random thoughts – Day 1,870 – (Wednesday) –pretty and fluffy

Backyard lilacs.

Spring is popping everywhere. The sun was out today, and the temperature was in the 60s (give or take, I didn’t go outside to verify). 

The lilac in the back yard has some flowers, but not very many, which may or may not be due to the big trim I gave it last year. Last year I cut big bunches of lilac to put in vases, but this year may not be as plentiful. Time will tell in a few weeks.  

The bleeding hearts that were transplanted last year are loaded with little heart flowers. Daffodils waved in the breeze Tuesday outside dance class.

The lily of the valley has spread and sent up an abundance of green shoots. They will eventually take over the back yard, which is okay with me and was an unofficial plan. For the past few years, I “expanded” the flower bed by moving the edging out further.

This morning, while parking downtown, I took a moment to look beyond the concrete wall at the world outside. I noticed that solar panels have sprung up on the roof of one of the converted mill buildings across the street, which isn’t exactly a sign of spring, just something I noticed this morning and didn’t remember seeing before.

Fluffy kitty in a window.

Over on Merrimack Street, I saw kitties lounging in the windows of Lazy Cat Lounge. Finally! A fluffy white beauty posed for me, then a couple windows away, a black one was curled up napping. 

The Lazy Cat Lounge opened months ago and I still haven’t been inside. It’s not open when I pass in the morning, I’m failing miserably at the afternoon take a walk thing, and at 5:00 it’s the last thing on my mind.

At home, my own kitty was seeking face rubs and pats. Her coat is smooth and silky and she let me touch it. Today had a pleasing amount of soft, pretty, fluffy things. Five stars. Highly recommend.

random thoughts – Day 1,869 – (Tuesday) – surprises

It’s another week where the workday routine is out the window. Monday had the visit to the surgeon’s office to shake things up. Today, there was a resume review session with MassHire in the HR suite, which led me to be downtown for the morning. The first challenge was getting out of the neighborhood after I discovered that the short street that lets me leave my neighborhood in an efficient route to work, was closed. A large, orange “Road Closed” sign informed me as I prepared to turn onto the street.

Instead, it was the longer route to work, which planted me in a lengthy line of traffic. There was another surprise at the parking garage, where only one entrance was open, with an orange traffic cone blocking access to the other one. Traffic was blocked up with people from two directions waiting to enter the garage through the one entrance lane blocking the two lanes of people trying to exit the garage.

The Idea Lounge.

The resume review that brought me downtown was in the HR suite. The schedule was running a few minutes late, and I had arrived a few minutes early, so I had a chance to sit quietly in the Idea Lounge in the HR suite overlooking Palmer Street. It’s decorated with 26 square paintings depicting the letters of the alphabet. 

The lounge is the same space where, nine years and a few weeks ago, I had my interview for my current job. This morning, I was receiving help with merger-induced outplacement. It’s funny how things work. As Mummu used to say, “not funny ha ha, funny peculiar.”

The result of the resume review was another surprise. The recommendation is that I should completely revise mine from a chronological format to skills based (aka “functional”). Like, right away, because the onsite job fair with reps from 25 companies in attendance is next week. Oy.

Wednesday will be a regular state of things with being downtown, but Thursday will be topsy turvy all over again with another day in office for a visit from a co-op student from another department. The co-op is studying marketing and will be shadowing our team for part of the day. These visits are better on person.

It’s only Tuesday, I’m already tired, and I’m looking forward to sleeping late on Saturday. It’s nice to have something to look forward to.

random thoughts – Day 1,868 – (Monday) – plate and bump and x-ray vision

There was a doctor’s appointment this afternoon, scheduled last Friday after I finally remembered to call. For a couple weeks, the surgery scar had been doing crazy stuff. It looks like it's glowing red and weird, and sometimes is sensitive and needs to be covered with a bandaid when wearing long sleeves to keep the fabric from rubbing on it. The real kick was when there was pain in three fingers and down the top of my hand and forearm when grasping and pulling leaves from the flower beds. Every time. While leaves won’t need to be pulled forever, the action of grasping and pulling may be required on an ongoing basis.

X-ray visions.

There were more x-rays, which seem to be the warm up act at every appointment. The assistant, followed by the doctor, were not especially concerned about the scar and the pain, but I did learn new nuggets of info concerning my wrist. The first was that the plate may need to be removed eventually because my wrists are all small-boned and dainty and the plate “sits proud” as the assistant said. Basically, it’s not flush with the bone and makes a bump in my wrist, and a tendon rubs and clicks over it, but only when I move my hand, so no real worries, right? 

I figured the plate is what caused the bump, but this was the first mention of removing said plate after the bone is fully healed, and if my scar hadn’t started randomly glowing and feeling all Harry Potter weird and my fingers hadn't screamed at me when I pulled some dead leaves, I might not have known this any time soon.

The second nugget was that there is a small bone chip near my outer wrist bone. What, what? The assistant pointed it out on the x-ray, then said it’s too small to be dealt with, but it can rub on the soft bits in the wrist, which explains the ongoing tenderness and swelling in that area.

The instructions before I left the doctor’s office were “take Motrin” and “come back in three weeks.” Um, okay. See you then, I guess. And until then, I’ll be hyper-fixated on the wrist, the plate that sits proud, the bump, the bone chip, and the tendon. Things I was blissfully unaware of until this afternoon.

random thoughts – Day 1,867 – (Sunday) – show day

Moody clouds, 4-27-25.

Whatever bodily system provokes sleep seemed to be on strike on the Saturday overnight shift. I went upstairs around 10:30, hoping for a good night’s sleep in preparation for performance day. At midnight, still awake, I mentally ran through our dances for the show but it stressed me out. There was tossing and turning and a whole lot of “what the effity-eff?”

At 1:30, there was still no sleep. Same for 2:30, then 3:00, before I finally fell asleep until 6:45. The alarm would be going off at 7:00, so I dragged myself out of bed to a cloudy sky morning.

Show day preparations began while the coffee brewed. The forecast was for breezy, chilly weather which meant dressing in layers, starting with black capri-length leggings and a nude mesh long sleeve shirt. A black version of the mesh top went over the nude, then an elbow length cotton and spandex dance top. These were topped with a black, long-sleeve wraparound dance top. The fifth layer, the chiffon and paillette costume top would be added at the festival venue. Sweat pants went atop the leggings for the drive and would be replaced with the purple and black 25-yard costume skirt.

Bundled up before show time.

