Mid-Week Thoughts
Good Morning all!
It’s a bright, sunny March Wednesday out, so far, and I thought I’d drop a few notes about some stuff that’s been rattling around in my noggin these past few days.
On Monday, Nate and I had a chance to meet up with a fellow blogger and resident of the North End. His name is Brian. You can find out more about him at:
We had a lovely time, meeting up for coffee and wandering around our neighborhood. Brian led us through a side of the North End we don’t normally visit – the area between Christopher Columbus Park and North Square, for those who are familiar with the ‘hood – and we discovered a lovely little market down there which Nate and I will be going to more often. It was really, really nice to meet a fellow member of the Tribe that lives in this uber-macho neck of Boston, and to have him turn out to be also level-headed, easy to talk to, and just all-around good natured and good humored was a pleasant surprise. We will certainly be seeing him again!
Yesterday was a trip to Nate’s grandmother’s for another AWESOME home-cooked Italian dinner with his family. I got to spend time with his aunt Carol, and the new niece of the family, Tracey, which is always a good time (I’m a sucker for babies), and actually found myself connecting a little with his other niece, Jade. I don’t know why, but maybe it’s because she’s now the oldest sibling that I understand some of her behaviors better. I was the oldest of two – we’re not sure how many baby Browns that Jade will preside over – but, as those of you who are also eldest siblings know – there is a certain level of responsibility, of expectation, and effort that goes into being the eldest one. In any case, I got to teach Jade to say please AND bat her lovely eyelashes whenever she needed something from me. It works like a champ every time!
On another note, I’m in the process of making plans to attend Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day parade on Sunday, in South Boston. I have put out the word to those who follow me on Twitter (ukthom) or Facebook, and have got a few people on board. I did, however, get one response from a fellow Twitter follower that made me do a little thinking, and I will talk a little bit more about that later. There’ s a certain level of history regarding this specific parade in terms of being a member of the GLBT family, and my time has run too short this morning to talk about it. Maybe I’ll post about it tonight, or tomorrow.
The school app is being sent off tonight, as well. Here’s to being nervous about that!
I also have managed to secure an appointment for my travel shots at Beth Israel Deaconess’ Travel Clinic here in Boston. I’ll be all shot up with the interesting vaccines one must take when traveling to certain countries next week, so that ought to be interesting as well. I’m SO excited to have finally started putting the ball into motion regarding this trip, and I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve had a few rough ideas about how to best present the trip, and everything about it, to you all, so stay tuned for happenings with the blog. I’m thinking I might try to implement WordPress MU, if that’s a hint…
Anyway, time IS short, and I must fly to work. Have a wonderful rest of your week, and I’ll post again soon!
XX
Thom
A Quiet Sunday
I know, I know, I should have put out a show today. I got my notes all together, and nearly started recording, but the ADD kicked in, and I started the dishwasher instead. Just as it was finishing, Nate came home, and as he was out late last night, I didn’t want to keep him from catching a few zzzs this afternoon. In fact, he’s still sleeping – a 31 hour stint of awake time yet again. I love him to bits, but I get so worried when he does this to himself. Call me Worrywart Wanda, I guess.
This morning, I will admit, wasn’t without it’s productivity, however. I managed to dive head-long into a story I’ve been writing for a bit now. It’s a story about a young man who wakes up and realizes what opportunities he missed by following instructions, rather than his own personal instincts, while in college. I know that sounds super-generalized, but I don’t think I can really give anymore out than that. Someday, you’ll be able to read it, but for now, it remains a nebulous creation of yours truly. That, and it’s four other sibling-stories, are sitting there, looking up at me everytime I open my Google Docs account, and saying “do something with us, will you?”
Yes, my stories talk to me – like little children.
Along those lines, I did manage to get my FAFSA filled out and in the mail today. Now, all I need to do is secure one more letter of recommendation – something I’m going to do start after writing this post – and get my transcripts from UNH sent to Goddard. After that, I just hit the “Submit Application” button on the Goddard website, then cross my fingers. Hard. And my toes.
Gosh, there aren’t many hurdles left for me to overcome with this application, are there??
Don’t mind me, just having a bit of a reality moment.
