Friday 19 March, 2pm in New York City. A near perfect 20 degrees.
Hanging in Central Park with the other escapists. Middle aged suit, tie slackened, NY Times under his head, on a brief unhiatus from answered emails, his secretary, his wife. College guy, text book open, pen behind the ear, clearly here on the pretext of studying but opting to procrastinate instead. Me, basking on a rock in the sun, soaking in the vitamin D I've craved since October... and figuring that I should stop avoiding this blog.
It's been a while between drinks, I know. Everything and nothing has happened really. But I found myself too busy swinging the pendulum between boredom and melancholy to write during winter, then too excited and busy to think in Feburary.So Vancouver wasn't quite what I expected. Although it's hard to notice the finer points of a city that rains day, night and everywhere in between. My first two months were really just soggy, and I found myself dragging heavy feet into work and then home again, to watch some hockey or just go to bed. At this point I'd like to apologise to my friends in Van, who might take this all a bit personally. But you shouldn't. There are any number of reasons why I had the experience I did, and reallly all I can say is... I'm just a sun-loving kinda girl.
By January, things started heating up on the work front, the rain eased... and then it was headlong into six weeks of full show operations and all that goes with it! If it wasn't happening inside BC Place, it didn't exist. Long days, meal packs, ciggy breaks, coffee hit after coffee hit, accreditation passes... so many passes, delerium, joy, tears, hangovers, tantrums and at the end of the day... immense satisfaction for a job well done. And who knows, maybe a new career option beckons... but I will write in more detail about the Games another time.
That was it in a nutshell! My love/hate relationship with Vancouver was run it's course and we've gone our separate ways.
So back to my rock in Central Park. Who'd have thought a rock could be so comfortable? I am enjoying a moment of pure happiness. No where to be, no phone, no deadlines, nothing. How glorious!
In fact, I think it's time for a little less laptop and a lot more ice-cream...