Hair was put in a half-updo messy bun to minimize the amount of hair available to blow in my face. Fabric flower hair clips were added. Makeup was applied. 

At departure time, large rain drops splatted onto the windshield. It rained during the entire ride from Lowell to Townsend. It wasn’t heavy, just annoying, and slightly depressing. The sky was brighter closer to Townsend.

Hamming it up after the show.
Photo by Kevin Harkins.

We gathered and did final primping in the parking lot before crossing the street to the festival, bundled in capes, shawls, puffy jackets, and winter coats. Shortly before our scheduled time, the sun came out. We danced, and it was good, even the part where the music for the first song began several seconds into the song and we were a few beats behind for the entire dance. After that, the rest of the songs played correctly. 

A photographer friend attended the event and took photos of us while we were dancing and posed photos afterward. 

During a brief walk through the vendor area, the wind got blustery. Tents were taking flight and displays were blown to the ground. Mother Nature was running through the repertoire today with rain, sun, chilly air, and wind.

The drive home was accompanied by the seat warmer and heater on high. At home, the stage makeup came off, the hair came down, and things were put away in their designated storage bins and hung on the recently organized costume rack.

The rest of the day is a blurry mystery. I was tired, chilled, and the random and always inconvenient sciatic issue had decided to pop in for a visit. At 4:00, the power went out on my side of the river, likely wind related. The power returned at 6:00, beating both the initial estimate and the update. Thank you for your speedy repair work, utility folks. Much appreciated. Now I’m going to bed.

random thoughts – Day 1,866 – (Saturday) – treasure hunting

The rain came as forecast, but the Earth Day event scheduled for today had already been moved to the Sunday rain date, so there was no need to awaken early and check for a text update. With the schedule cleared, there was the chance to visit another thrift store to search for an Indian top for a costume for a dance in a June show, and materials to make a tasseled belt for another dance in the same show. There was better luck with the top at Savers in Nashua today. Yesterday, my beloved St. Vincent de Paul, which had lots of Indian tops when I didn’t need any, had none. It seems to be a shopping rule.

Top for a dance and shawl for whatever.

Today, there were seven or eight potential tops in my cart at Savers. They were ranked in order of prettiness and cost, and in some sort of shopping miracle, the one I liked best was also the lowest cost of the bunch. And the icing on the cake was that it fit when I tried it on over my shirt and jeans in the aisle, the only way to do it since the pandemic removal of fitting rooms. Now, it’s like a smaller, more civilized version of the days of the old Filene’s Basement in Boston with people trying things on in the aisles whatever way they can.

A piece of fabric that seems like a rectangular shawl but was labeled as “seasonal bedding” was bought because I couldn’t resist it. A brown curtain valance was bought because the fabric seems suitable for the dance belt that needs to be made. My mysterious fixation with plaid was nurtured with the addition of a pair of purple plaid shorts which will hopefully fit. Those are less easy to try on over jeans. I served as a neutral consultant concerning dresses. A guy stopped me in housewares to ask if my hair was natural and said, and I quote, “it is totally rock star.” Thank you very much, dear stranger. 

After Savers, there was a quick and less eventful trip to Michael’s down the street for tassels. It’s been ages since I was last in a Michael’s and it seems that sewing fabric and notions have been replaced by knitting materials and Cricut supplies, which really stinks with the recent demise of JoAnn Fabrics. The only tassels in Michael’s, which required professional help to find, were in the seasonal area, and were much too large for a belt. They were more suitable for a Downton Abbey bell pull in a fancy sitting room. Nobody asked me if a dress was too grandmotherly. Nobody called me a rock star. There were no tassels. Michael's was a bit boring, but overall the day was a success.

random thoughts – Day 1,865 – (Friday) –hidden dangers

Tonight marked the fourth consecutive night out of the house. On Tuesday there was dance group, Wednesday had the Finance and Accounting social hour, Thursday was the planning session for the Tuesday dance group’s June show, Friday was dress rehearsal for the Sunday dance troupe’s show this weekend. It wasn’t especially hectic, but I’m still glad it’s not like this every week.

Once upon a time, I was used to a high level of activity, but that was a long time ago. Back then, I was fueled by coffee, Diet Coke, adrenaline, anger, and stress. Life is much calmer now, and there is no live-in partner I’m trying to avoid. Being home is peaceful and lovely and usually the goal each day.

Violets!

There was a small amount of yard clean up done today, which allowed time to notice the violets are coming up near the rosebush. Pulling dead leaves hurts three fingers on my hand attached to the recently broken wrist which never actually hurt. Any exertion causes the scar to turn red and be even more sensitive than usual. I finally remembered to call the doctor’s office and there is an appointment on Monday.

The cleanup resulted in a sliver in a finger. It was removed and life moved on. While driving to dress rehearsal, my left hand hurt and I discovered another sliver in my hand in a spot that made contact with the steering wheel. I couldn’t wait to get to the studio so I could use a pin to dig it out. Either gardening is dangerous or I am becoming a little too delicate.

During rehearsal, I caught my foot on a floor splinter and there was bloodshed. Once cleaned up, a gouge and cut were visible. Bright red drops of my blood dotted the floor. It would have been the perfect time for collecting a blood sample. A Band-Aid was applied and rehearsal continued. By the end of rehearsal, the bandage was saturated and a new one applied. Luckily, it doesn’t hurt, and the performance on Sunday is outside and will include shoes. Hopefully I am spared additional slivers in fingers and splinter gouged feet until at least Monday.

random thoughts – Day 1,864 – (Thursday) – changing season

Bleeding heart buds.

The bleeding hearts are coming up all over the yard from the splitting and transplanting last year. There are two new plants out front and several out back. Some of them have buds of little heart blossoms dangling from the branches like bracelet charms. 

In other spring news, the mayor of The Bungalowell backyard has been making appearances. There might be more than one woodchuck back there, I don’t know. What I do know is, the fluffy blobby things are more agile than I imagined.

The other day, a woodchuck climbed up a chain link fence and down the other side, which seemed impressive. I’ve also seen one squeeze into a space that looks impossibly small given the bulky looking appearance. 

Woodchuck as meerkat.

Today, one did a remarkable impression of another critter. There was the sound of dogs barking somewhere in the neighborhood, and suddenly Chuck emerged from under the ramp to the shed and sat up straight and looked around like a meerkat. Maybe there has been some streaming of Meerkat Manor in the woodchuck abode. 

