Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Episode 7: Still April 2014

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.  
    

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:
   

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.