Still recovering, getting alignment, Mid-Autumn Festival Jaunt

I got some frozen teeny scones, jam, and clotted cream at Kitten & the Bear (these are still NOT really scones, but they ARE really delicious).  My oven pulled its usual shenanigans, but we got them warmed and crisp-ish and then slathered then in delight.

#HomeCommunionOfChampions

Then it was off to the airport for the simple quarterly errand of returning the rental car and getting the new one.  This time, my phone played the game where it couldn't figure out where I actually was.  It usually only does this in downtown Toronto where it is a nuisance but manageable.  I ended up seeing a lot of very random, possibly employee-only sections of the airport but did eventually manage to get gas and return the car and pick up the next one.  It took 5 hours, and my phone battery died because of the strain.  (Don't worry, I noticed, and, once my GPS had figured itself out, I pulled over and wrote down the directions for the remainder of the quick errand trip.)  

#Awwwwwww

I was looking for something short (in length) and tall (in height) with plenty of space for luggage when I (theoretically) return home in November or December.  There was one car left.  It was not short.  It was also not tall.

#Whatever  #ProbablyBestNotToBeParalyzedByChoiceAgain  #AlsoThisIsTheFaceOfAPersonWhoWentToIKEAForOneThingAndLeftIKEAWithOneThing  #ASelfControlMiracle

It WAS blue.  But now I am wary of blue cars that are long after the disaster with the last one.  It was also new, but I don't seem to be as allergic to its offgassing as I was to the previous Nissan car.  It also had some weird damage to it that the person checking the car over didn't note, so I made sure to note it.  This is me trying to take pictures in the dim, weirdly lit cavern of the car pickup/drop-off.

#WeirdScratchesAlongTheSide  #Documented

This car has SO MUCH trunk space that I'm not sure laws of physics are being respected.  I might actually be able to fit all my luggage in it.  #FingersCrossed

#SoTrue  #PacingIsNoJoke

#WorkingOnIt  #RecoveringPerfectionistishTendencies

Activity Tracker is not helping here.  It has some very cool and helpful features, but there is a weird disconnect between readiness and the activity goals it sets for the day.  (That I don't see until the end of the day when I have inevitably done the opposite.)

 

#ActivityTrackerFriend  #ICannotBothRestAndMeetYourAboveBaselineGoal  #TheseAreMutuallyExclusive

Have some taiyaki to help.

#TastyFish  #HowIsRedBeanPasteSoGood

I really needed to rest on the weekend.  But Mid-Autumn Festival is coming up, and I was head-down in work until this week and didn't have time to care until now.  I did save myself from a complicated transit adventure when part of one of the main lines was closed for the weekend by realizing I could spend exorbitant amounts to have some mid-autumn treats delivered.

#SomeDayIWillLookBackOnThisFloorPatternFromTheTransitStationsWithNostalgiaAndLonging

But then Saturday morning, I wanted to go check out some of the places along Spadina that my local ERG folks recommended, and, even though I should have been resting, I went.

#HereBeDragons

Once again, I walked right past "Chinese Bakery."  In my defense, I didn't look at the map, and I got distracted by an elderly man listening to nostalgic Chinese music outside a shop front that made me go off on a head-tangent about how hard it must be to love your culture and history so much and have to leave it behind, and when I came to I was almost at the museum, so I knew I'd gone past it.  The store was actually the one the man was sitting outside of, so that was extra funny.

#ThisIsAFreshPerfectChickenSandwich  #PerfectlyBalanced  #SoftFreshRollSavoryCrunchyChickenSlightlySweetMayoCrispSurprisingLettuce

#AMangeyPigeonStaredMeDownWhileIAteIt  #IDidNotShare

Ran into a friend and decided to get a selfie together.

#Hi

#HangingWithMyChineseZodiacSign

I stopped by one of the recommended places where I ordered mooncakes in case they had one that sold out between when I put it into my cart and when I checked out (they did not), and they had some lovely whimsical things.   

#OneOfTheTamerOfferings  #ItIsWhatItLooksLike  #IThinkINeedaDifferentGraduateDegreeToGetItOutOfThePackagingCorrectly

I checked the hours for Omusubi Bar Suzume to make sure they would actually be open, so I could get some great rice balls and cucumber salad.  On my way back from that jaunt, I got a picture of one of the odd, low-lying clouds that was hanging around that day.

#It'sBlockingTheTower  #HardToSee

Then walked around the Chinatown area a little, just looking around at all the mooncakes.  And being glad my plan had not involved the Spadina streetcar, as there was a Falun Gong parade.  Got distracted in my head thinking about how it's considered a far-right cult, but I don't know much more beyond that and how they are clearly very vocally anti-Communist and sometimes the enemy of your enemy is your friend, and then I went to the bookstore.

I haven't really bought souvenirs, and I realized I should probably do that before it gets too cold.  But also, I kind of don't want to buy a bunch of cheap, meaningless stuff people won't really want or treasure simply because that's what you're supposed to do.  I've been bringing friends fun chocolates and sending postcards, so maybe my obligations in this area are taken care of?

Except for these folks.  This is truth.  When you don't have family members in your life who are obligated to make the airport trek, you have to rely on taxis or their modern equivalents.  Having friends who love you enough to go through that line at drop-off or pickup is something I do not take for granted.  These people deserve special things as thanks.  Like maybe a bonsai tree.  Or extra fancy coffee chocolates.

