2004-02-12, 12:50 a.m.
So I'm taking tonight off because my flight landed at 1am last night and I got into the office by 8:15am. I was a little disoriented--kept thinking it was Monday. The boys were right--I'm never flying ATA again. We finished up the show early but I had to wait around the airport while everyone else caught earlier flights home because ATA has limited flights. Oh yeah, and when we landed in Chicago, the landing was so terrible that I almost hit my head on the seat in front of me. And heading back to SFO, we were delayed on the ptarmac for over an hour becaue of a power failure (what if we'd been in the air???)...and during the flight, a piece of the interior cabin came off. NEVER AGAIN! Live and learn.
So for work, I get a new cell phone, but it has to be from AT&T. Any suggestions? My only criteria: it has to fit in the back pocket of my (tight) jeans, I'd like a polyphonic ring tone (dorky, I know), I want good reception, and decent battery life. I'm leaning towards the Samsung X426--any comments?
I was talking to my good friend/former manager earlier today...I'm really happy with my new job. I may work longer hours, but for some reason, I am less tired. The only thing I miss about my last job (the one I had for almost 4 years) is my manager.
Wow--my coworkers make me feel like a lazyass. Hopefully I will get up to speed soon--I have to remind myself daily that I will always feel stupid for the first year of my employment anywhere. I feel stupid but I don't feel out of place. They're all boys, so that means I get a hotel room to myself and back at the office, I have five bathroom stalls to myself. Quitting that last job was the best decision I've ever made. Sometimes, there is nothing wrong with quitting...
Saw Cirque du Soleil's La Noubla tonight--pretty good. It is still pouring here. I've got half a day at the tradeshow tomorrow and then I hop a looooong flight (with stopover) home. Which is fine anyway since I have a report to write before 8am Friday. Busy weeks make for weekends that seem to arrive faster. First paycheck comes on Friday! I'm buying myself a steak.
The day started early at 6:00am and I have just arrived at my destination, where it is raining cats and dogs. I worked the entire time on the plane (OK, I also watched half of a movie from Netflix--Thirteen) and now I'm working again in my hotel room. Is this going to be common or is it just busy season? I have a sneaking suspicion it is the former. Ah well, the reason I left my previous job was because I wasn't being challenged. Now, I can't really complain. I am surrounded by very intelligent and driven people who can teach me a lot.
I don't like wearing a suit though. And I feel like an ass whipping my laptop out on the plane.
Crap! I missed Stitches West. I guess I just saved myself some money. I'm a little disappointed though...it was very fun last year wandering around and touching all the yarns. And this year, I would have known a little more about what I was looking at.
p.s. I've now got an official "domestic partner." Even though he technically doesn't live with me anymore.
SATC ended in the best possible manner last night...and my cousin made Magnolia Bakery cupcakes. Yum!
I had a relaxing weekend...laundry, hung out with J (he got a plush new king-sized bed), hung out with a bunch of friends, ran errands, hung out with my parents (I was even able to talk about public policy with my dad in Vietnamese!), and watched the SATC finale. And do you know how hard it is to find a copy of Lost in Translation? I've been looking for weeks and finally found the last copy at Target in Foster City.
Had a moment of Alanis Morrisette's "irony" last night: circled twice looking for parking, settled for a spot over two blocks away, and as I walked home, a spot appeared in front of my apartment. Ah well!
Today was my first day back at work and I don't think I'll be quitting this one for a while. So far, so good. The commute is 25 minutes either way, my coworkers are smart & friendly, I have a waterfront view from my desk, I believe in the product, it is nice to get paid again, and they gave me a cute little Vaio...but I still need to fix my stinkin Dell. Next week I fly to Florida for a 3-day conference. Hitting the ground running. Need to get back to the gym.
I am trying to get myself on a regular sleep schedule but it just doesn't seem to be happening. Last night, I slept from 10pm-1am, woke up, and then couldn't fall back asleep until 5am. I set my alarm for 10am in an attempt to try again tonight. It is almost 3am and J is passed out on the floor and I am wide awake. I just won an ebay auction for a mah jong set ($20!! woo hoo!! cheaper than at the night market in Taipei AND it has numbers on it). My stomach hurts from the Korean food we ate an hour ago (I really shouldn't be eating so late). I can hear the voices of the last few patrons from the bar across the street, the street cleaner whirring by, and some roadwork happening on Geary. I don't think I'll go in depth about my trip to Taipei since I can't seem to download my trip pictures onto my stupid laptop...and it can't get an internet connection anyway. Right now I'm propped up in my bed, under my down comforter, typing away on Jason's laptop which CAN get on the wireless. I hate my Dell.
The best thing about Taipei? Jason's mom's house is around the corner from Din Tai Fung where I ate two meals in a row after twelve days of being confined to a virtual prison of chaos. Next time I visit Taipei will be with Jason for vacation. I will fill myself up with shao lung bao and lien oo and not deal with dusty rooms, wooden beds, squat toilets, taiwanese children, 16 hour work days, insane english school owners, unadventurous Americans who just want to eat spaghetti, and crazy teachers who accuse me of forcing children to smoke cigarettes. Long story, but that's the gist of it.
I am back from my adventure in Taiwan. Indeed it was an adventure, not exactly a vacation. But I'll save the story for when I can get my computer back up and running. I HATE DELL! Anyway, I slept for 13 hours last night (first time sleeping in a real bed in two weeks) and got up at 3pm. I have until next Tuesday, when I start work again, to reset my sleep schedule. Work will be peachy compared to the prison labor I endured the last two weeks!
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