Wednesday

Successful drive to KC today. Six hours. Now two days of sales yea-hoo.

2 didn't receive proper recognition here for her Bix 7 run last Saturday. I'm thinking that that rates Daughter of the Day, albeit a bit belated. This is a pic from the April 15th party, so there was a little wine involved.

I took a walk Sunday up the route that 2 and I use for our initial preparations for the Turkey Trot. It occurred to me that our training for the Turkey Trot this year will not begin until after Italy, which makes me a little nervous for my one hour time limit. I need a lot of training. There is zero transference of bike cardio to running cardio. I've proved that in the past.

For the record, my conference last week in SF did produce another professional designation for my resume. I was so notified today that my previous experience, credentials and the results of Thursday's examination won the hearts and minds of the Board, and I could now refer to myself as an AIFA (Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst). Makes a person tingle all over, doesn't it?

The guy who gave the opening address at our conference today was a sports psychologist who has worked with some very high-profile folks, including the San Antonio Spurs, Olympic athletes, and collegiate champions. He was very enthusiastic, and had some great stories, but trying to rally the troops to go out and sell more tax shelters doesn't quite generate the same feel as an NBA or NCAA championship game pep talk. (Tweaking that speech for this audience does merit him some style points for creativity.)

I'm headed to the bar for some cocktails with my vendors, and then to Rosie and Tom's for some KC hospitality.

More tomorrow. Between crosswords.

BCOT

Tuesday

Busy day and evening getting ready for an Oh-Dark-Hundred departure tomorrow morning for KC. I'll be there until Friday noon for a meeting.

I'm glad to see the interest in the 2010 Clan Reunion. Any word out there from Aunt Martha's branch of the tree?

I'll add from the road in KC.

BCOT

Sunday

Not too much to add today. Lots of decompression going on here. Elected to wait another day before getting on the bike. Grilled din-din. Salmon and steak. Veggies. Very healthy. A California theme.

I'll get the formal recognitions out in the USPS snail mail this week, but heart-felt thanks go to the folks in Tahoe and SF for their wonderful hospitality last week. I had a great time. From the comments from all the hosts, family visitors are always welcome. Hard to have a bad time at either location.

I did have clear confirmation in the field that I need to study the manuals for both my NSSP and the mini-digital camera. The capabilities of both substantially exceed the skill of the operator.

The yard was mowed, but I'll need to do both again before heading to KC. No shortage of rain here and the fertilizer is doing a fine job.

Enjoyed 1's comments from Beantown. Good luck on the return trip to the TC tomorrow, Kiddo. Be safe.

The bikes (and riders) made it safely back from RAGBRAI. Talked to my pal Pete at coffee this AM and he said that the Friday ride from Ottumwa to Mt. Pleasant was a real bear. The route went North out of O and found some pretty good hills and a headwind in the afternoon swing down to Mt. P. Those lower tier counties in Iowa are basically the foothills of the Ozarks, so you can run into some elevation variance when you're off the beaten path.

So I'll jump on here tomorrow with some real wisdom.

BCOT

Saturday

Just a few lines this evening from a beautiful (not!) concourse at O'Hare. Never underestimate the value of direct flights.

I made the strategic decision at the Oakland airport this morning to ditch most of the course materials from my recently completed conference. There was a definite space limitation in my checked bag as a motivator. But let's face it: how many times do you go back and look at the power-point slides from a conference? Particularly, in my business, if the slides contain no statutory, regulatory, or case law citations? Can you say, never?

Besides, they issued all attendees a USB data stick for future reference. Plus, the resource materials are all down-loadable from the sponsor's web-site. And, it's not like I need another canvas book bag.

The first checked bag came with a $20 fee. Non alcoholic beverages were free. Snack boxes were offered for sale by the flight attendants from the "Air Cafe". Air cafe? Very creative. Almost like the mini-bars and snack trays in hotel rooms. Stale stuff at high prices. (Not that my $3 bottle of water here at ORD with dinner wasn't noteworthy.)

Lance defended his 3rd place spot in today's stage up Mt. Ventoux (The Giant of Provence). His teammate Contador just marked the guy in second place, and Lance marked the three other guys in reach of third place. Somewhat tactical, but it played out well. In the end, the strongest riders were at the top of the heap. No pretenders. (A little like golf. Over the course of a four-round tournament, one of the better guys usually wins.) In the hills, after three weeks of stress, the pecking order is pretty well established.

4 reports a little boredom on her weekends in Lincoln. It takes a while, Kiddo. Why not humor us with some words on this or a similar space?

I'm hoping that my neighbor mowed my yard this week. Can't say that I missed that function.

Any news from Bix or Beantown?

More tomorrow.

BCOT

Friday

This was an easy day. I drove up North of SF this AM to visit a possible vendor for my securities business. The route took me over the Golden Gate bridge, which I wanted to get a picture of on my digital camera, but I was a little late getting to my meeting and couldn't stop on the way there, and I missed the turn-off for the vista on my way back. I got this one off the Internet. It's powerful scenery.

This afternoon, Aunt Marg and I visited a winery in the Santa Cruz mountains, south of San Mateo. Thomas Fogarty Wineries. The wine was so-so, but the ambiance was good. The winery is located near the top of a mountain, and the different roads that we took up and then down were both curvy enough to upset my stomach. And steep enough that cycling up was not all that appealing.

Good luck to 2 in the Bix 7 road race in Davenport tomorrow. She was Twittering from the streetfest beer tent earlier this evening. Hope she was observing moderation.

Travel day for me tomorrow. I'm anxious to get back to my own bed. I think that I am repeating my two-stop-over schedule, so I may be able to add an entry from an airport.

BCOT

Thursday

My class is done. Finally. Two days of CPE are brutal. A third is just off the charts. I'm ready to get back to what ever is normal in my world.

Lance announced today a new cycling team for 2010 called Team RadioShack. This is a pretty big deal. In cycling, it is common for cyclists and teams to begin re-alignments for the following year in the middle of the prior year, so this isn't unusual in that respect. My guess is that he will gear down somewhat after the conclusion of the TdF this weekend, and may not race in any significant events the rest of the year. Spain has it's tour (The Vuelta) in late August, but that race doesn't always get the biggest names (and won't get Lance this year).

I'm a little curious on what air-time charges and roaming charges I have incurred this week on my new NSSP (not-so-smart phone). I am queried each time I hit my office email send/receive confirming that I wanted to perform the function because I was on "roaming" and could incur additional costs. I think that Bill and I are on a combined national plan with 1500 minutes/month. And unlimited data. We'll see.

1 just landed in Beantown, after a modest delay. She and 3 should have a great weekend.

RevKev suggests an earlier July reunion date. I'm OK with that. The Commish is in charge.

Off to meet a client connection for dinner here in the financial district in downtown SF. We've met in my office in Iowa to discuss his parents and family-owned businesses. Now we'll have an adult beverage down along the bay. Cool.

More tomorrow.

