Work and Play

I got a lot of work done this weekend; I passed on a Public Defender retreat which sounded like a hell of a lot of fun to attend to some writing stuff and log (finally!) a weekend of general maintenance activity.  One of the things I did was to poke through my old boxes of stuff that I moved and do another culling of stuff to donate/sell (mostly clothes I don’t/won’t wear and some old technology rendered obsolete by Tatterdemalion, my laptop.) 

When one constantly moves, there’s the benefit of lathing down one’s stuff.  For a natural packrat it’s sort of interesting – you tend to start only saving items which you really really think will come in handy.  For example, I had a small spool of brass wire which I’ve kept about for a long time as it hardly weighs anything and seems like it could be quite useful;  it turned out to be so as I made some windchimes from said wire and some old bicycle gearing (tempered metal, precisely weighted, makes for great chimes).  I think I can still pack everything I own into a small moving van though. 

One of the drawbacks to moving constantly is holding all the old information in your head.  It’s amazing how the official machinery of the state, etc., does not take modern jetting about into perspective.  Earlier at this week I was filling out a security clearance at a jail (they have high profile prisoners in there) and I couldn’t remember, for the life of me, the street address in the 4th-most-recent apartment that I lived in.  Eh.  I promised to e-mail the info, which I did today.  Security checks are spooky.  I have nothing to worry about, but it’s hard not to worry, seeing how difficult it is to erase mistakes or misunderstandings from the official record.  I’m always vaguely paranoid that something odd will happen (my name got mixed with someone elses’ once) and I’ll have to spend hours explaining, faxing, etc.   The paper world of records has a life of it’s own, and it’s amazing how much trust people place in it.

**

Another reason to feel I made the right call by choosing a work-weekend over a play weekend was that yesterday I was surprised by a call from some relatives who were in town.  My cousin had a piece of artwork selected for a national display here in DC.  I can’t believe she’s 17 now.  That’s shocking.  I used to babysit her when she was very small.  But it was good to see her and my aunt and uncle.  It’s been awhile since I was able to hang out with them, and I really enjoy their company – they’re both tack-sharp and good-hearted people.

Today I’m (in part, writing activities aside) working on consolidating my loans.  I used to work for SallieMae and for one of the Federal Guarantee Agencies when I graduated from college, so I have an unfortunate amount of information re student loans in my brain.  I can’t imagine this is news at this point, but if you know someone in school, refer them to their lender for an explanation of how consolidation can lock in the lower in-school interest rate on their loans (although at the cost of their grace period).

**

My ankle refuses to heal fully, which is vexing.   I can ride well enough, but walking (which is also well enough) seems to aggravate it back into soreness each day.  It’s been a few weeks now, which is annoying.  I hope it does not take as long to heal as my shoulder did last year.

**

The interns at the Public Defender have taken to replacing our ID photos with mugshots from famous and not so famous people.  I got Robert Downey Jr., which is a loose but comfortable fit.  Luckily for me the Rob Lowe one is hard to find. 

**

Sister School reports that the veggie garden planted in the Law School Palace is doing very well – including the catnip bush planted for El Gato Perfecto, who will be joining me at some point over the next few months.  Hmm.  I need to get in touch with Private Idaho (future roomie) and see how her summer is going.

I think I’ll do that now.  Or work on Lumina.  Or read.  Or write.  Or review poetry for the journal.  Or go grocery shopping.  Sigh.  I have only 6 hours or so before the demands of the week resume.  Best use them wisely.

Comments

[jgt]

I always loved how, as an undergraduate living in dorms, I had to move at least twice a year (and I often switched dorms or rooms mid-year). I felt like it kept me honest. I learned to throw things away if there were not a probable significant use, since it would be cheaper to replace it than to lug it around. I felt free, like a nomad. With a couple of hours' notice, I could load everything I needed to live fairly comfortably into my car and drive off into the sunset.