NY...again

About a week ago I went to NY...again.  I think this was the 10th time this year or so.  Funny part is I still have never really seen the city.  I continue to be committed to the promise I made to Jenny to not tour anything until she could go with me.  So for now, I am content to land at JFK and drive the 30 miles to our office in White Plains...which according to Phoebe Buffet "sounds like such a magical place."  Ben Stein was on the plane to NY.  My request to sit by him was denied and thus he sat 34 rows in front of me.  But I did pass him as I was boarding, nodded my head, he said hello, and I said I loved his old game show.  For those wondering who Ben Stein is just remember "Bueller...Bueller".  With one hour left in the flight I felt the sickness coming.  I made it to the hotel but was up all night (I'll spare the details).  I was out sick for the first time while traveling in almost 4 years.  I had it easy.  My wife also got sick that same night but at the same time so did Matt and Alex our twins.  Alex got so dehydrated he was put in the hospital for the night.  I had it easy being sick in a hotel room with no interruptions.  My wife had to be strong for all three kids while she was just as sick as me.  If anyone could ever hear her tell the whole story about what she went through those 4 days I was gone it would impress you so much.  My wife is not only my best friend, but is one of my real life heroes.  She is relentless when it comes to our family.  Nothing else matters - not even her own health.  I consider myself a very dedicated Dad, but I've got nothing on my wife.  I definitely picked the right woman to marry.  I love you Jenny.

The rest of my trip was a bore but I will say that the global economy being what it is, has brought on a lot of worry and stress in most businesses.  Mine is no exception and unfortunately it means I have to do the part of HR I hate doing - layoffs.  In my 8 years in HR I've grown pretty experienced with this but the timing during the holidays makes this especially tough.  

One more trip this year - Shanghai (again).  I was there in June and hated the city.  But hopefully now that it will be winter it will feel different.  This is my 3rd trip to China in 2 years and this time I plan to buy every boot leg movie I can.  Last time I bought Kung Fu Panda while it was in theaters and the copy was decent enough....Blue Ray even and it only cost me 6 RMB or $.80 cents.  I probably won't go next year as supposedly my travel is supposedly going to be cut drastically...no complaints here.

Stockholm, Sweden

I didn't realize it had been since July that I last blogged. But anyhonk, I am currently in Sweden but leave tomorrow. I've been here a week and have loved this place. The Swedes are very mild tempered, structured, calm people and they get to live in this amazing part of the world - although 7 months of the year its freezing here. Even now its only been up to 50 degrees all week. But all the leaves are changing here and the trees all surround the many lakes and my hotel is literally across the street from the Baltic Sea. They live in a very expensive society where they pay just under 50% in taxes. However by paying those taxes all Swedes receive free tuition to university, healthcare, retirement, and yes even their funeral is paid by the government when they die. But that doesn't change the fact that I just bought a diet coke for over $2 bucks! My journey began with an interesting start...while on the flight from Frankfurt to Stockholm I happened to be seated next to the King of Sweden, Carl Gustav. The sad fact is I had no idea who I was sitting next to until after the flight was over. We only said hello to each other upon boarding. As we departed the plane, two men is suits, presumably his body guards, seemed to appear from behind me and escort him off the plane and then suddenly out of a side door, down the stairs, onto the tarmac and into a limo that had those little flags on the hood. So I asked someone walking next to me who that man was and the person replied, "you didn't know you were sitting next to the King of Sweden?" And she had this look of utter amazement, almost dumbfounded that I didn't know who that was. But how was I supposed to know who the old guy was??? He stared out the window the whole flight, ate his meal, read the newspaper and even slept a little. If I knew who he was I'd have asked for a picture with him because I am that shameless. So upon getting into my room I fired up the laptop and searched for a picture and sure enough, same guy! After telling some of the Swedish folks here about it they all said they weren't surprised that he was flying on a commercial plane. Apparently the King prides himself on blending in and it seems that in Sweden to blend in and be "common" is a compliment. The Swedes aren't known for being lavish or outlandish it seems but they do LOVE Abba - the only major export Sweden has ever had. So after the first night of activities here, I was told that Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens were staying in our hotel and sure enough, later that day I saw Zac. However he was standing on the balcony of the hotel 6 stories above and I was sure it was him because there was a crowd of girls all outside screaming his name and taking pictures. In case you are wondering, I didn't scream. The hotel here is apparently the most famous hotel and all the celebrities stay here when they visit.

