This has not been the best of times. It’s not the worst of times, either. That’s likely in the future. Things at work are not ideal and I can’t say much more because I’m trying not to say that much about work any more.

I also tried to endure my usual allergy shot and it caused me to break out into hives and required FOUR Benadryl to avoid staying an itchy blotchy mess. Or is it a blotchy itchy mess? It almost became a non-breathing itchy blotchy mess and that would’ve made me an ex-itchy blotchy mess.

And today I went to my new Crossfit gym and even though I kept it “light” I think I’m going to have issues with my shoulder now as well as my lingering issues with my right foot.

Yesterday wasn’t so bad though. I went to watch my friend’s kid’s senior presentations and she’s doing quite well as far as I can tell. I have to admit she’s a bit of a nutbag, but I’m pretty sure her biological dad is my friend and he’s a serious nutbag. It’s not like I like normal people. After watching the two presentations (she had to go and get a double-major in Math and Chemistry) I went to a local MIT Alumni association happy hour.

I was at the pub for the happy hour a bit early and I kind of could tell that nobody there was an MIT grad. I asked my sister if that was odd that I thought that I could tell the difference between an MIT grad an a “normie” and she said, “Well you are one of them.” I actually picked several of my fellow alumni of the crowd without having met them before.

I think I’ve finally come to terms with my time at MIT: it was my choices that led me to the tortures of undergraduate life there and not really the fault of MIT. Because of that I think I can actually talk about the place as somewhere that nerds NEED to go rather than a place that should be avoided at all costs. A true geek needs to go to find out how they measure up, as well as drink from the firehose. I’m finally OK that I just ended up a guy who can live with a single, older, middle-class existence in the hipster paradise of Portland, Oregon. There are excellent beers available as well as tasty tamales. I can have computers to play with and some sort of compromised ham radio antenna for my other geeky hobby. I’m OK.

Now if could just stay peacefully employed and keep from trying to keep up with the kids at a Crossfit gym, I’d be even better off. Wish me luck!