When Six Months Feels Like 10 Years

“Your hemoglobin is pretty low so while we wait on some of the other panel work we’re going to give you a blood transfusion.”

These aren’t words you expect to hear casually, offhand like “I need to check your blood pressure.”

I was sitting in an ER in Vancouver and reflecting on how things could get more stressful. Divorce, new job, relocation to a new country, job doesn’t quite work out, find new employment, feel run down and generally not well, bam hospital with a blood transfusion. I mean, who gets one of those “just because?” Besides Lance Armstrong I mean.

That was early winter. I had just changed over my cell phone plan to Canada, had a little condo in New Westminster, and everything suddenly got…complex. Fast. Due to a surprise health issue I spent some time hospitalized, had to find new work to pay the bills (and lawyers) and rebuild little things you forget in life until you don’t have them anymore like “oh shit, I need a toaster.” Mentally and physically it felt like I had no time for friends or doing anything but working and staying stationary on the couch while getting better.

Most of that, thankfully, is moving well into the “behind me” timetable. I thought most of it would be done by March but I took some extra time to sort of get all my ducks in a row at once. Little things bring a weird sense of returning to life, like getting a new cellphone and number back in the US, going house hunting, lucking into a great role I think I can do well in. Looking around and trying to figure out where you left everything and how you put it all back together is both daunting and exciting. I don’t know if turtling up for a few months was the best way to go about things, but in a way it got me through to this point.

So now I’m back, and that’s on several levels, back on this blog, back in the US, back in the computer security industry, back to writing and performing on the side. It feels strange, but also good! Hopefully all the ancillary stuff is passed, we’ll see. Sorry for the long hiatus, but I was broken for a bit and am more or less back together. :>

4 comments

  1. Wilson says:

    Glad you are back. You were truly missed. I have read your book 3 times, looking fwd to your next one. Take care :)

  2. Chad Willwerth says:

    The end of your post reminds me that the nursery rhyme never states that Humpty Dumpty is an egg. Glad you found some horses and men that WERE up to the task of putting you back together because the world wouldn’t be the same without you!

  3. Joe says:

    Hope you’re doing great. I’ve been visiting your site once a week or so hoping for an update. I’m a security professional myself, and would love to see your updates as would relate to security. I’ve been following you for a few years, first on Major Nelson Radio then on to here. I wish you the best and look forward to updates!

  4. Jason says:

    Dude, dude, dude….I could not be happier to hear things are turning around for you. As anonymous as we are to each other over this vast interwebs, I was worried. Now I am not. So good to hear. Can’t wait for your content. I truly enjoy your perspective on things.

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