It takes some effort. The stuff isn’t going to move itself into them boxes I picked up. There actually isn’t that much of it but what is there has to be sorted into some logical cohesion. The bones are fine but the muscles that move them need to be challenged in order for them to operate at a higher level. There is an obligatory and completely necessary get together with my now former colleagues that I must attend. 

My eyes opened early in the morning. My body has gotten used to getting up at this time. At six am the sky is still dark it’s night time still. I looked at my phone and noticed the plethora of messages that needed my attention since they are regarding my work. There is a job in the  Midlands that has housing and a good rate. But I want to see what else there is. There have been a few offers that have trickled in from other agencies. I’d like to know more. The one agency is set to give me the job. I’m trying to hold off for something strategically satisfying. It’s tough to walk a web of tightropes. 

I wasn’t going to start the sorting on an empty stomach. After the emailing settled a bit I went to a frequently attended breakfast place the Red Umbrella and had some breakfast. They got my order wrong but I realized it halfway through my meal and didn’t want to make a fuss. I got bacon instead of ham not a big deal. When I mentioned it later as I was paying the waitress apologized and seemed a bit embarrassed. She wondered aloud if I’ll come back. I’ll probably have another breakfast there before I leave. I certainly won’t leave any negative reviews for an otherwise pleasant place to have breakfast. 

The waterfront was sparsely populated by people. This day seems empty on this stretch of the city. The weather and the month might have something to do with it. I continue to test my new toy against the environment in which I find myself. So far I am impressed with it and I continue to test it and learn. That is until the battery ran out of juice. I got as much in as I could and then after breakfast went to the local liquor store and picked out some nice boxes into which I deposited various items over the course of the afternoon. 

Some boxes became full of material. What do I throw out? What do I keep? Many of the things that I was packing today were keepsakes from the different places I’ve been to. All those elastic strands were from a bungee cord. That was from South Africa from the big jump I did there. That was exhilarating on the way down I couldn’t help but scream at the top of my lungs and then there was quiet and peace as the rain drops fell and I bounced up and down starring at the tops of the trees in the valley below. That object is tied up in my mind with that place and that experience. Obviously it’s not going in the bin. I’ve packed away all the glassware from the kitchen of which there wasn’t much of. I’m going to leave a box filled with various other scraps of paper from the various countries in a box that will serve as a kind of time capsule to be looked at at a later time. All those things that I don’t know what to do with. 

At some point there comes a time when there is enough and it’s time to do something else. It has been a while since I performed my trusty series of excercises. I felt the muscles strain so I eased up a bit so that I could maybe work out tomorrow. Best to get the muscles moving again in preparation for my return. The sitting has been a bit detrimental to my physical upkeep. The walks I’ve done lately have helped but… 

  
Anyways I got myself ready and made my way to the Parlour in Yaletown. They serve fancy pizza and drinks. My kind of place. In order to make it there I felt like I should arrive just a bit past the agreed to time. I sat in a café not too far away and wrote as I watched the clock for the right time to go. 

There were a few people there and we started chatting. It’s tentative at first. The ‘how was your day?’ And ‘did you do anything interesting?’ While ball questions got the ball rolling. Slowly more and more people showed up and we soon ate our shared selection of pizzas. All kinds of people showed up and texted as we after a few drinks loosened our inhibitions. It’s crazy the stories we all have about our past. The variety of experiences and the insight we gained from them. A lot of them had to work the next day so we had an intense time together. They even got me a card. I kind of like getting cards. I have a whole collection of them. 

Now at the end of my day I look forward to sleep and an intense email session tomorrow.