So glad September.

(The photo is apropos of nothing. I just needed something pictoral and I liked this shot I took in March.)

I am always relieved when September returns, perhaps a holdover from schooldays – the illusion of possibiliity scribbled on blank notebooks with yet-unbroken pencils. I say illusion, because if those of you who suffered a lack of popularity recall, each school year quickly became the same kind of isolated hell as the last one. But those first few days were their own kindof excitement. New textbooks, new teachers, new things to learn…. An escape from the bordeom of summer’s end.

Not that I’ve been bored this summer, but it definitely was emotionally askance and I spent last week’s holidays in Victoria coming to some understanding of what that’s been about. I’m not going to go into it here. It’s a little too self-involved even for this space. I feel through with self-analytics for the time being and the hopeful, it’s-just-turned-autumn-me, wants to get on with living a little less cerebrally for awhile.

The time in Victoria was excellent though, and exactly the type of rest I needed with lots of friend-time, some good eating, some meditating and hiking, and some random creative writing (how come everytime I start to write a short story I realize it’s meant to be a novel?). I unfortunately discovered my camera was broken when I got over there, so no photos (and I’ve got to take it into the warranty-shop today).

On Saturday I came back and did some lounging and cleaning, and Sunday I went to see Gogol Bordello at the Commodore and danced myself sore and sweaty. Which really is saying something since I hate crowds and get anxiety when trapped inside them (like say on a packed dance floor) but I was simply entranced by the energy of the band and all the crazy balkan-music-loving people shouting along. Even cooler was the fact I went with my upstairs neighbours who I am getting to know better and enjoying as people (which helps me ignore their tendency towards making noise). Afterwards, my neighbour and I drank a beer and each gave a tour of our apartments to the other. “Ohhh, so that’s why the TV is so loud in my bedroom” 😉

Now I’m back at work, and after a week away from it I can honestly say that it’s as much a contributor to my stress as anything. I really just have to let go of outcomes here. It’s not like they will fire me if this project doesn’t go on schedule. My new web person started today though, and apparently I’m on the right track for the presentation I have to give in Ottawa next week – so really, it’s all going according to plan. Oh, except that my French classes I had hoped to start next week have been cancelled due to lack of enrollment at my level (not quite beginner but almost and they won’t let me into the beginner class for some reason). I’m currently hunting around for another non-government class that still has fall openings.

And generally, I feel pretty good. Almost calm even though things are about to get whirlwind busy. Oy. It’s autumn and time to get going.