do you know the way to san jose?

travel rant:

1- you're not fooling anyone with that so-called carry on bag. its a behemoth! i know they charge crazy amounts for checked bags now but if it won't roll down the aisle, it is NOT a carry on. if it takes 3 people to shove it into the overhead bin, its NOT a carry on. if while carrying it down the aisle it hits literally every single person, it is NOT a carry on.

2- must i really go over this again? if you are in the aisle seat or the window seat, show courtesy to the poor bum who got stuck in the middle seat and give him / her full reign over the arm rests.

3- noise reducing headphones are great. they do not, however, block the screaming child behind you from kicking your seat. if they made something that did- i would pay a million dollars for it.

4- and on that note, if you have a child under the age of 4, please drug him / her before boarding a 4.5 hour flight. you will be saving yourself and everyone else on the plane a great deal of stress. i'm not talking serious drugs, just some cough medicine or something- give em a benedryl for christs sake.

5- the week between christmas and new years is not a good time to be flying. avoid at all costs.

6- you may not have been sick when you got to the airport, but you sure will be now. no amount of hand sanitizer and vitamin c will save you this time of year.

7- when boarding a cross-country flight, you look down and see that your boarding pass says that you are located in seat 31B, you might as well go kill yourself now. because the next 4 hours of you life, you will wish you were dead.

8- exit row seats have extra leg room- they do not, however, recline. so stop trying to press the button. its just not going to happen. thats a decision you made when booking this seat. get over it and be thankful you are not in seat 31B.

9- starbucks steamer= hot milk. delicious, nutritious, and cheap (only $2). i highly recommend it.

10- don't ever leave your gps at home.

merry christmas

merry christmas everybody!

boy am i busy! i just got back to florida on wednesday, in vero on thursday for christmas eve, in eustis on friday for christmas with my family, and now will only have 2 days to move into the new house before i have to leave on monday to go out to california. its going to be a lot of work getting everything moved in and organized but what a nice christmas present it is to no longer have to be homeless!

here's wishing you and yours a very merry christmas too!

push it

so i'm at this site in dallas- and the hotel continues to not be ready to open. they were supposed to open on tuesday and they said we'll be ready to open by wednesday. and now its wednesday and they say they'll be ready to open on friday. its fine with me because if they do open on friday, i will depart here on the 23rd which means i'd have christmas off!! how lucky would i be to not have requested off thanksgiving or christmas but to be fortunate enough to have the holidays off of work and be able to spend time with my family! the only problem is that now i won't be going out to california because i have to stay here- and i was kind of looking forward to going because the hotel was near san francisco and napa valley, which are beautiful this time of year. also, the only other thing that worries me is that the owners and general manager of this hotel opened a hotel about 9 months ago and another micros installer that i know helped open that site for them. they kept pushing their opening date at that hotel by 1 day for a total of 7 days!!! i hope that doesn't happen here! if they don't open on friday (as they now have planned) i might be stuck here through christmas! that would be the OPPOSITE of what i want! guess i'll just have to wait until friday and see. until then...

in dallas

- "montañas azul, cerveza frio" is the billboard i keep seeing. but not once have i ever seen any spanish-speaking person drinking a coors light.
- low carb offerings have disappeared from menus everywhere. i mean have you ever tried to go to subway and get a sub with no bread?
- how very texas: next to the hotel i'm working at is a combination gas station, subway restaurant, taco stand, and drive-thru liquor store. no witty comment necessary- it speaks for itself.
- crowne plaza hotels are just old hotels. no mini fridge, no microwave, no free breakfast, no plastic cups - i actually prefer the new holiday inn express's. room service is nice but a 21% service charge and $3 delivery fee is not covered by my companies expense policy.
- thank god for $5 gloves from old navy. oh and seat warmers. i am just not cut out for 30 degree weather.
- it doesn't matter how far you have to drive to get to a whole foods- its ALWAYS worth it.
- when you don't have a microwave, you get really creative with a coffee maker.

home for the holiday

i was in LA, which isn't too bad of a place to be stuck if you're working on a holiday. but the hotel wasn't quite ready to open yet so i get to come home for thanksgiving! i'm so excited and lucky and thankful!

its beginning to look alot like christmas

i'm getting a little worried looking at my upcoming schedule. it seems as if i am set up to go to quite a few super northern places like wyoming, michigan, minnesota, and washington all in late november - december. i'm a bit worried that a floridian gal like me is going to FREEZE TO DEATH!!!! i don't know how to drive in ice or snow, not quite sure how many suitcases i'm going to need to lug around to fit all of my winter gear, and i'm not even sure i have enough winter clothing to cover me up! i have boots, a hat, and a scarf but am hoping that i can bring a decent winter coat and then just buy a good winter coat once i'm up there (because florida has a SMALL selection of winter coats... for good reason). it seems like my holiday season may end up being a white christmas after all.

yeehaw- gag.

