Potsdam Walk I

My walk today was a jaunt northbound and eastbound on May Rd (from May and Leroy).  I then took a left onto Pleasant Valley Rd, headed south, and then took a left back into town on Route 56.

The highs:  This walk has idyllic views of some beautiful countryside in Potsdam.  One can relax and enjoy the light scent of pine about half of the way on May Rd.  With the exception of Route 56, the road is relatively empty at around nine in the morning.  Only one passerby in a vehicle was particularly rude (honked at me just for walking at the side of the road…whatever).  There were a few other runners/walkers on May and Pleasant Valley roads.

The lows: Unfortunately, people seem litter-happy on the entirety of this route.  Here is a small selection of disturbing things I saw at the side of the road during my walk:  Grocery bags full of detritus and tied (no idea what’s in them and kind of scared to find out), a butter knife, a pile of long human hair, a single latex glove, several small items of clothing, and a random piece of metal pipe.

Rating this walk on a scale of 1 (bad) to 10 (awesome), I’d have to rate it at a 6.  It was good!  It would have been better if we took better care of our local roads in Potsdam.

Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes

Length: 9 miles

Difficulty: Middle to high—there are a few hills and it does get a little dull and significantly louder/hotter on Route 56.

Happy Anniversary!!!

Back in 1997, I met Romeyn Prescott while gaming with a group of youngsters (one of whom I was dating at the time).  We played StarCraft, WarCraft, and Diablo I, II, and III (including the LOD expansion pack).  Since I was seeing one of the youngsters at the time, I simply noted that Romeyn was wonderfully geeky and handsome and moved along.

Fast forward a few years, and we stayed in touch from time to time using AOL Instant Messenger. We became friends over the course of these small communications.  Still, Romeyn was married and not on my radar in that way (because, y'know...married).

Fast forward a few more years, and Romeyn happened to become single.  I was in the middle of a toxic relationship which I won't describe here.  Romeyn was on AOL Instant Messenger on and off, so we chatted now and again during this time.

When I moved back home to New York State in 2007, I was not ready to be a long term partner to anyone.  I knew that I wanted marriage, but I wasn't sure what that would look like yet. 

Fast forward another year, and Romeyn and I found each other during prolonged chats, during which he would joke that I should marry him.  He said that a lot.

We got together in July of 2008, after a message from me to him that was basically a treatise on me liking him.  His parents and mine were a little taken aback, because our lives had been so different prior to getting together.  We were (and are) nine and a half years apart.  I'm 41 now, and he's 50.

For our first date, he asked me to meet him at Camp.  I wasn't familiar with Camp at that time (a historically relevant building in Keeseville, built by Romeyn's ancestors).

We met a little ways from Camp after I got thoroughly lost trying to find it.  Romeyn met me near an apple orchard, holding a daisy (my favorite flower) in his hand.  The phrase "You had me at hello" applies here--he had me at that little gesture of a daisy before our first date.

I met Kyle (then 10) and Romeyn's parents (Colleen and Peter), and then we headed to dinner at Livingoods in Plattsburgh.  We walked past fireworks in Plattsburgh afterwards.  It was magical.

I stayed over at Camp that night, in my own room.  When I was taking a bath on the second floor the next day, I heard Romeyn whistling a tune from The Music Man.  Round two of "He had me at hello." A love of musicals (and at least a tolerance for opera) is a must for me, because otherwise I'd drive the person in question absolutely batty.

I have been so happy since that first date.  It's been almost eleven years.  I still remember the nervousness of meeting some of his family, and the anticipation that I would meet his older son sometime soon thereafter.  I remember the "High School" style notes and giggles.  I remember truly feeling accepted as I am. 

We got married ten years ago, and I still believe Romeyn is the best thing that ever has happened to me.

Through the years, he's been there for me in every way--so much so that it still boggles my mind.  He is the best human I've ever met, my true love, my friend, my husband.

Happy Anniversary, Romeyn!

How I React to Online (Anonymous) Threats

Some enterprising dude has been sending a few anonymous (but definitely serial, and from the same source) threats to one of my oldest email addresses.

The actual threat described is one I've heard a number of times during the course of my lifetime.  "I'll tell so and so about _____." My reaction:  Stop being melodramatic.  Don't assume that other people's opinions are any of my business.

Life is too short to worry that much about reputation.  We live in a digital society, and almost everything is connected to the internet.  I stand by my actions, including my mistakes.  No one is perfect. 

"Life is pain, your highness.  Anyone telling you otherwise is selling something." - Wesley (The Princess Bride)