BCOT

Wednesday II

For the record. Aunt Marg, Uncle Howard and I have tasked Uncle Phil with the responsibility for managing/coordinating some of the early components of the possible family reunion next Summer at Lake Tahoe. We felt that his experience as Commissioner of the March Madness contest fully qualified him for the position. I have suggested the July 15 - August 15 time frame. Details to come from UP.

I'm thinking that the LtPC wing of the family will be well-represented. Let's get the whole tree there!

RAGBRAI in Iowa this week. Lance even commented on it on a Twitter entry from France. My pal Pete and his entourage (my bikes included) are in Chariton tonight.

Got to study for my "final" tomorrow. Trust me 1, it's worse than role-playing.

BCOT

Wednesday

Just a few lines from SF. I'm right now in the audience of a roll-playing exercise with the other class participants, and the learning curve has taken a turn South.

I've been driving in to the city each morning from Aunt Marg and Uncle Howard's home in San Mateo. That suburb is South of the city on the ocean side, just past Candlestick Stadium. It takes around 20-25 minutes at 0615. I park in a lot for $15/day. What a deal. Another hour or two today and wrap up tomorrow afternooon.

I've been stopping each morning at a SB's down the block from the building where the class is held, and, unknown to me, the SB's building is the same one where UH has his office! Queue the music: "It's a Small World."

AM, UH and I have been sampling wine each night. Cousin Tim was over last night as well. Salmon on the grill. Suite. Kabobs tonight.

Enjoyed 1's comment about her new job. Godspeed on your trip to Beantown. Kiddo.

Maybe more later.

BCOT

Monday

Down in the Bay Area. Hated to leave Tahoe. We definitely need to get back there next Summer. Let me re-phrase that: I will be back there next Summer. (UP and I drove over to South Shore last night and had a couple of beers in memory of my pal Wally at the Embassy Suites' outdoor bar. Very appropriate. Good, no,... great, memories. Then a pizza at Tomato's in Incline. Double suite.)

Traffic on I-80 was a head-ache. They're rebuilding several parts of the road, and those spots are a mess. So was close-in traffic in SF. Glad I don't have to do that everyday.

Happy Anniversary to 1 and 1.1. Hard to believe that it's been two years since the wedding. And congrats to 1 on securing a teaching job for the Fall. That's a pretty good present, Kiddo.

This may be the most mileage that I have ever driven in a rental car. A four-banger may get good gas mileage, but climbing the hills calls form a little more horsepower.

So I'm off to sleep to get ready for tomorrow's class. Never did get the pre-conference reading done. Surprise.

BCOT

Sunday

These are some samples of Tahoe scenery off the back deck at Uncle Phil's. The lake is in the middle of the pic, just behind the pointy tree. Also note the red sunset sky reflection in the window behind UP. Cool.

The "no-plan" plan for today is in full splendor.

Another evening up here tonight, and then it's back to the Bay Area tomorrow. RevKev, we'll meet here another time.

I almost texted 4 when I got into Incline last night and had stopped at Raley's for some wine. The lines at each check-out were 6-8 deep, and the people were buying everything under the sun. A grocery store at Tahoe is a real indicator of the vacation lifestyle.

Finally, I have had to "lock" my new smart phone. Way too many butt calls. I think "last number redial" is the first function initiated when you even casually touch the phone. Until I get that feature disconnected, I'm leaving the unit on the mode, "lock when not in use." Isn't that a bit ironic for a smart phone? (It certainly cuts down on phone use in the car! You have to code in the unlock password to even answer a call.)

Maybe more later. Gotta get back to doin' nutin'

BCOT

Saturday

I don't recall scheduling this trip, but I must have been on drugs to give myself two stops (C-town and Denver) on my way to Oakland. That plane from ORD to Denver was huge; nine seats across! And full. What a cattle call.

The plan is to get up to Tahoe tonight. One more leg in the air and then the drive. And that ignores the rental car exercise, which is not all that speedy in Oakland. Love to travel.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Look for me on Twitter.

BCOT

Friday

Thanks to 3 for a little love in yesterday's comments. How 'bout this recent Twitter pic of her? Very chic!

And the story from 1 and 1.1 is another high-water mark for the fam. Congrats to the happy parents-to-be. You are in for a great adventure! I had no clue when I started mine with you guys. Not sure that I have one yet.

Oh Dark Hundred departure for the Left Coast tomorrow. Up to Tahoe for Happy Hour. (Uncle Phil pulled a fast one on me with the Biaggi's staff and I found a case of my fav dry Italian red in my car on the way home tonight. Pretty sneaky!)

Quick story on my detachment with reality. I rarely, if ever, use the city's garbage collection service. I generally keep a small bag and take it to the office every-other-day or so. It's just easier. Last week, I was cleaning out the garage the evening before normal garbage pick-up, and since I had some yard-waste bags with grass and leaves, and the recycling container already prepared for pick-up, I decided to use my assigned container and get rid of some long-held junk in the garage.

I set everything out in the proper way, with appropriate stickers and bindings, and they took everything but the standard garbage! I figured that there was too much stuff and they just over-looked the garbage. So I set it out again yesterday. Wrong! By-passed again!

I called garbage-control with the city today and learned that I had elected bi-weekly pick-up which meant that I had a gray lid on my regular garbage can and the gray lids were only picked up every-other-week. Yes, I pay a lesser monthly fee, but I haven't hit the right every-other-collection-day yet! And I'm on the road the next two weeks! What ever it is that I have paid per month over the last five years, I still haven't had any garbage moved off the property! (That's a program that the current White House would love!)

I gotta pack.

BCOT

Thursday

The boys in France start heading for the mountains tomorrow. The bigger hills come next week, but we're done with field sprints for now.

RAGBRAI starts Sunday in Council Bluffs and ends a week from Saturday in Burlington. Ottumwa hosts the bunch on Thursday night. (You really can't call it a peloton, can you?) My pal Pete is joining the mob Wednesday evening and will be riding Thursday and Friday. Sounds like a couple of his sons and his brother are going too. The one boy is the one who road cross-country earlier this Summer. Lots of other local riders take part as well, some for the full week. I maintain that I'm just not in good enough drinking shape to hang in for more than a couple of nights.

While LtPC will be a no-show for RAGBRAI, both of his bikes will be there. Since I will be on the road all week, I'm loaning out the bikes to Pete's crew to save them from having to transport bikes from out of state.

2 is back in classes for her MBA program. Her plate is busy. (Sorry about the erroneous reference to her on the cell phone issue yesterday.)

4 attended a midnight showing of the new Harry Potter movie earlier this week. Awaiting the review.

1 advises that she successfully completed teaching her summer session courses. She didn't sound all that excited except for the being-over part of it. Still no line on a job for the Fall.

All of the news in the TC is not gloomy, though. Details?

So not all that creative here tonight. But it's a start. More tomorrow.

BCOT

Wednesday

Well, I plead guilty to blog neglect.

