Journeys With GG

The Glory Days

Have you ever worked at a place that was so phenomenal, so special, at any point in your life?  A place where the people were perfect in their imperfection and amazing and inspiring?  And where you couldn't wait to get into work to see everyone every day?

I had that once.  For a long time really. 

In the best of times we had amazing off-sites, laughs in the office every day, sang songs, did dances when we got great hits for clients, supported each other when clients were tough and sometimes just downright rude, and just loved each other and what we were doing.

In the worst of times we eagerly accepted the fact there wouldn't be pay raises or promotions for a while, so that we could hold on to everyone that made the place special.  We created "new business" altars and ran through the office with a burning stick of sage - and it worked!  We always asked, once we were ready to leave, if anyone needed anything else, and we just loved each other and what we were doing.

In time, people moved on.  At first it started with moves to different offices, then some really critical people were let go - the once that were the backbone of the culture and spirit of the office.  A few layoffs more, and people started to leave on their own.  It became a place about numbers.  Client service suffered.  Growth and development suffered.  It became a shadow of  what it once was.

I guess I'm reflecting on this glorious time and the loss of it because the world may soon lose a woman that was so key to the spirit of the glory days.  Who helped me both professionally and personally, from getting promoted to nursing a broken heart.  And to not recognize her as part of something that was so unique and so special would be a travesty. 

I'd do just about anything to go back to that time for an hour.  And tell everyone there how awesome and special they are, and how much I love them.  And you know, if I did that, they wouldn't think it was strange.

I really want that feeling again.  I know it will never be the same, and that those same people won't be there for the ride, but I still want to believe it can be that way.  I don't want to say goodbye to it for good.  I don't want to say goodbye to a phenomenal woman that was such a big part of this.  But maybe in her own way, she's letting me know that this feeling is what I really want again.  To be a part of a dream team doing ER PR.  Working hard, laughing a lot, supporting each other, creating amazing opportunities all around us, and "sniffing the Play-Doh" won in an on-site off-site - because it helps us remember some of the best days that we ever had.

Is George W. Bush Depressed?

You know, sometimes, when I'm feeling a little down, I like to go shopping.  Some new makeup, a pair of shoes, some new tops, a few books and CDs - it can basically all be taken care of on a meaningless trip to Target.  I like to term it as "shop therapy."

So it makes me wonder if G-dub is depressed.  I mean, he's been spending billions of dollars on the war in Iraq for several years now.  And now, in the twilight of his increasingly unpopular, and dare I say, unproductive presidency, he's going to go out with a massive "shopping spree" bailout. 

Is it needed? Well, in some ways, yes.  However, one must wonder if G-dub hadn't been so busy spending the US into debt with the war over the past several years, maybe we wouldn't have turned into a nation who's clearly become the Pope of the "spend now, ask questions later" religion.

Less Stress Helps You See Things More Clearly - Literally!

So, yesterday I had my annual eye exam.  To both my and my doctor's surprise, my eyesight in my right eye improved (by .5 in terms of my contact lens prescription).  Last year my left eye had improved by .25.

Slightly baffled, my eye doctor said to me - based on your age, your eyes shouldn't be changing right now - and if they are changing, they really shouldn't be getting better.

Then he said - hmmm, you must have been really stressed out a couple of years ago (pre sabbatical is when he saw me).  Stress can really impact your vision.

At any rate, I'm entertained by the thought that reducing stress not only helps one see things more clearly from a perspectives point of view, but from a literal/biological point of view as well.

Missing San Francisco a Little

So the other day I met up with a couple of past coworkers in San Francisco for drinks and dinner.  It had been a while since I'd been in the city during the six o'clock hour and I really kind of missed it.  The over the top fabulous gay man loudly giving his two cents while walking down he street, the (much healthier looking) Amy Winehouse wanna-be and just the general bustle of the streets made me miss my daily trips into SF. 

Now, I love my 10 minutes or less commute for sure, but if that little trip into SF taught me anything, it's that I should still make an effort to get into the city every week or two to catch up with someone.

On a very different Bay Area note, the 90+ degree mini heatwave we had last week has totally vanished, and we're now experiencing gray, cool and drizzly.  I don't mind too much though.  We didn't get enough rain this winter, and I'm sure the moisture is an extra bonus in Santa Cruz, after the dust settles after the fire it had last week.

Man, is it HOT Outside

And inside for that matter.  Right now my house is 80 degrees.  I've got windows strategically open for cross ventilation purposes and should probably see if I can find the .  It's a bummer because I need to be productive and pack my bag for this wedding that SD and I are going to go to this weekend in San Diego.  It should be fun and I'm excited to meet some of his friends, but all I really want to do right now is sit on the couch and drink ice water.

Ella Bean is enjoying the spring so much she managed to get fox tails in both of her ears on one of her more adventurous walks.  My little tough pup was pretty astonishing at the vet, as she let them take out the fox tails without being sedated.  The vet said she sat "perfectly still" for the procedure.  Now that's something I haven't seen before.  While she was there they also clipped back all the fur on her paws.  Because her fur growth is in it's little lamb state, she looks even more like a lamb, as her sheared feet look like little hooves.  It's really weird and almost looks like she's wearing little black shoes. 

Lastly, I'm still admiring the stick-to-it-ivness that Hillary Clinton is demonstrating.  I know everyone says she's over, but there's something to be said for hanging in until the bitter end.  Frankly, I have no doubt that if Obama is officially crowned the nominee, Hillary will be out there the next day busting her butt for him.  Somehow I just don't think he'd display the same support if he was in her place.  What concerns me more is, if the tables had been turned, I have a feeling he would have dropped out a long time ago and I'm not sure how I feel about that.  I like Obama but there's something about him that is just too genteel - he has no edge; he delivers great messages, but can he follow through?  My other big concern with him is that I think McCain has no problem demonstrating he's got guts.  McCain respects Clinton, but per the Sunday morning political shows, not Obama.  If Obama is the nominee I fear that things could reach celebrity death-match smack-down status and we'll see 72 become the new 40.

