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!
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
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...
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