Sitting around in Hanover, freezing my ass off in front of Collis (we could go in, but we’re waiting til we’re actually “cold” to do so, since it’s otherwise quite lovely out). They’re building the bonfire for homecoming right now, which will be this weekend at some point (I have no idea actually when, nor do I especially care). I’m drinking my second copy of chai (out of a paper cup, plastic lid, and a corrugated cardboard “sleeve” so I don’t burn my hands), and hanging out with Eli. I have The Pixies “Where is my Mind” stuck in my head, and am in a cheerful, almost manic mood (finally getting to do some blogging, WOO!).

The past week has been busy yet largely fun, involving meals with friends and family, and lots of good conversation. I’ve got my Online Communities thesis up on Critical Games now, so if you wanted an alternative to downloading a 51 page PDF, you can read it that way instead. I do realize that I SHOULD be posting some more (there and here), especially some newer material that I’ve been talking about but not actually writing for the past several weeks. This should happen soon (heh, honest).

I miss doing coffee, I miss blogging with my friend Eli, I miss tooling around town listening to compilation CDs I made on the fly while riding in the car (hehe, we’re up to volume 3), all generally speaking, but right now, what I really miss is my wife. While yes, we used to go several weeks at a time not seeing each other when we were dating, we’ve spent the past year seeing each other every day (except for when I’m out of town like this), and you sort of get used to a certain level of familiarity that simply CANNOT be recreated over AIM/email/phone. It’s going to kind of suck when I get home, because Mickey is busy for most of November, but it’ll still be better than no contact at all.

I bought Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind a few days ago, because no one around here had seen it, and I absolutely adore it… I’ve now “converted” Uri, and Eli will in theory be watching it tonight as well. If any of you readers out there haven’t seen it yet, go watch it. Go. Now. I’ll wait. (Please keep in mind: I REALLY like surrealist, bittersweet movies.)

Uri and I are heading up to residency tomorrow afternoon, along with our friend and compatriot Andy, with whom it is very hard NOT to have an interesting conversation. Suffice it to say, if I knew of a website with his work on it, I’d link to it right now, because he really is an interesting guy.

Speaking of interesting people and websites, my friend and yours, Good Ol’ Chris Blood, aka Briar Root Beer, has sworn up and down that his long silence will soon be over, with a brand new and functioning website at the end of the month. To which I say, “woot” and “Woot” again. It’s a shame it didn’t make it in time to hear his comments on the current election and all, but nevertheless, it’ll be good to hear from him again.

Oh, and before I forget: NaNoWriMo is this month (NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month). I’ve signed up, and will be endeavoring to complete a 50,000 word novel in the 30-day month of November. And yes, I AM at school for the first week of that… this is actually a good thing. I tend to find my creativity and writing actually increased while at school, which I’m sure is at least somewhat due to the fact that I’m surrounded by an atmosphere of creative output, am well fed and on a routine, am inundated with new interesting information and new interesting people, and (of course) have no consistent net access for most of the week.

Does that mean I wish I’d gone to a more traditional school, where I would be “on campus” all the time? HELL NO! I’ve BEEN to other campuses, thanks, and they don’t have nearly the creative and motivational “vibe” as Vermont College, at least partially because that level of energy isn’t maintainable year round, frankly. BECAUSE it’s such a shift and only for a week, the entire experience has an energy that I’ve yet to find anywhere else. Also, I know me. If I was on campus year round, I’d get settled into a “routine”, and not necessarily a healthy one.

But I’m digressing (“But haven’t you been hopping all over the place in this post anyway?” Shush you). NaNoWrimo sounds like a LOT of fun, and I highly encourage everyone to at least look into and consider it, if you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at writing. The worst that happens? You don’t succeed. No penalties, just your own embarassment, which you needn’t mention to anyone else ANYWAY.

Hmm, what else. Hung out a bit with some friends of Uri and Dave and others, Tim and Eric. Really cool people, I like them a lot. Tim plays and enjoys a lot of the same games as me, and seemed at least moderately interested in writing for Critical Games (rock!). Hopefully I’ll manage to keep in touch a bit after Uri moves out to Seattle in December.

YES, you heard right, and most likely here first: my big brother has decided to move away from the Upper Valley, and give the Seattle area a shot. And SOON, so if you want to buy any furniture and stuff off him, now is definitely the time to give him a ring. He’ll be staying with use for a few weeks while he looks for a job and an apartment (and yes, only a few weeks… Mickey and I are in agreement that while we do enjoy Uri’s company, we’re DONE with having roommates).

Aaanyway, my fingers are freezing off, so I’ll sign off now. Much love to you all, and leave a comment, damnit!