7:57 p.m. - October 14, 2005
I long for what was, am content with what is, am hopeful for what is to come
Outstanding presentation today; perhaps my finest to date: They laughed at the right places, they posed excellent, not-too-off-topic questions, and were lively. On my end I was comfortable, as comfortable as I could be in a room of 70+ people, each of whom I wanted to impress on more than one ego-gratifying level. Geoff, the organizer, introduced me as a Seattle boy come home, mentioning my time at the alma mater, a pleasant segue into a very successful, very pleasant day.
Modesty, Jason, modesty. But damn, I was goood.
Afterwards, I drove to one of my favorite bluffs overlooking the ferries and Sound, snagging some dinner along the way. I sat on a bench and ate, reflecting on the day and enjoying the love I have for the city. It was windy and the leaves are falling and as I watched the sun set a sudden updraft brought a whirlwind of orange, yellow, and brown leaves in a graceful, almost slow-motion manner that enveloped me. I wish I had had a camera - while my hair was covered in leafgrit and my dinner became rice and peas with a leaf overlay, it was a sublime, magical moment. I could not have done any better had I orchestrated the wind and leaves with a spell and incantation invoking wood sprites.
Thought about Spec, A3, my childhood, about some of my current worries regarding intimacy and A3. Fundamentally, I like to be touched, an assertion I would not think I'd ever make. While yes I am usually uncomfortable when touched - whether accidentally brushed, unexpectedly hugged, or a finger rubs against the grain of my armhair - I enjoy it, I love it. Lately I've been very touchy-feely (not just with A3) and once again, nothing bad has happened.
Thought also about how I'm growing into the man I was meant to be.
It feels good to say that.
Tomorrow: Pedagogical Norms, the Five C's, language bits. I love this stuff.
