Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Are we there yet???

Are we there yet?? Is it July?? I wish it was. I know that I will be home the first two weeks of July. I know, that even though I'll be running around like crazy the week of the 4th, that I'll be on vacation. I so can't wait!
This weekend was a lot of fun. My good friend from college who lives in MD came up to visit this weekend. We were supposed to go to the faire on Sunday. It rained. We staid dry. Saturday she was a real trooper and helped me wage battle against the level 50 epic X2 mob known as Apartment Grunge. She then helped tackle the group of level 60 epic X2 mobs known as Boxes o'Junk. She was rewarded with home cooked food and lots of chocolate. (Not to mention my eternal thanks.)
Sunday the forecast called for 80% chance of rain by 10am and 90% chance of thunder storms by noon. As much as I love going to the Faire and Celtic Fest, we decide staying dry and not electrocuted was a good idea. Besides, a total of 2 or 3 hours driving in the rain really stinks. Instead we all (Gak, Michelle and I) ventured to the zone known as Ikea. This is a dangerous zone for levels 18+. Unfortunately, most of the mobs we were looking for hadn't popped, or had been taken out in a previous update. This didn't mean we escaped scott free though. No, we still left with our money pouches considerably lighter. We did find the mythic End Table as well as the elusive Hanging Drying Rack. Not to mention getting ambushed by a horde of Candle Holders. (Not too bad when they're solo, but in groups of 4 or more, they're deadly!) There were several other things that wandered home with us.
As if all this adventuring wasn't good enough, I had to say to my friends: Sure, come on over! We'll have burgers and dogs and just hang out tonight. I get the feeling that since I actually have the space to entertain, I'm making up for all the lost time that I couldn't have all my friends over at once the last 2 years. I think there were a total of 9 people in my apartment and it wasn't crowded at all, except when 3 of us were trying to cook at once. It is really good to be able to have my friends over and just hang out. We may not have a balcony, porch, deck or yard, but we've got plenty of space inside.
Now I'm in Minnesota. I'll be here until Friday. Battling the heroic mob known as Startup Training. This should be fun. Hopefully it won't be a level 70 ^^^, but one never knows until one gets to the site. At least it is sunny and not raining here. (Although they are calling for thunder storms just in time for my flight out on Friday...)
Well, peace to all and I may actually get to spend some time in Norrath next week.

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Livin' in LA?

I like LA. There are tons of things to do and see. I hate LA traffic. The freeways I can handle. They're crowded and fast and sometimes chaotic, but I can deal with that. I drive on PA highways all the time and we drive like race car drivers. The surface streets are what really scare me. That and I'm very good at getting turned around and lost. Nothing goes quite where you expect it to. Or stays going in the same direction for long.
I've put in two very long days. Yesterday my alarm went off at 4am. UGH! I had to be at the airport by 5-ish for my 6am flight. Again, UGH! I get into LAX at about 11:45. I was supposed to get in closer to 11. Oh well. This means it is almost 3 according to my body. I haven't had lunch, unless you count some cheese and crackers on the plane. (I hate flying Northwest. Nice people and planes, but you have to pay for just about everything. You can get a soda, but you have to pay even for a thing of trail mix, which I can't eat...)
I manage to get to my hotel by 1, without getting lost or run over. I can actually check in early. I grab a ready-made salad for lunch and chow down. Then it's off to the power plant to go train. Yep, that's right, fly to LA and train in the same day! I finally get done around 7pm pacific. My body is screaming at me that It is 10pm, hasn't been fed much and been up since 4am. I promptly call my brother for a few moments, check in with my husband and then collapse to Mythbusters on TV.
Today was almost as long. I had to be at the plant by 8. I woke up at 4, but managed to go to sleep again until 6. I'm at the plant by 8 (only 2 wrong turns) and teach almost non-stop until 7:15pm. UGH for the third time. I'm exhausted. I eat some half decent food at the hotel, check out some web sites and type this. I'm about to crash.
I have a 10am flight out of LAX tomorrow. That means I have to leave here around 7am in order to ensure that I'm at the airport by 8 so I don't get too horribly stuck in security. Yet again, UGH!
Peace to all my friends in Norrath and beyond. I hope you had a good week and have a fun weekend lined up.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Tired!!

I'm tired!!
Last week in KC wrapped up well. I still wanted to throttle that one guy, but I managed not to. I did get me some good barbecue. Gates, a family tradition. I even remembered to pick up some sauce to bring home to my husband and my father. (It was a very convenient father's day gift for my dad.)
This weekend was moving weekend. Verizon is painful. They got the move order almost right (they shut off the old phone about 5 days before turning on the new phone), but the lost my DSL order. Lost it. It was placed online at the same time as the move order. It was even listed on the order summary and bill summary. It wasn't in their system at all. *sigh* I finally sorted that out Friday and within the week we should have the DSL turned on.
Why do I have to move into 2nd floor apartments? I'm tired of carrying things up and down stairs. Especially the steep stairs at the new place. At least all the furniture is in now. The bed is being set up as I type. My husband is there overseeing it now. It will be so very nice to have a queen size bed again.
Tomorrow I leave for LA. It's going to be a looong couple of days. I leave here 6am Eastern and end up finishing for the day 7pm Pacific. That's because after an 8 hour day traveling, I'm doing a 4 hour day of training. Then Thursday will be about a 12 hour day training. Friday is a 10 hour day flying home.
Oh, yeah... and I've got to go clean the old apartment and finish unpacking the new apartment over the weekend.
I must be nuts!
Well, peace to all my friends in Norrath. I hope you get more sleep that I do the next few weeks.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

