I don’t keep much paper so my total haul of stuff will probably fit in two cardboard boxes. I have the mountain of crap at my home office. I hope I can pair down to the stealth office you describe!

Fog at night in Gotham — that’s a mixed bag of otherworldly visions and just plain danger. Or so it seems from my easy chair in central Pennsylvania.

Isn’t it great meeting other Vespa riders? They’re different from all other riders — scooters or motorcycles — in my experience. Doesn’t happen that often so it remains a treat to meet a like minded spirit.

Be careful out there. Hope for finer weather soon.

Thanks David. A stretch to just post something. Crazy busy these days.

No emeritus status for staff at Penn State. I’ll be handed my hat at the end of June. Hopefully my replacement will be onboard before that. I’ll evaporate into remote spaces as we work through the transition. Exciting times.

Will do.

Emma lives in a screen sheltered world. Seeing herself, or anyone else, on the iphone is mesmerizing. We’ve not fallen into the “what have you brought me grandpa?” routine. yet.

I can’t get my head around life after work. I have plenty of plans and goals and dreams. But everything feels surreal. And scary. Perhaps a few warm, sunny days will fix all that.

Makes a big difference. Snowed here again today. Dropping toward 30F over night. Want to ride tomorrow but ugh, I just don’t want to brave another cold morning on the Vespa…

Of course, I’ve had to do much of this at night, in large part on account of Trains Running Badly. Twice in two weeks, I’ve been waylaid by derailments in New York’s Penn Station, making the going slow getting into Gotham, and slower getting out. And, twice this month, I found myself getting off the train in the wee hours, the station parking lot wrapped in fog and drizzle, nearly empty save for a few cars scattered here and there…and Melody, all misted up but otherwise stalwart and ready to ride.

But riding in fog during the day is one thing: put the sun on the other side of the planet and it gets more than a bit eerie, even if it’s so late that I’m practically the only vehicle on the road. When in the face of London-class fog, nothing is quite what it seems. Helmet visor mists up; eyeglasses mist up. I notch my speed down from 40 to 25mph and lift up my visor to hopefully see where I’m going a tad better. It works…until the rain starts, and then turns to…sleet? Damn it all, it’s April! This stuff is stinging my face; it’s a good thing I wear glasses full-time, otherwise I’m sure I’d have put out an eye here.

But something put me in a nicer mood today: On my way from a gig in Park Slope Brooklyn, I came across a man and his young daughter coming from the local library, getting set to head home on a somewhat-tattered GTS 250. I had to stop and chat, starting with “That’s the best way to get around.” The father smiled and agreed heartily, saying he’s loved his GTS from the day he bought it seven years ago city-borne slings n’ arrows and all. I said it looked like his daughter enjoyed riding along as well, and she nodded her helmeted head quite enthusiastically. I wasn’t riding today (Sig. Other drove into town with stuff of her own to do), but I got my vicarious bit of Vespa-ing in anyhow. 🙂