MIA

No, not the Mutual Improvement Association (Yes, I know I'm dating myself)! Missing In Action is what I'm talking about! I've been a bad blogger, not recording my travels, what Princess and I have been up to here in H.O.T. land (Heart of Texas for you yanks), nor anything else for that matter.

I looked at this blog and realized that it has been over a month since I last posted! Holy Crap! I've been lazy. There have been a lot of things going on for the last month, lot's of travel, lot's of family drama (not going into it here), and lot's of cool weather.

TRAVEL UPDATE!
I spent two weeks in NJ for work, then on to Monterrey, MX for a work meeting/audit, then to Chicago for an audit, then to Toronto for an audit, then to Dallas for an audit, and next week I'm off to Veracruz, MX for...Work of course!

The remainder of the year is booked solid! I can't believe how fast the time has flown by.

Family Drama
Not gonna elaborate on it. Just want my family to know they are in my thoughts and prayers, and that everything will work out just fine.

For a lighter note, Priness and I have begun the Holiday shopping duty! We were going to go back to Vegas for Christmas, but decided (with a finacial review) that it would be better to stay home this year. We're both excited about the holiday decorations that are going to revisit us soon! I love Christmas! It's not just the presents, the sparkling lights and displays throughout town, it's about focusing on the real meaning, Jesus Christ, his birth that led to his ministry, that led to his ultimate sacrifice, taking upon him our sins in Gethsemane, then dying on the cross at Calvary, to then resurrect, offering eternal life and hope to us all.

The Christmas music is one of my most favorite genres. We own more Christmas CD's than any other type, and that includes downloads on iTunes! I just got from Princess the new Straight No Chaser album! These guys rock! They are acapulco (acapella for those that don't know me) singers and do a fantastic job with the classics, updating some of the classics, and just having a good time. Of course the Mo-Tab's are right up there with our list.

On a more somber note, I went and had my physical this year. Good news is some improvement in my cholestorol levesl. Bad news, I've put on more weight! YUCK! Our Health guide at work told me to get in ten minutes each day of some brisk walking, so that I can build it up to 30 minutes within a few months! I'm gonna give it my all! I've got to lose this gut I'm carrying around! Oops, this is rambling.

Anyhow, We wish you the Happiest and Safest Thanksgiving this year. Be safe on the roadways, airways, and railways!

Jim

September...where did you go?

Yeah, and so far "Oh October".

September was a freaking whirlwind month for me. First a week in Mexico. Then ten days in South America, specifically Colombia, Peru, and finally Ecuador. Home for five days with a a cold, and then off to Malaysia.

OK, Mexico - not really a big deal, I'm there three or four times a year. No Biggie.

Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador were all for work, but this time I got thrown into a little weekend fun. I travelled with one of our R&D guys so that made the trip more enjoyable.

We started in Colombia, what a beautiful country. We went to Medellin (I know, former drug capital of the world) which is a beautiful city kind of in a valley and to get there the views are breathtaking. Then onto Bogota, the capital which is making some very big headway into mass transportation via rail. They are trying to reduce their dependence on oil and combat smog.

Next to Lima, Peru, also the capital of this country. Very different scenery, big, lots of casinos, and a beautiful coastline, but not very tropical, more like the coast of Baja California's coastline. From Lima, we went to Cusco, Peru. This city was once a capital for the ancient Incan civilization. Cusco is also the gateway to Machu Picchu. WE WENT! It was a great blessing for me to stand there among those ruins, and know in my heart the reasons for the symbols in the city, and the reasons why they did some of the things that were constructed there. We even got into a discussion around the symbols and I told my travelling bud that I knew why they did these things! He looked amazed. I stated that we had a history of the American civilizations contained in the Book of Mormon! He smiled and said sarcastically "yeah right!". I told him that this wasn't as foreign to me as it was to him and all these other people cause of my knowledge of the BOM and that I had read it several times in my life. Anywhooo, it was a great experience, one that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

We headed back to Lima, finished off the work and headed to Guayaquil, Ecuador. Lush, green, tropical - beautiful city. We stayed at the Hilton Colon, and directly out my window was the Guayaquil Temple! It's lights shining brightly for all the city to see. It is set on a small knoll of a hill, slightly elevated above the surrounding neighborhoods. It's beautiful, night or day! Our final stop was just for one night, and that was to Quito so we could catch a direct flight home to the states. Quito is less tropical than Guayaquil, as it is a higher elevation, but it is beautiful none-the-less.

Returning home, I went to the Doctor, got some antibiotics, decongestant, and some cough meds to make me feel better (btw, it worked, thanks for asking).

This post is getting way too long, so I'll post later today about Malaysia.

Jim

Hello

It's been a while. I've been funky...yeah I know, but not smelling! LOL!

After my last post, I made a small trip for work. I went to Medellin and Bogota, Colombia, then to Lima, Peru. From Lima I made my way to a small town called Cusco, Peru, or better known as the gateway to Machu Picchu!