…
Anyway, so I managed to do that this morning. I’m liking the way my editing skills are starting to take initiative, too. I feel I can really look down the bones of my stories and pull out the essential bits, and refine them to where they sound reasonable and logical, and closer to what I had initially envisioned. I suppose this skill just comes with time and practice, but of course, I wouldn’t have known that without first going through the paces.
I also want to drop a quick note to my Brother and Sister in Law as they welcome their new daughter (and my new niece) Tracey into the world. I haven’t had a chance to see the little sweetie, but mom and baby are doing okay, by all accounts, and are resting at the hospital for a bit before coming home. Hopefully next weekend, I’ll be able to go meet the little darling.
In other news, there’s not much else going on. It’s my last week at DSW this week (three more shifts – Monday, Thursday, and Friday). I’m pretty pleased with that. I’ve been fighting off the urge to just walk out of every shift since I gave my notice, but I’ve managed to keep it together, so far.
I guess that’s it! I’ll have more to talk about on tomorrow’s Early Morning Edition of the From Bostonia podcast. I want to go a little deeper with my writing, and my thoughts on my writing, and as promised, I will talk a little about the photo shoot I was at last night. I do hope this post finds you all well. I’m keeping the Chilean people in my thoughts, and I hope you are too.
-Thom
Thursday Morning Over Coffee
I do not know why, but it seems we’ve entered the darkest part of winter. Yes, yes, I know the sun is coming up earlier and setting later – it’s been doing that since December 21, 2009. Still, this time of year, the period between high winter and the beginning of spring, has become a real struggle as of late. Any energy that was on tap from the New Year, along with the resolutions and future planning, seems to have dried up, or just gotten lost in the thick of it all. I’m not sure why, or how I’m going to navigate my way out of this little hole I find myself in, but it’s taking all I have to just keep trying. No, I’m not necessarily whining (okay, maybe a little), as I know, once I find my feet under me again, I’ll be off and running like a shot. It’s just that I’m not getting any traction. The same can be said for life at work, and outside of work. I just feel like I’m keeping my head above a waterline that’s creeping up ever-so slowly.
I wonder what causes this? I know I’m not the only one who’s facing this feeling. Maybe it’s that, from a kid, we’re programmed to have a week off in February to gather our strength and get back on our feet? Maybe that’s what I miss? I do know, after a brilliant realization, that I’ll have next Monday off from at least one job, which, for me, is a sweet blessing. I’m hoping to spend my morning relaxing, somehow, and will have the energy to do the things I’ve been meaning to do for a while now. I still need to reconnect with influential people in my life and cajole them to write me a letter of recommendation. I still need to file my damn taxes. I still need to complete my FAFSA. I still need to write, and find some space in all this chaos to stoke that fire inside me which is nothing more than a bed of luke-warm coals at this point. I need to send an e-mail to my grandmother. There are so many things I need to accomplish – maybe I’m just feeling overwhelmed? Maybe this feeling of being in neutral is a direct response to how much I need to get done?
No, mom, it’s not procrastination. I will say, though, it might be lack of time management skills. Maybe I need to schedule myself more?? Ugh…I despise schedules, truly.
Anyway, as you can see, my mind can’t seem to stay on one train of thought for more than two seconds. It’s bouncing around like a pinball. I’m hoping to get through this cup of coffee, maybe pour another, and finally feel like I can start to face today. Just today.
-Thom
Mid-Week
I still can’t believe it’s only Wednesday. I’m feeling so tired, and beat down, surely, it must be closer to Friday than this? In any regard, I didn’t want to post just so I could bitch and moan. I wanted to just write down some of the thoughts that greeted me upon waking this morning.
Soon, there will be a shift in my life. Soon, if all goes well, my life will become a little restructured, and though I welcome a change up of things, I’m still wondering how I’ll make the adjustment. These changes, thankfully, have been coming at me in a semi-organic way – meaning if it felt good/right, I went with it; I am rolling with it. Still, as with most changes, there is an adjustment period, and it’s that time which usually causes the most anxiety in me.
