chipotle | (no subject)

I'm strongly considering taking a mini-vacation -- against all reason and logic, I know -- to Portland soon. Maybe next week. Find some inexpensive (as distinct from "cheap") motel to hole up in for a few days, explore the area.

If this happens, it won't be an "off the net" vacation; I need to keep checking job listings, sending in résumés, and so on. I'm actually playing phone tag with a couple recruiters currently, which is keeping me from going ahead and making reservations. I'm also fighting my quirky, contradictory feelings of wanting the security of a full-time job but wanting the freedom of contracting, where you could -- I don't know -- decide that you wanted to spend a few days in Portland, and just go ahead and do it. (Yes, I know that you actually have to tell your current client, if you have one, your plans and give advance warning and all that.)

And, of course, I need to keep working on Claw & Quill, which is coming together just faster than I expected, so I need to make sure that, if I'm not on top of the ball, I'm at least not under it.

...so why a desire for a vacation right now, then?

Without going into sordid details, I think I need to retool some mental processes that are stuck in loops. Going off to a place I've wanted to visit for a while but haven't ever gotten around to could be a rut-breaking move. We'll see.

Back to phone tag for the moment.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

This sounds like a Very Good Idea... and I would probably think so even if I didn't have an obvious personal interest in it. Please do keep us posted on plans and such; it would be nice to catch up with you while you're in the general vicinity, if not even steal you for a day or two in Seattle.

If it happens, I'll definitely let you know. :) I came close to reserving three nights in Portland today, but I didn't, yet -- tomorrow I have to see if I can catch up with the HR person who called me today (and try not to let my complete lack of enthusiasm of this week show through too much!).

Excellent. A couple of data points, just so you know: the weekend after this one (i.e., Labor Day) is Bumbershoot (http://www.bumbershoot.org) up in Seattle. The two weekends after that (the 11th and 18th) I'll be out of town, though of course I'll still be around during the week and being a contractor myself means I'm pretty much free for whenever. And the weekend after that is Conifur. Make of all this what you want, of course. :-)

There's a new AP album? Cool! Must buy!

Are you thinking of relocating to Seattle?

The new album is "A Valid Path," which is -- interesting. It's not written with Ian Bairnson like the last few albums, and it's veered more toward electronica and a bit more experimentation. At the same time it echos '70s-era APP (on two tracks, very deliberately).

And, Shaterri's the one who mentioned Seattle. I mentioned Portland. :) I'm not really thinking about relocating to either of those places, although I certainly wouldn't rule them out if an opportunity came up. Part of why I want to visit Portland is to see what I think about the area in person, so to speak.

Aha, shall obtain album. :) I do hope if you move, you do so after we relocate so we can actually see you... :)