New York

Friday, March 16th

I am here.  Oswego, New York.  My computer works if it's plugged in but refuses to start otherwise.  We have yet to figure out the internet connection (this comp wants something besides the usual password), so I have not been able to update anyone except by phone.  Need to contact Kris to get my diabetic test strips.  Hit a thrift store and get me some shirts. or have Lore or Kat send some of mine from Portland.  Some pics I want to use are on the computer in Portland.  I saved them to my blog as a draft post, once I can reach it I'll download them here.  Want to catch up on reviews, I've rejoined the discussion  group.    They are ding two shows at once now, on episodes 5 and 6 respectively, I think, as  of today.

The trip was full of moments both auspicious and inauspicious.  I had eaten unwisely the day before the flight, and  the food I took in on the day of...well, I just  shouldn't have.  At all.  Anything. 

Lore came over to help with last-minute stuff.  Scott picked me up  a bit ofter  three.  My first task was to drop off Kathy's key at the front office...which was locked shut.  Sign in the window said they'd be back ion 90 minutes.  Or so.  After unpacking my phone I rang Lore to drop the key off with her.  On leaving her place for the airport, I got ill from the travel and the food.  Scott got off the highway, and I threw up at a corner we pulled into.  We had intended  to have a last meal together at the airport  - he ended up with a cola while I munched Pepto Bismol pills.  He left me at 7 as I went through security, flight was at 11:20.  A small bag of bugles and a Coke Zero helped quite a lot,  for a while.

I had a window seat to Chicago.  Cloud cover eventually cleared.  There were a few cities I thought were pretty from the air but nothing like Chicago when we landed in the dark.  It was breathtaking, beautiful.  Lights to the horizon...the city looked like Christmas.  Some amazing realm of gold. 

Ohare is one big-ass airport.  I walked most of it, and some of it twice, before finding my gate.  The covering on the handles of my carry-on disintegrated into a fine dust that was all over my clothes.  Then I found my computer was apparently dead.  Oh, yes, and I was half-deaf:  because of my precarious  gastro situation, I didn't dare chew anything on the way down.  The pressure on my inner ears!!  (Insert a quote from Dr. Smith here) 

There was a concern about  the snowstorm in Syracuse, the woman who struck up a conversation with me (or tried to, my hearing being funky), was on her second attempt to reach Syracuse airport.  Her flight had been diverted the night  before.  Our flight was almost delayed. 

We took off just before the sun was up Wednesday morning, and flew right into a sunrise looking like a tropical drink.  Deepest cherry and orange.  Gorgeous.  Soon we were up over a spectacle of white with the kind of rolling cloudbanks you see over deserts.  These rolled over a blanket of snowclouds far below, and beneath those was the actual snow.  Sometimes  we'd fly over a contrail.  The  sun hit the ice crystals and formed part of a rainbow that would  curve inward toward the ground - I'd never seen an upside-down rainbow before. 

Auspicious?  These area  few of the things I'd always wanted to do.  Fly at night, oh hell yes.  The landing in Chicago was more than I coluld have imagined.  Landing in snow, check.  Crazy, maybe, but soince I have a thing for snow I'd always wanted that too.  Intellectually I was aware that it's meant to be hazardous, and I finaally felt wahy oin descent.  The  storm gave us a lot of turbulence even as the rapidly approaching ground kept disappearing from view for far too long at a time.  Exciting, exhilerating. 

No one was there to meet me inside the airport gate, and I took a long time finding where to go to pick up my luggage.  Someone walked me to the right spot, after which I had to decide whether or not to stand outside or wait indoors.  I tried the snow.  Ina  few minutes  one of the passing cars began honking.  It was Jesseca.  The airport was undergoing construction and was no easier to navigate outside than it was inside.  No one knew where to park!

Now, it's chilly here but I'm loving the snow.  I am advised that I am loving it because this aint' nothin' yet as new York winters go.

I'm in a nice-sized room but it's not currently set up for artwork - I need a surface, a chair, and brighter lighting for that.  For now I'll be helping Jesseca with hers.  She has an established market, I don't. 

(oooh - my hearing has been back since Wednesday evening but my right ear started hurting again last night.)

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Sunday, 18th  Listening to Inspector Morse Vol. III

Dana appeared  finally in a dream.  Karla was steps behind me, Dana and I sitting at a desk together, a few others (not identified).  Karla started on some racist rant, which was embarrassing for me.  Dana expressed sympathy for me, said she understood some people can't help the thoughts they were raised with.  I said thank you, and touched my hand firmly on her arm.  I think that touch was significant though I've no idea why.  At least it was Dana herself, and she was being a friend.

I haven't stopped missing Dana, nor am I any closer to falling out of love with her.  My heart is still broken.

I'm not online yet.  We'll have to call the net provider, none of us can figure out what PIN number the computer is asking for.

Need to find out how much is left on my debit card.  We went shopping, I bought a few necessities including art supplies, and no I am loath to spend any more at least until I find out what I have left.  I've been helping jesseca with her own pieces (I can do transfers, add graphite to the designs) and have done a few more sketches for Mina and the Moon.  I'd thought about a panorama instead of portrait, but that's the wrong direction.  What I need is to decrease the amount of negative space, not increase it.  I've bought some acrylics (that set had the colors I need) and a book that will help with anatomy both in drawing and in sculpting.  Bought brushes, bought some clay to try out.  Brian has some books here on angels and fairy folk, they may help with a pose and are a good source  for  studying the basic color scheme I want.  I had a three quarter pose in mind but it feels unnatural.  Now I may want her face-on.  I do not want her head bowed. 

Buddy (the resident feline and dreamwalker) is getting used to me.  He won't let me pet him for long, but he doesn't shy away. 

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