Just now, about 2 minutes ago, I used my iPhone to order flowers for a colleague who went the extra mile for me this week. Using just an app on my iPhone. While eating dinner. No fuss. No muss. Amazing.
I am also using my iPhone to post this note. Also while I am sitting enjoying dinner at the end of a very long day at the end of a very long week at the end of a very long month. It's a good thing that I can use my iPhone to post to my blog. Otherwise, I would probably post even less frequently. It has become a bit of a habit to post to my blog, sitting in bed right before I crash for the night. The cats curled at my feet. iPhone in hand. Composing my thoughts on the day.
The iPhone isn't perfect. The box in which I write doesn't quite work the same as it does using a normal computer interface. I can't scroll through everything I have written for example. If the post is long enough to go below one "screen" of the box on the iPhone, then I can only scroll and make changes on the one screen I can see.
Still there is a convenience factor to the iPhone that cannot be denied. I can order flowers with my iPhone. I can post to facebook. I can check my personal email. There are many, many apps that I don't even know about!
Perhaps such technology is not quite so amazing to the younger generation who grew up with cell phones, the Internet, and 24x7 connections. But to those of us who are a little older, the changes still astound. When I first started working, I used a Wang word processor and it was clunky at best. My first job after college, my bosses were amazed and gratified that we got a fax machine so they could send me documents to type up for them from the road. There was no such thing as laptops. Cell phones. Internet. Email.
So yes I am amazed that I can sit here in a restaurant in Atlanta and buy flowers for my colleague via my iPhone. And post about it to my blog.
Convenience. It's a beautiful thing.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Traveling (Wo)Man
I leave Wednesday very early in the morning for a week-long trip. I'm back for 6 days, and then I head out again. That's a lot of traveling for me.
The first trip is to Atlanta. I used to go to Atlanta quit a bit when I worked for a company that was based there. Well, I went four or five times before the company got bought and I lost my job. But on those trips, I didn't really get much of a chance to explore the city. We would fly in for a 2-day trip. Airport, Marta, office, hotel - that's about all I ever saw. This trip will probably not be much better. I have plans for drinks one night. And I will probably go to dinner one other night. But other than those two events, I expect that the majority of the time will be spent on the exhibit floor or dealing with the many, many logistics associated with the conference. By the end of the week, my feet will be killing me and my patience will be sorely tested.
The second trip is to Palm Springs. To see one of my good friends and relax. We are going to an arts show and a professional tennis tournament. I splurged and got box seats for the tennis tournament. It's the middle weekend of a 2-week tournament, so I expect that the big names will still be in the hunt, but many of the names I've never heard of will be gone. We have tickets for the whole day, so depending on who's playing when, we should be able to see some really good matches. At least, that's the plan. The arts show should also be enjoyable, and I have budgeted for a purchase or two. All in all, by the end of the five days, I expect to be relaxed and happy.
After all this traveling, I'll be happy to be home for a while.
The first trip is to Atlanta. I used to go to Atlanta quit a bit when I worked for a company that was based there. Well, I went four or five times before the company got bought and I lost my job. But on those trips, I didn't really get much of a chance to explore the city. We would fly in for a 2-day trip. Airport, Marta, office, hotel - that's about all I ever saw. This trip will probably not be much better. I have plans for drinks one night. And I will probably go to dinner one other night. But other than those two events, I expect that the majority of the time will be spent on the exhibit floor or dealing with the many, many logistics associated with the conference. By the end of the week, my feet will be killing me and my patience will be sorely tested.
The second trip is to Palm Springs. To see one of my good friends and relax. We are going to an arts show and a professional tennis tournament. I splurged and got box seats for the tennis tournament. It's the middle weekend of a 2-week tournament, so I expect that the big names will still be in the hunt, but many of the names I've never heard of will be gone. We have tickets for the whole day, so depending on who's playing when, we should be able to see some really good matches. At least, that's the plan. The arts show should also be enjoyable, and I have budgeted for a purchase or two. All in all, by the end of the five days, I expect to be relaxed and happy.
After all this traveling, I'll be happy to be home for a while.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Denied!
Now that the snowapocalypse is over, the DC metro area has slowly been returning to normal. Sidewalks are becoming clear again. Driveways have been shoveled. The kids finally went back to school. People are free to explore the great wide world again.
