Tis the Season--unless you live next door to us

Anyone who visits me knows that practically the only house in sight from our front window is caddy corner across the street. And, it never fails, winter fades to spring and spring to summer and those people are still...let's say, "festive." Instead of decorating from Thanksgiving to Christmas, they decorate from Christmas to Thanksgiving, which is why what's happened now is mind-boggling even to me.

Three weeks ago, the decorations, which have been up for more than a year, completely disappeared. No icicle lights, blow-up snowmen or plastic Santas in sight. I thought perhaps that they were just giving them a good scrubbing seeing that they had probably collected two years' worth of gunk and grime in the front yard, but there's still no sign of the little suckers.

Until February, that is, when I'm sure they will magically appear again.

The irony of it all...

Well, it snowed. We got about three inches which means the area will virtually crawl until the stuff melts. It doesn't help that the city has about two salt trucks and six snowplows. Well, make that five.

On the way to work this morning, we passed a snowplow that had caught on fire the night before. The front was completely charred and the thing was still smoldering. A blackened snowplow on an icy road. How's that for ironic?

Three reasons I'm happy

1) I'm not sick anymore! Just a random cough now and then and a stuffy nose. But, trust me, it's MUCH better than it was.

2) It's snowing!!! Not that wind-blowing-pain-in-the-rear snow, but a nice, gentle, pretty snowfall. A bit of accumulation, just enough to make it festive but not so much that people drive like idiots.

3) Not only is it snowing, I don't have to deal with it. I'm working from home today sitting here in a sweatshirt and sweatpants and listening to Christmas tunes while trying to get inspired enough to write a speech for our CEO (ok, that part's not so fun).

Really, I ask: Can life get any better than this?

24 hours: a recap

Yes, I am still sick. This is what my life has consisted of for the past 24 hours.

• Blow nose
• Cough
• Sleep
• Blow nose
• Check email
• Blow nose
• Cough
• Make tea
• Cough
• Work
• Blow nose
• Address Christmas cards
• Cough

[repeat]

When work catches up

I'm sick and it sucks. In between having a two-year-old around all last week (which was awesome, except for the fact that she's germy) and working almost every waking hour of the day, I got a cold. It creeped up on me one day last week and it took a week to get to full-blown cold status. Lovely.

I called in sick to work today to spare my co-workers from the constant hacking and blowing of my nose. Here's hoping that I go in tomorrow, but I am not making any promises.

When I finish sampling various cough and cold medicines, I'll share my findings of the best. I took Nyquil Cough last night and I'm relatively convinced that it made me more sick. Last night when I went to bed I just had a cough and today I woke up with clogged ears, a runny nose and all sorts of other problems. What gives? The cough did go away, though...

The best place to shop

In celebration of the kickoff of the holiday season, I wanted to give a shout-out to our website which offers special deals from more than 550 online retailers. Start your online shopping there--I promise you won't be disappointed!

Buddha knows what's up

Chad's fortune cookie tonight said the following:

Now is the time for peace in your life. Go along with others' ideas.

I couldn't have said it better myself. I knew that $20 I slipped to the man in Chinatown would pay off eventually. For $50, perhaps he would have ended the fortune with "...especially your wife's."

Dad's favorite t-shirt

When I was a kid, my dad used to wear a ratty gray t-shirt with a picture of a pig in a scarf and earmuffs that said, "Oh No! Not Another Midwest Winter!" It was just the right amount of worn, with a stretchy fabric that screams 1980 and faded lettering which proves how many times it's been washed. I'm pretty sure it was dad's favorite t-shirt. I have no idea how he got it. But I have a lot of memories of dad in his younger days (to be fair, I was much younger too) lounging around watching football on Sundays or helping us brush our teeth or trying for the fourth time that month to clean his office while wearing that well-loved t-shirt.

Several years later, I found it in a Goodwill pile that mom had started in the upstairs hallway. I pulled it out and it's traveled through many cities and lots of places in my life. Sometimes when I start to miss being home or need to remember the simplicity of being a kid, I'll pull it out and put it on. I'm wearing it now, in fact.