Cusco is 11,000 feet above sea level. My head was swimming and my chest hurt to breathe. On top of it I had this stupid cough - two strikes. Once acclimated to the altitude - thanks to Coca Tea, went for a walk, got some great photos. Then on Sunday we went to Machu Picchu! An awesome three hour train ride, a guided tour, lunch and then a three hour train ride back! It was marvelous.

On Monday we went back to Lima, then drove three hours to a small town called Chinca. We spent the night in a five star resort on the beach in Parracas, Peru. We finished off Pisco (a place we learned had a terrible earthquake two years ago and headed back to Lima.

On Wednesday we headed to Guayaquil, Ecuador, worked the afternoon, then spent all day Thursday working, caught a flight to Quito, Ecuador, spent the night and on Friday we flew home.

I spent today at the Dr's office. X-rays for my swollen ankle, blood drawn for the swollen ankle, four prescriptions for the cough and an ankle brace, along with new glass frames, I'm falling apart.

My attitude is getting better, but it's gonna take time.

Jim

Numb

I guess that's about how I passed this last week. I travelled, did my job, got rained on, got home, cleaned some more trim for painting, got rained on, slept, and just worked.

You ever have that feeling that you've just been kicked while down and out? That's how I've felt. The sad part is, I don't know if and when I'm gonna get back in my groove.

I've got two long trips ahead of me that are going to take most of the month. Then it's back to square one. Even Sundays don't feel refreshing or invigorating to help the week.

Yeah, Yeah, I need some cheese to go with my whine! Sorry for such a downer post, it's just how I feel.

Question

I'm questioning whether or not this blog is going to continue to exist! I'm frustrated with certain things and I'm not sure if having a public blog is the best thing right now! You may or may not see this blog in the future. I may take it private or just delete it altogether!

You could call this post confusion!

Since Last Time

Yes, I know it's been almost a month since I last blogged. That should tell you just how busy I've become. The cereal in my lap incident has been the most exciting/funny thing that has happened to me in that month.

I've been to Colorado for work, Princess and I took a vacation to see our friend LS in Michigan - we had a great time and when I'm home again, I promise to report back to you our experiences and post some pictures. We had a great time with lot's of funny experiences that you're gonna bust a gut laughing at.

I've also been to Illinois, and right now, I'm dividing my time between our corporate office in NJ, and our plant in PA, with some audits in between. This is a long trip, when I get home next Friday, I'll have been gone for two straight weeks.

So, we're not dead, just busier than...well than I can remember.

Jim

Cereal in my Lap!

I know that everyone will get a hearty guffaw at the story I'm going to relate.

I was in our corporate office last week to interview candidates for an open position that I have. The interviews went well. I placed a job offer letter, and now it's a wait and see if the candidate will take the job. Fingers and toes are crossed!

We all know it is summer time across our great nation, right?! I usually wear shorts on my flights just cause the heat in the commuter plane is terrible to endure. Well, because I was going to our corporate office, I travelled in jeans just to be safe (you know, lost luggage, etc). All went well on the outbound trip from Texas to NJ.

Coming home, I was tired and decided to check my luggage in Newark back to Waco (yes it arrived at the same time I did)!

I just happened to get upgraded to first class on my return to Texas flight. It was great, big seat, leg and foot rest to recline against, personal video system with 16 channels to watch, are you getting the picture here that I'm spoiled? Good, cause I am, and here comes the part of the just desserts (or breakfast as the case may be).

They brought out my breakfast tray, cereal (my choice), banana, fruit bowl, cran-apple juice, and milk. I ate the banana, then they came and offered me a hot cinnamon roll from their wonderful little ovens, so I ate that. Then I ate the fruit. Next I poured all the milk onto my cereal (something I never do). With the mere, and I do mean mere, flick of my wrist, the entire bowl, honey nut cheerios and all the milk were in my lap and running down the seat into my butt crack!

Within seconds, the flight attend was at my side, pulling up the tray, and giving me napkins, then he went and got me more towels and helped me clean up the cereal and the milk. I'm standing there in sopping jeans and underwear, drenched in milk. He laughed, I laughed, the lady across from me laughed, it was hilarious. Now this flight attendant can move like nobodies business, like Dash from "The Incredibles", and he was back with a plastic bag and a blanket. He laid down the bag on the wet seat cushion, then the blanket while I went into the airplane lavatory and tried to dry my pants and my underwear! Oh the humility and the hilarity of it all.

Later, he brought me more cereal, but this time I decided to eat it...DRY! No more milk for me. I sat through the rest of the flight (2.5 hours) and the layover (1.75 hours) with my lovely milk soaked pants (a little dry by the time I got to Houston.

The minute I walked in the door, I stripped off them jeans, the underwear, and took a quick shower! The whole time both Princess and I are laughing our heads off!

THE MORAL: Don't gloat to others that you've been upgraded to first class when they have to sit in coach!

Happy Travels Everyone - Jim