Birthday weekend, part 1 - Work/life balance

While on train to New York for a weekend of theatre and food with Amanda, receive email from partner basically telling me to cancel trip and spend all weekend working for client who doesn't care that partner and I both have important personal plans this weekend.

Breathe. Eat some nuts and dried fruit. 

Don't cancel trip. Go straight to New York office and work til 2:00am to finish first part of assignment. Reschedule return train for first thing Sunday morning to maximize time for rest of assignment. Notify partner that I'm not available on Saturday.

Upside? Nighttime view of Empire State Building from guest office window. Wojama party with other late-working associates. (Learned that "wojama" means "work pajamas". What does it say about a workplace when there exists such a thing?)

Arrive at hotel and receive third degree from suspicious desk clerk despite the reservation's being in my name. Practice the virtue of meekness by pretending not to be irritated (perhaps he was just trying to protect Amanda from the high priced prostitutes and/or jewel thief that I appeared to be?) and arrive safe and sound to a happy but sleepy welcome from Amanda. 

Talk until 3:30am about books and plays and travel and work and everything else. Just as we would have done anyway.