Wednesday

Is there an echo in here?  What happened to November?

Big day in the market today.  Don't look for a long, sustained up-turn.  Europe is still murky.  Holiday sales will lose steam as the discounting goes deeper.  (Kevkev, don't even think about buying anything at Kolh's without a 30%-Off-Everything coupon!)  The Washington DC fighting will have another kerfuffle, and once the Dow approaches 12,500, the shorts will exert their influence and the selling will pick up speed again.  There's simply not an over-abundance of buyers out there.

The Four Letter channel (ESPN) is kicking off a week of fund-raising for the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research tonight.  It's a worthy cause.  They ran the 1993 ESPY Awards speech again tonight, simultaneously on all of their channels at 1900 hours CST.  Here's a link to the video;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuoVM9nm42E

I'm thinking that 4 has become a bit of a Dunn's coffee regular as I ran into her there this morning for the second straight day without any pre-arrangements.  And not at my normal mid-morning time.  At least today I was quick enough on the draw to notice her before she had bought her coffee.  Yesterday, she had already paid and was just hangin' there by the delivery stand before either of us picked up on one another.  Definitely a nice surprise.

Dan and Denise get this year's award for the first Christmas card received on Maplecrest.  Thank you much-ly. 

My pal Bill was at a tax seminar the first two days of this week, and his big take-away was that we needed to establish a secure portal system for access to returns for any electronic delivery.  Big penalties apply if the IRS catches you sending taxpayer documents on the Internet without proper security.  Basically, the IRS is regulating the preparers to become an extension of their own bureaucratic system.  Let's definitely not make things easy on anybody.  And we'll need to raise our fees to cover the additional IT costs.

For what its worth, I get it.  I blame the attorneys.  Cue the joke:  What do you call 1500 jailed lawyers?  A good start.  Bah-da-bing!

Congrats to 2, 3 and Revkev on their workout challenge. 

The Augustana basketball team is rated #1 in D-III this week.  They won a tough game last night against local rival St. Ambrose at the SAU gym before a full house.  Their rating status will likely get a strong challenge this weekend when they go down to StL for a 4-team tourney.  Wash-U is always competitive.  Regardless, Augie could have a legit shot at the national title if they can keep healthy.  They have a 6'8" guy at the three spot who could be the D-III Player of the Year.  He tossed in a little 38 against Ambrose.

My desktop is supposed to be swapped out in the AM.  Over/Under on a smooth transition?  I'm fooling you and taking the Over.  Maybe that's just hope, eh?

Just a reminder, every once in a while, Blogger's spell-check won't work. When that happens, my Rick Perry-esque-ness may come out.  Sorry.  Blame Blogger.

Hope everyone has a good Thursday.  Thanks for reading.

BCOT

Tuesday

So we're back to the mountains.  If I can come up with a theme in the next few days, I'll go to a more topic-specific Home Page photo.

Our computer switch-over is in process.  The IT vendor has had a guy here almost full-time over the last several work days to load-up the new machines with the designated software.  The idea is to make all of the desk-tops almost identical so that there's not the constant question of which computer has which software.  It's always surprising how many different programs we each end up using on a regular basis.  I think that the server-switch is tonight.

I had been on the side of "Who Cares?" when it came to the NBA strike/lock-out.  That's unfair to the little people who staff the arenas or work in the ancillary businesses that depend on the league operating.  So for the sake of all those employees in the related activities, a shortened season is better than no season.  But just to confirm the obvious, I won't be on line at Ticketmaster for Bulls' tickets.

Not that I was ever a Herman Cain fan, but the guy has hit a bit of a rough patch on the Political Trail recently.  We live in a different time.  Politicians, athletes and entertainers (talk about redundancy!) are all free game and the paparazzi are always there.  Once there's blood in the water, it's a race to Hangman's Tree.

And I've never been a Syracuse fan.  But I wonder if Boeheim can survive?  If you're fully in charge, and there's a felony (or more) perpetrated under your watch, how do you avoid the ax?  While there appears to be no evidence of convenient ignorance on this one, I think Boeheim will fall by organizational protocol. 

