I’m alive!

Promise. I’m just… busy? After two months (three?), I’m pretty sure that “I’ve been busy” loses something of its validity. However, I’ve been too busy to look that up.

I do have some neat stories to relate; most of them (judging by the fact that I still haven’t said anything about our honeymoon, and we’re now nearing the one-year mark) will probably never be told. The important highlights… Mandrina and I both won National Novel Writing Month (again); Mandrina’s birthday gift involved French food cuisine and bottle feeding 6-month old tigers at Cougar Mountain Zoo (we now go back almost every week — the tigers remember us, and come to sniff at us and “chuff.” It makes me smile like an idiot, and we’re on a first name basis with half the keepers. There are pictures, don’t worry.); Mandrina and I celebrated our first married Christmas snuggled up together in Everett — and were beseiged by cats who were fascinated by curling ribbon; and other stuff. A lot of other stuff.

I don’t have much time (obviously, see “busy,” above), but I figured it was better to quit stalling and put up a status before much longer. Otherwise, I’d become as bad as Mandrina.

SO! I’m working on something I can’t tell you about at work. It’s very hush-hush, but high visibility, so that’s good… except I’m going out of town for a week (on work-stuff).

To that end! I’ll be in Boston!!!! For three nights, admittedly, but still. I contacted everyone who I’m sure would want to see me AND that still lives in the Boston area — if I don’t know you’re in those categories (or I lost your phone number/email address when my computer died and I reformatted my phone — no joke, bad timing), send me a note! I still have some slots open in my schedule.

Immediately following that trip, I’ll be headed to San Jose, California, for the Office Developer Conference. It’s rather a nice privilege (I’m the only non-customer facing rank-and-file employee going from my team), but there’s a bit of pressure. Dress code, talk to customers for hours every day, be surrounded by my new managers (Did I mention the re-org at work?), miss wife, miss cat. Apparently there’s heavy drinking involved — fortunately, I only do sophisticated drinks that don’t make me drunk (if I can manage to expense a Johnnie Walker Blue… Ooooh… that’ll be a good night!).

So, that’s my life. Work. Wife. Cats. More cats. Some trips. Some more blog posts so I can link to adorable pictures and videos of Taj chuffing at me.

NanoKickOff

Today was Seattle’s National Novel Writing Month Kick Off Party, which Mandrina arranged, took place at the Bay Pavilion on Seattle’s waterfront.

If I was feeling particularly verbose, I could go on for a bit about looming, and having a certain disposition. I’m not feeling terribly loquacious, however, so I’ll just post the group pic.

Nano Kick Off 2006 Seattle