Side Track
It took us ages to get into the city last night. It's nice to know that Americans have to suffer traffic queues like we do. By the time we got to Jen and Mike's it was 9:00. Boy Town was jammed and it took us 30 mins to park. We then discovered the restaurant had valet parking.
Yoshi's Cafe is Japanese-Western fusion. It's also a "proper" restaurant -- as are the prices. Jen and I had a grilled teriyaki salmon fillet on a bed of risotto cake and fresh asparagus. Rob and Mike went for the MEAT option.
Then we hit Side Track: wall-to-wall guys. Jen was the only lady in there for the first beer. The place was cool. Nothing freaky. Except for the total lack of ladies. Compare this to a gay village in the UK where there are plenty of straights out too. There weren't even any gay girls there! Only tough moment for me was the visit to the gents. Stood next to a MASSIVE black guy. I was worried for my cheeks. Then he started singing along to the Madonna video playing over the speakers in a Judy Garland / Wizard of Oz voice. Same thing with the big butch barman... a tiny squeaky voice.
By the time we checked the clock it was midnight. Back home for one. I was knackered anyhow, so when the alarm went off this morning I felt terrible.
Still don't feel right -- despite throwing up half my Berry Blast fruit smoothie mid-morning [oh yes]. My sinuses are congested too -- I guess from the smoke in the bar.
Last night tonight. It's going to be a quiet one.
Thursday, December 02, 2004
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Situation Update / Boy Town
1 inch of snow. Icy not soft.
Thai food from the Bangkok Cafe was excellent.
Exchanged sweater for India.
Naboo was destroyed by the Deathstar. The Force is with us!
Work has been better today (could it be any worse?). Got some things done and helped others to do the same. Chicken casaer salad for lunch was yummy. As were the Dunkin Donuts. A couple of the american ladies want me to stay here forever: they like my "easy going nature" and reckon I'd fit right in. [ooer]
Tonight Rob and I are going downtown into the city with Jen -- an asia colleague of Rob's who visited our house in the summer. We're going to "Boy Town". Look out fellas! Hopefully we'll have chance to do some lightning sightseeing and ride to the top of the Hancock Building [another Freudian?].
1 inch of snow. Icy not soft.
Thai food from the Bangkok Cafe was excellent.
Exchanged sweater for India.
Naboo was destroyed by the Deathstar. The Force is with us!
Work has been better today (could it be any worse?). Got some things done and helped others to do the same. Chicken casaer salad for lunch was yummy. As were the Dunkin Donuts. A couple of the american ladies want me to stay here forever: they like my "easy going nature" and reckon I'd fit right in. [ooer]
Tonight Rob and I are going downtown into the city with Jen -- an asia colleague of Rob's who visited our house in the summer. We're going to "Boy Town". Look out fellas! Hopefully we'll have chance to do some lightning sightseeing and ride to the top of the Hancock Building [another Freudian?].
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Having Fun?
Yesterday was completely unproductive: Everything that could go wrong with my laptop and the other IT systems did so. I got home stressed that my Transatlantic trip was turning into a nightmarish waste of time.
Today started the same, just cranked-up a notch. Things got even better at lunch time, when out-of-the-blue over our Chicago deep-pan pizza, Amy (the Finance Mgr here) announced that she is quitting at the end of next week due to "personal reasons".
I wish I'd taken a camera to capture the picture of her seven direct reports faces. Stunned. White. Ghostly. Jaws dropped.
Nobody said a thing.
Amy burst into tears and left the table. As the most remote person there, I followed -- I like Amy and hate seeing people upset -- she was OK, just needed a breather. When she got back to the table, it was really weird: Still nobody said a thing, they just got on with lunch as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
Back at the office, I have an email from the UK, asking me to call my managers home. He asks if I'd like to stay on for another week in Chicago to help support the remaining Finance Team and soften the blow of Amy's sudden departure.
Hello Graeme, I have my grandfather's funeral on Monday!
So not only have I done f-all work so far, I'm now the go between agent for Amy and my Director back in the UK. Caught in the crossfire. Fantastic! Best thing is they'll probably offer me the job for the end of January. Too late folks -- we're buying a new house!
[Sigh]
Last night's food & entertainment was:
California Pizza Kitchen pizza (1x pepperoni, 1x pear and blue cheese)
2nd Qtr of Green Bay v St Louis
2 hours of Star Wars Battefront on the PS2.
Tonight's food and entertainment is:
Food unknown
Shopping
More Star Wars probably
Yesterday was completely unproductive: Everything that could go wrong with my laptop and the other IT systems did so. I got home stressed that my Transatlantic trip was turning into a nightmarish waste of time.
Today started the same, just cranked-up a notch. Things got even better at lunch time, when out-of-the-blue over our Chicago deep-pan pizza, Amy (the Finance Mgr here) announced that she is quitting at the end of next week due to "personal reasons".
I wish I'd taken a camera to capture the picture of her seven direct reports faces. Stunned. White. Ghostly. Jaws dropped.
Nobody said a thing.
Amy burst into tears and left the table. As the most remote person there, I followed -- I like Amy and hate seeing people upset -- she was OK, just needed a breather. When she got back to the table, it was really weird: Still nobody said a thing, they just got on with lunch as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
Back at the office, I have an email from the UK, asking me to call my managers home. He asks if I'd like to stay on for another week in Chicago to help support the remaining Finance Team and soften the blow of Amy's sudden departure.
Hello Graeme, I have my grandfather's funeral on Monday!
So not only have I done f-all work so far, I'm now the go between agent for Amy and my Director back in the UK. Caught in the crossfire. Fantastic! Best thing is they'll probably offer me the job for the end of January. Too late folks -- we're buying a new house!
[Sigh]
Last night's food & entertainment was:
California Pizza Kitchen pizza (1x pepperoni, 1x pear and blue cheese)
2nd Qtr of Green Bay v St Louis
2 hours of Star Wars Battefront on the PS2.
Tonight's food and entertainment is:
Food unknown
Shopping
More Star Wars probably
Monday, November 29, 2004
Like Any Other Grey Monday Morning
After a great weekend, my work here has begun.
Or rather it hasn't -- it's taken all morning to get the IT systems running.
It's already clear that my week is not going to be easy. The sales database is screwed and nothing seems to be working as it should be. I didn't think I was jetlagged, but it's just approaching lunch time and I'm dizzy, flushed and headachy. And tired. I'm looking forward to my chicken casear pitta sandwich with onion rings side order...
The office is like all small manufacturing facilities around the globe. Grey. Dull. It even has the standard sweater-wearing scientists and techies. Open Univeristy 1970's stylee. They live.
It feels like any other Monday morning.
After a great weekend, my work here has begun.
Or rather it hasn't -- it's taken all morning to get the IT systems running.
It's already clear that my week is not going to be easy. The sales database is screwed and nothing seems to be working as it should be. I didn't think I was jetlagged, but it's just approaching lunch time and I'm dizzy, flushed and headachy. And tired. I'm looking forward to my chicken casear pitta sandwich with onion rings side order...
The office is like all small manufacturing facilities around the globe. Grey. Dull. It even has the standard sweater-wearing scientists and techies. Open Univeristy 1970's stylee. They live.
It feels like any other Monday morning.
