The rough patch continues apace. One bright spot was trying out a new place for breakfast tacos two days ago. It’s one of those coffee/beer/mixed drinks places.
They were out of the bacon ones, so I just got a plain one. It was quite good, and I decided to return the next day, just after open. Got my bacon taco (and a spare to go), the bartender remembered me by name, and as people started heading in, I felt at ease. It’s one of those throwback places where everyone’s nice.
It’s not impossible to find in Austin, but it’s not the default expectation.
Anyway, I’d been up since midnight, so by 7:30 a.m., I figured a beer wasn’t a terrible idea. So I set up shop on a barstool, and roughly an hour later, a woman sits down next to me with her laptop. Conversation ensues, and it turns out she’s the marketing director for a startup. Not my preferred field, but she asked about my work history, and I showed her my LinkedIn.
They don’t have any current openings (who does in this climate?), but she sent a connection request, so I’m at least on their radar. They have a physical product, which she had next to her laptop. It’s a decent sign, though it’s a laser-based health device sold as being good for more ailments than plausible.
So, I got tacos, have a new place to hang out and did some accidental networking.
Sadly, we’re still in the 90s for temps, so the van is … survivable, but that’s a low bar for housing. My sleep sked is still beyond erratic.
One of my two outlets finally gave up the ghost last night, so I currently have the choice of my internet working or having my computer on. Amazon offered a free month of Prime when I signed in, allowing me to get a two-pack delivered today (24VDC high-wattage USB chargers aren’t available locally) … the delivery window is now open, but I’ve been having to hotspot all day, being judicious about the media I’m consuming on a 5GB cell plan.
Hopefully, this will all soon be but a happy memory. Things with the ex cooled off on her birthday after she asked me to visit but as the only one working was unwilling to help pay for the $140 round trip, so I’ve gotten back to something approaching baseline on my mental state with her. Being reminded that I’m just a convenience is always fun. But honestly good for my sanity, as it reminded me why we don’t work after starting to have long, daily phone calls.
It feels like I’m on the cusp of something, but I have no idea what it is. It’s still better than being stuck in neutral.
The rough patch continues apace. One bright spot was trying out a new place for breakfast tacos two days ago. It’s one of those coffee/beer/mixed drinks places.
They were out of the bacon ones, so I just got a plain one. It was quite good, and I decided to return the next day, just after open. Got my bacon taco (and a spare to go), the bartender remembered me by name, and as people started heading in, I felt at ease. It’s one of those throwback places where everyone’s nice.
It’s not impossible to find in Austin, but it’s not the default expectation.
Anyway, I’d been up since midnight, so by 7:30 a.m., I figured a beer wasn’t a terrible idea. So I set up shop on a barstool, and roughly an hour later, a woman sits down next to me with her laptop. Conversation ensues, and it turns out she’s the marketing director for a startup. Not my preferred field, but she asked about my work history, and I showed her my LinkedIn.
They don’t have any current openings (who does in this climate?), but she sent a connection request, so I’m at least on their radar. They have a physical product, which she had next to her laptop. It’s a decent sign, though it’s a laser-based health device sold as being good for more ailments than plausible.
So, I got tacos, have a new place to hang out and did some accidental networking.
Sadly, we’re still in the 90s for temps, so the van is … survivable, but that’s a low bar for housing. My sleep sked is still beyond erratic.
One of my two outlets finally gave up the ghost last night, so I currently have the choice of my internet working or having my computer on. Amazon offered a free month of Prime when I signed in, allowing me to get a two-pack delivered today (24VDC high-wattage USB chargers aren’t available locally) … the delivery window is now open, but I’ve been having to hotspot all day, being judicious about the media I’m consuming on a 5GB cell plan.
Hopefully, this will all soon be but a happy memory. Things with the ex cooled off on her birthday after she asked me to visit but as the only one working was unwilling to help pay for the $140 round trip, so I’ve gotten back to something approaching baseline on my mental state with her. Being reminded that I’m just a convenience is always fun. But honestly good for my sanity, as it reminded me why we don’t work after starting to have long, daily phone calls.
It feels like I’m on the cusp of something, but I have no idea what it is. It’s still better than being stuck in neutral.