After work, there was a meetup of the Tuesday night dance group to plan the dance show in June. We worked on the lineup, keeping in mind time for changing costumes, and mapped out which would be stage dances and which required space on the floor in front of the stage. 

We talked a bit about the actual costumes, like which dances would have pants or 25-yard skirts, and long tops versus short tops, and quiet belts instead of coin belts. And we feasted on a potluck supper. It was fun. We have just under eight weeks until the show. And two of us in the Tuesday group, have two days before our Earth Day show with the Sunday group. The change from dance preparation season to dance performance season is here.

random thoughts – Day 1,863 – (Wednesday) –observations of the day

Shop window on Bridge Street.

Some days offer random tidbits and nuggets to notice and play with.

There is a new clothing shop on Bridge Street across the trolley tracks from Arthur’s Paradise Diner. It's next to the previously opened dress shop with goods displayed in the window that have fascinated me for months. The first shop has mannequins in shiny metallic gold clad in dresses and pantsuits that look perfect to wear to a wedding, a fancy event, or a high-end resort.

The new shop has gorgeous long dresses with matching head scarfs for girls and women, and one slightly cockeyed mannequin stand with a golden beaded shoulder cape with fringe. I hope that the usual red light will put me in the right spot to admire it from traffic, and try to conjure up an occasion or outfit to pair it with. The best I can come up with is a dance costume or a 1920s costume party.

Excessively long legs.

The elegant fantasy life inspired by the merchandise in the windows of the two shops makes sitting in traffic more tolerable. So much eye candy. Someday I will get myself in there for a visit during business hours to explore.

Tonight, on Merrimack Street, while walking to the garage after a gathering with colleagues, the setting sun provided an amusing shadow. I looked about ninety-seven feet tall with legs that extend half a block. I always wanted longer legs, but the shadow cast tonight took it a little bit too far.

Over on John Street, in the building housing a local credit union, is a door. It's green, it has a large window, hinges, and a lock,and a bit of a handle. There is a small blue sign with white lettering declaring "NO TRESPASSING" in don't mess with us all caps. Above that, is a sign printed on letter sized paper and taped to the inside of the glass that emphatically declares"THIS IS NOT A DOOR".

Looks like a door. Claims it's not a door.

Ummm, I beg to differ, but it is most definitely a door. It has all the characteristics of a door. It's likely the intended message is that this door is not intended to be used as an entrance, and visitors should use the door at the corner of the building. You know, "Please Use Main Entrance" with an arrow pointing to the right in the direction of the primary entrance. I am tempted to print a corrected sign and deliver it to the credit union, as a public service of sorts.

Further up on John Street, not far from the credit union, the pocket garden tucked between two concrete buildings, trimmed a few weeks ago, is beginning to flower. The building behind it now has rice paper screens in the big window overlooking the garden, providing a clean backdrop for the garden as viewed from the sidewalk. Previously, the window was uncovered, and a work table covered with shopping bags and paper and clutter could be seen. It's a nicer view from the sidewalk, but now the view of the garden from inside the building is blocked.

random thoughts – Day 1,862 – (Tuesday) – work, eggs, dance

Matzo brie for lunch.

It was a butt in chair at the desk all day kind of day. There was a resume workshop scheduled for those of us who will be departing the bank soon. There were short notice ads and a delivery to the printer for the other project of the past few weeks.

Lunch was matzo brie, a scrambled egg delicacy introduced to me by X1 and his family and made possible by the display of Manischewitz matzo crackers at Market Basket the other day. Oh, matzo brie, how I love you, with your broken crackers sautéed in a fry pan with butter, with scrambled eggs poured in and stirred while it cooked. Delicious. 

Suddenly, it was 5:04, which I noticed almost by accident as I was finishing sending out an ad. I really needed to be logged out, grabbing my bag for dance practice, and hitting the road.

But first, I needed gas, because I neglected to get some on Saturday when I was out in the world, and then again on Monday on the way home from downtown. As I dashed out the door, clad in a rarely-worn heavy pullover sweatshirt, I discovered it was 75 degrees and sunny. This is information I would have known back in the days of having dogs, because I would have been outside with them several times during the day. I would have tidied up flower beds. Walked the yard. Followed the dogs.  Known many details about the weather. Without the dogs, I rarely go outside.

Without a zipper for temperature control, it was hot in the sweatshirt and then I remembered why I usually don’t wear it. It provided an opportunity to check out the A/C in the car. It works.  

Dance was good. We are preparing for a show in mid-June, so there was discussion about who is in which dance. We stretched, broke down some moves in some of the dances, and then we splintered off into groups to review the dances. Very productive.

random thoughts – Day 1,861 – (Monday) – in the office

Today became an in-office day instead of a remote day, thanks to Comcast. Thanks to good communications, it wasn’t a surprise.

A couple weeks ago, a letter arrived from Comcast with an alert that there would be work in the area in the next few weeks and that more info would arrive closer to the date. Last week, a text message came with the tentative date of today and promising confirmation the day before. Yesterday morning, a text came with the potential start time, which could be as early as 6 a.m.

Normally, on Monday, I work remotely and might cut corners. You know, like skipping a shower or not blow drying and styling my hair. The timeline is different, because I don’t need to leave to drive downtown and at the work start time I can walk to the desk. 

Flowering trees on John Street.

When I went to bed Sunday night, I reminded myself that in the morning I needed to shower, dry and style the hair, dress for the office, and get out of the house in a timely manner, like a regularly scheduled office day. I could also have made the decision to work remotely, cross my fingers  and hope the service interruption was before work, or during lunch, or was brief. There was the risk I might have to dump a task on a colleague. 

All the things were done and I got out the door on time. Because it’s school vacation week, the ride was easy, and then I found a parking spot on the second level of the garage. The trees are flowering and downtown is looking fresh and lovely. I had solved Wordle in two guesses. It was starting out as a pretty good day.

At 9:00, a Comcast text informed that work was beginning and service would be out. I was in the middle of a review that has a small timeframe for completion and was glad I had gone to the office. At 11:00, another came that work was completed and service should be restored. 

Had I been working remotely I would have missed my rotation for the review and a team touchbase meeting. And more importantly, the cupcakes and cannoli brought to the office by a colleague. Time was spent clearing out a desk drawer. Lots of notes from meetings five or six years ago were tossed. Overall, it was a decent day.

random thoughts – Day 1,860 – (Sunday) – bright night light

Day two of the "freshen the porch before the house goes up for sale" painting project commenced at 10:00 this morning. The planned procedural approach was top down – first the trim board at the top of the wall, which was done Saturday (day one). Next would be the top boards inside the window frames, then the vertical trim between the windows, which was started on Saturday. Finally, the deep sills that run under the windows on two walls.

