Home for lunch, and I find the most compelling thing on television this noon is the USCCB (United States Catholic Council of Bishops) Fall general meeting on EWTN.
It's kind of a cross between CSPAN and a corporate meeting and an old-timey religious synod. Right now its a press conference that is moving between gay catholics (new doctrine / document), human sexuality, and priest abuse scandal. With a bunch of stuff related to policies regarding taking communion.
It's kind of funny to see a room full of old white (mostly) guys with white hair, comb-overs, and dressed identically. The production is not that bad. And the ESPN like pundit desk between segments was hilarious - both in terms of it seeming like a football game halftime show, and some of the contents, digging at how bad catholic music is, etc.
November 13, 2006
November 11, 2006
Weekend Update
Kind of a relaxing weekend, without too much angst or activity.
Last night, MYA and I went to dinner (Friendly's) and a movie (Marie Antoinette, her choice). Nothing major, except its the first time in a long time I have been to a suburban theater on a weekend - the jaded suburban teens were a bit thick. I came out of the bathroom stall to a bathroom filled with 15 or so teens, just hanging out and policing the bathroom (you could almost hear the buzz of social critique). Sheesh. As a queerish woman, you bet your ass I feel safer in Hartford than in the burbs.....it's been a long time since I have felt on edge about being in a bathroom The movie was OK - not exactly my preference but it had its moments.
This morning, balloon chasing from southern Southington to Farmington in a less common southern wind. Breakfast afterwards, then home. We spent most of the day cleaning up outdoors (raking, cutting back plants) as well as doing some laundry. Tonight we did dinner with Buck, Mediza in West Hartford (quite lovely).
Tomorrow - morning yoga and heading up to NoHo with Zippy for a support group.
Last night, MYA and I went to dinner (Friendly's) and a movie (Marie Antoinette, her choice). Nothing major, except its the first time in a long time I have been to a suburban theater on a weekend - the jaded suburban teens were a bit thick. I came out of the bathroom stall to a bathroom filled with 15 or so teens, just hanging out and policing the bathroom (you could almost hear the buzz of social critique). Sheesh. As a queerish woman, you bet your ass I feel safer in Hartford than in the burbs.....it's been a long time since I have felt on edge about being in a bathroom The movie was OK - not exactly my preference but it had its moments.
This morning, balloon chasing from southern Southington to Farmington in a less common southern wind. Breakfast afterwards, then home. We spent most of the day cleaning up outdoors (raking, cutting back plants) as well as doing some laundry. Tonight we did dinner with Buck, Mediza in West Hartford (quite lovely).
Tomorrow - morning yoga and heading up to NoHo with Zippy for a support group.
November 10, 2006
Pinball
Bouncing from one thing to another. This morning, some work and then an adventure in errands.
A hair appointment, long overdue. My longtime stylist Raymond is moving from Hair Plus in Rocky Hill to a new shop, The Hair Factory, also in Rocky Hill. The new shop will be right across the street from Jazzercise. Huzzah.
Dry cleaners to pick up some business wear freshly cleaned for the RSNA show. Personal bank to deposit some checks. Stor-U-Self to pick up some boxes of documents for a group I was on the board of (need to organize these and transfer ownership). Also ended up paying for my 2007 rent for Stor-U-Self.
Finally, the post office (mail some packages) and the Whole Donut (a cup o' decaf) and now back to work.
Zoom zoom.
A hair appointment, long overdue. My longtime stylist Raymond is moving from Hair Plus in Rocky Hill to a new shop, The Hair Factory, also in Rocky Hill. The new shop will be right across the street from Jazzercise. Huzzah.
Dry cleaners to pick up some business wear freshly cleaned for the RSNA show. Personal bank to deposit some checks. Stor-U-Self to pick up some boxes of documents for a group I was on the board of (need to organize these and transfer ownership). Also ended up paying for my 2007 rent for Stor-U-Self.
Finally, the post office (mail some packages) and the Whole Donut (a cup o' decaf) and now back to work.
Zoom zoom.
November 09, 2006
The Fish Necklace
Somewhere along the line, I decided I wanted something to wear around my neck. I envisioned a small silver abstract fish or flame. It would symbolize the work I did at the Intensive - what I came to know, what I came to believe in my heart. But I did a bunch of web surfing over the past few days and did not really find anything close. Lots of christian fish (not) and lots of zodiacal fish (appropo for a Pisces, but also not).