So on Monday we had our meetings - blah, blah, blah - but that night we had dinner in Stockholm City Hall. This is the very hall where every year on December 10th the Nobel Prize awards are given out. We sat in the Gold Hall which was a room made up of gold tiles that are no bigger than your fingernail. We were told that over 18 million tiles made up the room. We ate the same exact meal that was served in 1901 when the first award ceremony was held. It was an impressive night and everything was set up in the exact way the ceremony is. Pretty neat to think that I was able to eat in the same room where the greatest minds in literature, physics, chemistry, and peace have sat.

Tuesday after more meetings - blah, blah, blah - we were able to take a short boat ride to the royal palace. We toured the theater that was built in 1762, then toured the palace which was built in the late 1600s. And believe it or not the current King and Queen live there. However their wing is completely upgraded. I did learn though that during the 1700s when you were invited to the palace to dine, the experience would last about 5 to 6 hours. No one was allowed to get up - not even to use the restroom. So to compensate, they place bowls beneath the table so people could freely conduct their business without having to inconvenience anyone by getting up - number 1 OR 2. And to top it all off it seems the Swedes were not known for bathing that often. So you can imagine what the smell could have been like during a royal dinner.

Wednesday night we went to the local office for our goodbye dinner. Upon entering the building, this choir of girls came walking down the stairs singing. They sounded amazing. Dinner was a classic smorgasbord and yes by the end of the week I finally had Swedish Meatballs. I waited all week despite asking many times. I was sick of being hungry because every other meal was fish. The Swedes love Herring. Its SO GROSS. Don't ever eat it.

Tonight, after being in smaller meetings today and doing some sightseeing, I went with a group of people to dinner and ate duck. I was really nervous because while in China I ate duck and hated it. But seeing as the only other options on the menu were fish, I chose the duck. To my surprise, it was very good. Tasted like a well cooked stake. After dinner we went to the famous Ice Bar. This is a bar where the temperature is -5 degrees Celsius. They give you this parka and gloves to wear while there. Literally everything in the bar is made of ice - the bar itself, walls, couches, and even the shot glasses. I drank two glasses of froze orange juice.

Here are some other pictures of Sweden...Enjoy!

On the road again

I'm really only blogging here because I had another travel first.  I went to NY again this week.  But this time back to upstate NY.  Seneca Falls to be exact.  Before I digress into how much I love Seneca Falls and would move there today, I must first address the new experience I had.    While on the airplane cruising comfortably at 39,000 feet and going roughly 540 mph, a woman sitting in first class (I was in coach this time), had a seizure.  There I was sitting comfortably working away on my laptop when over the loudspeaker one of the flight attendants asked if there was a doctor or registered nurse on board.  The man sitting right behind me was an MD and jumped out of his seat and ran up to first class.  Well I guess after he assessed the situation, he determined the woman needed to get off the plane ASAP.  The captain made a quick announcement stating we would be landing in Omaha to get this woman some help.  We literally went from 39000 feet to sitting on the tarmac in 15 minutes.  Normally a decent from that altitude would take about 30 to 40 minutes.  Doing it in 15 made my ears pop about 6 times.  We landed, the fire truck and police officers were there.  They rushed onto the plane, put the woman on the stretcher and took her away.  What the captain didn't know in advance was that 757's don't land in Omaha anymore.  Meaning, getting back onto the tarmac to take off was going to be tricky.  They had to go search in their maintenance shed to find the appropriate steering bar that connects to the little cart to push us back out.  That took oh about 1 hour.  Long story short, I missed my connection and had to spend the night in Chicago.  

