This is too awesome to not put this on my blog.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Friday, May 19, 2006
Middle of the night.
It's the middle of the night. Or the beginning, depending on one's perspective. Either way. It's 12:30 am.
I went to bed at 7:30, having been up since 3 as usual. I wanted to try to get a full 8 hours, but when I woke up to get a drink about 11:30, Sarah was in bed too, and still awake.
I asked her how she was doing, and she has been having contractions. Not steady yet, but we're getting there. I'm so excited right now, I just can't sleep. I should be trying... if today is the day, we've got alot ahead of us, and being rested will help a ton. I got up and finished a mix cd for Sarah during labor. (They let you bring your own cds...) I will go to work at 4 if nothing is steady, but I'll be ready to run home if she needs me.
In other exciting news... I GOT THE JOB! Pretty awesome. They made me an offer yesterday, which I accepted. I start on the 30th. So just a few more days of being a valet. I'm very excited. All these changes at once... feels, well... feels like normal. I won't be starting in the restaurant like I first believed, instead, I will be starting in the front office/desk area. My least favourite area, but who knows? I may end up loving it. I can't wait to wear a suit to work.
Well, I'm gonna go try sleeping. Before I go, here's the playlist to the cd I made Sarah for labor. If you want a peaceful, but inspiring mix... look no further. I'm real happy with it.
Labor Day (ha ha) mix
1. The Golden Age, by Beck
2. Switching Off, by Elbow
3. Bob Dylan's 49th Beard, by Wilco
4. Gravity, by Vienna Teng
5. The Princess Bride, by Willy DeVille & Mark Knopfler
6. Baby Mine (Dumbo cover), by Allison Kraus
7. Tomorrow, Tomorrow, by Elliot Smith
8. Boadicea, by Enya
9. Bothered, by Over the Rhine
10. Time After Time, by Cindi Lauper
11. Halo Friendly, by Damien Jurado
12. I Didn't Know About You, by Karrin Allyson
13. Miles, by Over the Rhine
14. Lullaby, by Pedro the Lion
15. Rest Easy, by Audio Adrenaline
16. Fade Into You, by Mazzy Star
17. Sleeping In, by the Postal Service
18. Let Down, by Radiohead
19. Tell Me How, by Rosie Thomas
I went to bed at 7:30, having been up since 3 as usual. I wanted to try to get a full 8 hours, but when I woke up to get a drink about 11:30, Sarah was in bed too, and still awake.
I asked her how she was doing, and she has been having contractions. Not steady yet, but we're getting there. I'm so excited right now, I just can't sleep. I should be trying... if today is the day, we've got alot ahead of us, and being rested will help a ton. I got up and finished a mix cd for Sarah during labor. (They let you bring your own cds...) I will go to work at 4 if nothing is steady, but I'll be ready to run home if she needs me.
In other exciting news... I GOT THE JOB! Pretty awesome. They made me an offer yesterday, which I accepted. I start on the 30th. So just a few more days of being a valet. I'm very excited. All these changes at once... feels, well... feels like normal. I won't be starting in the restaurant like I first believed, instead, I will be starting in the front office/desk area. My least favourite area, but who knows? I may end up loving it. I can't wait to wear a suit to work.
Well, I'm gonna go try sleeping. Before I go, here's the playlist to the cd I made Sarah for labor. If you want a peaceful, but inspiring mix... look no further. I'm real happy with it.
Labor Day (ha ha) mix
1. The Golden Age, by Beck
2. Switching Off, by Elbow
3. Bob Dylan's 49th Beard, by Wilco
4. Gravity, by Vienna Teng
5. The Princess Bride, by Willy DeVille & Mark Knopfler
6. Baby Mine (Dumbo cover), by Allison Kraus
7. Tomorrow, Tomorrow, by Elliot Smith
8. Boadicea, by Enya
9. Bothered, by Over the Rhine
10. Time After Time, by Cindi Lauper
11. Halo Friendly, by Damien Jurado
12. I Didn't Know About You, by Karrin Allyson
13. Miles, by Over the Rhine
14. Lullaby, by Pedro the Lion
15. Rest Easy, by Audio Adrenaline
16. Fade Into You, by Mazzy Star
17. Sleeping In, by the Postal Service
18. Let Down, by Radiohead
19. Tell Me How, by Rosie Thomas
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Fridays are weird...
Well, Friday was no exception to my incredibly strange week. I mean, last week was like a script from a new sitcom. One of the ones that hasn't gotten it's feet under it yet. The writing is choppy, and the acting is sloppy, and this sentence is starting to sound like a song. It isn't... but it could be.
Friday morning, I checked to see if Neil Armstrong had checked in. He was in room 1202, and was due out on the 13th, so I was pretty sure I'd at least see him. Growing up a total space geek, I went over scenarios in my head to make sure that I didn't attack him when he came downstairs. I rehearsed "Mr. Armstrong, how are you this morning? How was your night? Do you have a car downstairs that we can bring up for you?" things like that.
Needless to say, that the morning went on fairly normally, and he did not come down before 6. One of the other navy officers from his squadron, however, did come down for breakfast. And as he was sitting alone, I struck up a conversation while he waited for the restaurant to open. We talked about the state, and where he was from, and he asked me where I was from. I said Ohio, and he commented that Neil was from there too. I said that Stryker, where I grew up, wasn't far from Wapekaneta, where Neil was born. Now take into account that while they are spry little guys, all of these navy officers are pushing 80, if they haven't already fallen into it. For those of you who don't know many 80+ year old men, they get excited easily, and then forget what they were excited about, and spend the rest of their day perpetually excited, but they don't know why. That's why they sleep like 3 hours a night. They are so excited about something or other. (Note: Sometimes, this can also translate into crankiness. Insert the word cranky instead of excited into the rule above, and it will account for about 1/3 of old men days per year. The other two thirds they spend mysteriously excited.) Anyway, he got very excited, and then ended up looking a little confused until the rest of his party came down for breakfast. I went back to work, and forgot the conversation for the moment.
About two hours later, I had just returned from bringing up a car, when I saw the navy squadron gathering outside to get on their bus, and get on with their busy and mysteriously exciting day, when I spotted Neil in the center of the group. He was wearing a light pink dress shirt, and was looking very healthy. The last few pics I've seen of him haven't done him justice. Anyway, he's a very private man, and I didn't want to scare him, so I took my look, and went inside. Just in the doors, I was accosted by the little old gentleman from earlier, and he said "Have ya met Neil yet?!?" I said no, and he hauled me out the door and toward the group. "Neil!" he yelled as he flung me in front of the first man to step on the moon... "This boy's from Ohia! (pronounced correctly, I might add.)" Neil asked me where, and shook my hand. I told him I was from Stryker, and he said he knew where that was. (Almost unbelievable, but he gave a reference town that established that he did indeed.) I told him that it was an honor to meet him, and that I hoped he had enjoyed his stay. I wished him a good day, and took my leave.