Rachel saw it once and asked why I always got the good stuff. (She's still bitter that I have that rocking chair...) Mom was here and seemed baffled that either of us wanted the old thing. But I guess she just didn't understand.

An open letter to my blog

Dear Blog:

I am so sorry I have neglected you for over a week. My life has been a bit chaotic with RT's crazy bachelorette party and my insane work schedule. I promise to get better about writing since I know you are lost without me. I thought about hiring someone to write for me, since I seem to be outsourcing a lot of things nowadays, but that didn't seem fair to either of us.

At any rate, thanks for not abandoning me and for your understanding. I will get better about this, I promise.

Love always,
Ellen

Lessons from London

Wow, this has been an intense 24 hours! I cannot believe I've only been here one day.

Chelli and I got in yesterday a.m. and checked into the hotel. We then took the "tube" downtown and walked around. We went to Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey before taking the train back. It was rainy and chilly -- fall is definitely here! I got some great pics, too.

Last night I had a dinner with a bunch of UK online retail execs in the Reading Room at the Savoy hotel. It was my first real London meal. A few things I learned:

• QuACK: I do not like duck. It's fatty. I also did not like the white cabbage or the weird little potato thing that they served with it. (And I'm not a picky eater!)
• People here have no problem picking their teeth at the dinner table. Seriously, I saw three different men do it!
• We had a six-course meal and three of the courses were dessert. Chocolate and ice cream, then cheeses and then coffee and more chocolate. That made up for the duck.
• Each entree had its own wine served with it. A white wine for the salmon appetizer, a red wine with the duck and a port with the chocolate. I'm quite lucky that I didn't have a splitting headache this morning. Plus we had an hour-long champagne reception beforehand. These people really like to drink.

Jet setting across the Atlantic

Chelli and I are heading to London tomorrow night. We're staying in Hammersmith, which I know nothing about but all of the reporters I talk to seem to know where it is so hopefully it's not a slum.

I'm going for work (and hopefully quite a bit of fun) and she's going because she needs a break. (Eric is in contention for husband of the year after buying her a ticket to go with me for her birthday.) Besides, who could turn down a free hotel room for three nights? I'll keep you posted on our travels and take lots of pictures.

Hopefully we'll see some cool stuff. But it's going to be chilly!

It's official: I live in a pigsty

I am coming to the realization that I do not have enough time to clean my house. So I am in the process of interviewing housekeepers and getting estimates for our place.

A woman came by this afternoon to look at our place. She talked me through what she cleans and then I walked her through our house. We got to the bedroom and she wiped off a bunch of dust on the dresser.

"Well," she said. "You could definitely use my help."

And that was that.

Words of wisdom

I flopped into the back of a cab tonight, trying to finish up one more interview before putting an end to the workday. After telling the driver where I needed to go, he turns around at a red light and says, in broken English, "You habbing a gude day?" Yes, I said halfheartedly, and you?

I was expecting him to rant and rave about the war, the President, immigration, traffic, stupid pedestrians, or anything else that cab drivers are usually complaining about, but he surprised me.

"Deb ini te ly!" he said enthusiastically. "Ebbery day is a gude day for me."

Here is a guy who drives a cab all day long roaming the streets of DC looking for someone to take somewhere for a measly $6.50. Who knows what his life is like outside of work or what brought him here. But "ebbery" day is a good day for him.

Sometimes a fresh perspective can come from the most unexpected places.

Binge & purge

My pack rat tendencies were slowly coming back to life, so today was the day that we were going through everything--drawers, countertops, bookcases, etc. and getting rid of stuff that we didn't need. Our deal was, if it has a place, put it away. If you haven't ever used it or aren't going to use it again, either give it away or throw it away. I don't need all this stuff!

So Chad started in the bedroom. While watching NFL Game Day on ESPN. By the time I had finished the rest of the upstairs, he was still going through stuff in the bedroom. All I will say is that his side of the room has never been so clean.

Remember, your vote counts

Love it, love it, love it. What a smart campaign. And Barry called this guy an idiot.