Two games for Ndamukong Suh.  But he's appealing to the league for leniency.  Now that's rich!  I'm sure that the player's union is pushing the appeal.  But really.  If this guy has the idea that he's being misunderstood, take the two weeks off and retool your image machine.  Right now, it ain't workin'.

Now headed out to run with 2 and The W.  Maybe more here later.

BCOT

Saturday

The weekend has been a big success.  The great thing about Thanksgiving is that those left-overs keep on giving! 

Here are a couple of pics from the outing today to the John Deere pavillion.

BCOT

Thursday

Under bet pays!!! 

Chip times not yet posted on-line, but I crossed the finish line as the race clock hit 59.30...I should be in the 58's.  What a great way to get to Thanksgiving dinner!

Missing 3 and Herky.

More later

BCOT

Wednesday...UDATE with 1.01 Pics

Here's a few lines for the day before Turkey Day. 

I would be remiss if I didn't wish everyone Happy Tax Thanksgiving!

Here's notice to 3 and Herky who will be celebrating in NYC.  This was a pic from that weekend that I spent with them last month.  This photo makes them Fiance's of the Day.  Enjoy Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!

The Trot Challenge is fully subscribed.  Thanks to all those in the Peanut Gallery who elected to participate.  I'm thinking that I can make 62 minutes, but 59:59 may be a road-too-far.  But with a favorable weather forecast, you never know.

The new spin bikes at Gold's have had the curious result of the instructors going to a quantitative approach to leadership in contrast to a more qualitative methodology with the old equipment.  The new bikes each have an electronic read-out device that reflects cadence, mileage and heart-rate among other things.  So the instructors have adopted instructions such as, "Okay.  Get that cadence up to 70-90."  And, "Up the cadence by 5."

Rather than  painting a picture like, "Okay.  You're coming up on three bikers and they don't want you to pass. You need to pull, pull, pull!"  Or, "Just a few more stokes before getting to the top, and then charge down the hill.  Go. Go. Go."

I noticed this change with the first class I had with the new bikes on Friday with my favorite instructor, Kandi.  I've always enjoyed her classes as I have felt like she actually went at it as a coaching assignment, giving thought and energy to her words of encouragement.  When she reverted to cadence counting, I thought that it kept some of her best talents on the sidelines.  And the gal who led last night's class did much the same thing.

Preliminary conclusion:  the bikes are night and day better than the old ones.  (And after two classes, I still haven't figured out the best settings for the adjustable seat/handlebar combinations.)  The instructor's have some learning too. I'll be disappointed if the quantitative method becomes standard.

I don't watch DWTS.  Not even when EA was on the show.  Never heard of this this guy who won last night.  But I would try to learn to dance too if Karina Whatshername was my partner.  Sorry.

Is Urban Meyer going to OSU the worst kept secret in sports?

Off to get ready for company.  Look here to the right on the Twitter feed for a TT report by 1030hrs tomorrow.

Who is this little star?

BCOT

Tuesday

I'm a little surprised that I didn't see any reference to this anniversary in the papers this AM at coffee.  That must mean that the writers and editors are too young to have the November 22nd date etched into their memories.

High school biology class for me.

News about Dancing With The Stars, the failure of the Not-So-Super Committee, and early shopping for Black Friday are today's headlines.  What does that say about our collective consciousness?

More later.

BCOT

Monday

That was a quick weekend! 

Great start on Friday night with a big group for wine at Biaggi's.  2 and 4 stopped by...2 on her way to a foo-foo Festival of Trees event, and 4 on her way to bed (after 24+ hours without any sleep).  And then we closed out the weekend last night with BBQ and modified fff on Maplecrest.

You can really tell that the holiday shopping season has begun by the amount of traffic on Kimberly Road and Elmore Street this time of year.  On a Friday afternoon, the back-ups are impressive.  Left turns out of parking lots on to these roads (with no traffic light help) become pretty much impossible.  I'm thinking that the European system of roundabouts makes our lighted intersection format a failed experiment.  Then again, I remember that the big downtown traffic circles with multiple converging thoroughfares often had lights as well.

Not sure how many weekends that the Clone's, Hawk's and Irish have all won on the gridiron this year.  Huge win in Ames on Friday night, and then important wins on Saturday for the other two, so we can all celebrate a little.  Not that the state of the world was all that much affected by those results.

