Big-con blur: The kind of "moving" summer that ain't glam

Infamous Box Forest—thicker than the Crosstimbers

(UPDATE: A wrong link re: the Lou Trek Show episode has now been fixed.)

All right, it's been long enough. Hell, even DragonCon has gone by, by now (though once again I was an absentee there).

No, those of you watching my tweets or other posts fly by—everywhere but here on the blog—know that I've just survived an insane summer. As if a big ComiCon San Diego and biggest Vegas Khhhaaan ever were not enough, we tossed in a big home and office move in the middle of it all. I'm frankly amazed I'm still standing here—even with paid movers (who, if you'll note, by definition do the day of moving and not the weeks of packing/unpacking). But I owe you something after this summer of silence—as we get back to remedying that. So here it is:

Life changes can be joyous, as with a wedding or a baby's birth. Or they can be devastating, as with a close loved one's death, or an insane turn of Mother Nature, or even an "act of God," that literally upends your life and home. A move seems like a rather blasé hit on one's emotional equilibrium... but who cares when it takes such a hit on your sanity and energy?

Yes, a move is hardly a glam thing, and those whom I've bored at home and con alike with the topic this summer can hardly be blamed. Let it just be stated for the record that in today's world, though, a home move is not simply that; likely it is also—as with us—an office move, as well. Okay, so expand an office to include "archive" or "library" and you get the picture. Moving furniture was easy; thinning out housewares was easy. Now, boxing up yet-unsold scripts and goodies from 20 years of pro Trek, much less my other passions? Now THAT was a job.

If you are lucky enough to have been on my Twitter feed, even more than Facebook, you may have caught the glimpses of the so-called Box Forest in my virgin office (above), or even Mount Ivar as it slowly erected itself around lost pieces and other pressing projects and deadlines. Even now I'm only back to about 60% finished, but we at least have Internet and storage in place, shelves ready if not fully filled, and a fresh way of arranging the tech and neediest handiest books. My goodness, technology turned over 3 times since the last time we moved; how many modular phone jacks and floppy-disk holders can one still use (left)?

Ahhh... from the good ol' quantity days of Trek...

On the good side, you also realize just how little you've been working on friendships, as niche-building work takes over...and it is good food for thought. Better yet, you open up the backs of drawers and come across forgotten gems like this (right):

But make no mistake. There was an emotional toll as well. The packing and planning distracted me from my San Diego optimum... the physical move and moving deadlines wiped me out before I even set foot at the Rio in Vegas. I didn't hit the road from L.A. until 8 p.m. Wednesday because of final-day storage and key errands, and there were fears for my alertness on that 15 Freeway slog. But we got'er done. Had out Trek Tour not gone bi-annual and in effect skipped this year.... I shudder to think about it!

So, apologies for this scintilating post today. I rarely do therapy rants, but this is an exception—and I needed to acknowledge the big drop-off in all things Trekland to you guys, even as on paper I'm attached to more projects this year than in ages, yes.

I'll get the Vegas and San Diego recaps up soon—colored as much as they are this year by the big "distraction." But it's a fresh world in Trekland HQ, a new world—and I'm about to share a new big chunk of it with a big chunk of you all—whoever is interested. Meanwhile, I have more reshelving, rewiring and rethinking to do .....and some lines to learn!



Oh, and keep your Romulan ale; I give all credit to the cordrazine.

Progress! All kneel to the Great God Ivar ...