Now on to Seneca Falls.  I don't know what it is but every time I go there its just fantastic.  I'm not one for details, but suffice it to say that it would be a cool place to live.  I asked my wife if we could move there and she said no at first.  Then she said OK but she had to be able to come home any time she wanted.  Then she said that if she didn't like it at any time we had to move back, then she said maybe we just shouldn't move...........well long story short, we won't be moving...

Next stop - Phoenix!  

Apparently...

Apparently I just turned 30. Isn't that great? I'm 30. While I am very happy with my life as it is right now (I could lose a few lbs though) I can't believe I am 30. 30. If you keep saying it, it just doesn't get any better. 30. I expressed my thoughts about on the matter to my brother who promptly said "now we can make fun of mom and dad and tell them they are old". Classic Kevin. When did it all happen? 30! How did I go from sitting on the dock at Lake Mary every summer fishing with my Dad and grandparents to now going to Lake Mary (this year lake maime) and my son is fishing with his Dad and grandparents? How did I go from playing soccer at the age of 4 to being head coach of my son's under 6 soccer team? All things considered though, I do have a hot wife...can't complain about that. But apparently I'm 30. Thanks Em and Brian for a celebrating with me in Seattle. By the way, if you go to Snohomish on July 4th, bring kevlar and a helmet. It was a literal firework battlefield until 2am. I've never been in combat but played enough play station games to know battle sounds (its an accurate comparison I'm sure to the real thing) and it was CRAZY. I swear I kept hearing some sargeant in the background calling out orders...or was that my wife telling me not to blow up my hand firing off Roman Candles... But that was before I was 30. I don't stress about much of anything...but 30 is causing me stress.

To China with love.

I had the opportunity to go to China for the 2nd time in my life. This trip was to Shanghai and a one day quick trip to a smaller city called Wuxi (woo-she). I got held up at customs...again. Somewhere in the world, someone with my exact name did something very bad. I swear I am on Interpol's most wanted list. Every time I travel ANYWHERE I get stopped. So there I sat for 10 minutes while two Chinese people speaking in Shanghainese (local dialect) and in a very animated fashion (spitting, arms flailing, loud voices) debated if I was the wicked Robert Johnson trying to get into their country. Finally they allowed me to pass. And by the way, if you go to China, pack a small suitcase. I brought my big one this time and my co-workers referred to it as the "big steamer" the whole trip. I carried it more than it rolled because aisles and walkways are about half the size they are here. Lesson learned. Big Steamer will not return to China.

Let me dive into the particulars of this trip:

Saturday - 14 hour flight to Shanghai. The flight attendant spilled HOT lobster onto the lap of the guy sitting next to me. It settled itself in a "no touch" area but she proceeded to reach down and pick up the lobster. I quickly made sure my napkin was on my lap.

Sunday - rode the bullet train at 200 mph into Shanghai and walked in the rain just over a mile to the hotel because Big Steamer was too big for a cab. My two co-workers wanted to ditch me. It was about 90 degrees and 120% humidity too. I'm actually thankful for this experience because normally we just get picked up in a car and head to the hotel. Although soaked I was able get a better view of Chinese life and see how these folks live. Street vendors, livestock on main roads, huge amounts of battery operated bicycles and even hookers. Big Steamer was too big for the sidewalk so I had to walk in the street, next to the gutter, with cars and bicycles by me.

Monday - meetings all day and then dinner that night. This dinner consisted of Kung Pao chicken with the BONE still in the chicken. No one told me...I choked. It also consisted of a nice helping of lung and kidney. Which I did eat. Interestingly enough the team there in China wanted to take us to Hooters. We vetoed that. Although I hear they have nice wings. After this dinner I quickly popped the Imodium AD to ensure I had no problems the rest of the trip. When traveling internationally, all I can say is bring Imodium AD. It will literally save your life.