The early forecast for Turkey Day has a high of 55.  And 57 for Friday.

So I mowed my front yard on Saturday to gather the leaves.  Obviously, on Sunday, you couldn't tell that I had made the effort.  And they aren't even my leaves!  It's a common problem.

I remain unimpressed with the clothing selections of runners and walkers on my normal training routes most evenings.  Almost everyone wears dark stuff with little or no reflective material.  My day-glo orange shell with reflective striping and blinking pin-light is the only bright color that I usually see out there.

My latest term that I've come up with to describe my habits and preferences is "spaceage" (which looks curiously like a NASA word when I spell it out.  Hmmm.)  I use it to describe the personal space I like around my person.  Which is often more than I'm given in a public setting.  Like at Sunday coffee at Dunn's where a group of 8-10 folks regularly come in after I've set up shop, and proceed to take up way too much of my spaceage.

Hope everyone gets through these next three days to celebrate the rest of the week.

BCOT

Friday...UPDATED

Just a few lines to catch up this AM.

3 texted me a pic yesterday morning from her gym that overlooks Wall Street, of the mounted police facing-down the Occupy nuts, and I was literally watching the same scene on CNBC.  Even the mainstream press has begun to tire of the antics.  Of course, they are waiting for the "go" sign from 1600 Pennsylvania before they actually say anything negative about the movement.

NASCAR ends the season this week down in Florida.  It looks like the year's champion will be either Edwards or Stewart, neither of which is a particular favorite of mine.  But I'm glad that it isn't the 48.  They take off most of the next three months, and then start it up again at Daytona in mid-February.  NASCAR had a better year this year viewership-wise, but the price of sponsorship has fallen, and there are lots of cars looking for money.

Can't say that I am all that excited about college basketball yet.  With most of the good teams recruiting players that will only be around for a year or two, the continuity for the average fan is a bit lacking.  For instance, I kind of follow KU, and I couldn't name a player on this year's squad without going to Google.  Once they start the conference season's, after Christmas, I might pay more attention.  Big Monday!

And the NBA?  Does anybody care at this point?  Poll question: Are you more sympathetic with the Occupy protesters or the NBA Players Association?

Another abuse story in college athletics this AM.  Hate to say it, and kind of reluctantly agree with the Catholic haters who continue to channel the priest abuse cover-ups, but it looks like the schools have been doing the same thing with any messes in their houses.

Now headed to my 0900 meeting at Gold's.  More here later.

Have a great TGIF.  I will for sure.

#7282012.  Be there.

UPDATE...Davenport Gold's fully swapped-out their spin bikes.  The old ones were definitely past their useful lives.  But 30 new machines wasn't a cheap date.  I had reached the point last Spring where the poor quality of the bikes was a factor in whether I would even attend a class.

Wind and fire in the news for our relatives in the Reno/Tahoe area. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/11/caughlin-fire-20-homes-destroyed-9500-people-evacuated-in-reno-blaze.html

The new flag pole on Maplecrest should be up for Thanksgiving.  My Perfect Neighbor is in charge.  The hole is dug.  Concrete this weekend.  The flag, pole and hardware are already in our possession.

Clones tonight with Okie State at Jack Trice.  Terrible report today for Cowboy Nation.  Plane crash with the head women's b-ball coach and top recruiting assistant aboard.  No survivors.  Life is too short.

Hawks try to win a game on the road at West Lafayette.  Hmmm.  May want to take the Under on that one.  Domer's entertain a mediocre BC team on Senior Day.  Irish should go to 8-3, with Stanford then to close out the season next week on the Left Coast.

Looking at yard work, a long run and some other errands tomorrow.  We'll see how hard the wind blows.  Shouldn't be too cold.

Ya' all...

BCOT

Wednesday

The last couple of days have disappeared quickly.  That tends to happen when you get placed under some stress, and I had another IRS auditor in town looking at a complicated return.  The complications were really not from the activity reported on the return by the entity, but rather the organizational structure of the group of companies that the one shareholder/taxpayer owned.  I can't even write a simple sentence to describe it.  After a day of preparation and a day of the agent on-site, I'm thinking wine.

