BrockLi Soup

I finally got around to reading Getting Things Done. I first tried to implement it during that month or two we were incredibly busy at work, so it didn’t really take - at least partly because I never did a full mind-dump to get everything in the system to begin with.

A couple weeks ago, I started playing with OmniFocus, and decided to give GTD another go. Since then, I’ve gotten pretty good about putting stuff in.

The problem is getting stuff out. I still haven’t gotten into the habit of checking OmniFocus when I’ve got free time to see what I should be doing. I feel like everything in OmniFocus is still in my head - I have some free time and think, “I don’t feel like doing any of that stuff,” because I know what stuff is in there. I need to get in the habit of checking it on a regular basis, so I can just put all my to-do’s into it and forget about them.

If anyone has any advice or suggestions on forming that habit, let me know.

It’s Wednesday night, and I finally have enough energy to talk about the weekend. Erin and I moved in together, which has been great, and my company moved to a new office. As far as I’m concerned, I did three moves this weekend: me, Erin, and my company. For those of you I haven’t spoken to lately, Erin and I managed to get a one-bedroom in my building. It’s in a great location, pretty cheap, and in good condition, so we were hoping to stay here. The place we got was at a reduced price, since not a lot of people are moving this time of year, and it had just been re-done with new carpet and appliances. Really, it worked out pretty well.

So, the quick and dirty:

Spent the week packing up our office. Erin and I signed our lease and got keys Thursday night.

Friday, we moved to the new office, and then I went home and moved most of my crap up to the new place while Erin packed up her stuff.

Saturday, I woke up early and went in to the new office to unpack with the rest of the company. Went straight to U-Haul after that to get a truck, then went to Erin’s to load up (which only took half an hour, with Schmitty and Aubri helping).

Sunday morning, Erin and I unloaded all her stuff in less than hour (I was pretty proud of us). We spent part of the day unpacking, had ourselves a nap, then had my company holiday dinner, which was awesome.

Monday was the first day at the office. Finished most of the unpacking there and at home.

Erin and I are pretty much settled. We’re getting real furniture sometime in January, which kind of sucks because we’ve just got patio furniture in front of the TV right now. Without actual furniture and everything moved in, I just feel kind of unsettled.

We’re pretty much moved into the new office too. It’s a lot bigger than the old place, which keeps surprising me because there was so little space to move around in the old office. I keep being surprised that I don’t have to goose step my way around road cases, boxes, and desks that were strewn about.

Also, I’m STILL looking for someone to move into my old place and replace me on the lease. We’ve been meeting people for like three weeks. My old roommate offered the room to about a half dozen people. Three of them accepted, only to back out on us. It’s getting pretty frustrating. If you know anyone looking for a place in DC, you be sure to let me know, because I don’t want to pay an extra $900 at the beginning of January.

I had a rough weekend and a shitty morning. My “just make it to January” mantra seems too much like the ones I had earlier this year, and that worries me, because that turned into “just make it though six or eight months.” But, seriously this time, I think everything will be OK if I can just get through two moves and Christmas.

I know I’m a few days behind, but I’ve been a few days behind for months, so deal with it.

First and foremost, I am thankful this year for Erin. I’ve only mentioned her in passing here, partly because I haven’t been blogging lately, and partly because there are, on rare occasions, things that happen in my life that I DON’T immediately tell the Internet about. We’ve been together since mid-August, and she’s made me happier than I ever thought one person could. It’s such a horrible, over-used cliche, but she IS the female version of me (except cuter) - we have the same obnoxious sense of humor, like the same music and TV shows (most importantly, Gogol Bordello and Always Sunny), and we even have the same haircut (it looks better on her). I never thought I’d find a girl like her, and I still can’t believe how lucky I am. And I love her oodles and oodles.

