Travel

But I’m leaving again on Sunday, probably.

Vegas was pretty good, if entirely too long, and not quite productive enough for me. I worked too little and drank too much.  Fortunately, I’ll have the opportunity to remedy that problem starting next week when I go to Seattle to work with Bon Jovi.  The details are still settling, so there will be more news as it comes, but it’s pretty exciting even though the timing is not the greatest.

What else?

I’m trying to use Outlook Lists for the first time, which is cool, I guess.  I’m hoping it”l give a boost to things that I need to do if I can glance at a running list whenever I’m at a loss.  The trick is going to be to keep the list from getting full of multi-step things (like “get rich” or whatever) and stay focused on single-action things like errands and individual work action-items.

This is the lamest post in the history of posts – I know, because I’m making (and reading) it.  I’ll spice it up by telling you that Vegas showgirls aren’t at all the glamorous creatures they seem to be from afar – they’re just regular chicks in their 20s who tend to move their limbs and bend in unexpected ways.  I’ll also tell you that UNLV doesn’t have a huge campus, but it does have a nice Coffee Bean.

Okay, I’m off to bang out a proposal and get some computer work done.
Fuckin’ fun times.

So I made it back from Detroit!

I almost didn’t make it TO Detroit, but I did, and that’s all that matters.  One red-eye flight and 30 hours of work in 2 days later, I’ve successfully completed the trip.  I got to see a sunrise over Canada on Saturday morning, which is cool, and got to see Monument Valley from the plane ride home.  Fun times.

Anyway, I’ve put a little gallery together with my pics from the first and the last day just after the break.  I didn’t take any pictures during work because I was working, and there wasn’t really much to take pictures of if you’re not a Gospel fan.  The pics are 1152×768 because I figure most of y’all browse on big browsers these days.  I’m trying to force myself to widen my browser (I keep it at like 1000px wide or so, for some reason), and this is a good first step.  But no, I’m not going to browse maximized.  I don’t care what you say.

Somebody’s been on the road!  That somebody is me!

I spent yesterday getting caught up on shit I missed and have been behind on.  I did a pretty good job, but I have no idea what Sophie is going to do today.  Maybe post my Craigslist crap again.  Anyway, until the changeover is complete, I can’t do much of anything on the Beta site, and I’m about ready to be furious about that one.  I’m not sure how, but I have to be better about staying on top of my programmers and choosing programmers with the time and skills to get the job done in a decent timeframe.

Anyway, the trip was awesome, seeing everyone, doing fun stuff.  Casey got me passes to the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary benefit concert (full post on that coming soon), but highlights were Metallica & Ozzy playing together, U2, Stevie Wonder and Simon & Garfunkel on stage together.  The music was fun, and the fact that Casey could get me into the afterparty on top of all that was really amazing. It was held three blocks from my former room on Jane street, and the transformation of the area was just stunning.  The fact that there were rock stars and famous music people (and Tom Hanks) there was just icing on the cake.  It’s not like I was going to talk to any of those people, right?

Anyway, after that, I went down to Bay Ridge and spent Halloween there, dressed in a monk robe and watching movies.  More like talking through movies, actually, but what the hell.  It was good to see the whole Tumminio clan together, and nice to just relax after a few days of running my ass off.  Fun times.

Now I’m sitting at the computer, stuffed up all to hell, unable to breathe, and absurdly dry (paradoxically) from my third 24-hour claritin in the last 24 hours.  Fucking hell.  Ah well.  When I have a minute, I’ll research allergists and call one up to see if he can help me.  Now I have to stop writing and start working again (I already did a bunch of stuff this morning – woot).

This, by the way, was Ozzy fronting for Metallica as they did Crazy Train.

So I went to Vegas again.  Saw Mom & Rod, saw Dave, drank in shady bars, went banking.  Now I’m home.

The highlight of the trip was seeing the Hoover Dam.  They’re building a bridge over it, which is pretty amazing.  I like that this is the way to the Grand Canyon from Vegas.  If you get there in the middle of the day, it could take you hours to get across.  I’m glad I got there before the highway did – it’s like my only experience of pre-alphabet soup depression programs.

Lots to do this week, and not a lot of week left in which to do it.  Fun times.  Gallery after the break!