Alex Lahoski's Journal for May 2006

Rise at 6:30, shower, sit, and head to breakfast. Walk across the parking lot to work this morning.

Wall-to-wall meetings today, with one break at lunch for a recognition luncheon (a broader companion to the baseball game last night). Sat at a table with the VP and we all shared a number of good stories, some related to old work done for other companies - a general sharing of the experiences of atime when IT was so new and growing so rapidly that it had an excitement that we simply don't experience today. Tasty lunch (chicken, green beans and carrots, lemon cake for dessert).

More meetings through the afternoon, out to dinner with a couple colleagues also here from West Haven. After this, sit and watch some TV and sleep.
 

Rise at 6:30 after a night where my brain was in constant motion. I vaguely recall the various notions running around in my head, most of them pertaining to the upcoming days in Pittsburgh and two projects in motion. To say I didn't feel rested when I got up was an understatement. Sitting helped with some of this, as did having a clear sense of what I needed to do this morning (largely centered around packing for this morning's flight).

Easy ride into the airport, and as it turned out, I was a half hour earlier than I needed to be (I thought my flight was at 9:00; it was at 9:30). Out came the computer, and some clearing out of e-mails over breakfast. A few solid things taken care of before I get on the plane.

Longish workday, packed with meetings for the whole thing. The end of today should be fun though - a "thank you" gift of a game at PNC park. Looking forward to unwinding with the team here.
 

Leisurely rise this morning after a bit of indulgence last night (a couple of Mike's Crisp Apple while on the computer). Sit and then pet the dog while waiting for Lisa to rise. Up and out to two garden centers this morning to pick up tomatoes and a few other plants for the gardens. Some good heirloom tomatoes to add to the garden. The day started out foggy and overcast and then cleared up on our way back from the second garden place, so we stopped off at Harry's Place, a legendary burger place in Coventry. Got in ahead of the crowd and had some good eats.

Home and Lisa up to a nap. I was thinking about it, but I muddled about for a bit before settling on YouTube for a while, grooving (if that's the right word) on some old Kraftwerk videos.
 

Rise a bit later today (7:10) as I will only be gogn to Hartford, rather than the usual longer drive to work. Shower, sit, dress & doggie duties. A quick ride into the convention center and off we go into the day.

The conference is centered around Project Management, and for the first one done by the local PMI chapter, is very well organized and run - I suppose a Prject Management conference organized and run by certified PMs should be. A few items that are off (seating in some of the sessions), but otherwise very good. Interesting and engaging speakers, good food, and for me, only minimal interruptions from work. There are a couple other people from work here, though fewer than we had hoped, so we can split up and do a number of sessions. I do like this new convention center, and in about 2 years the new Science Center will be open next door. Spent some time after lunch on the open walkway overlooking the Connecticut river watching the risen river wash over some of the lower areas on the East Hartford side.

After the conference, a couple calls to the West Coast that set me on edge - anumber of things not going to plan, and I'm not sure how I can rectify them - yet. I am experiencing a feeling of loss of control, or at least being right on that edge, and in this case,it is unpleasant. The person experiencing this is also being unpleasant, and I am able to observe this, though I can't seem to do anything about it.

Home to a dinner of leftovers, and mindless movie night (The 40 Year Old Virgin). It was good, though not as funny as I had hoped - some of that may have been due to my mood.
 

Rise uncommonly early (6:00) after finally accepting that fighting it would be worse in the long run. Normal morning routine, but with a kiss goodbye for my wife (since I'm leaving before her for once). Doggie spasms made me grumpy earlier, but once up, I can shake this off and engage with the day.

Work day is just that. More items to address, and some that aren't getting done. After stewing a bit over the weekend, have a team meeting to sort some issues out. Sadly, one of the team's father has passed unexpectedly, so he will be out for the whole week. We will adjust.

Home a bit earlier than normal, so we can go out to dinner at J. Gilbert's for our anniversary (7th). Beef for both of us, mine with scallops in a balsamic reduction, hers with a roasted crab topping, both with cheddar mashed potatoes and asparagus. A bit of wine, some bread, beef carpaccio and two tasty desserts. After dinner, a bit of the book store for bargains and then home. A happy evening, much to talk about, much to be thankful for.
 

A day off.
 

Alarms at the usual times, but an act of Will got me out of bed at 6:30. I'm not sure where it came from, but the help was welcome.