No thanks, I think I'll just jog in place

I'm staying at the Mandalay Bay hotel this week, where we're having a conference about online shopping. I had some time to kill today so I thought I would head to the fitness center. But of course, fitness centers in these massive resorts are coupled with the spa so they can charge you an arm and a leg for the whole package.

So I called just to make sure that the fee was not outrageous and they said that for a one-day pass to the spa, which includes the exercise room, it would be $27. Seriously? For an hour on the treadmill and maybe a few sit-ups? Their selling point was that, hey, they do provide free juice and a "spa-like atmosphere."

I took a nap instead.

Just so wrong...and so funny

Chad sent me one of the funniest--yet worst--pranks I have ever seen. If you have five minutes and want a good laugh, check it out. If I was the girlfriend, I don't know who I would be more peeved at!

PS: I found my cell phone in RT's Jeep. The next time I lose anything, I'm going to look for it first in a Jeep. That's where I've lost two things in a row.

Sugar Shock, Part II

When I get stressed, I eat. I am stressed. I have just had three mini Baby Ruth candy bars within a thirty minute period. At this rate I will have eaten all of the candy in the little bowl at my desk by tomorrow at noon.



Why does no one else like these? I think to myself as I open another one...Perhaps it's because they are addictive.

I'm not ignoring you, I'm just crazy

I have lost my cell phone. It's been missing since last Sunday night when we got back from California. Originally I thought I put it through the washing machine, like I did to Chad's about two years ago, but it wasn't there. So perhaps it's in the back seat of RT's Jeep. Regardless, if you have tried to call my cell phone, I apologize. Not only can I not get your calls but I don't know how to listen to my messages. Oy vey.

These are a few of my favorite things...

1) My new favorite snack: sugar-free Jello with Cool-Whip. Believe me, when you have cut back on your sugar intake, even things with a little bit of sweet taste good.

2) Da Bears. Even though they lost yesterday to San Diego. The Chargers are a good team.

3) March. That's when my hell-on-earth work schedule is going to be over. Oh, if I can only make it til March.

Don't try this at home (please!)

We were at Hershey Park over the weekend enjoying the last few moments of summer before watching the Irish lose miserably to Penn State (my new mantra: "It's a rebuilding year").

Now, those of you who know me well know that there are a few things that some couples have been known to do that I find horribly disgusting, the worst being sharing something that you suck on. Think popsicles or frozen bananas. Hell, even ice cream cones. For God's sake, just get your own! Or I'll get you one.

But I think perhaps I saw something this weekend that surpassed the communal sucking on of frozen treats.

While in line for a ride, I saw a particularly nice-looking, happy-looking couple with three girls. Quite Cleaver-ish. And I see the woman look at the guy, tell him something and dig into her purse. She pulls out some floss. Apparently he has something in his teeth. Now I'm not really into flossing in public but, look, if you have something in your teeth it's better to just deal with the two seconds of shame so you don't have to go around all afternoon with a big black spot sticking between your incisors.

So, she pulls out some floss, snips off the strand, he opens his mouth, and she flosses his teeth! I suppose it would only be grosser had she then flossed her own teeth, but thankfully she didn't.

And that's a wrap

We had a great vacation. While I am not going to recap the entire thing, you can look at our pictures. And here are the top five highlights:

1) We had an unbelievable time on our bike tour through the vineyards. Though they usually have groups of 16 people or so on each trip, it was just me and Chad! We biked through all sorts of areas, including a protected marsh that most people don't get to see. Though part of the trip was incredibly exhausting, it was also really peaceful and so insightful.

2) The wine shuttle that we went on had eight people, plus the driver. Me and Chad, a couple from New York that just got engaged, a woman and her mother from Columbia (the country), and two women about my age that were from Aledo (IL!). And to top things off, one of the girls was my roommate in summer camp when I was in fifth grade. Isn't that bizarre?

3) The food was amazing! Most of what was served was grown in the restaurant's gardens out back. And the two places where we didn't make reservations had the most charming ambience of any place we went. I want to go back!

