A sunny and relatively warm mid-autumn day. The deckers came again to carry on with their work, and I spent most of the day getting more acquainted with the work my new team does. Watched a couple of videos that described in simple terms how data centers are networked. I can tell you all about the various electrical and mechanical machinery that operate the buildings, but I never learned much about the actual computer networking. Now I have a grasp, which is good because that’s the new program area I’ll be communicating in. However, I don’t know whether I’ll ever understand how in the world computer engineers came up with the concept of sending packets of information across miles of wires and fiber optic cables to be translated into the very words I’m posting online for anyone to see. I’ll stick to putting sentences together.

It’s National Take a Hike Day and also National Hiking Day. It seems the left foot didn’t know the right foot had already set down the path to establishing a day to celebrate the sport. Although I wouldn’t consider it a hike, I did take a break mid-afternoon for a walk along one of my usual routes that I hadn’t done in a while. Noticed more litter, which Hubby and I spent some time last winter picking up along this particular section of trail. We’ll have to put it on the list to go after in the New Year. It’s also National Unfriend Day, which seems a bit harsh of thing to celebrate, although I already did go down that road with a (former) friend this summer. On the other hand, you have to know when to cut your losses. Sometimes people who call themselves your friend turn out to be toxic, not good ROI. I’ve had a few of those, and many years ago I made a pledge to recognize and ditch anyone who came into my life fitting in that category.

Throughout my life I’ve had friends who fell into various categories: ones you’d be lost without; ones that cost you money; ones that cost you your patience but might offer other things worth sticking around for; ones that were good for casual get-togethers without the obligation of getting too close; and ones who made you laugh and cry, sometimes simultaneously. There are also those friends whom you don’t see very often, sometimes for years, but you can pick up right where you left off when you do meet up again. Those are the ones I most cherish and I’m grateful to have many in my life—most of them from college and post-college days. But I sure do wish I lived closer to them, they who are scattered around the world. Thinking of them now and, well, that’s my daily gratitude. Long may I enjoy their company.