I am an almost empty office...

I can't believe Christmas is already come and gone. I blogged about not really feeling the holiday a week or two ago, but i actually started feeling Chrismassy on christmas eve. We were at brandy's house doing our annual christmas eve thang, and just seeing all the people really stirred me up. I think it was the lack of get-togethers and shopping this year pre-christmas that might have affected my spirits...but i finally started feeling it. And once I fully felt it...at cicely's cousin's house...it was late Christmas day, and I thought...dang, I have WORK tomorrow!!!! So just like that, it was over. I was back at work yesterday(unlike most people...even half the people in our office are out on vacation) and awaiting the end of the week. At least Christmas finally hit me though, and I'm glad it did. It was definitely a very relaxing holiday, just like Thanksgiving was this year...just went to a few places and celebrated with family...maybe this year was the year of relaxing holidays. Now it's time to anticipate the coming of the new year...i never really FEEL the new year holiday though...just one of those things I guess.

it's so quiet around here...half of my dept is out on vacation and I think so is half the company. The parking lot outside is pretty empty and the windi s blowing super hard...i can see the trees totally slanted out there, glad I didn't go out for lunch today. whew. I think I'ma try and get out of here early today though, hopefully my guys get back from their test drive soon cuz I still have to do one more test with them before I can go...

Lesson of the day
Be extremely cautious about doing business with friends and family. Make sure you know exactly what you're getting yourself into or else you're in for a world of stress...

I am almost a sigh of relief...

Is it only me, or is the Christmas season approaching at lightning speed this year? I can't believe it's already only 4 days away! Before I know it, it'll be 2007 already...frickin ay, where does the time go? Cicely and I totally switched roles...last year she didn't really feel so christmassy and I did. I don't know if it's because of the move back to mom and pop's, work being all crazy plus the travel, and the wedding stuff, but I just haven't felt it yet...kinda makes me a little sad. I love Christmas, and I haven't had the chance to really just dive right into the festiveness of the holidays. Maybe it'll hit me tomorrow...or when i have the day off on friday...leading into the weekend. I really hope it does...

Like I said, work has been a real headache lately. The business trip out east was cool, but still really busy. I've been working on multiple projects and things haven't really been working out as well as I'd like. The hard thing about delegating responsibility is dealing with resources, especially when your resources are few and far between. And on top of all that, I get dropped these urgent mini-projects that pretty much take top priority over whatever I'm currently working on...i really wish we could get a little more help. At least I can start to see a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel, and hopefully, certain things can take place that will motivate me just a little more. Enough of the work rant...it's time for bed...

lesson of the day
hindsight is 20/20...kinda sucks, doesn't it?

I am a warmer than usual day...

It's been a really busy and hectic week of testing, and at the same time, one of the more relaxing ones. I guess it's because not as many people were on this business trip as my other ones, and it's not one of those stuffy trips where I had to have meetings with the customers all the time. However, the dude I've been testing with was not the greatest driver in the world. He kept looking down at the navi screen. In fact, there were several separate occasions in which my heart practically jumped out of my mouth. And it's not like I could drive a majority of the time because I am the evaluation guy and I'm supposed to do the testing...so I thank God that he kept me safe this week. Every time I saw him look away from the road, I would say, oh, I'll just tell you where to go...i think he eventually got the hint I was getting scared. Whew, how glad am I now that I'm at the airport not having to worry about him driving anymore.

One of the good things about this trip(aside from acquiring some more united miles for future trips =p), is that I got to hang out w/ some friends. Jason and KJ let me crash at their place last night, since we finished testing early, and J-dawg showed me the sights(some of my pics to come when I get home). We went biking all around Brooklyn(which tired the crap out of me, but it was cool goin on a personal tour like that, he he he). He definitely showed me some good eats too(one of which I've already been too, but it was damn good). There's a TON of diversity in NYC, especially with food, and it's AWESOME. And it's all so accessible. In LA, there's a lot of diversity too, but you really have to drive out to some places it's not all near the same area. Oh, and being the star-struck dude that I am, I can add David Alan Grier to my list of celebrity sightings; he was at the breakfast place we hit up today. But the best part was just chit-chattin w/ Jason, his gf and KJ. I like just chillin like that. It was cool...I can't believe he and KJ have been here so long already, they're like total natives. Only weird part of the trip was that there was some incident that happened on the subway while I was on my way back to the apartment. Police had to respond and we had to just sit there for like a while...I thought I was gonna be all late and rush to the airport, but luckily it didn't last that long and we were on our way...and I'm at the airport nice and early, just the way I like it. I don't know why people ike to wait til the last minute to get here...that's how you miss a flight. I'd rather just chill out and blog or read or something while I wait. So yeah, that was my trip. Nice to get to visit the city for a few days, which reminds me how much I wanna come back here for vacation with beeb in the future. She'd love it here, except for the weather...unless it's like how it was this week, which was like close to record highs.