Okay, so I’m talking rather nebulously, and for that I apologize. Honestly, after this Friday, I’ll go into more detail. I mentioned I have an interview for a new second/part-time job on the podcast. I’m also preparing myself mentally for the adjustment of school. I was working on my study plan yesterday morning, and as I was going into finer detail with what I want to focus on, and what I want my writing to explore, it really hit me that this whole process is going to take a large chunk of my already-short time. I may not have time to work both jobs, and attend to my studies. I would probably need to give up a job in order to create space in my day/week for the work I’ll be doing. I only hope I can manage to figure out a way to pay my share of the bills, and still be able to give the majority of my attention to doing my best with regards to school. Still, if there’ a will, there will be a way. It will be up to me to find it, and adjust. Always adjust.
For now, I do know I’m tired of working two jobs and having little to show for it. I can recognize when I’m not using my time in the most efficient way possible, or earning money in the most efficient way I can. I’m hardly using my degree, or any of my further education that I’ve already earned, so there’s lots of potential energy stored inside me that could be put to use. I could be commanding a higher salary, and it’s that realization that keeps me moving forward, trying to find the best balance of my time, and earning potential, to match my abilities and our expenses. Eventually, I will get there. Eventually, I will be in a more fiscally comfortable spot, with a work/life balance that comes close to the ideal for me. Until then, I’m going to be in flux, and I’ve got to keep on my toes.
Right…off to get ready to go to work!
-Thom
Tuesday Morning Random Ramblings
I woke up today with no intentions. I mean, normally, I wake up, make myself a cup of coffee, and sit down in front of the computer with the intention of putting some more words down, or catching up on the blogs I follow, or even just getting my iPhone updated. Today, though, none of that seemed to feel just right. I don’t know what’s going on with me, but lately, it feels like I’m just floating through my days, not really sure which direction I’m headed. I mean, I know I need to shower, eat, get to work, get home, then get to work again tonight. I also know I’ve got stuff I should be working on, and things I need to accomplish. It’s like just beneath the surface there lies all this motivation, but somehow, the surface of the pond has a skim of ice, and I can’t quite break through to that energy that lies just below, yet within sight. Even if I take a fist, or a hammer, to the ice, it’s strong these days.
And there I go talking in metaphor again.
I did manage to get my hands on a few books from the library yesterday, from probably the most disgruntled librarian I’ve ever met, I might add. Still, she checked me out, took my $.10 overdue fee, and at least she didn’t growl at me too loudly so as not to scare the children who were also in the library at that moment…
These are the books:
- How Fiction Works by James Wood
- Contemporary Gay American Novelists, edited by Emmanuel S. Nelson
- Rewilding the World: Dispatches from the Conservation Revolution, by Caroline Fraser
The last title was on a recommendation from listening to a show on NPR, and I know I’ve already got a STACK of books I should be reading, but from what I heard on the show (I think it was Talk of the Nation?), the book seems like it’ll be a good read.
Maybe I just need to get outside more often. It seems like, since we got back from Provincetown, I really haven’t gone outside during the day.
In fact, I spent most of last weekend inside, either at work, or here, at home, on the computer. Now that I think about it, maybe I’m just being super lazy, or avoiding the piles of work that are creeping in at me from all sides. Like my mom is keen to point out, procrastination has always been a fault of mine, and I just need to take the bull by the horns, knock off the BS, and get down to it.
Notice how the coffee’s kicking in, and my thoughts are starting to string together? Well, if not, I can certainly feel it.
So, here’s the plan, then. Strictly enforce a Twitter/Facebook blackout on myself for a few days, at least while I’m at home. Stop checking my damn phone for missed messages or updates from people. Take a little stroll in the morning to clear my head, and get me moving internally. Then, with a little music in the background, get down to it, and work some more on what I’ve been writing. See? When I put it down in writing, it doesn’t sound so hard, but when push meets shove, that’s where the true test of my resolve lies.
And, yes, I do enjoy a good stream of consciousness bit of writing from time to time.
Post Christmas 2009
It’s a rainy, warm day here in Boston today. It’s a day that’s kind of grabbed my thoughts, and won’t seem to let go. I don’t know if I’m just decompressing from the crazy time that was two weeks before Thanksgiving up till now, or what it is, but I can’t seem to shake myself out of it. I woke up today with tons of thoughts in my head. Perhaps it’s just a good day to write, to get some of it out, like releasing the steam on a pressure cooker, and maybe take a walk in the rain. I’m not sure yet, but I can feel something brewing.
