Finally hauling our butts out of winter . . .

[dr_kromm]

This past winter and early spring were uncommonly bleah. While I suffered no major disasters, all kinds of minor stressors just got to me, among them a dead hard drive, a minor illness, a craptastic exchange rate (I live in Canada but get paid in U.S. funds), a nasty surprise with my income tax, and projects that needed a stupid amount of hand-holding and applied shoe leather at work. I've come to realize that all this small stuff felt unusually stressful in part because, though I'm a night person, I don't like my days to be short and/or grey. Which is to say, the presence of snow and the lack of sunlight rots my brain. I thought we were going to get off easy this year – it was a sunny 25°C on April 3! Then we got a snowy 1°C on April 27. Anyway, that's why none of my recent posts have had to do with anything but (1) work and (2) my RPG campaign . . . I just haven't had anything fun to write about.

However, things are finally changing. Last Friday (April 23), Bonnie and I saw our friend Narly, whom we hadn't seen since 2003. She held a party at a friend's place while she was visiting town. Despite not knowing most of the people there, I ended up drinking beer in the kitchen until 2 a.m. with a crowd that mostly spoke Turkish. It was fun just to get out, meet new people, and do something that bears no relationship to work.

The next day (April 24), Bonnie's baladi troupe had a segment in the 35th anniversary show of Cabaret Cléopâtre. This was for the most part drag, burlesque, and other slightly (but only slightly) risqué acts. The baladi act wasn't especially blue, although it was clown-themed, so it was kind of scary. Anyway, this offered another excuse to get out, have some drinks, etc. As a bonus, the DJ put on a bunch of house music afterward, so I got to dance, which I love.

And then just last Thursday (April 29), Bon's troupe had another engagement, this one a part in a show that was in essence a benefit for gay pride in Moscow. While we're straights, we both feel that it sucks that there are still places in the world where you can be beat down – by the authorities, no less – for what you do behind closed doors. I mean . . . huh? So there we were. This wasn't a big do, but it was a third chance to get out in the evening, have a few drinks, and be entertained.

So it looks like the spring thaw is here at last. Let's hope the social events keep coming!