The original paint color was a yellowish-tan that is close to the boring, generic, safe color of the vinyl siding. The new color is called “Night Light” and is a cream color. I didn’t want to take a handful of paint chips home and wanted to leave the store that night with paint. Not a lot of deliberation went into the choice, meaning, for once, I didn't overthink it. It took two years to decide on a kitchen paint color and I don't have that kind of time.

The painting plan was conceived to deal with the chance that I miscalculated how much paint was needed and ran out. If the sills were the last segments to be done and more paint was needed, everything above them would match, and whatever paint was needed for the sills, either a new can of the same color that might not match exactly, or a different color, would be the same.

There were seven windows and the sills under all ten windows left to be done this morning. I started at the short wall with two windows. The paint supply was plentiful, and the plan was changed on the fly. Once the window frames were painted, I moved right onto the sills. It felt more efficient completing the section in one visit.

I methodically moved along the wall of windows and sills. I was so engrossed in painting that I had no idea of the time. At some point, I stopped, cleaned up everything, and had a big plate of salad with homemade dressing. The coverage on the sills looked uneven, and, even though I had already cleaned everything up and moved on to laundry, a second coat was done on the sills. 

Later, when admiring the gleaming, fresh paint in the sunlight, nearly blinding in its glory, I noticed I had forgotten to paint the trim around the door leading to the deck. In a few minutes, the narrow framing was painted, another clean up was conducted, and I was finally done for the day. There is a small amount of paint left in the can, and I might finally be able to stop second guessing myself when it comes to math, especially when the calculations have been checked twice, even thrice.

"Night Light" is brighter in real life.

The paint color "Night Light" is not quite what I imagined in real life. It’s brighter and whiter than the chip, almost as if the color wasn’t added, but the dab of paint on the lid matches the chip card. The color isn't a huge concern. The objective was "fresh paint," and it is definitely fresher than the tired tan paint of unknown vintage. 

Without window coverings, the porch feels exposed, like a stage for the neighbor’s entertainment. The sheer curtains soften the light, provide some privacy, and make the porch feel more like a comfortable space. Once the paint is most definitely fully dried and won’t be messed up by the tension rods, the sheer curtains can go back in the windows, and I can't wait.

The walls don't seem problematic, and with luck, a handyman will be available by the time I get to the floor. I need to be decluttering, downsizing, and scheduling a moving cube to store some of the household stuff. 

random thoughts – Day 1,859 – (Saturday) – windows and painting

With a weather forecast of temperatures in the 80s, the plan was to start the porch painting. The paint had been bought Thursday night from a big box store which was a mini adventure. As I was looking at paint chips, the intercom started calling for help at the paint desk. It went off twice, while a guy in a suit stood there waiting. I made a quick color choice and stood at the counter near him. It was several minutes before a clerk arrived and in less time than the initial wait, we each had our paint and were on our respective ways.

The bathroom linen/pet supplies/tools and stuff closet was visited for the rollers and brushes I remembered having from the kitchen and bathroom painting projects. It turned out I was also pretty well stocked with plastic tarps. On the porch, the roll up shades were taken down and the sheer curtains were removed and set in the laundry. A tarp was spread over the planting work table. The small bistro table and chairs, some plant stands, and flower pots were relocated. The broom was used to sweep/dust the parts to be painted. 

Some of the windows, so many narrow bits between.

It was a methodical plan. First up, the six-inch boards at the top of all four walls. The small cabinet door roller was perfect for that. Next, the narrow trim around the front door. It took 1.5 hours and I was on a roll. There was still coffee to drink and it was comfortable, but it was time to stop, clean up, and go to dance practice for the Earth Day performance next Saturday. 

The drive to dance  on a Saturday afternoon is heavier than Sunday morning, and there were several events along the way that made the travel slower, but the jonquils and daffodils are out, and the forsythia and trees are flowering, so at least it was pretty. There was a big yard sale on one side of the road with people crossing from the parking area across the street, but I didn't have time to stop to check it out. Earlier in the day, there was a reenactment of part of the Townsend Minuteman’s Walk to Concord that started at the Common and I got to see some of the participants gathered for festivities at Reed Homestead on route 119 as I sat at a red light.

After dance practice, it was back to the house and the manual labor. First, the center beam on the ceiling was done, and then the trim and framing between the ten porch windows was started. The short wall with three windows was done, followed by the framing around the storm door before calling it a day. It was hot on the porch with the 4:30 sun blazing in through the doors and windows and my legs were feeling the many trips up and down the step stool.

Tomorrow, the longer part of the front wall with five windows and the end wall with two larger windows will be tackled, and hopefully there will be stamina for the eight-inch deep sills that run on the wall under all the windows. The final phase will be the half-walls below the sills, the one tall wall with the door to the deck, and the floor, but the paint for that phase hadn't been bought yet. The walls and floor are currently a burnt red, but I'm leaning dark blue. It’s nice to have a plan, and satisfying to see progress. The free home workout isn’t too bad, either.

random thoughts – Day 1,858 – (Friday) – first and beyond

First day steps.

Nine years ago today, it was my first day at work. Before the big day, I had gone shopping with my cousin/first-day outfit consultant/shopping sensei Missy and she helped me find a great navy-blue suit with jacket, pants and skirt from Ann Taylor. 

On new job day one, I wore the pants and jacket with a blue and white striped cotton shirt, and a peach silk tie with blue accents as a belt. The shoes, bronze-metallic square toed pumps with a chain detail, were also new. It was a fresh start on all fronts. 

At the time, I was staying at Mom's, which meant commuting to Lowell from Fitchburg. Unfamiliar with the traffic on the route, I left early and landed in downtown early. It gave me a chance to walk around the block a bit and admire all the cobblestones on Middle, Palmer, and Shattuck Streets before reporting to the office.

First day, 4-18-2016.

That first day, the graphic designer also started. As first day welcome gifts, the marketing manager gave us each a plant, and there was a welcome sign. There were also some bank-branded items including a three-color highlighter and insulated lunch bag. Because we started in the middle of the month, our formal HR orientation wasn’t scheduled until May. There were lots of meet and greet conversations and meeting invitations and overviews of how things worked.