Tonight, Zippy and I went over to Songbirds on the Berlin Turnpike. We ostensibly went looking for matching silver rings - we had picked some up at the folk fest but they were not sterling, and gave me a rash. We found some nice ones - so now we have partner rings. Not really married or civil unionized or anything, but its nice.
But I also found my pendant. It's a bit larger than I envisioned. It is an abstract form that could go either fish or flame or both. And, most interestingly, it is a jigsaw-like piece, with what I think are quartz pieces that fit into a silver framework to make the larger shape. Perfectly getting to the nature of my awakening, my personal, and very human scaled framework upon which I hang my best approximation of the unknowable and the infinite.
Tonight, Zippy and I went over to Songbirds on the Berlin Turnpike. We ostensibly went looking for matching silver rings - we had picked some up at the folk fest but they were not sterling, and gave me a rash. We found some nice ones - so now we have partner rings. Not really married or civil unionized or anything, but its nice.
But I also found my pendant. It's a bit larger than I envisioned. It is an abstract form that could go either fish or flame or both. And, most interestingly, it is a jigsaw-like piece, with what I think are quartz pieces that fit into a silver framework to make the larger shape. Perfectly getting to the nature of my awakening, my personal, and very human scaled framework upon which I hang my best approximation of the unknowable and the infinite.
Eighteen Awarenesses About Food
Even though I was NOT really working with food issues during the Intensive, there was a remarkable parallel track to it all related to my mindfulness eating stuff and food in general. I actually sat down and took the time to write out some thoughts and was surprised to find quite the list of observations, awarenesses, or issues that poked above the surface over the weekend.
1) Loss of control. We had few if any choices. Eating times were fixed. Choices were limited or nonexistent. Portions were controlled.
2) We had an official tea time, snack time, and nap time. It felt very safe and protected - like kindergarten for adults.
3) Taste satiety was an issue. The cook was skilled but was not so familiar with veggie / vegan fare, so did not have the repetoire nor the spice rack to make the food enticing. High quality food, just not so flavorful at times.
4) Not sure if it was the Intensive hyper awareness or what, but the food was, at times, visually stunning. On at least one occasion I cried to see how beautiful (and bountiful) a plate of food was.
5) The quantity and quality of the food seemed to ramp up, with the first day meals and snacks being spartan, almost subsistence level, and at the end being bountiful - way too much. (portions were controlled) I wondered if this was deliberate?
6) The eating was silent / contemplative. Wonderful experience.
7) No caffeine! (I ramped down over the two weeks leading up to the Intensive)
8) Coffee deadens the taste buds. Though I am back on Decaf (having a cup right now in fact), I am aware of the trade off of taste sensation vs. the comfort of a cup of coffee.
9) At one point I became aware of suddenly starting to eat mindlessly while being aware of some tension in the facilitor ranks. A really wonderful awareness - linking tension, stress, anger, family of origin stuff to my eating issues.
10) Switching over to vegan food, my stomache was howling all weekend.
11) I had to deal with fullness awareness, by the end of the weekend the plates were so full I had to stop. Much easier to be aware of fullness in a contemplative environment (no distractions, eating slowly and thoughfully)
12) I had to throw away food (see items 5 and 11) - which was really difficult. I found myself apologising to the food, thanking it even as I threw it away.
13) There were small choices - usually breakfast (fruit or hot cereal) and snack (fruit or something crunchy) and those choices became precious.
14) We did not have to prepare the food nor worry about cleanup. A blessing, left us free to do the work. Also made me realize the "pull" of fast / easy food.
15) There was "celebration eating" with apple crisp and ice cream on Sunday night, and a traditional breakfast buffet for Monday brunch. Delightfully, I ate reasonable, maybe even small, portions, without even trying.
16) In my re-entry, one of the first things I did was remove my laptop from the dining space, and clean off the mail / ephemera / junk from the table. Thats a place for eating, for contemplation, for bonding with my partner.
17) My first night back I cooked a special dinner (along with cleaning / nesting) - was very aware of the process of cooking, the love through preparation.
18) Of course, I did do a little bit of intending towards my gut over the weekend, and themes of emptiness and hunger were omnipresent. But really, most of my stuff was not directly linked to food / eating.
Wait. Actually, my image of enlightenment was of the divine (envisioned as a large fish) eating me. Whoa. ::clonk:: this is the sound of a zen whacking stick bonking be right between the eyes.
1) Loss of control. We had few if any choices. Eating times were fixed. Choices were limited or nonexistent. Portions were controlled.
2) We had an official tea time, snack time, and nap time. It felt very safe and protected - like kindergarten for adults.
