Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Road Warrior Lessons from Fri Oct 17

Both a lesson, and a first time: Do NOT go on a pub crawl with your Irish reseller.We were to see the oldest pub in Belfast. Turns out there are about 15 making that claim. Thank god we only went to 5 and I was permitted (because of being a girl) to have only half pints at each pub.

Then we went to dinner. Wine with dinner - I barely wet my lips. And, when asked about after dinner drink, I said "No I cannot drink anymore." Turns out that phrase is Irish for "I'll have a large whiskey, straight up!" .holy crap!

Sunday, October 5, 2008

What a life!

As I sit in the setting sun to write this, the splashing sounds of kids playing in the pool below ricochet off the balcony. Seagulls cry in the background, and summertime radio is playing.

The last time I wrote, I was in Jerusalem. My trip was amazing and I am still absorbing where I've been and what I've seen. Sept 17, I arrived. Hooked up with the group of 27 ladies, most of whom I knew when I lived in Munich. So grand to see everyone!

The 18th and 19th we toured Jerusalem. The 20th we drove to see Qumram, Masada, and then had an afternoon floating in the Dead Sea. 21st was one more day in Jerusalem. On the 22nd we drove up the Med. coast, saw Caesarea, Akko, and then on to the city of Tiberius, on the Sea of Galilee. Spent the 23rd touring in that area. 24th I cried enough! and stayed in the lovely hotel, catching up with work and floating in their pool. 25th we drove to Jordan. 26th saw Jerash. 27th we spent in Petra. Then home on the 28th.

Sun poisoning. No stomach upsets. Some dehydration. Brain boggled at the sites - our guide in Israel is an archeologist. More write up later, I promise.

And my plan had been, to stay in Rochester until Oct 10th, when I get on a plane to London for a work trip to visit our VARs and distributors in that part of the world.

Hmmm, you say, pool/sun/seagulls - doeasn't sound like Rochester. (At least in October.) And you would be right!

So, on the 19th, in Jerusalem, I get a text. From my boss. "Call me as soon as you can." Rut-ro. I did. He'd quit.

Later, I think in the Jordanian desert, I discovered that a coworker had been promoted to take over marketing. Yay! I really like this guy & his management style quite a bit. Except, he said "come to CA - soonest". So, I returned from Tel Aviv on Sept 28th, Sunday, got home about 8 p.m. That Wednesday morning, I got on a plane to CA. Was going to return to Rochester overnight, on Friday. Except when I got to CA, I got persuaded to work a trade show in San Diego Mon/Tuesday.

So here I am, on the 5th floor of the Hyatt Mission Bay in San Diego, patio door open to the setting sun, overlooking the pools. Brain a little scrambled. And still going to London on Friday. Am hoping to the heavens that I have all the right clothing in Rochester for that trip - no time to shop, if I don't.

But ... what a life!!! I am having a blast.

OF COURSE I have pictures. Too many for Blogger. Look at my hundreds of pics, here:

http://www.cea-photos.smugmug.com