I’m thankful that the project from hell is over. I kind of talked about it the other day, but I feel like I cannot overstate how much this one project affected my life for the past six months. I was stressed, I didn’t have much free time, and a lot of times, I didn’t have the energy to go out and do stuff even when I DID have free time - it was unpleasant. It’s been over for a few weeks now and things are finally getting back to normal at work. And I’m thankful for the folks I work with, because they’re good people.

I’m thankful for my friends. I haven’t seen them as much as I would have liked to lately, but that’s life. I’ve been realizing more and more that I’ve got some amazing people around me here in DC. Thanks to them, I’m thankful for DC. For a long time, I wasn’t too enthralled with the city and figured I would leave before long. But, it’s grown on me, and a big part of that has been because of friends.

I’m thankful for apple cider.

I’m thankful that this year is nearly over. 2007 has had its ups and downs, but it’s mostly been downs. If everything goes according to plan, December will have a couple more ups, but aside from that I am good and ready for 2008.

I’m glad that Bush only has 423 days left in office. I’m thankful for my daily Bush countdown calendar.

I’m thankful that I was able to attend the Atheist Alliance International Conference in September, I’m thankful for the people who spoke there, and I’m thankful that I’ve been able to read several of their books. The more I read and think about religion, the more ridiculous it all seems, and the more I realize how dangerous religion really is in our society. I’m thankful that these authors are being thrust into the nation’s attention, and more people are really considering their beliefs and coming out. Religion has long enjoyed some kind of protection from criticism, and I’m thankful that we’re finally taking a good hard look at it.

I’m thankful that our country is gradually becoming more progressive, and that sooner or later, the gays will be able to marry, the churches will be nothing more than historical landmarks, the national debt will be repaid, the education system will be well-funded, and the military will be dismantled for lack of need. I’m thankful that I am an American, and as much as I may criticize our country, I know that it can be - and will be - better than it is.

I feel like I’ve been a few paces behind for the past five months. I’m behind on the magazines stacked on my headboard, behind on the thousands of news items in my RSS reader, behind on the dozens of posts I have wanted to write here, behind on keeping up with friends both out of town and in, behind on e-mails that have sat in my inbox for months awaiting response. About the only thing I’ve managed to keep up on is paying the bills, and sometimes just barely.

I realized that I’ve been in my “new” apartment for a couple weeks shy of six months now. I look back on things that happened, conversations I had, and can’t believe how long ago they took place. The past five months were a frenzied blur; I was so busy with work, and then so occuppied with a new relationship, that everything else was just put on hold. For a while there, BP was coming down to visit practically every month; I don’t think I’ve seen him since I drove up to Buffalo for Bill’s wedding back in June. And speaking of Bill, I don’t think I’ve even spoken to him since I called a month after the wedding to ask about married life. Too many things took a back burner for too long, and I regret that.

Everything was pushed aside because of a major project at work - the biggest I’ve ever been involved in - that dominated my time and caused me unbelievable stress for a few months there. Sometime around late August, it calmed down a little bit, but was still a challenge. About the same time, I started spending a lot of time with Erin, so that contributed to it. That part, I certainly don’t regret; I mention it because it was easy for our relationship to fill what little room had been given up by work, and the cycle continued.

The project that caused so much distress ended November 1, and things were supposed to be smooth sailing after that. Erin and I spent the first week of the month in the San Francisco Bay area on vacation, which was fantastic, and then I attended the DC-PHP conference and spent a weekend visiting Erin’s sister in Raleigh. When I finally got back to the office, November was nearly halfway over and things were still a little hectic. I spent so long looking forward to the end of that project that I almost expected that everything would be cupcakes and puppies once it was over. I mean, there’s obviously still work to be done, but I really thought we’d be able to have some down time for a month or two to recover from the six months we had spent busting ass, but no such luck - yet.