Had a great visit with Uncle Phil. He spent most of the weekend in Ottumwa for his high school reunion, then back here for a little gig with our cousins at my place on Sunday night.

The males in the pic are the first-cousins: Phil in white, Don in red, Fran in green, and LtPC in blue. The girl in all white is Don's daughter Linda, and she is resting her hands on the shoulders of her daughter Keeley (sp?). The beauty on the far right is our very own 2!

Linda is the barista at SB's whom I met long before I knew of our blood relationship. She is my first cousin once removed, and Keeley is my first cousin twice removed. The tree line makes Linda and Susan second cousins to one another. (That pretty well exhausts my knowledge, and interest at this point, of genealogy. We'll have to rely on Uncle Phil to make the call on Susan and Keeley.)

The John Deere Golf Classic concluded on schedule Sunday night with Steve Stricker taking home the trophy and the big check. The Friday round was fully washed out by rain, just like my Pro-Am event last Wednesday. So they played 18 on Saturday to finalize the cut for the final two rounds, which were both played on Sunday. Lots of golf, but there are benefits.

John Deere has done a deal each of the last couple of years to accommodate the higher-ranked players interests in participating in the British Open which is held the following week. A charter leaves Moline for London on Sunday night. The players pay $1,000 per seat, and Deere turns around and donates that fare to charity. Somebody said the plane was actually Mark Cuban's Boeing 767 that's used by the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. There were around 20 players with caddies, families and friends on the flight this year. It really helps attract a better field for the tournament.

I am advised that 2 and 4 are back on the air with their cell phones. Any bets on the next family member to lose their's? (I know that I will be the next to lose my glasses.)

I boycotted the All Star game last night. I had no interest in the endless tease about who was going to throw out the first pitch, the analysis and replay of the first pitch, and the guest appearance in the booth. (I may be relegated to watching old reruns on the Food Network to avoid the constant reminders of who is in the White House.) Shocked to see that the AL had won.

So I vow to get back to normal with almost daily entries in this space. Starting tomorrow.

BCOT

Thursday

After Noah and the Ark passed the house last night, the skies cleared, the sump pump ran continuously, and I received the obligatory email that the canceled golf outing would yield no refunds. Check out the small print on that ticket stub.

Uncle Phil was in to sample the fare at Biaggi's yesterday afternoon for lunch. 2 and I tagged along to drink the wine. 2 entertained at her house last night. The guests brought dinner. Harris pizza.

The first mountain stage of the TdF is tomorrow in the Pyrenees. The peloton ran down to Barcelona today, ending at the entrance to Olympic Stadium. Seems a little off-kilter to be talking about the TdF with a Spanish over-night town. (I think that they jump into Italy in week three for a day also.) My money is on Contador.

3 reports that she has bought a replacement phone on eBay. She should be back online next week.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Check in Saturday for my interview with Tom Lehman recorded during yesterday's rain delay.

BCOT

Wednesday

No golf today. Lots of rain. Glad I didn't write the $3500 check.

Uncle Phil is in the house. His day went according to plan. He's off to the Big O tomorrow.

I'll add more of my thoughts on the golf and on my surreal chat with Tom Lehman later.

BCOT

Tuesday

Just a brief update on my golfing career.

We went to the John Deere Classic Pro-Am pairings party last night and I came away with a tee time tomorrow afternoon with former British Open champion Tom Lehman. Consistent with my good fortune to even be in the tournament, I received an early selection spot in the determination of the pro for our group, and Lehman was still available. So he gets to watch my swing all afternoon. Cool!

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I'm thinking that it's getting late enough in the process that I may practice a little bit later today. Kind of like studying for a test. You don't want to start too early for fear of forgetting the material that you first review. My muscle memory endorphins follow the same theory.

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BTW...This golf thing has really thrown a wrench into my planning to be in LA today for the Michael Jackson celebration. I received notice yesterday that I had won a spot for the Staples Arena service, and I just can't fit it in. Alas, poor Yorick. I knew him so well.

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More later.

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BCOT

Saturday

Happy Independence Day!!
Rainy here so far all of today. Not the best conditions for outdoor activities. But the evening could turn out just fine.

3 may be at the Boston Pops tonight. Hope her weather cooperates. Niel Diamond? Or a clone? I thought that guy was long gone. Maybe he's like Jim Nabors' singing the National Anthem at the Indy 500. A once a year gig.

With the markets closed yesterday, I figured that all the normal closures would occur. But the banks in our area were open, and SB's didn't have that holiday feel. What happened to the first half of the year?

I didn't tell everyone about one very interesting conversation that I had down in StL while the rest of you partied till the cow's came home. A late evening visit to the lobby bar produced an unexpected (one could say surreal) chat with Stan "The Man" Musial. Here's the transcript from that meeting:

LtPC: Excuse me sir, and I don't me to bug you, but you look like Stan Musial. Any relation?

STM: You've got good eyes sonny. Have we met before? And don't call me sir.

LtPC: No sir. I did have an autographed picture of you in my bedroom back on the farm in southern Iowa maybe 50 years ago.

STM: Don't remind me of how old I am.

LtPC: Sorry about that, sir. What are you doing here at the Millennium Hotel at this hour? Can I buy you a drink?

STM: Thanks, but I'm good. Autograph session for a Cardinals' fan club in town from Joplin. My ride had a little fender-bender across the street, and it's too freakin' hot to watch the cops write up the tickets. Stupid deal.

LtPC: You catch any of the games with the Twins? What'd ya think of that kid, Mauer?

STM: Too hot for an old man to go to the games. I listen to Shannon on the radio. Mauer seems like the real deal. He's got that compact swing, and he must have great eyes, because he never looks confused up there.

LtPC: And Pujols?

STM: No one better around these days. Great player.

LtPC: How 'bout the new Busch Stadium?

STM: It's a lot like the old Sportsman's Park where we played when I was on the team. The Busch Stadium that this new one replaced was a nightmare for most players. Like playing in a parking lot. Those lead-off guys who could run might have liked it, but baseball's supposed to be played on grass, for chrimeny sakes.

LtPC: Any pitchers out there that you like these days?

STM: Never did like pitchers.

LtPC: Managers?

STM: Ya know, LaRussa's not too bad. But it's the players who win and lose the games. The way it is today, it comes down to how much money a team spends on the roster. If you don't have some players, ya don't win.

LtPC: Drugs?

STM: In my day it was booze. Heck, if they breathalized the boys before games in the '50's, we might have had to call up some Triple A players to start the games. Never heard 'bout steroids. Did they even exist back then? There was no such thing as off-season training. Lots of guys had other jobs in the Winter to support their families.

LtPC: One thing I did notice over at the new stadium was the price of beer. Eight bucks! I'm not sure that's what they mean when they say, "This Bud's for you."

STM: When I came up in '41, you could get a glass of suds for a dime! In the minors in the late 30's, I made only $65 a month! That $10 glass of wine you're drinking is outta my league.