Maybe that explains the insanity that was Tysons Corner mall today. Honestly, you would have thought it was late December. First, you couldn't get off the Beltway for the Rt. 7 exit. Inching off the highway and up the exit ramp, I was confused about why things were moving so slowly. At the top of the ramp, there was a fairly substantial pothole - as there are all over town. I thought perhaps that was the reason why it took so long to get off the highway. Until...I got off the exit ramp and there were still a ton of cars. Frustrated by the number of cars, I took my usual back route into the mall, off Rt. 7 and behind the building with the Tower Club. When I got within sight of the parking lot, I could see that it was pretty crowded. Up the ramp to the top floor. Down one lane. No spaces. Down the next lane. No spaces. People doing the slow crawl behind people walking to their cars, waiting for them to leave so they could get their parking space. Now granted quite a few parking spaces on the top level were still covered in snow. But really? I decided I didn't need to shop that badly.
I got back on the highway and dropped off my spare keys at my niece's (she's taking care of my cats when I travel next week). It was nice to move at normal speeds again.
Since it was late afternoon, I decided to head to the gym. It was a little on the early side for me, but I didn't think I would go out again if I went home. So I decided just to go to the gym, rather than not get exercise again. Turning into the parking lot (another one!), there was a long line of cars. Up and down rows again. No spaces. People following other people to their cars. What is going on here? I finally gave up. Figured I'd go for a run at home. Or do a workout video. Something. Anything other than spending another minute driving around an overly full parking lot.
Maybe it's because everyone was stuck at home for a while recently. Maybe it's because the parking lots have fewer spaces because of mounds of snow. Whatever the reason, today was not a good day to accomplish tasks. Denied.
Maybe that explains the insanity that was Tysons Corner mall today. Honestly, you would have thought it was late December. First, you couldn't get off the Beltway for the Rt. 7 exit. Inching off the highway and up the exit ramp, I was confused about why things were moving so slowly. At the top of the ramp, there was a fairly substantial pothole - as there are all over town. I thought perhaps that was the reason why it took so long to get off the highway. Until...I got off the exit ramp and there were still a ton of cars. Frustrated by the number of cars, I took my usual back route into the mall, off Rt. 7 and behind the building with the Tower Club. When I got within sight of the parking lot, I could see that it was pretty crowded. Up the ramp to the top floor. Down one lane. No spaces. Down the next lane. No spaces. People doing the slow crawl behind people walking to their cars, waiting for them to leave so they could get their parking space. Now granted quite a few parking spaces on the top level were still covered in snow. But really? I decided I didn't need to shop that badly.
I got back on the highway and dropped off my spare keys at my niece's (she's taking care of my cats when I travel next week). It was nice to move at normal speeds again.
Since it was late afternoon, I decided to head to the gym. It was a little on the early side for me, but I didn't think I would go out again if I went home. So I decided just to go to the gym, rather than not get exercise again. Turning into the parking lot (another one!), there was a long line of cars. Up and down rows again. No spaces. People following other people to their cars. What is going on here? I finally gave up. Figured I'd go for a run at home. Or do a workout video. Something. Anything other than spending another minute driving around an overly full parking lot.
Maybe it's because everyone was stuck at home for a while recently. Maybe it's because the parking lots have fewer spaces because of mounds of snow. Whatever the reason, today was not a good day to accomplish tasks. Denied.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Is It Okay For Married Men To Flirt?
My answer to this question would be yes - and no.
At 47, I have a fair amount of married male friends. Some of them are guys I met after they were already married. Some of them I have known since they were single. Some have been past loves. Some have been past crushes. Some have no appeal at all.
I have one married male friend who used to flirt with me all the time, and it was fine. For him. For me. And for his wife. He was one of the guys I knew before he got married. We'd even kissed on a couple of occasions. We had a long history of flirting. And so when he did get married, it was hard to change that pattern. It was in large part our way of communicating. But he didn't flirt exclusively with me. He flirted with lots of women. That was his style. And his wife knew that. He also, after he was married, never took it too far. He never made overtures to me. He just had that sparkle in his eyes when we talked. When I asked him I'd his wife ever got jealous about all the women who flirted with him - because it went both ways and often started with the woman - he told me no. Because flirting with us got him "hot and bothered" and then he took it home to her. And so in that case, I think flirting is okay. She knew. He didn't push it. And he took his emotions to her in the end.
I have another friend. Also a big flirt. In this case, I only knew him as a married guy. When I met him, in fact, his wife was pregnant with their first kid. She did not have an easy pregnancy. She was irritable and uncomfortable. He started flirting with me because he wasn't getting to flirt with her. And from the beginning, that made it not okay to me. I enjoyed talking to him. He made me laugh and we always had fun together. But it often felt as though he was using me as a substitute for his wife. So although he never actually propositioned me, it felt like the intent was there. It felt as though, if I were to express interest - which I did not - he might take me up on it. I don't think he would have. He's ultimately a good guy and he loves his wife. But I never could get past the feeling that he wanted more - maybe just more intense flirting - but still more.