4) The wine was also fabulous! I loved the lessons about how to "taste" wine properly. We even went to a class. It was fun to learn about the different wine areas, "micro climates," soil, etc. Who knew that I really was a farmer at heart?

5) Chad picked out our hotel and I have to say that it was awesome. He did such a good job. He booked us at the Napa River Inn, which was the perfect combination of charming and top-notch. I can't say enough nice things about it!

Ok, now I'm getting depressed that I'm not on vacation anymore. Back to the real world...

No rest for the weary

A quick update on our great vacation. Chad and I have been exploring San Francisco for the past two days, starting with a ferry ride from Oakland to San Fran yesterday, walking down past all the piers to Fisherman's Wharf, a ferry ride to and tour of Alcatraz (really cool) and a San Francisco Giants game. Plus a great dinner at a Mexican restaurant with three pitchers of margaritas for our table and fabulous food & company. All that was yesterday. I'm tired just thinking about it.

Today we went walking all around downtown San Francisco. We walked through the authentic Chinatown (not the tourist one) where I watched a woman take a chicken out of a cage and cut its head off. This was after I saw live fish flapping around out of water and a man pick two toads out of a bucket to buy for dinner. Not necessarily something that I intended to see...perhaps it's a good thing I didn't go to China with Chad.

Got a great chocolate eclair in Little Italy, walked down Lombard Street, through Hyde Park to a Safeway that is ranked one of the #1 places in the city to meet singles (I'm not kidding), a great local place for lunch and then a long walk back to the car. It's great to travel the city with locals so we know where to go, where to eat, etc. I'm waiting for the moment when I wake up and my thighs are killing me from the steep hills. At least I'll have some exercise while on vacation!

Oh and we topped off the day with hot fudge sundaes from Fentons, which has been an Oakland ice cream parlor since 1884. Talk about ending the day with a cherry on top.

Off to Sonoma tomorrow.

Eureka! I found it

Last Thursday morning I went to the gym. I haven't seen my iPod since. Over the weekend, I thought I left it at work. On Monday, I found my headphones, but no iPod. This continued for the better part of this week while I looked through my gym bags, empty drawers, random sacks of stuff I've been meaning to go through. I even searched in the couch cushions (and I found a LOT of empty candy wrappers--I'm on to you, Chad...). I had resigned myself to buying a new one eventually, that's how peeved I was for spending so much time looking.

In a moment of brilliance about five minutes ago, I decided to go back and search behind the passenger seat of the Jeep. I had already searched behind the driver's seat and about everywhere else in that damn vehicle. Lo and behold, I stuck my hand underneath and there it was.

So now I have my iPod back. And now, more importantly, I am not worried that I am losing my mind. For that reason, anyway.

Sugar Shock

Most of what I eat in my life goes in cycles. There are the things I have never liked (celery, cucumbers, beets), the stuff I have taught myself to like (tomatoes, coffee, beer), and then those things that I may like or dislike just depending on what mood I'm in.

Take today, for instance. I have a big jar of chocolate candy on my desk (I buy in bulk from Costco--it makes people come visit me all the way back here in the corner). For awhile I was obsessed with the Milk Duds. Then I gradually started favoring Baby Ruths. For some reason today I have had three little packs of peanut m&m's. How does this happen? I never even used to like them!

The poor mini Hershey's bars always come in dead last in my little office candy competition. When everything else is gone, I leave them in the jar for weeks at a time until people feel sorry for them and eat them. I know they secretly feel really depressed.

Vacation brain

I read once that people are incredibly productive the week after vacation but not the week before. Let me be the next case study. We leave for California on Friday, and I can't focus on anything today. How on earth am I supposed to get anything done this week?

A recent BusinessWeek article says that most people don't take all of the vacation time they have. I call those people absolutely crazy. I vow to never pretend to be so important to believe that my workplace cannot survive without me around. (In fact, they probably all welcome it!)

I'm hoping to come back after Labor Day renewed, refreshed and, of course, more productive. Until then, I'm wondering what on earth I'm going to be able to get done this week.

