I should have known better...

As a one of my astute readers (lets face it, there are only three readers total, all astute, or you wouldn't be my readers) pointed out, "Where'd the blog go YO!?"...

Ten years... the amount of time I have worked collectively in information technology....

Nine years, 364 days... the amount of time I have known that backups are not good unless proven so by process.

One millisecond... the amount of time required to validate the above statement... see also, the amount of time before a storage array looses it's mind with the last 2 years of picures and blogs at your hosting provider.

10 years to life... the amount of time I would have served if presented with the above information while in the same room as the presenter of said information. I think they call it manslaughter.

In summary, there are gonna be some proken links in here for a while while I reconstruct from a convoluted personal archive... Where is that "Under Construction" animated GIF when I need it...

A little Mother's Day reflection...

Another "Hallmark Holiday" is upon us, but instead of my typically cynical view, a few articles that have crossed my path in the last few days have softened my views a bit. In my opinion, the best of which, here, reminds me of how much I have to be grateful for with respect to all of the mothers in my life...

To start off, my own mother who sacrificed much for my brother and I when we were young. She provided a completely stable and idyllic life for us growing up sheltering us from most of the hardships we faced while providing a rich, lasting set of memories. These memories form the template for which I strive to raise my own children. I was recently shocked when she asked, in all seriousness, if I had a happy childhood -- I am one of the few people I know who would go back to my youth and do it all again exactly as it was.

In early adulthood, another mother came into my life, my mother-in-law. She welcomed me into her family readily and has never once made me feel like I am anything but blood. Her perpetual smile, caring and humor make our visits to her home always memorable.

Lastly and most important to me at this stage in my life, is the mother of my children. I could not ask for a more caring and understanding partner to weather the storm of raising children in this world. My responsibilities as breadwinner have kept me away from home for much of the last two years. Without so much as a single complaint about my absence, she has provided a loving home and active life for our boys who can be quite a bit to handle for extended periods of time. Beyond my love and gratitude, she deserves far more than I may ever be able to provide.

These mothers have shaped the person I am today and help continue to shape the person I want to be. I am blessed to be a part of their lives. Thanks, moms.

More observations from the field…

Switzerland is full of great skiing and skiers…. And a few bad ones. Skiing is the cause of the only broken bone I have ever had -- I say this to make sure I am clear in stating that I am not making fun of the Swiss, but I have never seen so many people all gimped up -- crutches and limps everywhere. Apparently, the wages of skiing European snow (called ice elsewhere) and versus skiing Colorado powder are broken legs and destroyed knees. With my lack of skill on the slopes, it is prolly for the best that I did not attempt it on this trip.

Today I set a personal speed record -- never before have I been so fast in a vehicle completely under my control. How fast? Me and the boys (BBM and BBM2) got up to 220km/h on the Autobahn today on our way to Frankfurt. For those of you metrically challenged, that’s 137mph. Yeah, the old C-Class had a set of grapes under the hood as I still had more to give it, but I was already over the max speed I was to get this rental :) Sadly for me, there was an BMW M3 that left me in the dust when I was at top speed.

I have had another Navin Johnson moment…. One of my pictures from London a few weeks back was picked up by NowPublic.com for an article they are writing on the paint job the Tower Bridge to get started soon. Check it out.

I also have a few other random pics from my travels or the last few days posted to the flickr account. Enjoy!

Stay gold, pony boy.

