Wow. So many things have happened in the past few weeks and I have been neglecting to share it on here -- sorry, lack of time! My weekdays are busy with work crises, crazy winter travel, and much-needed sleep...my weekends are filled with dear friends, fancy holiday dinners, and lots of conversation!
I'm in Detroit right now, and I'm pretty tired. We got in early this afternoon from Saginaw, Michigan where every single school (including all but one college) was closed because of the weather. In fact, I believe all 250+ schools in the mid-Michigan region were closed today because of snow. Over a foot in some parts -- it's definitely feeling more like Christmas to me! (Seattle's beautiful greenery is not reminiscent of the holiday season after growing up in the Midwest.)
After the Detroit seminar tomorrow, we're flying to Madison and then driving to Appleton. Yay for being home! Then, I get a L-O-N-G two week break! I can't tell y'all how much I need it!
Well, I'm out ladies and gents.
Kisses from the "Most Dangerous City in the US..."
Monday, December 17, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
In Atlantic City!
Not a lot of time to write, I'm just about to go set up for this morning's seminar at the Atlantic City Convention Center. I'm in the lobby of a most beautiful Sheraton right on the strip, near the infamous boardwalk. It's great!
More blogging later! :)
More blogging later! :)
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
We're Fine
Luggage is back (thank goodness) and I'm going to shower. It's a good day!
I'm tired. I just had good Mexican food. I'm eating the rest of it tomorrow. I have a fridge and a microwave in my weirdly large and disproportionate hotel room.
I think I want to write a book. I think people would read it. I think now, I just have to figure out what it will be about so that I can affect millions of people. Or brainwash them.
I'm discovering a lot about myself. Such as: I am a discerning person about many things (men, food, friends, hotels -- as of late), but I like to pretend I'm not because I think that's more likable in someone. (Disclaimer: I do mightily enjoy people who know what they want, though, so maybe I'm just a conundrum in and of myself.) I am a creature of habit, but I can break habits easily (i.e., I hog the bed terribly now because I only sleep in huge, king-size hotel beds, but tell me once and I'm better).
I'm having many spiritual experiences on the road. You would be interested to know that my answers about life have been coming from other people. This is telltale. I would like them to internally soon! Or maybe I just have to dig a little harder. But, in any case, it's interesting being on the road or in a hotel or at a massage when someone suddenly prophecizes something about my life. Actually, it's really cool. I've started to write it all down. Maybe it's because I've started asking questions and looking for the answers, but the important point is that it's all in the "eyes" of the receiver. And the receiver is me. And I'm ready to know the answers. I'm ready to remember who I am!
How exciting!
I'm tired. I just had good Mexican food. I'm eating the rest of it tomorrow. I have a fridge and a microwave in my weirdly large and disproportionate hotel room.
I think I want to write a book. I think people would read it. I think now, I just have to figure out what it will be about so that I can affect millions of people. Or brainwash them.
I'm discovering a lot about myself. Such as: I am a discerning person about many things (men, food, friends, hotels -- as of late), but I like to pretend I'm not because I think that's more likable in someone. (Disclaimer: I do mightily enjoy people who know what they want, though, so maybe I'm just a conundrum in and of myself.) I am a creature of habit, but I can break habits easily (i.e., I hog the bed terribly now because I only sleep in huge, king-size hotel beds, but tell me once and I'm better).
I'm having many spiritual experiences on the road. You would be interested to know that my answers about life have been coming from other people. This is telltale. I would like them to internally soon! Or maybe I just have to dig a little harder. But, in any case, it's interesting being on the road or in a hotel or at a massage when someone suddenly prophecizes something about my life. Actually, it's really cool. I've started to write it all down. Maybe it's because I've started asking questions and looking for the answers, but the important point is that it's all in the "eyes" of the receiver. And the receiver is me. And I'm ready to know the answers. I'm ready to remember who I am!
How exciting!
Whaw, Whaw...
The airlines lost my luggage.
Go figure.
I always thought losing luggage would be glamorous, somehow. I'm finding out that while it is a bit fun (I look like this because I don't have any other clothes...or...I got up 15 minutes before having to leave my room today because all I had to do was dress and pee), it is generally a pain-in-the-ass. And, what makes it MORE of a pain-in-the-ass is that I am leaving the lovely Champaign, IL and traveling to Springfield, IL tonight. Lucky me. Will my luggage ever find me?
I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, pray for my hygiene.
Go figure.
I always thought losing luggage would be glamorous, somehow. I'm finding out that while it is a bit fun (I look like this because I don't have any other clothes...or...I got up 15 minutes before having to leave my room today because all I had to do was dress and pee), it is generally a pain-in-the-ass. And, what makes it MORE of a pain-in-the-ass is that I am leaving the lovely Champaign, IL and traveling to Springfield, IL tonight. Lucky me. Will my luggage ever find me?
I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, pray for my hygiene.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
The Maine Thing in Portland: Lobster
And you betta believe that I'm gonna get me some lobsta tanight...(spoken like a true East Coaster)...
Gawd, by the end of this year, I'm gonna have me a serious arsenal of accents, that's for sure.
So. I am currently in Portland, Maine having just arrived from Manchester, New Hampshire. I think it would be nice up here, but instead it's really crappy -- raining and foggy and generally cold. There are some differences between the East Coast and the West Coast (obviously), but here are some not-so-obvious ones:
1) The Wicked vs. Hella Dilemma -- East Coasters say "wicked" to mean really. West Coasters say "hella" to mean really. Who wins? When I hear people say "wicked" up here, it just sounds so unnatural. I mean, seriously... "She was wicked sweet...?" Who says that and doesn't sound like a contradictory idiot? Now, say "She was hella sweet" and you've got yourself a complete, congruent sentence. One point for the West Coast.
2) The No Billboards vs. Billboards Dilemma -- There are no damn billboards on these East Coast highways! I'm serious! It's almost so natural that it's unnatural. The West Coast roads (and Midwest, for that matter) are lined with advertisements galore. I mean, I'm reading about Home Depot and Applebee's every quarter mile! Regardless of the "appeal" of billboards (read: sarcasm), the East Coast wins for conservation and beauty on this one. One point East, one point West.
3) The Km/Hr vs Mi/Hr Dilemma -- Now, you'd THINK that being on the East Coast wouldn't affect the kind of car I drive, and I would tell you, "Oh, but it does." You see, since we are so close to the region I like to call Canada - Home of the Wildy Confusing, Yet Seemingly Useful and More Logical Metric System, I happen to be so lucky as to get a vehicle which operates dominantly on the lovely metric system (license plate: Ontario). So, after picking my car up from the Manchester airport yesterday, I nearly fainted at the wheel because I thought I was going 100 miles per hour. In all actuality, I was going 100 KILOMETERS per hour. Of course, you could probably see that coming. Now, on the West Coast, while the chances of that happening are still likely seeing as we are also so close to Canada - HWCYSUMLMS, it hasn't happened to me. So, West Coast wins for not freaking me while driving.
West Coast wins with two points.
Side Note: Though, I must say that the East Coast does have adorable accents, many of which I am trying desperately to master. Or should I say, to masta.
Okay, I'm out -- going to have lobsta in dawhntawhn Portland. :)
Gawd, by the end of this year, I'm gonna have me a serious arsenal of accents, that's for sure.
So. I am currently in Portland, Maine having just arrived from Manchester, New Hampshire. I think it would be nice up here, but instead it's really crappy -- raining and foggy and generally cold. There are some differences between the East Coast and the West Coast (obviously), but here are some not-so-obvious ones:
1) The Wicked vs. Hella Dilemma -- East Coasters say "wicked" to mean really. West Coasters say "hella" to mean really. Who wins? When I hear people say "wicked" up here, it just sounds so unnatural. I mean, seriously... "She was wicked sweet...?" Who says that and doesn't sound like a contradictory idiot? Now, say "She was hella sweet" and you've got yourself a complete, congruent sentence. One point for the West Coast.
