The trip has been a very good one for me. Though the ride up was initially tough, I enjoyed it anyway, and the weather in Portland has been brilliant. My hosts are wonderful; and they are usIng my visit as a wonderful reason to throw a party – I am so lucky in the friends that I have. Yesterday I saw a friend of mine who I hadn’t seen in more than 30 years; he and his wife will be here today, as will another friend I haven’t seen in that long. I’ve gotten to see other old friends that I haven’t seen in some time, and get better acquainted with newer friends who I haven’t seen since I was last in Portland. More of that will be happening today as well – and will continue until I leave for home. Even better, I’ll get to meet a bunch of new folks and introduce many of my friends to each other, which pleases me no end. I have two more friends who are in the process of moving to Portland; I’ll have that many more friends to introduce them to once they are up here. And I like it here enough that I could easily see myself living here at some point. I’ll even be able o touch base with another old friend on the way home, stopping in Yreka to do so.
For today, until it’s time to prep for the party, I’m just chillin’ with Belmont, The Pitbull of Silliness and reading Gene Wolfe’s Book of The New Sun (which I attempted and failed to read when I was 14 – this time I’m enjoying the hell out of it), and remembering my dear friend Jay Lake, who introduced me to so many of the good people in his life (including my hosts).
When I get back, I’ll be celebrating my 21st wedding anniversary with my wife and best friend, then I’ll be resuming my physical training regimen, do some online training-related seminars and, in June, take another trip, this time to Indiana (and then Kentucky) to visit yet more of the wonderful people in my life. When I get back from that, the certification training begins, first for PMI then for Agile/Scrum master.
I’m looking forward to it!