I was in a bit of shock. Introduced. How much better was that then pushing myself at him and saying something like "I'm glad ya made it back!" or "Way to beat those ruskies!" or something ridiculous like that. I was so happy, that I told a couple of coworkers before returning to the front to get back to work. As I approached the front desk, I noticed a slightly dishevelled customer waiting to be helped. I went up to ask him if he needed help, and possibly tell him about Neil Armstrong getting into the bus outside when he turned around. It was Ron White. Ron "Tater salad" White of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. He looked slightly drunk, which is, or course, his look. "Mr. White. How are you this morning?" I asked. He said he was ok, and I told him I loved his show. (He is easily the funniest part of what can be a thoroughly disturbing look at america.) He was simply looking for a place to buy socks, preferably where there was a pretty salesgirl, and I directed him to the right place. He went and ate breakfast, and spent the morning wandering around looking for something to do. Unfortunately... there IS nothing to do in Colorado Springs at 9am on a Friday morning. So he went over to the spa and flirted with the girls there. Avoiding the random "TATER SALAD!!!" screaming fan with grace. Needless to say, I was pretty shocked. Armstrong, I saw coming, but a week of naked old men, half drunk celebrities, and new shoes... it was a bit too much for me. I needed a few days to process it before bringing it to you my faithful readers.
Well. On to something else. Here is a montage of Sarah pics from this, our ninth and final month of pregnancy. Below it, you will find a desktop picture of Sarah's 9th month. (I'm a dork. But a freakin proud one...)
Friday morning, I checked to see if Neil Armstrong had checked in. He was in room 1202, and was due out on the 13th, so I was pretty sure I'd at least see him. Growing up a total space geek, I went over scenarios in my head to make sure that I didn't attack him when he came downstairs. I rehearsed "Mr. Armstrong, how are you this morning? How was your night? Do you have a car downstairs that we can bring up for you?" things like that.
Needless to say, that the morning went on fairly normally, and he did not come down before 6. One of the other navy officers from his squadron, however, did come down for breakfast. And as he was sitting alone, I struck up a conversation while he waited for the restaurant to open. We talked about the state, and where he was from, and he asked me where I was from. I said Ohio, and he commented that Neil was from there too. I said that Stryker, where I grew up, wasn't far from Wapekaneta, where Neil was born. Now take into account that while they are spry little guys, all of these navy officers are pushing 80, if they haven't already fallen into it. For those of you who don't know many 80+ year old men, they get excited easily, and then forget what they were excited about, and spend the rest of their day perpetually excited, but they don't know why. That's why they sleep like 3 hours a night. They are so excited about something or other. (Note: Sometimes, this can also translate into crankiness. Insert the word cranky instead of excited into the rule above, and it will account for about 1/3 of old men days per year. The other two thirds they spend mysteriously excited.) Anyway, he got very excited, and then ended up looking a little confused until the rest of his party came down for breakfast. I went back to work, and forgot the conversation for the moment.
About two hours later, I had just returned from bringing up a car, when I saw the navy squadron gathering outside to get on their bus, and get on with their busy and mysteriously exciting day, when I spotted Neil in the center of the group. He was wearing a light pink dress shirt, and was looking very healthy. The last few pics I've seen of him haven't done him justice. Anyway, he's a very private man, and I didn't want to scare him, so I took my look, and went inside. Just in the doors, I was accosted by the little old gentleman from earlier, and he said "Have ya met Neil yet?!?" I said no, and he hauled me out the door and toward the group. "Neil!" he yelled as he flung me in front of the first man to step on the moon... "This boy's from Ohia! (pronounced correctly, I might add.)" Neil asked me where, and shook my hand. I told him I was from Stryker, and he said he knew where that was. (Almost unbelievable, but he gave a reference town that established that he did indeed.) I told him that it was an honor to meet him, and that I hoped he had enjoyed his stay. I wished him a good day, and took my leave.
I was in a bit of shock. Introduced. How much better was that then pushing myself at him and saying something like "I'm glad ya made it back!" or "Way to beat those ruskies!" or something ridiculous like that. I was so happy, that I told a couple of coworkers before returning to the front to get back to work. As I approached the front desk, I noticed a slightly dishevelled customer waiting to be helped. I went up to ask him if he needed help, and possibly tell him about Neil Armstrong getting into the bus outside when he turned around. It was Ron White. Ron "Tater salad" White of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. He looked slightly drunk, which is, or course, his look. "Mr. White. How are you this morning?" I asked. He said he was ok, and I told him I loved his show. (He is easily the funniest part of what can be a thoroughly disturbing look at america.) He was simply looking for a place to buy socks, preferably where there was a pretty salesgirl, and I directed him to the right place. He went and ate breakfast, and spent the morning wandering around looking for something to do. Unfortunately... there IS nothing to do in Colorado Springs at 9am on a Friday morning. So he went over to the spa and flirted with the girls there. Avoiding the random "TATER SALAD!!!" screaming fan with grace. Needless to say, I was pretty shocked. Armstrong, I saw coming, but a week of naked old men, half drunk celebrities, and new shoes... it was a bit too much for me. I needed a few days to process it before bringing it to you my faithful readers.
Well. On to something else. Here is a montage of Sarah pics from this, our ninth and final month of pregnancy. Below it, you will find a desktop picture of Sarah's 9th month. (I'm a dork. But a freakin proud one...)
Thursday, May 11, 2006
My current desktop
This is not my most recent large post... check the one below. I just wanted to show a pic of what my computer looks like right now. Desktop pic, and Operating System theme are by the amazing artist David Lanham. Icons are random, and by various artists. I'm running iTunes and Adium, a chat client.
That's it for now. Have a great night.
That's it for now. Have a great night.
Naked men and new shoes...
So yesterday morning, about 5am, a gentleman stepped out of one of our elevators, stark naked. Thankfully, he was equipped with a newspaper, which he had apparently failed to wrap around himself, and was simply holding it in front of himself.
He was interested in a key to his room. He had been out in the hallway, fetching his morning paper, naked, when the door had suddenly, as doors do, closed behind him. I can picture him standing there for a moment... contemplating his options... thanking God that it was 5 am and not later... Then, turning, and walking stealthily toward the elevator.
The most outrageous part of the entire ordeal was the front desk agent asking the poor old dude for I.D. "He's naked!" I exclaimed... "He is not going to be able to provide you with a driver's liscence!" He gave her his address, which she thankfully accepted, and he turned, placed the newspaper behind him, and walked back to the elevator.
Several things:
A) Why did he not wrap it around him, instead of simply shifting it from fore to aft?