3) Taste satiety was an issue. The cook was skilled but was not so familiar with veggie / vegan fare, so did not have the repetoire nor the spice rack to make the food enticing. High quality food, just not so flavorful at times.
4) Not sure if it was the Intensive hyper awareness or what, but the food was, at times, visually stunning. On at least one occasion I cried to see how beautiful (and bountiful) a plate of food was.
5) The quantity and quality of the food seemed to ramp up, with the first day meals and snacks being spartan, almost subsistence level, and at the end being bountiful - way too much. (portions were controlled) I wondered if this was deliberate?
6) The eating was silent / contemplative. Wonderful experience.
7) No caffeine! (I ramped down over the two weeks leading up to the Intensive)
8) Coffee deadens the taste buds. Though I am back on Decaf (having a cup right now in fact), I am aware of the trade off of taste sensation vs. the comfort of a cup of coffee.
9) At one point I became aware of suddenly starting to eat mindlessly while being aware of some tension in the facilitor ranks. A really wonderful awareness - linking tension, stress, anger, family of origin stuff to my eating issues.
10) Switching over to vegan food, my stomache was howling all weekend.
11) I had to deal with fullness awareness, by the end of the weekend the plates were so full I had to stop. Much easier to be aware of fullness in a contemplative environment (no distractions, eating slowly and thoughfully)
12) I had to throw away food (see items 5 and 11) - which was really difficult. I found myself apologising to the food, thanking it even as I threw it away.
13) There were small choices - usually breakfast (fruit or hot cereal) and snack (fruit or something crunchy) and those choices became precious.
14) We did not have to prepare the food nor worry about cleanup. A blessing, left us free to do the work. Also made me realize the "pull" of fast / easy food.
15) There was "celebration eating" with apple crisp and ice cream on Sunday night, and a traditional breakfast buffet for Monday brunch. Delightfully, I ate reasonable, maybe even small, portions, without even trying.
16) In my re-entry, one of the first things I did was remove my laptop from the dining space, and clean off the mail / ephemera / junk from the table. Thats a place for eating, for contemplation, for bonding with my partner.
17) My first night back I cooked a special dinner (along with cleaning / nesting) - was very aware of the process of cooking, the love through preparation.
18) Of course, I did do a little bit of intending towards my gut over the weekend, and themes of emptiness and hunger were omnipresent. But really, most of my stuff was not directly linked to food / eating.
Wait. Actually, my image of enlightenment was of the divine (envisioned as a large fish) eating me. Whoa. ::clonk:: this is the sound of a zen whacking stick bonking be right between the eyes.
And in the news.....
Flamingo Production Comes To A Halt At Massachusetts Firm - because there is never enough kitsch in the world, and
China issues 'one dog' policy in Beijing - does this mean we will see a rash of dogless lesbian couples adopting puppies from China? (don't look at us, we are already two dogs over limit)
What about yoga studios? Heh.
China issues 'one dog' policy in Beijing - does this mean we will see a rash of dogless lesbian couples adopting puppies from China? (don't look at us, we are already two dogs over limit)
Dog owners also were forbidden from taking their dogs to public places like markets, shops, parks, exhibition halls, community gym zones, amusement parks, railway waiting rooms and sightseeing areas, Xinhua said.
What about yoga studios? Heh.
November 08, 2006
Getting back to life
It's been a few topsy turvy days as I settled back into the world following the Intensive. A quick recap will get us all caught up.
Monday, I got back around 1:30, pretty much flying. I spent most of the afternoon "nesting" - cleaning, tweaking, cooking dinner for Zippy and I. It just felt like I wanted to make my life, my space, more sacred and more cared for. Zippy came home and after some tension (related to my being incommunicado for four days, the length of the intensive, and the "you are moving forward, I am stuck" stuff) we talked. Things are much better. The glow was definitely still there.
Tuesday took me to vote, then into work for a while. I alse ended up doing a huge car cleaning - my trunk had started to look like a junk drawer. All cleaned. Then off to Bristol to pick up MYA, mom, and baby bro, and up to Boston. That took all day but was a pretty smooth trip all in all. We stopped once each way - sturbridge rest area for lunch, and dunkin donuts en route home for coffee (decaf for me, I'm pretty much off caffeine!) When I got home, MP was here visiting, so we hung out and chatted for a while.
Today, more work. Then a session with my mindfulness eating facilitator - even though it was not at all about food, I ended up with about 18 food awarenesses or observations that I wanted to share with her - to integrate that work with the intensive work, and split out the food / eating stuff from the other work. Good session. Home for lunch, back to work, off to zap, back to work, then home. We went to Zippy's monthly support space tonight - which amusingly got into "mindfulness" as the facilitator (a psych doc) apparently is a proponent / fan.