Follow through
Anyway, on a side note...I know it's not very "christmassy" to be all negatory and stuff, but...
the other day, I was so fucking irritated. I hate people who are all talk. If you're gonna say you can do something, or that something is "no problem" please follow through. Even if it's not your priority or your job, step up and do what you say you're gonna do. If you know you're gonna be busy, screw it...don't offer. Otherwise, you just give people falso hope. That seriously bugs me man. Raminds me of someone's(i say someone for anonymity purposes, he he he) roomie one time who was gonna "hook us up" at Body English one time for $30 for the guys and free for the girls, PLUS, we'd get past the line. When we get to the front, they charge the girls $20 each and the guys ANOTHER $30...so the original $30 was just to go past the line...WTF!?!? None of us wanted to go anymore, so we got our money back(at said roomie's friend's bf's loss) and left. What a joykill that was man. Fortunately we were in good company and still had a blast...but still, i couldn't believe that happened. But seriously, just follow through w/ what you say you're gonna do, or don't say anything at all.

Time to go home...what a week it's been. And dang, it's only 10 days until Christmas!

Lesson of the day
We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull, Some have weird names , and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box .

I am a travelling salesman's suitcase...

Been quite a while since my last post...I'm too lazy to go back over the past 3 or so weeks to recap my life's recent events. But here are a few of the notables
Thanksgiving Spent up in Santa Maria w/ both beeb and my families. It was the first time I had been home for Thanksgiving in 4 years...I could hardly believe it myself. Great food, great company, and most of all, I got to really just relax for a bit. It was awesome.
Engagement Encounter We went into that weekend wondering what the heck is goin on. We heard that if they can break up at least one couple during the weekend, then they know they're doing their job. How intimidating is that? Anyway, we got out unscathed and got to spend some good quality time with each other. I have to say that even though beeb and I have talked about everything under the sun, it was still a very good learning experience. Not to mention that Jeff Weaver from the St. Louis Cardinals was also on our retreat. It was cool hangin out w/ him, we joked around and just interacted and stuff…I’m sure he enjoyed being a regular joe for a weekend. No one asked him for pics and autographs until everyone was already going home, which was really nice of everyone.

It's interesting how the states are so closely packed together here in the east coast. I took the red-eye into DC yesterday morning and by 8PM we had been through, DC, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and finally, New York. Man we did a whole lot of driving. Today, we got to test in good old Mahattan. I was reminded of how much I hated driving around this city...it is truly insane.

It's stll a little tough for me to get over my fear of flying. I wonder if that will ever fully go away...there was a little turbulence last night and then my mind just takes off and I start to freak out a little bit. Thank goodness It was so late because at one point I was so tired, I just knocked out for most of the flight, except when the old guy behind me got up to go to the bathroom...he would pull back on my chair to get up, and it would totally ...sheesh.

It hasn't been too cold here, but it's starting to cool down Right now, it's about 40 degrees and it's supposed to rain tomorrow. Great...out driving in the rain...at least the streets won't be as packed...hmmm, or will they? Lunch today was pretty mmm to the good. We ate at Café Habana, that Cuban place I frequented when I visited NYC the first time in ’02. I only used to have breakfast there cuz that’s when the hot waitresses were workin, he he he. But lunch is just as good and we had the corn…which is DEFINITELY worth it…mmmm. Hopefully I can have lunch w/ Jason tomorrow, as scheduled.

yay, only 3 more days left.