Into the office by 8:00, digging into several tasks before the first of my meetings. Maintained contact with the limbs until my first meeting, after which, it got sporadic. Very clear path through one meeting (one of the many that deal with the same application solution). Meeting scheduled with the owner for clarification. Feels like moving forward.

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Despite feeling physically healthy, I've been feeling otherwise disjointed and, for a lack of a better term, not present. On a whim, went to a site to check on my biorhythms, and they simply confirm my present state:

Physical: 86%
Emotional: -92%
Intellectual: -4%

If I look at the secondary rhythms:
Spiritual: -67%
Awareness: 36%
Aethetic: -33%
Intuition: -76%

Most of them are on the rise, so perhaps there is some hope for the next few weeks. Of course, looking at the "future", things seem to line up across the board in December, and I'm due for all lows around Christmas. Looking forward to that. Funny thing about the biorhythms - this is just an outside "confirmation" of my inner state, however unscientific it might appear. What really matters is what I do with this information.
 

A bit better on the rise this morning, but not great. I'm not sure where the difficulty lies - perhaps I'm simply lazy.

A full work day today, and I only managed to find a limb about half the time, though I did remember to check in often. A series of serendipitous meetings this week will lead to my speaking with the sponsor of another project which is under way, and meets the many needs being presented to me. Discussions with the developer indicate that we have a good fit for all of these, which i s nice for a change. We have an opportunity. Now, to deliver.

Home, begin a load of laundry and then to the grill to make dinner (burgers). After a tasty meal and light conversation, we tear into the sound card and speakers for the new computer. About an hour of wire pulling, vacuuming, disassembly and reassembly and we are good to go. One thing that I have learned today: Dell's new PC case configuration is fantastic for working on. It was a snap to get the new sound card in, far easier than any other machine I've worked on.
 

Another struggle getting up this morning, and more of a struggle during sitting. I managed to sit still and upright for 30 minutes (and with attention wandering, that may be an optimistic assessment). Two clear GC related dreams last night, the first in a place that I had a sense was the CCA and also wasn't the CCA. The second dozing dream prior to rising I was in St. Petersburg, Russia (I knew that because I saw it on a road sign) with a number of work colleagues enjoying dinner, and I knew that a number of Crafy friends were also in town, so I called one on his cell phone (I think it was Dev). I also remember as I woke from each of these dreams telling myself to remember them.

In to work by 8:45, reviewing the day's meetings and tasks, making tea. A haiku comes at this time (a nod back to an Intro course in January):

Attention wanders
Where it goes, I cannot say
The tea is bitter

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Torrential downpours today - these make me think back to October last year when my basement flooded. Fire is a bad thing for houses, but water is more insidious.

At the 12:00 hour, came into my right foot and sent birthday wishes across the pond.

Now as I prepare to leave for the day, the sun has come out, taunting me as I know that it won't be ther for long or for the rest of the week.
 

I had some difficulty rising this morning - the alarms went off, and I couldn't get back to sleep as the dog and the cats started up. Ended up dozing and getting up at 7:10, realizing that I should have just gotten up at 5:15 and dealt with it. Instead I conviced myself I could go back to sleep, even through my work-day brain had switched on. Something hidden in this; I'm not listening to something I should at that time in the morning.

First half of the drive in was a bit rough, as I hit the rush hour traffic into Hartford. Once past that, things were clear all the way down to work. Reflecting on the drive, I wasn't noticeably absent on the way to work, but I wasn't present either. Searching for a third alternative, but unable to articulate it.

Light meeting day today, so I'm working on some items that have slid off the radar, some intentionally, some not. Set out a plan for a few items this week with the team, a good opportunity make strides in our projects and other work. This is hazardous, thoughm as it seems that just one or two small but urgent things could derail us.

Trying out my yixing teacup at work today. So far, I haven't gotten the brew time right for the tea I have commitied to using the cup for (Golden Xuan). This is mostly (if not all) due to my lack of attention today. RotL is pretty bad, bordering on discouraging.

PM from Berkeley calls me to talk about some items he sees as potential issues, one I had completely forgotten to include on my task list. Go to review these with the developer and am now confident that these are minor issues, if at all. Meetings and plans being made to address the second issue (remote printer testing), and confidence there that we can deal with it this week. Next week will be the real push on some items, and I am aiming to get more done this week in case other issues arise.