At noon, the marketing manager and department head took us to lunch at nearby Fuse Bistro. As we chatted at the table, the department head asked us if we had any vacation plans. It felt like the most surreal question four hours into the first day of a new job. At that point, neither of us had plans beyond getting through the nerves of the first day. Or maybe it was just me.

Once I passed the seven-year work-iversary, it was officially the longest I’d ever worked at a company. The timid first day plant gift had endured alternating stretches of being in need of life support and being lush and healthy. It always felt like a desktop barometer of my potential success in the job. It became a goal to see how long I could make it at the bank and if I could keep the plant alive. Beyond the ten year mark and all the way to retirement eventually became the goal. 

Life has a funny way of altering goals and plans, and the upcoming merger will derail this one. It’s okay. It will all work out. At least that is what I keep telling myself, as the last day at this work and the next first day creep closer. First day of what exactly, is still to be determined. My office plant is looking well and healthy again so I'm taking that as a sign.  

random thoughts – Day 1,857 – (Thursday) – lists and progress

I make lists. At work there are weekly to-do lists of the stuff for the week. I’m really good at managing that one. The paycheck is a big motivator. The rest are not always as closely monitored or successfully completed.

At home there are lists everywhere. On scraps and notepad sheets in the office and living room and tucked into drawers. There are writing ideas, grocery lists, gift ideas, recipes to try. For several years, I made a yearly list of tasks and repairs for the house and then would misplace it. When eventually found again, it was fun to cross off the accomplishments. Insulation, fence, gutter screens, closet shelving, and gate for the deck. All were completed. Other tasks have lingered longer. 

The newest house list involves preparations for yet another list -- listing it for sale. A trip to Lowe’s tonight got the paint needed for the sills in the enclosed porch and now I can work on those this weekend. I figure it will go quickly, which means it will probably take me a week to complete. I also got a replacement bulb for the bathroom heat lamp which burned out ages ago. 

One top makes two costumes.

After Lowes’ I stopped at Rainbow, which was my favorite go-to for inexpensive and colorful dance class wear and costume components when there was a store downtown. Now that the only option is across town this was my first visit since around the pandemic. The current costume list included tops in colors to go with the new Bangkok pants and/or tiered skirts, and Rainbow delivered with one in “mango” color that does double duty with two pieces. 

I love it when the clothes and costume pieces play well together. This acquisition doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll stop looking, because sometimes the fun is in the quest. And also, there are more dance skirts and pants that need partners.

What Kiki looked like
peeking over the bed.

There is even list for Kiki. It has “sample to vet for fecal test” (new entry), and the big ones, “turn her into a cuddle kitty,” and “get her used to the crate and go for rides to fun (non-vet) places (more than a year). The plan is to wear her down with shoulder rubs and face rubs and keep inviting her onto the bed each night now that she comes into the bedroom and curls up on the rug. Last night, as I did a final Duolingo lesson before sleeping, Kiki’s ears and eyes popped up at the side of the bed. It looked like the doormat in my Amazon "saved for later" list. She looked at me, I looked at her, and she popped down to under the bed. It felt like a big step.

Tonight, when I went upstairs to lay the pants on the bed to check how they look with the top, there was Kiki, in the middle of rising from what seemed to be her suddenly disturbed nap atop the bed. Busted! She looked at me, I looked at her, and she slunk off the bed and underneath it like she had been bad or thought she would be scolded. Meanwhile, I was excited, telling her she is a good girl and taking it as progress in our relationship. The minimal level of cat hair on the blanket indicates this is likely a new situation. There is hope.

random thoughts – Day 1,856 – (Wednesday) – costume quest

As dance performance season nears, dance costume preparation panic kicks into high gear. The costumes involve multiple pieces that are the official costume, various hair and jewelry accessories, and other parts dictated by the venue (usually outdoors) and weather. April events could be warm and pleasant or they might be cold and raw. At August and September events, we could suffer heat stroke or it could be chilly. It’s anyone’s guess, and it’s not even fair to blame it on New England weather because it was the same situation in Middle Tennessee.

The Jezebellies freezing in April 2011.

In 2011 in Clarksville, Tennessee, our troupe The Jezebellies was scheduled for a morning performance at the April Rivers and Spires Festival. It had rained the night before and when we arrived at the site everything was wet. The temperature was in the 40s and raw, and we huddled and shivered near the stage in our lightweight harem pants, golden dance tops, and spring jackets, waiting for the sound guy, who was late and still nowhere in sight. Ugh. The minutes ticked by, the schedule was now late, and we were cold. At other festivals in the same town, we nearly baked on the asphalt under the blazing sun.

Years later in Massachusetts, hours before an Earth Day performance on the Common in Townsend, it was an especially chilly and extra breezy day, and I was tearing through a nearby Wal-Mart desperately searching for leggings and tank tops to layer under my costume for warmth. The wind blew our veils all over the place. A pizza box was carried across the Common by the wind and landed around one of the legs of a dancer in the middle of a dance. Crazy! We still laugh about "that time with the pizza box."

Costume quest.

This year I’m in two dance groups and there are performances scheduled for April 26, June 6, June 17, July 26, and another one or two over the summer still TBD. In the process of tearing through two under-bed storage boxes, one closet shelf, and a quilt storage bag looking for a specific red belt and top set worn only once, maybe twice, a couple forgotten costume components were unearthed. It felt like a treasure hunt when I failed to find the top and belt, but found the forgotten and never used coordinating hair accessory with tassels and shells. The worst part is, I know I had that set in my hands a few months ago. But where the heck was/is it? Seriously, where?!? I need to find these pieces pronto. Like yesterday, and definitely by next Tuesday.

The main quest turned into an opportunity for a little organizing side quest. The skirts and harem pants are now rounded up and hung together for the first time, instead of the previous scattered storage. Maybe someday I can perform a similar exercise and collect and hang all the Halloween costume parts. It will probably be a side quest to a larger objective, but whatever gets stuff done is okay with me.

random thoughts – Day 1,855 – (Tuesday) – patchwork day

Opening tray.

The day started out with the craziest starting tray in a Words with Friends gam, and the note there were no moves possible. Awesome. Pass.

It was donation pickup day from Big Brothers Big Sisters as part of operation downsize. Under a calm sky, the boxes and bags were placed on the deck by 7:00 a.m. as directed. It wasn't long before the sky opened up and rain poured down upon the four boxes and the bag of clothes. I ran out with a larger plastic bag to try and cover it, but it was already wet. I missed the truck’s arrival, but I hope the boxes didn’t disintegrate when they were loaded.