things i've learned about texas:
1- every road is a farm road
2- its not called a salad bar, its a salad wagon
3- the truck industry is definitely not hurting down here
4- all people eat here are burritos, breaded chicken, and fast food
5- oil and cows, oil and cows
6- cowboy hats and boots are always appropriate, no matter the occasion
7- football is king
8- horses and cows are allowed to roam across busy highways whenever they want
9- everyone's favorite singers are taylor swift and george straight

had dinner yesterday at the fanciest steakhouse in town. it had the charm of "fat boys barbeque" in vero or for those of you in orlando "bubbalous bodacious barbeque".

and now i'm off to the laundromat- i asked someone at the hotel where i could find one and they said oh its right down the road between walmart and the liquor store... i could have guessed as much.

i swear if this hotel doesn't open on time and i have to stay here longer i just might die. i definitely feel like like a big fish in a little pond.

nawlins

had the best day off in new orleans. consisted of:
- walking down by the river
- perusing the french quarter
- going thru the flea and farmers market
- taking a streetcar to the garden district
- eating the best dinner ever at august
- throwing my money away in the slot machines at the casino

by for the best experience of my job so far

hard hat area

in covington, la - 35 miles north of new orleans.

reasons i'm lucky: the people that work at this hotel are very nice and very knowledgeable. the majority of them have already worked with the program i'm teaching them.

look out for: this site is EXTREMELY still under construction. as in there is no parking lot: its still dirt, drywall is still not up in some rooms, the lobby is full of circular saws and sawdust, basically one big hard hat area. not sure if it will open on time (by thursday) but we will see.

best part: the hotel doesn't want their employees to come in on sunday so i get the day off to explore new orleans! very excited!

i'm still kind of low on sleep from the other day: had to help out from home on my day off- basically involved calling people from 6AM - 9:30PM then i didn't get finished packing until 2AM, got up at 7AM so i could catch my flight out here, then didn't get done for the day until 9PM, so all in all a pretty long few days. staying in tonight to try to catch up.

nite nite

vacations over

So I guess I really am going to Louisiana... Got my ticket today- didn't think it would come already. Kinda bummed that I'm not getting into New Orleans any earlier. I really wanted to drive around the French Quarter. Maybe I'll try to fly standby on an earlier flight... But its Delta and they aren't too keen on that apparently- oh well.

This time off that I've had has been really nice- I've had a chance to see a ton of friends and family and for that I am grateful. Also got a lot of doctor's appointments out of the way while I was here- all checked up and ready to get back on the road I guess...

deep south

in mississippi... people here are nice but a little weird-

this hotel is really nice but its across the street from a greyhound bus station. its a bit scary at 10:30 at night. lets just say i'm keeping my mace handy and we lock the doors here in the evening. and its really slow right now (only 4 paying guests in house right now) and thats making the nights go by even slower.

guess i get to catch up on my hulu.

about mississippi- its hot. and this city is right on the highway so its your typical little town full of fast food joints and truck stops.

luckily a ton of other installers i know are working night shifts too. so my aim account is quite active.

everything's bigger in texas

in san antonio tx on an army base

it is so ungodly hot here it is unbearable. humidity is low, compared to orlando, but 105 degrees is just crazy. the big difference is the hotel i'm working at does NOT have AC in the lobby / front desk. i literally stink after a 10 hour shift.

its really hard to get on and off base mainly because since i'm a civilian theres only 1 gate i'm allowed to come in and out of and my gps doesnt understand that. on top of that, the exit where you get off of the highway to get to the 1 gate i'm allowed to come in and out of is under construction and closed. just 1 big mess pretty much.

other than that its not bad, just really crazy because there are 800 rooms on this base and thats ALOT. also, there are a ton of IHG big-wigs here so you have to be on your best behavior at all times. they're really nice though and apparently i'm getting some really good feedback. and i've gotten to meet a few installers i've never worked with before and they are so awesome and incredibly nice. learning a TON more than i ever thought i would here.

number 1 thing i've learned: i'm never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever coming back to texas in august ever again.

not quite

i was hoping to be put on the ft. pierce site at the end of this month but it doesn't look like thats going to happen. it pushed so if i did do that site it would be during my birthday / vacation time off.

also i was excited about going to NC and visiting my old roomie Lauren but it looks like theres a big typo on the schedule and where it says charleston NC its really charleston SC. sad i won't be able to see her but i do love the deep south and its an extended stay hotel which means i'll have a small kitchen in my room so i can cook my own dinner for once!

but right now i'm still in pensacola for the next few days wrapping things up here. then on to texas where i'm sure it will be blisteringly hot.

things an installer might say

things an installer might say: (aka lingo)
- dropping shells
- flip the bits
- my site just pushed
- cutover
- my ftp password is bad
- how many GNRs do you have?
- did your DCO and REV files upload?
- i need a copy of the VID screen
- which octopus cable ports are unassigned?
- i'm just waiting on my COA
- what's your webex session number
- you need to reset the skyedge box
- i don't work for the hotel, i just work for the computer company, she / he can help you with that

curse of the installer:
- never knowing what day of the week it is.
- always having to do laundry every 5 days
- never getting to cook dinner. and wayyyy too many fast food lunches.
- always eating meals alone.
- bags under my eyes NEVER disappear. never enough sleep.
- never getting to see your friends but maybe once every 2 months (or longer)

bonus! installer benefits:
- i can totally trash the rental car cause its not mine. i don't ever have to get it washed.
- never have to clean a toilet or make my own bed
- not paying rent
- i can order a steak dinner and not care about how much it costs
- hopefully one of these days all of my frequent flyer miles will pay off

flyin out

flying to pensacola tuesday- direct flight WHOOT WHOOT! didn't realize there's such a big naval base there. i guess i'll be checkin it out a bit while i'm there.