I’m totally looking forward to next year, both on a personal level, and from the perspective of being one half of a happily married couple. Nate and I had a fairly topsy-turvy year last year, but things finally took a nice swing in a positive direction, and by all accounts, we’re still moving in a positive direction. We are now preparing for our winter break away from reality, as we are headed to Provincetown for a long weekend in the stunning silence of January on the outer cape. I know we’ve been making lots of social connections lately, but truth be told, I’m ready to recharge my batteries. I’m going to be using our little getaway not only as a chance to finally celebrate our first anniversary as a married couple and nine years of being together, but also as a chance to put my real desires and plans for the new year out there. I don’t know what that means completely, but I know there are a few things that could happen next year that would be more positive steps in the right direction, for both us as a couple, and me as a part of that relationship.
I’m talking vague here…There will be more details to share as they unfold, I promise. For now, I’m going to do a little writing, record a show, and if the mood strikes me still, I might take a little venture out in the rain. The stuff I’m made out of floats more than melts, so I know a little rain won’t hurt me.
XX
Thom
Visions of Winter from the UK
I got a lovely picture from my friend Kaye Durant, a former colleague of mine from Springwood High School. She, and the rest of the gang at that school, enjoyed a lovely snow day yesterday, as apparently, snow does fall in England – sometimes. I begged her for a copy of this photo, with the promises of fame and fortune if I could post it on my blog. Enjoy!
Silly Little Video at Christmas
Hey all! This is a poorly shot video of the Christmas parade in Boston’s North End! Rather funny how these parades tend to just appear on us, and we have no warning of them at all!
Silly Saturday Afternoon
So, yesterday was just an awesome day. I managed to have the morning off by some stroke of luck, and was able to get up, do some more writing (I’m currently just brushing 30,000 words!), and enjoy a relaxing few cups of coffee. Nate got home around 11:00 am, and we took a short nap on the couch together. I had also gotten a phone call out of the blue that Rod and Heather were bringing their son Eliot down to see the Boston Aquarium! Here’s Eliot, enjoying his mom’s fabulous sunglasses:
We visited with the three of them till around five, when they had to hit the road back to Maine. It was such a nice visit though! I truly miss seeing them more often, and we re-committed to getting up to their house at some point, probably after the holidays, and just spend a weekend relaxing at the Chateau du Hill.
Last night, we went out to a local gay bear bar here in Boston, too. It’s called the Alley Bar – a nice and dodgy name for a bar, I might add. It was a decent place, though, and the clientele were great. It was mostly older guys, middle age and up, just relaxing from a weekend spent with the family. As the night crept on, the place got more and more busy, and some of our friends showed up, which was great. It was unfortunate that we had to leave early, as Nate had to work this morning at 2am, but still, we managed to tie a little buzz on…okay, that’s a lie…the drinks were SUPER heavy-handed, and after three 7 & 7s, I was done with drinking. In any regard, it was great to get out with my hubby, and go out amongst other like-minded guys. We’ve been trying to do this more and more, and seriously, it’s been great for us, both as individuals, and as a couple. I had no idea being social was so damn important!
Today, we’re attending an event in Cambridge called Group Hug (you can find out more about it on Facebook – which I’d link to, but someone spammed the group inappropriately…). It’s the fifth event of it’s kind, held in the Enormous Room in Central Square, a place where there are plenty of comfy spots to hang out with friends and enjoy a casual Sunday afternoon without the attitude. I’ll give you all a full report when we get back, as we aren’t planning on being too late.
All in all, I’ve had a great Thanksgiving weekend. It’s been a great weekend of recovery from the last two weeks, and I’m looking forward to more great times ahead!
-Thom
PS: Here’s a video clip I thought you’d enjoy! (Give it a minute to load…)
Homeward
So, I’m back at 39k feet, on the last leg of a long journey home. The weekend has been exhausting and drained me of a lot of stamina. Thankfully next week is a short week, and as I won’t be at work today, it will be nice to spend the day with Nate.
I miss him, but I know he had a great time when he could. We both managed to sleep only out of sheer exhaustion, so relaxing together today will be a welcome relief for both of us.