LtPC: Well, I do have a small wine problem, but I'm working on it. Lastly, I know you played ball against Jackie Robinson. That had to be quite an experience. Ever run into any problems with the race thing? Did you ever imagine that we'd have a Black President?

STM: Jackie was a good guy. Played hard. Got treated badly by some jerky fans every now and then. I'm glad baseball's got past that stuff. Politics? I don't pay much mind. Hope and change? Reminds me of the boys hitting against Feller. Hopin' for a change...up! Ya can't hit what ya can't see.

LtPC: I'm headed up to bed. Thanks for your time, Mr. Musial. It's been a real pleasure. G'night.

STM: My pleasure, sonny. And don't call me mister.

Well there you have it, boys and girls. Just like it could have happened.

The rain has stopped. I'm off to the hills for a short one. More tomorrow.

BCOT

Thursday

This a pic of me and my buds after today's practice round at TPC Deere Run. Randy, Roy, Ron, and moi. Really a great day. Seasonal 70's. Not much humidity. Good friends. My golf left something to be desired, but I felt good about getting around the course before scores really count next Wednesday.

My pal Ron (blue shirt in the middle) is going to be my caddy. No carts, so he has to carry my bag. No way I could do it on a flat course, let alone the hilly layout at TPC. He's the golf coach at PV High School, a morning coffee regular, and (in a previous life) the carpenter contractor on our office building in 1989. And for bonus points, the dad of one of my PV Breakers AAU basketball team when 4 and her friends were in 5-8th grades. (He admits that he didn't like me much as a coach. Note to all: he was not in a small group.)

We even had a gallery of two this afternoon for our last four holes! Another client of mine knew that we were out on the course and he and a friend came and followed us when they had completed their round. They checked us out from the seating areas around the greens, and heckled us on the tees. They were trying to get me ready for game day.

The markets are closed tomorrow (which probably aided today's sell-off), but I'll be going in to move some tasks off my desk. I have several projects to get done next week, and I have an IRS agent in on Monday to conduct an audit. (Great way to start the week!) I'll need to make up some biking mileage, and, of course, the yards are ready again. Busy day. I'll try to blog from the office in the morning.

BCOT

Wednesday

It's been a slow adjustment back to normal for me this week. I don't think that it was the wine. Just a different routine. Travel. A different bed. All in the heat. Whatever. Better today.

The big news here is that I am scheduled to play in the ProAm event next Wednesday as part of the PGA tournament here, the John Deere Classic. I bought some raffle tickets from my pal Roy last month for a drawing that I had no details about; not what it was for, not the prize, not the date of the drawing. Anyway, the call came in last week, and I'm in!

I'm playing a practice round tomorrow since I haven't been on the TPC course for 5-6 years. And I'll probably hits some balls a couple of times over the weekend. The parings party is Monday night. I'll meet my foursome partners, and we get assigned our pro and our tee time for Wednesday.

For the non-golfers in the crowd, a ProAm is a common event at most PGA tour stops. Often, there may be a couple of days of various things that allow local hacks to rub elbows with the pro's. For a price. Here, the primary ProAm event goes for around $3,750 per golfer. For that price, the golfer gets to play a practice round, the ProAm itself, a bunch of tickets to the tournament, and various other gratuities. The tournament collects $3,750 from about 225 amateurs, and still makes out big even after the give-aways. Do the math.

"Get Well's" out to 3 who seems to have picked up a bug on the road.

"Kudos" to 4 who has been doing the evening newscasts on her own this week.

"Thanks" to all for the good wishes for Father's Day.

More tomorrow.

BCOT

FFF. StL. June 26 -28, 2009.

Tuesday

The smart phone is up and running, and sync'd with my desktop at the office. I barely know how to turn it on, but it does work.

The big question of the day is, "If football and basketball teams have coaches, why do baseball teams have managers?" And if a movie star has a manager, why do they also have acting coaches? Shel Silverstein, where art thou?

Another RCL day here in Bettendorf. Life's small pleasures.

StL in 48-72 hours.

More tomorrow.

BCOT

Monday

Well, I-80 was everything that was expected for a Sunday afternoon. Back home around 1830.

While I didn't actually get to a game, I did pass by Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha during the College World Series. The finals start tonight with Texas-LSU in the best of three.

I also passed by the Iowa Raceway track in Newton where they held an Indy-car race yesterday. Dario Franchitti of Ashley Judd fame was the winner. The traffic headed back to DM was bumper-to-bumper.

This entry is coming to you from a US Cellular outlet where they are now in the 75 minute range of trying to convert our phones to a business account. If my pal Bill was not here, I would have been long gone. (I actually walked out of another US Cellular store on Friday when I tried to initiate the transaction myself and they started with the bureaucratic BS.) American business in general suffers from a condition called "anti-automated-systemitis". Basically, that means that if you want to do anything that requires a human to enter a transaction that could under normal conditions be handled through an automated process, the human transaction will be screwed up.

Congrats to RevKev for the completion of his first triathlon. There is a very small part of me that envys the ability to take on such challenges. When I was young and ambitious, the physical challenges were big motivators. Now, I'm just glad that I can keep rubber between me and the road. Here! Here to RevKev!!

Lots of stories in the media about the celebrations at Stonehenge yesterday. My only observation is from a half-empty-glass perspective: we now begin to lose sunlight. My pal Pete and I like that early morning ride where we take off at 0520. As is the plan for tomorrow.

I had planned to get out tonight as well, but the hay field that is my yard beckons. I'm also on the hook for my perfect neighbor' who had rotator cuff surgery last week. So with 94 degree heat and two yards to do, I'll get plenty of exercise.

Thanks for the Father's Day messages. We'll celebrate for real in Stl. Belated Father's Day wishes to all of the dad's out there.

Finally, my new favorite saying (that I heard on the radio on my trip last weekend from basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla); "There are three kinds of people, 1) people who know, 2) people who don't know, and 3) people who don't know that they don't know."

Maybe more later.

BCOT

Sunday

Checking in from the SB's down the street from 4's apartment in Lincoln. Not a lot different from any other SB's.

My day yesterday began early and all went according to the schedule. The U-Haul van was easy enough to drive, and I found 4's place with only a small amount of problems (just in her neighborhood). She lives in a typical large apartment complex with lots of units, in an area with lots of similar complexes. I suppose that you get to a college town, and there's a need for large numbers of rental places.

We did a little tour of Lincoln yesterday afternoon, and then had a nice evening together with dinner at a nearby Macaroni Grill, and then to the movies to see Star Trek. I continue to like the Macaroni Grill (although the wine list is a bit pedestrian), and we both agreed that the fam had seen much worse movies on Christmas Eves past.

I got the thrill of sleeping on the air mattress (not the worst experience of my life), and 4 got to celebrate her new bed (report to follow). The air mattress reminded me a little of the water bed that my roommate had when I was in grad school at Iowa. He had a cheap one that didn't have a "wave control" system, so you roll over and it's like you're at the beach. Since this air mattress is leak-free challenged, the wave thing was there.

