It's right at 9 a.m. in the Raleigh-Durham airport, and I'm trying to get excited about leaving Elizabeth for the weekend. We've had a pretty hectic year or so, and this summer was hard on both of us, what with job stuff for me and school stuff for her, among other things. So it's hard to leave her, because we've finally gotten back to where we were a year or so ago, truly relaxed and having fun again and not stressing so much about money and work and all that mundane crap.

We'll probably be scraping by for a while, probably the next year or so until she gets out of school and I get the kind of job I'm really looking for, but I have a feeling we're going to have more fun than we've ever had together. We're more interested in doing fun things and spending time with family and friends than we are having nice stuff. Just as long as we can make the house payment, you know?

So I'm feeling philosophical this morning, getting this all into perspective, and also a bit sad. I know Elizabeth is nervous about me flying (hell, we had some fighter jets scrambled over in Charlotte a few days ago, escorting a flight into the city, all for a "misunderstanding" -- yeah, I believe that!), and I'm a tiny bit apprehensive, but not too worried. It took a good 10 minutes or so to get through security -- got my checked bag X-rayed in addition to the usual scan my carry-on and I got. They do it for folks who buy tickets online or through other kinds of sources, which actually is a good idea. Makes me feel better about flying. Plus, the way I figure it, with so much emphasis placed on the airlines and their security, nobody's going to mess with us in that area. It's going to be someplace totally unexpected. Something to really mess with peoples' heads.

Anyhoo, on that happy note...

This should be a lot of fun, hanging out in San Jose at the WorldCon. I'm actually really excited about it; it's just getting there and leaving home after the chaos of the last week that's a bit trying.

Also, I'm a bit annoyed at myself for not finishing all the various projects I wanted to finish before taking off. Didn't finish my SF story. Didn't finish ch. 16 and the second interlude to the SF novel. Didn't even get halfway done with the SpecFic syllabus. Ugh. I guess I just piled too much stuff on my plate, as usual. I was working on the novel yesterday afternoon, along with tweaking the story, and I fell ASLEEP while I was writing. Maybe I overdid it a bit.

So I decided to bring the laptop along, in spite of my sore hands and arms. I should be able to get my fiction stuff done this weekend, tomorrow and Sunday morning, if I'm not too hungover.

I got to read my zombie story out loud for Lizzie last night, and it went well. She liked my GW Bush impression, along with my Forrest Gump impression, for some of the characters. I really need to exaggerate everything for the reading tonight. I want people to really enjoy it and laugh. After a few drinks with Tim and Greg and anyone else we can find at the bar once I arrive, I think I'll be in just the right mood for a "dramatic interpretation."

Today is reading day all afternoon, then some parties in the evening. Saturday is sort of a work day, as I get some writing done in the morning, try to catch Toby's reading, do the workshop in the afternoon (probably need to reread the two stories up for critique again!), then it's socializing time again: the Strange Horizons tea party, the Wheatland Press happy hour, the Tangent Online party, and whatever other parties we can find. Sunday is recovery day, do some panels and readings, maybe chat with some editors, and then the Hugos at 8. And Monday I'm outta there in the morning, get back here at 8 p.m. or so. Then it's back to reality. Boo. Hiss. Later!

Now Playing:
CNN, trying to ignore it.

Now Reading:
Smoke and Mirrors, Neil Gaiman

Today's Words:
0

Discuss