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Head home and actually arrive ahead of my wife, who got out of the house much later than normal this morning. Take care of the four-leggeds and begin looking at dinner options. Once Lisa gets home we decide on burgers, and head out. I get, and eat, too much. Tasty, though. Home via ComputerMegaStore to look at new speakers for Lisa, and pick up a new mouse for me (my optical is getting a little fuzzy, and no amount of cleaning is helping - I miss mechanical mice). Play for a bit, and then head to bed.
 

Largely a day off, only interrupted by small items like making scones for tea. Calls to the Mothers in my life, and a good long talk with my Mother.
 

Rise at 10:00 and sit. Lisa left early this morning to work at the annual CPEP day in New Haven. I chose to stay home and address some of the burning house necessities, including laundry, the bed, dishes and vaccuuming. The Last, my JotD, is fairly involved - intentionally so. I work with keping the end in mind as I go throught he various areas of the house, minding small details and areas which might otherwise get overlooked. Lose contact with the work at a few points, but I am able to recognize it, and come back. Rewarding.

Late lunch at Red Robin (what can I say, I really wanted a burger and strawberry lemonade). Home and complete a fe other small items before Lisa gets home. We are fuzzy on what to do for dinner, so the decision waits for a while. Eventually we settle on chicken, and set out procure dinner.

Afterwards, I sit and read the latest Hartford magazine over tea, then head up to bed. Catch the end of an episode of Samauri 7, then the beginning of Elizabeth. I begin to get sucked in, but defy it and go to sleep.
 

Rise at 8:00, follow the morning routine and then head into work. Feeling a bit dodgy, having gotten in late (or early) this morning). In to the office by 9:30, and make a stop to joke with a Yankees fan downstairs. Also share the game's highlights with another Sox fan and then into the office. A few things to address this morning, fortunately, nothing too taxing. Some decisions made yesterday which are more to our benefit for getting in a contractor to assist with the projecct that has drifted off course. The customer is engaging the vendor, which is better in the long run. Also went over a plan to address a request from another client whose results ar not what we, or they, might expect.

Pass on lunch with the local team to get a few other things addresed. A quick call with my boss to addres a few other items, and set a few new target dates. Talk with MarkP to get a few other things covered and we are clear for the weekend. Got feedback from the first meeting, it turns out the unexpected results may be unexpected, but they are generated in accordance witih the configuration of the current and previous systems. Technically, no error on our part, but unfortunately, some data is not available for auditieng.

Head home at 4:30, the rainis still coming down (much easier to drive in this during the day than it was last night). We head out for Mexican at a favorite place (Puerto Vallarta), then home again. Lisa heads to bed, and I get sucked into my game until 2:00 AM. So much for being tired.
 

-*Backposted*-

Rise at 6:30 after a couple false starts. I was awake several times this morning, not sure why, but there were some lingering dreams that I can't recall. Usual moring routine.

Clear sailing into work this morning, and spent the morning attending to a number of small items that needed catching up on. A few meetings, including one whose end result will guarantee us some significant work out through the end of the year.

A quick afternoon meeting, followed by an urgent call for a project - this time the issues are well out of our control, and are being influenced by an outside vendor whose requirements have been hazy at best. Phone calls, e-mails, conversations, options made available.

Finally, after the hullabaloo calms down, I go, get changed and head down to Tarrytown, NY to meet the group going to the ball game. We pile into the mini-van and head out for a quick drive to the stadium (pretty easy to get to actually). Once there, we wander the vendors a bit looking for swag for a couple of the group's kids, and finally go into the stadium. We are early enough to catch batting practice, so one of the other Boston fans and I have a walk around to check things out. Somehow, this place seems simultaneously larger and smaller than you would think, based on TV broadcasts.

Once we get to our seats (upper deck, section 23), we begin to get a feel for the atmosphere of the game. Plenty of police and venue security - they are very serious about removing people who cause trouble, many from the upper section behind us are removed over the course of the evening, some willingly, others not so. Fortunately, the group we are in and the rows around us are into the game, and a lot of friendly, if energetic banter is going on. I never had the feeling at any point of the wheels coming off the car, so no sense that the mood could turn. Of course if this was September and the pennant race was on, I'm sure it would have been a different story. All in all, I had a blast, and I was lifted by the general sense of good will in the space - despite some people (on both sides) who would have it the other way.

After the game, a bit of a drag getting out of the garage, then back to Tarrytown. Finally, on the road home at 1:11 and in bed by 3:00.
 

