April 4th 2014: Man oh Man! Did I coffee up today! Usually I don't drink anything with caffeine after 10 AM. Today I had an espresso macchiato at 2 PM. Over the edge! I was still up at 3 AM. Love it? List it? DO BOTH, DAMMIT! Just...
do...
both...
April 5th 2014: Doing a little yard work. I think it may be time for a gas-powered leaf blower. I am using 3, 25 foot long extension cords. I am 1/2 left-handed (i.e. semi-ambidextrous) in a world where everything spins for the right-handed. So that always has me spinning half of the time in the wrong direction. This presents big knot problems with 75 feet of extension cord and then I dropped my electric blower and the handle cracked. A little duct tape fix and I'm ready to go. It's a little tingly - is duct tape a conductor?
April 6th 2014: 1st round of golf. Still a little too wet to ride so we walked the 18. It did make my drives seem a lot longer
April 8th 2014: Back in NYC. Breakfast with Rachel. Lunch with friends at Smith & Wollensky. What a time warp! Used to work across the street at 800 3rd Ave. Had cocktails with another friend at Morton's. Double time warp...nice
April 11th 2014: Made a new business contact today from the Discovery Channel. She bought me lunch. Gave me a blanket. And a cell phone cover. Possibly some work. All excellent - although I did feel as if I met with my caseworker. Also stop back at the DIAGEO office to pick up a departing gift that I left behind. It was a shot ski (a shot ski is a ski that has holes in it to hold shot glasses. You and a group of friends would attempt to drink altogether without spillage). So, at the end of the day, I walk to Grand Central Station with a blanket, a shot ski and a skinny briefcase. I think it's all starting to click for me.
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Monday, January 4, 2016
Episode 6 April Fools and More
April 1st 2014: April Fool's Day and I am de-thatching my lawn. New skill for LinkedIn. I was wondering, if I proposed a two-for-one LinkedIn skills offer (you endorse me for 1 skill and I endorse you for 2) would I rise up the LinkedIn universe?
April 3rd 2014: I'm back in NYC! And I achieved a personal goal of being the person with the skinny briefcase!
This has brought about a reflection upon the various ways briefcases have defined my life - maybe not defined as much as represented milestones. These are the 10 Stages of Briefcases in the Life of Rob:
This has brought about a reflection upon the various ways briefcases have defined my life - maybe not defined as much as represented milestones. These are the 10 Stages of Briefcases in the Life of Rob:
Episode 5 If You Consider "Wow, It's Been a Long Time" Episode 4
March 18th 2014: Finally received the results of my "entrepreneur indicator" test. It seems I can do almost anything in the franchise world. Frozen yogurt? Of course! Mandatory drug testing? Why not? Strip mall spa? Piece of cake! Tutoring center? Who better! Slightly suspicious of all my latent talents. It seems the more entrepreneurial I am, the more the franchise costs.
March 19th 2014: Today I took my 88 year old Dad out to the VA hospital. It seems his hearing aids don't work and we are pursuing the opportunity of a new pair. He is pretty worked up about it. Not the joyful excitement of getting something new but the angry worked up of getting a "bum pair" the 1st time and general government incompetence. After waiting an hour past the original appointment time, we sheepishly departed after a 10 minute consultation with the hearing aid technician. It's really good to learn how these things work.
March 23rd 2014: More on-line shopping. Adirondack chairs. Bought 8. They look very comfy and outdoorsy - for cherry red plastiwood. I hope 8's enough.
March 26th 2014: Another webinar from the outplacement company. I feel good that I am doing these webinars. "Starting a Consulting Business." Hmmm. I need a hook so I can conduct webinars.
March 29th 2014: At the lake. The Windchill Factory is open! The Windchill Factory windchillfactory.com is an ice cream stand in Ticonderoga NY. It serves balancing act size cones. During the summer we will visit several times per week. The cone was melting and listing, no time to figure out a selfie so I took a reflectie in the car window. And it was delicious. The cone
March 30th 2014: Back home. I love Hota and Kathie Lee.