B) Wouldn't it have been awful to be travelling down an elevator, and have it open to that sight, first thing in the morning?
C) Or any other time for that matter.
D) What in the name of Fergis McDoodson was he doing getting his newspaper from a public hallway in his antique birthday suit?
-------------------
I move on. To today.
We got new uniforms. Mine looks like an old-timey barber's outfit. It is charcoal with gray piping on the vest and pants. I basically wear a white dress shirt and bow tie, with a vest and pants. I also wear shoes. Today I was wearing my new outfit proudly when Larry the GM and Ron the Hotel Manager walked up to inspect it. They were happy with everything, except my shoes. Now mind you, I have pretty nice shoes. They're leather sketchers. Trendy, with a strip of suede up the center. They're not dress shoes by any stretch of the imagination, but under a certain age (32) you can get away with trendy black shoes. Especially if your job includes running up and down 5 floors of stairs, 30+ times a day. Up till the uniform change, I guess they were acceptable, but no longer. Larry looked at my shoes and said "You need some more... formal looking shoes... like mine." I nodded and said ok... Of course, we're paying off debts, and thinking about diapers, so I didn't chip in anything about my urgent desire to follow up on his statement. I simply stated that mine were slip resistant and sporty enough to do my job well. He didn't ignore me, but he did overlook the statement. "Mine are non-slip, and very nice work shoes, but they look like dress shoes" he said. "Tell you what. Go out, buy some of these, and bring me the receipt. I'll buy you some shoes." I turned to Ron to ask him what kind and where, because of the vagueness of the statement, and seeing the question in my eyes, Ron responded that Rockports were very nice shoes, and they had them at Dillards. Now Dillards is one of the nicest department stores in town. Comparable with Marshall Fields of Chicago. I said "Yes sir. Thank you sir." and that was that.
Jeff, another one of the bellmen was part of this exchange, and as far as I'm concerned, a bigger offender in the skanky shoe department, so he was included in the offer as well.
I went home, and when Sarah was almost ready to go tutor, I picked Jeff up, we went to Dillards and bought some Rockports. And so, I obtained my first, really nice pair of dress shoes, and I did so on the generosity of what is turning out to be my best job yet. Other than seeing naked men, consoling crazies, and trying to find someone to drive any stickshifts I may need to bring up.
P.S. Neil Armstrong is staying in our hotel tonight. I truly hope I get to meet him tomorrow. He's in town for a retired Navy group who are celebrating some sort of anniversary.
He was interested in a key to his room. He had been out in the hallway, fetching his morning paper, naked, when the door had suddenly, as doors do, closed behind him. I can picture him standing there for a moment... contemplating his options... thanking God that it was 5 am and not later... Then, turning, and walking stealthily toward the elevator.
The most outrageous part of the entire ordeal was the front desk agent asking the poor old dude for I.D. "He's naked!" I exclaimed... "He is not going to be able to provide you with a driver's liscence!" He gave her his address, which she thankfully accepted, and he turned, placed the newspaper behind him, and walked back to the elevator.
Several things:
A) Why did he not wrap it around him, instead of simply shifting it from fore to aft?
B) Wouldn't it have been awful to be travelling down an elevator, and have it open to that sight, first thing in the morning?
C) Or any other time for that matter.
D) What in the name of Fergis McDoodson was he doing getting his newspaper from a public hallway in his antique birthday suit?
-------------------
I move on. To today.
We got new uniforms. Mine looks like an old-timey barber's outfit. It is charcoal with gray piping on the vest and pants. I basically wear a white dress shirt and bow tie, with a vest and pants. I also wear shoes. Today I was wearing my new outfit proudly when Larry the GM and Ron the Hotel Manager walked up to inspect it. They were happy with everything, except my shoes. Now mind you, I have pretty nice shoes. They're leather sketchers. Trendy, with a strip of suede up the center. They're not dress shoes by any stretch of the imagination, but under a certain age (32) you can get away with trendy black shoes. Especially if your job includes running up and down 5 floors of stairs, 30+ times a day. Up till the uniform change, I guess they were acceptable, but no longer. Larry looked at my shoes and said "You need some more... formal looking shoes... like mine." I nodded and said ok... Of course, we're paying off debts, and thinking about diapers, so I didn't chip in anything about my urgent desire to follow up on his statement. I simply stated that mine were slip resistant and sporty enough to do my job well. He didn't ignore me, but he did overlook the statement. "Mine are non-slip, and very nice work shoes, but they look like dress shoes" he said. "Tell you what. Go out, buy some of these, and bring me the receipt. I'll buy you some shoes." I turned to Ron to ask him what kind and where, because of the vagueness of the statement, and seeing the question in my eyes, Ron responded that Rockports were very nice shoes, and they had them at Dillards. Now Dillards is one of the nicest department stores in town. Comparable with Marshall Fields of Chicago. I said "Yes sir. Thank you sir." and that was that.
Jeff, another one of the bellmen was part of this exchange, and as far as I'm concerned, a bigger offender in the skanky shoe department, so he was included in the offer as well.
I went home, and when Sarah was almost ready to go tutor, I picked Jeff up, we went to Dillards and bought some Rockports. And so, I obtained my first, really nice pair of dress shoes, and I did so on the generosity of what is turning out to be my best job yet. Other than seeing naked men, consoling crazies, and trying to find someone to drive any stickshifts I may need to bring up.
P.S. Neil Armstrong is staying in our hotel tonight. I truly hope I get to meet him tomorrow. He's in town for a retired Navy group who are celebrating some sort of anniversary.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Crazies, interviews and major league baseball.
Well, today goes down in Jim-history as one of my weirdest with the Antlers Hilton. As the faithful readers know, I was to meet with (and did meet, just in case you were worrying) the VP of our company for my final interview for the management position, before they make an offer. Waking up this morning, I was positive that the interview would be the most unusual thing that would happen during the day. I was of course, wrong.
The day started out with a mumble. One of our guests forgot to mention when checking in, that she was, in fact, crazy. Last night, after checking in and paying cash, she tried to make several calls from her room. Because of her cash deposit, and lack of credit card, she was unable to, and complained to the front desk. She was told that a credit card would enable her to call from her room, and that there were payphones downstairs if she needed to call someone. They also told her not to worry, and that if there were an emergency, she would be able to contact 911 from her room. So she called 911. To let them know that the hotel wouldn't let her call people. Cops showed up. Handled things. She went back to her room.
This morning, she sat in the lobby for 3 or 4 hours, talking to herself, and randomly blurting things at random strangers. Finally, before she left, she started accusing everyone she saw of being her taxi driver, and forcing her to be late to her very important meeting. I even heard one lady apologize to her.