Tomorrow, hopefully, life resumes with the regular amount of work. I need to get two reports out, get a couple of overdue invoices out (from the first of the month, woefully late) and start on some long term projects. Yoga too - it's been a week since my last formal practice although I practiced once up at the Intensive.
Kind of interesting to witness the post Intensive glow as it fades and integrates. I am trying hard to plant anchors and touchstones. I emailed the Intensive facilitator with my "first days back" experience. I emailed a few participants I especially want to connect to. I am writing things down, talking about things, trying to plant seeds and make small changes that will endure.
Monday, I got back around 1:30, pretty much flying. I spent most of the afternoon "nesting" - cleaning, tweaking, cooking dinner for Zippy and I. It just felt like I wanted to make my life, my space, more sacred and more cared for. Zippy came home and after some tension (related to my being incommunicado for four days, the length of the intensive, and the "you are moving forward, I am stuck" stuff) we talked. Things are much better. The glow was definitely still there.
Tuesday took me to vote, then into work for a while. I alse ended up doing a huge car cleaning - my trunk had started to look like a junk drawer. All cleaned. Then off to Bristol to pick up MYA, mom, and baby bro, and up to Boston. That took all day but was a pretty smooth trip all in all. We stopped once each way - sturbridge rest area for lunch, and dunkin donuts en route home for coffee (decaf for me, I'm pretty much off caffeine!) When I got home, MP was here visiting, so we hung out and chatted for a while.
Today, more work. Then a session with my mindfulness eating facilitator - even though it was not at all about food, I ended up with about 18 food awarenesses or observations that I wanted to share with her - to integrate that work with the intensive work, and split out the food / eating stuff from the other work. Good session. Home for lunch, back to work, off to zap, back to work, then home. We went to Zippy's monthly support space tonight - which amusingly got into "mindfulness" as the facilitator (a psych doc) apparently is a proponent / fan.
Tomorrow, hopefully, life resumes with the regular amount of work. I need to get two reports out, get a couple of overdue invoices out (from the first of the month, woefully late) and start on some long term projects. Yoga too - it's been a week since my last formal practice although I practiced once up at the Intensive.
Kind of interesting to witness the post Intensive glow as it fades and integrates. I am trying hard to plant anchors and touchstones. I emailed the Intensive facilitator with my "first days back" experience. I emailed a few participants I especially want to connect to. I am writing things down, talking about things, trying to plant seeds and make small changes that will endure.
Thank-you Ned Lamont
Ned Lamont, you lost the battle. But I think you won the war.
You stood up against the war when too many people were afraid to. And other, less courageous politicos realized they could as well. Even Senator Lieberman began to hedge his support for the war at the barrage of your campaign. I woul dlike to hope that he has learned something from this campaign. I would like to think he has paid a price for his hubris and ambition, in terms of loss of his party, loss of his reputation, loss of standing. You were the innocent child calling out "The Emporer has no clothes"
I have small, very small hopes that Senator Lieberman will come back humbler and softened. I have expectations that he will cling tighter to his Republican friends. And I am curious to see how and if some of Colin McEnroe's speculation about "what next" play out.
Mr, Lamont, your campaign energized a democratic and independent base that brought voters to the polling places in record numbers, helping to sweep out Nancy Johnson, and maybe others in CT. I have no doubt that hadyou not run the campaign you did, that we would have a status quo congressional deligation. Not anymore.
Your campaign made national waves as you took on an established democratic centrist, an incredibly quixotic fight, and won the primary. Other democrats found their spines, critics of the national policy in the middle east found their voices and their way to the polling places.
Ned Lamont, you rock. Sleep well, soldier. You kicked ass. Go back to your business, your family, your life. I am honored to have tossed in some bucks, churned up some energy, held up some signs, did some phone banking. I will keep your name on my bumper for a while - as a reminder. Senator Lieberman needs to see your name every day of his term - to remind him. To humble him.
THANK YOU, NED LAMONT!
You stood up against the war when too many people were afraid to. And other, less courageous politicos realized they could as well. Even Senator Lieberman began to hedge his support for the war at the barrage of your campaign. I woul dlike to hope that he has learned something from this campaign. I would like to think he has paid a price for his hubris and ambition, in terms of loss of his party, loss of his reputation, loss of standing. You were the innocent child calling out "The Emporer has no clothes"
I have small, very small hopes that Senator Lieberman will come back humbler and softened. I have expectations that he will cling tighter to his Republican friends. And I am curious to see how and if some of Colin McEnroe's speculation about "what next" play out.