this will be my second lead and i'm really looking forward to it. i feel a lot more confident and feel like this is going to go very smoothly.

we'll see... wish me luck!

stress test

had a horrendously stressful day today. not one more thing could have possibly gone wrong than actually did. best part about it all is that i survived and the hotel is open for business.

there's no way tomorrow could be worse than today- or at least i'm hoping so.

thank god for the amazing coworkers that i have. they truly believe in me, support me, and are always there for me- even when i ask stupid questions that i already know the answers to. don't know what i'd do without them!

so with six additional blisters and a lot more knowledge, i head on through to tomorrow.


the only thing i know for sure is that i definitely don't get paid enough for all that i do.

up north

things are going pretty well overall here in syracuse- long days and craziness but not too bad. the people are really nice so far too.

good, but bad:
lots of canadian snow geese- theyre cool (cause i dont get to see them like ever) but they poop all over the place

better than phenomenal:
the weather here is fan-freaking-tastic. highs in the upper 70s-low 80s and lows in the high 50s-low 60s. a big difference from the 100+ heat index in FL.

upcoming schedule

things i love most about my upcoming schedule:

- i am mostly scheduled as a lead, which means i'll be working the day shift (yay!)

- port allen, LA is a small city near baton rouge and totally sounds like a fun southern city. i think i'm gonna love it.

- i'm scheduled to help out with a hotel opening on the corner of the turnpike and 70 in fort pierce, which is practically my backyard. god i hope they don't take that off of my schedule!

- currently still scheduled to go back to milwaukee. what little of it i saw a few months ago i really liked so i'm excited to go back and really check it out.


i'm so nervous all these sites will disappear from my schedule (much like alaska) but really hope they don't!

summer time... and the livins easy

so alaska got cancelled for me- boo. but i still havent been scheduled to go anywhere until july 8th. so i'm just enjoying some florida sunshine (or florida rain, really) until then.

really would have loved to go to alaska though... guess the beach will have to do.

night rider

something i learned today:

this time of year in anchorage alaska the sun sets at 11:45pm and rises at 4:25am

crazy

exhausting

so i've been getting alot of flack for not posting a blog in awhile...

please forgive me- these 14 hour days are quite exhausting. working in more or less an IT job where i look at a computer screen all day kills my already failing eyes. a requirement of each day is to write a report to my manager about my work day. the last thing i want to do at the end of the day is look at 1 more screen i dont have to and talk even more about my day. most of the time the hilight of my day is eating lunch.

so long story short, eventhough i seem disgruntled i am still enjoying my job. it just seems at this point (when the hotel is open) that i am being pulled in 3 different directions at 1 time so when i finally get done at the end of the day i have what seems like a million other things to complete. one day i'll finally get the hang of this stuff.

colorado is still beautiful and the weather is great. my upcoming schedule looks fantastic (alaska and nyc) and i feel very lucky and am looking forward to it.

stay tuned...

wild wild west

sorry its been so long since i blogged last. i've been quite busy here in colorado. today has been one of the longest due to a conference call after hours. there is so much work that is required after i have been actively training for 8 hours each day- first a bunch of mumbo-jumbo paperwork then i have to make sure that everything is set so that i am prepared for the next day.

on the bottom of my to do list: laundry. tomorrow is my last pair of clean underwear- and since the magic game is after work, i doubt i'll actually be doing any laundry :-/

next to last things on my to do list: doing my hair and eating (lunch was cut to a mere 15 minutes today and its 10 pm now and i still havent eaten dinner)

best part about today: i am getting compliments from my students about how great of a teacher i am. not sure i agree with them (much work on my part is still required before i'll consider myself a great teacher) but compliments are always good to hear - especially when you've had a long day.

thing i'm on the fence about: conference calls. 48 people on the phone at one time- i KNOW you can see the issues i have here. but they are pretty much the only way (other than emails) that we installers on the road can communicate with each other. apparently there will be many more in the future. guess we'll have to see how it all works out.

thing i'm most excited about: HAVING THE WEEKEND OFF!!! last weekend i toured a bunch of wineries in the area and had a great time. i really want to visit the colorado national monument this weekend. i got to see a little bit of it last weekend (its alot like the grand canyon some people say) and i want to see more. taking tons of photos and driving around winding roads up and down seems like a fun way to spend a saturday afternoon...... although i am so tired now i feel like just laying in bed and sleeping ALL weekend!

best part about this hotel: well we didn't have cable for the first 4 days we were here (and i'm a TVaholic) but good things come to those who wait! the cable here is FANTASTIC!!!!!!! not only is it HIDEF cable with nice flat screen tv's, but there are digital cable boxes in the hotel room. this means i get the guide button, reminder, and EVERYTHING. it seems silly but it really makes this room feel more like home.

thing i'm looking forward to: i actually met both of the other coworkers that will be arriving later on site with me here. haven't seem either of them since the beginning of april so it will be nice to have friends to catch up with. and who knows, maybe they can teach me a thing or two while they're here.

