Me going to Boston for a weekend is not usually news, but me going to Boston and having a little free time here and there during which I might see people does qualify. I'm driving up Saturday morning and back Sunday night. I will be teaching both Saturday afternoon (cross-step waltz 1:30-4:00 in Medford) and Sunday afternoon (Regency tea dance 2:00-5:00 in West Newton), but this leaves me free to possibly have meals or other low-stress socialization with people before, after, or in between. (I can only think of four people who read Rixo who live in Boston, two of whom I will see at the dances, but maybe some lurking person will surprise me.)
My preferred method of meeting, given my utter inability to navigate in Boston, is that people come to where I am.
I go into this trip with mixed feelings because two years ago awfulness happened during this same weekend, and then last year I was overwhelmed by ghosts and memories. I'm hoping that this year with a little more distance I can be more in the present and in better spirits
I'm hoping that this year with a little more distance I can be more in the present and in better spirits
I raise my glass and wish you better spirits.
(Takes a sip.)
Pretty good spirits, I say.
Posted by: Serge | February 06, 2009 at 10:39 AM
I'm hoping that this year with a little more distance I can be more in the present and in better spirits
"They" say that memories can't hurt you. And like so much that "they" say, they're wrong*. But as time goes by we can hope not to be hurt as much as last time we remembered and one day the sadness takes it's place next to the joy and all the other feelings and...
Well I don't have any special wisdom or even anything much to say here. What you remember and how you feel is all yours. But share it if you need to, or want to and can.
Hope it goes well!
* "Only boring people get bored" "Ignore him and he'll leave you alone" "If you pick at it won't get better" "Violence never solved anything"
Posted by: Neil Willcox | February 06, 2009 at 07:47 PM
I hope you enjoy the con and that your memories start finding their places.
Posted by: Marilee J. Layman | February 06, 2009 at 10:55 PM
No con this weekend, Marilee - my next one is Lunacon in March.
The memories in this case are painful, not hurtful, if that makes sense: the death of a very dear friend, teacher, and mentor whom I still miss desperately.
I have to say that boredom is rarely an issue for me except sometimes when dealing with other people. My life is rather in a rut, though. Everyone at work keeps asking what I'm doing on the weekend. And every weekend it's one of two answers: catching up on sleep or teaching dance. It has become very narrow. I can't decide if this is good or bad.
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | February 06, 2009 at 11:27 PM
Susan... Sleeping is a nice thing to be able to do once in a while. And dancing is something you enjoy. Look at both activities as something that's a welcome change from work.
Posted by: Serge | February 06, 2009 at 11:37 PM
It may be trite to say so, but all we can do is cherish the good memories. And I say this being fully aware that I am not a person who can easily brush off the bad memories.
Posted by: Serge | February 07, 2009 at 12:17 AM
Being here, I still feel my friend's absence everywhere. I keep expecting him to come bouncing down the stairs or to see him sitting in the study.
Yesterday's workshop went well. I hope the tea dance gets a good attendance.
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | February 08, 2009 at 09:28 AM
Have a safe trip back, Susan.
Posted by: Serge | February 08, 2009 at 10:23 AM
Susan, I thought "soon" meant Boskone next weekend. I should have read more carefully.
Posted by: Marilee J. Layman | February 08, 2009 at 06:56 PM
Marilee,
I thought about going this year, but then I got hired for the Dance Flurry in Saratoga Springs, and that trumps any desire I might have to go to Boskone.
Posted by: Susan de Guardiola | February 09, 2009 at 07:20 AM