At some point in the morning, I got to see a woodchuck climb it’s fluffy butt up one side of a chain link fence, pause on the top edge, then climb down the other side. Amusing and very impressive. The fluffiness hides the agility.

At lunchtime there was a presentation at work that included a film screening of the documentary Lost Child: Sayon’s Story, about a child soldier with the Khmer Rouge and his eventual reunion with family members. It’s a beautifully done film dealing with news topics I vaguely recall hearing about when I was a kid. The Sayon in the story is the husband of a colleague, which made it even more impactful and personal.

At first, I was bummed I wasn’t onsite for the screening, panel discussion, and Cambodian food lunch. As I sobbed through most of the movie I was glad to be at home, alone, and not in a room full of colleagues struggling to keep my sh*t together.

Cloudy and sunny.

The afternoon delivered a couple vague and half-baked project requests, followed by a routine task that landed at 4:30 and should have been on my list but had been forgotten completely. Luckily, it was a quick and routine turnaround. For a nanosecond, it felt like the only thing that had gone right all day, but then I realized I put the wrong financial quarter in the headline and had to fix it.

As 5:00 approached, the sky grew so dark lights were needed. Rain roared down. Thunder rolled in. It looked grim outside, and I needed to leave for dance in a few minutes. The rain cleared, but the traffic was heavy and slow. It took extra-long to get to dance, and  I arrived barely on time. By then, the sky was a gray flannel shade but the sun had returned. I couldn't find a rainbow, but I was late-ish and didn't spend a lot of time looking. 

Missing seven of the past eight weeks has really set me back in the Tuesday night dance group. We ran through dances I kind of knew and felt pretty good about back in early February, but now it’s like I have total amnesia. At one point, I just wanted to cry all over again. It got better when we learned a new dance and I wasn’t just flailing about trying to follow something I used to know.

And there we have it. A patchwork quilt of a day. Sunshine, rain, tears, swears. A wood chuck performing athletic feats. Crazy screw ups. Thunder and more rain. Dancing, frustration, and then things were suddenly better. Whew.

random thoughts – Day 1,854 – (Monday) – memories and pangs

There was a thin coating of frost/ice on the recycle bin this morning when I stepped out to add some items to it, which wasn’t even surprising with it having snowed on Saturday. The reason I was out there was that I was finally separating myself from Moose and Winston’s veterinary records. It's taken me a while with Moose passing in 2021 and Winston in 2023, and they might have stayed in the file cabinet forever if I wasn't looking at moving again..

Winston and Moose.

Of course, first, I flipped through them and cried. The three-inch stack of paper covered the medical side of the 14 years we navigated together. Heartworm, allergic reactions, a skin condition, conjunctivitis, and Cushing’s disease in Moose’s file. A messed-up knee, skin issues, diabetes, and blindness in Winston’s. On my side of the ledger sat a breakup, a broken leg, depression, and a relocation halfway across the country to start over that my furry boys nursed me through with cuddles and kisses and making me laugh. I miss them both so much. Someday maybe I will finally deal with their sweaters, harnesses, leashes, and toys.

At work, there was a two-hour training session on LinkedIn for those of us being laid off. Now we are armed with tips and guidance for managing our LinkedIn profiles. Then there was the regular work.

After work was a trip to the local UPS Store to return two items to Amazon. It’s belly dance costume gathering season, and I ordered three pairs of Bangkok harem pants, hoping at least one would work. And that’s what happened – only one arrived as expected. The ones that appeared on the site as a gorgeous blue-purple with pink accents arrived in midnight blue-black with red accents. The multicolor patchwork pair was too short, but the dark teal with orange pattern are great.

The 13-panel skirts ordered from a belly dance supplier are now a couple days late arriving from Georgia. According to the shipping tracking, it arrived at a “regional origin office” on April 9, and the entry for the 13^th is “in transit to next facility” (vague) and “arriving late” (obvious, as it was due on the 12^th). I bet the early Pony Express was quicker.

Growing season.

The warm temperature was a lovely surprise when I went to UPS Store and when I returned, time was spent in the front yard beginning the flower bed cleanup. Green shoots flanking the rosebush are several inches tall now, surrounded by the dead leaves from last year. The rosebush looks like something has been digging under it. 

Some of the old leaves left from last year were hard to pull, a task I do left-handed. Today’s wrist healing reminder was the shooting pain down my ring finger, hand, and forearm when I grasped some leaves and tried to pull them. Fun time. What the heck, and how did my fingers get involved in this?

random thoughts – Day 1,853 – (Sunday) – shedding a life

It was a rough night for sleeping last night, but it fits with my decades-long  pattern of sleep disturbances in April and October. Last night/this morning, I woke up at 2:30 to use the bathroom. I was back in bed in mere minutes, but not sleeping. There was tossing, turning, and flopping around.

Monkey chatter brain kicked into high gear and I was done for. My eyes were closed, but my brain was going a hundred miles a second with a list of things I need to do to get the house ready to go on the market. Clearing out the spare room that failed in its potential as a guest room and never moved past being a storage room is a pretty big (stressful) ordeal. As I tried to recapture the now elusive sleep, images of boxes and their contents kept intruding.

At 4:44, I gave up trying to get back sleep. After dressing, I tackled the master closet and yanked some dresses, shirts, and tops to donate. There was the usual argument that starts with, “this jacket hasn’t been worn in ages.” “But what if I get a new job with a different dress code?” I managed to part with a bag of things that don’t fit. They survived several years of previous efforts with “maybe I’ll lose weight and they’ll fit again.” The clock has run out, and I finally accepted I am not now, and likely never again will be a size extra-small and the once-favorite items of a different time, metabolism, and activity level are going bye-bye.

After dance class, grocery shopping, and a lunch of a massive salad, I went upstairs to the spare room. After hip checking open the door that has been closed for so long it sticks, I headed to a sealed box. Once opened, I saw that it contains files. Lots of files. In addition to a couple magazines and other writing samples, there were budgets and grant applications and marketing materials from a foreign film festival I helped organize in Tennessee. The sponsoring arts organization no longer exists. The festivals were in 2005 and 2006. It's probably safe to send the files to the recycle bin. Of course, this means I will most certainly find myself on a committee organizing a foreign film festival and will need the name of the film distribution company in New York City as soon as the recycle truck rolls away Monday morning and I’ll be depressed over the tossed files I forgot I had until this afternoon.

