Recharging My Batteries

The year is almost over. Where did the time go? I've been way too busy this year. I finally wrote my long-winded Year In Review column for my Road Warrior site. It's been a nice relaxing week so far. For the first time in quite a while, I took a couple of days off. It's not just a matter of taking the day off from work. I mean that I took the day off from everything. I just needed a couple of days to rest and recharge my batteries, which were probably dead from exhaustion. I took a quick drive up to meet a friend in Las Vegas. The drive was kind of nice, since there wasn't too much traffic going up, and coming back down. All of the traffic was going in the opposite direction. But, thanks to the security procedures in place at the airports and other areas, the journey was an adventure unto itself. Getting a rental car required some dexterity training, and the flat tire on the way didn't help matters. Anyhow, I'm back home now, and now I have to get back to work once again. Onward to New York... Happy New Year! See ya.

Connections

I went shopping today, since my VCR broke down some time ago. I've been missing my Star Trek movies, so I really needed a replacement for the holidays. I got a nice combo VCR/DVD player, and just hooked it up. Surprisingly enough, the crowds were not as bad as I had anticipated. I've been on the road way too much, and never really had any time to do any shopping. I've been away too long, and I think sometimes that I really need to be connected more with stuff going on right here in Southern California. I was in Orlando when the big news was the 6.5 earthquake in Central California that seemed to affect the area here. I didn't notice any damage when I got back, and everything seemed fine. No one was talking about it. That's the kind of stuff that makes me feel a bit disconnected with my home. Maybe I'll get to stay home more next year. That's what I've been told anyway. I'm starting to get a bit cynical, so I'd better sign off now. Merry Christmas everyone! See ya.

Rising From The Ashes

I've been kind of down on this whole aging concept lately. Maybe it's because my knees started predicting the weather in Minnesota. Or maybe it's just the fact that I can't seem to handle the sleep deprivation as well as I used to any more. In any event, I just can't get over the fact that I'm not eighteen, and maybe your needs change as you move into those *dare I say it?* middle-aged years. I've been reflecting on my regrets for quite a while now. It kind of started a few months ago, when a random comment from some idiot blowhard caused me to feel like I stopped making a difference out here in the field. It's amazing how one negative remark can overshadow all of the positive feedback throughout the last decade of my career, including all of the words of encouragement since then. Maybe I've just been hiding for the last few years. It's amazing how one can hide in the largest crowds, as a faceless traveler throughout various cities across the USA. Well, it's time for a comeback, with a vengeance . . . To be continued. See ya.

Picture Perfect

Looking through some of the old pictures I have, I've noticed that I really no longer resemble my past pictures. I recently renewed my driver's license at the DMV, and my old driver's license photo no longer looks like me. They did take a new one, but somehow, that picture still doesn't capture the real me. Maybe I've grown a bit vain when I entered this version of mid-life crisis, or maybe I just can't take a good picture. Getting older really sucks. I've noticed that I'm slowing down, and I don't have that indestructible feeling that I had a few years back. You can even tell by the pictures. I think we start losing something when we start aging. I just can't place my finger on what it is. I'll let you know when I figure it out. See ya.

Process Issues

There has got to be some sort of explanation for why things are so infuriatingly stupid. Now, for example, last week I ordered a component from an online store, and I did not receive the complete order. In order to get the right item, you have to go through so many hoops, it's incredible. You see, since the item they sent was incomplete, I had to return the item via FedEx, which cost them more than the item to begin with. Then they would issue me a refund, so I could start the whole process over again. So, instead of instant gratification within a one week period, I now will probably have to wait a few months. I know we have processes in place in order to improve efficiency. But really, is this progress?? See ya.