---got to go grab some food and hit the hay- be sure to check out the "where is sk going next" section of my blog because its ALWAYS changing!

freaking out!!!!

so i've just been scheduled to open a full service holiday inn in grand junction, co.

cons: i've never done a site like this before! there are so many more things involved here that i've never dealt with and i will be the primary contact and person in charge of the site. i'm so nervous and scared out of my mind! i hope i don't fall flat on my face.

pros: there will be at least 1 other installer there with me so i won't be totally alone. i do get 2 whole weekends off while i'm there. this way i'll be able to explore a bit around the area which i hear is quite beautiful.

if i get through this- i can get through anything.

not so sunshine state

its been raining like crazy since i've been back in FL. totally hindering my beach activities. can't wait to see my sister graduate on saturday then spend the weekend with my family.

tonite is taco night and i'm totally excited to see a ton of friends i havent seen in awhile!

*note: schedule change! see "where is sk going next?" on the right

standby for an important announcement

flying standby isn't too bad, as long as you don't mind getting the less desirable seats on the plane.

they need to publish a rule book about airplane seating etiquette...
#1: shower or bathe the day you get on an airplane... because having excessive foul body odor is just inconsiderate to those who have to sit next to you
#2: if you are the aisle seat or the window seat, share the arm rest with the person that is stuck in the middle seat. its bad enough that they have to sit there- give em a break.
#3: ABSOLUTELY UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO NOT invade the space of the person sitting in the middle seat. its bad enough for them already. there's always a little extra room between the seat and the window and the aisle is tons of free real estate. there is no need to have you elbow crowd the middle person's space.
#4: if you would like the air feature to be on- make sure to face it towards you, not the person next to you.

flying into and out of orlando during the upcoming rainy season is going to be a bit troublesome. i sense TONS of delays in the future. just have to roll with the punches i guess.

when it comes to baggage service: always have low expectations. at some point they will lose your bag. if you expect them to lose it every time then its always a good surprise when you see it come around the baggage carousel.

time after time

lost and found: i found my oh so important jump drive i use for work. i that i thought that i had lost a few weeks ago in fort myers. joy!

sigh of relief: i'm finally starting to get the swing of things around here and am feeling more confident in my knowledge each day. i have spent the last few days organizing all of the miraculous files and helpful checklists and other information. reading over these, and just knowing that i have them for reference, puts my mind at peace. we'll see how helpful these really are when the time calls for them, but for now the "panicky" feeling that i have had from the beginning is starting to subside.

compliment: due to my surroundings, i (and other people) have noticed my work ethic, will to succeed in this job, and how seriously and professionally i face things. i hope all of my hard work is paying off and that this leads to a BIG FAT RAISE in the future- lord knows i need it.

location, location, location: denver is beautiful! if it wasn't for all of the frigid temperatures and feet of snow they have for most of the year, i could find myself very happy living here. i have to remember to take more photos- i'm not up much of the day when its sunlight out but i surely can't leave without taking a photo or two of the mountains.

wishful thinking: can't wait for the magic to win tomorrow night's game and move on to the conference finals!

scheduling: looks like i'm going to be able to make it to caroline's graduation. quite excited to celebrate for her, because she's been there for my many accomplishments. it does make me feel a bit old though now. its also exciting that she's going to the same school i went to. a bit nostalgic.

mcalister's cafe: iced tea and baked potatoes- good call.

mile high- and on cloud 9

things i learned today: its harder to breathe at higher altitudes (ok i already knew this i just haven't been at such high altitudes in awhile)- on the same note: sealed items get all funny because of the pressure. especially lotions and perfume, etc. good thing i had them in a ziplock bag, otherwise it would have been a huge mess.

thing i missed most today: megan! wish she was here in denver to show me around!

worst thing about today: middle seat for a 4 hour flight - ugh :/ word of advice: don't fly "ted".

best thing about today: its been a long time since i've been to denver- and it is an amazingly beautiful city. went downtown to 16th street mall to have dinner and then walked up and down looking in the shops. so much fun!

oh the places you'll go

crazy people: everywhere. the hotel i'm at is SUPER packed- completely booked out due to two weddings and graduation here. all the crazies come out when a hotel is that full. especially during the night shift.

i should have: packed more clothes. tried to pare down a lot so i wouldn't have to lug around so much but now i'm ALL out of clean clothes to wear home. guess thats what walmart is for...

i love: redboxes. they have a ton here. got to watch benjamin button today. good- cried alot. came in handy when the cable went out.

so happy: the magic won!

ironic: going to plug in BOTH of my computers to charge them while i'm waiting at the airport and i strike up a conversation with a guy about the fact that i have a mac and a pc. then i tell him about how i've been trying to work out all of these issues to get everything onto my mac. turns out he's a mac support guy who was on vacation. he was AMAZINGLY helpful and even gave me his card to call with any problems or issues i might have. finally got my computer situation handled today. i owe that guy big time.