2) The No Billboards vs. Billboards Dilemma -- There are no damn billboards on these East Coast highways! I'm serious! It's almost so natural that it's unnatural. The West Coast roads (and Midwest, for that matter) are lined with advertisements galore. I mean, I'm reading about Home Depot and Applebee's every quarter mile! Regardless of the "appeal" of billboards (read: sarcasm), the East Coast wins for conservation and beauty on this one. One point East, one point West.
3) The Km/Hr vs Mi/Hr Dilemma -- Now, you'd THINK that being on the East Coast wouldn't affect the kind of car I drive, and I would tell you, "Oh, but it does." You see, since we are so close to the region I like to call Canada - Home of the Wildy Confusing, Yet Seemingly Useful and More Logical Metric System, I happen to be so lucky as to get a vehicle which operates dominantly on the lovely metric system (license plate: Ontario). So, after picking my car up from the Manchester airport yesterday, I nearly fainted at the wheel because I thought I was going 100 miles per hour. In all actuality, I was going 100 KILOMETERS per hour. Of course, you could probably see that coming. Now, on the West Coast, while the chances of that happening are still likely seeing as we are also so close to Canada - HWCYSUMLMS, it hasn't happened to me. So, West Coast wins for not freaking me while driving.
West Coast wins with two points.
Side Note: Though, I must say that the East Coast does have adorable accents, many of which I am trying desperately to master. Or should I say, to masta.
Okay, I'm out -- going to have lobsta in dawhntawhn Portland. :)
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Ahhh...Blissful Seattle
It's so nice to be home for a few days. I'm enjoying every minute of it!
Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!
I was privileged to spend the holiday with family friends in Covington. It was so lovely! On my way down there this morning, amongst the excitement I had about being able to watch the Packer game, I felt really content with where my life is at right now. Even though it's crazy, I feel peaceful about it -- like it's exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. All I can do is smile! And what a difference from my depressed disposition last year...man, that definitely is not something I'd like to experience again, that's for sure.
So, this Thanksgiving, I am particularly thankful for:
1) Window seats on planes. I had a middle seat on both flights home from Grand Rapids. Terrible!
2) Strong arms and legs to carry my huge luggage! You should feel my muscles -- I'm a beast!
3) Nationally broadcast Packer games! You don't really appreciate Packer Sundays (or Thanksgiving games) until you don't have them anymore.
4) Good friends who always make me feel like I haven't missed a beat in our friendships even though I'm traveling all the time. Thank you for being so wonderful!
5) Trips home to see family. Sometimes, there's nothing better than a relaxing weekend at home. Gosh, I missed y'all today!
Love, Kelly
Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!
I was privileged to spend the holiday with family friends in Covington. It was so lovely! On my way down there this morning, amongst the excitement I had about being able to watch the Packer game, I felt really content with where my life is at right now. Even though it's crazy, I feel peaceful about it -- like it's exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. All I can do is smile! And what a difference from my depressed disposition last year...man, that definitely is not something I'd like to experience again, that's for sure.
So, this Thanksgiving, I am particularly thankful for:
1) Window seats on planes. I had a middle seat on both flights home from Grand Rapids. Terrible!
2) Strong arms and legs to carry my huge luggage! You should feel my muscles -- I'm a beast!
3) Nationally broadcast Packer games! You don't really appreciate Packer Sundays (or Thanksgiving games) until you don't have them anymore.
4) Good friends who always make me feel like I haven't missed a beat in our friendships even though I'm traveling all the time. Thank you for being so wonderful!
5) Trips home to see family. Sometimes, there's nothing better than a relaxing weekend at home. Gosh, I missed y'all today!
Love, Kelly
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Holla from Grand Rapids, Michigan!
Hey everyone --
Sorry it's been a few days, I was in Green Bay this weekend and I literally didn't want to do anything. It was so relaxing! We (my wonderful mother and I) celebrated Thanksgiving early with a lovely fried chicken dinner on Friday, salmon and asparagus on Saturday, and brunch with the family on Sunday. Brunch sucked (food was terrible), but seeing everyone was so delightful!
Okay, I'm sorry this is so short, but I gotta get gas in the rental car and buy myself some lunch at the Kelly-coveted "Noodles & Co!"
YAY!
Sorry it's been a few days, I was in Green Bay this weekend and I literally didn't want to do anything. It was so relaxing! We (my wonderful mother and I) celebrated Thanksgiving early with a lovely fried chicken dinner on Friday, salmon and asparagus on Saturday, and brunch with the family on Sunday. Brunch sucked (food was terrible), but seeing everyone was so delightful!
Okay, I'm sorry this is so short, but I gotta get gas in the rental car and buy myself some lunch at the Kelly-coveted "Noodles & Co!"
YAY!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Eh
No, don't get me wrong, it's wonderful being home, but my body attempting to adjust to my new "schedule" (a gross miscommunication of what my "schedule" truly reflects)...and it's rejecting it. I got home on Thursday night and went to sleep for 6 hours only to be back up and in the office for a meeting on Friday. I had a party for my work peeps last night and got to bed around 4am. I woke up at 7am and started to clean up because I couldn't sleep. Then, we went to brunch and I just awoke from a much-needed nap. I'm going to Kelly's tonight to hang out and chill. Thankfully, I don't fly to Boston until Monday morning. Phew.
I also wanted to mention that I'm now getting calluses on my hands from dragging my luggage all over the world and back to Seattle. I'm an official traveler!
I'll be back in Green Bay this weekend...I am SO EXCITED. :)
I also wanted to mention that I'm now getting calluses on my hands from dragging my luggage all over the world and back to Seattle. I'm an official traveler!
I'll be back in Green Bay this weekend...I am SO EXCITED. :)
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Quickly!
I'm about to leave good ole Roanoke, Virginia, but I thought I'd post something real quick...
I'm not feeling too good, so I've been sleeping most of the day with my presenter's approval. I've been fighting this sickness for a while and it's starting to come out.
Hum...other things...I had lots of stuff to say, but now I've forgotten.
Oh, our drive through Virginia has been beautiful. Gorgeous old brick houses are very characteristic of this area. Really nice. The colors through the Appalachians are pretty vibrant, too. It's been a great week aside from the sickness!
I'm going home to Seattle tonight! I can't wait to sleep for our long weekend!
I'm not feeling too good, so I've been sleeping most of the day with my presenter's approval. I've been fighting this sickness for a while and it's starting to come out.
Hum...other things...I had lots of stuff to say, but now I've forgotten.
Oh, our drive through Virginia has been beautiful. Gorgeous old brick houses are very characteristic of this area. Really nice. The colors through the Appalachians are pretty vibrant, too. It's been a great week aside from the sickness!
I'm going home to Seattle tonight! I can't wait to sleep for our long weekend!
Monday, November 5, 2007
I Can Try, But No Promises
I can't guarantee internet everywhere, which is why I can't guarantee daily blogs, but I can surely try.
Long Island was interesting, to say the least. The accents are to die for. I am convinced I'm going to marry a man with a thick Long Island accent. Come to think of it, I just got hit on by our shuttle driver today. He was cute, too.
But, as always, we had some problems which I will list for you to laugh at:
1) My toilet wasn't working last night (the water kept running), so I opened up the tank and fiddled with the knobs only to be blasted in the face with cold toilet water. Yum. I fixed it, but I wasn't happy.
2) It happened again this afternoon when I was in my work clothes. Again, cold toilet water spray all over my face and blouse.
3) The fire alarm went off today. Only briefly, but it went off.
4) The CD audio wouldn't work today. Argh!
I also forgot to mention 2 other things:
1) When I was in the shower at my hotel in Calgary, I looked up at the shower head and found that the brand was "Tingle King." How awesome is that? I forgot to take a picture, otherwise, I'd totally post one!