Alarms at the usual time, linger a bit longer in bed, until 6:50. Shower, sit and pet the dog. He's feeling much better today, more playful. Lisa spent some time working him last night on the button, which is good (we have a Staples "Easy" button - he has to hit it and make it say the phrase).

Good ride in, with a few noticeable car events (others, not mine), including a car tangled up in the guard-rail wires, as if it had been trapped there, with a police officer looking it over. Odd that there was no occupant in the car.

Morning spent in meetings (per usual), and managed through the rotation of limbs. More progress being made, or at least that is what it feels like. Discussion with one of the team on his objectives update for this year, and the care with which he must choose his words when speaking with our neew manager. The new boss will take things in a certain way, usually in a way that means nothing like you had intended. In this case, my team member said "I could do more" when referring to an architecture project he was not assigned to. He meant "I wish to do more of that type of work". What our manager heard was "I don't have enough to do". I've spent the week trying to manage that sentiment in every conversation with our manager.

The afternoon ahead promises more meetings, and some planning for tomorrow's excursion to the Big City (NYC) for a game in the Yankees-Bosox series.

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Home for a light dinner (soup, toast and cold meats) reading some catalogs for garden stuff. Follow this with some light kitchen clean-up and then the JotD. Interesting experience with this work today: as I found myself going deeper into the task at hand, a layer would peel back and I would see something that might not be the JotD itself, but was directly connected. Below that was another task, and so on. At some point, I had to wonder where the one task ended, and the other began. Finally, I made a decision about the end of one, looking at the beginning of the other for a later date.

Light computing, then to bed.
 

Usual alarms (5:15 and 6:00), rise at 6:30. Shower, sit, dress and take care of the dog (he is improving and is much more playful again). Cats are staying outside most of the time now, and unfortunately have taken up the habit of following me down the street when I walk the dog. We are on a fairly quiet street, but when people do come down the street, they hit about 45 MPH by the time they are at my house (4 houses up). Cat safety is now a concern - this in addition to the periodic beating one of the cats takes at the paws of something (woodchuck? squirrel? other cat?). Also took some time this morning to complete last night's garden center run by putting away all the potting soils and the plants.

A little later on the road, but the traffic wasn;t too bad. Looked at the clock on the dashboard and for a moment, had no sense of whether I was far ahead or far behind schedule, almost a sense of both at the same time. Eventually settled on slightly behind.

In keeping with the writing theme in the journals, noted that I spent about three and a half hours writing, thinking about writing, responding to someone else's writing; the journal is a small part of this today, the rest involved revamping my objectives for the year, some necessary queries to people who are not available in their offices, and completing the minutes from a team meeting yesterday.

The question (or questions) that comes up regarding all of this writing: Is it relevant, meaningful, sustaining, concise, appropriate? Is it any or all of these things to me or anyone else? To answer this will take some time.
 

Normal morning routine, but with additional dog care - he's not feeling well, so I take him out an extra time this morning. Such a sad puppy today, calls will go out later to the vet.

Usual ride in this morning, flow of the cars (and the person in my car) was pretty smooth.

Meetings all morning and into the late afternoon. Good movement on all fronts - we seem to have lined things up in a way that gives our team a good flow of work for the next few weeks. Of course, having one of the team tell the manager that he doesn't have enough to do isn't helping, especially when that isn't the message I get from this person.

Longer ride home today to pick up some garden materials and part of my spring tomato order. The first tomato plant is here (Cosmonaut Volkov) and two Czech Black Peppers. Home and a quick dinner of left-overs (hot basil fried rice and half a tomato). Some computing and then to bed.
 

Rise, surprisingly, at 7:30. Minimal fussing from the dog (at least that I noticed, Lisa told me that he was up at 2:00 to go out). Into the kitchen for tea and an english muffin, look over the remainder of the list.

Out into the gardens - we spend time getting most of the recent plant purchases into the ground. I work on patching the front strip of lawn (it was gouged out by the leaf collectors in the late fall) and throwing down some seed. Water as best I can, but it is late morning and the sun is drying everything out. I will look to do this in the morning tomorrow.

Call from K. to come over and visit; she is under treatment for Lyme and has little energy to do much. She just needed to get out, so she came over to talk and sit for a while. The ladies go out to get lunch and I go through the tomato garden, digging up the clumps of chives and bronze fennel, amending the soil and roto-tilling. Topped this off with a helping of tomato food, so that the bed will be ready when my tomato plants arrive.

