I password protected the last post with the password from the Crisis series. I was exceptionally drunk when I wrote it (maybe you could tell, maybe not). As few people as read blogs these days, I doubt that a whole heck of a lot of people go out looking, but having recently told someone a story that could potentially lead him here, I’m going to go ahead and hide just that one behind a password.
So all my birthday wishes came true. Including the one that I made from blowing out my candles (two “cakes” to blow candles out on, same one wish)… But the three I said out loud to the general public were minor. I wanted us to finish up early enough that I could nap before dinner, I wanted to have a dinner with good friends and a cake made by Girl. I wanted to play some cards with someone. It all happened. I couldn’t have asked for a better day. Granted, it wasn’t a “perfect” day, but it was the best birthday that I can remember. I couldn’t have asked for more. In fact, when I was asked, I couldn’t come up with that one more thing that I wanted. And then it was given to me anyway.
Good food, good friends, a nearly complete lack of being subjected to this whole weather business (which, while I was gone became ridiculously hot and humid. Boy, did I get spoiled by the climate controlled building that, honestly, I didn’t really need to leave. Much, if even at all.)
The only real room for improvement on the entire trip was the coming home part. Spawn had the apartment and it was SPOTLESS when I got home. He and I talked for a while, then I napped. Then my home was invaded by my family. I had to clean the already-clean table off three times. I had to do at least one sink of dishes. It was a lot of chaos and, having worked 10-14 hour days of mostly standing (not even walking) and topping that off with enough partying and playing in bars to ensure fewer than 6 hours of sleep each night for the past 3 and a half days… well, frankly, I’m exhausted. And having the entire family over within hours of my getting home nearly reduced me to tears.
They’re all gone now. My house is still clean, or rather, clean again, but I’m jittery. My tranquility and serenity has been shattered. I knew it wasn’t going to last all that long, but… you know, I wanted to hold onto it a little longer. Some of the things I’ve come home to are not the Best Things Ever, but at least this birthday my brother Chaos was able to stop my mom from calling me on my trip to tell me horrible news that I couldn’t do anything about from Boston anyway. THAT was a truly exceptional present and one that I didn’t even know I was getting
But all of that is something that I’ll deal with in the coming weeks and months. All told, this trip was good for me, mentally and emotionally. Hell, even socially it was good for me. And, in a kind of weird way, nostalgically as well. Maybe even a couple of other categories that I don’t want to list off because I don’t want to jinx it. We’ll see.
In any case, this is the least stressful, most relaxing business trip I’ve ever been on. I have absolutely no complaints and I haven’t felt this at peace in a very long time.