At any rate, I feel like I need a few weeks off from everything to recuperate and catch up on everything. We spent this weekend doing almost absolutely nothing. It was wonderful and relaxing, but not nearly long enough, and I didn’t do any reading or writing or anything, so I did a lot more of the recuperating than the catch-upping. I’m hoping to have a little more downtime over the coming weeks to spend on my own stuff. If nothing else, Erin is going home for almost a week for Thanksgiving, so that will give me a chance to catch up with local friends I haven’t seen much of and maybe do some reading.

Or maybe I’ll just lie around for a few more days. That’s been pretty nice, and it’s been so long since I’ve been able to get away with it that I almost want to do it as long as I can.

Me: I just slept for thirteen hours!

Roommate: That is awesome!

Me: It was!

Roommate: You’re just in time for kickoff!

Me: THAT is awesome!

I’ve always liked fall. I’m especially glad it’s finally arriving this year - I can’t even remember a time when it wasn’t hot as hell outside. It’s time to get some apple cider and a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks and watch some football.

The other good news is that I’m feeling a lot better than I was a couple days ago. I woke up Tuesday with what sounded like a smoker’s cough, but turned into nausea, dizziness, and a gnarly headache by the time I was ready for work. I slept all day Tuesday and went to to the doctor Wednesday to find out I had a bronchial infection. Spent most of the week in bed, because I’d get dizzy any time I was upright. It was Friday afternoon before I finally started feeling like I could get out of bed for more than an hour at a time, and I’m still not back to normal. I went into the office yesterday to try to catch up a bit, but I only made it a couple hours before I started to feel like crap.

So that sucks. I’m going to try to get some stuff done this afternoon while I’m watching football, and hopefully I’ll be able to make it through a full day tomorrow.

Well hello there Internet. I haven’t had much time or desire for blogging or Internetting lately. Work is still kicking my ass, but things outside of work have been pretty great. I’m going back to San Francisco in a couple weeks for work again, then out to Vegas for the last week of October, and then I’m hoping to take a week or two off because I need it.

I don’t feel like doing a damn thing today, so I don’t think I will. Plus, I kind of feel like crap for no good reason.

Holy crap, July’s almost over already! Wouldn’t you agree that this is a good time to review our resolutions for the year? I’ll start:

1. Go to the gym: This one hasn’t gone that well. I did pretty good in March and April, but it fell apart when I went to SF in May and they closed the gym at the hotel, and then I moved when I got back and just fell out of the routine. But, I went down there yesterday and today, and I’m hoping to get it back into my routine this week.
2. Spend less time just hanging out in the apartment: Since moving into the city, I’ve been going out way more than I ever used to. Check!
3. Get a handle on my finances: Going OK.
4. Be more positive about life in general: Ehhhh. So-so.
5. Try brewing beer: Not yet. Like a novelist investigating their topic, I’ve spent a lot of time drinking beer.
6. Do more personal projects: Haven’t had time, but I’ve got some ideas.

So, could be better. How’s your list been going?

• Play guitar/bass/drums/fiddle/tuba/xylophone or sing, so I could be in a band
• Write well enough to do it full time
• Live off a trust fund/lottery winnings
• Fly like Superman
• Keira Knightely

I wasn’t going to do anything at all yesterday, because I really just needed a day off to recover. And I did get to spend most of the day just relaxing, but last night was pretty awesome.

I spent most of my afternoon doing that boring crap I’ve been putting off - opening a huge pile of mail, copying a bunch of media off the hundreds of CD-Rs I’ve had lying around for years - then I went to see Transformers, because I like doing matinees by myself now and then. It was actually pretty good, but I went into it with incredibly low expectations, so it would have been hard to disappoint me.