2) In White Plains, NY, I was sitting up in my hotel room and got a call from an escort service wondering if I was ready for my "massage." When I inquired more about it (after saying that I did NOT, in fact, order a massage), he said that many women call the escort service for "massages" with happy endings. Oh geez. I cracked up. I never knew that actually existed! I'm so naive!
Here are some pictures to waste your time away...
Bourbon Street in New Orleans: You can drink on the streets!
Binghamton (don't pronounce the "h"), NY: Great restaurants and a beautiful hotel view of the river!
Calgary, Alberta in Canada: Not my cup of tea. Murphy's Law saw to that!
A view of the Canadian Rockies from the plane during sunset!
Portland: Like Seattle, only maybe it's more beautiful.
Portland's Riverwalk: For pedestrians only. Goes all along the river and connects under the bridge.
Quite possibly my favorite piece of graffiti ever. Thank you, Portland.
Long Island was interesting, to say the least. The accents are to die for. I am convinced I'm going to marry a man with a thick Long Island accent. Come to think of it, I just got hit on by our shuttle driver today. He was cute, too.
But, as always, we had some problems which I will list for you to laugh at:
1) My toilet wasn't working last night (the water kept running), so I opened up the tank and fiddled with the knobs only to be blasted in the face with cold toilet water. Yum. I fixed it, but I wasn't happy.
2) It happened again this afternoon when I was in my work clothes. Again, cold toilet water spray all over my face and blouse.
3) The fire alarm went off today. Only briefly, but it went off.
4) The CD audio wouldn't work today. Argh!
I also forgot to mention 2 other things:
1) When I was in the shower at my hotel in Calgary, I looked up at the shower head and found that the brand was "Tingle King." How awesome is that? I forgot to take a picture, otherwise, I'd totally post one!
2) In White Plains, NY, I was sitting up in my hotel room and got a call from an escort service wondering if I was ready for my "massage." When I inquired more about it (after saying that I did NOT, in fact, order a massage), he said that many women call the escort service for "massages" with happy endings. Oh geez. I cracked up. I never knew that actually existed! I'm so naive!
Here are some pictures to waste your time away...
Bourbon Street in New Orleans: You can drink on the streets!
Salt Lake City: Where I went to the emergency room.
Isn't it beautiful from the plane?
Isn't it beautiful from the plane?
Binghamton (don't pronounce the "h"), NY: Great restaurants and a beautiful hotel view of the river!
Calgary, Alberta in Canada: Not my cup of tea. Murphy's Law saw to that!
Edmonton, Alberta in Canada: Gorgeous city with so many parks!
A view of the Canadian Rockies from the plane during sunset!
Portland: Like Seattle, only maybe it's more beautiful.
Portland's Riverwalk: For pedestrians only. Goes all along the river and connects under the bridge.
Quite possibly my favorite piece of graffiti ever. Thank you, Portland.Sunday, November 4, 2007
Hectic, Hectic
Now, you are all going to have to bear with me here while I find my blog footing. I've heard through the grapevine that some of you are worried about me when I don't have time to blog, so here are some things to consider before becoming so uptight about my location:
1) I have a completely demanding schedule that has me flying many (if not every) night per 6-day week. Often times, I'm skipping time zones and changing my internal clock to reflect local time which doesn't give me many moments to kick back and blog. (I need sleep, too!)
2) Although many hotels do have internet, some only have DSL (which means you need a cord, most of which are in the rooms, so when I'm at the registration table with nothing to do, I often don't have access to the internet) and some require daily payments of $9.99 or more! I can't expense it if it's not exclusively for work, so I don't even try.
3) When I do get a chance to get free wireless internet (thank you Holiday Inn!) after scenarios 1 and 2 have been cleared, I usually like to check my email first, which has me reading anywhere from 25-40 emails each sitting. Then, after reading, I try to respond to people, but it's hard for me when I typically only have increments of less than an hour to even be on the internet (because of job duties or tiredness). Plus, I want to check my bank statements, get directions for my next destination, and check various other websites that I haven't gotten to view in the last few weeks. It's hard to keep up with things I would normally do during the week, like balancing my checkbook or paying bills!
4) Finally, realize that I am still new at this job and it's going to take me some time to get used to the hours, the responsibilities, the flexibility, and the limits of what I can and can't feasibly do. Know what I mean?
Now, I'll brief you all a bit on what's been going on in the last week and a half...
After leaving Fishkill, we went to White Plains, NY (about an hour north of NYC). That was all fine and good -- quite the good-looking staff at our hotel and I ate like a queen in the restaurant. Delish! I flew back to Seattle that Friday night and got delayed, so I ended up getting home around 1:30am and crashing. I tried to sleep on the plane, but these two hunting goof balls sat next to me and chatted me up for 1/2 the flight. It's interesting the people I meet on the road (see previous post).
The weekend in Seattle was good, but it went hella FAST. Luckily, I had a late flight out to Calgary, Canada on Sunday, so I got to sleep in and walk Greenlake and do normal Sunday things. It was quite nice.
My last week was as such: Calgary, Edmonton (both in Alberta, Canada), Seattle, Portland, and Oakland, California. Interesting moments: To the amusement of other passengers, I worked out in the Edmonton airport (a first for me); I got a little sick last week and presently have a cold sore on my chin (BOO); a colleague and I went out for Halloween in Portland which was a blast (sometimes, people will have "same cities" which means that 2 managers are in the same city and can - of course - see each other); I walked around Portland's beautiful Riverwalk the following day and discovered how gorgeous the city is, especially when the sun in shining and the breeze is cool!
Then, I had my friend Sarah pick me up in south Oakland and we spent the weekend at her new townhouse in Palo Alto. It was so much fun! I had a wonderful weekend of laughter, good food (homemade stir fry, Whole Foods sushi, AMAZING coffee cake), great company, and some unexpected tailgating thrown in there. I'll explain: on Friday night, I was talking to a colleague and we discovered that we were both going to be in Palo Alto that weekend. The UW Huskies were playing Stanford, so he picked me up and we all (his friends were in tow) went tailgating. Super fun! We found ourselves dancing crazily to the UW band and drinking some much-deserved Miller Light in celebration of the Huskies and beautiful California weather.
Finally, today, I had some travel troubles when our plane in San Jose was experiencing some technical difficulties. I had to shuttle it up to San Francisco and fly out later than expected - which meant that I didn't get into NYC until way later. Boo. Plus, I had another 60 mile ride to my hotel on Long Island. Boo. But, I'm here now and I'm happy and I'm tired. Even after Daylight Savings and sleeping on the plane. Go figure.
This week is as follows: Long Island, NY; Norfolk, VA; Richmond, VA; Roanoke, VA. Friday, we have a meeting and a long weekend due to Veteran's Day. I don't fly to Boston until Monday! :) Then, I am in Chicago and Wisconsin next week -- and home next weekend! I'm pumped...it's been 3 months since I've been home.
