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 |  I travel the country on business, sometimes the world. Come see where I've been. |
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Talk about perks, my job has one of the best ones I can think of! I travel in the course of business, delivering classes for my employer. I am a Senior Training Specialist for Motorola Solutions, and teach classes on a wide variety of subjects centered around 2 way radio communications. I'm qualified to deliver approximately 30 different classes, but about half of those are 'Legacy' classes, and are not in demand anymore. My students are technicians, those who maintain, program, calibrate, and repair large 2-way radio systems. Some of these systems are statewide, and use TCP-IP networking to allow sites to communicate with others. Some are small, traditional type radio sites. The size doesn't matter, in each case the systems must be kept operational at all times, since many of them are Public Safety Systems. So I get to travel, sometimes frequently, 3-4 weeks in a row.... where am I this week? This probably won't have daily entries, but I will make entries when I get to go somewhere, and keep an updated list of coming trips. My schedule changes faster than the weather, so don't be too surprised to see me list an upcoming class, only to remark later on that it is cancelled, or delayed. Delays are fine of course, but a later date might mean that someone else gets to go instead of me,,, Well, here we go with this, let's see where it takes us.  Best Cultural And Regional Honorable Mention |
| Locale: Sacramento, California Week of: 9/12/22 This week finds me in Sacramento California for a week long class. The customer this week is a Federal Customer, and once again the class is a tailored class. With a tailored class, I combine the Powerpoint slideshows and hands-on exercises from two or more courses into one class. I've taught this same class to this customer four times already, it was this delivery that made me realize how different this group is from the others. One subject in this class involved a small black box that can perform several functions in our radio systems. I don't mean to 'bang my own drum here', but I consider myself somewhat of an SME on this product since I'm the only instructor who delivers this course, but am also considered an SME on it by several customers and groups. The delivery of this class showed me I still have a lot to learn. I knew that, but knowing is one thing, seeing it is another. The good in all this is that I was able to adapt to their needs, and show them what they intended to do (their network is not yet completely installed/designed), and how it would operate once the work was completed. There was a bit of an oddity on this trip, something that has happened only twice before. After class on Tuesday, my rental car wouldn't start, the battery was completely dead. I do mean completely. With this location being a Federal Customer site, someone had to remain until I left (not that I stayed late very long) to buzz the gate open so I could leave. When he saw that my car wouldn't start, he searched around a storeroom and found a set of jumper cables. The battery was so dead that we had to wait a couple of minutes before starting it. Once started, all was well. I drove to the Avis site at the Sacramento Airport to tell them what was going on. Of course the car started right back up after turning it off. I liked the car, and since the battery was taking a charge, I thought (hoped) it was due to me leaving something on, though for the life of me I couldn't think of what it might have been. I had no warning lights on the dash, no alarms when I got out, nothing. Still, I elected to keep the car. Bad decision. I went to dinner, then to my hotel, all was well. At least until the next morning. Because the next morning, the battery was once again dead. And once again, after getting it jumped, all was well. This time, I exchanged the car at Avis, and everything was fine the rest of the trip. Noteworthy Restaurants: Pete's Restaurant & Brewhouse https://www.petesnatomas.com/appetizers I decided to dine here based on one dish, an appetizer. Artichoke Hearts - Tender artichoke hearts fried in a tasty beer batter, served with basil aioli and mild garlic butter then topped with parmesan cheese. I chose a burger for my meal, their Jalapeño Burger. Half pound patty, topped with fresh jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, avocado, tomato, finished off with a red pepper aioli. Fin's House Sushi https://www.finshouse.com/menu I dined here my first night in Sacramento because I was in the mood for Sushi and/or Sashimi. I wasn't too hungry though, so settled for their Jalapeno Bomb appetizer. Jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese, imitation crab meat, and spicy tuna, topped with masago. My meal was Sashimi, their 8-piece Chef's choice Sashimi. If you like Sashimi/Sushi at all, you should have joined me! We could have split the 24-piece Sashimi, and an additional appetizer. In Closing Next week I am on vacation, but I doubt I will get much rest. I am on a red-eye flight to O'Hare Friday night, and will arrive home shortly before noon. Then either that afternoon, or Sunday morning, we'll head out to Virginia Beach for the Akita Club of America National Dog Show. A dog show holds little interest for me, I've never been into things like that. But my other half has, we're going for her. Besides, I plan on visiting my oldest child who lives in Hampton Virginia, and will also stop by the Forks Of Cheat Winery/Distillery to grab a couple of bottles of wine and Moonshine, maybe some Brandy. Til next time, be good to yourselves and those you love, and WRITE!  Jim Dorrell |