Best billboard ever

Special thanks to my cousin Lindsey for snapping this photo while she was back in Illinois. My favorite part is that the lady's head is clearly photoshopped into the picture. Classic.

Alright, where is it?

I'm pretty sure that Chad pops back every now and then from China to move stuff around the house. How else can I explain why the scissors are not exactly where they are supposed to be or how the lights got left on in the basement? And who the heck left toothpaste drips all around the bathroom sink?

(Bleck)...I'll have a beer

Poor Chad is in China with a terrible case of food poisoning. I talked to him briefly yesterday morning and he was fine (12 hours later there so he was heading to bed). I woke up this morning and he had been sick all night and all day. This is my favorite story:

So Chad was a trouper and went to the business meetings in the morning and then went to lunch. He still felt terrible. What he really needed was a bunch of water and/or Gatorade, but of course, they don't have that in China. His beverage options were coconut milk, coconut juice, or beer. He had both coconut things before and didn't like either so he went with the beer. His reasoning? "Well, I figured it was carbonated..."

Last I heard he was in bed.

All by myself...

I have been home alone all weekend, save for last night when Janice and I went to dinner and this afternoon when I went to Bath & Body Works for some hand soap.

In the span of two days, I have talked to four people. And what's weird is, I don't feel lonely at all! Perhaps it's all the conversations I've been having with myself?

My thoughts exactly...

I have this quote up in my office and it's especially pertinent today:

"I never cease to be amazed with how what I say gets distorted. For years I took on the responsibility and tried to become an excellent communicator. After some time I realized that I already was a good communicator and that most people just don't listen."

Out of the office (and my mind)

I can often gauge a person by his or her out of office message. It seems to be, quite literally, the last thing people do before going on vacation. Now, look, I'm sure your mind is somewhere else--like on a beach--but absolutely EVERYONE who sends you an email in the next two days/two weeks/two months is going to receive this exact message from you. Are you intentionally trying to look like an idiot?

Here are my top five favorite out of office messages of all time:

1) "I will return to the office on Monday, July 28." Ok...which year? Because this year, July 28 is not on a Monday.
2) "If your need is urgent, please call Jane Doe at 312-428-384." Right. As if that's going to help me. Is Jane Doe located in Spain or something?
3) "I will be out of the office until May 29." Glad to hear you had a nice time on your vacation in May. It's July. So are you back or not?
4) "I am out of the office." Well, fabulous. But obviously I sent you an email because I need something now. So what in the hell am I supposed to do?
5) "Thank you for your mesage. I am out of the ofice. I wil get backe to you upon my return." And by the way I clearly cannot spel.

What a mess

In light of recent news, here's who I would NOT want to be doing PR for today:

• Lindsay Lohan


• Promises rehab center


• Alcoholics Anonymous


• the SCRAM ankle bracelet

At the moment, my non-crisis job sounds just great, thank you...

A girl could get used to this

Today I found myself back in the San Diego area, this time on an island called Coronado Bay. If the weather is any indication, San Diego hasn't changed a whole lot since I was here last month.

I was starting to worry that I had become a hotel snob and that absolutely nothing could awe me again.

That was until I came here! It's really awesome. So, for the person who chastized me (and anonymously, at that!) for not updating my blog on a regular basis, I thought you'd enjoy these pictures.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I am off to the gym. And then to a reception on the bay, and then to dinner where I will watch the sunset.

Don't like it? Go somewhere else

I have three words for Sprint, which decided to disconnect 1,000 customers for being unreasonable: good for you. These current subscribers called an average of 25 times per MONTH for something, which takes up valuable time of the customer service people who just might need to help other people (imagine that!).

Chad and I were at Goodwill over the weekend dropping off some clothes and in line at the store was this woman (holding a little dog) loudly complaining that she was overcharged. The clerk went through every single line-item of a very long receipt and after about 15 minutes she ended up calling over the manager. I think her total was like $19 for about 50 things. Meanwhile, there happened to be about five people in line behind this terrible woman who just wanted to pay! Now look, if she truly did get overcharged, then of course she should draw attention to it. But clearly she didn't. So if she wasn't willing to pay her total, then she should have taken herself and her little dog and gone somewhere else.