Also, I received my schedule for January through March and some of you would like to do some weekend trips. I'm going to post my schedule on here and then also email it out so that those of you who'd like to meet me somewhere can look and figure out what you want to do. Unfortunately, I have to get my requests in by Wednesday morning at 8am, so I need your weekend requests by Tuesday afternoon at the latest. I'll list where I start on Monday and where I end on Friday to spark some idea of where we could go...I am on the East Coast a lot, so ideally, I'd like to stay there if possible. I'll also list what I'm thinking of doing for those weekends or if I'm free. Here goes:
Sun, Jan 6 - Sioux Falls, SD
Week: Denver, CO; Grand Junction, CO; Phoenix, AZ
Fri, Jan 11 - Albuquerque, NM
(Seattle for weekend)
Sun, Jan 13 - Allentown, PA
Week: Cherry Hill, NJ; Long Island, NY; Cincinnati, OH
Fri, Jan 18 - Fort Wayne, IN
(Las Vegas, NV with coworkers for weekend)
Mon, Jan 21 - Long Island, NY
Week: Cherry Hill, NY; Providence, RI
Fri, Jan 25 - Hartford, CT
(Seattle for weekend)
Sun, Jan 27 - Nashville, TN
Week: Birmingham, AL; Atlanta, GA; Richmond, VA
Fri, Feb 1 - Roanoke, VA
(DC? NYC? Philly? for the weekend)
Sun, Feb 3 - Hartford, CT
Week: Newark, NJ; New Brunswick, NJ; Atlantic City, NJ
Fri, Feb 8 - Cherry Hill, NJ
(Savannah, GA with coworkers for weekend)
Sun, Feb 10 - Champaign, IL
Week: Indianapolis, IN; Chicago South, IL
Thu, Feb 14 - Chicago North, IL
(Seattle for weekend and week-long break)
Sun, Feb 24 - Albany, NY
Week: Boston, MA; Minneapolis, MN; Madison, WI
Fri, Feb 29 - Milwaukee, WI
(Milwaukee? Sacramento? for weekend)
Sun, Mar 2 - Manchester, NH
Week: Boston, MA; Providence, RI; Newark, NJ
Fri, Mar 7 - Pittsburgh, PA
(Nashville, TN with coworkers for weekend)
Sun, Mar 9 - Richmond, VA
Week: Nashville, TN; St Louis, MO; Kansas City, MO
Fri, Mar 14 - Minneapolis, MN
(Minneapolis, MN for weekend and part of week-long break)
Mon, Mar 24 - Allentown, PA
Week: Philadelphia, PA; Atlanta, GA
Fri, Mar 28 - Birmingham, AL
Phew. There's not many weekends I have available, but I thought I'd at least throw my schedule out there so that y'all know what it looks like. I'll put the rest of my 2007 schedule up tomorrow so you know where I'll be at!
Love from Long Island...
1) I have a completely demanding schedule that has me flying many (if not every) night per 6-day week. Often times, I'm skipping time zones and changing my internal clock to reflect local time which doesn't give me many moments to kick back and blog. (I need sleep, too!)
2) Although many hotels do have internet, some only have DSL (which means you need a cord, most of which are in the rooms, so when I'm at the registration table with nothing to do, I often don't have access to the internet) and some require daily payments of $9.99 or more! I can't expense it if it's not exclusively for work, so I don't even try.
3) When I do get a chance to get free wireless internet (thank you Holiday Inn!) after scenarios 1 and 2 have been cleared, I usually like to check my email first, which has me reading anywhere from 25-40 emails each sitting. Then, after reading, I try to respond to people, but it's hard for me when I typically only have increments of less than an hour to even be on the internet (because of job duties or tiredness). Plus, I want to check my bank statements, get directions for my next destination, and check various other websites that I haven't gotten to view in the last few weeks. It's hard to keep up with things I would normally do during the week, like balancing my checkbook or paying bills!
4) Finally, realize that I am still new at this job and it's going to take me some time to get used to the hours, the responsibilities, the flexibility, and the limits of what I can and can't feasibly do. Know what I mean?
Now, I'll brief you all a bit on what's been going on in the last week and a half...
After leaving Fishkill, we went to White Plains, NY (about an hour north of NYC). That was all fine and good -- quite the good-looking staff at our hotel and I ate like a queen in the restaurant. Delish! I flew back to Seattle that Friday night and got delayed, so I ended up getting home around 1:30am and crashing. I tried to sleep on the plane, but these two hunting goof balls sat next to me and chatted me up for 1/2 the flight. It's interesting the people I meet on the road (see previous post).
The weekend in Seattle was good, but it went hella FAST. Luckily, I had a late flight out to Calgary, Canada on Sunday, so I got to sleep in and walk Greenlake and do normal Sunday things. It was quite nice.
My last week was as such: Calgary, Edmonton (both in Alberta, Canada), Seattle, Portland, and Oakland, California. Interesting moments: To the amusement of other passengers, I worked out in the Edmonton airport (a first for me); I got a little sick last week and presently have a cold sore on my chin (BOO); a colleague and I went out for Halloween in Portland which was a blast (sometimes, people will have "same cities" which means that 2 managers are in the same city and can - of course - see each other); I walked around Portland's beautiful Riverwalk the following day and discovered how gorgeous the city is, especially when the sun in shining and the breeze is cool!
Then, I had my friend Sarah pick me up in south Oakland and we spent the weekend at her new townhouse in Palo Alto. It was so much fun! I had a wonderful weekend of laughter, good food (homemade stir fry, Whole Foods sushi, AMAZING coffee cake), great company, and some unexpected tailgating thrown in there. I'll explain: on Friday night, I was talking to a colleague and we discovered that we were both going to be in Palo Alto that weekend. The UW Huskies were playing Stanford, so he picked me up and we all (his friends were in tow) went tailgating. Super fun! We found ourselves dancing crazily to the UW band and drinking some much-deserved Miller Light in celebration of the Huskies and beautiful California weather.
Finally, today, I had some travel troubles when our plane in San Jose was experiencing some technical difficulties. I had to shuttle it up to San Francisco and fly out later than expected - which meant that I didn't get into NYC until way later. Boo. Plus, I had another 60 mile ride to my hotel on Long Island. Boo. But, I'm here now and I'm happy and I'm tired. Even after Daylight Savings and sleeping on the plane. Go figure.
This week is as follows: Long Island, NY; Norfolk, VA; Richmond, VA; Roanoke, VA. Friday, we have a meeting and a long weekend due to Veteran's Day. I don't fly to Boston until Monday! :) Then, I am in Chicago and Wisconsin next week -- and home next weekend! I'm pumped...it's been 3 months since I've been home.
Also, I received my schedule for January through March and some of you would like to do some weekend trips. I'm going to post my schedule on here and then also email it out so that those of you who'd like to meet me somewhere can look and figure out what you want to do. Unfortunately, I have to get my requests in by Wednesday morning at 8am, so I need your weekend requests by Tuesday afternoon at the latest. I'll list where I start on Monday and where I end on Friday to spark some idea of where we could go...I am on the East Coast a lot, so ideally, I'd like to stay there if possible. I'll also list what I'm thinking of doing for those weekends or if I'm free. Here goes:
Sun, Jan 6 - Sioux Falls, SD
Week: Denver, CO; Grand Junction, CO; Phoenix, AZ
Fri, Jan 11 - Albuquerque, NM
(Seattle for weekend)
Sun, Jan 13 - Allentown, PA
Week: Cherry Hill, NJ; Long Island, NY; Cincinnati, OH
Fri, Jan 18 - Fort Wayne, IN
(Las Vegas, NV with coworkers for weekend)
Mon, Jan 21 - Long Island, NY
Week: Cherry Hill, NY; Providence, RI
Fri, Jan 25 - Hartford, CT
(Seattle for weekend)
Sun, Jan 27 - Nashville, TN
Week: Birmingham, AL; Atlanta, GA; Richmond, VA
Fri, Feb 1 - Roanoke, VA
(DC? NYC? Philly? for the weekend)
Sun, Feb 3 - Hartford, CT
Week: Newark, NJ; New Brunswick, NJ; Atlantic City, NJ
Fri, Feb 8 - Cherry Hill, NJ
(Savannah, GA with coworkers for weekend)
Sun, Feb 10 - Champaign, IL
Week: Indianapolis, IN; Chicago South, IL
Thu, Feb 14 - Chicago North, IL
(Seattle for weekend and week-long break)
Sun, Feb 24 - Albany, NY
Week: Boston, MA; Minneapolis, MN; Madison, WI
Fri, Feb 29 - Milwaukee, WI
(Milwaukee? Sacramento? for weekend)
Sun, Mar 2 - Manchester, NH
Week: Boston, MA; Providence, RI; Newark, NJ
Fri, Mar 7 - Pittsburgh, PA
(Nashville, TN with coworkers for weekend)
Sun, Mar 9 - Richmond, VA
Week: Nashville, TN; St Louis, MO; Kansas City, MO
Fri, Mar 14 - Minneapolis, MN
(Minneapolis, MN for weekend and part of week-long break)
Mon, Mar 24 - Allentown, PA
Week: Philadelphia, PA; Atlanta, GA
Fri, Mar 28 - Birmingham, AL
Phew. There's not many weekends I have available, but I thought I'd at least throw my schedule out there so that y'all know what it looks like. I'll put the rest of my 2007 schedule up tomorrow so you know where I'll be at!