Lunch, followed by a few last plantings (only one or two things are left to dig in, and they are awaiting the right place to be planted). Lisa heads up for a nap, I play a bit on the 'puter.

Dinner at a co-worker of Lisa's who wnats her to come in a nd design their gardens. Very nice people, he is a woodworker and builder. Quite a number of quality things he has done, including some multi-level decks and additions to the house, and hand-built cabinetry. A pleasant way to spend the evening.

Home and to bed at about 10:30.
 

To the surprise of my wife, I rise at 8:00 (no alarms this morning). Sit with greetings to the community, dress, and head into the kitchen. Make tea and write out the list of tasks I aim to accomplish this weekend. Take a few minutes to visualize how the morning could flow, where I could be after each trip to the dump, what the next place would be, how to accomplish these things with only the necessary effory. This largely pays off (one place on the list is open later than I planned for this time of year, so trips are adjusted), so by noon-time, most of the list is attended to. Some light showers cut short some things, so I make sure that all the tools from the morning (especially electrical) are put back in their propoer places. A quick trip for lunch supplies, and we make sandwiches for lunch, eating on the deck under the awning.

The afternoon is largely off, though I make one shopping trip to the SuperAwesomeMegaShoppingClub, the computer store for a hard-drive backpack enclosure (the new PC only has SATA connectors for the drives, and the old one is IDE) and stop on the way home to indulge in a lemon soft-serve cone. Back in the home office, I get the old drive set in the backpack and hooked up to the new computer in about 10 minutes. Almost Mac-like in its ease.

Thai take-out for dinner, sitting at the dinner table, discussing some of the items left on the list. After this, working with Lisa to get the last of the programs and updates squared away in the new machine. Play on my PC a bit, and then up to bed. Watch two episodes of The New Fist of the Northstar, couldn't stay up for the rest.
 

The answer to the ultimate question.

Rise a little late this morning (6:51), not sure why, but there it is. All sorts of interesting dreams, some repeatable in public.

Usual morning routine, but lighter traffic on the way in so I was in to work at the usual time. Not agita from phone calls this morning, so I was able to make my tea with care and prepare for my 9:00 with one of the team. A good conversation - we spent nearly an hour on the phone when we had planned 30 minutes. The next call was also good, as we have been able to set some goals and meet them clearly and definitively. A few other items in the morning, but none which required immediate attention.

Lunch with most of the department at Baja's. Ate lighter than normal and still felt like I ate too much. Good company and good non-work related conversation. Much good natured ribbing and talk with some of the ex-employees now moved on to other things.

One afternoon meeting for a project proposal. We proposed what they asked for, but somewhere something in their thinking changed, so now we have to redo the work. Fortunately, we've constructed the proposal in such a way that this modification won't take long.

Afternoon spent tidying up a few other loose items in preparation to go home. Noticed while writing this entry, that I had not maintained the rotation of limbs since 8:00 AM this morning. Reflecting on the day so far, I can't see it being so full that I would have lost contact. Then of course, perhaps it was, and I just don't realize it.

It is a bee-yoo-tee-ful day, and dinner on the deck awaits.
 

Alarms at the usual times, awake at 6:31, rise at 6:44. A bit more groggy as I rise than usual, but this clears pretty quickly as I begin moving around. The dog noticed something out the back door that apparently only he can see, which set him to barking and dashing on and off the bed.

Shower, sit, dress and say goodbye to the wife (she's home today). Notice the dog's look as I am geting ready to leave. I know some people don't like to anthropomorphize, but it's hard not to do inthis case. Personally, I think animals have personalities and thought processes as much as we do. Some of them may be simpler, but given that people can be habitualized as easily as my dog, I sometimes wonder whose are really simpler.

Decent drive in, with a bit more traffic in the second half. 7:00 AM limb (LF) and 8:00 limb (RH) are active this morning. Chasing thoughts this morning, and finding that I am wandering off while I drive. This is normal, but not good in the car. A call from my new boss at 8:06 with some items that could be of concern. I choose to respond to what I am able - the first issue is personnel related, and could cause some friction in the team. I need to discuss some strategies with Thomas to manage them, so no response at this time. The other is an issue that has been open for a while, and I had pursued at the beginning of the week. This I am able to respond to clearly, and when I get in to work forward him my correspondence. A sense that I have a doorway into dealing with him better than I have.
 

