I have not written on this blog in a couple of months (OK, 3 months, but who's counting, right? OK, Anne is counting.) Seems like whenever I travel for work I tend to have some "free" time on my hands for blogging. I am nearing the end of my 3rd straight day of mind-numbing meetings, and so my now-numb mind begins to wander. And so I blog.
This is my first foray into the Pacific Northwest, and it's quite lovely, albeit much colder and wetter than I anticipated. I mean, it's the middle of May, for crying out loud! Isn't it shorts and sandals weather everywhere by now?! Not so in Seattle, my friend. Cool and rainy. It's actually not so bad, though, as I don't get this kind of weather very often in Arizona. And I'm sure my super-thin Arizona blood is a major contributor to my constant chill here. Well, it certainly doesn't help!
Two nights ago, I went out with a few of my colleagues from the conference to check out the main drag over by the University of Washington, which is just 2 blocks away from our hotel. Basically, when I say "main drag", I'm talking about where all the students go to hang out and let off steam. Just imagine the "Tennesse Waltz" in flannel. If you don't know what the Tennessee Waltz is, just ask your friendly neighborhood FSU alum.
Anyway, I was surprised to see so many pan-handlers along the sidewalks. I mean, these were students, but they were asking for spare change, as if they were indigent. One "dude" asked me, "Hey, man, got any spare change for...I don't know...somethin'?" He didn't get jack from me. I thought to myself, "Next time, that guy had better have a plan ready, or at least a workable business model and ROI calcs." He accosted me again on my way back up the street a couple of hours later, and sadly had not changed his pitch much. I'm thinking that if you're begging for change and your approach hasn't netted much over 2 hours, it might be wise to alter your delivery. Just my opinion.
Speaking of UW students, is flannel back in now, or did it never go out of style in Seattle? I mean, I remember joining in with the flannel/"grunge" (see http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Grunge-(for-Guys-and-Girls) culture in my early years of college in the early 90's (yes, I'm that old), but, gosh, that was over by the time I got home from my mission in 1995. I mean, once Kurt Cobain died, what was there left to go un-bathed for anymore? Pearl Jam? Not likely. At any rate, lots of flannel around here. And Mexican ponchos. And bikes. And purple hair. And piercings. Ah, college life! I had to hit the local Safeway grocery store my 1st day here, and the kid behind me put the following itms on the conveyor: a 6-pack of beer, a bag of frozen burritos, a jar of salsa, a 10-pack of Ramen, and a package of frozen blueberry waffles. Dorm food. Man, sometimes it's great to be a grown-up!
I'm essentially done with my portion of the conference tomorrow (Thursday) morning at 11am, but my flight home is not until Friday, so I'm going to take the afternoon tomorrow to go and see my long-lost Uncle Jim Mimms. He lives on one of the neighboring islands that make up Puget Sound, and I get to take the ferry for 1/2 the trip. Should be fun and adventurous.
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