Some people are just too high-maintenance and if I were a company, I'd say good riddance too. Just because you're a business doesn't mean that you are required to let people take advantage of you.

A toasty day in DC

Day 2 at the gym and today was a bit more challenging than yesterday. Not only because my arms feel like they're going to fall off but also because the AC was "being repaired." It was hot in there.

They say you learn one new thing every day. Today I learned a few things (mostly from my Self magazine). Here they are:

• There is a website that tells you, based on your weight and level of activity, how much water you should consume every day. According to them, I need 76 ounces a day (yikes!). I'd better start drinking. Water.
• Full-fat dairy products like ice cream help with fertility (who knew?). And, no, I'm not going to up my daily intake of Baskin-Robbins at the moment, though that will be a great rationale to head down the street for some Jamoca Almond Fudge someday.
• 20-minutes of leisure per day (be it gardening, reading a book, baking, etc.) is actually essential for your health--as important as eating well and getting enough sleep!

Movie night in Iraq

Well, Chad is no longer on his deathbed. In fact, at this moment he is cursing at our kitchen sink trying to install a new water filter. In other words, life is back to normal at the Davis house.

Blockbuster was having a "buy 2, get 2 free" deal so we got four movies to send to Brad and his guys. Two action flicks and two brainless ones. All of them are so new that he wouldn't have been in the States when they were in the theatres. Even though it takes forever to get there, it's fun to send him stuff. I know they all appreciate it and this will give them something to do in the downtime.

In other news, I have started my RT Bridesmaid workout regiment and can hardly lift my arms. So I know I had a good workout. I kept telling myself this morning, I'm not going to be the smallest bridesmaid, but darn it, I'm going to have one of the best sets of arms.

An Independence Day diatribe

I've had a lot of great Fourths of July. This year's was relatively calm. We tailgated at the Cubs/Nats game in the morning, watched the Cubs get absolutely blown away in the afternoon, and headed back to the house with the best of intentions of heading back into DC for the fireworks but never went.

Chad has come down with a cold and took his first sick day in years today (he's paranoid that everyone in his office will think he's hungover but the joke would be on them if he went in today and infected everyone). So, while trying to nurse my sickly husband back from the dead last night, I got to thinking of my top July 4th memories of all time. Among them:

• Getting to eat orange push-up pops while watching the fireworks in the front yard at home. This was a BIG deal--we never got to get push-up pops at the store! I don't remember Daniel or Janice being there so this must have been ages ago. That, or I just blocked them out of my mind.
• Watching the fireworks in Boston on tour where somehow we found ourselves on the roof of a townhouse overlooking the fireworks literally a stone's throw away and listening to the Boston Pops play patriotic music in rhythm with the show.
• Going to the Knoxville Park with grandma and grandpa where we'd head into the old one-room schoolhouse for ice cream and pie (I almost always inadvertently ended up with something that had rhubarb in it, where my distaste for that probably stems) before playing on the swings, listening to the band and settling down for fireworks once it got dark. RT always covered her ears when she saw the bright flashes because that meant the big "booms" were not far behind.
• Sitting on a hayrack right outside the hog lot trying to point out as many fireworks displays as we could from surrounding towns. I think we made it to at least 10.
• My first 4th of July in DC at the Georgetown waterfront. A hot, muggy day. I remember being jealous of all the people watching the show from their big boats on the Potomac. Then a few years later, mom was here and we watched on the roof of NRF. Last year, Daniel and Holly were here and we watched on the NRF roof. Even though I've done it several times now, watching the fireworks over the Washington Monument really never gets old.
• July 4 events at Lakelawn where we got to dive in the deep end for change. I used to stay down there as long as possible to stuff my fists with quarters. By the time I got up to the top, I had a few bucks to my name and was absolutely gasping for breath. (Side note: this was in the days before everyone went lawsuit-crazy. Something like this would just never fly today.)

