Phoenix still on my mind

3-9-10 reminiscing brain
Back to work full time today, but still reflecting on Arizona memories.

Saturday, if we didn’t need to leave Phoenix to catch the train up in Flagstaff, Greg and I would have attended a scheduled debate at the Arizona State University between Howard Dean and Karl Rove. We thought that sound interesting, plus it was to be held at this very cool auditorium on campus. This was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Greg and I love exploring any Wright buildings and houses we can find.



Saturday morning and early afternoon, we did hang out a bit longer in Phoenix since if was 78 degrees and sunny. So can you guess one of the activities we did?



Yes, it was the first car show of the season for Greg, not counting his trip to Chicago in February to see the Auto Show there. I agreed to tagged along just to enjoy the weather for a few more hours and to get some sunshine!

Returning home(s)

3-8-10 back to reality brain
I am off the train this morning, but my head is still rocking.
I love traveling by train but last night about 2:30AM I woke up alarmed by the sounds and the motion.... it felt like a derailment was eminent.

I crawled down from the upper bunk in the sleeper and snuggled with Greg until I was calm.

We arrived safely in KC this morning. Happy to report 50 degrees and mostly sunny. Later today I will travel north to Iowa.

A view from the train somewhere in New Mexico on Sunday.
There is much beauty out west...

Friday addendum

I was coming up in the elevator about 10:00AM this morning, retrieving more tea, and two young guys (appeared to be in their 20’s) were riding up with me, after coming back from breakfast. I’m guessing these two were part of the pool party gang last night.

Guy one asked the other, “Man, what time did I get in last night?”…. Guy two said, “2:30”…. Guy one said, “I didn’t know it was that late. I was tired when you left, but I didn’t want to waste my drunk”….

I’m standing there thinking…. What the heck does “waste my drunk mean?”…..

Can anyone explain that to me? Are they teaching a college course in this now…. “Drunk Management 101” ???

I guess this means I’m officially in the group “older and hopefully wiser” crowd. When I was in college, I tried "drunk avoidance" rather than drunk management.... My stomach and head hurts now just thinking about it.

TGIF Phoenix

3-5-10 unrested brain
Friday morning and I am out of bed before I was ready to get up….. Had breakfast with Greg. I’m really dragging today. I’m tired and ready to go home.

I’ve enjoyed the warm weather here for sure, but I’m afraid this hotel is the noisiest place on earth! It’s just east of the airport, next to some train tracks, next to a fire station…. And last night there was a party pool-side which kept me awake past mid night. Thus, I really have not been sleeping well at all which is leaving me in a grumpy mood this morning.

Last evening Greg took me somewhere I had never been before but always wanted to go- An Ikea store.

We saw a lot of very cool stuff. Greg was inspired…. I liked what I was seeing and dreaming of possibilities for what our next house #3 could look like…..but for now, rather than accumulating more stuff in house #1 or #2..... I’m ready to starting eliminating more stuff from house #1.

My goal, upon returning home is to really get serious about spring house cleaning in my office. I've made small attempts to straighten out this space from time to time, but I haven’t had it all clean since the spring of 2007.

Reports from Iowa have indicated temperatures in the 40's with melting.... Perfect cleaning weather... just warm enough to indicate spring and to be motivated, but not warm enough to get outside in the yard.

PS: House #3 will happen when house #1 and #2 are sold, and Greg and I find someplace to live together under one roof. When and where that will be- only God knows.

Mountain climbing

3-4-10 productive brain
I am making good progress on my training presentations this week and I’m into a nice routine. Except today- Thursday, I am worn out and had to sleep in a bit. Otherwise I have been getting up with Greg for breakfast, then working in the morning, then break for lunch- which is sitting out by the pool at least for 20 minutes…. I am not overdoing the sun exposure... I get bored after a while, so then go walk to get some lunch … then more work in the afternoon. When Greg gets back from class around 5:00, we walk/exercise, then find a restaurant for dinner.

Two times we have “climbed” this mountain which is close to the Arizona State University campus, which is only a few blocks from our hotel. I suppose down here this is really only a hill, but if this were located in Iowa, it would be a mountain!

We did make it all the way to the very top by the towers. Here is the view half way up, close to the “yellow A”.



I am not homesick yet, so glad we still have a few days left to be here. We board the train early Sunday morning.

Mountains, red rocks, palm trees, cactus

3-2-10 grateful brain
Although I am not on a vacation from work, I am enjoying my vacation from WINTER. The weather in Arizona is having a healing effect.

Arriving in Flagstaff by train, still put us in mountain snow, but temperatures were mild on Saturday. As we drove down through Sedona, temperatures were a pleasant 50 degrees. We enjoyed lunch there and some red rock views.


Driving into Phoenix later that afternoon, temperatures were low 70’s. First on our list, after checking into hotel in Tempe near the University, was to visit friends Karin and Michael. This would be our only chance to see Karin since she had to travel to London for work this week.

Karin grew up across the street from me, thus she is like a younger sister. Greg and I have visited her and Michael two other times, and sadly I was sick both times. We can laugh about it now and it was a joke this time to see if I’d stay healthy while in Arizona. The first time for their wedding, I got food poisoning and didn’t even get to attend Karin’s wedding after traveling all that way…. That was about 6 years ago. The next visit a few years later, I arrived via airplane with flu and went straight to bed for two days, which was half our visit.



Anyway I’m healthy so far this trip… I hope the spell has been broken. Arizona is a great place to visit.... it has it all going on with a wide variety of scenery.

Suddenly summer?

3-1-10 retreat brain
Suddenly no heavy winter coat is necessary… I feel a bit naked…. But definitely free and lighter!…. I believe my spirit is also starting to feel this way. I hope this week away will be the thing to refresh me.

However, this week away is a working vacation. Greg is busy with a class all day, all week, and I am busy meeting my deadlines for completing my five presentations for a training workshop in March. But I surely will enjoy the change of scenery, and appreciate the fact that I could tag along with Greg on this trip to Arizona.

I don’t know why, but I have been struggling a bit over the last few weeks....OK... maybe for the whole month of February....having a feeling of not being comfortable in my own skin….it happens from time to time- and usually those are the times I learn something new about myself and about life… so it's not a bad thing, just some uncomfortable growing pains.

I think of this as the need to shed my skin from time to time, or punching my way out of a cocoon so I can continue to evolve. Sometimes it can be a messy- ugly process, other times just a slight bump in the road....Or it might be that I just need to be taking my Vitamin D more regularly in the winter months.
.

Note: I'm listening to a lot of music and staying away from the News and Politics, which were frustrating me so.

Words from Alanis Morissett song, "Not As We"....
Reborn and shivering
Spat out on new terrain
Unsure, unconvincing
This faint and shaky hour….
Day one, day one, start over again
Step one, step one, I’m baring making sense
For now I’m faking it, til I’m pseudo making it
From scratch ….begin again.

PS: Happy Birthday to my best friend- Greg! Glad we can be together in the same state, same hotel room, on this day.