Mr, Lamont, your campaign energized a democratic and independent base that brought voters to the polling places in record numbers, helping to sweep out Nancy Johnson, and maybe others in CT. I have no doubt that hadyou not run the campaign you did, that we would have a status quo congressional deligation. Not anymore.
Your campaign made national waves as you took on an established democratic centrist, an incredibly quixotic fight, and won the primary. Other democrats found their spines, critics of the national policy in the middle east found their voices and their way to the polling places.
Ned Lamont, you rock. Sleep well, soldier. You kicked ass. Go back to your business, your family, your life. I am honored to have tossed in some bucks, churned up some energy, held up some signs, did some phone banking. I will keep your name on my bumper for a while - as a reminder. Senator Lieberman needs to see your name every day of his term - to remind him. To humble him.
THANK YOU, NED LAMONT!
November 07, 2006
Lamont Lost
Bummer. Hope Sen Lieberman has had enough of the piss scared out of him to get back to his roots. Not too optimistic, but hope springs eternal.
And another opinion......
You seem to like to hide in the bushes, but you're not afraid of jumping out and getting down to business when its time.
November 06, 2006
I'm Keeping You
Sayeth a new friend as we hugged our farewell this morning and promised to stay conencted. So warm and mischievous and wise. I feel like a puppy.
Back...sort of
Wow. Just saying. Not sure you will notice it here, but damn. Hard to explain.....
Heading up to Boston tomorrow, with MYA. So not a lot of blogging, and I am not going to blog about the Intensive other to say that I survived, I am back, and the world is very different. Once I get my feet back on the ground I will be posting a bit more.
Oh, election day tomorrow. Don't forget to vote....
Heading up to Boston tomorrow, with MYA. So not a lot of blogging, and I am not going to blog about the Intensive other to say that I survived, I am back, and the world is very different. Once I get my feet back on the ground I will be posting a bit more.
Oh, election day tomorrow. Don't forget to vote....
November 02, 2006
Off the Air
WJMR will be off the air for transmitter maintenance from 5:00 pm on Thursday until 7:00 am on Monday. No email, no cell phone, no blogging....
See ya next week!
See ya next week!
October 31, 2006
Trick or Treat
We dumped about 200 pieces of candy on the streets of Hartford tonight - we get a dollap from the neighborhood, a pile from the apartment complexes nearby, and a lot of cars bringing kids in. Zippy took off to exercise and avoid the doorbell and barking dog. I set up barriers to keep the dogs away from the front door. A lot of the kids liked the dogs. A lot of kids did not even bother with costumes....
Finally turned the lights off at 8:00 pm; we got a few stragglers after that.
Finally turned the lights off at 8:00 pm; we got a few stragglers after that.
October 30, 2006
Enlightenment Intensive
So if you are looking for me this coming weekend, well don't bother. I will be out of email range. No cell phone. I'm going to an Enlightenment Intensive.
I am not 100% sure about this, but it feels right. I picked up a brochure for this particular Enlightenment Intensive down at the yoga studio before I even started yoga - Zippy and I were bike riding and found the yoga studio (which I had never been by) - and along with a studio brochure I picked up the EI brochure. And it seemed right then, but perhaps I was not ready. Now, 18 months later, I have practiced a lot of yoga. I have really gotten a lot out of that, enough to believe that the EI will afford some similar stuff. I know and trust the leader of this intensive. It seems like it still fits.
Of course, when others have heard I was doing this, I heard some stories of people leaving mid weekend. People having psychic breaks. I guess it gets pretty intense. That's OK. Those who recall my group therapy days know I am an intensity junkie. My own walls, defenses, masks, and armor are complex, strong, and multiply redundant. I need something unexpected, unusual, deep, challenging to break me, a little.
I'll be back Monday. In one form or another.....
I am not 100% sure about this, but it feels right. I picked up a brochure for this particular Enlightenment Intensive down at the yoga studio before I even started yoga - Zippy and I were bike riding and found the yoga studio (which I had never been by) - and along with a studio brochure I picked up the EI brochure. And it seemed right then, but perhaps I was not ready. Now, 18 months later, I have practiced a lot of yoga. I have really gotten a lot out of that, enough to believe that the EI will afford some similar stuff. I know and trust the leader of this intensive. It seems like it still fits.