Later on, another guest who will be staying with us for a month rambled on about differing subjects. About how she's a poet, who has been forced against her will from the Sheriton. So she'll be with us for the next month. You can tell that she has interaction issues, but the nice thing is that she knows it. She pulled me aside today, and asked me to strike up a conversation with her if I notice her roaming the halls looking for someone to share poetry with. Because, she said, she will occasionally try to talk to people she shouldn't or share poetry with people who hate art. I felt like quoting Napoleon Dynamite... "I know what you mean."
She's sweet though, and knows she's crazy, so there's somethin we got goin for us.
A few hours later, I was just back from running a car up when a customer asked me to take him down to his car, parked in valet, because he needed to ship some things from the trunk. He looked like this. (Except not glowing...) So I helped him out, and on our way back, I asked him how long he'd be in the Springs. "Just today. Tomorrow I'm in Boston... then LA... I'm busy this week. But at least I get to see a couple baseball games." That's cool. What was his business I enquired? "I own a baseball team." Very matter of fact. Not pretentious... must be a minor league team. "So which team is that sir?" I asked. "The White Sox." and he added "world champs!" quietly while pumping his fist lightly for emphasis. My jaw dropped. But... it had been a day of crazies, and a gentleman, claiming to own the world champion baseball team was not as weird as some of the stuff that had happened, so I retained my doubts... but he really was who he said he was... He even signed his business card for me... I told him I'm a fan, and of our onesie war. (Sarah's family and friends have been sending us onesies for the baby. Some Sox, some Cubs...) And the debate over whether the baby will be a Sox or Cubs fan... he laughed. We had a good talk, and I shipped his FedEx.
Well... while you were reading this. I was eating dinner. Pretty cool huh? Bet you didn't even know.
Well, later on this morning, after I got off work, I had my interview with Larry V. Everything went great, and he said that he's going to get together with the folks I met with last week, and discuss what they're going to offer me. So there it is. On the table... I'll let you know when I know more.
Peace
The day started out with a mumble. One of our guests forgot to mention when checking in, that she was, in fact, crazy. Last night, after checking in and paying cash, she tried to make several calls from her room. Because of her cash deposit, and lack of credit card, she was unable to, and complained to the front desk. She was told that a credit card would enable her to call from her room, and that there were payphones downstairs if she needed to call someone. They also told her not to worry, and that if there were an emergency, she would be able to contact 911 from her room. So she called 911. To let them know that the hotel wouldn't let her call people. Cops showed up. Handled things. She went back to her room.
This morning, she sat in the lobby for 3 or 4 hours, talking to herself, and randomly blurting things at random strangers. Finally, before she left, she started accusing everyone she saw of being her taxi driver, and forcing her to be late to her very important meeting. I even heard one lady apologize to her.
Later on, another guest who will be staying with us for a month rambled on about differing subjects. About how she's a poet, who has been forced against her will from the Sheriton. So she'll be with us for the next month. You can tell that she has interaction issues, but the nice thing is that she knows it. She pulled me aside today, and asked me to strike up a conversation with her if I notice her roaming the halls looking for someone to share poetry with. Because, she said, she will occasionally try to talk to people she shouldn't or share poetry with people who hate art. I felt like quoting Napoleon Dynamite... "I know what you mean."
She's sweet though, and knows she's crazy, so there's somethin we got goin for us.
A few hours later, I was just back from running a car up when a customer asked me to take him down to his car, parked in valet, because he needed to ship some things from the trunk. He looked like this. (Except not glowing...) So I helped him out, and on our way back, I asked him how long he'd be in the Springs. "Just today. Tomorrow I'm in Boston... then LA... I'm busy this week. But at least I get to see a couple baseball games." That's cool. What was his business I enquired? "I own a baseball team." Very matter of fact. Not pretentious... must be a minor league team. "So which team is that sir?" I asked. "The White Sox." and he added "world champs!" quietly while pumping his fist lightly for emphasis. My jaw dropped. But... it had been a day of crazies, and a gentleman, claiming to own the world champion baseball team was not as weird as some of the stuff that had happened, so I retained my doubts... but he really was who he said he was... He even signed his business card for me... I told him I'm a fan, and of our onesie war. (Sarah's family and friends have been sending us onesies for the baby. Some Sox, some Cubs...) And the debate over whether the baby will be a Sox or Cubs fan... he laughed. We had a good talk, and I shipped his FedEx.
Well... while you were reading this. I was eating dinner. Pretty cool huh? Bet you didn't even know.
Well, later on this morning, after I got off work, I had my interview with Larry V. Everything went great, and he said that he's going to get together with the folks I met with last week, and discuss what they're going to offer me. So there it is. On the table... I'll let you know when I know more.
Peace
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Big news.
Well, I did promise some big news on the way, and even though it's not all the way solid yet... it's time.
A few weeks ago, at the hotel, I was approached by the head of human resources, who asked me if I'd be interested in a different job at the hotel. I've had the valet supervisor position in my sights since I started, and it has been pretty much assumed that I would step into that job fairly soon.
I told her I'm always interested in new opportunities, and she said that she had recommended me for the position of management trainee. It's a job that's only been filled once before, and the guy that had the job is the son of the owner of the Broadmoor, Colorado Springs' most respected resort. His dad wanted him to have a job that would enable him to see every aspect of the hotel business, and wanted it to happen at a place where he wouldn't be "the owner's son" so he chose us. I told her absolutely, and she set up an interview with herself later the next week. The job would consist of moving from department to department, 3 months or so at a time, and learning the ropes. It's an amazing opportunity, and I'm thinking about it heavily.
Robin's interview was really boring, but had some decent info. She was happy with it, and set up interviews with the 4 top people at our hotel.
I had those interviews on Thursday and Friday. PJ, the highest ranking of the folks I met with, is the sales manager for the entire company. She is amazing. Working with her would be a gigantic learning experience in and of itself. Her knowledge, and intuition of positioning alone is unparalleled in the company. It's been said of her that she could be vice president of pyramid (our owning company) in a breath.
My interview with her came first, but the great thing is that I've interviewed with her before. The day I applied for a job at the Antlers, I initially applied for the job of sales assistant (a secretary, but I didn't know that) and she said I could have the job if I wanted, but I was like her, and I'd go nuts in a week, inputting data, and setting up appointments. She sent me down to Peter at the front desk, and the rest is history. The second interview went incredibly well. She feels as though she knows me, and basically laid out what the job would look like for me. She said I wouldn't be bored, because in many ways, it's crisis management. They'll send me into a department that's hemoraging, and throw me in the middle of it yelling "have fun! learn alot! do well!" Which is precicely what I want. I've often said that I do great in a crisis. It's regular life I have trouble with. The last guy did a great job in that kind of environment, and apparently I've been compared with him quite often in management circles.
