Journal Reunion

Sunday, July 26, 1998
One year ago: The Recovery Movement

Of the various things that I wanted to do on Saturday, I did only one. I skipped the Cacophony-related yard-sale scavenger hunt, since my cold was knocking me for a loop. Coughing fits in the middle of the night take on such a nightmarish quality for me: I feel uncomfortable but I'm too asleep to figure out that I should really just go take some more meds!

In the afternoon, I took the bus over to Wallingford. The Fool Serious group (a social group of full-series pass holders from the film festival) had a plan of meeting for a beverage at Murphy's Pub, then seeing "Saving Private Ryan," then having pizza. I got there early enough to stop at the drugstore and get hard candies and lozenges (including my favorite, Luden's Honey-Licorice) to prevent coughing fits during the movie. There were a few familiar faces in the group, but most were new to me.

I did enjoy the movie! Tom Hanks has such an appealing, everyman type of quality about him. Has he ever played a part where he was an unpleasant, mean guy? Or a villain? But the combat scenes are incredibly gory! I did have to cover my eyes during parts. They managed to vary the presentation of these scenes, so they weren't all the same. Good cast overall. I was convinced that the scared corporal translator was played by Henry Thomas of ET fame. It wasn't him, though, just someone who looked like him.

After the movie we went to the pizza place next door. Fun, but my cold was wearing me down, so I was a little more irritable than I normally am.

I didn't make the decision to not go out dancing till about mid-evening, but it seemed like the wisest thing. Even though at some points I felt just fine, when a coughing fit seized me, or my head started throbbing, I knew that I was best at home and not in a smokey bar. Two nights in a row, not dancing! Shocking!

*     *     *     *     *     *     *    *

I had gotten the word a few days ago that Lucy Huntzinger was coming to town. She was brought up in Seattle, and visits here periodically. She wanted to meet some folks, so a small get-together was arranged at the Elysian Brewery, where I've been before with friends A.P and Randy, and where I went with Bluejack the first time we met.

I was the second to arrive; Ab Nomen, the author of the Jel Scroll, was there before me. In order of arrival after that: Andrew "Coredumps" Denyes, Lucy "Aries Moon" Huntzinger (non-journaller fannish friends Alan Rosenthat, Janice Murray, and Bonnie showed up later to talk to her), Bluejack, then special guest (invited by me)Helen of "Up from Sloth". We all chatted and had a grand time! Though Bluejack commented on awkwardness, I didn't feel it. I drank copious amounts of ginger beer (free refills!) and other folks snacked on sandwiches, fish and chips, and fries with "bliss" sauce. Andrew ordered this, because he wanted to know what "bliss" tasted like. The noise from the music was a bit too loud for easy understanding of the conversation, even after I asked them to turn it down, but I think I caught most of it.

After several hours of talking, it was getting rather warm in the bar, so on my suggestion we decided to go to the overlook at the north end of Capitol Hill. The women in the party went via Lucy's rented car, stopping off at the nearby drugstore and grocery store for provisions. The two males left (Bluejack and Ab Nomen) walked the fifteen or so blocks.

As we drove up to the overlook and parked the car, we saw the guys just keep on walking! I went after them, walking briskly but not running -- not in this heat! It turned out they thought that since we weren't there yet, they must not have arrived in the right place. They eventually turned back and we rested under the tree and enjoyed the view. We continued talking on life and journals, while two women on the other side of the tree held a small sacrificial ceremony. I didn't mind the ceremony, but I was worried about the fire! They did put it out carefully, though, so that was ok.

It was idyllic under the laurel tree, with a breeze blowing, and the journalers snacking on honey-roasted nuts. I hope no one caught my cold through sipping on my diet coke! I did warn folks before they imbibed!

Since I got home, I've been dipping myself in tepid water, following Lizzie's advice.

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