March 19th 2014: Today I took my 88 year old Dad out to the VA hospital. It seems his hearing aids don't work and we are pursuing the opportunity of a new pair. He is pretty worked up about it. Not the joyful excitement of getting something new but the angry worked up of getting a "bum pair" the 1st time and general government incompetence. After waiting an hour past the original appointment time, we sheepishly departed after a 10 minute consultation with the hearing aid technician. It's really good to learn how these things work.
March 23rd 2014: More on-line shopping. Adirondack chairs. Bought 8. They look very comfy and outdoorsy - for cherry red plastiwood. I hope 8's enough.
March 26th 2014: Another webinar from the outplacement company. I feel good that I am doing these webinars. "Starting a Consulting Business." Hmmm. I need a hook so I can conduct webinars.
March 29th 2014: At the lake. The Windchill Factory is open! The Windchill Factory windchillfactory.com is an ice cream stand in Ticonderoga NY. It serves balancing act size cones. During the summer we will visit several times per week. The cone was melting and listing, no time to figure out a selfie so I took a reflectie in the car window. And it was delicious. The cone
March 30th 2014: Back home. I love Hota and Kathie Lee.
Saturday, December 19, 2015
Wow! It's Been a Long Time
So, since last I've blogged to me more than a year has gone by. I still made notes so I could remember things to tell myself. As I look back some are cryptic, some are craptic and some I have no idea what they are about. They remain short, easy to read and have the original dates so the flow of my semi-retired life continues to meander. Enjoy...
March 4th 2014: Went to NYC today to meet a former colleague for lunch and also have a day at my outplacement offices. My 1st discovery was my big city rhythm is shot! Took a later train than I used to. The coffee guy didn't recognize me! It was only a month PLUS I always left the change! This wasn't a Starbucks with all sorts of complicated ordering - the only choices were cup size; small, medium or large. And they handed you the cup! You filled your own cup! He asked me; "What size?" I've been a medium cup since they opened 5 years ago! I used to walk in then a medium cup appeared on the counter then I put down $2 then he would put down a quarter but I would already be gone, pouring my coffee. I heard a clink as it went into the tip jar. Kind of a Robin Hood thing. Then I would hear, "Thank you, senor!" as I left the building. This time, I still left the quarter but this time it was, "Senor, you forgot your change!" Like a dagger.
Train arrives. It was packed and I had to stand. I know how to stand but on the earlier trains everyone got a seat. The train pulled out and I fell into someone. The rest of the ride was uneventful.
I arrived at the outplacement offices and was assigned a nice office. I was feeling better, practically sociable so I said "Hi!" to the guy across the way. He closed his door. There must be a no talking policy. Oh, well.
Soon enough it was time for lunch. Met my friend at the Park Deli, had a chicken parm hero... Excellent! Got some fresh gossip...Super! Paid. Note to self...you're not working.
March 8th 2014: Had a pretty great dinner with former work friends and wives. One of those nights. All agree that we should have done this sooner. Pretty sure we'll never see them again. FAST FORWARD: Dec. 19th 2015 - we have not seen them again
March 9th 2014: Daylight Savings Time - nailed it.
March 10th 2014: Went to the doctor. Had a cough since mid-January. He prescribed a steroid inhaler and post-nasal drip spray. My post-nasal drip can bench 250.
March 11th 2014: Patrick's birthday - 15 or 105. Cataracts. Deaf. Incontinent. Although; every time a human picks up dog poop, a puppy finds a home.
March 13th 2014: Participated in a webinar as part of outplacement - "Buying a Franchise or Existing Business." Learned some new things. One person asked if they needed money to get started. I learned why this guy didn't have a job.
March 15th 2014: Got a haircut today. The barber leaned in and surprised me with a spontaneous eyebrow trim. It should be by my invitation but damn they look good!