I moved on from PJ to our controller, Colin. He is a really cool guy, for being an accountant. He had even more insight into the job, and asked alot of really good questions. At one point in the interview, he said "I'm not calling your knowledge of 'hospitality' into question, pretty much anybody here will say that if anyone at our hotel knows what hopitality is, it's you." I was pretty stoked. He went on to ask if I thought I'd be up to discipline as part of the job, but I was able to use several instances from my time as a manager for Starbucks to settle that subject. I actually enjoy getting things straightened out. I see it as helping the group, not attacking the individual. If they're making everybody else's jobs harder, it ends up hurting them too.
My next interview lasted an hour, as opposed to the half hour interviews so far. I met with the hotel manager, Ron. Ron and I have had countless conversations, and I really appreciate his input. He runs the hotel very well, and is the best person I've seen in that kind of position. We talked a bit about the job, and then moved on to what Sarah and I want for the future. Ron shared some stories, and we talked about what I would need to do, and the mindset I would need, "when" I got the job. He said "when" instead of "if" three times. I couldn't feel more confident about things at that point.
My fourth interview took place yesterday with the head of food and beverage. He ranks lower than the others, but I would almost definitely end up in the restaurants first if I take this job. The food and beverage part of our hotel is really hurting for quality people lately, and needs help. I think that it was set up so Frank could judge whether I would fit with the crew. He and I are already quite aquainted, so it ended up with him monologuing for quite awhile. I interjected when needed, but I think he's pretty set on me, and that's what matters in this case, so I'm happy.
My last interview is with Larry V. the vice president of Pyramid, and that happens on Tuesday. Larry and I have a great repoire, and he was the one that read the letter from the customer at the company wide meeting. The one that was about me. He knows me, and my attitude, so I'm pretty excited about getting to interview with him.
Now, the job is an 18 month commitment, and after that, they'll offer me a management position where I excelled, and where there's a position available. At this moment, I'm just excited to learn the ropes in every corner of the hotel.
Well, that's the scoop. It's pretty big. Sarah was mentioning to me the other day that this has never happened for us until now. I always invest a ton in my employer, try my hardest, and generally I'm applauded, but never paid more. I've not been approached for anything like this in such a serious manner before, and we are excited to see where it leads.
It's amazing that just 3 months ago, I was out of a job, trying to find a way to pay our rent and eat... God is so good, and has sustained us. Soon we hope to have everyone paid off, that helped us, and on our way to being stable.
Thanks again everybody for your support, and your continued prayers. We love you.
A few weeks ago, at the hotel, I was approached by the head of human resources, who asked me if I'd be interested in a different job at the hotel. I've had the valet supervisor position in my sights since I started, and it has been pretty much assumed that I would step into that job fairly soon.
I told her I'm always interested in new opportunities, and she said that she had recommended me for the position of management trainee. It's a job that's only been filled once before, and the guy that had the job is the son of the owner of the Broadmoor, Colorado Springs' most respected resort. His dad wanted him to have a job that would enable him to see every aspect of the hotel business, and wanted it to happen at a place where he wouldn't be "the owner's son" so he chose us. I told her absolutely, and she set up an interview with herself later the next week. The job would consist of moving from department to department, 3 months or so at a time, and learning the ropes. It's an amazing opportunity, and I'm thinking about it heavily.
Robin's interview was really boring, but had some decent info. She was happy with it, and set up interviews with the 4 top people at our hotel.
I had those interviews on Thursday and Friday. PJ, the highest ranking of the folks I met with, is the sales manager for the entire company. She is amazing. Working with her would be a gigantic learning experience in and of itself. Her knowledge, and intuition of positioning alone is unparalleled in the company. It's been said of her that she could be vice president of pyramid (our owning company) in a breath.
My interview with her came first, but the great thing is that I've interviewed with her before. The day I applied for a job at the Antlers, I initially applied for the job of sales assistant (a secretary, but I didn't know that) and she said I could have the job if I wanted, but I was like her, and I'd go nuts in a week, inputting data, and setting up appointments. She sent me down to Peter at the front desk, and the rest is history. The second interview went incredibly well. She feels as though she knows me, and basically laid out what the job would look like for me. She said I wouldn't be bored, because in many ways, it's crisis management. They'll send me into a department that's hemoraging, and throw me in the middle of it yelling "have fun! learn alot! do well!" Which is precicely what I want. I've often said that I do great in a crisis. It's regular life I have trouble with. The last guy did a great job in that kind of environment, and apparently I've been compared with him quite often in management circles.
I moved on from PJ to our controller, Colin. He is a really cool guy, for being an accountant. He had even more insight into the job, and asked alot of really good questions. At one point in the interview, he said "I'm not calling your knowledge of 'hospitality' into question, pretty much anybody here will say that if anyone at our hotel knows what hopitality is, it's you." I was pretty stoked. He went on to ask if I thought I'd be up to discipline as part of the job, but I was able to use several instances from my time as a manager for Starbucks to settle that subject. I actually enjoy getting things straightened out. I see it as helping the group, not attacking the individual. If they're making everybody else's jobs harder, it ends up hurting them too.
My next interview lasted an hour, as opposed to the half hour interviews so far. I met with the hotel manager, Ron. Ron and I have had countless conversations, and I really appreciate his input. He runs the hotel very well, and is the best person I've seen in that kind of position. We talked a bit about the job, and then moved on to what Sarah and I want for the future. Ron shared some stories, and we talked about what I would need to do, and the mindset I would need, "when" I got the job. He said "when" instead of "if" three times. I couldn't feel more confident about things at that point.
My fourth interview took place yesterday with the head of food and beverage. He ranks lower than the others, but I would almost definitely end up in the restaurants first if I take this job. The food and beverage part of our hotel is really hurting for quality people lately, and needs help. I think that it was set up so Frank could judge whether I would fit with the crew. He and I are already quite aquainted, so it ended up with him monologuing for quite awhile. I interjected when needed, but I think he's pretty set on me, and that's what matters in this case, so I'm happy.
My last interview is with Larry V. the vice president of Pyramid, and that happens on Tuesday. Larry and I have a great repoire, and he was the one that read the letter from the customer at the company wide meeting. The one that was about me. He knows me, and my attitude, so I'm pretty excited about getting to interview with him.
Now, the job is an 18 month commitment, and after that, they'll offer me a management position where I excelled, and where there's a position available. At this moment, I'm just excited to learn the ropes in every corner of the hotel.
Well, that's the scoop. It's pretty big. Sarah was mentioning to me the other day that this has never happened for us until now. I always invest a ton in my employer, try my hardest, and generally I'm applauded, but never paid more. I've not been approached for anything like this in such a serious manner before, and we are excited to see where it leads.
It's amazing that just 3 months ago, I was out of a job, trying to find a way to pay our rent and eat... God is so good, and has sustained us. Soon we hope to have everyone paid off, that helped us, and on our way to being stable.