And so my answer is yes and no. Because I think it depends. I think if the marriage is strong, a little flirting can be okay. I think that men are men and women are women, and to assume that the flirting side of you - or the side that appreciates a good-looking member of the opposite sex - goes away after one gets married is just not realistic. But - and this is a big but - if the marriage is not strong, if one partner is looking for something outside the relationship because it's missing from the relationship - then flirting is wrong. Because then flirting has the potential to lead to cheating. And cheating is wrong.
At 47, I have a fair amount of married male friends. Some of them are guys I met after they were already married. Some of them I have known since they were single. Some have been past loves. Some have been past crushes. Some have no appeal at all.
I have one married male friend who used to flirt with me all the time, and it was fine. For him. For me. And for his wife. He was one of the guys I knew before he got married. We'd even kissed on a couple of occasions. We had a long history of flirting. And so when he did get married, it was hard to change that pattern. It was in large part our way of communicating. But he didn't flirt exclusively with me. He flirted with lots of women. That was his style. And his wife knew that. He also, after he was married, never took it too far. He never made overtures to me. He just had that sparkle in his eyes when we talked. When I asked him I'd his wife ever got jealous about all the women who flirted with him - because it went both ways and often started with the woman - he told me no. Because flirting with us got him "hot and bothered" and then he took it home to her. And so in that case, I think flirting is okay. She knew. He didn't push it. And he took his emotions to her in the end.
I have another friend. Also a big flirt. In this case, I only knew him as a married guy. When I met him, in fact, his wife was pregnant with their first kid. She did not have an easy pregnancy. She was irritable and uncomfortable. He started flirting with me because he wasn't getting to flirt with her. And from the beginning, that made it not okay to me. I enjoyed talking to him. He made me laugh and we always had fun together. But it often felt as though he was using me as a substitute for his wife. So although he never actually propositioned me, it felt like the intent was there. It felt as though, if I were to express interest - which I did not - he might take me up on it. I don't think he would have. He's ultimately a good guy and he loves his wife. But I never could get past the feeling that he wanted more - maybe just more intense flirting - but still more.
And so my answer is yes and no. Because I think it depends. I think if the marriage is strong, a little flirting can be okay. I think that men are men and women are women, and to assume that the flirting side of you - or the side that appreciates a good-looking member of the opposite sex - goes away after one gets married is just not realistic. But - and this is a big but - if the marriage is not strong, if one partner is looking for something outside the relationship because it's missing from the relationship - then flirting is wrong. Because then flirting has the potential to lead to cheating. And cheating is wrong.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Anxiety Dreams
The standard psychology description of an anxiety dream is walking in public naked. Or showing up for a test on the last day of class and realizing that you never went to the class in the first place. Those are the standard-issue dreams.
My anxiety dreams are a little different. Sure I have the standard ones. But I also have a recurring one where I desperately need the key to my front door, and I can't find it anywhere. I open everything I can think of. Purse. Drawers. I search from room to room, which in this case change from one place to another - like a house to a hotel to an office building. It's a little Alice in Wonderland.
Last night's anxiety dream was all about trying to find my food card so I could eat. Adding to the anxiety level was that I had been waiting out in front of the cafeteria, feeling sorry for myself because I was alone and had no one to eat with. When along came several girls (I appeared to be in college) that I really wanted to sit with. And then they invited me to sit with them. And I was thrilled, but couldn't find my food card. And so I couldn't go in and eat with them. I told them to go in, and I'd be back shortly. That I just had to run back to my room to get my card.
And then I couldn't find it in my room. And somehow I was now at a resort like ClubMed, rather than at college, and I still needed to eat. And I still couldn't find my card. And this time I was trying to meet up with the friend I was at the resort with. He was already inside the cafeteria. I couldn't get in without my card. And I couldn't find my card.
So clearly my anxiety is not just related to the humiliation of being seen in public without clothes. Or failing a class. It's also related to fitting in to the right group. And food.
My anxiety dreams are a little different. Sure I have the standard ones. But I also have a recurring one where I desperately need the key to my front door, and I can't find it anywhere. I open everything I can think of. Purse. Drawers. I search from room to room, which in this case change from one place to another - like a house to a hotel to an office building. It's a little Alice in Wonderland.