March 17th 2014: Went to NYC to meet an old ad agency colleague for lunch who started his own agency. Paid again. Forgot note to self from March 4th! It was also St. Patrick's Day. On the way home sat in the Metro North "quiet car." Very quiet. Many sleepy leprechauns.
March 4th 2014: Went to NYC today to meet a former colleague for lunch and also have a day at my outplacement offices. My 1st discovery was my big city rhythm is shot! Took a later train than I used to. The coffee guy didn't recognize me! It was only a month PLUS I always left the change! This wasn't a Starbucks with all sorts of complicated ordering - the only choices were cup size; small, medium or large. And they handed you the cup! You filled your own cup! He asked me; "What size?" I've been a medium cup since they opened 5 years ago! I used to walk in then a medium cup appeared on the counter then I put down $2 then he would put down a quarter but I would already be gone, pouring my coffee. I heard a clink as it went into the tip jar. Kind of a Robin Hood thing. Then I would hear, "Thank you, senor!" as I left the building. This time, I still left the quarter but this time it was, "Senor, you forgot your change!" Like a dagger.
Train arrives. It was packed and I had to stand. I know how to stand but on the earlier trains everyone got a seat. The train pulled out and I fell into someone. The rest of the ride was uneventful.
I arrived at the outplacement offices and was assigned a nice office. I was feeling better, practically sociable so I said "Hi!" to the guy across the way. He closed his door. There must be a no talking policy. Oh, well.
Soon enough it was time for lunch. Met my friend at the Park Deli, had a chicken parm hero... Excellent! Got some fresh gossip...Super! Paid. Note to self...you're not working.
March 8th 2014: Had a pretty great dinner with former work friends and wives. One of those nights. All agree that we should have done this sooner. Pretty sure we'll never see them again. FAST FORWARD: Dec. 19th 2015 - we have not seen them again
March 9th 2014: Daylight Savings Time - nailed it.
March 10th 2014: Went to the doctor. Had a cough since mid-January. He prescribed a steroid inhaler and post-nasal drip spray. My post-nasal drip can bench 250.
March 11th 2014: Patrick's birthday - 15 or 105. Cataracts. Deaf. Incontinent. Although; every time a human picks up dog poop, a puppy finds a home.
March 13th 2014: Participated in a webinar as part of outplacement - "Buying a Franchise or Existing Business." Learned some new things. One person asked if they needed money to get started. I learned why this guy didn't have a job.
March 15th 2014: Got a haircut today. The barber leaned in and surprised me with a spontaneous eyebrow trim. It should be by my invitation but damn they look good!
March 17th 2014: Went to NYC to meet an old ad agency colleague for lunch who started his own agency. Paid again. Forgot note to self from March 4th! It was also St. Patrick's Day. On the way home sat in the Metro North "quiet car." Very quiet. Many sleepy leprechauns.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Episode 3
Well, February finally ends...
February 25th: Online shopping. Tassels. Water filters. Brass rings. Water chains. Boot trays. Karen suspicious.
February 26th: More snow. 1 month in. Think I need a bigger plow. Fit Bit overachiever.
February 28th: "Captain Phillips." Movie ends. Went for remote. Karen, gently removes it from my hand. "Look at me. Look at me! I'm the Captain now." Help me, Oreos.
February 25th: Online shopping. Tassels. Water filters. Brass rings. Water chains. Boot trays. Karen suspicious.
February 26th: More snow. 1 month in. Think I need a bigger plow. Fit Bit overachiever.
February 28th: "Captain Phillips." Movie ends. Went for remote. Karen, gently removes it from my hand. "Look at me. Look at me! I'm the Captain now." Help me, Oreos.
Episode 2
I am still in February because I remain chronological yet procrastinated.
February 20th: WiFi must be out. No e-mails. Calling Optimum.
February 21st: WiFi fine.
February 23rd: Got an e-mail! So precious. Delicate. Rare. Be gentle. Don't respond too soon. Too often. Too late! Like Frankenstein by the pond. I'll be better next time. Don't be afraid.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)