currently reading - for book club next month we're reading "Seabiscuit" which I need to buy. Trying to finish the readings for infovis tonight.

currently listening to - little bit of everything. Letters to Cleo, Elastica, I don't even know what else. Working on a new mix tape though.

job status - salary looks good, job looks great, am completely thrilled, final stuff just needs to be taken care of. Hooray!

04/09/2002

plans and negotiations

Finished the salary discussions with LOC yesterday. Actually they were mercifully brief. Hot damn. Am still reeling from how smoothly things have gone with this job. Alternate between being nervous that that portends some horrific future, and telling myself to worry about things I really need to worry about.

Like what's going on for getting DC.

SS the Ss is still planning on moving back to Washington but not sure about the timing... maybe in May, maybe later, depending on how her interviews go. I'm definitely planning on going in May, on arriving in June and need to decide what I'm going to do to get my butt out there. First choice of course would be to drive with her. But if that's not happening then...

I could drive by myself. Would rent a car, plan a route and go.

• The good points? I could still do the drive. I would get really really good at driving. It sounds terribly cool. I could have total control of the radio and the stop schedule.
• The bad points? I don't drive a ton now so the early parts might be stressful. Couldn't split the gas or hotel bills with anyone. Sounds like the trip could be not the safest to take alone. I might get lonely - hell, I would get lonely. And it's a long long drive

I could drive with someone else. Find a person on the Cal drive board or send an e-mail to people at SIMS and see if anyone who's willing to travel with me is already going.

• The good points? Could still do the drive. Would be an adventure. Could meet a new friend/ get to know a person I currently know a lot better.
• The bad points? A pretty darn unknown quantity. Could be riding 3000 miles with a who-knows-what. Since I'd be hopping someone else's train I'd have potentially less control over all points.
  

I could take the train. Amtrak's got some deals, I've got some time.

• The good points? Traveling on the ground, can see the scenery. Hear the Western part of the trip is gorgeous. The train goes through Las Vegas NM so could visit my grandparents. Kind of like driving except there's a conductor driving the train. Good time to catch up on my knitting.
• The bad points? It's not cheap. Sleeper cars are ridiculously expensive, meaning that sleeping in a chair might be my fate. I've heard you should just add a day to the trip because there are always delays. No real chance of getting off the beaten track - I'm riding on Amtrak's schedule. And although the train tends to have less freaky people than the bus (I'm a veteran of both), it still could be dicey.
  

I could fly. Just hop a plane and be there the same day.

• The good points? It's easy. It's fast. It's probably the cheapest way.
• The bad points? Its not special at all - I fly all the time between coasts so that trip would be just like any other. I'm in no hurry to get to DC before June so the fact its fast does little for me.
  

So I'm pondering all this. Maybe something will come to me as I'm doing more reading on treemaps vs. icicle charts or whatever else I've got to get through for infovis (it is interesting really, my motivation in general is just waning this week in general). Wish me clear thoughts and luck!

events of the day - finished writing comments for the IS213 assignments, breakfast with the Newshound Gang, work, sitting in on the early part of IS213, more work, lunch meeting with the Newshound Gang, went home, took a nap, and now I'm here.

plans for tonight - work, and probably some tv.

and tomorrow - work - what else?