Last night's anxiety dream was all about trying to find my food card so I could eat. Adding to the anxiety level was that I had been waiting out in front of the cafeteria, feeling sorry for myself because I was alone and had no one to eat with. When along came several girls (I appeared to be in college) that I really wanted to sit with. And then they invited me to sit with them. And I was thrilled, but couldn't find my food card. And so I couldn't go in and eat with them. I told them to go in, and I'd be back shortly. That I just had to run back to my room to get my card.
And then I couldn't find it in my room. And somehow I was now at a resort like ClubMed, rather than at college, and I still needed to eat. And I still couldn't find my card. And this time I was trying to meet up with the friend I was at the resort with. He was already inside the cafeteria. I couldn't get in without my card. And I couldn't find my card.
So clearly my anxiety is not just related to the humiliation of being seen in public without clothes. Or failing a class. It's also related to fitting in to the right group. And food.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Discombobulated
I'm feeling very discombobulated.
First, I've been working from home most of this week. Which causes me to confuse whether it's a working day or a weekend day. I don't very often work from home. If I do, it's more often than not because I have to work on a weekend. So whenever I have my laptop at home and I'm working, my brain assumes it's a weekend. But this week...this week it was part of a Monday, then Tuesday and Wednesday. That's a lot of time to be confused about the day of the week.
Second, I've been stuck in the house a lot lately. We've had more snow than normal for DC. I was supposed to get my hair cut on January 30, a Saturday. The snow started to fall about 11 am. By the time I went out to try to get to the salon, there was an inch or two of snow on the ground. On my way there, I did a 180 on the entrance ramp and then there was an accident on the highway. So I turned around and came home. And stayed home for the rest of the day. Then, this past weekend, on Saturday again, February 6, we got even more snow. Last I measured in my front yard, I had 26". After shoveling for several hours on Saturday evening, I was able to go to the gym on Sunday and then went to work on part of Monday. I left early on Monday and came home to work because I wanted to get home before the roads refroze. Then Tuesday, the snow started again. From Monday late afternoon till this morning about 10, I was home. With the exception of shoveling snow, I was inside.
Third, I got a cold. Somehow on Saturday or Sunday, I got a cold. I'm not entirely sure how the germs could live in the cold, but then did. So on top of working from home, which I'm not used to - and being stuck inside the house, which is always strange - I've been on cold medicine. I'm not a fan of taking medicine. And cold medicine has a tendency to make me a little loopy.
And so I'm discombobulated.
First, I've been working from home most of this week. Which causes me to confuse whether it's a working day or a weekend day. I don't very often work from home. If I do, it's more often than not because I have to work on a weekend. So whenever I have my laptop at home and I'm working, my brain assumes it's a weekend. But this week...this week it was part of a Monday, then Tuesday and Wednesday. That's a lot of time to be confused about the day of the week.
Second, I've been stuck in the house a lot lately. We've had more snow than normal for DC. I was supposed to get my hair cut on January 30, a Saturday. The snow started to fall about 11 am. By the time I went out to try to get to the salon, there was an inch or two of snow on the ground. On my way there, I did a 180 on the entrance ramp and then there was an accident on the highway. So I turned around and came home. And stayed home for the rest of the day. Then, this past weekend, on Saturday again, February 6, we got even more snow. Last I measured in my front yard, I had 26". After shoveling for several hours on Saturday evening, I was able to go to the gym on Sunday and then went to work on part of Monday. I left early on Monday and came home to work because I wanted to get home before the roads refroze. Then Tuesday, the snow started again. From Monday late afternoon till this morning about 10, I was home. With the exception of shoveling snow, I was inside.
Third, I got a cold. Somehow on Saturday or Sunday, I got a cold. I'm not entirely sure how the germs could live in the cold, but then did. So on top of working from home, which I'm not used to - and being stuck inside the house, which is always strange - I've been on cold medicine. I'm not a fan of taking medicine. And cold medicine has a tendency to make me a little loopy.
And so I'm discombobulated.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Snowpocolpse, Snomagedden, Snotorious B.I.G.
Most weekends, I am running around most of the day. Running errands. Volunteering with cats (or dogs). Maybe shopping. Hitting the gym. It's a rare treat to get to spend some quality time on my couch. Reading perhaps. Cuddling with my cats. Listening to good music on the stereo.
Last Saturday I got snowbound. I was supposed to get my hair cut. As I posted before, I headed out to my appointment, driving carefully through the then three inches of snow, and did a 180 on the entrance ramp. That and the pileup on the highway convinced me to reschedule my appointment. If the choice is between your hair and your life, your life ought to win.