I'd like to seguay here and discuss dining at a Chinese restaurant. This is a major event. One person will spend up to 20 minutes scrutinizing the menu and order for every one. He will talk with the waitress and go over every detail about how the food is prepared, what sauces, seasonings, etc. They use what we call a "lazy susan" where all the food is put in the middle and you use the chopsticks that you put in your mouth to get more food from the community bowl. When the food is good, the lazy susan is spinning constantly. Here is where you must suspend any feelings you have about double dipping. This is all double dipping. I recommend taking a large plate first and hoping you don't need or are offered seconds. And in China, you eat what they serve. It is considered rude to not eat their food. Dinner consists of a small cold appetizer, then a salad of some sort, followed by the hot foods, then a soup and finally a coffee or tea...herbal for me please.

Tueesday - meetings again all day but I skipped the group dinner. I ordered a cheeseburger from room service. Nothing like the Chinese interpretation of an American classic. It came with a bowl of rice and french fries. And don't forget the Coca Cola lite.

Wednesday - This was our trip to Wuxi. My company opened a plant there and we went to tour and what else...meetings. I played some serious ping pong though while there. I played against this little Chinese woman who just kicked my trash! That evening was yes, another dinner. But this time it was probably the best meal I've had in China. Kung Pao with no bones in the meat, and several other dishes including dumplings and yes, rice. Did I mention that I didn't see a fork or knife once? All chopsticks baby. But I did eat frog's legs. With the absence of a fork and my limited ability to manipulate the chopsticks appropriately, I had to take a big bit to avoid dropping it. To this day my son still gives me grief for eating a frog.

Downtown Wuxi.

Thursday - meetings again. But we had another great meal at Japanese restaurant. Great food but it was a night of Gambay's. Gambay is a Chinese tradition where someone challenges you to drink. If challenged, you must take it up. I am always the ONLY non alcohol drinker on these trips and when it was discovered I was only drinking my coca cola lites, I was challenged to 18 Gambay's over a 3 hour period. Funny thing was my cokes were charged by the glass but someone paid for endless alcohol. So my cokes ended up being more than the next guy's beer and wine all night. Go figure. I did try cow tongue at this meal though...gross.

Can you spot the other two americans here. and notice I have the ONLY coca cola lite on the table.

Friday - Wrap up meetings in the AM and then the flight home. Rode the bullet train back to the airport this time speed topping out at 265 mph. Very cool. Hung out in the executive lounge and then the 14 hour flight. The Chinese regulate what entertainment can be shown on flights...One option was the Sound of Music. Yes, I watched it.

Me with Big Steamer riding the bullet train.

Despite the fact that I never saw the sun once and it was SO humid and hot all week, I loved this trip. The Chinese in general are very friendly people with an amazing desire to prove themselves. I hope to go back again. This trip I was so busy i didn't get any personal time to sight see which I am bummed about. But I did come home with my advance copy of Kung Fu Panda...some dude had a tripod in the theater and taped it. It's blu ray though! It costs 5 Yuan or about 80 cents.

Tampa, Raleigh, Baltimore, Buffalo, Seneca Falls, Rochester, Home

Well my last trip was interesting. I actually had to travel two weeks in a row which was a bummer. The first week I won't blog about but it was to our corporate office in NY...again. The following week was to Tampa, well really St. Petersburg Florida to deliver a presentation to 150 supply chain professionals where the subject was "Influencing in a Matrix environment". I know, riveting stuff but believe it or not after 45 minutes I had 25 minutes of questions. I spent a wonderful evening there in a karaoke bar where I drank my virgin pina coladas all night and yes, did sing "Fat Bottomed Girls" by Queen. Everyone was dancing up until my song. Once they heard what it was EVERYONE literally sat down. The song was a bit reflective of the audience but I didn't pick it! I didn't sing again. I learned the more drunk those around you get the more fun karaoke is. The singing just got worse and worse and louder and louder but it made the whole experience so much better. One guy sang "Hit me baby one more time" by Brittney Spears. I think it was the highlight of the night.