After clearing some of the files, the smaller box of “gifts bought in advance” was tackled. It had lots of smaller gifty items initially intended to be included with larger gifts – small frames, journals, cosmetic bags, holiday shot glasses, etc. Somehow, they never quite worked as part of a gift, most likely because I forgot about them.

A once imagined social life.

There were packages of invitations bought in the last century during a time when I was optimistic about leading a life of cocktail and dinner parties. There were invitations for New Year’s, Christmas, cocktails, cookout, and pizza parties that never transpired. They moved with me from Fitchburg to Worcester to Ashland, to Marlboro and back to Worcester, then to Tennessee, and up to Lowell. Residences in some of these locations were chosen based on the ability to have sit-down dinners and parties. 

For chunks of time at several of the locations, I was romantically entangled with guys who didn’t want to host gatherings fancier than a keg party, if at all. Then evites came along, and it turns out email invitations work pretty well and don’t require postage stamps. The invitations to a life once imagined are now in the donation box and will be picked up on Tuesday along with a box of housewares, one of books, one of shoes, and a bag of clothes. Hopefully, the momentum will continue tomorrow night and more items will be gathered for the same pickup. The sticking point might be that right before I learned I would be losing my job, I flattened and discarded several boxes that were perfect for donations or moving. This is not even a surprise. Timing is rarely my forte.

As part of the downsizing for the future move, I need to find somewhere to sell off my collection of vintage clothing, hats, and purses. Once upon a time in Tennessee, I often wore vintage. Unfortunately, a lot of the stuff doesn’t fit anymore and the vibe of my life back in Massachusetts doesn’t really inspire a vintage outfit. The collection is a sad reminder of when my life involved galas held on sweeping horse farms, in southern mansions, and in riverfront parks. There were weddings in botanical gardens, stone courtyards, and a rockabilly themed one in a historic Las Vegas hotel. Those were some good years.

random thoughts – Day 1,852 – (Saturday) – snow and wonder

On Thursday, my Saturday schedule was cleared. It originally hosted a hair salon appointment at 11:00, rescheduled from March when I was on a doctor’s mandated driving restriction due to the broken wrist. I really needed to go in March, as my hair was choosing to do some creative and crazy things, but by this week, it had really settled in and we were getting along great.

More often than not, I keep the appointment due to commitments elsewhere on the calendar, and the hair that was perfectly behaved for a few glorious days gets trimmed and requires getting used to all over again, especially the bangs. Not this week. I pushed the appointment out to May, due to several April Saturdays with dance-related commitments. By then it will likely be a mop and I'll be desperate to have it trimmed.

Saturday morning
coating.

When I got up at the Saturday morning luxurious sleep-in late time of 7:30, I looked out the window to see that it was snowing. The ground, tree branches, and rooftops were lightly coated. The green shoot in the flower beds and the red buds on the tree out back were coated. It was pretty to look at, but still annoying. The calendar says spring, and I wonder if we will ever actually move into that season. It sure would be swell, please and thank you.

The morning was spent in an online writing workshop. It seems that after you finally stumble upon one free online workshop, others pop up in the social media feed like weeds. The free ones usually offer a couple great tips and then slide into a marketing pitch about a paid course or retreat. I figure if I get one great tip or insight out of a webinar it’s worth my time, and so far, both recent webinars have delivered. Today’s subtle sales message mentioned writing retreats in Canada and Italy. If I win the lottery, my life will be a series of dance and writing workshops all over the world. For now, it’s free webinars in my home office.

The snow didn’t linger long and I didn’t even have to go out to rearrange any of it. I stayed inside, where several loads of laundry were accomplished. The wrist has been weird, so folding underwear (usually the primary reason for doing laundry) and changing the sheets included lots of twinges and pangs and one yelp. It’s weird to me that my wrist has hurt more in the past three or four days than eight weeks ago when I broke it. I wonder what the heck that is all about.

random thoughts – Day 1,851 – (Friday) –stress and peace

Friday arrived, for real this time. Yesterday, confused over having worked remotely on Wednesday, I thought it was Friday. The voice in my head that narrates so much of the day was even bitching about how the Friday traffic was surprisingly heavy and obnoxious. Except it wasn’t Friday.

Today, the real Friday, the traffic was at the normal volume and level of assholery, which was good. The parking garage is half closed due to repairs and spots are limited, but not as scarce as Thursday. The rest of the day was not the usual Friday quiet wrap things up kind of day.

Some long-awaited data files were delivered that required a stressful level of review, sorting, and cleanup of the unnecessary date fields provided. The file needed a conversion to minimize the size so it could be uploaded to the email program. One list took all morning to prepare for use. Fortunately, the next list was quicker to prepare.

Slightly scorched spanikopita
with olives and feta

By the time it rolled around to being able to pause for lunch, which I slightly scorched in the toaster oven, my head was pounding. At least I was finally able to cross the pain in the butt project off the to-do list. Of course, the scales must always balance, and in work’s (and life’s) little way of kicking my butt, a new hemorrhoid immediately replaced the previous one, because the surprise data issues of today now require another entire project to backfill a gap. 

Had we been aware of the data issue two weeks ago, the new project would already be mapped out, formatted, and in review. Next week's headache/pain in the arse is already logged on the to-do list. At least today's stress headache reminded me I’m still alive. I was very aware of being very alive all day today.

Gray and dreary.

The world outside the office window was gray and dreary and it didn’t feel like a loss that I never made it out for a walk. At least it wasn't snowing, which happened elsewhere in the state this morning and is in the forecast for the weekend. It was deserted and blissfully quiet on my side of the suite, the same peaceful environment I enjoy at home, and there was no need to flee the office to escape drama or noise. Lunch was eaten while working, and the working ran right up until 5:00. 

Along the not so horrendous Friday drive, I imagined what to have for supper. Stop by Seoul Bunsek for some kim bap? Delivery order from Primo’s? None of the above and have food that is already paid for? Supper ended up being a grilled cheese sandwich, chosen for ease, speed, and availability of the necessary ingredients.

After a glass of malbec, the day's headache melted away, clearing space to enjoy a murdery romance series on Netflix (You with Penn Badgley). That, plus some face rubs for Kiki, and the workweek slipped away. Like magic. The cleansing power of a glass of wine and a purring, furry friend is underrated. The mind is cleared and prepared for the weekend.

random thoughts – Day 1,850 – (Thursday) –cold stone

Ice. 