And I had to deal with another computer issue that kept me off my desktop most of Monday.  My web-based financial planning software provider did a maintenance upgrade over the weekend, and when I went to sign on on Monday, I got the diagnostic that my local anti-virus software was out of date, so I couldn't access the programs and data.  We tried to upload the current version and couldn't, which meant a call to the IT vendor.  And they dwadled around all afternoon with it.  Okay now, but extremely inconvenient when I was trying to get ready for the audit.  Grrrr.

While Monday was the anniversary of 4000 Days, I was advised this afternoon that today is the 21st anniversary of our firm moving into our building.  Now that does seem like a long time ago.  I remember bringing the girls over to the construction site and having pizza during the build-out stages.  Building the building was not a riskless investment, but it has proven to be one of our best business decisions.  We continue to benefit from the revenue stream created by this asset.  It has financed a lot of education, wedding(s!) and will do so for years into the future.

My pal Roy and I went over to the annual golf clothing/equipment sale that the various clubs put together at a big reception hall up from our office on Kimberly.  Pro shops have some of the most expensive polo shirts that you can find.  Why you would pay $80 for one in July when they will absolutely be dumped at the sale in November for $32 is beyond me.  We each bought a shirt, mine being a long-sleeved black (why not?) dri-fit pullover with a Hawkeye logo on the left front.

I still have a few spots on the Trot Challenge if anyone is interested.

Maybe more here later.

BCOT

Monday

I'll try to get back here later, but no promises as I have a busy day/evening ahead of me.

But the news of the day is that this is the official six-year anniversary for 4000 Days!  I knew that I had started it in the November range, but I didn't have the exact date registered in the cerebral cortex.  It popped up on our Outlook system this morning.  Not an insignificant passage of time.

The good news is that six years gets you well-past the half-way point toward 4000 total days.  The bad news is that I've kind of extended the total by three years or so.  Which means, it's way too early to look too far down the road.

Thanks for reading.

BCOT

Sunday

You're going to have to give me a little literary space on this one.

So at spin class this morning, I'm pounding along trying to figure out some mental diversion from the monotony of the spin Nazi's rant.  I drifted over to some marginal analyses of age and various activities, envisioning your standard x and y axes and the various curves that might best describe the relationships. 

Actually, it got a little confusing when I was trying to keep straight whether x was the horizontal axis or the vertical axis and which axis worked best for which variable.  I had this idea that I could superimpose on a single graph several different curves that could be viewed from 10,000 feet and some fundamental truth about my life would crystallize.  The idea never got past the foggy stage.

I did though have one thought that stuck.  My life has been and continues to be, in a very satisfying and interesting way, a series of visits to a park bench (or an equivalent spot from which to watch the world go by).  This is one of those things that, when you can identify recurrence over 30 years or so, is pretty good evidence of truth.  Obviously, the start of this thing began at Adventureland, but I think that I have perfected the park bench to an art form.

Let's review the evidence, not necessarily in order of precedence:

1.  Football at Kinnick Stadium:  I'm the guy staying in the parking lot with the Saturday NYT puzzle.
2.  FFF at major city hotel:  I'm the guy in the lobby on the laptop.
3.  Tahoe Phil's boat at Tahoe: Lots of time on the front of the boat reading a book.
4.  Wrigley Field: Why go into the game when we can hang at the Cubby Bear?
5.  Starbuck's Anywhere, USA: Why wouldn't we hang at SB's?
6.  The driveway on Maplecrest:  people come for the wine and conversation.
7.  Table 101 in the bar area at Davenport Biaggi's: Why wouldn't we?

I'm sure that there are other examples, but you can see where I'm headed.  I have skills in this area.  That said, I'm not sure that it adds a lot to the resume.

The Trot is getting closer.  The count now also includes Tahoe Phil and Jan,  may pal Ron and Jane, and RevKev and Erica, as well as cousin Carrie and David.  So we're at 8 of 30.

Hope everyone has a good week.

BCOT

Friday - Veteran's Day Edition

I'm never quite sure what the Blogger rules are sometimes when it comes to putting pic's up for an entry.  It seems to default to a text protocol that has text begin in the middle of the page, and then expand to the margins.  Very odd.