Salü from Zürich

I sit here in my hotel in Zuerich, reflecting on my most recent two trips to the homeland of my ancestors (that would be Europe, folks) and have some up with the a few observations:

• England from the air looks like the American eastern seaboard - no gridded roads - that's what you get for being inhabited for the better part of 2000 years.<
• Some Europen countries (most specifically, France) have a reputation for a lack of personal hygene. I believe I have discovered the root of this reputation, though it is not limited to the French. I have stayed in 4 hotels in Europe this far in three countries, and not one provided wash cloths as part of their standard bath linens. I had to ask for one in London and was told that the class of my room does not allow for one!?!?!? With some trepidation, she gave me one anyway. How can one exfoliate? From now on, I pack my own.
• International Terminals are not really for Customs or Security, they are an opportunity to seel you goods without tax that, in most cases, can be found elsewhere more cheaply. Basically it is a big shopping mall with an airplane ride at the end.
• While we're on travel, in Europe, for those of you not geographically adept, a land closer to the "evil terrorists", you do not have to take you shoes and belts off, or electronics out of your bags in airport security. Intelligently, they have chosen to work against the next threat instead of the last.
• A $7 bottle of water can be worth it.

I would also like to thank my über-mench, Shazbot, for his linguistic rescue yesterday while washing my clothes at a Swiss laundromat. Most of this country, items are labled in four languages - German, French, Italian, and English. Unfortunately, yesterday I found the limit of this rule - the closest laundromat to this hotel. Not knowing the language, I managed to wash my clothes, with fabric softener and rinse them with soap -- good times. Once I realized my error, the soapy clothes after the rinse cycle were my first clue, I gave Shazbot a call. He set me straight and my clothes have never been so clean, having been washed twice. In homage, on the Flickr postings, I give you a Swiss botancial example of Shazbot's finest horticultural work.

And last but not least, I have for you on Flickr, a picture of BBM. But this is not just any picture, this is a picture of BBM and his brother and "stunt monkey", Baby Baby Maury - the other brother, Baby Baby Maurice, is holding down the fort at home. BBM2 joined us on this trip as, due to his celebrity, BBM is too valuable to do his own stunts anymore.

I have tried for the better part of the last hour trying to get images published to this site from here, without success. I will defer

Lazy in London

So you are probably thinking, "What gives? The last time he went out of country he was chatty-chuck?!?! Blog posts every day..." Well I will tell you, trade show travel is different than Sales/PS travel. I have been working with the US based teams all evenings, both evenings I have been here -- this pup is whupped. Oh for the salad days of Cannes :)

I know, quit my bitching.

Tomorrow morning I am off to Zurich for the rest of the week. I could be back in London on Friday night or Saturday or I might be staying in Zurich. Who knows. Always an adventure.

I have uploaded and annotated a

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few more pics taken around the area I am staying, Tower Hamlets, and one of the places I am working, Canary Wharf. I have also placed them in the reverse order they were taken so if you saw the photos from earlier in the week you don't have to see them again --newest first. Also included, Easter Eggs for Schiele and Harp. Cheers!

London Calling...

BBM and I have made yet another hop across the pond and this time we will stay in London for a while. Also planned but not yet scheduled on this trip as a stop in Zurich, Switzerland and possibly Ramstein AFB in Germany.

We finally arrived in London this afternoon after a quick hop (9 hours) from O'Hare. I have never seen a plane so empty - less that half of the Business Class seats were take (allowing BBM to have his own) and there were less than 100 in coach. I will take it. In speaking with a fellow traveller and airline worker prior to the flight, I was told there was another O'Hare Heathrow flight a few weeks back that had only 7 people -- ON THE WHOLE PLANE! More aircrew than passengers. Everyone had their own restroom :)

I have a lucky horseshoe snugly lodged in my arse (see what I did there - used the proper English version of the swear word -- how "continental" of me) when it comes to European lodging... Some of you may have seen the pics from my hotel in Cannes, not bad at all. Well, the Brits have seen to it that I do not only look to France for fine lodging. At the suggestion of one of my co-workers (he found it and got good rate I was able to glom onto) I am staying at the Tower Hotel. This hotel is right next to the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. In fact, my room looks out at the Bridge directly (see at right photos taken from my room). Another co-worker, TH, said that this room, as described, is probably one of the better views in London... not bad, not bad at all. I hope to actually carve out some time to visit them on this trip as well :).