home alone

[jc : guest post]
Last week was a crazy week. Crazy like Doctor Caligari's Cesare.

I had two presentation one to a semi-famous (in geek circles) designer, and one to Motorola. Both of which made me want to barf. I also had the first part of a paper due, and a rather anxious meeting with my thesis advisor... in which I tried to figure out what the fark I want my thesis paper to focus on. Thankfully, I am not alone in my gut aching - the whole class seems to be in the same state.

While all of this was going on, Katie was here fighting off illness and pulling all nighters for work. We hardly saw each other last week... unless you count the few minutes that we both are asleep in the same room. She works too hard.

Thursday night, after her all nighter, Katie got a ride to the airport (from her boss) working in transit... and then boarded a plane to New Jersey. She is gone for the weekend to visit with Shannon and her sister Alison, who flew in from Vancouver.

Thursday night was also "Grad Appreciation Night" or some such cheesy named event. It was just down the street at the Silk Elephant, so I had to go and sample the Thai food and free beverages. Of course that sampling spilled over the free period, and out into street... and over to the Squirrel Hill Cafe. There we stayed until after 2:30 am... well in the end it was just me and one other classmate... but most everyone was there until after 1am.

Friday I was feeling a bit... sleepy. I got up at noon. Made coffee. Took a shower. Loaded The Cars self-titled release on to my iPod and ran out for a haircut. While Maureen was washing my hair, I nearly feel asleep... nearly.

When I got home I talked to Katie briefly. She was doing better, but had spent the morning working. Sigh. The evening was a bit more relaxing.

I spent most of Friday afternoon and evening skimming articles and books looking for a thread to which I could tie my thoughts together for my next paper. Friday night, I ate a bowl of cereal and watched Kar Wai Wong's Fallen Angels.

Today I woke up at 11am (thankfully I set the alarm). I sat on the porch, watching the local black cat run up and down our stairs asking to join me. After a few cups of coffee and a quick skim through the latest issue of GOOD magazine, I drifted down to Eat & Park for some eggs and bad coffee.

There I sat, for hours, reading, taking notes and filling up on twitchy black coffee. Finally I cut myself off, and came home. I returned to the porch and my reading. Katie called, and told me she was doing well. She'd just had a massage. That makes me happy.

I spent the next few hours carving my notes down into something like an abstract... which will serve as a guide for my last Seminar II essay. I think it's going to be interesting... I just fear the time it takes me to write a decent sentence... that and the fact that so many other projects and papers will be arguing for my limited time. Oh, how I fear these remaining six weeks of the semester. I shall never sleep again... after tonight.

After the essay prep, I spent a few ours poking at some freelance work. Nothing too heavy, just some quick layout directions and a bright orange colour palette.

Now it is 1am. I suspect Katie will be calling soon... and I should be thinking about sleep... but I'll likely watch one of the movies we have sitting on the dining room table. I think we have two Noir classics waiting for some attention.

Anyway, Katie will be back Sunday evening. Before that I hope to get some more work done on my thesis planning, and perhaps try to tidy up around here... things are looking a bit dusty.

... and that, is my report.

[/jc : guest post]

[jc]
ps: not sure if she still reads, but I wanted to send a shout out to my ol' coworker AliB... she'll be shaking things up, and that makes me smile.
[/jc]