Anyway, I met my pal Bill at the Arsenal for the Veteran's Day ceremony on Arsenal Island.  Smaller than normal crowd this year, I think.  The speaker's included both the Iowa and Illinois Congressmen from either side of the river, and the general in charge of the Island.  The best presentation was by the lady who sang the National Anthem a cappella.

I'm giving props to 4 as Daughter of The Day for her efforts to get to 0900 spin class this AM after her graveyard shift at the station.  The pic is one that appeared here in August to celebrate our climb up the Col de Aspin in southern France.  I think this was the day that she wiped out going down the mountain (as we had parked at the top with the idea of coasting down and then cycling back to the top).  But she sucked it up and made the climb with ease.  Good thing I had that cortisone cream to medicate her roadrash!

A flag on Maplecrest to celebrate the day.  If I could load a youtube of Lee Greenwood's God Bless The USA, I would.

RevKev is #3.

BCOT

Thursday

That little episode of snow showers yesterday morning definitely served notice that Winter is in the offing.  Nothing much stuck and what did was gone by lunch time, but it was clearly Winter weather.  Then again, it's almost mid-November...

My friend Rick who took his two adult kids and another couple or two on a commercially-organized/led bike tour of Napa over Labor Day, has been forwarding to me the solicitations that he has begun to receive from the tour company (Trek Tours) on TdF vacations next Summer.  For around $5K each, you can watch some of the stages, ride the mountains, and generally kill yourself for a week.  I suppose that a glutton for punishment could do more than one of the week-long tours.  Way too much work for the amount of wine I would be looking at.

Interestingly, my desktop has now been displaying Trek Tour ads when I access Google.  If you could put on super-duper-double-techno-xray-vision goggles, grubby little cookies would be all that you could see on my machine.  A tekkie germaphobe wouldn't touch it.  I think all that CSI stuff is real.

Cousin Carrie (and David) are Numbers 1 and 2 on the Turkey Trot Challenge.

The TV was on earlier, tuned to CBS's Person of Interest.  I wasn't paying attention, but when I looked up, the scene being shown was in Washington Square Park in Manhattan.  Web photo from an elevated location.  My midi-digi just of the arch.  3 and I had been there that Sunday of my visit and I was able to identify the location shown on the tube by the distinctive Arch at one end of the park.  And 3 and I had talked about the amount of filming done in the city.  The Big Apple lives up to it's name.  Very cool.

The plan tomorrow is to get to the office a little early, make my regularly scheduled Friday 0900 meeting (Spin at Gold's), get back to the house to shower, and then meet my Vet pal Bill for lunch and the Arsenal program. How does 2 get the day off?

There may be an IC trip in our future for Saturday.  Not likely to get into the game, but Airliner pizza sounds like a good option.

Make it a a good TGIF.

BCOT

Wednesday - Turkey Trot Challenge Edition

So here's the flyer for my personal Turkey Trot fund raiser.  Susan says to send me the checks, but if you will just indicate in the Comments section that you have made a specific contribution to either the ACS or Komen, I'll make the matching contribution accordingly.  I'll give updates in my regular entries here on how the progress to the goal is doing.  Thanks in advance for participating.

More later.

BCOT

Tuesday II

I had planned to head out for another training run this evening, but the rain convinced me otherwise.  Tomorrow is another day.

So the two names dominating the news today, Joe Paterno and Herman Cain, both look to be fighting a tidal wave of substantial negative press.  Mostly on stuff from a decade or more ago.  Did Jo Pa do enough?  Did Herman do too much?  Joe Pa seems to have some support among the student body, judging by the display on his front yard this evening.  But the broader-based community may not be so forgiving.  Not doing more earlier may force him to fall on his sword now as the most powerful statement that he can make on his commitment to the University.  Its not the act.  Its the cover-up.  How many has that oversight caught?

