Florida, Etc

I was really hoping that this would be more interesting. But here you go, nevertheless.

I wake up at oh my god o'clock on Tuesday to get to the airport. The travel out there was fairly uneventful. The Atlanta airport has smoking lounges, for which I was most grateful, until I got out of them and realized I had to smell like complete awful. We get into Ft. Lauderdale and, after a brief yet spirited debate over whether we should drive the HH3 or the Pontiac SUV, we get to the hotel. The Hard Rock. Most excellent. If there's one thing I love more than travel, it's music history. I had, of course, a sweet ass room. And I've decided that ritzy bathrooms with way too pretentious showers make me almost as happy as travel and music. Especially after a day on an airplane. So it's dinner, drinks, and bed.

Day two. Drive around and visit most of the dealerships in the area. All I remember about that day is the (excuse the overuse of the word) most pretentious mall I've ever seen. Upscale foodcourt with nearly the best salad I've had in my life. I later learned those monsters started at $24 each. Glad someone else paid. I called it a fairly early night that evening, since the day before was a beast. Thanks Denise.

Day three. Quite possibly the best day at, ahem, work I've ever had. From about 9ish to noon we go to the other dealerships, then it's back to the hotel for a bit of down time by the immense and wonderful hotel pool. The tan is maintained through at least the end of October, a good run for the year. Thank you southern Florida.

Day four involved four of the most painful hours in a car I've ever experienced. Florida doesn't have much in the way of scenery along the main interstates. But anyone who has taken their bike out for any amount of time knows that to be true of most states. The rest stop on ramps were fun, and the brakes on the car work just fine, thankyouverymuch. Also, radio down there sucks. They love Nickelback way too much.

The rest of the trip was spent in Daytona, at the massive Rossmeyer compound surrounding the dealership. The fundraiser dinner, I hear, was good, but the party afterwards was killa. This was the introduction of my girl Shel to the trip, the beginning of several late late late nights, and the reason I'm still probably hung over. Managed to find a few dives with great patios and views, as well as an education about what they call Red Tide.

Small annoyances on the travel back home, but ending with dinner and a few beers with a good friend. I missed you guys.

I saw some interesting things, had a really good time for a work trip, but found out a little more about myself. This was, I believe, part of the plan. I need to drink less, smoke less, eat less. None of that is news. I also need to worry less about what I think people are thinking. I will start finding those cool things that I want to do, instead of sitting around wishing I'd done them when I had the chance. I should have learned that lesson while riding through the Black Hills a year ago, but I didn't. But like a really smart guy pointed out to me one time, I need to learn every lesson twice. And, after reading this, I also resolve to remember more, and write like I know I can.

Florida and Biketoberfest

Heading out to FL to do some work type stuff. Two years ago I worked Bike Week in the Spring. The dealership begged to have me back for Biketoberfest and I've been dying to go back ever since. Now I get to. But I'm missing the excitement that I feel should be in here somewhere. Maybe it's because I'm not really working the event. Maybe it's because I know I'll miss half of it. Maybe it's because I'm a little more than jaded on travel for now.

The latter makes my heart hurt. Travel, of any kind, makes me happier than most things. Today I resolved to find new things and places to explore and experience, even though I've been there before. There's too much of this world not to take it in the biggest gulps and gasps possible, and to find the extraordinary in the every day. So that's the plan, no matter where life or my job may take me.

Wish me luck.

I Agree with Scott

I don't want to post a "Never Forget" bulletin and feed into the emotional pandering that seems to happen this time every year. But I do find it healthy to reflect on then and now.

Let's start with the obvious. Where was I? In the middle of my Intro to Criminal Justice class at UNT, Sophomore year. It was a huge class, and I think half of us ended up graduating together with CJ degrees three years later. We had a guy in the class who worked for American Airlines. He stands up, and tells everyone he's got to leave. "A plane just hit the World Trade Center." Sure it seemed odd, but he left and we finished class. When we got out, everyone was watching the TV's posted around campus, and it was only then that we understood what had really happened.

I met my friend Sara at our smoking spot, called my boyfriend, told him we were going to war, and left school, since everything was shutting down. We jumped in her car, put the top down and just drove around for most of the day. We listened to talk radio, since there was no music playing that day. We talked about how weird it was to not see planes in the sky. We debated, both internally and with each other, what this meant for our liberal political views.

Now, six years later, I think we know the answer. It meant that little would change. We were suspicious and untrusting of our government then, and we still are. We supported our soldiers then, and we still do. What are the implications? I don't know. I don't want to think an event like that would have no impact whatsoever. But I would want to believe that people now think more for themselves than they did before.

But that's just me.

Agreed

Certain things define who we are.

The movies, books, work, art, and people we love.

These passions make our identity and when we are without them, we are less than ourselves.

Found this last night....love it. Read it again, chew on it.

RoT

So, got back from Austin yesterday. I'm completely wiped out. But there are things of note to share.

The first being that this was so much fucking harder than I thought it was going to be. For those who don't know, I HAD to go this year for my twisted brand of closure after Stuart left us....He always begged me to go and I always found a reason I couldn't. So this year, there were no excuses. So, I went down to Austin, saw my dealership buddies, went to the rally, and had this overwhelming sadness when I left. I think that I expected to turn around and see him every ten minutes or something. But I think I feel better now. So, yeah, got the shirt, got the patch, got the tan, got the stories. Totally worth it.

Update: when I get my comp back I'll be able to talk to you guys more, but for now, I have to sneak the MySpace like cigarettes in high school.

Here We Go Again

I applied for Grad school yesterday. I look to start back in the fall. God help me, I never thought I'd get an MBA. It's not my thing. But getting p-a-i-d is most definitely my thing.

So the app is in, the recommendation requests have been made, and the GMAT is in a couple weeks. The best part, you ask? It's all free.

So once I'm making fat bank, I can afford law school like I've always wanted.

Shit.

Game 7.

Only one of the first round. Stars looking like they're going to pull off the improbable. They've got huge momentum going into this last game, and they are dominating the shit out of Vancouver. The scores are close, but the games are not.

Midway thru the second, it's looking good for the boys. They're up 1-0, and the Canucks are playing like shit. Then the Sedin's finally earn their paychecks and we're tied. No biggie. This series has been tied for what seems like an eternity anyways. But then the refs start running the game and calling penalties like they've forgotten it's a hockey game. Apparently their heads are with the NBA right now cos they were calling anything that looked like a foul and sent the Stars to the box for most of the third.

So, we're out in Round One again. But at least Turco proved that he can kick some ass in the playoffs. Morrow had a phenominal first season as Captain, and Modano almost earned his paycheck. I'm left to wonder if Zubov had not been hurt if this would have all ended differently. Luongo was good in the series, but how can you not be good at 6'3"? He's effing huge, and maybe if there had been a normal sized human between the pipes we could have had a better shot. We certainly outplayed them.....

But there's still a lot of good hockey to be played before the season is over.

Go Sharks. Go Sabres.

And, god help me, for this next round only........Go Ducks.