Of course, when others have heard I was doing this, I heard some stories of people leaving mid weekend. People having psychic breaks. I guess it gets pretty intense. That's OK. Those who recall my group therapy days know I am an intensity junkie. My own walls, defenses, masks, and armor are complex, strong, and multiply redundant. I need something unexpected, unusual, deep, challenging to break me, a little.
I'll be back Monday. In one form or another.....
The Bottom Line
Goofball folk music campaign radio spot from Joe Lieberman here.
I swear to god I heard this and thought it was a parody, or something the Lamont team had cooked up to bust Lieberman's chops. Or advertising tires or a lower grade steak joint or something similar.
Friends of Joe Lieberman with absolutely no idea what music is supposed to sound like, I suppose.....nor I imagine be expected to have shown up at the real Bottom Line.
I swear to god I heard this and thought it was a parody, or something the Lamont team had cooked up to bust Lieberman's chops. Or advertising tires or a lower grade steak joint or something similar.
Singing: When you walk into that voting booth, looking for the real truth; well people this year you will find, you're looking for the bottom line.
Joe Lieberman has been the one to say it straight and get it done. He's there for us once again, now Connecticut's there for Lieberman.
Look past the parties and the names, there's no room for political games, Joe's stood up for us every time, it's time to vote the bottom line.
Announcer: This year Joe Lieberman may be a little harder to find in the voting booth, because he's running independently in the Connecticut for Lieberman party, you'll find his name near the bottom of column two on the ballot. So take your time, look carefully and vote for Joe Lieberman.
Singing: When you walk into that voting booth, looking for the real truth, vote your heart and vote your mind, you'll find Joe on the bottom line.
Joe Lieberman: I'm Joe Lieberman, I'm running for Senate, and I approved this message. Paid for by Friends of Joe Lieberman
Friends of Joe Lieberman with absolutely no idea what music is supposed to sound like, I suppose.....nor I imagine be expected to have shown up at the real Bottom Line.
Quitting Caffeine
I'm in the process of detoxing from caffeine. Heading to a retreat this coming weekend that is caffeine free and we'll be doing some kind of intense (focused) work so do not want headaches or the like. I got a good head start last week; with no morning coffee while I traveled and maybe one cup at the conference. I think I had my caffeine headache out there, on Thursday. I've been hitting decaf in the morning; although I did have a cup of the real stuff yesterday afternoon. But I think I am over the hump. Would not be a bad practice to continue past the weekend.....
Pretty mellow weekend - slept in Saturday, made a rare appearance at a support space (the rainy and windy weather kept me from the piles of outdoor chores pending around here), and we did a nice dinner and movie night with a group of women. Met a woman entrepreneur who makes handmade, organic dog treats: Baggabones. We got the clock change thing right.
Sunday morning, yoga. Then hanging around - still too windy to rake or spend a lot of time outdoors. We ended up at Kohls - Zippy found shoes and pants, I got socks. Lots of socks.
This week - plenty of work to do. A bunch of reports for one client. A trip report from my long island trip. Some projects to finish for October, then the end of the month stuff. I am headed out to a retreat all weekend (Fri-Sun) so I will be presed to get stuff finished. In the evenings - tonight, meditation group. Tomorrow, hand out candy to the kids. Wednesday - MYA for dinner. Thursday, off to the retreat.
No rest for the wicked....
Pretty mellow weekend - slept in Saturday, made a rare appearance at a support space (the rainy and windy weather kept me from the piles of outdoor chores pending around here), and we did a nice dinner and movie night with a group of women. Met a woman entrepreneur who makes handmade, organic dog treats: Baggabones. We got the clock change thing right.
Sunday morning, yoga. Then hanging around - still too windy to rake or spend a lot of time outdoors. We ended up at Kohls - Zippy found shoes and pants, I got socks. Lots of socks.
This week - plenty of work to do. A bunch of reports for one client. A trip report from my long island trip. Some projects to finish for October, then the end of the month stuff. I am headed out to a retreat all weekend (Fri-Sun) so I will be presed to get stuff finished. In the evenings - tonight, meditation group. Tomorrow, hand out candy to the kids. Wednesday - MYA for dinner. Thursday, off to the retreat.
No rest for the wicked....
October 28, 2006
So, Back Home
Friday was the travel day from hell. I might as well have opted for a red-eye on Thursday night for all the benefits of traveling back during daylight. Although my travails were partially self-inflicted, well.....