i need: new shoes or gel inserts or something. standing for 12 hours is killing my feet / ankles.

guess i will be: super bored tomorrow. even though my flight is at 1 pm, my coworker (who has the rental car) has a flight at 9 am and the airport is 1 hour away. i'll be spending the majority of the day tomorrow waiting in little rock airport and dallas fort worth airport. good thing i have a few movies on my computer i can watch.

back to arkansas

somethings i learned today: flying into or out of atlanta this time of year is impossible. its so much easier paying a travel agent to help change / book your flights- they're so nice and they get everything done for you while you're on the phone with them. love them and totally owe them!

thing i was reminded of the most today: i don't like arkansas. period.

thing i was surprised about today: only saw 1 lady on my flight with a mask on. i've heard alot of studies saying they don't even work so maybe i shouldn't be surprised but with all of the confined spaces and super packed terminals i figured there would be more.

worst things about today: flight being delayed, having to change flights, get my bag out of being checked, getting a baggage fee refund, hauling my bags over to the complete other side of the airport, going through security twice, then having to wait 2 hours, flight being even more delayed, guy next to me elbowing me, having horrible seats in the back of the airplane near the bathroom... hate being "negative kneebrace nancy" but its all the truth...

best thing about today: my bag got here... i guess i have very little trust in the airline industry. i'm always happily surprised when things actually go right. guess there wasn't a whole lot else that went right today. i'll just take what i can get.

thing i'm debating about most today: whether the $200 / year for the clear security speed pass is worth it or not. you'd think i'd want it but i guess i'm cheap and don't want to spend that much money on it if it doesn't end up being that valuable to me. guess i'll have to figure it out.

thing i'm happiest about today: magic won their basketball game against the celtics! hope they can go all the way!

nightly news...

things i learned today: nothing other than walmart is open in ft. myers at 4AM, i get cranky and lose patience when i'm tired

thing i'm looking forward to most: getting some sleep

worst thing about today: there being NOTHING on tv in the middle of the night. i mean i have to stay up and the only thing good on is HBO and that was playing schindler's list. who could possibly stay awake at 4am while watching that?

thing i'm most worried about: just had the latest case of swine flu diagnosed in the county i'm currently in. and later i'm scheduled to go to southwest texas. i'm not too worried about the flu because worst case scenario i'm sick and will have to stay home for a week or two. but still i don't want to get sick. i think i'm going to go through alot of airborne and hand sanitizer in the next few weeks til this is all over.

fun in ft. myers

travel woes: i somehow got on the one and only ever delayed flight that southwest has ever had. we had to wait for 3 people flying in from mississippi (they were 45 minutes late). the flight was so short though and i got the whole exit row to myself, it didn't really bother me too much.

coolest thing i've seen: a new car key (for the dodge charger that is the rental i've been sharing). it just has a nub for a key- no actual metal. just stick it in the ignition and turn. pretty neat and i'd never seen one before. someone told me it has a computer chip in it. guess alot of cars in the future will have keys like this. must be bad if you lose it though...

thing i missed most today: a blazer. totally forgot to bring one. i thought since its so warm in florida that i wouldn't need one. guess i forgot that the warmer it gets outside, the colder the AC gets inside.

worst thing about the past few days: not being able to sleep. first i was next to the housekeeping station. this means that i got to hear all of the spanish chit chat in the morning. i also go to hear them filling their mop buckets up with water. what a joy that was. then the next morning i go to sleep and after 15 minutes laying in bed (just had fallen asleep) the front desk calls and says they need me to change rooms. so i had to pack up all of my stuff and wander through the halls in my pajamas while i moved to another room (that the AC had been set to 90 degrees in). finally go to lay in my new bed when i realize this room is next to the maintenance room. yet another joy. four hours of sleep later the maintenance man decides that hammering nails in the other side of the wall behind my bed was VERY crucial.

today i'm taking 3 tylenol pm's and putting earplugs in. if that doesn't help i dont know what i'm gonna do. currently i'm only conscious due to the massive quantities of coffee, mountain dew, and red bull that my $39 per diem can afford.

best thing about the past few days: i'm in fort myers. i love this place. really contemplating moving here in the future. it's so beautiful. don't know if i'll get a chance to go to the beach or not while i'm here- i try to sleep during the day and i have to share a rental car. but we'll see... the weather is certainly beachy.

thing i appreciate the most: not having to go through this night audit support by myself. luckily i know quite a large number of coworkers and odds are at least 1-2 of them are working the night shift just like i am. its nice to have someone to call and chat with at 4AM when you're insanely bored or totally lost and have a question and don't want to call and wake the lead up. its nice to have that kind of support out there- and they're always happy to help.

pit stop

*meant to post this the other day but got busy*


So I'm home for 19 hours- not much but I'll take it.

Best things about today: direct flight from Milwaukee to Orlando (don't get direct flights too much so you really get to appreciate them), really empty flight so I got to stretch out in 3 seats, and got to see the fireworks from SeaWorld and Disney as I was landing.

Worst thing about today: the weather in Wisconsin- man that was some bad stuff. Thought my flight would be delayed but it was ok.