Thanks again everybody for your support, and your continued prayers. We love you.
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Nuggets of Denver
Well, a few weeks ago, I won a free night's stay at the Adam's Mark hotel in Denver.
It happened at the "Care Rally" that we had, when the general manager read a letter from a customer to the hotel, and the letter was about how I personally had taken care of him. So the GM had me come up and spin the wheel of prizes, and I got a good one.
Sarah and I had plans for the next few weekends, or responsibilities, so we put it off for awhile. This weekend, we were free, so we decided to go out Friday night, and spend Saturday wandering around. Our hotel was really nice, and we were on the 15th floor, so we had a good view. Here's a pic from our hotel room, as well as a picture of the 16th street mall (Which you can see from our room.) and a pic of a sculpture outside, and a few downtown buildings.
The night was good. It was cool to sleep in a king bed. We ate dinner at Chilis on the 16th St. mall, and went over to the theatre to see Benchwarmers. The next morning, we got up around 9 or 10, and ate breakfast/lunch at a little place called the Extraordinary Egg. Very good service, decent food. Then we wandered around the downtown area. It's a beautiful city. There was a building I remembered from when I'd been here back in 97, and I was able to get directions to it. It's an ornate catholic church at the corner of 19th and Broadway called the Church of the Holy Ghost. A few years back, they were offered a big deal for the land they're on. A corporation wanted to put a skyscraper there, and the church was in the way. Well, the church had been there forever, and didn't want to move. This happens alot in cities, but not necessarily the resulting solution. The church and the business met a compromise in that the church sold the airspace above them, and enough surrounding area to put the base of the skyscraper for 2.5 million. They used the money to build a youth center for kids in the poor area of the city. The resulting image is one of architectural ingenuity. I'll post a few pics, but it's really something to see.
Finally, I was taking a few pics around the house the other day, and got this one of Sarah. It's really cute, and I thought I'd share it.
It happened at the "Care Rally" that we had, when the general manager read a letter from a customer to the hotel, and the letter was about how I personally had taken care of him. So the GM had me come up and spin the wheel of prizes, and I got a good one.
Sarah and I had plans for the next few weekends, or responsibilities, so we put it off for awhile. This weekend, we were free, so we decided to go out Friday night, and spend Saturday wandering around. Our hotel was really nice, and we were on the 15th floor, so we had a good view. Here's a pic from our hotel room, as well as a picture of the 16th street mall (Which you can see from our room.) and a pic of a sculpture outside, and a few downtown buildings.
The night was good. It was cool to sleep in a king bed. We ate dinner at Chilis on the 16th St. mall, and went over to the theatre to see Benchwarmers. The next morning, we got up around 9 or 10, and ate breakfast/lunch at a little place called the Extraordinary Egg. Very good service, decent food. Then we wandered around the downtown area. It's a beautiful city. There was a building I remembered from when I'd been here back in 97, and I was able to get directions to it. It's an ornate catholic church at the corner of 19th and Broadway called the Church of the Holy Ghost. A few years back, they were offered a big deal for the land they're on. A corporation wanted to put a skyscraper there, and the church was in the way. Well, the church had been there forever, and didn't want to move. This happens alot in cities, but not necessarily the resulting solution. The church and the business met a compromise in that the church sold the airspace above them, and enough surrounding area to put the base of the skyscraper for 2.5 million. They used the money to build a youth center for kids in the poor area of the city. The resulting image is one of architectural ingenuity. I'll post a few pics, but it's really something to see.
Finally, I was taking a few pics around the house the other day, and got this one of Sarah. It's really cute, and I thought I'd share it.
Monday, April 24, 2006
Pictures
Took some pictures this last week.
Here's me at my hotel...
Here's a montage of photos from the interior of the hotel, with a picture of Pike's Peak in the background.
The pic of the mountain is from the back parking lot of our church.
Here's me at my hotel...
Here's a montage of photos from the interior of the hotel, with a picture of Pike's Peak in the background.
The pic of the mountain is from the back parking lot of our church.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Weakerthans
Last night, on my way home, I was listening to the album "Left and Leaving" by the emo/indie band The Weakerthans. Many people I know will overlook any album connected to emo, despite how good it might be, and I can understand their reasoning. (For the uninitiated, "emo" is a genre of music that has sprung up in the last 8 years or so. It is short for "emotion" and is basically hard, screamy music, with enough emotional content that some bands in the genre cry on stage. It started out as something original, very quickly got copied, just as quickly got annoying, and it has turned off as many fans as it has generated.) I would not consider the Weakerthans emo, but they are on an emo label, and that's enough for most people to hate them.
I cannot stress enough, the lyrical quality on this album, and it is strongly supported by an incredibly talented musical base. The drums on the last 30 seconds of the song "This is a fire door, never leave open" are amazing. Easily some of the most engaging drums this side of the Mississippi.
Needless to say, I want to post a few lyrical excerpts from the album. If you have the chance, pick it up. With an open mind, and a few listens, I have the feeling that you'll love them too.
From the song "Left and Leaving"
- "My city's still breathing but barely, it's true. Through buildings gone missing like teeth."
- "Wait for the year to drown. Spring forward, fall back down. I'll try not to wonder where you are."
- "I wait in 4/4 time. Count yellow highway lines, that you're relying on to lead you home.
From the song "Pamphleteer"
- "How I don't know what I should do with my hands when I talk to you, and you don't know where you should look, so you look at my hands."
From the song "Exiles among you"
- "She shoplifts some christmas gifts, and a bracelet for herself, and considers phoning home. Has some quarters in her hand. But she sits down on the sidewalk, and bites her bottom lip, and spends the afternoon willing traffic lights to change."
From the song "My favourite chords"
- "They're tearing up streets again. They're building a new hotel. The mayor is out killing kids to keep taxes down. And me and my anger sit, folding a paper bird, letting the curtains turn to beating wings. Wish I had a socket set, to dismantle this morning. Just one pair of clean socks, and a photo of you. When you get off work tonight, meet me at the construction site, and we'll write some notes to tape to the heavy machines. Like 'We hope they treat you well', 'Hope you don't work too hard', ' We hope you get to be happy sometimes.'"
From the song "Aside"
- "And I'm leaning on this broken fence between past and present tense. And I'm losing all those stupid games that I swore I'd never play, but it almost feels ok."
-----------------------------•••-----------------------------•••-----------------------------
Other bands neglected for the same reasons that deserve a listen:
• Last Days of April
• The Helms
• Jimmy Eat World
I cannot stress enough, the lyrical quality on this album, and it is strongly supported by an incredibly talented musical base. The drums on the last 30 seconds of the song "This is a fire door, never leave open" are amazing. Easily some of the most engaging drums this side of the Mississippi.