After that, I stopped by Olsson’s. Both Gogol Bordello and Against Me! have new albums coming out Tuesday and I wanted to special order them if Olsson’s wasn’t going to stock them (I like to buy the actual CD for bands I really like, and I’d rather get it from a local chain than Amazon). They actually had a box full of the Against Me album in back already, but wouldn’t give me one till Tuesday (obviously), so I’ve got one of each on hold.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the more time I spend hanging out in DC, the more I like it…especially if it’s with Schmitty. I seem to meet at least two or three people every time I hang out with the guy. Fotios moved back to DC yesterday, so we went to Science Club for drinks. I’ve been there a couple times before and always liked it. The place is really laid back and they have a big chalkboard by the bar where people write out equations and stuff when they’re arguing. The last time I was there was a Wednesday, so it was pretty quiet. No one checked my ID at the front gate, on the way into their patio, so I assumed that the guy standing at the door with a book and a cigarette was the bouncer. Turns out, he had just stepped out for a smoke; he spent the evening sitting at the bar, reading about philosophy. It’s that kind of place.

So we had a good time hanging out, and later learned that more people we knew were upstairs for Compton’s birthday. We got to talking with a guy and girl that work there and found out both of them had seen Against Me! and the chick had seen Gogol Bordello (this was after I’d convinced the guy to get tickets for their show next week). In the past two weeks, I’ve met a half dozen people that know one or the other - until recently, no one seemed to know who they were. Maybe I’ve just been meeting the wrong people.

I got home around 4:30 and slept till 2. In a few hours, I’m heading down to Chinatown to see Live Free or Die Hard with the Film Club. A pretty nice weekend, I’d say.

I haven’t had much time for the Internet lately, which is disappointing because I had grown so fond of it.

I’m still working a lot, but less so than a few weeks ago. In general, it’s all a lot better than it was a few weeks ago, and it looks like things will be even more better in a few more weeks. Relieving, that.

Things have felt very Once In A Lifetime lately. I’ve been in my new apartment for over a month, but it doesn’t feel like home, and I’m not convinced it ever will; it’s like I’m just staying here while I’m in between places. Work hasn’t felt like my job, but just the thing I’m doing for now, because it needed to be done and I was standing there at the time. I don’t know where I’m supposed to be or what I’m supposed to be doing, but it’s a very odd feeling, and a little too existential for my taste. I just know that exciting and important things are happening all around me, and I just continue trudging ahead with my boring life.

I don’t have an iPhone, and that makes me sad.

I DO have a cold, in July, which also makes me sad. I mean really, who gets a cold in July? Kids these days.

I’m pretty sure that tomorrow marks 12 weeks without a cigarette, and at some point in those three months, I became that asshole that accosts smokers to remind them it’s bad for their insides. What’s happened to me?

Oh yeah, this week was pretty great. I spent most of the Fourth sleeping; I felt like crap in the morning and slept till 3 - right through Jym and Mel’s BBQ - but I felt a hell of a lot better because of it, and made it to Schmitty’s BBQ. And this past weekend was OATS, which was, without a doubt, the best bluegrass festival I’ve been to yet. There were some folks who couldn’t make it, and they were missed sorely, but I got to hang out with some of my favorite people, and Casey and Matt came down from Boston on Saturday. It was a blast.

So I suppose I’m trudging ahead with my boring life, but every now and then it’s fifteen shades of superfly, so it works out OK.

I can’t believe Daniel Tosh re-used so many jokes from his Comedy Central Presents show in his Completely Serious show. Doesn’t make him any less hilarious, though.

I’m 23 and my hair is thinning, significantly. I am equal parts depressed and intrigued. Depressed because I’m only 23, but intrigued because I think I might look good with a shaved head.

I sure to enjoy beer. Also, rum.

I’ve been living in the city for three weeks now. I really like it so far, mostly because I can walk to a lot of stuff. I’m sort of in between everything: Metro Center (is that considered downtown?), Chinatown, Dupont Circle, U Street - it’s all within ten or twelve blocks. I’m hoping to get a bike before too long, to save some walkin’ time. Paying to Metro to work kinda sucks, but it’s not bad. And, my place is quite a bit smaller, so I was forced to get rid of a bunch of crap I didn’t need. A win on all fronts, really.