On to Ft. Myers tomorrow...

last few days in oconomowoc, wi

things i learned today: wisconsin weather is weird. in the time i've been here its been 60 degrees 1 day, 40 degrees the next, snowing, raining, then 89 degrees. i don't know how they put up with such fickle weather.

thing i missed most today: my grandfather- prayers go out to him and i'm wishing he will get well soon!

worst thing about today: fire alarms keep going off every time it thunders and lightning strikes. just annoying and the high pitch noise is giving me a headache

thing i'm most thankful for today: the wonderful people at the travel agency- they helped me get a flight out of wisconsin (thank god) and even got me a direct flight that will get me home 2 hours earlier than previously expcected. love it!

best thing about today: my last full day in wisconsin! coming back to florida tomorrow. not looking forward to the night shifts i'm going to have to work in ft. myers but at least that will give me the day off to go to the beach!

--------------------------
updated schedule (for now at least)
now - 4/26 oconomowoc, wi
4/27 travel day
4/28 - 5/2 fort myers, fl (yay!)
5/3 off??
5/4 travel day
5/5 - 5/9 searcy, ar (maybe arkansas won't be as bad this time... doubt it)
5/10 - 5/13 off??
5/14 travel
5/15 - 5/19 denver, co
5/20 off?
5/21 travel day
5/22 - 5/26 fort stockton, tx (i'm hoping this site changes otherwise i'll miss caroline's graduation!)
5/27 off
5/28 travel
5/29 - 6/8 sulphur, la
6/9 - 6/10 off?
6/11 travel
6/12 - 6/22 ardmore, ok

helloooo wisconsin

things i learned today: ALWAYS SET 2 ALARMS! (see below)

worst things about today:
- my alarm didn't go off and i overslept- worst ever!
- my mac is broken and its in the shop for the next 5 days.... :'( <-- tear

best thing about today: my new schedule!!! see below:

now - 4/26 oconomowoc, wi
4/27 travel
4/28 - 5/2 ft. myers, fl (YAY!!!!)
5/4 travel
5/5 - 5/9 searcy, ar
5/15 - 5/19 denver, co
5/31 travel
6/1 - 6/5 anchorage, ak
6/15 - 6/19 milwaukee, wi

wisconsin- "where nothin's tippin like cows"

things i learned today:
- how to pronounce oconomowoc (the trick is to just say it very fast so people can't tell if you're saying it wrong)
- i am fairly close to canada, and it stays light here for the majority of the day
- a construction site has alot of dust and funny smells, none of which are good for your eyes or breathing
- pillowtop beds are VERY comfortable
- central time- when it comes to television- is pretty cool. you get to watch all of the 10pm shows at 9 and still get to go to bed early (that is if you ARENT blogging LOL)

thing i can't figure out: whether everything here is still dead from winter or if it really is supposed to look this way. its wheat (i think) so i can't tell if this is what it is always like. but there are a lot of breweries around here so...

thing i missed most today: someone to scratch my back for me! had to go all black bear with it and scratch my back up against the wall. really need to take the telescoping back scratcher on the road with me. mmm... what i wouldn't give for it right now.

worst thing about today: my mac is still not working correctly :( ugh! i get the battery fixed and now the CD drive isn't working. didn't expect this from the mac world but good part is there is a store about 20 minutes from here and (hopefully!) they'll be able to fix it tomorrow.

best thing about today: getting internet, hooray!

got to go to bed- exhausted and i start teaching classes tomorrow so i better get my rest.

reality show drama in columbia, md

well i surely know what its like to be on a reality show now. we resorted to voting on something today and i felt like i was on survivor. i am truly not made to be on one of those shows. although it is nice to have people here to relate to, after a week and a half of being with each other ALL THE TIME, people are starting to get irritated with each other (as to be expected). its just making it harder to learn and get through each day. can't wait to get on the road soon, even though my schedule seems to change every day and nothing on it is ever certain.

can't wait to see mom and mamah this weekend and visit dc for the cherry blossom festival. should be very fun and exciting weekend in the nations capital. hope the weather holds out, doesnt rain, and stays (somewhat) warm in temperature.

i am loving my new phone that i can check my e-mails (and facebook) on. it truly is my lifeline to the world and i always feel up to date. in other words i am no longer neurotically checking my e-mail every 5 minutes of the day.

going to run, super exhausted from typing up 16 pages of notes for work!
<3 <3 <3 SK

P.S. pray for my friend Amber's dad who is having a tough time going through chemo right now.

---------------------------------------------
updated schedule:
in maryland until thru 4/8
4/16-26 oconomowoc, wi
5/6-15 helena, mt
5/31 travel day
6/1-5 anchorage, ak
6/15-19 milwaukee, wi

back to baltimore (week 1)

sorry the blog took so long... had computer problems all week but its finally fixed (or at least i hope so). had a great but weird week. finally got to see all of my phase 1 friends. life is starting to feel like a reality show but i'm trying to stay out of the drama. i finally got to visit dc and baltimore this weekend and had a total blast.
-----------------------------------------------------

things i learned today: brunch is the best meal ever invented and makes for a super fun sunday.

worst thing about today: trying to get my bottle of wine open... that was alot of work... plus trying to copy my receipts for my expenses today... too much drama.

worst thing about this weekend: the weather, yuck! and the fact that i didn't actually get to go to the aquarium. theres always next weekend though.

best thing about today: brunch, touring around dc, the beautiful flowers.

thing i'm most thankful for this week: my new gps, totally came in handy.

