Vacations are fun..............!

Well, I am home again. It felt like I was gone for a month. Los Angeles was pretty damn fun though. I had the best tour guide in my friend. She knew how to manuever that city like nobody's business, which got us too all the places we needed to see.
First stop, some little Mexican stand on the side of the road, which had the best tacos I have ever eaten. The joy of traveling with someone who knows a city is they know all the little places you would never think to stop at. Second stop was the old house of my dear friends who used to live there. It gave me a little insight into their lives prior to me knowing them.
I ate at at fun places, walked on the beach, sat in a giant Catholic Cathedral and crossed myself with holy water. (just to see what it felt like, as I am not catholic) , got homesick and was taken to a place where you pick the cookies and the ice cream and they put it together in a sandwich for you for 1.25. It appearantly is the cure all for the blues. It worked wonders.
I placed my hands into Johnny Depps handprints, delighted to realize we have the same size hands. It was purely a magical moment. We drove up Muholland Drive until the pavement stopped and then drove miles more on the dirt to the best view of the city I had seen.
I bought four CD's at the best record store in the world and the final stop of our trip before hitting the freeway home, was of course, the La Brea Tar Pits. Quite a natural wonder that cracked me up.
So, now I am home. Work is getting worse by the day. I have put in 11 hour days this week, which for me is quite a stretch. There are many more of these to come.
I feel trashed. This might be my punishment for splashing holy water on myself as though I had the right to do that.
jb

My first business trip.....

Well, I am off to LA tomorrow. Everything for 6 days in one medium size suitcase! It truly is an accomplishment for me. One med. suitcase and a backpack over my shoulder and I'm good to go.
I feel as I have left nothing I did not want to bring either. It may be a turning point in my life.

I'm not looking forward to the three days of training, but am looking forward to the rest of the time toodling around LA. And, the best part is, both Hotels I am staying in have those fancy beds. I forget what they are called, but they sound Heavenly. (maybe that's what they are called) . Nice bed, and food paid for. I cannot complain.

I somehow think I'm going to be homesick though. I never get homesick, and I am feeling a little aprehensive tonight about leaving. I hope it's not a premonition. When does one get homesick prior to leaving for a trip"?It is ludicrious.

But off I go regardless. ................... I think it will be a much needed escape.
jb

The Warriors

Let me take you back to 1979. I was a sophomore in high school. This movie called "The Warriors" came out. It was the most bad ass movie any of us have ever seen. I watched it a zillion times. We quoted phrases from it constantly. We dreamed of what it might be like to be in a New York Gang and have to fight our way back to our home turf. When The Warriors finally made it back to Coney Island and stood at the surf's edge and "the song"(somewhere out on that horizon, way beyond the neon signs) played, we felt we had fought every fight right along with them. Truly it went down in history as the most kick ass piece of film ever created.

Now, let me bring you to 2007. I have been thinking about that movie for about a year. After it came up in conversation again today, I had to go rent it. I was so excited. I was going to watch the most kick ass movie ever created. I I settled in for what I just knew was going to be a great hour and a half of movie watching.

After the movie ended, I thought to myself, "that was one crappy movie". What were we thinking? I had to laugh that it really was a great movie in 1979. In 2007 it sucked. It got me thinking how times change. What we consider kick ass today, dosn't quite compare to then.
I must say I felt a little cheesy for a minute.

Pop Culture changes with the years and some things are just better left alone.
It's like when you see Cheap Trick at the county fair. You shouldn't have done it. You want them to be as great as they were at the Paramount 20 years ago, but they arn't. This can become your last memory of them, and that is sad.

I think the next time I want a kick ass movie, it will have Wil Smith or Bruce Willis in it.

So sad, 1979 is gone. 2007 is here. The trick is to embrace the times you are in and not try to relive things gone by. You can't go back.

jb

There's no crying at work...... or is there?

Well, I hate to write about work again, but I'm going to. Had a phone meeting today with our payroll company. We went over training for the project, what's expected when etc. The more that was laid out, the more overwhelmed I was getting. After the phone call, I was left in the office of our project manager( who is of a much higher level than I). We were talking and I could feel it happening. I am saying over and over to myself, "don't cry, don't cry, don't cry". Then the eyes filled up and it was over. The tears started flowing. He handed me kleenex. He knew immediately what was wrong. Overwhelment. He assured me we were a team and that this was not my burden alone and we would take it step by step and the more I got into things the more at ease I would become. He said all the right things. I felt stupid, yet relieved that they knew. I assured them I would not be in the corner in the fetal position crying for the next 4 months. That I would be there for them. They said they knew I would. And If I needed to cry or release stress, please do it here and not in front of your dept.
So, day one and I'm allready crying. I leave for LA for training in a week and a half and we will be off and running after that.
I gotta pull it together man.
I had to go to the Accounting Dept and eat some of their cookies after my cry. Thank gawd, those people always have food. One needs a little food after a cry.
jb

Willie Nelson

I was at Starbucks today and they were playing Willie Nelson. I promptly went up to the counter and saw his CD sitting there, so I purchased it.
I forgot just how great Willie Nelson is. It is playing right now and it is just very pleasant.
Even the young kid at Starbucks was saying he was going to buy it too. I think Willie is good for everyone.
It makes me want to go camping with my family. I'm not sure why.
His music puts me in a good space.
Here's a little fact.... Willie Nelson kissed me once. I went to see him in concert and afterwards, he was signing autographs out by his bus. He signed my ticket and kissed me! He was so cool, and I remember he smelled really good. (one might think otherwise)
I remember slow dancing in the aisle during his concert. It is a good memorie.
Willie is all things good.
jb