Cain's situation is different in that he has a lower general stature, his sins are less clear, and the vertical media has been seriously digging for dirt for several weeks to discredit his bona fides.  It is a bit interesting to a disinterested observer the fervor with with media vet the backgrounds of certain candidates while giving certain others a pass.  (It also suggests that Mrs. Palin truly has nothing to hide.  References to her by the legacy press and the Left ( pardon the redundancy) now must simply belittle her competence as their efforts to find the damning character evidence under the rocks proved fruitless.)  I didn't ever think that Cain was going to get the nomination, and this just gets that conclusion done a little earlier.

I'll post my Turkey Trot fundraiser flyer here in the morning.  3 did the design for me, but I couldn't figure out how to get it attached just now.  She gave me a PDF file and Blogger wants a JPEG picture.  And I couldn't transfer an image of the PDF file because the instructions on the flyer need a better clarity than I can pull up from a digital pic.  Technology is great if it works.

I guess that I should acknowledge here the passing of Smokin' Joe Frazier.  I have never been much of a boxing fan, and have never been to a live fight.  But it was hard not to notice the Ali - Frazier fights in the early and mid -70's.  I vaguely remember their first match in 1971, getting updates over the radio that night at ND.  Ali had been out of the ring for his war-objector status, and the fight was a huge deal in the sporting world.  If you had a Jeopardy question on who won that first fight, I would have got it wrong.  Frazier won at MSG.  Ali won the 1974 rematch, and their third and final fight, the 1975 "Thrilla in Manila."

I'll update this in the AM with the flyer.

BCOT

Tuesday

Vote early.  Vote Often.  It's the Chicago way!

BCOT

Monday...UPDATE

Glad to see RevKev finally back up on his blog.  I think the modified fff at Incline last weekend included a few nudges his way.  Nothing like peer pressure to break Writer's Block.

The time change means that evening training runs are now done in the dark.  Lots of traffic out there at 1800 hours, so you always need to be looking back over your shoulder at even the least-busy intersections.  People are anxious to get home.  The Winniferous and I managed to avoid things tonight.

This is an UPDATE that allows me to give recognition to Tahoe Phil for his hospitality last weekend at the lake.  The pic is a little dated, but the subjects are all I have to work with! He is Brother of the Day.

The economy in Incline Village is a bit iffy.  Granted, early November is off-season, but there are many "For Lease" signs in the areas that we regularly frequent.  For instance, I noticed yesterday morning on my coffee run that the Subway on Village across from the Raley's entrance was closed.  And most of the spaces in the Starbuck's commercial center remain empty.  With a relatively low number of permanent residents, there's just not that great of a need for stuff (or services) not otherwise available at Raley's.  Controlled development has some disadvantages.

More signs of the oncoming Winter on Mt. Rose and in Incline Village, are the extensions on the roadside poles (to 6 feet or so) to give the snowplow drivers a reference point when the snow begins to accumulate after they clear the roads.  Not sure if that's so much good news for the beach crowd.  It's a long time until Memorial Day!

Pretty sure that heads will role in State College.  Joe Pa may not be able to survive.  This is a situation that could be more damning than a couple of losing seasons.  I mean its not like its a case of innuendo or rumor.  The guy was taken away in cuffs.  Even rabid fans won't put up with responsible officials not doing the right thing with this kind of stuff.

The new computers are physically in our building, but not yet ready for installation.  Our IT vendor is pretty good, but I'm inclined to take the Under when they make the switch later this week.

All for tonight.

BCOT

Sunday

The new Home Page pic was taken this morning (Sunday) from the traditional overlook spot above Incline Village.  Tahoe Phil was driving 3 and myself down to Reno for our flights home and I took one last stab at getting a current photo for the blog.  My effort to capture a good pic on the Sand Harbor route earlier in the morning was less than stellar.  Too cloudy and dark.  This one will have to do for a few days.

Busy weekend at Tahoe.  I'll write more tomorrow.  Here's a couple more pics that will be included in a Walgreen's share-file tomorrow as well:

This is the wedding venue.  This is the view looking at the rear of the building.  And the interior view of the ballroom.

Long day for the travelers.  Here's what it looked like as I went out for the early coffee run.  I wasn't quite mentally prepared for a weekend of "Winter" when I was doing my planning.  Cool, sure.  But I came away with a tangible reminder that we have some snow and cold to get past before we get to enjoy those beach days of July.  But a great weekend to see 3 and all the folks that hung out with us on Cristina Road in Incline.