--------------------------------------------
updated schedule (and always subject to change):

in md until 4/8
4/9 travel
4/10-14 akron, ohio
4/16-26 oconomowoc, wisconsin
5/6-15 helena, montana
5/31 travel
6/1-5 anchorage, alaska
6/15-19 milwaukee, wisconsin

in vero... momentarily

most fun thing today: going to the fair with my best friend amber! it feels great to act like a kid again.





-----------------------------------
so my schedule changed a little bit. i hope it stays like this! look at the great places i might get to go to!


3/22 - 4/8 columbia, md
4/9 travel
4/10 - 4/14 akron, oh
4/16 travel
4/17 - 4/21 goshen, in
4/22 travel
4/23 - 4/27 haskell, nj
4/28 travel
4/29 - 5/3 midland, mi
5/1 - 5/16 helena, mt (i know there's a schedule overlap but i hope i get to go to mt rather than mi! especially because then i would be a lead rather than night audit support... but i guess the tradeoff is that they took nv off my schedule, boo)
5/31 travel
6/1 - 6/5 anchorage, ak (omg! yay!)
6/15 - 6/19 milwaukee, wi

home again, home again

things i learned today: enjoy your days off, cause it doesn't look like i'll be having too many more of those in the near future.... this includes sleeping in. sleep in whenever you have a chance.

weirdest thing that happened to me today: ran into a leprechaun! ;)

thing i enjoyed most today: strolling up and down park ave while window shopping

best thing about today: reminiscing over the old times while eating an egg salad sandwich at brandywine's on park ave

schedule update: i now have only 4 (maybe 5) days off between march 21 - may 19.
3/22 travel
3/23 - 4/8 columbia, md
4/9 day off (maybe!)
4/10 - 4/14 akron, oh
4/15 - 4/16 days off (maybe!)
4/17 - 4/21 goshen, in
4/22 travel
4/23 - 4/27 haskell, nj
4/28 travel
4/29 - 5/3 midland, mi
5/4 travel
5/5 - 5/9 valdosta, ga
5/10 - 5/12 days off (maybe!)
5/13 travel
5/14 - 5/18 minden, nv

Flying back to the sunshine state... Always a pleasure

things i learned today: it's great that I got to go to Arkansas, but that's not really a place I ever hope to go back to again any time soon

worst thing about today: having the "uhhhhhhhh" security lady violate me by searching thru each 1 of my bags today

weirdest thing about today: the fort smith regional airport- whose security was closed for lunch and whose bathrooms were voted "best bathroom in america 2005"... Pictures to follow

best thing about today: my bag weighed exactly 50 lbs!! My family let me stay the night in the guest bedroom and fed me dinner :)


My upcoming schedule (always subject to change):
3/22 travel
3/23-4/8 Columbia MD
4/9 travel
4/10-14 Akron OH
4/15-16 travel
4/17-21 Goshen IN
4/22 travel
4/23-27 Haskell NJ

5/4 travel
5/5-9 Valdosta GA

5/13 travel
5/14-18 Minden NV

last day in arkansas

things i learned today: arkansas has some crazy weather

i'm most excited about: wearing jeans and flip flops

worst part about today: i think my luggage is going to be overweight!

arkansas- day... who cares? i quit counting

thing i learned today: people start bugging you when you don't blog in 3 days, even when there's nothing exciting to post on the blog.

thing i missed most today: florida weather, the warmth, the beach. a cold front came through here and now its 40 degrees. i'm freezing!

worst thing about today: my computer NEVER working the way it should. I MISS MY MAC!!!!! :'-( <--- tear

best thing about today: eventhough cutover day is kind of hectic, we just kind of sit around and wait until everybody else has their stuff done. so i've just kind of sat back and chilled for most of the morning (which is a welcome difference from the last few days). they served hot breakfast this morning and we got to sleep in an extra half hour... still tired but guess i can't complain.

arkansas- day 4

thing i learned today: planning vacation days / sick days / personal days to when you really want to be off is hard

thing i missed most today: sleep- i stayed up too late last night reading my book!

weirdest thing about today: the quietest chili's i've ever been to... because there was no bar in it. it was an odd outer-body experience. its a super dry county here (can't even buy beer or wine- no liquor stores at all).

best thing about today: getting to watch the wheel! between working late and the time change here i haven't had a chance to see it.

arkansas- day2

super tired- its been a really long day... so i'm gonna keep it short

things i learned today:

• always bring snacks with you- you may have to eat & work at the same time and may not have time to go get something.
• always bring your computer with you- you never know when you're going to need it
• on the first day you get to a site, get some breakfast foods and snacks to have in the room. this way you don't have to leave the hotel in the morning to go get breakfast (and you can sleep in a tiny bit more).