Needless to say, I want to post a few lyrical excerpts from the album. If you have the chance, pick it up. With an open mind, and a few listens, I have the feeling that you'll love them too.
From the song "Left and Leaving"
- "My city's still breathing but barely, it's true. Through buildings gone missing like teeth."
- "Wait for the year to drown. Spring forward, fall back down. I'll try not to wonder where you are."
- "I wait in 4/4 time. Count yellow highway lines, that you're relying on to lead you home.
From the song "Pamphleteer"
- "How I don't know what I should do with my hands when I talk to you, and you don't know where you should look, so you look at my hands."
From the song "Exiles among you"
- "She shoplifts some christmas gifts, and a bracelet for herself, and considers phoning home. Has some quarters in her hand. But she sits down on the sidewalk, and bites her bottom lip, and spends the afternoon willing traffic lights to change."
From the song "My favourite chords"
- "They're tearing up streets again. They're building a new hotel. The mayor is out killing kids to keep taxes down. And me and my anger sit, folding a paper bird, letting the curtains turn to beating wings. Wish I had a socket set, to dismantle this morning. Just one pair of clean socks, and a photo of you. When you get off work tonight, meet me at the construction site, and we'll write some notes to tape to the heavy machines. Like 'We hope they treat you well', 'Hope you don't work too hard', ' We hope you get to be happy sometimes.'"
From the song "Aside"
- "And I'm leaning on this broken fence between past and present tense. And I'm losing all those stupid games that I swore I'd never play, but it almost feels ok."
-----------------------------•••-----------------------------•••-----------------------------
Other bands neglected for the same reasons that deserve a listen:
• Last Days of April
• The Helms
• Jimmy Eat World
Friday, April 21, 2006
Hoist that rag
I feel like a pirate today. I am listening to the ultra-awesome song by Tom Waits "Hoist that rag" off of his 2004 album Real Gone. It's gotta be about being a pirate. At least a little.
Things have been going very well, but busy. Real busy. It's kinda nice, because now we won't fly into babyhood straight from boring, slow, lonely life. We have had alot of events at church, doctor appointments, and good times with new friends... which balanced with a really weird new schedule makes for a very tired little duo.
Sarah's been having a harder time lately. She pretty uncomfortable. Cute, but uncomfortable. Here's a picture.
I've been working 4:30 am - 1 pm. It's got advantages, but I'm just bushed when I get home. It's hard to get to bed before 8, and so most days I get 5 hours sleep. Sarah's dealt with it, and we've been making the most of our time together, but she's tutoring 4 days a week now, as Halie needs to catch up on her studies. So I get home, we get a few hours, and then she's off to tutor, and by the time she's back, I'm in bed, or getting there.
I am so excited about the baby. He's almost here! It's so cool to see him move, and know what he's doing. He's had hiccups the last few days. It weirds Sarah out, but it's pretty funny to me.
I'm almost to the point when I can announce our cool new news. It's just not all together yet.
Well, that's it for today, oh, and for the gullible out there, that was not a picture of our church event. It just looked funny, so I put it up.
cya.
Things have been going very well, but busy. Real busy. It's kinda nice, because now we won't fly into babyhood straight from boring, slow, lonely life. We have had alot of events at church, doctor appointments, and good times with new friends... which balanced with a really weird new schedule makes for a very tired little duo.
Sarah's been having a harder time lately. She pretty uncomfortable. Cute, but uncomfortable. Here's a picture.
I've been working 4:30 am - 1 pm. It's got advantages, but I'm just bushed when I get home. It's hard to get to bed before 8, and so most days I get 5 hours sleep. Sarah's dealt with it, and we've been making the most of our time together, but she's tutoring 4 days a week now, as Halie needs to catch up on her studies. So I get home, we get a few hours, and then she's off to tutor, and by the time she's back, I'm in bed, or getting there.
I am so excited about the baby. He's almost here! It's so cool to see him move, and know what he's doing. He's had hiccups the last few days. It weirds Sarah out, but it's pretty funny to me.
I'm almost to the point when I can announce our cool new news. It's just not all together yet.
Well, that's it for today, oh, and for the gullible out there, that was not a picture of our church event. It just looked funny, so I put it up.
cya.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Funny picture
Haven't posted in awhile. I have some possibly exciting news on the way, but I'll wait till it's a bit more solidified before putting it up here. Woke up this morning for a men's breakfast with the guys from church. Cracker Barrel. Awesome. I love Cracker Barrel. Their apple butter is great.
Oh, anyway. I was browsing through some pictures in my iphoto collection and came across this gem from last Halloween. It stars some of my good friends from Starbucks back in Woodridge, IL.
George is the dinosaur.
Mike is Mr. Incredible.
Michelle is an angel.
And Emily is the plastically endowed nascar racer.
It's priceless.
Oh, anyway. I was browsing through some pictures in my iphoto collection and came across this gem from last Halloween. It stars some of my good friends from Starbucks back in Woodridge, IL.
George is the dinosaur.
Mike is Mr. Incredible.
Michelle is an angel.
And Emily is the plastically endowed nascar racer.
It's priceless.
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Cool quote
Found this cool quote the other day. Definitely the man I want to be.
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly... who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never known neither victory nor defeat."
- Teddy Roosevelt
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly... who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never known neither victory nor defeat."
- Teddy Roosevelt
Friday, April 07, 2006
Day off.
Ahhhhh....
It was so weird waking up when it's light outside. Feels good though.
Woke up this morning and made breakfast. Bacon, scrambled eggs and biscuits with raspberries inside. (I took regular Pillsbury biscuits, and cut them down the side before cooking, spread a mixture of raspberries and sugar inside that I had microwaved for a couple seconds, and pinched the sides shut again. Regular baking time, and they were ready to go.) It turned out great, and was a fun way to start our day off together.
Sarah tutors Halie tonight. Oh! I didn't mention. Now that Halie is back from the Olympics, she needs to catch up on her studies. This means that Sar will be tutoring every weeknight, except for Wednesdays, and that means alot more money. And some alone time for me before the baby comes. I beat a computer game I've been playing for a long time, and I've had a chance to catch up on some reading.
Currently, I'm reading a book on preaching by Haddon Robinson. It's really great. Very eye opening. I finished a book or two by Origen, an Alexandrian theologen in the 200s. He was a bit off on quite a few things, but some of his ideas, and ways of explaining things are still used today.
Well, if I'm describing breakfast, and what I've been reading, it's proof that I don't really have a whole lot to say right now, so I'll stop for today.
Peace and thank you.
It was so weird waking up when it's light outside. Feels good though.
Woke up this morning and made breakfast. Bacon, scrambled eggs and biscuits with raspberries inside. (I took regular Pillsbury biscuits, and cut them down the side before cooking, spread a mixture of raspberries and sugar inside that I had microwaved for a couple seconds, and pinched the sides shut again. Regular baking time, and they were ready to go.) It turned out great, and was a fun way to start our day off together.