This feels very relevant to my work.  One of my blocks has been contemplating trying to build up another 14-years of subject matter expertise starting from nowhere, and it's a lot to contemplate.  This feels a little more bearable to think about.

#Truth  #NotJustSayingItBecauseMyLibraryIsAllAloneInAnotherCountry  #NotBeingRead  #NotThatMuchWasBeingReadEvenWhenIWasThere  #E-BooksAreEasierOnAllTheChronicPains

Hope you have lots of books in your book wine cellar and extra spoons and excellent executive functioning!

#HangInThere

Recovering from the Fair, maybe catching up, cautiously optimistic about things maybe?

It is a very good thing this was a holiday weekend.  Spent most of it teetering between collapsing and puttering around half-brainedly in a fog.

#FeelingALittleBitLimpAndEnnervated  #AndInNeedOfSomeWatersideMingling

I was pleased that this was still mysteriously on my deck.  I forgot to take a picture before I went home on leave.  

#It'sProbablyNotAVoodooDoll

Like I said last week, I did my best to let this blister heal.  Interestingly, the special bandages I used did not stay on as advertised.  I couldn't really keep one from wrinkling up and starting to detach for more than 1 day.  When I got back to my apartment, the bandage had sort of . . . melted into my sock.  I have had no luck detaching it.  So now I have an extra single sock, and it is luckily of the type I bought 3 pairs of last year.  If you have any suggestions about how to save this sock, let me know.  : D

#It'sAScienceMystery

I had some breathing space at work this week.  Just hit that part in the process where all my work was done and the next step is where it's all collected.  Was able to get my head above water enough to frantically try to catch up on some of the things I've had to ignore.

#IReallyNeedToBeBetterAtThis  #ThinkingAboutHowICanIntegrateItInMyProjects

#SeeAbove  #TakingTheWin

I got this mysterious message from my activity tracker again.  My numbers were . . . rough for a while there, and it wants me to know it's proud of me for . . . whatever I did to make things better?    

#IGuessMaybeIDoRewardMyselfForSurvival

This morning at the cafe where I got these goodies to take home for the week was wild.  I generally try not to be judge-y or prejudiced against groups of people, but this was a #BoomersBeingFools moment that kind of floored me.  It's a small cafe with only a few places to sit outside (important for me, as I am still masking up and trying to be Covid cautious) and even fewer that are shaded.  These 3 boomers had taken over 2 of the tables with shade and had finished their food and drink long before I arrived on the scene.  Their dog, who was a good dog but was obviously starved, spent every other minute giving me soulful looks in case I wanted to share my quiche with it.  The dog was the best part of this interaction.

#PhoneInexplicablyDecidedMyShadowWasTheFocus

When I entered their story, they were discussing their recent cruise.  Mr. Boomer listed all the details.  Then he said something along the lines of, "We went to this one place, and there were turtles everywhere.  So many turtles!  Everywhere!  I don't know what those scientists who say sea turtles are endangered or whatever.  They're wrong.  There were so many turtles."

#ThatBeatOfSilence

I was sort of stunned and bemused and a little bit in despair.  Friend, I thought, is that really logical?  People who study this across all the oceans and know how many turtles are needed to continue the species and have actual evidence and numbers and are experts in this because it is probably their lives' work say a thing based on facts and knowledge, but because you, a single, untrained and unlearned individual saw "a lot of turtles" in one place at one time, your individual experience is more true and correct than actual facts and should be acted on by stopping efforts to conserve? 

#SometimesItOnlyTakesAMinuteOfNonsenseToDrainMe

It's possible I was being uncharitable because I was forced to sit in the sun while they were taking up the shade, but, no, I think he was just being an idiot.  In the end, they left when they were chased away by the surly yellow jackets.  I know this because he called whoever they were going to hang out with next to say they were coming over to sit on their porch in the shade because they got chased away by the yellow jackets trying to eat their crumbs on their empty dishes while other customers were forced to bake in the sun.

#Seriously?!

I packed it in and walked all the way back.  Took the route through the graveyard (there's a stretch along the street where there is no sidewalk, so you can walk in the (busy) road or the bike lane or the graveyard).  Took time to stop and observe the fun late summer things.

#Don'tKnowWhatThisIs  #Pretty

As usual, dysautonomia meant my heart rate did its own thing.  I walked at a steady pace, and . . .

#MyBrainJustDoesn'tKnowWhatToTellMyHeartToDo  #BlessItsHeart

Had some good conversations this week about the next phase of work stuff.  Not with anyone who "matters," just with the great, dedicated people doing the work.  Most of this team is operating outside their native language and not onsite, and I am the hinge that is connecting the folks onsite and this team, and I feel like we're getting to a better place, and I love that feeling on a project when things are coming together instead of flying apart.  

#SavorTheOtherStopsOnThePendulum

#ThisActuallyHasn'tBeenHappening  #MostlyBecauseISeemToBeAwakeMostOfTheEarlyMorning  #Ugh

I am looking forward to being home again and being able to meet more regularly with my pain psychologist.  I miss talking to her every month.  Remote visits are real, but the laws that restrict them to travel in your own state are also real.  If you are able to meet regularly with your mental health professional, please do it!  

#Don'tTakeItForGranted