Is Condoleezza not running for president like everyone thought she would? I’m OK with that. And isn’t Cheney due for another heart attack by now?

A while back, there was a study that more Americans were willing to elect a president who was Mormon, homosexual, Muslim, black, or female than atheist. I am equal parts elated and depressed. Elated because a lot of people are willing to vote for minorities, but depressed because people are still so ignorant to believe that atheists are somehow bad.

Against Me, Gogol Bordello, and Smashing Pumpkins are all releasing albums on July 10. It’s almost good enough to take a vacation day for.

I can’t believe it’s only Tuesday.

I really can’t remember the last weekend I had to myself to enjoy. Last weekend, I drove up to Buffalo for a wedding. The weekend before that, I was moving. The two weekends before that were spent working in my SF hotel room.

Yesterday, I got up around 11, met the guy who (finally) took away the monitor I had been trying to get rid of, spent a few hours at work, finished a book, and fell asleep. A pretty full day, you might say, until I tell you that I fell asleep at 8:30, leaving less than 10 hours that I was actually up and doing anything. Today, I woke up pretty early, dropped off stuff at Goodwill, and I’ve spent most of the day working again. Right now, I’m taking a break to clear my head, because I’m still not done with everything that needs to be finished tomorrow morning. If I had my way, I’d probably just go to bed now, because even after sleeping about 12 hours last night, I’m still exhausted.

I guess it wasn’t a total waste of a weekend. I did get rid of some stuff that was cluttering the place up, and I did catch up on some sleep that I sorely needed, but I still just want a weekend with no obligations. This Friday afternoon “we need this Monday morning” shit needs to go.

(PS: When I titled this Another Wasted Weekend, I don’t mean to imply that going home for Bill’s wedding last weekend was a waste, because it wasn’t, and I had a lovely time.)

I need to make more time for books. So far in 2007, I’ve only finished seven books, and one of them (the hilarious The Pirates! In An Adventure With The Communists) only took an afternoon. I’ve got two more in the works now, but a quick glance over my book list for the past year and a half shows that my time for reading lately has been woefully inadequate. It doesn’t seem so long ago that I was splayed out on the couch with Everything Is Illuminated or any one of David Sedaris’ books, but I read those in my old-old apartment - the one I moved out of last May. I’ve read so little since then that they’re still relatively fresh in my mind.

I keep hoping that things will calm down soon and I’ll have more free time. I’m back from two weeks in SF, moved into a new apartment, spent this weekend in Buffalo for my buddy Bill’s wedding, and I’ve already spent 35 hours in the office this week. I’ve barely touched my news reader since I left for SF almost a month ago, so I’ve got thousands of blog posts and news items waiting for my attention. There are still a few boxes I haven’t unpacked because I need to get rid of other stuff to make room for them. I got a USB hard drive to store all my crap, but I haven’t even plugged it in yet because there’s a monitor (which also needs to go) on the table I’m going to use for my computer, and I haven’t had any time to fiddle with it yet anyway. The MacBook I got last week (which I LOVE, incidentally) has some 80 GB of crap from my old laptop and desktop sitting in the Documents directory, waiting to be sorted and backed up as necessary. I still haven’t really grocery-shopped since I moved over a week ago, except for a quick trip to grab milk, eggs, apples, and some frozen dinners. I haven’t had time for SNFC - the local chapter I so wanted to start - in a full month, and probably won’t this week either.

And, of course, there’s about 20 books on my book shelf that were purchased in more leisurely times, when their chances of being read were as high as 1 in 6. This one especially bugs me because of the money I’ve invested in my collection and the effort that’s gone into moving all of them from apartment to apartment. That shit’s heavy, yo.

My bowling ball/baby/shark situation has surpassed, “Just get through this quarter,” and I’m not really sure what comes after that. Semi-year? Either way, I just keep chugging along, and hope the train stops before the wheels come off.