Love from Long Island...
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Asses on the Road
Every time a man sees a skirt, I swear he thinks it's his moral obligation to come over and comment (read: harass) the woman who's wearing it. Yes, this is a vast generalization, but I have found it to be true (and irritating) on more than one occasion. Interestingly enough, it happens almost every day I'm wearing a skirt.
On the road, most men think they are some kind of god who women desire to flock to and touch, so paying attention to a young, attractive 20-something woman is probably like a favor to her, right? Wrong.
On Tuesday, there was a group of older men meeting in the room adjacent to ours. Of course, I got "chatted up" (read: harassed) multiple times by multiple men and by the end of the day, I couldn't take it anymore. I mean, I can only be nice for so long! Stop making random conversation with me just so you can boost YOUR ego by talking to a pretty girl! I don't care about you! You're selfish and insecure and you're not as handsome as you used to be, so leave me alone! Perhaps if you were kind and sincere and weren't raised in an era when you were taught to dehumanize women, maybe THEN I wouldn't mind polite chatter, but you keep looking at me like you haven't seen a woman in 12 years and I'm really SICK of hearing that you're hitting up the hotel bar (hint, hint, wink, wink) or that you, too, were an emotionally rowdy child who had a learning disability and couldn't cope, so good thing we're teaching about it. Please go away! And, no, I DON'T get bored sitting here all day, thank-you-very-much!
God, that feels better.
In other news, I went out to eat with an "ex" (kind of, we really only dated for about 6 weeks, so who really counts that?) on Tuesday night and was surprised to find out that he was bringing his girlfriend as well. Thanks for the heads-up 15 minutes before picking me up! Turns out, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I bonded with her quite quickly -- she's almost my new best friend! I really adored her; we spent over 3.5 hours at dinner at this quaint little Italian place discussing politics and race and gender and oppression. (What did you expect? I have some serious opinions...) It was interesting and stimulating and enlightening all at the same time, and I'm so happy that I went! They think they'll be moving back to Minnesota soon, so we can all be friends when I move back as well. (Although, those of you hoping for an early move back will be disappointed to learn that I may be keeping this job -- based out of Seattle -- for a few more years, so my journey back to Minneapolis will be delayed indefinitely.)
Side note: New Yorkers are a different breed of people. They have such a strong and skewed accent, they are harshly (if not refreshingly) blunt, and they use their car horn as much as they blink. (They're crazy.) But, I love it here. It's beautiful and being an hour away from the City is exciting.
The drives this week have been gorgeous. Traveling through the Catskill Mountains during the autumn season seems unparalleled. I only wish a few things: 1) it hadn't been so rainy; 2) it hadn't been so foggy; 3) it hadn't been so dark; and 4) it hadn't been so windy. Also, a few New Yorkers mentioned that the fall colors are not as brilliant this year because of the warm weather. I guess the extended summer has produced lackluster leaves, resulting in more of a "rusty" fall than in previous years when colors were more vibrant. Well, I still thought it was pretty incredible.
Additionally, I have been thinking a lot about accomplishments in this job. For those of you who've been reading all of my blogs pretty regularly, do you remember when I wrote extensively about feeling so "accomplished" after traveling by myself in Europe a few times? Well, multiply that feeling by 10 and that's how I feel lately. It's funny, because the feeling of accomplishment is less intense than in Europe, but more pervasive. Not only do I feel so wonderful when I get to my destination all by myself, but I feel more adult-like, more capable, more trusting of myself and my decisions. I know that only good can come from this job!
Someone in Fishkill loves you! :)
On the road, most men think they are some kind of god who women desire to flock to and touch, so paying attention to a young, attractive 20-something woman is probably like a favor to her, right? Wrong.
On Tuesday, there was a group of older men meeting in the room adjacent to ours. Of course, I got "chatted up" (read: harassed) multiple times by multiple men and by the end of the day, I couldn't take it anymore. I mean, I can only be nice for so long! Stop making random conversation with me just so you can boost YOUR ego by talking to a pretty girl! I don't care about you! You're selfish and insecure and you're not as handsome as you used to be, so leave me alone! Perhaps if you were kind and sincere and weren't raised in an era when you were taught to dehumanize women, maybe THEN I wouldn't mind polite chatter, but you keep looking at me like you haven't seen a woman in 12 years and I'm really SICK of hearing that you're hitting up the hotel bar (hint, hint, wink, wink) or that you, too, were an emotionally rowdy child who had a learning disability and couldn't cope, so good thing we're teaching about it. Please go away! And, no, I DON'T get bored sitting here all day, thank-you-very-much!
God, that feels better.
In other news, I went out to eat with an "ex" (kind of, we really only dated for about 6 weeks, so who really counts that?) on Tuesday night and was surprised to find out that he was bringing his girlfriend as well. Thanks for the heads-up 15 minutes before picking me up! Turns out, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I bonded with her quite quickly -- she's almost my new best friend! I really adored her; we spent over 3.5 hours at dinner at this quaint little Italian place discussing politics and race and gender and oppression. (What did you expect? I have some serious opinions...) It was interesting and stimulating and enlightening all at the same time, and I'm so happy that I went! They think they'll be moving back to Minnesota soon, so we can all be friends when I move back as well. (Although, those of you hoping for an early move back will be disappointed to learn that I may be keeping this job -- based out of Seattle -- for a few more years, so my journey back to Minneapolis will be delayed indefinitely.)
Side note: New Yorkers are a different breed of people. They have such a strong and skewed accent, they are harshly (if not refreshingly) blunt, and they use their car horn as much as they blink. (They're crazy.) But, I love it here. It's beautiful and being an hour away from the City is exciting.
The drives this week have been gorgeous. Traveling through the Catskill Mountains during the autumn season seems unparalleled. I only wish a few things: 1) it hadn't been so rainy; 2) it hadn't been so foggy; 3) it hadn't been so dark; and 4) it hadn't been so windy. Also, a few New Yorkers mentioned that the fall colors are not as brilliant this year because of the warm weather. I guess the extended summer has produced lackluster leaves, resulting in more of a "rusty" fall than in previous years when colors were more vibrant. Well, I still thought it was pretty incredible.
Additionally, I have been thinking a lot about accomplishments in this job. For those of you who've been reading all of my blogs pretty regularly, do you remember when I wrote extensively about feeling so "accomplished" after traveling by myself in Europe a few times? Well, multiply that feeling by 10 and that's how I feel lately. It's funny, because the feeling of accomplishment is less intense than in Europe, but more pervasive. Not only do I feel so wonderful when I get to my destination all by myself, but I feel more adult-like, more capable, more trusting of myself and my decisions. I know that only good can come from this job!
Someone in Fishkill loves you! :)
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Upstate NY
It's great here! Really beautiful. The colors are a nice contrast to the brilliant green grass -- yesterday's drive from Syracuse to Rochester was quite nice. The only problem is: it's pouring rain today. The seminar room has even began to leak. NOT GOOD.
I feel like I have more to say, but I can't remember what it is! (Jogging memory...)
