not quite a world traveller, but getting closer

Holy Geez, I haven't written since October 10? I am certainly falling down on the job.

So, today I was reading this blog where this guy recounts a tale of something that happened to him at an airport. He was being handed back his change at an airport shop and the cashier told him to "Have a nice flight," to which he responded, "You too."

I laughed out loud because a) it's funny, and b) I did the exact thing when I flew to Louisville, only to the driver of the limo that took me to the airport (and no, I did not spring for a limo for myself - too rich for my blood - the company paid for it). Though the way these guys sometimes drive, maybe I wasn't too far off.

So yeah, Louisville. I was there for several days for a conference a couple weeks ago, and it was ... an experience. I was worried that the conference would be boring and that I wouldn't get to go out and see any of the city since my travelling companion didn't seem the "go out and see the city" type. But I was delightfully surprised. The conference was actually quite engaging (what's the deal with my vocab today??), and I met some folks in my training session who were interested in doing the exact same exploring that I was. So we did. And Louisville is a pretty decent city. A nice little entertainment hub, some fun attractions, NO TRAFFIC! It was nice and enjoyable. I'm not saying I want to spend three weeks there over the summer or anything, but if my travels take me there again, I don't think I'll whine quite as much. And maybe next time I'll get to actually GO ON the tour of the Louisville Slugger factory, instead of having to skip it in order to get back to the hotel and airport shuttle in time to make my flight home.

Ahh, flying. I have flown to three new cities in the past three months, which is a new record for me. Actually, that's not saying much because prior to that, I hadn't flown anywhere (or really even GONE anywhere) in 5 years. Yes, I said 5 years. So it was about time. July 31 - August 1 I was in Baltimore for my first ever business trip. First time I'd ever gotten a hotel room all to myself, too. Mid-August I was in New York (the City for a couple days, then a bit North of there for the rest of the week). Next time I go, I'll have to do some SERIOUS SHOPPING. Seriously. And then this most recent trip to Louisville. And that was the first time I'd boarded a plane by actually going out onto the tarmac (that's the word, right?), and up the stairs onto the plane. That thing was pretty darn little, and not something you'd want to spend any amount of time in if you were claustrophobic. The one on the way back was even smaller. Let's just say that my seat was both a window AND an aisle.

So here's to new travelling experiences, and hoping that there are more to come in the near future. Miami in January perhaps?? :)

wrinkles on my forehead and gray hairs on my head

I am getting OLD! I know this because the wrinkles I noticed on my forehead a few years ago are steadily getting more ... wrinkly. And my gray hairs are multiplying like rabbits. Seriously, rabbits. Really horny gray rabbits are growing out of my head. (Now there's a sentence I never thought I'd type.)

Now let me ask you this question. Is it ever in good taste to tell someone they've got gray hairs? I mean, I'd say that maybe to a very close relative or something. MAYBE. But don't you think it would be kind of rude if, oh, I don't know, a coworker said that to you? Like, they were talking to you, and suddenly paused, looking at your head, and said, "Hey, do you have gray hairs?" Yeah, well, that happened to me. That happened to me in a meeting at work with a bunch of customers from abroad. I believe I handled it appropriately by saying quite cheerfully, "Yes, I do. Thanks for noticing." The perpetrater was a bit embarrassed. As he should be.

heart

I love Target!

Just wanted to throw that out there.

I planned on going to Target after work a couple days ago, and all day, I looked forward to that trip. Oh, the things I'd buy!! I needed an over-the-door shoe organizer to free up some much-needed space in my closet. Found it for $12.99! I needed a new shower curtain liner, this time one of the mildew-resistent ones with the metal grommets. Found it for $9.99!! I also bought some more hangers (desperately needed, though they weren't on my list). 13 for $1.99! And I bought a mat for in front of the kitchen sink, which I've been needing forever, but hadn't found one I liked. Found one for $9.99! AND THEN!!! I bought myself a late birthday present. Scene-It!! Yay!! Games!! Anyone wanna come over and play a game?? I'll totally kick your ass! :D

Oh, and a BIG thanks to the girl who rang me up, 1) for opening up a new register so I could get out of the long-ass line I was in, and 2) for making me move to another line, therefore distracting me from the ever-nearing candy counter, from which I undoubtedly would have picked up another few hundred calories as an impulse buy.

Yay!! Target!!

:)

I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City

I made the observation today that my place of work is a lot like the Labyrinth in the movie of the same name. It was kind of like that to begin with, in the sense that all of the hallways look exactly the same, and they're very long and you never seem to be getting anywhere. But lately, it's become even more like David Bowie's little game because everything keeps changing! For example, you used to be able to go into the room where my cube is, and walk through two rooms to get to where my Dad's office is, without going back out into the main hallway. The rooms were all connected. Now, you can only walk into the next room, and you come to a dead end. To get to my Dad's office, I have to go out into the hall, then back through a door into the next room over (which now only has one entrance and MUST be a fire hazard). And somehow they squeezed an entire new room in where there wasn't one before. More recently, an entire program office up and moved into a brand new area (nicknamed Land of the Big Doors). I don't know what was in this area previously - to me it just kind of appeared suddenly out of nowhere. And the people in the offices in their old area keep changing. Makes it kind of hard to find my program managers if I need them. Accounting recently moved out of their area into a new office where all the walls are now in different places. It's like The Powers That Be (Jareth?) move everyone out, shut the doors for a few weeks, then when they open them up again, it's totally different inside. Kinda cool, but very confusing if you already don't know your way around. And then TODAY, I walked past the office where another group I work with sits, and something was ... different. I couldn't put my finger on it at first, and then I realized, "Oh, there used to be a wall there ... and now there isn't." I'm NEVER gonna get my baby brother back if they keep moving the walls!!

And on an unrelated note, do peanut butter Twix still exist?