Hergest Ridge

“By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.”
– Shakespeare

An island of peace in a sea of chaos, the only light in the room was the flickering of the TV. Two couches and the TV on a rolling stand were the only items in this small and quiet space. On the other side of the only door into this space, the wickedness schemed and plotted ways to expand into this last nook of sanity. It wouldn’t come with force, but with the determination of water slowly seeping into an oxygen filled container – a container with small crowfoot cracks.

The couple lie on the floor instead of the more comfortable couches. There was still enough time to drink the bottle of champaign, and they intended to take full advantage of that last remaining comfort.

Quiet, they lay there while the wickedness begun to fill the air in the room. Like a deadly gas, it’s concentration getting more lethal. Before it could all come crashing down, they went for the throw switch in the metal box on the wall. The man busted it open after his female companion failed to get the front panel off, revealing the switch. With both their hands on the switch, she turned back at him and kissed him one last time.

Without any recollection of the switch or anything that happened before, the human in the cage watched as the creatures surrounding him drew nearer. Attached to one of the bars was a dart. It was significant, a fact that became apparent only after one of the captors chose to take a leap at the cage. The dart combined with the tube he was holding became a weapon. With deadly precision, the dart entered the creatures neck and ended its life.

With the only weapon used up, the only chance at survival was escape. The cage was open, but surrounded on all sides by the legions of wickedness. Up above, an opening the size of the cage was cut into the ceiling. A system of pulleys hung above the opening, and a rope came down from it – one end attached to the cage, the other to a large weight. Without knowing how this all this began, where the knife in his hand came from, or if cutting the rope would do anything, the man did so and the cage shot up through the opening in the ceiling.

Like a bird out of cage, he soared above the land – he was flying.

The world below was the kind you’ve seen in many a Tim Burton tales; The orange sunset a big pumpkin on the horizon, the dark trees stretching their limbs as if trying to catch a fallen angel, and the land below crawling with activity like an anthill with busy workers. Without explanation, the man’s companion joined him high in the sky, and they flew towards the sunset where their home awaited them. If they hurry, they’ll be home in time for dinner.

Useless fact: I’m terrible at lying to myself.

I can’t even have a proper pipe dream once every while. By the time I pass a thought through my filters, I’ve got a darn good idea about its composition and reality factor. Long term, it tends to work out in my favour, but just once every while I’d like to get the placebo effect; Convince myself of something that just ain’t so.

Of course, I have to wonder if I am so good at lying to myself, I’m not even aware it’s happening. The evidence seems to be proving this theory wrong, and as if that were not enough, the afterthought seems to be of the circular argument kind. “Weak as water.”

Anyway, maybe it’s the tiredness talking. Having crashed last night without preping for sleep – on the floor, TV and lights on, “The Plague” in my hand -, I woke up less than 4 hours later at the exact time my alarm clock would normally be ringing. I didn’t set it, but still got up at the right time to make it to my 7:00 o’clock meeting. That was neat. At least as neat as anything can be which has to be experienced in the hour of 6 in the morn’.

Where’d you go?
I miss you so,
Seems like it’s been forever,
That you’ve been gone,
Please come back home…

A few pics from my “urban life / decay” walk. Decided to go with black and white, since everything is so gloomy, dirty, and uncolourful – that, and the fact that I’ve been on a black and white pics spree. :)

Reflection time: my ‘me time’ is drawing to a close, and I’ve learned a few things about myself.

After nearly two weeks with the GF away in France, I had a chance to catch up on a few things I’ve ‘neglected’ for a while. I mean things I wanted to do – trivial tasks – but just never got around to doing. In hind sight, it turns out I had good reason for leaving those things undone: they’re not nearly as much fun as I remembered them being.

The time I could have spent by myself was often filled with visitation with friends, family, and last minute outings. I thought that given the chance not to go anywhere, I’d just sit at home alone, be a total hermit. Instead, I was out a lot more than I expected to be. The times I was home with time to myself, I often just fell asleep in front of the TV.

I look forward to hearing about Larissa’s adventures in Europe, but find myself at a nice balance between enjoying what I have here and now, and looking forward to things yet to come. Life’s yet again reminded me that you need to enjoy the here and now before you can enjoy anything coming your way in the future. Sometimes in our goal driven society, it’s easy to forget that basic idea.

Before the Internet came along, I’ve spent many days on dial-up BBSes. When “Network 23″ – one of my favourite boards – shut down, I needed a new place for my online friends and myself to hang out at. Unhappy with the choice of existing boards, I opened my own BBS: Ghost in the Machine.

One of the most memorable members of my BBS was Janice, or, Jan-Ice. Although we lived in the same city, we never met (not even for the tennis matches we planned to play). Over the years we got to know each other quite well, and I learned a lot from Janice.

During those days I remember often putting on my headphones, and just listening to music. It was my own time away from the world, and I would just lie there listening to Mike Oldfield, Jarre, Vangelis, and the likes of. It was the best kind of relaxation I knew at the time, and one day when Jan-Ice was telling me about a friend with lots of difficult choices in life, I suggested my relaxation method as a means of sorting things out.

Jan-Ice didn’t think it would work, and said so. I insisted, and vowed it’ll clear up any doubt and confusion. All will be better, and will fall into place. I must have been 15 or so at the time, and obviously very naive.

“Slawy, she’s 18 and just found out she’s pregnant.”

I had enough sense in me to realise that Jan-Ice was right, and sheepishly dropped my suggestion… Apologised.

Last I heard Janice was leaving for a job in New York. We haven’t communicated in over 12 years, and while I remember few specific stories or exchanges, I have no doubt of the impact she had on me while I was nearing adulthood. As blurred as her impact on me is, there are a few things I still remember with detail, like the fact that she was the one that started calling me Slawy, a nickname I often use online to this day.

Where ever you are old friend, I hope life’s good to you.

What is it with the world and the ongoing determination to eliminate all the germs? a) It can’t be done. b) It’s all making everyone sick in the long run. I’m not talking the running nose and sore throat, I mean the damn super bugs!

I’m not a doc of any kind, but think about it for a minute: every time you use anything that supposedly kills all the germs, the germs that survive end up stronger and more resistant to what ever crap you used in the first place. Then it mutates into something really serious that can’t be killed. Stop it, you fools! These days it’s bloody hard finding a non-antibacterial soap in the store. That’s just wrong. Next thing you know and we’ll all be wiping our asses with germ-killing toilet paper. Let yourself and your kids get sick once every while with something minor, and build up your immune system instead of those of the bacteria!

Been a busy couple of weeks, and cobwebs have formed around the Bytech forums, and a bit around here too. Few new clients, tax time, girlfriend leaving town (me helping with prep), and a few other things I promised to take care of elsewhere… well, they all add up to pretty full days. No complaints though. Bills are getting paid, and credit card debt is being eliminated at a healthy pace too. All good stuff.

Friday is party time as I have a few friends coming over for dinner and drinks. Then it’s onto a weekend (minus recovery time) on my own, maybe catching up on a project or two of mine. Of course, I shan’t get too used to the bachelor arrangement, as two weeks will fly by like a mad donkey (“yes Francesca, mad donkeys do fly.”)

Er, had another mental scab to pick on, but for now I can’t seem to find it again. Time then to go and tackle another project, or at least put a dent into one or two of them.