Still, I feel like this is all insane. I have to step back and take perspective sometimes when I'm randomly driving in the middle of a town I never thought I'd visit. Usually, these moments are accompanied by phone calls to people (namely, my parents) to rant about how ridiculous my life is -- it's like one long and spontaneous road trip! It's really incredible how one's life can change in a matter of minutes...hours...days. If I didn't happen to take a chance on a Craig's List ad due to the advice of an incredible best friend, I wouldn't have spent last night taking a jog through the beautiful campus of Rochester Institute of Technology, then eating at a random sports bar by myself, and retiring to a wonderful Sleep Number bed that now inhibits every room of the Radisson Hotel chain. I mean...REALLY, who gets to experience all this besides 24 other program managers?
In other news, while I was at lunch today (by myself again - but don't feel bad, I love it!), I was thinking about a few things that I would like to share with you all:
1) I suck at trying new foods. I mean, I like to do it, but I don't actually do it. Big difference. It's getting quite boring eating nothing every morning (no time!), a salad/soup/sandwich/wrap every afternoon, and a burger every night, so I've decided (despite my frugal self) to spend more money on food every day in order to try more interesting things. I need variety! I mean, when will I ever have the chance to not pay for food again? I can be such a stick in the mud sometimes!
2) I randomly started pondering this today: I'm convinced that our society does not promote trusting ourselves. In fact, they make it downright difficult to trust ourselves. Think about it -- they don't trust us to trust ourselves and make the "right" decisions (for us as individuals or for society in general), so they construct laws around ideas that could become (and have become) serious issues. For example, alcohol intake is restricted, smoking is banned in many places (not that I'm opposed, I'm just saying that the government is not allowing us to make our own decisions), drugs use is prohibited completely. Now, don't you think that if the government started to trust us and began to proactively help to install integrity within different populations, then we would more easily be able to trust ourselves and each other? (No wonder Europeans seem to have an innate trust in themselves - the government doesn't interfere with every g-damn thing they want to do. And if there is interference? They strike.) If we were given a choice as to when and how much alcohol we wanted to consume, don't you think that we'd get drunk a few times, but then allow ourselves a happy buzz every once and a while because it's fun? I mean, sure some people may still have problems (a whole separate issue, if you ask me), but I bet we wouldn't have a million and one 18-year-olds dying to go to college to steal into a bar or two and get drunk out of their mind. This definitely isn't a new idea, I just think it's interesting to relate it to internal trust issues - something to which I can definitely relate.
Side note: Tomorrow, I'm traveling to Fishkill, New York! Exciting (and weird)!
PS - You know, it's really enjoyable to have my laptop on location with me, but it's a serious pain in the ass to haul this sucker around along with the other 20 pounds (literally, I am not joking) in my backpack. I'm too cheap at the moment to get a rolling briefcase...but I better buck up soon, or I'm going to kill my back!
Cheers and love from the grand ole state of NY...
I feel like I have more to say, but I can't remember what it is! (Jogging memory...)
Still, I feel like this is all insane. I have to step back and take perspective sometimes when I'm randomly driving in the middle of a town I never thought I'd visit. Usually, these moments are accompanied by phone calls to people (namely, my parents) to rant about how ridiculous my life is -- it's like one long and spontaneous road trip! It's really incredible how one's life can change in a matter of minutes...hours...days. If I didn't happen to take a chance on a Craig's List ad due to the advice of an incredible best friend, I wouldn't have spent last night taking a jog through the beautiful campus of Rochester Institute of Technology, then eating at a random sports bar by myself, and retiring to a wonderful Sleep Number bed that now inhibits every room of the Radisson Hotel chain. I mean...REALLY, who gets to experience all this besides 24 other program managers?
In other news, while I was at lunch today (by myself again - but don't feel bad, I love it!), I was thinking about a few things that I would like to share with you all:
1) I suck at trying new foods. I mean, I like to do it, but I don't actually do it. Big difference. It's getting quite boring eating nothing every morning (no time!), a salad/soup/sandwich/wrap every afternoon, and a burger every night, so I've decided (despite my frugal self) to spend more money on food every day in order to try more interesting things. I need variety! I mean, when will I ever have the chance to not pay for food again? I can be such a stick in the mud sometimes!
2) I randomly started pondering this today: I'm convinced that our society does not promote trusting ourselves. In fact, they make it downright difficult to trust ourselves. Think about it -- they don't trust us to trust ourselves and make the "right" decisions (for us as individuals or for society in general), so they construct laws around ideas that could become (and have become) serious issues. For example, alcohol intake is restricted, smoking is banned in many places (not that I'm opposed, I'm just saying that the government is not allowing us to make our own decisions), drugs use is prohibited completely. Now, don't you think that if the government started to trust us and began to proactively help to install integrity within different populations, then we would more easily be able to trust ourselves and each other? (No wonder Europeans seem to have an innate trust in themselves - the government doesn't interfere with every g-damn thing they want to do. And if there is interference? They strike.) If we were given a choice as to when and how much alcohol we wanted to consume, don't you think that we'd get drunk a few times, but then allow ourselves a happy buzz every once and a while because it's fun? I mean, sure some people may still have problems (a whole separate issue, if you ask me), but I bet we wouldn't have a million and one 18-year-olds dying to go to college to steal into a bar or two and get drunk out of their mind. This definitely isn't a new idea, I just think it's interesting to relate it to internal trust issues - something to which I can definitely relate.
Side note: Tomorrow, I'm traveling to Fishkill, New York! Exciting (and weird)!
PS - You know, it's really enjoyable to have my laptop on location with me, but it's a serious pain in the ass to haul this sucker around along with the other 20 pounds (literally, I am not joking) in my backpack. I'm too cheap at the moment to get a rolling briefcase...but I better buck up soon, or I'm going to kill my back!
Cheers and love from the grand ole state of NY...
Sunday, October 21, 2007
What a Week!
Goodness, goodness. I can't believe my life. So, as I type, I am sitting in a hotel in Syracuse, New York after just driving down the streets of this (rather warm!) city trying to find a good place to eat. I found one, but it wasn't so good. La Bella Pizza didn't make my head turn, but I guess any food is good food when you don't have much time or desire to eat. I worked out tonight as well; it can be hard to find the time and the sanity to run on a hotel treadmill (imagine dark, low ceiling, stuffy rooms with old equipment and loud televisions), but I managed a few times last week and I will this week, too. I seem to sleep better when I've had exercise that doesn't involve running for my connecting flight.
So. Last week was a whirlwind of fun, and stress, and excitement, and nervousness, and triumph. I started off in New Orleans with my training group and it was so much fun. We spent Sunday night on Bourbon Street at a traditional restaurant (I ate shrimp jambalaya and creole) and moved to a jazz club on the strip. When we left the jazz club (one of many), we walked across the street and who finds me there, but an old friend from Green Bay who I've known since I was about 10 years old! It was fate, but it was so bizarre to see her in New Orleans of all places when (since she moved to LA a few years ago) I barely see her in Wisconsin! Craziness, I tell you. Then, we moved to a super ghetto (in an awesome way) club in which we physically were quite out of place. We were 5 white folks in a largely black person's club. I did the worm (I promised my group I would) and then one of the women in the club ("Shorty") came over and started to dance with us. Eventually, she spent the majority of the night teaching me how to shake my ass like a black woman. It was AMAZING. I think I've got it down. It's like the ass has a mind of it's own! It took me a while to get the hang of it (she even put her hands on my butt and proceeded to physically show me what to do), but I finally got it while almost everyone in the club clapped to the beat because they probably thought I needed the extra encouragement. By the end of the night, I was practically a member of their little gang and when I formally introduced myself, "Shorty" gasped and rolled up her sleeve to reveal a tattoo of my name across her upper arm. Needless to say, we took many pictures with the gasp-inducing tattoo.