And, yes, red-eye flights are no fun unless they are direct and over ling distances. Lesson learned.
I will write more later.
Thom
Letting Go
So I’m learning to let go of the past. As winter approaches, and the fall has come to the end, I can feel the wheels turning again. This time, I’m letting go of a very tough relationship I had when I first came out of the closet. I had a nightmare last night that seemed to be me reliving that personal hell, but upon reflection, it has explained, in full color detail, just what it is I need to do.
For years, whenever I’ve been apart from Nate, I fought internally with an indescribable fear that he was going to leave me. This is a direct result of my experience in a distant past relationship, and has been an anchor around my neck for over a decade. It’s ridiculous and unfounded to have this past event affect my current situation, but I know it goes even deeper than that.
It’s also tied to my parents divorce. The pain of losing that piece of my life-fabric has been with me for a huge length of time too
Halloween 2009
Unbelievable. Nate swept me away from the city, where it feels like my soul has been battered, and took me to
Provincetown for a really nice dinner, and a chance to clear my head.
We saw scary, fabulous, sexy, and cuddly costumes. We saw men who inspired us, and women in sheer amazement. We ran into a guest house owner who has shown us hospitality beyond the pale. All these things have struck a chord, and taken my breath away.
I have been caught up in a battle inside me; one that has hurt both myself and Nate. It has been between the person who does what he is told, asks how high when commanded to jump, and lives in a tightly constrained schedule and the other me.
The other me sets his own routine. The other me is confident, capable, and has courage to stand up for himself. The other me is a warm, creative, passionate creature with infinite belief in himself, and in the man he has given his life over to.
This evening’s break away was just what I needed to recommit to becoming more like the Other Me, and less like the me I’m forced to be at this point in time. The time has come. Nate deserves a husband who can achieve his dreams, and in turn, help to shape a space on this planet that is healthy for the both of us. I deserve to be the man I am supposed to be.
It’s all a matter if trusting, and being true to myself.
This, I can do.
Early Saturday Morning
Its early. Not by Nate’s standards (as his day starts at 2am when he’s working), but by my standards, it’s early…especially as it’s day 6 of getting up in the pitch black.
Work really got under my skin this week. It reared it’s ugly head, and stopped a good flow of energy. Right now, I’m rather disgusted with myself for letting it get in the way of what I had started, especially in terms of building up my own self-esteem and self-worth. When I’m feeling confident in myself, in what I’m capable of, I’m a better person to be around. Nate can attest to that. When the shit started to hit the fan at work, and I didn’t stand up for myself, all of the sudden, it was like a house of cards, tumbling down…all the progress, confidence, and feelings of value I had towards myself.
Of course, that spilled over to home life, and by yesterday, I was in a dark spot. Unfortunately, I took that out on Nate, I got really upset, and my anxieties and insecurities kept him from having a good time out with a new friend of ours last night. Instead of being happy we got an invite out, and though I had to work, insisting that he go for both of us, I became a nervous, anxious jerk, who all of the sudden wasn’t comfortable with him going out like that without me. Of course, this led to a heated discussion where Nate reiterated my trust issues, and pointed out how much it’s hurt him over the time we’ve been together. It all culminated in a miserable night at work for me, with my thoughts continuing down a dark and winding path, while Nate was stuck at home, not wanting to upset me by not listening to me, and going out anyway, and furious with me and my insecurity demons.
I don’t know how I’m going to make this up to him, but this insecurity crap has to stop. I know I’m a decent guy who’s heart is in the right spot mostly. I know that Nate sees through all the b.s., and loves me for the person I have the potential to be, and will not stray from me. When I find I’m in a dark place at work, or anywhere, for that matter, I need to trust the voice inside me who gets really pissed off, and say something when I’m feeling dumped upon. On top of all that, I need to be a better husband and not worry about things that will never happen. I need to stop letting my over-active imagination take me to a place that is a) not real and b) only full of fear and anxiety.
Okay, off to work.
Thoughts on a Wednesday
So, this morning, I did the unthinkable: I dropped a note to my family about Question 1 in Maine, and asked them to think about Nate and I when they cast their vote. So far, my mom wrote back in proud support of her oldest son, and for that I’m thankful to my bones. I hope to hear from the people on my dad’s side too, but being it’s politics, I know they like to keep their votes close to the chest, so I’m not holding my breath. I know they will do the right thing, I just need to trust them.