Sarah tutors Halie tonight. Oh! I didn't mention. Now that Halie is back from the Olympics, she needs to catch up on her studies. This means that Sar will be tutoring every weeknight, except for Wednesdays, and that means alot more money. And some alone time for me before the baby comes. I beat a computer game I've been playing for a long time, and I've had a chance to catch up on some reading.
Currently, I'm reading a book on preaching by Haddon Robinson. It's really great. Very eye opening. I finished a book or two by Origen, an Alexandrian theologen in the 200s. He was a bit off on quite a few things, but some of his ideas, and ways of explaining things are still used today.
Well, if I'm describing breakfast, and what I've been reading, it's proof that I don't really have a whole lot to say right now, so I'll stop for today.
Peace and thank you.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Back in black.
Well, these last two weeks have been exhausting. I've switched to a 4:30 am to 1 pm shift. It's nice because I'm off work so early, but it's been taking a toll on my body. Once I get adjusted to it, I'll be fine.
Needless to say, I've been too tired to write, and I couldn't think of anything when I did have the energy. Since I was needed at work last Sunday, I have a three day weekend this week. My boss has been great about scheduling me what closely resembles a regular work week. Next week, I'm Monday through Friday, all 4:30-1. That's the most reliable and regular schedule I've had in years. It feels nice to not have to worry about working a night here, and morning here, and midshift here... It lets me adjust, and build up a routine.
We've been doing a bit of shopping with the gift cards we received from the shower. We got a carseat the other day. It's very safe, and looks nice. I think we got one that will be easy to manuever and easy to clean. We never did get that camera. The offer expired, so we'll get one when we find another offer as good or better. But it'll be hard, that was a great deal. It's disappointing, but it's more important to pay bills right now.
We started parenting classes at the hospital last week. It used to be called Lamaze (sp?) and has to do alot with being informed along with relaxation and breathing techniques. We had fun, and met some nice couples. I am so excited about the baby, it's not even funny. I've been working on my sign language, and studying up on baby signing. It's really neat... Babies can understand you, and communicate with you using signs long before their vocal chords are mature enough to handle language. Signs like "More" "All done" "Pain" "Where?" and "Milk" are just a few of the everyday signs you can use with your baby. They generally start signing back around 6-8 months old, not to mention that they're essentially learning to be bilingual.
This week at work, we had several conventions in. One of which was a space emposium, which brought astronauts, mission control specialists, rocket scientists, and folks from every aerospace company you can imagine to Colorado Springs. Buzz Aldrin was here yesterday. I didn't get to meet him, and he wasn't staying in the hotel but was out to eat in the downtown area with friends who were staying at the hotel. I met the mission controller who was in charge of the flight directly following the Colombia tragedy. It was so interesting to spend time hearing what happened from a man who was in mission control when it happened. His office is across the hall from the mission controller of the Colombia, and he was very involved in the efforts to have NASA investigate the damage before reentry. He went to school with Onizuka of the Challenger tragedy back in 1986, and works in Houston. Today, I met a teacher from Florida who runs a space simulator camp for teens. She has a mock-up shuttle and mission control. She gave me a tee-shirt. I think I'll send it to my dad. He'd love it. It's named Challenger something or other. Needless to say, it's been a pleasure having so many intelligent people around. Just listening to conversations has been fantastic. Let alone the ones they've had with me. They're so excited about going back to the moon. There are so many natural resources that they're ready to start evaluating, and habitation... it's gonna be cool.
Well, tonight we're going to a party for a bellman who's moving to Georgia. He's been real cool, and it'll be sad to see him leave. It's at a Jamaican bar in the area. It's run by a waiter from the restaurant in the Antlers, and is called "Irie." (For those of you who are not familiar with the term, it's Jamaican for "alright.")
Hopefully, I'll be writing more. Thanks for hanging in there.
Peace.
Needless to say, I've been too tired to write, and I couldn't think of anything when I did have the energy. Since I was needed at work last Sunday, I have a three day weekend this week. My boss has been great about scheduling me what closely resembles a regular work week. Next week, I'm Monday through Friday, all 4:30-1. That's the most reliable and regular schedule I've had in years. It feels nice to not have to worry about working a night here, and morning here, and midshift here... It lets me adjust, and build up a routine.
We've been doing a bit of shopping with the gift cards we received from the shower. We got a carseat the other day. It's very safe, and looks nice. I think we got one that will be easy to manuever and easy to clean. We never did get that camera. The offer expired, so we'll get one when we find another offer as good or better. But it'll be hard, that was a great deal. It's disappointing, but it's more important to pay bills right now.
We started parenting classes at the hospital last week. It used to be called Lamaze (sp?) and has to do alot with being informed along with relaxation and breathing techniques. We had fun, and met some nice couples. I am so excited about the baby, it's not even funny. I've been working on my sign language, and studying up on baby signing. It's really neat... Babies can understand you, and communicate with you using signs long before their vocal chords are mature enough to handle language. Signs like "More" "All done" "Pain" "Where?" and "Milk" are just a few of the everyday signs you can use with your baby. They generally start signing back around 6-8 months old, not to mention that they're essentially learning to be bilingual.
This week at work, we had several conventions in. One of which was a space emposium, which brought astronauts, mission control specialists, rocket scientists, and folks from every aerospace company you can imagine to Colorado Springs. Buzz Aldrin was here yesterday. I didn't get to meet him, and he wasn't staying in the hotel but was out to eat in the downtown area with friends who were staying at the hotel. I met the mission controller who was in charge of the flight directly following the Colombia tragedy. It was so interesting to spend time hearing what happened from a man who was in mission control when it happened. His office is across the hall from the mission controller of the Colombia, and he was very involved in the efforts to have NASA investigate the damage before reentry. He went to school with Onizuka of the Challenger tragedy back in 1986, and works in Houston. Today, I met a teacher from Florida who runs a space simulator camp for teens. She has a mock-up shuttle and mission control. She gave me a tee-shirt. I think I'll send it to my dad. He'd love it. It's named Challenger something or other. Needless to say, it's been a pleasure having so many intelligent people around. Just listening to conversations has been fantastic. Let alone the ones they've had with me. They're so excited about going back to the moon. There are so many natural resources that they're ready to start evaluating, and habitation... it's gonna be cool.
Well, tonight we're going to a party for a bellman who's moving to Georgia. He's been real cool, and it'll be sad to see him leave. It's at a Jamaican bar in the area. It's run by a waiter from the restaurant in the Antlers, and is called "Irie." (For those of you who are not familiar with the term, it's Jamaican for "alright.")
Hopefully, I'll be writing more. Thanks for hanging in there.
Peace.
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