We're headed to breakfast. And then I'm headed East. Love I-80.

More later.

BCOT

Thursday

3 gets Daughter of the Day for being the first person in a month to actually acknowledge the existence of 4KDays. Not that I am motivated by my readership or anything.
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This is not my favorite pic, but the more recent ones are all on the laptop which I do not have here at the office today. If I knew entry-level skills on Photo Shop, I would have edited the pic to get a head-and-shoulders shot, but obviously I missed that session in Photography 101.
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Planning today for the trip to Lincoln included changing the U-Haul reservation since I got the call this AM saying that the closest trailer for my needs was in Rock Falls, Illinois (60 miles East of here)! The clerk point out that my reservation did read in the fine print, "subject to availability". Thanks a lot. I now have a van reserved for the trip (at a slightly higher price, of course).
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The Quad Cities Air Show is here this weekend. The Blue Angels have been roaring overhead today practicing their routines. It's a big draw.

More later.
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BCOT

Wednesday

The first hot and humid day of the Summer. 85 plus humidity today. Not my kind of weather. I'm camping out in my basement this evening. Amazing what a good dehumidifier can do for creature comforts.

4's television station has a Twitter address. Check it out: channel8abc. KLKN television in Lincoln.

I'm thinking that Twitter will fail as a business proposition. Reality has it's limits. While there is an element of vicarious interest in a celebrity's activities, everybody gets tired of everybody after a while. Who cares if Brit had a footlong at Subway?

Relatedly, the social networking site MySpace laid off 400 people this week (30% of it's workforce). The dynamic just keeps evolving. What worked last year is now passe.

Tiger Woods takes a lot of heat for his keeping his distance from the public. But with camera phones, instant messaging, Twitter, and the blogsphere, no one is safe from prying eyes and mud-rakers. Can you say Michael Phelps?

Another weekend with the fam on the move. C-town. Lincoln. Who knows with 3? Then it's the StL a week from Friday.

Can Mauer hit .400?

More later.

BCOT

Sunday

TOMRV was a success, although it was a long, long day.

I got up early enough to take off around 0630, but a light rain was falling and the Northern horizon looked pretty ominous, so I did what any cautious fair-weather-rider would do, I went to SB's to consider the possibilities. After an hour or so, the rain had abated, and I elected to head for the hills.

Most riders must have gone ahead and started at their normal times, because I never really saw the "crowd". My breakfast stop at mile 15 around 0915 had a good number, but not the size I usually see there. The first real "sag" stop was at mile 28 and there were hardly any riders there taking a break. By the time I hit the second sag near my halfway point around noon, the volunteers were closing up shop.

In addition to my late start, there was also a bit of a head-wind coming out of the Northeast. This kept my flat-surface average speed under 15 MPH, which is really too slow for the distance needed to be covered. The only people I passed all day was a dad and his grade-school-aged daughter (who was only doing a few miles) with mom following in the van with lights flashing. If it was NASCAR, they would have "black-flagged" me (too slow on the track).

By the last third of the ride, I had settled in to a bit of a rhythm and maintained contact with a few riders who seemed to fit my profile (read: old and philosophical). The last 20 into Galena are the hardest due to Tahoe-like grades on several of the climbs. The butt was definitely feeling it. And the left hammy. Finally rolled in around 1615. Can't say that any part of the actual ride was fun. 2 was waiting for me at the appointed bar.

We went inside to have a cold one before heading home, and proceeded to party for over two hours with a small group of riders from the Illinois side who were in that cadre (mentioned right above) that I loosely connected with those last several miles into town. The spouses had driven to Galena and they were all ready to party. Turns out that I actually knew a couple of the guys from business things, and there were social connections as well. It's a small world.

2 was a loyal DD and politely declined each of the several rounds (including Jagermeister shots!) that found their way to our table. Really made the day a great day, and the seat-time worth it. I'm sure that I'll see this group again.

I've always said that TOMRV wasn't the RAGBRAI, party-kind of ride, as it's just too hard for the casual rider, and even the more serious rider can't afford to start pounding brewskies at 10AM. But the party in Galena may be testimony to the contrary. If you have a group like that, a party can break out anyplace.

Lots of yard work today.

Sounds like 4 got the first stage of moving-in in Lincoln handled. We'll be anxious to hear details.

And 3 was partying hardy in NYC last night. We are a very cosmopolitan group!

More later.

BCOT

Friday

The best laid plans...

The plan was to have Mom and 4 head over to Lincoln early tomorrow in 4's car, and then 2 and I would follow with the U-Hall and Mom's car when I got done with my TOMRV ride later in the day. Unfortunately, the U-Haul connection didn't. So Mom and 4 will take what they can in the two cars and I'll take the big stuff over next weekend when we have the U-Hall arrangements all covered.

I plan to take off a little after 6 in the morning, if it's not raining. 2 is supposed to meet me 85 miles later in Galena at 2 PM. I'll stop several times along the way. Part of the entry fee is for the treats provided to the riders at the "sag" stops. Those stops are spaced at approximately 20 mile intervals. I should average 15-17 mph while riding. (I'll be one of the slower guys in the pack.) The scheduled finish in Dubuque is 108 miles. The return trip on Sunday is only 86 miles.

I'm taking the mini-digital along, so I should have some pics to post tomorrow night.

All for now. Good luck to the travelers.

BCOT

Wednesday

1 and 2 at the Twins' game last month.

Nice party last night for my pal Pete's 60th. His office staff did a nice job and several good friends from out of town even made the trip. I had him out on a late afternoon bike ride as a diversion. Naturally, I got him to the church a half hour late.

I'll post a picture here tomorrow. I loaded some pics on my desktop, but can't seem to access that file from my laptop, and I left the camera at the office.

This is one of those weeks where I am one day off. This feels like Thursday.

One of the unfortunate realities of my life is the fact that I'm going to have to change my route for weekday afternoon/evening bike rides. The DCC route has become way too busy for a casual ride. It's not a safety fear, but rather the stress of staying on high alert all the time. I'd say that traffic is up 20% over last year, which is a little surprising since housing starts/completions out that way aren't all that bustling. Whatever. Let's hear it for progress.

My pal Bill took off this morning for a Canadian fishing trip with three other old, old friends. They drove to International Falls, and then get flown in a pontoon plane to the camp and are dumped at the site. They're on their own for five days. I love Boom-Boom, but five days off the grid in remote Canada is outside my areas of interest. Not matter how much alcohol is involved.

For the Miss Homemakers in the crowd, my RCL does windows. Inside and out. She had me set out my step ladder for her use yesterday.

Have a great evening.

BCOT

Monday

One of the hardest circuits around Davenport CC ever tonight. Great tail wind on the outward leg, but brutal coming home. Standing peddling on the flat to maintain 8 mph. Ouch!!! If it's anything like that on Saturday morning, TOMRV will be a mail-it-in exercise.