Summer Lovin'

It has been a particularly wonderful last few days in DC. Part of the reason why it's so great is because usually by now it's horribly hot and humid. We have to enjoy this while it lasts!

So tonight, again, we'll be firing up the grill and enjoying a glass of wine in the backyard while we make dinner. By the time the sun sets, we'll be ready to retire indoors to eat whatever Chad has managed to whip up for us. And then, with full tummies, we'll head to bed with the windows open and a nice cool breeze ruffling the curtains.

There aren't too many better ways to spend a summer night.

A few good farmers

I read an article yesterday about a new matchmaking site for farmers. So now I'm trying to find a farmer that I can register. I really want to get in and dig around to see what types of people have been posting but I can't do it myself. Because, well, I'm married and I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea if I'm the one with a profile.

Does anybody know a single farmer who might want me to do a bit of marketing for them?

I told Chad it was a good thing I didn't find out about this site before we got together or I may have found another husband.

He told me I wouldn't last one week as a farmer's wife. He's probably right.

Rhubarb recipes

Why on earth is rhubarb an ingredient in anything? It tastes terrible and makes most things worse, not better. I am trying to make a dessert for this weekend and everything fruity has rhubarb in it. I have never known a person who truly liked this nasty plant.

I'm convinced it is just added filler. Kind of like bread crumbs in meatloaf.

Congrats to Saunish!

I don't brag much about my family, but wanted to pass along some great news. Janice has just accepted an amazing job as a White House appointee to the Secretary of Agriculture. She's going to be working in the communications office of the USDA. There might even be some travel involved to handle all of the advanced work that goes along with the Secretary's excursions. Though ag issues don't get everybody in the world excited, we've been following the Board of Trade and weather reports since we could walk. We're really lucky she passed the background check--it was touch-and-go there for awhile...

If you want to congratulate her, send her an email. We all know that Janice can be a little testy sometimes, though, so don't get on her bad side. She's becoming important enough that she might need to start hiring people.

Media madness

It's been a crazy--but great--last few days. Other than having to spend the majority of time inside when the weather has been perfect, I have no complaints. We have had such a great time at dinner each night and the restaurants have been very fun. Last night a group of eight of us went out and I think it was the most random, fun group I've ever eaten with. If I've got to go somewhere three times in one summer, San Diego is a pretty good choice.

We had a great article on the front page of the San Diego Union-Tribune business section this morning. Also some good TV and national media coverage. So this show is over and we're heading back to the other coast in a few hours.

Travel karma

Well, here I am in San Diego. Poor Scott had quite a day. Long story short but United changed our seats from a window and an aisle to a window and a middle seat (who on a five hour flight would choose a middle seat?) and the flight was too full to change it back so Scott sat in the middle the whole way to San Diego. The woman he sat next to had a horrible--absolutely horrible--container of cheese and radishes. This is at 8:00 in the morning! It was awful.

Then once we got to San Diego, it took Scott five hours for him to get his room. I think he was ready to call it quits. But we made up for it at dinner tonight--we went for sushi and it was really good!

Our hotel is nice, though. Right on the bay with a view overlooking both the water and the city. Here are a few pictures--enjoy!

It's actually quite cool here. A low of mid-60s and a high of only high 60s. Chad has mentioned several times that he could live in San Diego and I can certainly see why...this city is amazing.

We're connected (for now)

So we decided to invest in high-speed internet access at home. It will come in handy for a variety of things, not least of which is working from home, which is often high on my priority list. To make a very long story short, sometimes it's been working and sometimes it hasn't. I was on the phone last night for 90 minutes with an absolute IDIOT from Verizon DSL who had no idea what he was doing. He kept pleading with me to give him ten more minutes...until finally I told him that I was done with this whole process and wanted to cancel my service. And then Chad called this morning and got it to work. At any rate, as of right now we're connected. Who knows how long this will last...

We decided not to get a dog. Or should I say, someone else decided we shouldn't get a dog. The one we applied for from the shelter went to another family but it was probably for the best. It would have been great sometimes and a complete pain other times. And I wasn't thrilled with the idea of having a dog in my house. I have to clean up after Chad enough as it is.