Awake at 6:44 but rise at 6:51. Usual morning routine. Body sensation is very strong this morning, limb of the hour is somehow different.

Back-posted journals on my personal site for March and April. Will do better about keeping up on May. Quiet morning, though I did lose some awareness of my tea. Oversteeped, so it was pretty astringent. More care taken with the second cup.

Good set of meetings in the morning, managing some tasks that are slipping behind shcedule. Found myself aggravated at an e-mail, and noticed the aggravation. No clear handle on the source, but at least noticed the aggravation and let it go, responding to the query with good will. Also came to the switch limb of the hour at 11:59. The minute extended for a period that seemed much longer.

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More items off the task list this afternoon, including some important ones for the project in Berkeley. I'm trusting not only the process, but the people on this one. Both actions are difficult for me. Also made progress on the last items from the Death March project. Good progress here as well, though I still have a few nagging concerns about how we do certain things, like monitoring. I have a sense that what we do is not sufficient.

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Home, and some discussion about what to do for dinner. In the end we settle on ramen, roasted chicken breast and multigrain toast. A good meal for the rainy chill, and good for resisting the temptation to go out. Good talk at dinner, and following this, I indulged in some Kitchen Craft, clearing up the dishwasher and sink. Some computing time, and discussion of an interview offer from a headhunter. Some compromises to be made, but they may be acceptable.

Played a bit on the PC, then to bed.
 

Rise at 6:39 and follow the usual morning routine. One noticing this morning at the gas station while filling up: I was completely absent for about 9 gallons of the 14 gallon fill-up. I looked at the pump and thought to myself "Wow that was fast!" but then realized I just wasn't present for that particular time.

In to work and make the first cup oof tea. Track through some late e-mail messages and get my morning on track. A mid-morning call with the PM from the death march project earlier this year; clearing up some final items. Some tasks for their team this week may have to be delayed in order to meet certain QA requirements.

Still finding that I am not hungry during the day, and that tea is able to sustain me through until I get home. I've seen some good weight loss (12 pounds off my highest weight this year), but I made the mistake of looking at my Body Mass Index (BMI) on-line. As I sit now, I have a BMI of 31.1, which puts me in the "obese" category. For me to fall into the "normal" range for BMI I'd need to lose another 50 (yes fifty!) pounds. Now, the BMI isn't the only metric to use, but it is a good starting point. I think (rather I hope) that I have more muscle density which would contribute to a higher BMI. Even so, this information is a little discouraging.

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A little more research reveals normal body fat percentages, lean mass and a few other items of interest. Cutting across all of the available sources I see a target weight in line with my instinct for where I was aiming. Feel a little bit better. It still means another 20ish pounds. Regardless of weight (that is actually pretty arbitrary) I'm really going on how I feel and look. I have noticed a difference in the past few weeks in my ability to move and how rested I feel after sleeping.

Afternoon in meetings, though one scheduled meeting is off, as the other party is not available. Take a bit of time to catch up with some colleagues downstairs, and talk with one about old houses, renovations and investing in real estate.

Drive home takes a bit longer than normal as traffic is pretty heavy - the weather makes for slower going. Home and make a light dinner of ramen, english muffins and left-over steak. Talk with the wife about work over the meal, and then, a surprise! The DHK man comes with our new monitors! We grab them, set them up and check out the quality. We tend to hold on to things for a very long time in computer terms; my wife's computer is almost 7 yeas old, ancient in computer-land. This will soon be remedied.

To bed early again tonight.
 

Made a conscious decision last night that I would rise 15 minutes earlier in the morning this week. Alarms at the usual time (the dog was relatively quiet until the 5:15 alarm), rise at 6:45. Shower, sit, dress and open up the bedroom to the outside - today is going to be in the high 60's, if a bit windy. Clearing out the last vestiges of winter and early spring. Watching the weather this morning, I had the thought that this is actually spring weather (nights in the mid- to high 40's, days in the 60's. It hasn't felt like we've had a spring in a few years; typically, a couple weeks of this weather, then straight into hot, humid, summerlike weather. But for now, Spring.

Quiet ride in, with slowdowns in the expected places. Leaving earlier puts me at a merge right around 8:00, along with everyone else. Into my LF as I hit traffic.

In the office about 8:20, so 15 minutes gets me 10 this morning. Make tea and switch over the calendar. This month's Zazen quote is "everyday life is our practice".

Now diving into daily tasks and items due this week (or today).