Working remotely on Wednesday (dead car battery) meant going into the office on Thursday, and on each of these days, working in the "wrong" space had me confused as to what day it was. There were just a couple of us in the office today, so it felt like Friday. Kicking back at home tonight, it feels like Friday. This could make the actual Friday confusing.

The weather widget thingy on my phone led me to believe that it was warm this afternoon, and I optimistically strode forth to the streets of downtown. It was not warm. Instead, it was breezy and I needed to zip my Thinsulate-lined winter coat closed to prevent freezing to death, which is only a tiny exaggeration. 

There was ice on the bricks on the shaded side of the Trolley Museum. It's nearly mid-April, it's supposed to be warmer and I took offense to its presence. It wasn't thick, and looked like the coating of ice at the end of the driveway the other morning. 

The high school hadn’t let out for the day yet, so the streets were quiet. It was surprising to see that the cobblestones, which were freshly and painstaking reset by hand late last summer, are already going wonky. One lady gingerly jaywalked across the street across stones that are not as close together as they seemed to be a few months ago. 

That street repair didn't last long.

At the corner of Shattuck and Market Streets, the sewer grate looks depressed (aren't we all?) and the surrounding stones are already all askew after just a few months. Water leak? All the rain this winter? Frost heaves? Snow and plowing issues? Who knows. Whatever the cause, it seems we can have nice things, just not for very long. How does Rome manage? their cobblestone streets are centuries older than ours and seemed a lot more stable.

Except for being cold and the perilous sinking stone street, it was a successful walk. Meaning, I was in continuous motion for 20 minutes and managed to not spend any money by avoiding entering any stores. Whatever it takes.

random thoughts – Day 1,849 – (Wednesday) – rescued and replaced

The waking up routine includes a peek out the window to check the weather. This morning, there was ice at the end of the driveway. Again. I will go on the record saying I’m tired of base layers and sweaters and having to dress for warmth. Ugh.

Dressed for a day at the office, the morning proceeded as usual. A glass of water and multiple cups of coffee. Email, Facebook, Duolingo. Grab something for lunch (slice of veggie pizza) and add it to the bag with the wallet, phone charger cord, and phone.

At the usual time (7:55 am), the car was remote started, because, well, the ice. Hair was combed and teeth were brushed. Goodbyes were said to Kiki. With the winter coat on, I locked the door and noticed the silence. The car was not running. Did I really remote start it or not? I knew I did. For sure.

Roadside assist
to the rescue.

Inside the car, I manually started it, and the instrument cluster displayed lights like a crazy carnival, most of which I had never seen before. Airbag service? Release parking brake (which wasn’t on)? When the heat was turned on, the radio went off. Despite having already started the car, there was a message to “push start.” I did and it started. Things flashed. It didn’t seem to be running. The radio went dark. I went back inside. Texts were sent to the appropriate managerial types.

Then the phone calls began. Was Jeep familiar with this scenario? They can’t look at it until Friday, but I could have it towed there at any time. Based on what little I know of cars (basically, how to operate one as long as it is an automatic and noting is awry), I jumped to the Jeep Renegade forum to scan for similar issues. Nothing stood out.

The next search was for the average life of battery in a Jeep Renegade. The answer was three to five years. In the just shy of four years with mine, I have definitely not replaced the battery. The next call was to AAA. If I needed a tow to a service center, they would be the option. And I also knew they had battery service. 

Within an hour of logging the service request, a local mechanic was at the house to perform a rescue operation. He said that Renegades sometimes have alternator issues, but he would start with checking the battery. It wasn’t long before the verdict was in. Battery. Dead. 

Battery report card.

While the mechanic was outside under the hood of the Jeep, I was inside on a webinar about the action required on our company 401k plans after the merger. That was followed immediately by our usual team meeting. By then, the mechanic was back at the door to settle up for the cost of the battery. The battery replacement wasn’t that expensive (and especially compared to the recently deceased furnace and the broken wrist), and I knew the whole situation could have been much worse. 

The car could have not started last night when I was trying to leave for the work event, or worse, when I was trying to leave to come home. It could have gotten me downtown this morning and croaked inside the garage. It could have held on for a couple more days and died on Saturday when I’m in Worcester. Having the battery die when the car was backed into the driveway at home is truly the best scenario possible.

I might have some crappy luck, but there is usually a sliver of a silver lining.

random thoughts – Day 1,848 – (Tuesday) – winding down

Welcome EB. And also goodbye.

The bank I work for has organized some great employee appreciation events. We were kind of famous for it. For many years until the pandemic derailed the world, we had a Celebration of Success event at Lowell Memorial Auditorium. There were recognitions for milestone anniversaries, and commendation awards for customer service, team spirit, and many more categories. There were raffles of pricey items like big-screen TVs, kayaks, computers, high-end vacuums, airline and hotel gift cards, and so much more.

Post-pandemic, the big event splintered into smaller regional dinner events with raffles in the fall, and a team-wide event at Wamesit Lanes in the spring. For a couple years, I missed the spring event because it coincided with a board obligation. The big team event for this year, the last one before the bank is merged with another, was tonight. The illuminated sign outside read "Welcome Enterprise Bank," and my brain filled in with "and goodbye." 

Prize wheel bounty.

We had full run of Wamesit Lanes. There were appetizers and cocktails, then a dinner buffet and desserts. Screens displayed the team superlatives – comedian, most likely reality show contestant, best laugh, human megaphone, etc. There was candlepin and ten-pin bowling, arcade games, and a prize wheel with piles of bank-branded prizes including blankets, hats, fleece jackets, golf shirts, laptop bags, golf umbrellas, beach towels, and more. I won a cool ball cap on my spin which I planted on my head and wore all night. 

The vibe was casual and fun, even though it was also sad because it’s the last big event with all of us. Several conversations included the inevitable question, “Is anyone from your department being retained after the merger?” Lots of us are done soon-ish or slightly later.

Pinball!

I played pinball, which I hadn’t touched in decades. Once I remembered where the buttons for the flippers were located it was fun, but I am definitely not now, nor was I ever, a pinball wizard.

A colleague and I played a basketball shooting hoops game and I did better than I thought I would. Colleagues sang karaoke, and a bunch of us crowded into the setup for a team photo, which will be sent along to one of us when the wifi signal is stronger or something like that.

It was fun and I was glad to be there. I hate that it was my first and last big Wamesit event, because the place is great. I hate that it was the last big bank event, because my colleagues are great. Maybe some of our paths will cross again. Or not. Time will tell. We still have a few months to go, so it's not over yet, but the countdown is on.