From there I had the worst schedule. My travel agent booked me on a flight that connected through Raleigh then Baltimore. I never got off the plane at either stop though. After sitting on the plane for a total of 6 hours for what could have been a 3 hour direct flight I was exhausted. On the last leg of the flight, the guy sitting next to me literally brought in 3 newspapers and two magazines. I timed him and he literally did not look at one page for more than a minute at a time. He was flipping and flipping and flipping pages non stop and as I was beginning to suffer a bit of cabin fever I almost ripped everything out of his hands. Needless to say I remembered the guy who got thrown off the plane from my trip home from London and resisted.

My real stop was Buffalo NY. I had to deliver a different presentation to our IT leaders who incidentally don't karaoke and enjoyed talking about our active directory and messaging services...It was too technical for me. A great bunch of people but just a different atmosphere. But the highlight of that stop was I was able to go to Niagara Falls after work. I couldn't image what 75,000 gallons of water per second falling over the falls would look like until I saw it in person. And people still go over the edge in barrels from time to time just for kicks. It was raining, cold and the falls created a huge mist but we were given this $.99 clear poncho that saved the day. It kept nothing dry but I looked cool with it on. For some reason no one would pose for a group picture...

So after Buffalo, I drove almost 2 hours to Seneca Falls to work in an office we have there for a day. No speeches just long meetings talking about business, finance, strategy and HR stuff. Good times. From there I had to drive an hour to Rochester because that was the closest airport to get me home. My 6:00 a.m. flight went off without a hitch.

Next stop...NY (again) and then 3 weeks after that it's off to China.

London

This was a tough trip to make. Sunday morning, my wife's uncle Kevin passed away after a battle with cancer. Kevin was one of the best people I've ever met who I already miss so much. I don't have it in me to blog about him any further as I can't handle thinking he's gone still...even now just this is making me tear up.

My flight left Sunday night at 6pm and I had wrestled with the decision for many days asking the opinions of several people. In the end I made the decision to go. So off I went. I spent the entire flight with Kevin on my mind and wondering just how aunt Lisa was going to do it with two kids. It made my 10.5 hour trip seem endless. Upon landing I went straight to the office and worked Monday and Tuesday. All I could do was immerse myself in work and not think about it.

After work on Tuesday, I had the opportunity to go to Stonehenge. I've made it a small mission to call my Dad whenever I happen upon one of the 7 Wonders of the world. This is my 2nd. The other was the Great Wall in 2006. Well when I called him and told him where I was, he immediately asked what time it was. Guess you have to know my Dad's humor.

I had originally planned to go home on Thursday and spend Wednesday touring London as this my first trip there. Given our family circumstances I found an afternoon flight home on Wednesday. But I still go to see a few highlights in downtown London.

I enjoyed seeing Big Ben. Funny story though. As I left the subway or tube as they call it in London, it was raining like crazy. Conveniently I didn't have an umbrella and everyone around me did. As it was raining so hard I left the subway and was just looking at the ground. I asked a passerby where Big Ben was. He just looked at me and with smug look said "look up" and kept walking. I was literally 45 feet from Big Ben and hadn't noticed it. That guy must have thought I was the dumbest tourist and I can't say I blame him.

Tower Bridge

Tower Hill

Buckingham Palace

I was able to see the changing of the guard while there. Pretty cool. It was still raining and I don't really know what the changing of the guards means, but nonetheless I saw the guards and they appeared to change.

On the way home a first happened for me. We were all sitting on the plane waiting to take off but for 30 minutes we didn't. We just sat there. This is not an uncommon tale in the airline industry but up in the front of the plane we were beginning to wonder what was going on. Just then two security guards walked on the plane and went to the back. Moments later they were peacefully escorting a man off the plane. Apparently this man wanted the seat of another man who would not give it up. So he decided to take his forearm and shove the other guy. Not a smart move. So off he went and so did we. On the way home we flew over Greenland and I took a picture of the "Davis Straight". I thought it was pretty cool. Without my Deadliest Catch survival suit I don't think the cushion you use as a flotation device would have done much good in the event of a water landing...that is all ice.

Next up...who knows. Perhaps South America first but if not then Florida and NY in the same week.