The seminar went well the next day, but we ended up getting delayed in New Orleans because of storms in Houston. Lighting, flood warnings -- it was running the gambit and I was getting antsy in the airport, so I did some much-needed push-ups. I swear, during this job, I must get in a good amount of physical exercise or I'll die!
Houston was not as amazing as New Orleans (once we got there), but I tried Sonic (a fast food restaurant) for the first time and the hotel was stayed at was AMAZING. Best one yet. Luxurious sheets, flat screen TV, great rooms - I love it. Seminar went well, nothing interesting to report.
Then, we partnered off on Wednesday and I was off to San Jose, California. This ended up being a super nightmare! My partner flew in Tuesday night, but left me to my own devices after 10am the next morning when everything proceeded to go wrong. I almost broke down, but kept my wits about me and trudged through the day with my head high. It helped that Sarah came for lunch and we got to hug and catch up! Hallelujah!
By the time we got into Salt Lake City, I needed to work out. I did my preparations for the night and ordered room service before hitting the exercise room and picked up my BBQ chicken sandwich after my sweat sesh was finito. I showered and ate dinner in bed on one of those amazing in-bed tray tables! Delish!
The next day was the most interesting, stress-inducing, and (ironically) fun of them all. I woke up ready to roll (everything was going GREAT!), except for the fact that I was having severe abdominal pains. These were concerning only because I found blood in my stool (something I've never had before) the previous day. I called the nurse line that corresponds with my insurance and she told me to go into the emergency room immediately. I freaked! So, I made the arrangements to take a cab to the University of Utah hospital, talked to my boss(es) and the instructor, and made my way (albeit, crying) to the middle of Salt Lake City proper. (Funny enough, this is the only reason I got to see the city - it's gorgeous!) I was nervous filling out papers once I got there, but all went well and I was triaged into this room where I paced and paced while keeping in constant contact with work. (Well, you would be freaking too if it was your 4th day on the job and you were in a foreign city with no one to go to the emergency room with you for the first time!) Eventually, someone came in to give me an ultrasound (it was amazing -- I saw my spleen, ovaries, uterus, kidneys, colon, and heart!) and I found out that my aorta splits amazingly early into my legs. (The cute doctor was so impressed!) Oh, and my femural artery is visible only because I'm lean. (Apparently, people are usually too fat to see this.) Then, I got my blood drawn, which, as they promised me, was painless. I had a few "down under" exams, but everything seemed to check out and I got the best care EVER! It was wonderful! So...they think it was just stress that caused my symptoms, but at least I got them to help me with the crossword puzzle I was distracting myself with! I win the award for best patient ever! :) I even caught my early flight out of Salt Lake because they were so punctual!
Finally, last day of the week was in Denver. That went all fine and good -- but I was trying to catch up from the day before. Nothing significant happened except for the fact that I ate a bison burger. It was hella good. Flew back into Seattle on Friday night and got home around 10pm. Chatted with the roomies and got to bed for a whopping 11 hours of sleep. Woke up and did errands that day with Kelly, then packed until the wee morning hours with Adrian. Got up this morning at 5:15am (PDT) and spent the day flying to the East Coast where I am now. In fact, it's getting quite late and still need to shower. I hope this has entertained you for now! :)
I have my laptop with me this week, so you won't have to wait as long for news on my whereabouts...
So. Last week was a whirlwind of fun, and stress, and excitement, and nervousness, and triumph. I started off in New Orleans with my training group and it was so much fun. We spent Sunday night on Bourbon Street at a traditional restaurant (I ate shrimp jambalaya and creole) and moved to a jazz club on the strip. When we left the jazz club (one of many), we walked across the street and who finds me there, but an old friend from Green Bay who I've known since I was about 10 years old! It was fate, but it was so bizarre to see her in New Orleans of all places when (since she moved to LA a few years ago) I barely see her in Wisconsin! Craziness, I tell you. Then, we moved to a super ghetto (in an awesome way) club in which we physically were quite out of place. We were 5 white folks in a largely black person's club. I did the worm (I promised my group I would) and then one of the women in the club ("Shorty") came over and started to dance with us. Eventually, she spent the majority of the night teaching me how to shake my ass like a black woman. It was AMAZING. I think I've got it down. It's like the ass has a mind of it's own! It took me a while to get the hang of it (she even put her hands on my butt and proceeded to physically show me what to do), but I finally got it while almost everyone in the club clapped to the beat because they probably thought I needed the extra encouragement. By the end of the night, I was practically a member of their little gang and when I formally introduced myself, "Shorty" gasped and rolled up her sleeve to reveal a tattoo of my name across her upper arm. Needless to say, we took many pictures with the gasp-inducing tattoo.
The seminar went well the next day, but we ended up getting delayed in New Orleans because of storms in Houston. Lighting, flood warnings -- it was running the gambit and I was getting antsy in the airport, so I did some much-needed push-ups. I swear, during this job, I must get in a good amount of physical exercise or I'll die!
Houston was not as amazing as New Orleans (once we got there), but I tried Sonic (a fast food restaurant) for the first time and the hotel was stayed at was AMAZING. Best one yet. Luxurious sheets, flat screen TV, great rooms - I love it. Seminar went well, nothing interesting to report.
Then, we partnered off on Wednesday and I was off to San Jose, California. This ended up being a super nightmare! My partner flew in Tuesday night, but left me to my own devices after 10am the next morning when everything proceeded to go wrong. I almost broke down, but kept my wits about me and trudged through the day with my head high. It helped that Sarah came for lunch and we got to hug and catch up! Hallelujah!
By the time we got into Salt Lake City, I needed to work out. I did my preparations for the night and ordered room service before hitting the exercise room and picked up my BBQ chicken sandwich after my sweat sesh was finito. I showered and ate dinner in bed on one of those amazing in-bed tray tables! Delish!
The next day was the most interesting, stress-inducing, and (ironically) fun of them all. I woke up ready to roll (everything was going GREAT!), except for the fact that I was having severe abdominal pains. These were concerning only because I found blood in my stool (something I've never had before) the previous day. I called the nurse line that corresponds with my insurance and she told me to go into the emergency room immediately. I freaked! So, I made the arrangements to take a cab to the University of Utah hospital, talked to my boss(es) and the instructor, and made my way (albeit, crying) to the middle of Salt Lake City proper. (Funny enough, this is the only reason I got to see the city - it's gorgeous!) I was nervous filling out papers once I got there, but all went well and I was triaged into this room where I paced and paced while keeping in constant contact with work. (Well, you would be freaking too if it was your 4th day on the job and you were in a foreign city with no one to go to the emergency room with you for the first time!) Eventually, someone came in to give me an ultrasound (it was amazing -- I saw my spleen, ovaries, uterus, kidneys, colon, and heart!) and I found out that my aorta splits amazingly early into my legs. (The cute doctor was so impressed!) Oh, and my femural artery is visible only because I'm lean. (Apparently, people are usually too fat to see this.) Then, I got my blood drawn, which, as they promised me, was painless. I had a few "down under" exams, but everything seemed to check out and I got the best care EVER! It was wonderful! So...they think it was just stress that caused my symptoms, but at least I got them to help me with the crossword puzzle I was distracting myself with! I win the award for best patient ever! :) I even caught my early flight out of Salt Lake because they were so punctual!
Finally, last day of the week was in Denver. That went all fine and good -- but I was trying to catch up from the day before. Nothing significant happened except for the fact that I ate a bison burger. It was hella good. Flew back into Seattle on Friday night and got home around 10pm. Chatted with the roomies and got to bed for a whopping 11 hours of sleep. Woke up and did errands that day with Kelly, then packed until the wee morning hours with Adrian. Got up this morning at 5:15am (PDT) and spent the day flying to the East Coast where I am now. In fact, it's getting quite late and still need to shower. I hope this has entertained you for now! :)
I have my laptop with me this week, so you won't have to wait as long for news on my whereabouts...
