to 1 at Columbus Circle and 1 to N (Q was not running, so N was running Q–not that that made sense). N now connected me to F which delivered me at 4:35 to Roosevelt Island. Breathless and soar-footed, I arrived at the hotel late, and we grabbed our stuff and Ubered out to JFK.

Going backward, Cat and Michelle headed to get some special bread, and I went to the museum. I had never been there, and Cat recommended the gem and mineral collections. After paying and presenting my ID (?!), I was allowed into the museum. I found the Pacific Northwest exhibit, which felt like home and lovely with our native art. Recommended. The Human Evolution section included copies of famous fossils and a clear presentation of those who came before us. I thought it was excellent. The meteorite and the rocks and gems were excellent. My feet and back were hurting so I watched the films. All good. Recommended.

Running out of time, I rushed to the 4th floor and found the famous dinosaur collection. Excellent, but only a few creatures. I also found the giant shark jaws and mammoth I already mentioned.

Going all the way back, I rose at 6AM and wrote the blog, packed, checked out, and then had breakfast at the restaurant in the hotel. I put on a tie with a dress shirt and a sweater over that. Breakfast was coffee and a lox bagel that was overloaded, and I did not finish. Cat, Michell, and I headed to the Upper Westside to attend Cat’s church. There is a request to not post about it and so I will say we met many nice folks there.

We found another Strand and managed to resist that. We did enjoy some Thai food for lunch. After that we split-up as I said.

And that reaches the end. Sorry for the rush, but it is already Monday!

I am writing this on Sunday morning, a travel day, and I am time-boxed as I have to pack, check out, and then head to church in Manhattan (at Cat’s church). So I will try to cover Saturday as best as possible with ninety minutes to write.

I rose on Saturday with my alarm blasting me out of bed at 6AM EDT, which felt like 2AM due to the recent time change and the fact that I live on the other coast. But I managed to start and write for ninety minutes and publish what I had completed by then. It was mostly done, but the editing was not complete.

Just sitting down and writing was not that easy. I stopped a few times and started to clean up and dress. I brought a suit and a gay pride tie for the opera, and that takes some time to get right with the suspenders, vest, pocket watch, and chain. I wrote for a while and then cleaned up and dressed for a bit when I needed a break. I would stop, think about what to write while dressing, and write more.

I was meeting Michelle at the hotel and then walking to the F subway on Roosevelt Island to meet Cat, Michelle’s daughter, who lives on the island in a studio apartment. I managed to finish most of the blog, dress, and be in the lobby drinking the complementary coffee at 8ish. Excellent. I was also wearing dress shoes, which would hurt by the end of our 18-hour day, but there were no blisters, and they were Cole Haan shoes (a company Nike used to own) and made for comfort.

Michelle was ready on time, and we walked to the subway station, just a few minutes from the hotel. It was sunny with a cold wind trying to freeze us, but I was warm in my suit. The cat was on time, and we soon descended the three sets of escalators to the F Line—it is deep and goes under the river. Next, we switched trains and headed downtown, switching to the 1 train uptown to find 66th Street and our target: The Lincoln Center.

We found The Smith cafe and had breakfast. Cat and I had eggs benedict with a great hollandaise sauce, and Michelle had French Toast. Cat and Michelle split theirs and shared. We also had donuts, which are more like mini-beignets than cake donuts, and served with hot liquid chocolate. Breakfast and the coffee were wonderful.

Next, we head to the cheap tickets for today’s show. We stand in line for about an hour until they open. It is a much shorter line than yesterday and inside, unlike the Times Square location. We talked to folks in lines about their lives in NYC and other locations, what shows to see, and generally, it was a pleasant hour standing.

We got cheap and excellent seats at Aladdin at 8PM; Moulin Rouge tickets were unavailable. We then walked across the street to the Met Opera and I had to find the men’s room, remove my coat, vest, and pocket watch to experience my colon waking. That took longer, and I managed to not have a second event, and things calmed down. Remember, I had colon cancer, and I have a 25cm shorter path in my large colon. Once in a while, my colon reminds me about the revisions. Generally, I have less warning and need to make a pit stop every morning to ensure not surprises. My oncologist thought my go-even-when-you-don’t-feel-it solution was an excellent plan, and he is sharing that with other colon cancer survivors. Set a time. With all the travel and lines, my timing is off.

Reassembled and ready, I rejoined Cat and Michelle in our excellent balcony seats. At first, you feel like you could fall out of the seats, as everything is steep. Soon, you are used to it. I was thrilled when the lights on the cables were pulled up, and the music started.

Turandot is remembered for one great song, Nessun Dorma, and the chance for some beautiful singing and tragic story by Liu, the slave girl helping the blind, forgotten former king. The colors, dancing, chorus, and staging make this a spectacle besides the impressive singing. This is an approachable opera, and while a bit illogical and with an odd abrupt ending, it is still fun. Seeing it live and being at the Met after so many years of watching the movie house broadcast was a real treat. Michelle and Cat enjoyed it and were happy we went. Cat did not buy an $8 coffee.

We walked for a while, found some coffee, and discussed lunch. After doing some shopping, we walked and took a bus downtown. Whole Foods is in the basement of the upscale mall at Columbus Circle near Central Park. There, we found some items on David’s shopping list, Michelle’s husband and Cat’s dad. It was filled with people shopping and so busy that there was a line control system to help folks get through check-out.

Next, we waited thirty minutes to get a table at an Indian-style food place, Bengal Tiger, a favorite for Cat and Michelle. I had the fixed-price dinner and had curry lamb after being warned off from the Vindaloo, 9/10 spice we were warned. Cat and Michelle shared one, and I shared my lamb and naan. We had coconut and garlic naan. I had not tried the coconut version, and that was excellent. I eat the food by tearing the naan and wrapping the lamb and gravy in the naan. Diabetes had me just get a taste of the excellent rice, and I gave Cat my rice pudding dessert.

Fortified, we had some tea at Starbucks, the only place with seats, and we were allowed just tea for a seat (!). The crowds were happy and wearing green, as this was St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Next, we found the theater for Aladdin, just a short walk. My feet and legs were getting tired.

The show was changed to drop the animals and include some new comic characters. There were quite a few good new songs. There were absolutely ripped midriffs showing. I laughed when the Genie sang about the folks in the story, “And everyone looks like they have a gym membership.” The staged version, with magic tricks, smoke, and pyrotechnics, was excellent. I was singing along to some songs. Recommended, and the singing was good with the live band in the pit really taking it to another level. The Genie steals the show, of course, and breaks the fourth wall often. Perfect.

I found a Diet Coke and small boxed three-wish lamp cookies. I was told my next refill would be $6 off if I returned the cup, but I got to keep the cup. I purchased two boxes of cookies for Cat and Michelle; they were thrilled that I found the perfect lamp. I told them I was looking for a lamp ($70 and a long line for one like in the show).

We all were tired and headed back. We walked the few blocks to Times Square subway station and connected to Q. Then, we rode to Lex station (Lexington and 59th) and took F back to the island. It was just a short walk to the hotel. Cat sent us a note that she was safe, and soon, after a shower and packing a bit, I went to bed and fell asleep humming Arabian Nights in my head.

Come on down
Stop on by
Hop a carpet and fly
To another Arabian night

Thanks for reading