KC part II

Today was a loooong day. I have a good group of people. Mostly. One guy I want to strangle, or at least kick out of the class. I can't do that though, he paid good money to be here.
The number of people in the class push the limits of my demo system. Most people in the class understand and accept this. One jerk (who's clueless and obnoxious to boot) doesn't. I was much relieved to find out I wasn't the only one who was close to strangling him today.
Other than that.... Today was good, if long. I'm not looking forward to the highly technical and in-depth stuff for tomorrow. I'll take it as it comes. I'm still amazed at how pretty KC can be. It really seems misplaced. It feels almost like a small eastern city. I know driving around it feels more like Philly than a western town. It's WAY too easy to get turned around and lost and faced with a one-way street going the wrong way!
Gak tells me the move goes well. Hopefully we'll have both a bed and telephone by the end of tomorrow. That'll be nice.
Well, I've got a ton of email to check yet this evening and I'm beat.
See you soon in Norrath I hope.
Peace to all.

Monday, June 12, 2006

Kansas City

Subtitle: Why, oh why, didn't I pack my camera??

The flight to KC yesterday was uneventful. It did take quite a while to get my bag at the airport, but that's one reason I fly in on Sunday for these week-long gigs.

I'm staying right off of what is known as Country Club Plaza. It is a very historical shopping and dining area in KC. I spent quite some time wandering around yesterday. Found a band playing in a plaza and stopped and listened for a bit, while watching kids play in a fountain. Then it hit me... I didn't have my camera! Why in the world didn't I bring my camera to KC?? I know for a fact there are tons of fountains, parks, plazas and buildings that are great photo subjects. I have examples hanging up and stored at my parent's house and shop. Chalk this up to a HUGE well DUH moment.
I enjoyed wandering around and just people watching. It is so much fun to watch little kids (and not so little kids...) play in the fountains. I just wish Gak was here with me. I know he wishes he was here instead of moving. Oh well, maybe if/when I come back here next year he'll be able to come with me.
Well, I've got some stuff to get done before my class shows up. Peace to all.

Friday, June 09, 2006

On the road again........

Now is when my schedule really heats up. Sunday I leave for Kansas City. (mmm... Bar-B-Q!!). I'll be out there all week. It should be a bit of fun. I've got an almost full class for the week. I get home Friday. Next weekend, while being Father's Day, is also the weekend that Gak and I plan on finishing up our move. Then I'm off to Los Angeles and then Minnesota the next two weeks. I may be able to squeeze some game time in there, but if not, it will be July (*gasp*) by the time I get any serious game time in. Oh well, I guess I need the break or something. Just means everyone will leave me even further in the dust *sigh*. That's one of the prices I pay for this job. Oh well.
Peace to all my friends and have a GREAT weekend. Get out side if you can!

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Adventures in Moving...

Subtitle: Patience is a virtue...
Well, Gak and I started our moving adventure this weekend. Saturday I spent a lot of time finding socks under the couch and trash everywhere else. I didn't know we owned this much junk! Everything still isn't packed...
Sunday I took some time to go running (haha) in the woods. Great course, not too tough so I guess I just didn't push myself. My pace was almost the worst ever for me this summer, but I didn't make very many mistakes and it was short. Gak got some game time in. We went over to the new place in the evening. Took a load of packed boxes too. Saw that the landlord had dropped off paint and primer and supplies. Found out the back air conditioner didn't turn on. Called about that.
Monday was a full day. More boxes went over to the new place and Gak got ready to start painting. I went and worked out and did the laundry. We met my mom for breakfast at 10:30 at the dinner. Went back to the new place to show Mom. Found out that the primer is oil-based and the paint is latex. Uhh.... I didn't think you could do that..... Also figured out that the sink in the kitchen needs help.
Gak went in to work and Mom and I went to work on the kitchen at the old apartment. My friend Ed joined us, which is good because he can haul boxes.
After a long day of packing and hauling, it turns out that I've got a house full of 8 people who are hungry. Ok. First gathering at the new place. Hotdogs and hamburgers on my new George Forman grill (the big one!). The two kids had a blast together and us big people got a chance to hang out.
Gak called the landlord today. She said that the paint people told her this is what she needed. I'm still doubtful (as is everyone else I talk to) so I'm going to talk to them tonight. The landlord is bringing a plumber by this evening to fix the sink.
Patience and persistence... I just want to get this done. I feel bad that we've had to call our landlord so many times this week with problems and questions. Oh well, guess that's what we get for wanting to move in so quick... Blame that one on my travel schedule.
Peace to all. Some day I'll get a chance to sleep... in my new big apartment!

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Moving, Moving, Moving...

We're moving!! Ok, so this isn't a post about a trip or an adventure.... Well, I'd call moving an adventure, especially when I'm supposed to be on the road almost 3 weeks this month. Gak and I finaly got another apartment. This just means you might not see much of either one of us for a while. I'll post a pic or two when I get some. Good news is, we'll have DSL again soon!