Saturday, October 13, 2007
My First Week: Amazing!
Basically, I love my job and I've barely started. My first week was more than I could ask for in terms of feeling comfortable, desired, and trusted. I keep saying this, but everyone is SO NICE! I'm so glad I made the switch from grad school - it's the best decision I've ever made in my life. I feel like a gemstone that was mistreated, tossed through the mud, routinely dropped, and abused. Then, this wonderful company noticed that my skills and qualifications and character were things that could be utilized, and they nursed me back to health and took care of me -- and now, I am a beautiful, re-polished gemstone that has serious trust issues! I can't believe that I am liked and trusted and respected already! Seems so foreign to me.
Also, I think I should clear up some confusion about quitting grad school. My program is a three-year certification program which includes two years of studying for a Master's degree and a one-year internship -- both are necessary to practice school psychology. People can also opt to continue with the Ph.D. program, which begins after the Master's degree is obtained and during the year of internship. Even though we receive our Master's before the year of internship (because if people are continuing on for a Ph.D., they can start earning doctorate credits this year), we are still registered for credits during the internship year. In fact, the internship is considered school for us during that one year. Then, we take a test and finish up the amount of internship hours we need, and we're certified as school psychologists. So, this is the reason I quit grad school, but I still have my Master's degree. Not only did I quit my Ph.D. studies, but I also quit my internship, during which I was still registered for credits. Does that make sense? That's why I can say that I quit grad school and still put M.Ed. after my name. So, my decision was calculated -- I wanted that Master's degree! :)
In other news, I consulted with a Past-Life Regression (PLR) therapist yesterday afternoon and it was one of the most interesting meetings I've had in a while. You see, I believe that I am emotionally blocked and my cognitive behavioral therapy was just not addressing the mind-body-spirit connection as well as I would have liked, so I Googled alternative clinics in the Seattle area and found one in Redmond (near Seattle). I also found a doctor (with real credentials, but not licensed as a therapist) who specializes in PLR. Basically, the therapeutic assumption of PLR is that everyone has hundreds (if not thousands) of past lives that influence their present life - both emotionally, physically, and spiritually. The therapist proceeds to relax the client into an altered state (the consciousness right before sleeping) and guides them into a mindset that allows them to explore their past lives. This can take anywhere from 1 hour to 2.5 hours, and about 90% of the clients experience such change that they never come a second time. Also, the doctor told me that one does not have to believe in this approach to benefit from it, which I think is especially interesting. I'm totally going to try it. The doctor even said he suggests (during this state of altered consciousness) that the client remember everything about the "past life retellings" and most individuals wake up with the memory of what happened during whichever past life they chose to visit. Crazy!
Well, I fly to New Orleans tomorrow morning at 8:30am. Wish me luck! :)
Also, I think I should clear up some confusion about quitting grad school. My program is a three-year certification program which includes two years of studying for a Master's degree and a one-year internship -- both are necessary to practice school psychology. People can also opt to continue with the Ph.D. program, which begins after the Master's degree is obtained and during the year of internship. Even though we receive our Master's before the year of internship (because if people are continuing on for a Ph.D., they can start earning doctorate credits this year), we are still registered for credits during the internship year. In fact, the internship is considered school for us during that one year. Then, we take a test and finish up the amount of internship hours we need, and we're certified as school psychologists. So, this is the reason I quit grad school, but I still have my Master's degree. Not only did I quit my Ph.D. studies, but I also quit my internship, during which I was still registered for credits. Does that make sense? That's why I can say that I quit grad school and still put M.Ed. after my name. So, my decision was calculated -- I wanted that Master's degree! :)
In other news, I consulted with a Past-Life Regression (PLR) therapist yesterday afternoon and it was one of the most interesting meetings I've had in a while. You see, I believe that I am emotionally blocked and my cognitive behavioral therapy was just not addressing the mind-body-spirit connection as well as I would have liked, so I Googled alternative clinics in the Seattle area and found one in Redmond (near Seattle). I also found a doctor (with real credentials, but not licensed as a therapist) who specializes in PLR. Basically, the therapeutic assumption of PLR is that everyone has hundreds (if not thousands) of past lives that influence their present life - both emotionally, physically, and spiritually. The therapist proceeds to relax the client into an altered state (the consciousness right before sleeping) and guides them into a mindset that allows them to explore their past lives. This can take anywhere from 1 hour to 2.5 hours, and about 90% of the clients experience such change that they never come a second time. Also, the doctor told me that one does not have to believe in this approach to benefit from it, which I think is especially interesting. I'm totally going to try it. The doctor even said he suggests (during this state of altered consciousness) that the client remember everything about the "past life retellings" and most individuals wake up with the memory of what happened during whichever past life they chose to visit. Crazy!
Well, I fly to New Orleans tomorrow morning at 8:30am. Wish me luck! :)
Monday, October 8, 2007
My First Day: Fantanstic!
I love my job! I love the company! I love the people!
It's so incredible to be in a room with 30 people and feel valued, appreciated, and generally desired for your credentials without having to be all showy, and impressive, and unnecessarily fake. It's enlightening to have trust without having to be put through the ringer. I mean, today was nothing short of amazing. I can't even really describe it -- it's such a vast difference from my deficient graduate program. It's like the graduate program experience I WISH I had.
My colleagues are all beautiful and poised and trendy and sweet and interesting and inquisitive and funny and intelligent. It was like the first day of high school, except for everyone was good-looking and super nice (albeit, intimidating, but that kind of intimidating that doesn't prevent you from being friends with people) and friendly and we weren't all 14 years old with acne and a new set of genitals we had no idea how to use. (Did I just say that?)
We had morning snacks, interesting icebreakers (I didn't even know there was such a thing), and lunch...lunch was fabulous. Downtown Bellevue, 25th floor, great view of the city, melt-in-your-mouth salmon, nothing better.
To sum it all up: Today, I felt like a celebrity.
It's so incredible to be in a room with 30 people and feel valued, appreciated, and generally desired for your credentials without having to be all showy, and impressive, and unnecessarily fake. It's enlightening to have trust without having to be put through the ringer. I mean, today was nothing short of amazing. I can't even really describe it -- it's such a vast difference from my deficient graduate program. It's like the graduate program experience I WISH I had.
My colleagues are all beautiful and poised and trendy and sweet and interesting and inquisitive and funny and intelligent. It was like the first day of high school, except for everyone was good-looking and super nice (albeit, intimidating, but that kind of intimidating that doesn't prevent you from being friends with people) and friendly and we weren't all 14 years old with acne and a new set of genitals we had no idea how to use. (Did I just say that?)
We had morning snacks, interesting icebreakers (I didn't even know there was such a thing), and lunch...lunch was fabulous. Downtown Bellevue, 25th floor, great view of the city, melt-in-your-mouth salmon, nothing better.
To sum it all up: Today, I felt like a celebrity.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Grad School Dropout
If you're reading this, you've probably gotten my email about QUITTING GRAD SCHOOL! This, incidentally, defines me in a very cool way: I'm a grad school dropout! Flunkie! Quitter! Rebel! Maverick! Yay! Call me what you will...I have to say that I have never, never felt so GOOD about a decision in my life. It's my biggest accomplishment to date -- even bigger than getting the damn Master's (though, it feels pretty amazing to put M.Ed. after my name)!
So, here, in this very blog, you will learn all about my new career path and my new adventures. Stay tuned for juicy (but very anonymous) details!
How excited are you?!
Love,
Kelly Anne, M.Ed. (Gosh, that's fun!)
So, here, in this very blog, you will learn all about my new career path and my new adventures. Stay tuned for juicy (but very anonymous) details!
How excited are you?!
Love,
Kelly Anne, M.Ed. (Gosh, that's fun!)
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