Eric’s Ephemera

Visualizing a Depression

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Snow in Richmond

We actually had a little snow-storm here this morning. There was no accumulation worth mentioning, but for about an hour, it looked like a blizzard if you didn't look at the ground.

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New Coffee Spot

Ellwood Thompson finally opened its satellite coffee shop this weekend, and, since the weather was amazing today, I made the three-block walk to check it out. I admit to trying the nearly $4 coffee from the Clover coffee maker ... mainly out of curiosity. I must not be as much of a coffee-snob as I thought I was, though, because I couldn't taste where the extra $2 went. Still, the great atmosphere, good (regularly-priced) coffee, free Wi-Fi, free book-swap bookshelves, and inviting variety of couches, chairs, and tables put it on the short list of places to hang out or escape to for some work-away-from-home.

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Overnights in DC

JBS is conducting a training in D.C. Wednesday and Thursday, and since I'm down in Richmond now, they're paying for me to stay in a hotel room for Tuesday and Wednesday nights. The hotel is a block from Dupont Circle, and it's really nice to be back in this part of the city. Even though I like Richmond a lot, I still miss D.C. It's been nice to hang out in the city, and great to visit Kramer Books again.

The stay is definitely too short, though, and I didn't get to catch up with any friends from the area. Next time, I hope.

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San Francisco Training

I'm in San Francisco this week conducting a training. My company is holding the event at the Mark Hopkins, a beautiful hotel at the top of Nob Hill. My room is great, with a super-comfy bed. On the top floor of the hotel is the "Top of the Mark" restaurant with an amazing view of the Golden Gate Bridge. The only problem is that I can't really afford to eat here: $19 for a hamburger, $4 for a cup of coffee, etc., but I'm not really complaining. Tons of sights and restaurants are just down the hill.

More details later, and pics when I return.

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New Year's Eve 2008

We spent New Year's Eve in Carytown because we heard it's a big deal. We walked from the apartment down to the Can Can for an excellent dinner (Thuraya's sipping her Martini in the attached picture … full set is here), stalling as much as we could because the night was freezing. When we finally bundled up and headed back out to the street, we were a little disappointed at the size of the crowd and the general offerings. There was one stage at the end of Carytown that hosted a few bands through the night and a few street vendors selling hot food and New Year's junk (blinking glasses, hats, etc.), but that was about it. I think the cold kept a lot of people away until close to midnight.

Rather than freeze ourselves walking back and forth between the stage and the Byrd (where the ball would rise at midnight), we bought hot drinks at a coffee shop and killed another hour in there watching people and eveasdropping. When the crowd finally started to pick up, sometime around 11:30, we headed back out and eventually found a spot on a street corner, packed in by people, and waited for the ball to rise. A rooftop full of partiers served as the enertainment, shouting, spraying champagne, and swatting beach balls into the crowd.

Finally, the last minute of the year shivered by, but even that was a bit disappointing: the ball was halfway up the spire before anyone realized it, and the crowd was only on "three" when the ball stopped and a few fireworks shot out. Everyone happily ditched the last two seconds of the countdown to scream "Happy New Year," though, and then the mass exit down alleys and side streets began. We were back at the apartment making hot chocolate by 1:00 a.m. A mostly good time, and we're both glad we went, but next year we need to find a pre-party or two.

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Hoping for a Better Year

Despite how rough 2008 has been, I have a lot to be thankful for as the year ends: I found a nice couple to rent the townhouse; I got to spend a few weeks visiting family in Germany and touring a bit around Europe; I’ve finally settled into a new and very comfortable apartment (at a great price); I’ve moved from Woodbridge and teaching on to new places and pursuits; I have a job that I enjoy, that pays well, and that lets me work from home in Richmond; I have a wonderful and supportive family; and I have an amazing girlfriend.

Still, I hope 2009 is better. Thuraya will start classes part time this spring, moving to full-time as a theater major in the fall. I was hoping to pursue an MFA myself, but I don’t think that’s going to happen because I can’t go full-time and, therefore, won’t qualify for the tuition waiver with a teaching assistantship or fellowship. Still, that’s about the only glitch right now. What I can do is use all the extra time that I’m saving by not having to commute every day to (finally) achieve some long-term goals.

So … here’s the list of resolutions, and I hope I won’t break them all too quickly:

1. Writing: Even though I can’t get an MFA, I can still write. I want to get a few short things published this year and complete a few larger projects. I plan to spend at least an hour every day writing, though I’ll cut myself some slack on weekends and holidays. The goal: one piece published by June; write a minimum of one hour per day 5 days a week.
2. Health: Thuraya and I are both trying to eat smarter, we’ve joined the local Gold’s Gym (which is much nicer than the one I attended in Woodbridge), and when the weather gets warm, we’re going to buy some cheap bikes and bike around Richmond as much as possible. I also hope to track down some good local trails and do plenty of hiking. The goal: a maximum of two “bad” meals per week; workout at least four times per week.
3. Finances: To help Thuraya afford college, we’re both going to be doing whatever we can to spend our money wisely and stay on a smart budget while also saving for emergencies and the future. I feel like we’ve been hemorrhaging money the last few months with the moves and medical bills and other end-of-year-expenses, and we need to recover. This one’s no fun, but vital. The goal: stay within $100 of our budget every month.
4. Blogging about Research & Richmond: I’ve been neglecting my blogs lately with all the moving hassles and holiday fun, but I want to get back into the habit. I know some people see blogging as either a silly, self-indulgent waste of time or as a lot of work for little reward, but for me, blogging is a way to think about things that interest me or share some things I’ve enjoyed. On my main site, I want to write more regularly about a few subjects that are important to me: education and literacy, writing, folklore/religion/philosophy, and genre studies. I also want to post more often about what I’m doing, particularly in and around Richmond … mainly because I want to start doing more in and around Richmond. The goal: a minimum of one post per week.
5. Photography: This is related to the blogging idea: something I want to do for me, but that I also like to share. I’m a strictly amateur-level photographer, but I enjoy it and want to keep learning, practicing, and improving. The goal: one good photograph per week.

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Christmas 2008

I spent Christmas in Calabash with my parents and girlfriend. We brought winter clothes, which didn’t fit the summer-like weather, but we had a great time following the Christmas traditions: baking cookies, exchanging gifts, playing games, attending evening church, watching Christmas specials, eating great food, and enjoying our time together.

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Mostly Settled

After nearly three months in Richmond, we're finally starting to feel like we live here. Of course, a big part of the delay was the month we spent at 10 S Boulevard and the stress of another move (the third in two months). Now that we're mostly unpacked and enjoying our new apartment at Malvern Manor, we can start focusing on something beyond work and living arrangements.

Unfortunately, we've missed a lot of the holiday events so far thanks to all the upheavals: the lighting of downtown, Maymont caroling, Nutcracker ballet, James River parade of lights, etc. Still, being warm and happy is holiday cheer enough! Maybe we'll catch one or two events before the holiday season comes to a close. And now that I've finally unpacked my camera, I can start taking pictures again.

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We're In!

Well, after a stressful (and expensive) weekend, we’re out of our old place on the Boulevard and into our new one at Malvern Manor. A definite improvement: heat, laundry, parking, responsive management and maintenance … all good things! The only negative is that Verizon FIOS isn’t available here yet, so it’s back to Comcast for now. (After having both, I’m definitely a huge FIOS advocate.)

Of course, a lot of unpacking and organizing is ahead of us for the next week or two, but life seems to be getting back to normal. More regular updates (and Richmond-related posts) coming soon!

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