So I rescheduled for this weekend not knowing that the snow this weekend would make last weekend's snowfall seem microscopic by comparison. We ended up with about five inches last Saturday. Today is Friday. By 10 pm this Saturday, we are expected to get somewhere around 30 inches of snow. Hence the title of this entry, which are the various names that the newscasters have come up with to try to describe the amount of snow we are getting. My personal favorite is Snotorious B.I.G. The others are too easy.
So tomorrow, the first day of the weekend, I expect to be doing nothing. No errands to run. No haircut (rescheduled again). Cats, couch, music, book - sounds like a plan to me.
I have a feeling that Sunday will not be much better though I will dig out my car in the afternoon and perhaps venture forth depending on how bad the roads are. But maybe not. I'm playing it by ear.
So I think I'm going to get more than a little time to not run around this weekend. And that's probably a good thing. It's good to have to stop every once in a while.
Now if I can just figure out how to get some exercise. Hmmmm...
Last Saturday I got snowbound. I was supposed to get my hair cut. As I posted before, I headed out to my appointment, driving carefully through the then three inches of snow, and did a 180 on the entrance ramp. That and the pileup on the highway convinced me to reschedule my appointment. If the choice is between your hair and your life, your life ought to win.
So I rescheduled for this weekend not knowing that the snow this weekend would make last weekend's snowfall seem microscopic by comparison. We ended up with about five inches last Saturday. Today is Friday. By 10 pm this Saturday, we are expected to get somewhere around 30 inches of snow. Hence the title of this entry, which are the various names that the newscasters have come up with to try to describe the amount of snow we are getting. My personal favorite is Snotorious B.I.G. The others are too easy.
So tomorrow, the first day of the weekend, I expect to be doing nothing. No errands to run. No haircut (rescheduled again). Cats, couch, music, book - sounds like a plan to me.
I have a feeling that Sunday will not be much better though I will dig out my car in the afternoon and perhaps venture forth depending on how bad the roads are. But maybe not. I'm playing it by ear.
So I think I'm going to get more than a little time to not run around this weekend. And that's probably a good thing. It's good to have to stop every once in a while.
Now if I can just figure out how to get some exercise. Hmmmm...
Monday, February 1, 2010
Stress On Stress
I'm reasonably used to a certain amount of stress in my life. I manage proposals, often for many millions of dollars. I am usually on at least one deadline. Sometimes more than one. The people who are feeding me pieces of the proposal are usually behind. Anyone who works in proposal world - as we call it - can tell you that it's not for sissies.
I have at times also been out of work and trying to find a new job while still managing to pay my mortgage. The first time it happened, I was horrified. It's very hard not to have your ego crushed by the constant rejection. Not to feel demoralized by the lack of response from jobs you are sure may actually be beneath your qualifications. It's a kind of stress that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
But tomorrow - tomorrow! - I will experience something I've never experienced before. Because tomorrow - tomorrow! - we are issuing a press release with my name on it. If all goes well, my phone should be very busy.
And I have to say articulate things to the people who call. I will be the first person in our company for many of them, assuming we get calls.
Then again, what if no one calls? What if we issue the press release and absolutely no one finds it compelling? My boss expects the news outlets in our space to be very interested. She expects this to make a big splash. What if it doesn't? What if no one cares? We have been working on this deal for a while. It's a very big thing for us. She expects this to be the first of many press releases because it should be the beginning of lots of change.
It's a lot of pressure. It's a lot of stress. Really it's stress on stress. Stress squared. Maybe I should get some rest now.
Wish me well.
I have at times also been out of work and trying to find a new job while still managing to pay my mortgage. The first time it happened, I was horrified. It's very hard not to have your ego crushed by the constant rejection. Not to feel demoralized by the lack of response from jobs you are sure may actually be beneath your qualifications. It's a kind of stress that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
But tomorrow - tomorrow! - I will experience something I've never experienced before. Because tomorrow - tomorrow! - we are issuing a press release with my name on it. If all goes well, my phone should be very busy.
And I have to say articulate things to the people who call. I will be the first person in our company for many of them, assuming we get calls.
Then again, what if no one calls? What if we issue the press release and absolutely no one finds it compelling? My boss expects the news outlets in our space to be very interested. She expects this to make a big splash. What if it doesn't? What if no one cares? We have been working on this deal for a while. It's a very big thing for us. She expects this to be the first of many press releases because it should be the beginning of lots of change.
It's a lot of pressure. It's a lot of stress. Really it's stress on stress. Stress squared. Maybe I should get some rest now.
Wish me well.
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