The primary race in Europe this week is the Dauphine Libere which is a week-long stage race in southeastern France, and several of this year's TdF likely-contenders are in the peloton. Like many years, it has a number of climbs that are often also in the TdF. On the map this year is the Galibier, the mountain that is my primary objective in our trip to Italy in September.

My pal Pete's 60th birthday is this week. Such an old f**t. We're doing brewsky's on the deck at Guv's tomorrow to celebrate.

Looks like a big weekend move to Lincoln this week. U-Haul and all. More Real Life 101.

I'm wondering what the gay versus straight ratio was at the Tony's was last night. Actually, I'm not.

Is there a sports star more disliked than Kobe?

I'm hosting a little family reunion the weekend in July when Phil comes through town on his way to Ottumwa for his 50th high school reunion. Now I need to contact some family. We have a number of cousins and other shoe-string relatives in town. I'm so social.

All for now.

BCOT

Sunday

I'm almost looking forward to going back to work tomorrow. Golfing three straight days was just a little too much for me. Today was a day of rest.

4 and Mom have spent the weekend apartment-hunting in Lincoln. What they hoped to get done by Saturday afternoon took an extra day. 4 will now have a busy week getting ready for starting her job a week from Monday. Hello, Life 101!!

The GM bankruptcy event has come into play with one of my clients who was in the process of buying a GM dealership that was under some stress. Before the execution of a Letter of Intent, the dealer received one of the "Notice " letters, so the price of the proposed acquisition was discounted further. Subsequently, the dealer also got a Directive Letter from the "New GM" that further twisted the screws. I'm hoping that my client will just walk away from the deal, but my instincts tell me that my guy now thinks that he really has a good deal.

Tiger made a statement today with his come-from-behind victory on the golf tour. I'm guessing that the rest of the field now expects that they'll need more than a little luck to beat him at the next "Major" in New York in a couple of weeks. He birdied the last two holes (which were the hardest on the course) to win by two after starting the day down by 4. Impressive.

There was an article in the local paper today promoting fist-bumping as a preferred alternative to hand-shakes in business and casual greetings. I've been a fist-bumper, elbow-nudger for over two years, ever since I got the plague from 2 during the 2006 Christmas season. I've found the exercise to-shake-or-not-to-shake a bit uneven. There are times where it just is easier to conform and shake.

In the Winter, I used the old, "I've just had the flu", excuse to deflect an extended hand. Most of my friends know that I don't like to shake and they'll do the bump. It's that first encounter with a new acquaintance (or competitor on the golf course) where you have to make that decision whether to make a stand. Or not.

The Catholics at Mass are the worst. Not only do you have the "Kiss of Peace" hand shake with all contiguous seatees (pewees?), but they share wine from the same chalice. Ugh. And yuck. (I'm pretty sure that I have mentioned this phobia before in this tome.)

My pal Pete's son is completing his coast-to-coast biking trip this week in Charleston, South Carolina. Pete's scheduled to get down there to ride with them on the last couple of days. The ride was a cancer fund-raiser, and I applaud them for the effort. But that's way too much seat time for me. I get bored after three days on RAGBRAI. See www.blog.dannysride.org.

No major plans for the week. TOMRV Saturday.

BCOT

Saturday

Great day yesterday. So-so golf. But great party.

Looks like rain today.

Lots of the fam on the road.

I should be done with golf early this afternoon. Will catch up here this evening.

BCOT

Friday

18 yesterday. 27 today. Beautiful weather. Lt. P.C. has played better golf in his day.

4 and Mom are headed to Lincoln today to look for apartments. The station called 4 earlier this week and wants her on the job on the 15th. So much for decompression time after graduation.

Have a great weekend.

BCOT

Tuesday

My pal Bill and I are in the process of upgrading our mobile devices to smart phone technology. In addition to the normal comparison-shopping, we're having to bring in our office IT vendor and the IT boys from my B/D to make sure that all the email remains secure. Our situation is a little more complicated because our accounting firm and Criterium share an exchange server. Fire walls, span filters, synchronization, etc. and et al.

Once this decision gets made, we get to jump into the questions on our land line system. The fun never stops. The great part about this is that the solutions are always cheap.

In health-related news, I've started another dental project. My top front four teeth are on a bridge that has been cracked for a couple of years. In doing the math, I've figured that my normal annual out-of-pocket dental costs are less than the insurance premium, so I've decided to fix the bridge in 2009 and go off the insurance in 2010. (The bridge project exceeds $3K of which the insurance covers half.) As a preliminary measure, I'm now doing a little whitening program on the rest of my teeth in anticipating a slightly whiter replacement bridge. I feel so Hollywood.

Quite a bit of golf the rest of this week. A guest event at the course in Muscatine. Should be fun if the rain stays away.

More tomorrow.

BCOT

Monday

And just what happened to May?

The wife of my perfect neighbor (Jim) decided last week that she (Judy) wanted to raise some blueberries and raspberries. Since she has fully utilized her entire yard, she concluded that a nice sunny space behind my garage, in my yard, was the perfect place for the patch. So last night we had a planting party, setting out four bushes. Judy isn't someone to debate, so I just sat on the little hillside and watched. Jim and I just do what she tells us to do. We'll see if we get any berries. Probably not this year.

I was the guy who dumped his almost full grande Americano at SB's this AM. I was just sitting by myself in one of the plush chairs reading the paper with the cup on a side table. I reached for the cup, hit it perfectly, and pushed it right off the table. I'm wondering how many of those that they have each day? Fortunatly for me, I had none of my buds around to attest to my ineptitude. I'm sure that I'll do it again. Hoping it's not too soon.

My pal Roy is back in-country from his trip to Africa. Details tomorrow at coffee.

Here's a little news from Augustana basketball. They just released their 2009-2010 schedule. Along with their normal pre-season visits to other highly-ranked D-III schools (including two-time defending champion Washington out of StL), they take a little jaunt to Spokane on December 9th to play Gonzaga. Yes. That Gonzaga! Suite.

I'm also wondering how the broadcast networks rationalize any enthusiasm for advertising re-runs of their evening shows during the Summer. I mean, for example, CBS thought enough of The Unit to cancel it for next Fall. (I mean it wasn't a great show, so it's not like we're at a loss.) But throughout the last few holes of the Sunday PGA event, that went to two holes of sudden-death, they must have pitched The Unit a dozen times.

Let's see. This is a crap show, but because we have to air something to fill the slot, this is it, and it's a really good show!!! But it probably won't be here next week. Maybe those ad guys should go work for the closed Chrysler dealerships.

All for tonight. Have a great evening.

BCOT

Sunday

Congrats to 1.1 for a marathon p.r. up in Minneapolis this AM. You 'da man!!

My pal Pete and I did a ride to DeWitte for breakfast. It was a Top One day! (I don't think that it could get any better unless there was a tailwind each way!)

I'm headed over to 2's to help with some yard work.

More later.

BCOT

Friday

A little lunch with 4 at Golick's. Hard to beat. Especially with Margret as transportation.

