"Writer´s block"

Writing code for a website or software can sometimes be very frustrating. That was the case today. A project should be presented to a client tuesday next week, but nothing came out from my brain this morning. A total block.

Luckily I know the medicin for this problem: "Autobahn", the highway. Pointless driving, very fast, no plans. Maybe a cup of coffee in some service area, then back home.

It worked. Inspiration is back.

Work versus Relationship

Last weeks have been very busy. A couple of work projects have been taking almost all of my time. Every now and then a couple of days home with Angie and then on the road again.

This weekend we celebrate our birthdays (me Tuesday last week, Angie yesterday) together with our German friends and family. I will arrive in Leipzig about 18:00 (6 PM), reception starts 19:30. Early Saturday some customers of mine will arrive, I´ll take them to see AMI, one of the main European car exhibitions. Nothing to do with my work but a nice way to corrupt the customers. Traditional Sunday brunch with Angie, my mother-in-law and Angie´s aunt, and Sunday evening on the road again on a two week trip.

Those who read my old blog know one of my eternal themes: Is this work-oriented life really the only alternative we have? Simply, I do not spend enough time with Angie. When we have an argument it is normally because of this lack of time together. Going to bed alone in some remote hotel is not nice when your biggest desire is to fall asleep enjoying (and be waked up by) the warmth of the body of the love of your life.

As a young man I decided I´ll save money so I can retire when I am 50. That Big-Five-Oh is now only a year away and now it seems I´ll have to work quite a bit longer than planned. To pay the bills is keeping me on the road.

Life sucks! Today. Not always, but clearly it sucks today. Tomorrow evening, home with my Angie and our friends, I will not think so. But now, LIFE SUCKS!

Logistics of love and family

Maukka´s wedding week and a half ago brought us a logistical problem. Angie´s best friend’s birthday was only two days before the wedding. Angie had long ago promised to organize the party. Problem is this friend lives in Rome Italy. From the beginning it was clear she makes the trip with her car, so she can bring back some important things from the warehouse where we still have a lot of stuff, put there after selling the apartment summer of 2006. She enjoys driving; we both like the trip through Switzerland very much and make it normally very slowly, 2-4 days for a bit over 1300 km from Leipzig to Rome. When you for example check Morcote (homepage and map), a small town by Lake Lugano, you understand why it is almost impossible just to drive through.

The plan was OK, we both thought. She drives alone to Rome, I stay at work and fly later there for a few days to visit some friends, too, and to help her to pack stuff from warehouse to car, and then we would drive back together.

When the invitation to the wedding came it was too late to cancel everything we (she!) had already organized. It was time for Plan B: she drives to Rome, I drive to Solingen to work a couple of days on that side of Germany. Friday 15th she catches a plane in Rome, I do the same in Solingen (Düsseldorf Airport 30 km from home), and we´ll meet at Helsinki Airport driving together to Salo. Sunday after the wedding back to Helsinki, nice and quiet evening in hotel, next day some work stuff of mine and then rental car back to airport, late lunch together, Angie flies back to Rome, me to Solingen to work. Then yesterday evening I was supposed to be on a plane heading Rome, to drive back home to Leipzig with "Mein Schatz" (= My treasure) over the weekend. In Leipzig on Monday next week, 3rd of March and following day, Tuesday the 4th after the work, this already routine 4-5 hour drive to Solingen to pick Eero and Teemu up from Düsseldorf Airport late same evening.

Plan B worked until yesterday. Like always, something came up. This time only five hours before I was supposed to be on the plane heading Rome, having a cold Campari Soda in my hands and anxious to meet Angie after a week’s break. Now, instead of drinking cappuccino in Piazza Navona hand in hand with a beautiful lady, I am in the middle of nowhere in the Dutch countryside working with ugly men. Luckily from this part of Holland I´ll drive home to Solingen only an hour and a half, so I can sleep home. Spare parts to fix the crashed system, ordered earlier today, will arrive sometime Friday. I assume the job is done late Friday / early Saturday.

Plan C is now active. I have to finish this job. Then maybe late Saturday evening I can drive to Leipzig. It is a 511 km drive one way; there is also a 60 km shorter route between our homes but it takes about an hour longer to drive. Sunday lunch with my wonderful mother-in-love and her sister, Angie´s aunt. Schatz arrives late Sunday or Monday, depending on the conditions when crossing the Alps.

After that back to Plan B: on Tuesday back to Solingen to pick our Finnish visitors from the airport.

Motto: Life is a logistical nightmare!