I had a 6:05 am flight out of LAX. I left the hotel at 4:15, got up to the rental car place at 4:45 am. Cutting it close, but not horrible. Sadly, I just missed the one shuttle bus, and was told 10-15 minutes. It was gonna be close, but I was not panicking yet. Well, the 10-15 minutes stretched to 25 minutes. Then when we got on the bus, the driver was incredibly slow and thoughtful about it all. Contrasted to the Tuesday night driver who pretty much got the bus airborne in evening rush hour traffic. So I got to the terminal about 35 minutes pre-flight. For future reference, you might want to avoid Advantage Rent-a-Car in Los Angeles - I was being cheap. Although I've had pretty crappy experiences at almost every rental provider at LAX. I think its an airport / city thing.
So, my woes were self inflicted for (a) being cheap on the rental car and (b) not leaving early enough to accommodate complications. I own it, lesson learned.
I got to the ticket counter and I bet if I had just moved to the self check-in I might have gotten on to the flight. (I had a bag to check, LAX had a 45 minute baggage window) - but I asked the woman at the head of the line and she said "you missed your flight" and pointed me to the longer and slower change ticket line. Even with all that (a long wait, and a long time at the counter while they tried to get me onto a flight) and then taking luggage to TSA and going through security myself, I still made it down to the gate as my 6:05 flight was boarding. I should have tried to sneak on stand-by.
Anyway, flights were full and oversold to ORD, due to bad weather in Chicago on Thursday, and they got progressively more delayed on Friday. I did not make it on (via Standby) a 7:30 and a 9:00 flight to ORD, just made it on to a 10:30 flight that did not leave until close to Noon. Center seat, natch, although my seatmates were a nice woman who was a tech writer heading to France for work, so we chatted about engineering stuff, and a wispy young woman who did not overflow into my side of the arm rest. Got into ORD at 6:00 pm. Thankfully, the last flight to BDL, scheduled for 5:50 pm, was late and did not leave until close to 7:00 pm - not oversold but weight limited - so I was on standby again. But made it.
I got home around 11:00 pm. My bag had apparently made it onto earlier flights, so it was waiting for me at BDL. I was in a long term lot (cause I was paying, and it was a longer trip) - I often park in the garage or lot - so that added some time.
But - home safe. Lesson learned:
a) The bigger rental car companies spend that money on shuttle buses and people to drive 'em.
b) Do not cut it close at LAX, and not when you are using an unknown entity (lower tier rental car)
c) Traveling sucks and I would prefer to avoid it as much as possible.
Zippy and I are headed to Chicago again (for the RSNA meeting, end of November) but:
a) Direct flights to/from ORD
b) Taxi to/from the airport which my clients will be picking up
c) More reasonable flights (time of day, day of week)
I had a 6:05 am flight out of LAX. I left the hotel at 4:15, got up to the rental car place at 4:45 am. Cutting it close, but not horrible. Sadly, I just missed the one shuttle bus, and was told 10-15 minutes. It was gonna be close, but I was not panicking yet. Well, the 10-15 minutes stretched to 25 minutes. Then when we got on the bus, the driver was incredibly slow and thoughtful about it all. Contrasted to the Tuesday night driver who pretty much got the bus airborne in evening rush hour traffic. So I got to the terminal about 35 minutes pre-flight. For future reference, you might want to avoid Advantage Rent-a-Car in Los Angeles - I was being cheap. Although I've had pretty crappy experiences at almost every rental provider at LAX. I think its an airport / city thing.
So, my woes were self inflicted for (a) being cheap on the rental car and (b) not leaving early enough to accommodate complications. I own it, lesson learned.
I got to the ticket counter and I bet if I had just moved to the self check-in I might have gotten on to the flight. (I had a bag to check, LAX had a 45 minute baggage window) - but I asked the woman at the head of the line and she said "you missed your flight" and pointed me to the longer and slower change ticket line. Even with all that (a long wait, and a long time at the counter while they tried to get me onto a flight) and then taking luggage to TSA and going through security myself, I still made it down to the gate as my 6:05 flight was boarding. I should have tried to sneak on stand-by.
Anyway, flights were full and oversold to ORD, due to bad weather in Chicago on Thursday, and they got progressively more delayed on Friday. I did not make it on (via Standby) a 7:30 and a 9:00 flight to ORD, just made it on to a 10:30 flight that did not leave until close to Noon. Center seat, natch, although my seatmates were a nice woman who was a tech writer heading to France for work, so we chatted about engineering stuff, and a wispy young woman who did not overflow into my side of the arm rest. Got into ORD at 6:00 pm. Thankfully, the last flight to BDL, scheduled for 5:50 pm, was late and did not leave until close to 7:00 pm - not oversold but weight limited - so I was on standby again. But made it.