My recollection of my post-graduation Summer is a bit sketchy. I know that I came back to Iowa for a week or two. Then I drove South and visited my senior-year St. Mary's, Cajun-French girlfriend in New Orleans for a week. (That went well, but I don't think that we saw much of each other after that trip. An early chapter in my history of unreliability.)

Then it was back to Iowa before an early July reporting date with the USAF in Wichita Falls, Texas for three months of Transportation Officer training. I lived in a sparsely furnished base dorm called the BOQ (Bachelor Officer's Quarters). Not unlike a motel suite. Upon completion of the training, I'm pretty sure that I drove back to Iowa (in the original Margret), and then on to Dover, Delaware in September for my first assigned duty.

At Dover, I again checked into the BOQ before learning the local lay-of-the-land. Within a few weeks, I moved in to share a two-bedroom apartment off-base with another Lieutenant who worked my same job with another crew on a different shift. Very basic living with tacky furniture and Wal Mart-quality utensils, appliances and window treatments. Then again, we were two guys with no lives, no families close-by, and little money.

I survived two years in that situation in Dover. And another 14 months in the similarly, plushly furnished BOQ in Kunsan, Korea.

(Just remembered. We had Polish cleaning ladies in the dorms at ND. And Korean cleaning ladies in Kunsan. Turns out that I have a bit of a history with International cleaning ladies.)

I'm betting that 4 will do just fine with her adventure in Lincoln.

Have a great weekend.

BCOT

Thursday

Another night with expectations to mow the yard. Another night doing other things. I guess the hardware store was just funning with me when they called last week and said that they were ready to do the tune-up on my machine. It just wouldn't be right if you took a mower in and they fixed it in a couple of days. Seinfeld wouldn't have anything to talk about.

Among the other things signified by Memorial Day is the start of Road Construction Season here in the Midwest. Our area here is heavily dependent on movement back-and-forth across the Mississippi River. There are five bridges that span the river, and rarely are they all fully open. While the commuting times don't rival the two hour ones from my C-town history, an extra 15-20 minutes to move from state to state is common. At times, it almost seems that the Road Maintenance schedulers are in cahoots with one another.

More tomorrow.

BCOT

Wednesday

4 made it official today and signed her employment contract as a news producer with the TV station in Lincoln, Nebraska. She starts July 6th. Lots to do between now and then to get ready for Real Life 101. The fam is proud of you, Kiddo!

My Sometimer's surfaced tonight when I headed home to do a quick mowing of my yard before dark. I stopped and picked up some of the big yard-waste bags and the associated pick-up stickers. Since garbage day is tomorrow and having figured that catching the clippings from a slightly damp lawn made good sense, my plan was coming together. I got home, changed to work clothes, and opened the garage to get started. One problem: no mower. I had taken it in for a tune-up Saturday morning. And forgot to pick it up.

Turns out that it's a good night for blogging.

I've had a few texts from my Pal Roy's IPhone. He's staying at a freak'n Five Star Fairmont at the foot of Mt. Kenya!! With a golf course!!! I think that using the term "safari" may be a bit misleading.

Here's a little philosophical exercise for all (ten) of my readers; list your Top 25 Days in your lifetime. The idea originated last week when 4 graduated from from Iowa. For me, that was definitely a Top 25 Day. They don't necessarily have to be happy days to make the grade. Others on my list would include:

1. ND graduation, May 1971. I still remember sharing it with Mother and Daddy.
2. Iowa High School b-ball quarterfinals, March 1967. DM's Vets Auditorium. A huge victory.
3. 1 and 1.1's wedding, July 2007. TC. Has there ever been a better party?
4. ACL surgery, April 1989. End of my b-ball career. Hello bike!
5. The move from C-town to Davenport, August 1980. A clean slate.

It's a good exercise, and requires each person to define their own criteria.

Have a great day.

BCOT

Monday

Happy birthday to 1!! She is Daughter of the Day. She needs to enjoy her last year in her 20's!

My pal Pete and I did 30 out to the Eldridge Hardie's this AM. Can't say that I feel all that strong at this point. With TOMRV now just 18 days away, my prospects for being in good form for 85 miles is marginal.

I also got over to Arsenal Island for the Memorial Day program. No flower drop any more. And they no longer allow you to park your car even remotely close to the ceremony area. And the bus system is a little short on organization. Whatever. It is the government. I look forward to their operation of GM.

Here's another deep topic of conversation. When you are out on the road on your bike, you always shift down to an easier gear when you head up a hill and the going gets tougher. In contrast, in spin class, the instructor is always telling (yelling at?) you to "grab another gear" to simulate a harder climb. So if the reality of the road is that you shift to an easier gear, is spin class a little like photography where the lens reverses the view? It's a thought.

Maybe more later.

BCOT

Sunday

Well, it's been a few days, and I have no great excuse. Just busy and knowing that my five readers have all been on the move too.

Happy Tax Birthday to 1.

4 has received a firm offer for a job at a TV station in Lincoln, Nebraska. Not many details at this point, but it is full time, with benefits. Starting after July 4th.

And what is giveth, is also taken away. 1 will be looking for another position for the Fall term.

3 gets noted for attending baseball at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, and Fenway Park today. With 1, 1.1 and 2 at the Twins' game last night, over half the fam was contributing to MLB's economy on the same day. Suite!

A little yard work here today. After SB's, exercises and spin.

Anybody ever come up with observations about daily activities and the non-elective music in the background? The concept occurred to me while sitting in the dentist's chair last week. And without any deep thinking, I could name several other places where music was a constant; SB's, Gold's, very places at the mall, and most bars. There's got to be some psychology involved with this whole idea. Not to mention the variety when you are put on "hold" on the phone.

I remember being solicited by some Muzack competitor when we were equiping our new building 20 years ago.

Who can forget the commercial, "Is it real, or is it Memorex"? (Not sure if that is germane to the point.)

Anyway, Gold's has it a bit louder and with a beat. SB's likes to think it has an eclectic mix. And the dentist wants to put you to sleep.

Back to the yard work.

BCOT

Thursday

I've been off-line due to another virus on the lap-top. The latest one precluded me from even logging-on. I'm suspicious that it may have been embedded from the last go-around.

Busy times here in catching up after the graduation weekend. And I go in this morning to complete a root canal that has made day-to-day life nothing short of miserable these last few days.

My pal Roy heads out today for a 10 day trip to Kenya. He got carried away last Fall at a fund raiser for the local zoo, and the next thing he knew, he was the proud owner of a safari for two.

So maybe I'll be able to find some rhythm to my entries this weekend. Hope so.

BCOT

Monday

Here's a little shout out to 2 as Daughter of the Day!. Happy Birthday, kiddo.

More later.

BCOT

Sunday

Here are a couple more pics from graduation. I guess that it is appropriate to name 4 Daughter of the Day.

Dinner at Biaggi's last night was a big success. Good food. Good wine. Good FFF.


Departure day for everyone today. The next gathering looks like StL in late June for baseball at the new Busch Stadium.


