The incredible variances inherent in people never cease to amaze me, and never more so than when I trek to Atlanta. The town itself both compels and repels me: the traffic, the arts scene, the incredible southern acceptance of varied cultures, the horrid traffic, the excellent restaurants and shops, the upper-crust hauteur…and the techops folks.

Admit it—you thought I'd vanished.

It's ok, I promise. You're to be forgiven, as I am usually quite regular about commenting on the randomness that life throws on my doorstep.

Sunday. Welcome, once again, to the chilly basement office in the Morrills' split-level house. Jeff is on the second level, eating breakfast in the kitchen (if the clink of silverware is to be believed). We are, it seems, the only people awake in the house.

This room has a small window, set high in this room but low to the ground. In my view of the outside world I can see the camellia bush, still glowing pink with the remnants of this year's blooming. Even now, as the camellia blooms prepare to drop off, the bees continue to work the blooms for their last drops of nectar.

ahhhhh, Atlanta. Back at Sean's parents' house again. We are doing the slow dance of preparing for a Saturday afternoon of errands: going to a nursery to shop for herbs, my snooping for culinary supplies, Jeff's search for a pair of dress shoes.

We are here for a college friend's wedding. Missy, whom I have not seen in a year or two. It will be a chance for Jeff to re-establish contact with college friends that have drifted to the waysides of work and marriage. An afternoon's chance to find out where the people who once populated his everyday life have moved to.

I have been appropriately kitty-chastised for leaving the house for the weekend.

A rapid-fire, non-stop weekend. The end results: the first Dragon*Con staff meeting is over, we are back in Huntsville, and Sean is now moved out of Atlanta and into his new apartment in Huntsville. Oh, and I socialized with the TechOps crew (the blue-haired folks who make Dragon*Con actually happen), some apple pie was consumed, and it was all good.

…southern home of urban sprawl, long commutes, and much Christmas shopping. The drive out here was a bit shorter than I thought it would be, which was a pleasant surprise. I'd have come out here more often in the past if I'd have known that it wasn't so terrible of a drive.