I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
And so the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Slightly longer post

Okay, so we're on Martha's Vineyard and at the Island Inn after much adventuring. Went up to the staff room and met lots of people, some I know, some I knew from the internets, some were new to me. Lots of cool people. There's at least two guitars in the group (not present, but talked about). Messed up Elizabeth Bear's name (confusing her with Elizabeth Moon).

The flight out from Akron was very good. I like Air Tran, they're real people. Talked with the checkin guy, who is a bit world weary for being so young, but then in the past four years he's been to 6 other countries and 35 of the states. So travel isn't a big thing for him and isn't doing it for him anymore. The only downturn was the wifi at the airport blocks my blog. Ha! I'm censored. Look at me. Anyway, the plane was nice. We upgraded to first class which turned out to be a good thing as the plane was fully booked (how 3 people could upgrade an hour before the flight, and the plane was completely booked is beyond me, but hey, some people are last minute kinds of people. The flight was so easy we arrived half an hour early.

Met Todd Wheeler who was eminently a nice guy. I probably bored him to tears with all my off topic talk (politics, etc). But he stoically keep a good face, even trudging through 2" of water in several parking lots. We had lunch in a little coffee shop/sandwich place while we waited for the ferry. If was very cool meeting Todd in person and getting to know each other as real people. Thanks again, Todd. See you next Saturday.

The ferry ride over was also smooth. It had stopped raining (mostly) by the time we made it to the island. You know, right after we were soaked to the bone. I had forgotten how much I love moving on the water. I can't say we really went out to the ocean, as the water ways are pretty well sheltered, but I loved feeling the ship move under me and watching the slight chop move by. I started feeling very happy at that point. There's something about it, something about the air and the wind that puts me in a good mood. Even when the rain is pelting in my face. The clouds look different over water. Thinner, longing to rejoin the water below.

As I told Todd, the past days has been full of synchronicity. This is why I'm worried about hitting the deer (which it turned out there was some damage, he crumpled the top of my hood a little, nothing on the bumper). On the way home from work, at about the very point where I hit a deer, I was scanning radio stations to find something good to listed to (the NPR stations were on Classical Music or World Your Say). And that's when I landed at the very beginning of Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy." I don't think I've heard that song in a decade. On the flight I opened up the book I'm reading, In the Land of Time by Lord Dunsany, I'm in the first part about his stories of Pegana. And I left off at the beginning of the chapter entitled, "Of Roon, the God of Going" ("Roon, which sayeth, 'Go! Go! Go!'" - actual quote). And there's a hundred little things.

Just spent the last two hours hanging out in the staff room talking with people. I'd say more, but I haven't asked what the policy is yet, so until I know, mums the word on actual doings.

So, we're here. We made it alive. Hopefully we'll end the week in the same condition.

4 comments:

Todd Wheeler said...

It was a pleasure meeting you as well. I think you all were the stoic ones as I avoided getting lost in the driving rain.

Now get off the inter-tubes and go write!!! ;-)

Steve Buchheit said...

No worries, Todd. We were having too much fun to notice. See ya on Saturday (10:15).

Anonymous said...
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Steve Buchheit said...

Spammer fail.