building sandcastles in the sky.

So, today's the day that my Big Winter Project is either green-lighted or completely shut down. One thread still hangs out there. It's killing me. Ugh. This is a big undertaking and a big risk for us, and at this point it makes me just as overwhelmed to think about having this go through as it is to think of scrapping months of work.

Yesterday for work I threw a press conference that had no press. It took place in a union hall where I parked what was the only foreign car in the lot and felt a twinge of fear for my job being seen walking away from it. I walked into the union hall and the staff was smoking in the building and there were ashtrays on the conference room table. Wowsa. I talked a local paper into running my press release, so we got some coverage. But not a good day.

We had some friends over for a congrats dinner last night. They're escaping Chicago. It's funny how familiar I am with folks leaving town-- in 7 years in DC I went through probably 4 groups of friends because nobody sticks around. I guess leaving Chicago isn't quite as common, but it's completely understandable. They're lucky to have good prospects in San Francisco.

And Wednesday after work Audrey ran with me AGAIN, a 4 miler, this time completely on pace. Hot snakes! This could work out great.

This should be a quiet weekend, but I'm too much of a realist to expect it to stay that way. It's a step-back week, so just 11 mi tomorrow. I have vacation on the mind still, but no chance of making it happen...