On other notes, I was up very early today, and made up for a couple of days of non-writing. It is weird, but starting off my day with a few more words to the story out of my head and onto the screen feels great. I don’t have this nagging feeling like I’ve let myself down, and it’s a great way to key go of the oddity and bizarro world I currently inhabit, and just get caught up in it all. This morning, my alarm went off at 6, and that saved me from writing away the day, not that I would have minded, really.
Someday, I will be able to devote more than an hour at a time to this tale, or one of the many others that currently rattle around in my head. It would be a penultimate event in my life to achieve such status.
Anyway, that’s where I am today, as I enjoy a late autumn lunch break on Boston’s Common. More later!
Thom
After the Vacation
I am not ready to return to the life I had prior to our getaway last weekend. It’s Tuesday morning at 6:23, and still my mind is at a place not too far away from here, where I was able to release all of my inhibitions, to explore my inner feelings and express myself outwardly in ways I haven’t ever been able to do. To say this vacation was enjoyable would be a massive understatement. I have come back a changed man, and I want to keep up these changes and not fall back into the trappings of the life I knew prior. I want to cling to the man I was while I was there, and nourish that side of me, bringing out my inner self, and letting the boy who giggled and smiled, winked and noticed, and felt completely alive, be part of my everyday life.
Nate and I took a four-day weekend and dispatched ourselves to Provincetown, Massachusetts. Honestly, I had thought that we’d make a day trip out of it, maybe spend an overnight there, but once we got there, what I thought was going to be a few hours walking around on the beach, exploring the vibrant town, turned into a wonderful journey for both Nate and I. As a couple, we were able to talk to each other more instinctively, less hesitantly, and from a place within ourselves that knows no judgement, no reserve, and no limits. There, in that tiny little beach town at the end of Cape Cod, we became so much closer, so much more in tune with each other, and it has made a massive impact on us both. It has stirred feelings and ideas that I’ve been protecting from exposure for so long. It has revealed to me just how magical it is that I’m with Nathaniel, and how truly amazing he really is. It has given me the chance to look up from the dark and dingy streets of Boston’s North End, and see an existence I never thought possible. In my mind, I see something greater, a life less mundane and repetitive, with more expression of the self, and celebration of who I am, who we are, and it’s something I want to make a reality.
I’m in fear of losing these feelings, and having written them down here, I feel like I’ve given them some permanence. I suppose that’s why I blog. It justifies who I am, where I’ve been, and gives me a place to reflect, plan, and take actions that will improve not only my life, but Nate’s life, and the life we share together.
Truly, I feel the start of something better in my life. I want to make it a reality. The time has come for me, and Nathaniel, to shine.
Of course, I took many pictures, and will be sharing them with you all shortly. Right now, though, I’ve got to get my act together, and put on the skin of the man I was before taking off with Nate. I need to fit my way back into the cogworks of this massive machine, where the almighty dollar is King. This time, though, I see things just a bit differently, and with a bit different perspective. I’m anxious to experience life knowing something better. Wish me luck.
-Thom
I Got a Feeling
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zcOFN_VBVo[/youtube]
This lip-sync was done by the students at students at L’Université du Québec à Montréal. Production time: 2 hrs. Amazing!!
Up Early
Something has me getting up early these past few days. By early, I’m not talking Nate’s work schedule “early” (he’s up at 3:00 am), but certainly anywhere between 4:30 and 5:30 am. For me, this isn’t too out of the ordinary, as I’ve always been an early riser. Still, given that I’ve been on screech for a while now, you’d think I’d take in every drop of zzz-time that I could get my hands on. I’m not sure what it is, but I’d like to figure it out.
Getting up like this, however, gives me time to peruse the net, check out all the sites I don’t have time to keep up on, watch some youtube videos, read my friends’ blogs, and not have to rush my way off to work. Well, okay, so that last one seems to always happen, no matter when I get up (I’m a procrastinator at heart – I can’t help racing the clock), but it’s nice to have some time in the a.m.