thing i missed most today: eating... lol. we got so busy today i went about 13 hours without eating. i found out this makes me tired and makes it hard to learn

worst thing about today: 16 hour day... then i get to have about 5-6 hours of sleep before another busy day tomorrow. guess i better get used to it though

best thing about today: i learned alot- seriously alot of useful info

arkansas: day 1

...first day (and first time ever) in arkansas...
"welcome to walmart country" - geez i drove by one and it was bigger than the airport i was in!

things i learned today: if you're really nice to the airline employees they'll let you have a 51 pound bag and not pay extra for it

weirdest thing about today: fancy airport. it was just odd. i'll have to take pictures. i mean there were even couches in the bathrooms and the whole place looked like the lobby of a fancy library with big upholstered high-back chairs. just bizaar

thing i'm most grateful for today:

• the HUGE hotel room i'm in! its big enough for 6 people
• the fact that the hotel actually has internet right now... thank god

bummer that happened today: since the hotel is so new, there aren't any irons in the rooms yet... i'm gonna be one wrinkly girl for the next few days i guess

best thing about today: the smell of cinnabon... its definately a pavlovs dogs type of reaction. you can sit and watch people turn the corner and see the look on their faces when they can start to smell it. priceless

day13

...last day of phase1 training in md...  back in FL  ...

things i learned today:

• ALWAYS negotiate salary rates... ALWAYS. the company will always undercut you by at least 10-20% just to cut their costs and see if you'll take it. (especially with the economy the way it is right now)
  
• you don't have to board the plane right when they say so- its pretty cool to just stroll on 10 mins before you're supposed to leave. everyone looks at you funny but at least thats 20 more mins you're not stuck in those tiny seats
• i need to figure out my luggage situation- cause this just ain't workin

thing i missed most today: a home cooked meal

thing i wanted most today: a long, hot bath- preferably with bubbles

worst things about today:

• screaming children
  
• having to carry around all of my bags by myself
  

best thing about today: finally being home where i don't feel SOOO lost

*  *  thanks to my family for looking out for me and giving me a place to stay, looking after my car (& cat) for me. i don't know what i'd do without you guys

day12

things i learned today:

• read between the lines
• be patient with people and try not to let them get on your nerves too much
• listen to directions carefully- cause its really annoying when other people ask questions that were just answered... you don't want to be THAT guy

thing i missed most today: clean clothes :(

worst thing about today: super cold and windy! (i know i keep complaining about it but 37 degrees and 40 mph winds is brutal!)

best thing about today: last night in md!

day11

things i learned today:

• sometimes you just need to shut your mouth, listen, and let other people ask / answer questions
  
• ask the front desk about a places you may be thinking about going to. cause you may end up at a mall that has trade schools attached to it and you may be the only one of your race there
  
• people just need to vent. listen, be courteous and understanding.

thing i missed most today: calmness and serenity / peace of mind

worst thing about today: dropping my UNOPENED bottle of wine on the floor and it smashing to pieces!

best thing about today: snow - it was cool to see but not get stuck in

day9

things i learned today:

• take your grandmothers advice- its nice to go to a church on sunday when you're away from home... nice sense of normalcy and people are really friendly
  
• presidents day is a crap holiday- only banks, post offices, & schools have the day off- just enough so u cant get anything done
• just because its free doesnt mean itll be good

thing i missed most today: the beach

worst thing about today: wearing socks with holes in them (now in the trash), burning my mouth on some really spicy thai curry (dont know why i thought i could handle it)

best thing about today / yesterday: talking to my fam

thing i'm most thankful for today: my fuzzy slippers

day7

...valentines day...

things i learned today:

• the hotel i'm at is AWESOME! free wireless internet, free breakfast everyday, free dinner 3 days a week, and ... FREE LAUNDRY!!!
  
• i need a leather jacket
• you should probably make reservations WAY ahead of time if you plan on going out as a group of 10 for a friend's birthday when it's valentine's day

thing i missed most today: the florida sunshine (and temperatures)

worst thing about today: it being so freaking cold out, and overcast :(

best thing about today: getting to sleep in / lay in bed all day

day6

things i learned today:

• i'm a "woo-er"
  
• go out on a friday or saturday night, not thursday when you have to be up at 6:30AM the next morning
  

thing i missed most today: vitamin water revive

worst thing about today: being tired & hungover

best thing about today: waking up on time even though i didn't set an alarm... just lucky i guess

day3

thing i learned today: kissing ass is how you get ahead in life

thing i missed most today: sleeping in... getting up at 6:30AM every morning is starting to get old

worst thing about today: traffic

best thing about today: yummi lunch at noodles & co.

day2

things i learned today:

• its good to be early
• when your car windshield has ice on it, put on the defroster then use the wiper fluid

thing i missed most today: florida weather

worst thing about today: obama messing with my monday night tv!!!

best thing about today: florida has no income tax, holla!

day1

first day in md

things i learned today:

• after spending most of the day in an airport, don't go to a crowded mall (esp on a weekend)
  
• md has some weird roads, traffic flows, etc.
  
• beer & wine can only be sold in liquor stores in md and liquor stores are few and far between
  

thing i missed most today: my wine key

worst part about today: hauling around my big heavy luggage

best part about today: having my very own hotel room