Random Thoughts About Smart People and Self Sabotage

So, I recently heard a story about a guy who showed up at his second job interview.  In the first he had been very articulate, bright, appeared to be very clean cut.  His resume was quite accomplished, although it looked like he'd jumped around a lot, but as he was a freelancer, this was common - especially if you work on a project to project basis.  In the second interview though, he wasn't only 10 minutes late (without any apology or explanation) but he looked, well.... REALLY hungover.

The concept of being late for work or an interview without a really good explanation is pretty weird to me.  It's just not in my DNA and I don't understand it.  I recall a time 10 years or so ago when I was at a company picnic with my significant other (at the time) and his co-workers.  We were chatting with his boss and the boss' wife, when the boss asked me, "So, can you make sure that X-boy starts making it in before 10:00 in the morning?"  I... was...shocked!

I'd leave the house every morning by probably at least 7/7:30 and just figured that X-boy was adult enough to get himself out of bed in time to make it to work.  I guess I was wrong.  The problem with X-boy, as time went on, was that although he was extremely bright, he drank A LOT.  I think back then, and perhaps even still to this day, he exhibited enough late, or slacker, or maybe just sloppy behavior that as time went on, no matter how bright he is, he was one of the first to go when a company needs to start laying people off.  I can't say this with certainty, but I doubt the guy's choice to leave a job has really ever been his. 

Anyway, this story about the interview candidate kind of brought this all back to top of mind for me.  And that I guess it's important to remember that even some of the brightest, smartest people can lack the common sense or self control that's necessary for them to become truly successful.  Maybe at the end of the day, it's just really a question of fear. 

Just Call Me the Sudsinator

I seem to have done something rather troublesome to my washing machine.  I was washing all of Ella's bedding and toys, but when I went out to transfer them to the dryer, the window looked foggy.  Well, make that sudsy.  I don't think I did anything different, but perhaps in my rush to get laundry going I put two, or maybe three, times too much detergent in.  So random.  I've never done that before.

Needless to say, I had to take a sudsy soppy mess out of the washer, place it on top, and am running an empty load (arg, such a waste of water) now to see if it will correct itself.  It seems to be working.  Fingers crossed.

I don't think I've done, or seen anything like that since I used liquid hand-dish-washing soap in our dishwasher when I was in high school.  In some ways it's funny.  Unless it turns out my machine is broken. 

Hmm, does anyone know if Mercury is in retrograde?

General Update

Work -  The place I work at continues to astonish me.  I've worked at some uniquely special places - in fact, all of the places I've worked have been this way - and this company is no exception.   The number of smart, creative, talented, hard working and generous people at this place just amaze me, and what the group accomplishes on top of that just blows my mind. 

Love - Who knew it could really be this good.  I mean REALLY!  We're going to Grass Valley this weekend, taking the dog with us, and are just going to relax.  When I was really sick with the flu SD took such good care of me, and cleaned my kitchen.  I probably mentioned it before, but it's worth giving him a shout out again. :-)

Dog - I think my dog is the most beautiful, funny, weird, crazy, adorable little monkey on the planet.  I can't believe I've had her for a year now!

Politics - Frankly, I'm glad Hil is hanging in there.  She's tough and she's won the bigger states.  It's supposed to be about choice, it's supposed to be about who is going to fight the longest and hardest for the country.  I like Obama too, but I can't get over Hil's tenacity.

Starbucks - still suck.

Taxes - big refund!

Gas - prices still going up - what was the highest I saw it at the other day - $4.50?  Gads.

When Music is Part of Everyday Life..

So, the best thing about my new job is the random stuff I get to do, like getting to attend the groundbreaking ceremony at the new Freight & Salvage site on Addison in Berkeley yesterday. 

I initially went to help, greet any press that showed up, since The Freight will be using one of our sound systems.  I did make a couple of new contacts which was great, but I also boldly introduced myself to a man I didn't know who was wearing one of our logoed jackets.  It turned out to be the Mayor of Berkeley.  Just another random, cool day at work. 

Don't get me wrong, it's a lot of work too.  But work I really enjoy.  Even when I don't stop for lunch, its usually not because I'm stressed out, but because I'm really having fun and doing something I'm interested.  A far cry from working to represent companies that have such an aura of self-importance, when in reality they are just another huge cog in a machine that's trying to advance technology and collaboration when in essence they don't have the organizational skills to use the tools they are creating that they think will change the world.  In general, I think it's a huge cross technology industry conspiracy designed to create more internal meetings so over the course of time no one really has time to do any work anymore.

Kind of stunning what comes out after one glass of wine, isn't it?  Wha hahahahhahahahhaah!

Home Again, At Last

So, post Frankfurt I was home long enough for the show to catch up with me, with 102 degree fevers for a couple of days, one day back at work, and then on a plane again to Houston for the USITT show and to recover from my ick.

The totally cool part of being sick was SD took the best care of me.  Brought me daffodils, made me soup and totally cleaned my kitchen one night.  If I haven't said it before, I'll say it again.  This guy is a keeper.  I honestly didn't think I could adore anyone more.  The sad part is the day I took off for Houston, he came down sick, and all I could do to reciprocate was deliver a house call with Nyquil, TheraFlu, Chicken Noodle Soup and Orange Juice.  I know it did help him out though.  We were finally able to spend some quality time together and are trying to think of a fun day or overnight trip we can take this weekend.

That's about it for now.  I'm kind of too tired to come up with anything too clever to say at the moment.  Life is good, and it's good to be home.

Ta for now.