So, I’m up early…are you? What do you do when you get up early? I’m curious…
A Gem in the Blogosphere
Take a look over at the above site. I found it yesterday, and like what I’ve read.
Thom
It’s Already August!
Wow! This year has absolutely been flying by. In fact, it was two days and a year ago I landed back here in the United States, and took up residence at my in-laws house. I was unemployed, jet lagged, and not quite sure where my feet were. All I know is that it has been one hell of an adventure since coming back. I will muse about this a little more in a different post, or maybe a podcast, but for now, I think I just want to enjoy where I am – here, and now.
Yesterday, our friend Scott came down from New Hampshire for another visit. He’s currently sleeping on the futon. I too would be asleep, if I had remembered to shut off my damn alarm clock last night, but alas, I was dumb (could have been the red wine? Maybe?) and left it on. Needless to say, I’ve been up since 6:15 sharp, have showered, made coffee, and am now anxiously awaiting our guest’s awakening to get started on what I hope is a fabulous day.
I’m kind of thinking I might do a podcast interview with Scott. We’ll see how he feels about it when his eyes open – probably not something to ask about until after the first cup of coffee, but maybe? Who knows.
Hopefully, I’ll be able to get some pictures too today. I don’t know of what, exactly, but that’s the beauty of going out with a camera in hand – you never know what you’re going to shoot.
In any regard, stay tuned – there’s a lot to mull over, do, and think about.
Hope your weekend has been a great one!
-Thom
On Lunch
So it’s Monday. It’s not been a terrible morning, in all actuality, but for some reason, I can’t get out of my own way, and just feel a low-level rage today. It will dissappear come 4:30, but it’s still got a grip on me today…I wish it would let go.
Perhaps my saving grace is being able to take my lunch in the park near work, where I am right now. I’m stretched out on the cool, damp grass, in the shade, on what has been one of he finest days this summer yet. Lying here, I get the feeling that the world is turning quickly, as the clouds race across the sky. It’s the same feeling I used to get when I was a kid on the farm I grew up on, whenever I just stared up at the clouds. It’s both dizzying and comforting to me to feel this small, this insignificant on the face of the earth. It’s the kind of reset I often need to get through my days. For me, feeling like a spec makes my problems and issues feel a little less significant, and less of a big deal in the grand scheme if things. I wonder if I’m the only one who feels like this…
It’s the same feeling I get when I go to the shore, and stare out over the water. I love it.
A New Look
As you can all see, this is an updated look for the blog. It’s the same theme I use over at PhotoJournal but with some features here that I don’t have there, and vice-versa. Please let me know what you think, what should be different, or what seems to work better. I know the old page had lots of widgets on the side that took forever to load and made it hard to view over a slower-than-normal connection. I’m also hoping this change helps those of you who visit via a mobile phone, too.
Anyway, it’s 12:40 at night, and I’ve got to be up early in the morning, so for now, good night!
-Thom
Today’s Run
This is today’s run. Honestly, I didn’t run ALL of it, but a good 90% of it was spent at a jog pace. I was out for about 2 hrs total, with some time in there for stretching a couple of times, and some spates of walking, just to make sure I didn’t hurt myself. It felt pretty good, and its a good thing I did this today – the in-laws are coming over tonight to take Nate and I out for a meal 
I know there will be some overeating involved!
View
Run 9 May 2009 in a larger map
At the Fan Pier on Sunday
I went out yesterday morning for a lovely walk. It was a grey day, with not much going on in terms of shadows and light, but it was pleasant, nonetheless, and was a decent day to go down to Boston’s Fan Pier to see what the whole Volvo Ocean Race was all about.
If you click on the picture of the blossoms, it will take you to the other pictures I took yesterday.
Apparently, the Volvo Ocean Race is a huge event, where boats and sailing teams race around the world. Boston is one leg of the trip, and the boats will be here for a while, with inner harbor racing taking place next weekend. I don’t know if I’ll be working, but I’d love to get back down to the waterfront to see it.
Click and enjoy!
-Thom
I meant to post this a while ago…
So I went out for a substantial run back in March, and I said I’d try to post a map of my route. Well, here it is, 2 weeks later, but here, nonetheless.
I hope it works
-Thom