Happy second anniversary to us...we decided in lieu of dinner or a trip we were going to get new furniture for our basement. This turned into more of a project than either of us were anticipating because our entryway down to the basement is only 29 inches. We ended up finding a sectional that fits really well, plus a chair that we like. And Chad was pretty convinced that he needed a game table to round it all out, so we found one on Craig's List for a pretty decent deal. He's trying to get some guys over for poker tonight to test it all out. We're giving away our old furniture to Habitat for Humanity, which is coming to pick it up on Monday sometime. Meanwhile, it's hanging out in our living room. I'm looking forward to getting it out of here!

And in other news...Chad picked a hotel for us in Napa. I'm so excited about it. It's the Napa River Inn and looks really awesome. I booked the rental car and he's looking for wineries. I'm also in charge of the spa so it's been fun to research which ones look the best! Perhaps I'll bring my computer and blog from vacation--or not. We'll see.

I'm home for another week then head out to San Diego next Sunday. I'll be in San Diego three times in the next three months--you think we could have done a better job planning these meetings?

I love nice people

So right now I'm in New York and spoke this afternoon at the National Stationery Show about consumer trends. (I am really bummed that I wasn't able to stay and walk through the exhibit floor--I'm pretty convinced that I could have gotten Rachel's wedding invitations taken care of!)

While I'm here, I am staying in le Parker Meridien downtown. I have to say, I love this place. The elevators are old-world style but the rooms are really modern. There are a lot of neutral colors with the occasional flash of orange or red thrown in for fun.

But beyond that, the people are so nice! I have ordered room service twice and haven't gotten that pathetic look from the room service guy silently asking for more of a tip even though 19% gratuity and a delivery charge is already included. When I called the concierge about my flight for tomorrow morning, they were really helpful and didn't act like I was wasting their time or asking a stupid question. Even the housekeeping people are nice!

I'm not sure what to do about this--NYers aren't always the most hospitable group of people. So the fact that I just got dinner and a glass of wine and a bottle of water for dinner and was charged $65 seems tolerable--go figure.

The hotel is right next to Carnegie Hall and the Russian Tea Room, which I wish I would have known about so I could have gone to a concert tonight. I'm also really close to the Fifth Avenue shops, though I got my fill of those in the cab ride on the way here. Walking into Bergdorf and feeling like the world's most unfashionable person wasn't my idea of a fun evening. So I got some really expensive room service and am calling it a night.

Off to Vegas tomorrow...

Table for one, please

So I did something last night that I've heard everyone should do once in their lifetime. I ate dinner by myself.

Not one of those sitting-in-the-airport-before-a-flight dinners. Not a dinner where I brought a good book. Not a meal ordered from a barstool. But a genuine, takes-reservations-restaurant-that-serves-expensive-food-and-has-white-tablecloths dinner. (I was traveling on business and quite unimpressed with the room service menu.) I ordered a glass of wine, some pasta with shrimp, and then...I sat.

For awhile I wondered what I was going to do there all by myself. If I studied people at other tables, would they think that I was staring at them? If I checked my Blackberry, I might look like one of those people who just got stood up for a date. If I fidgeted, I would look uncomfortable. And dammit, if I went to all the trouble of eating by myself I was sure not going to look uncomfortable.

And then, I realized that my mind was wandering to places that it hadn't in ages. I thought about my life. Old friends. Whether or not we should get a pet. If the bread in my basket was cold because I was eating some other table's leftovers (yep, still paranoid...). Somewhere during this riveting inner dialogue I thought I should start a blog.

I also noticed that, unbelievably, I tasted the food--really tasted it--more than any other meal I can think of in recent memory. (It was great, by the way.) When I left, I felt like I had taken time out of my day to hang out with myself. And I liked it.

I can't say I'll jump at the chance to do this again (after all, part of eating at a nice restaurant is good company) but I'm not averse to the thought. After all, there's nothing wrong with letting your inner selves have a great conversation over a good glass of wine. It sure beats paying for therapy.