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9.22.2008

A Time of Change...usually


September almost always enters my life at a time of change. Typically unsolicited and on a large scale when compared to the rest of the months of the year. Change is good, I'm certain of this. However, it is not always something I easily welcome.

i was driving on Lake Shore Drive this afternoon and started thinking about where I am in life...both on a grand scale and on a current state. It's been nearly 5 years since I made the move from Nashville to Chicago. It feels like 10. Wow has my life changed. Sure, I'm still the same crazy Steve i have always been...but I'm in a much more stable place. Bills are paid on time, things run on a schedule and my life makes a little more sense. i'll be the first to admit, I'm still lost but I feel good about the path I'm taking. I'm living and I'm learning. i have a little family of my own including both Winston & Riley and well as the friends that are so special in my life., And who would have thought? For the first time ever...I'm living alone. Life is good.

So here I sit on this first day of Fall. There are some big changes going on around me, but I however, am feeling very constant. And I am happy about that.

9.17.2008

My prediction


Quoted from stevegcole.com on July 31, 2008: "I'm addicted. I've only seen 1 weeks worth of the show but I'll make my prediction today so it's in writing. I'm picking you Dan. Don't let me down!" He didn't let me down. Dan is the winner of Big Brother 10 and well deserving of this title. I'm CRAZY JEALOUS he got to experience the game the way he did and look forward to one day having the opportunity myself.

Sorry for the short post. MUST SLEEP.

Conference Call

Another fun day with Ian.

9.11.2008

It Doesn't Hurt to Ask


OMG!!! MinervaFree day has turned into a wonderful day! Ms. Brost had purchased me an Alanis Morissette ticket for October 2nd but i thought I couldn't go because of a prior work event. As it's the only time I can see her on this year's tour...I called "just to see" THANK GOD I DID! I'm on cloud nine right now. She is a God to me...and I already know that i'm going to be an emotional little girl when she's performing.

Thank you Erika for letting me have the night off...it means the world to me!

And THANK YOU MS. BROST!!! I cannot wait!!!!!!

PS - how beautiful is she???

The Minerva-lines Series: Part One - Elbow Etiquette


Where do I begin? I'm thinking this may be the start of a series. I have been lacking on blog updates lately and yesterday's flight got me a little riled up. As you probably know, my job has me on a plane a few times a week or more. Most think this is a huge advantage in a job but these folks have obviously never traveled full time for work. It takes A LOT out of you. Sure, getting to see the world is AWESOME. But honestly, I often don't get to see much more than a convention center, bar and hotel in each of the cities I visit. Maybe if I had a few days in each city this would be a different story. But i'm not that lucky. i'm traveling to work...the play is squeezed in when I have the extra hours and energy.

So let's get to the topic at hand. Elbow Etiquette. I'm sitting in first class at the moment so I'm content on the amount of space I have to myself right now. But yesterday was another story. I was on a small plane, in the window seat, next to a man that smelled like a bloody vagina and he felt that MY space was also his. I'm refraining from going more into detail about this particular subject as today is MinervaFree day and my blood pressure just raised dramatically with the intro of this paragraph.

The elbow rest. It's built for one. One person or one couple. NOT two complete strangers. Sure it's possible to share but it's very difficult to do so without touching the stranger next to you. And unless it's a muscular and masculine man, I have no desire to do such an act. So if only one person's arm can comfortably possess the arm rest, how do you determine who get's that so called pleasure? Is it the first person sitting in the row? the first person to occupy the rest? Or is a discussion needed to work out arm rest "shifts"?

I'm not sure about all of you but the idea of talking to my neighbor is already making me minerva and we can't have that on MinervaFree Day. What do I typically do? I typically take the window seat and mind my own space leaving the arm rest up for grabs. If i need the room and it's available i'll go for the arm placement but even-still I'll just throw my elbow in the bottom corner leaving the remainder of the rest open for my anonymous neighbor. This is the courteous way to handle the situation no? Well there are definite characters who think they own this part of the aircraft. You can guarantee a man in a suit is going to over-claim his portion of the rest and I'm here to put an end to this!!! I have sat quiet too long. I plan on reclaiming the arm rest one flight at a time and I need your help. I'm not sure how we're going to accomplish this but it starts with awareness. So please comment and speak up about this topic. Also, if you have other airline or travel annoyances...please leave them in the comment section. I have a few ideas saved up for the minerva-lines series and plan on sharing them in my next few posts.

Perhaps I can even take a hidden video on a future flight???

Stay Tuned.

9.10.2008

New Hampshire


First off, sorry about the lack of bloggin' from my end. It's been a rough couple of weeks with work. I'm not complaining. I still love my job and honestly I feel pretty lucky to be employed right now. I'm starting to know way to many people who have been laid off in the recent months.

So here I am in Manchester, NH. I am up here for a Great Whisk(e)y Debate for work. As I'd prefer not to talk about work all the time...the event went well and gathered some good press. And I was up here for more than 12 hours so I was actually able to relax a little bit yesterday for the first time in a long time. I had no idea what to expect of New Hampshire. Honestly I didn't even know where it was. I new it was in the Northeast, but I didn't know how far North it was. The state is beautiful. I'd give anything to be able to come back in a few weeks when the leaves are all changing as I can only imagine it's absolutely gorgeous.

I'm not sure what else to post. Work has taken over my life for the month of September and I'm just counting down the days until Ms. Brost and I venture off to Brazil. December suddenly doesn't seem so far off. We're going to Rio de Janeiro and Buzios over Christmas and New Years. It's going to be AMAZING! And what better gal to travel with than my big sis?

For those of you in town this weekend. I'm actually flying in Saturday morning and will be at the CMSA awards party from 4-7pm. Hope to catch up with everyone there! (thanks Aaron for not letting me space it....i had completely forgotten.)