I got home around 11:00 pm. My bag had apparently made it onto earlier flights, so it was waiting for me at BDL. I was in a long term lot (cause I was paying, and it was a longer trip) - I often park in the garage or lot - so that added some time.
But - home safe. Lesson learned:
a) The bigger rental car companies spend that money on shuttle buses and people to drive 'em.
b) Do not cut it close at LAX, and not when you are using an unknown entity (lower tier rental car)
c) Traveling sucks and I would prefer to avoid it as much as possible.
Zippy and I are headed to Chicago again (for the RSNA meeting, end of November) but:
a) Direct flights to/from ORD
b) Taxi to/from the airport which my clients will be picking up
c) More reasonable flights (time of day, day of week)
October 26, 2006
Leaving Los Angeles
Another conference come and gone. Not really so much new - like Brigadoon, we return each year for a slice of networking and seminaring.
I missed a network and schmoozathon last night (sponsored cocktail party) for the privilege of dining with J, out here in LA. It was really really good, for a bunch of reasons. J has a beautiful apartment in the Hollywood Hills, impeccably and warmly furnished (Zippy's comment "Of course, she's a Libra" and in fact J said the same thing (about her birth sign as a reason why her place was so gorgeous). It took some of my "sting" away, I have held the image of her rootless and adrift - when in fact she has a most wonderful home. Surely more grounded than I am!
We talked about a lot. We went to a fabulous little restaurant on Sunset Blvd called Dusty's - noteworthy for the waitron's (who all seemed to be wearing nightgowns) to the lights (beautiful fixtures, very romantic inside) to the food. I had a seared peppercorn Ahi to die for.
I dunno, we seem to be surprising each other. I was kind of noncomittal about getting together because I was out here for work and needed to be schmoozing, but I am totally glad I did. It was wonderfully healing for me; and I think for her. And she is working on recording some old songs that have never had the full studio treatment, and the rough mixes are pretty great.
She also has an IPOD which makes me jealous. Bet she has real cable too.
I missed a network and schmoozathon last night (sponsored cocktail party) for the privilege of dining with J, out here in LA. It was really really good, for a bunch of reasons. J has a beautiful apartment in the Hollywood Hills, impeccably and warmly furnished (Zippy's comment "Of course, she's a Libra" and in fact J said the same thing (about her birth sign as a reason why her place was so gorgeous). It took some of my "sting" away, I have held the image of her rootless and adrift - when in fact she has a most wonderful home. Surely more grounded than I am!
We talked about a lot. We went to a fabulous little restaurant on Sunset Blvd called Dusty's - noteworthy for the waitron's (who all seemed to be wearing nightgowns) to the lights (beautiful fixtures, very romantic inside) to the food. I had a seared peppercorn Ahi to die for.
I dunno, we seem to be surprising each other. I was kind of noncomittal about getting together because I was out here for work and needed to be schmoozing, but I am totally glad I did. It was wonderfully healing for me; and I think for her. And she is working on recording some old songs that have never had the full studio treatment, and the rough mixes are pretty great.
She also has an IPOD which makes me jealous. Bet she has real cable too.
October 25, 2006
Los Angeles
Sitting in a not so fabulous Rodeway Inn in Long Beach, near the convention center. It's main charms - its across the street from a Subway and a FedEx/Kinkos, its next to a fairly reasonable mexican restaurant, it has free internet, it's lot is fairly empty, and its inexpensive. The conference hotels were running, $160-$200; I am paying half that a block away. Since this is a marketing trip, and being on the west coast, a fairly long one (3 nights) I'm being cheap.
The rental car company (Advantage, also a less expensive brand than I usually get) has gifted me with a canary yellow Chevy Cobalt with manual doors and windows. Sheesh.
I got up at 4 am (not so bad, thats 7 am east coast), called the Zipster, and threw down some postures - not a full practice, just to get me going. Now I need to finish up my presentation, get cleaned up and dressed, maybe sneak over to Kinko's to get things printed up.
Tonight, I am gonna try to connect with the mysterious J (my ex) for dinner........
The rental car company (Advantage, also a less expensive brand than I usually get) has gifted me with a canary yellow Chevy Cobalt with manual doors and windows. Sheesh.
I got up at 4 am (not so bad, thats 7 am east coast), called the Zipster, and threw down some postures - not a full practice, just to get me going. Now I need to finish up my presentation, get cleaned up and dressed, maybe sneak over to Kinko's to get things printed up.
Tonight, I am gonna try to connect with the mysterious J (my ex) for dinner........
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