(no subject)

Oof. You know that deep-water state when you're submerged so far down in a vat of sleep that, when your nightmare makes a phone ring or a curtain burst into flame, you know you have to swim back up into consciousness to take care of the situation, only your limbs are so sleep-logged that your muscles remain essentially paralyzed?

Yeah, just woke up from one of those. Definitely past time to mend my ways.

That said, it was a good trip: the BYM and I were in Chicago for a conference, and the city is as beautiful and energizing as ever. Highlights included savoring the naan and dipping sauces at Aria, watching the salsa dancers at Excalibur, taking in part of the Air and Water Show from Navy Pier, and attending a formal hosted at the Museum of Science and Industry.

The last was especially fun -- the Da Vinci exhibit included an actual page from one of his notebooks (a stage design for Orpheus), a "design your own plane" touchscreen program, a glimpse of Leon Lederman's notebooks, and an intriguing clip from Laurie Anderson's Songs and Stories from Moby Dick. Watching the other guests coo over the baby chicks and geek over the massive Chicago-to-Seattle trainscape was also wicked cool.

I owe heaps of emails and comments, but I still need more sleep (even though I didn't stay up for last night's after-hours poker game), so I'll be posting them later rather than sooner. In the meantime, it's good to be home.


P.S. Belated birthday wishes to ludimagist, significantowl, and xochiquetzl! Hope this sees all y'all about to enjoy your best years yet!