Crown weekend

Monday, Nov. 03, 2003
3:14 PM

It feels like about a million years since I did a real update to my diary, but I haven't had a whole lot to say. I guess it's easier to write a lot when you have stuff to complain about. But I should remember to write when things are going well too - and I gotta say, life has been pretty good lately.

I have had two awesome weekends in a row, though they've mostly been described already by lots of other people. I will try to keep it short and only talk about this past weekend!

As Kevin said, we headed down to Richmond Friday night to meet up with Rich and Genie and a whole bunch of other folks for a hockey game. Traffic was unbelievably bad - some of the worst I have seen and that's saying something from the DC metro area. We did manage to get to the game in time for the face off, so it all worked out. Had lots of fun, good game (lots of fighting though) and the Riverdogs won. I seem to be a good luck charm for hockey teams - all of the live games I've been to, the team I was rooting for won. (Gotta get to more Caps games... sigh)

We headed down to Crown the next day with Rich, Genie and Matt. It was a long day that went by really fast. I was slightly amused in remembering the last time I had been to that site, for an event when I was in college. Seems like a long time ago. Beautiful weather for the day, saw lots of good friends though I don't feel like I got to spend a lot of time with any of them. That must be why we get together outside the SCA! I was organizing Tempore Atlantia for the first time, and while there weren't many entries, they were all of very high quality. The competition came off fine, I think I had more judges than entrants! That's certainly unusual. Spent a lot of time in the afternoon getting that all together. Not too nervous announcing the winners during court and I'm told people could hear me even in the back. Whew.

And, not to be forgotten, congrats to Cuan and Padraigin! Looking forward to another fun reign.

The end of the day wasn't too bad, even. Usually at the end of events where I haven't eaten enough and am dehydrated, I get to a point where I shut down. Completely losing my mind is not out of the realm of possibility. But for some reason I made it through without a headache, shakiness or tears. Maybe I had enough adrenaline going to carry me through. Anyway, we got packed up and headed out in reasonably good order - though we made a change of plans midstream and went back to Rich's place for lounging and dinner. Shannon came back with us and crashed there so we got to share in the company of one more friend (you can never have too many).

Sunday was even more leisurely. Showers, breakfast, extremely good coffee... Can't beat that with a stick. Rich, Genie, Kevin and I headed off to wander around Carytown and poke into funny little shops for the afternoon. We stopped at a tattoo place where I got some information about getting my labyrinth tattoo. I'm doing some shopping around and checking different places out to see what's what. The plan is to get it done on my birthday at the end of November. Just looking for a good place that is clean and where I feel comfortable. Anyway, I also found in a stationery/gift store some paper plates printed to look like maiolica (Italian hand painted ceramcics), which I promptly bought because I can't afford the real thing.

Met up with the Susie and the David for lunch, where my enthusiastic greeting of the Susie required the waitress to bring a mop (I knocked over my diet Coke while hugging across the table). Much laughter and fun - always good to share a meal and spend time with friends. Wished we could have spent longer with them. Kevin and I hung out at Rich's place for the rest of the afternoon and only with great reluctance hit the road to come home. If wealth is measured in friends, I am way better off than Bill Gates.

Life in general seems to be going pretty well these days. My crazy boss seems to have calmed down somewhat - she's still the most anal-retentive person I've ever met, but I think I have caught on to enough of the daily routine in the office that I am no longer quite the idiot I once was. I hope she thinks I'm doing a good job - my 90 day evaluation is coming up and I have no idea how that's going to go. Hopefully not too badly, but we'll see.

I have been staring at the computer for way too long now so I think I'll go do something productive. I think the dishes need doing. Yay.

Ciao!