today

I had a blast today.  Without going into details about the training we’re undergoing here in Boston, we’re getting to meet and interact with an amazing semiconductor startup.  The company is small, agile and a very honest group of people.  It’s refreshing to get a chance to work with a group of people who are passionate about what they do and who are free from the cares of getting bogged down in beurocracy.  I could see myself moving to Boston to work with a company like this.  I was constantly amazed about the level of knowlegde and understanding that everyone had about their product and how willing everyone was to recognize their shortcomings and areas of improvement.  It makes me think about how much better work would be if there was that sense among every employee, being excited and passionate about your product while being able to admit that you’re not perfect and that you rely on the feedback and input of others to make your product better.

I’m learning so much, not only about things I already understand to a degree, but also about new conecepts and areas of design and development that I never knew before.  Also, it’s nice to get a chance to spend some time with people here that I work with and see them outside of the work environment.

It’s raining off and on here in Boston and I couldn’t be happier to be away from the scaulding heat and horrible traffic.  I do miss Sharilyn and my pups, but I will see them again soon.  For now, I’m having a great day!

apple store

Tonight we ate at an amazing seafood place called legal seafood in Burlington. It was amazing, as I’m sure you saw, I had lobster. Coincidentally, before we left phoenix, I had made an appointment at the apple store in Burlington due to the untimely death of my MacBook’s battery. I didn’t realize that the place we were eating at was so close to the apple store. I literally walked across the hallway in the mall and there was the beacon of hope where I had made my appointment. They replaced my battery and I was quickly on my merry way, fat and happy!

lobster!

news as it happens

Whenever I wake up back at home, I always find it funny that all the news stories on TV are pretty much recorded from the east coast and replayed for us as we wake up.  It’s an interesting feeling to be listening to the news this morning at 6:45 as it happens.

I’m ready to go for our training this morning.  I think a few of us are going to grab breakfast, so I’m waiting for everyone else to get ready.  Good morning!

the flight here

This morning I got up early, after staying up late, and drove to the airport parking lot. I’m on my way to Boston for a training that lasts Tuesday and Wednesday. This is my first time traveling for business so needless to say I’m kind of excited. After tearing apart my bags, shoes clothes and other devices to go through security … I almost left my phone behind in the X-Ray machine. Fortunately all of my liquids were properly sized and stored in my quart-sized ziplock container, so there was no scare of having napalm hidden away in my Old Spice tube.

As we sat to board the plane, I noticed a little Jack Russell, that looked oddly like Mr. Big, being stuffed into a carry-on suitcase and walked down the ramp to the plane. If I haven’t already mentioned, we were flying out on “Ted”; which by any stretch of the imagination is no name for an airliner. “Ted” is apparently short for uniTED which doesn’t really make me feel all that great considering I would like a WHOLE airplane rather than HALF of one.

Take-off was horrible. Immediately once the plane began to gain speed, the sound of an infinitely long piece of plywood being driven across the surface of a table saw rang out from the engines of the plane. I thought I was mistakenly placed on a propeller plane that was about to lose a blade. The noise continued until we were well into the air, which normally wouldn’t bother me however the overhead light in front of me began to flicker on and off like it was trying to tell me something in morse code; blink-blink-blink-on-on-on-blink-blink-blink - an airplanes S.O.S? At the request of the flight attendant I happily threw on my headphones and drowned out the episode of “This Old House” that the engines were producing.

The flight was 3 hours and 20 minutes long but it seemed to last about 6 hours with all of the turbulence that was going on. Following the Fasten Seatbelt light being deactivated, one turbulent shake made it pop back on like the sky was playing a strange game of seatbelt ping-pong. As the plane shook, it didn’t help that I had some truck driver’s name (Ted) illuminated in front of me, reminding me that at any moment the plane could snap in half and live up to it’s ( half of a ) name.

Well, we’re here in Chicago now and waiting to board the connecting flight to Boston, this time, finally, flying the ENTIRE airplane … UNIted. It’s raining here and I want nothing more than to go outside and look for Oprah … just kidding.

um … I guess I can’t bring …

It’s too bad that I won’t be able to bring my Brass Knuckles or Nunchakus on the flight … I guess if the Evil Shredder attacks, I’m going to be up the creek without a paddle … or Throwing Star!

… and don’t call me shirley

Tomorrow morning I’ll be leaving for a 4 day trip to Boston!  I’m going for a training for work, so hopefully everything will go smoothly.  I’m bringing basically every electronic gadget I own to keep me occupied on the plane.  I’m hoping that I get a chance to do some reading and zone out to music the whole way there.  I chose my seats this afternoon and I’ll be in the center row in the “Economy Plus” section (just a fancy work for 3 more inches of leg room!).  I should be taking pictures and posting them as event happen, the few that may be.  Surely this trip will be fun, even though it IS for work … oh, and “don’t call me Shirley!”

video chat

rufus’ first day home

Mom was awesome enough to get me a copy of the pictures we took of Rufus on his first day with us.  We have these pictures in print but there’s something about being able to share them with the world that makes it much more special.  Sometimes I forget about how cute he was when he was a little boy but I have to admit, he’s probably the cutest puppy I’ve seen in a long time.  Hope you guys like these shots … thanks Mom!

stop thief!