More tomorrow.

BCOT

Friday

The Home Page pic is not all that of a stretch.  It snowed last night and it looks like there was at least an inch and a half here in Incline Village.  Tahoe Phil had to go back down to Reno last night and he said that it was "white-out" conditions at the top of Mt. Rose on the way home.  Glad I elected to stay in and let him make that trip on his own.

Pretty easy day of travel for me yesterday.  The Southwest flight left a little late, but made up the time in the air, and I got in just a little early.  I got lucky and found an aisle seat on the plane and was able to stash my carry-on without a problem.  Most of the people behind me in line got stuck with middle seats in the Open-seating protocol followed by Southwest.  TP was there for my arrival, and, other than high winds that made landing a little exciting, it was an easy trip.

Looking forward to seeing 3 later today.  She has a ride with RevKev from Sacramento later today.  Wine is waiting. 

More here later.  Have a good TGIF.

BCOT

Thursday

Hello and Good bye from C-town!

Had a real enjoyable dinner last night with my friend Lee at an Italian restaurant not far from Midway.  He and I have a lot in common both personally and professionally.  He's a few years younger than me, but he works a lot of the same technical areas, runs his own practice, and sees the many changes that our industry faces in the non-too-distant future.  And he is looking at an exit strategy as well. 

My hotel was just a few blocks away from the airport.  It was okay, but they had a $12 parking fee that they kind of missed in the room-rate quote.  I mean, a Sleep Inn with a parking fee?  Gimme a break. 

Southwest doesn't charge a bag fee, but they sent an email earlier in the week that you could up-grade your boarding pass for an additional $10 per flight.  Among the listed benefits, earlier boarding for better access to the overhead bins.  Everybody wants a little more for everything.

Looks like there may be another ontime departure in my future.  Arrival in Reno right around noon.  More here later.

BCOT

Tuesday

Just a few lines before hitting the sack.  Busy night even though I didn't actually get that much done.  Does laundry count?

Still trying to figure out the legitimacy of a speeding citation that Turino, Italy sent me this week for a violation there over two years ago!.  They want like 200 euros!  For a 10k over-the-limit violation!  And I know that I have previously paid a fine through my Hertz rental that came through my credit card a month or two after we got back.  I'm guessing that Turin has out-sourced this work to a contractor like the local towns around here have done with the speeding cameras.  There's got to be a pretty good return rate on these solicitations.  But after two years?

Anyone else notice that on the ESPN website, if you click a story, when it comes up, there's always a video that pops up as well.  And even if you turn the auto-audio to "Off", the next story that you click will have another annoying video, with sound, come up with the article.

And on any of the sites, that big, Home Page ad will have the X-Out box in a different location almost every day.  They don't want you to develop a habit of easily getting away from the ads.  Everything is work!

I stopped by the library today to get some instruction on the uploading of books to my Kindle.  I thought that there was going to be some ability to use a USB cord connection to handle this service, but with my model, its all wireless, but you still have to go through your own Amazon account.  There's a two-page instruction sheet that I still have to go through.  I may just do a couple Amazon downloads tomorrow at the office before I take off for C-town.

While at the library, I took advantage of the opportunity and cast my vote for the election next week.  I mean, I was right there, no line, and I was in and out in five minutes, tops.  No controversy to speak of in this election here this year.  And to think we are looking at a full year of the garbage surely headed our way in major races in 2012.  Ugh.  I think I'll go Occupy someplace.

My packing goal for Tahoe is to limit myself to the duffel bag that I used last weekend for NYC.  There's an extra night to address, but I think that I can cheat by hanging my Thursday shirt and slacks in the car and thereby not have to inventory that day's attire in my luggage.  2 has taught me well the Power of Minimalist Packing!

Had Margret out this afternoon, it was so nice out.  Her days for remaining use in 2011 are numbered.

When I dated a signature on a form today, it caught my eye: 11-1-11.  In ten days, Veteran's Day, the superstitious among us will have a field day.

Good luck to the Peanut Gallery on Wednesday.  See you on the road.

BCOT