Among other challenges for myself this past weekend was the small matter of a root canal on Thursday morning. I'm still dealing with it. Tough stuff. Another Vicodin prescription.

Will normal return this week?

BCOT

Saturday

This is one of those days of a lifetime. Iowa City with the full fam. At Carver Hawkeye Arena for 4's college graduation. She has already come across the stage and received her recognition.

The pics are from yesterday and last night. More to follow.

BCOT

Tuesday

I'd like to go to Tahoe too. Except I am saving my shekels for Italia.

RCL day today. It's a good day.

I've made another camera purchase. This time, a cell-phone-size Fujifilm digital that I bought specifically for biking. And Italia. Here's a couple of the first pics on it. Margret in the driveway. My pal Roy at coffee. And Mom hard at it at her desk.

I'm still trying to figure out the camera's functions. It may be a full Summer's job. Among other things, it's waterproof and has a 3x zoom. Cool. It has a disk with the Owner's Manual. One downside; the rechargeable battery is a $45 replacement! Ouch. A spare for the road is a bit pricey.

The personal trainer expenses are some of the best dollars that I have spent in recent years. The program that she has designed is already showing some positive results. Now I need stay with it and keep the progress going. For a life-long jock, it's pretty humbling to accept the fact that you have no strength in your core muscles. Another session in the AM.

As an FFF Alert, I purchased a case of smooth Cabernet yesterday for the weekend. Get here quick. I've already opened number two!

Enough for tonight. Not all that creative. But the camera is a big deal.

BCOT

Sunday

This image is Mom's choice for her recognition on Mother's Day, as Mother of the Day. She and 2 made some priceless purchases, including this one, at the Beaux Arts Fair yesterday.

I'm not sure if the three of us being in the same location constitutes FFF, but it was the closest thing to it for today.

Margret was the transportation method for the day.

Looking forward to The Gathering of the Clan this week. I've enjoyed telling friends and acquaintances that the last of my four daughters will be graduating from college this month. My long-practiced mental gymnastics of four girls times four years of college each is rapidly coming to a conclusion. Thank goodness.

(Three more weddings is a different order of math.)

Hope everyone has a great week.

BCOT

Saturday

Sitting in O'Hare. Waiting for my connection to Moline.

Commercial air travel is a true pain in the butt. And the trip thus far has not been anything out of the ordinary. But I was up at 0430 local in PHX. Did the rental car return to the separate facility outside Sky Harbor. Rode the shuttle to the terminal. The wrong terminal. Although mine was a United reservation, the PHX - ORD leg of today's journey was to be on a U.S. Airways flight. Say what?

But after another shuttle ride to the correct terminal, I got checked in with no problem. The SB's counter was too tempting to pass up, and I bought my Americano right before going through security, so I had to sit down and read the paper there before heading to the gate. But no problem. And I got lucky with seat assignment and moved to an exit-row aisle seat in the half-full plane, which made the trip almost tolerable.

Just had a Chicago-style hot dog right here in Chicago. Imagine that. Unfortunately, it was a poor imitation of a Chicago-style hot dog. How ironic.

RevKev and 1 are showing a little snootiness with their Wally World stories. Maybe too many lattes and designer jeans? Not that I don't have my own WM tales. But at 0630 on Sunday's, I don't run into too many folks.

More later.

BCOT

Friday PM

Another warm day in the Valley of the Sun.

Here's a nice little story from last night. I stopped at a Safeway after the program yesterday to pick up some snacks and a bottle of wine. It was a modern store and had all the departments. There was a good selection of wines and I selected a Liberty School and one other for my stay. It took me a little longer to find a few other things in the store.

I had forgotten about Safeway's "club"membership program to get the best prices. We had encountered it at Tahoe when we were stocking food at the retro condo. The store's standard prices without the membership card make you cringe. But in this case, I was/am only making that single visit, so I wasn't inclined to fill out the paperwork to get the discounts.

While in the checkout line, a mother with two little girls came in behind me. One of the girls reached for a separating bar laying on the other side of the moving surface, but she couldn't quite reach it. So I moved it just enough so that she could grab it and position it to separate their purchases from mine in the order of things. And the mom nudged her with the gentle reminder, "And what do you say?" And the little girl dutifully responds, "Thank you."

So the cashier starts ringing me up and, having already decided that I wasn't in the market for a Safeway card, I idly asked about the whys and wherefores of club membership just to make conversation. It only took him a few seconds to pass my purchases through the scanner, and he was responding to my question as he hit "total". As he was offering to make me a card member, the mom reached over, punched in a number in the key board and said, "Please, use mine."

On a $45 bill the card saved $8.50. 20%. That's significant.

Two observations: 1) Safeway has to make millions per year on non-card purchases. I think that that is technically called a rip-off. 2) And much more importantly, a very small gesture on my part was immediately, spontaneously and graciously returned. I'll remember that little exchange much longer from this trip to PHX than anything I have heard at this conference.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

BCOT

Thursday PM

Afternoon sessions. Glad I have the computer.

The speaker in this hour is a LA attorney who has carved out quite a niche f0r himself in the Employee Benefits marketplace as "the outside expert". I've been at conferences as far as 15 years ago where he has been on the program. The sponsor of this seminar is probably the 5th or 6th different organization who has used this guy to bulk-up the faculty list.

Not to say that he isn't competent. To the contrary, he definitely knows his stuff. But the shtick hasn't varied regardless of the audience (and regardless of the specific topic) and he basically tells the attendees, 1) If you don't adhere to this particular procedure or regulation, you're screwed; 2) If your client doesn't follow the rules, you're screwed; 3) In almost all cases, whether it be a case of commission or omission, you're screwed.

I always come away from his presentations wanting to become a Wal Mart greeter.

Will add more later.

BCOT

Thursday AM

1 gets a Daughter of the Day nod for making a visitation yesterday in St. Paul for a long-time tax client of mine who passed away earlier this week. It was meaningful to me to have a representative at the event, and I'm sure that it meant a lot to the family. You 'da girl!!

Long day yesterday. I'm beginning to get a little concerned about the potential discomfort level on the flight to Italy. I don't do well in a confined space for a long period of time.

I should finally be able to spend some time on the blog later today. I've missed it.

BCOT

Monday Night

Really don't have much to add tonight except to explain my absence over the last week.

Just have had a full plate. Very busy weekend. Lots of scheduled activities out of the house. Did have that chance to see 4 in IC last night.

Short week this week. But the pattern is full. PHX on Wednesday for a conference. Get back Saturday night. Flying commercial, and in coach with the common folk to boot.

Given the amount of stuff that needs to be handled before Wednesday noon, the next entry from me will likely be Wednesday night or Thursday morning from The Valley of the Sun. Guest entries are welcome.

BCOT

Monday

Iowa City last night for Airliner pizza. Cool!

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Congrats to 1.1 on completing the Pittsburgh Marathon yesterday. You 'da man!

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More later.

.

BCOT