| Locale: Buffalo, New York Week of: 9/5/22 This week finds me in Buffalo New York for a three day class. The customer this week is Erie County looking for a bit of a tailored class on different devices. Getting here was not near as bad as trying to get to Albuquerque last weekend. There were no flight delays at all, but, there's always a but, isn't there? But. I had to fly from Bloomington to Chicago, Chicago to Philadelphia, and Philadelphia to Buffalo to get there. Obviously there were other flight options, but the connections were either too short, or too long to consider using them. Coming home, I was able to fly from Buffalo to Chicago, and Chicago to Bloomington. The only advantage to having two-stops on the way there was that I was given priority due to the length of time I'd spend traveling. Believe me, I'd take a non-stop flight any day (not possible from Bloomington), or a one-stop trip over a two or more stop trip. But, talking about it doesn't do any good, does it... The class itself was excellent. The students wanted, and needed to learn about the equipment in their system, I was quite willing to share what I could. There was a lot of interaction and discussion between all of us during the class, with the hands-on activities going quite well. Class ended on Friday about 2 pm, then it was time to head home. I'd only have long enough at home before heading out again though. You can't go to Buffalo (in my opinion) without seeing Niagara Falls (been there, done that), or riding the 'Maiden Of The Mist', (a boat tour of the falls), been there and done that too. Since I had already seen the falls on two or three previous occasions, I decided not to go again. That's a shame too, but because water does draw me, whether it's fresh or saltwater. Also, there wasn't really time enough in a day, other than after work. Usually I'm too tired now to get out much, which also contributed to my decision about going. Another thing you have to do, if you're a foodie, is visit the 'Original Home of Buffalo Wings', the Anchor Bar & Grill downtown. It was there that this whole Buffalo Wing madness started. https://www.thetravel.com/where-did-buffalo-wings-originate/ So being there, I obviously had to have dinner there one night. I've been told that The Anchor Bar doesn't have the best wings in town, but they are the original home, so going there was a must for me.  Noteworthy Restaurants: Anchor Bar & Grill https://anchorbar.com/ As mentioned, I had to go there. The wings were fine, but not the really spicy Buffalo Wings you find at most places, like Buffalo Wild Wings. I enjoyed their appetizer of Stuffed Hot Peppers, which were Hungarian peppers stuffed with a blend of cheeses and baked to perfection, served with garlic toast. I had 5 wings on the side, soaked in their secret sauce, and their Tuna Melt Sandwich. No wonder I gain weight when I travel! Liberty Hound https://www.libertyhoundbuffalo.com/menu This place is on the river, with a menu that just sounds like one could spend a week there sampling dishes. Sadly, I only had the one night to sample their dishes, and believe it or not, I only chose one. Their Mediterranean Salad. I was in the mood for a salad, and this hit the spot. It was not small by any means, consisting of Romaine Lettuce, Kalamata olives, tomato, red peppers, onion cucumber, feta, pepperoncini, pita. I couldn't have asked for a better dish that night. Deep South Tacos https://deepsouthtaco.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DST_Food-menu_2022.pdf This place was a block or two away from my hotel, walking there was easy, even for someone my age. They had quite the selection of sipping Tequila's, but I steered away from those. I did have a Bourbon based drink called The Revenge Of The Luchador, it was exactly what I was looking for that evening. Strong, but not too strong, flavorful with the Bourbon and Reposado Mezcal dominating it. Their Shrimp Ceviche came on a hard corn tortilla, that was a little surprise, but it was quite satisfying. For dinner I had three of their taco's. A Shrimp Taco, a Fish Taco, and a Korean Beef Taco. The tastes of each was quite different, especially the Korean Beef taco. I need to go back and try more from their menu, and have another Revenge of The Luchador. In Closing Next week I will be in Sacramento California for a week, then enjoy a week of downtime (vacation anyone?). During that week we'll go to Virginia Beach for the Akita National Dog Show. I will make sure I visit my oldest child while there. She lives in Hampton Virginia. Til next time, be good to yourselves and those you love, and WRITE! Jim Dorrell |
Teaching In Schaumburg For Three Days Locale: Schaumburg, Illinois Week of: 8/29/22.. I last taught this class about 3 years ago, but was not worried about my knowledge and presentation of it. I was correct in that thought, my knowledge was solid, I had no difficulties delivering the class, nor any difficulties in answering questions. Where I lacked though, was the flow, being smooth, knowing where I wanted to be at the end of each day. Small things like that. Something like that can only come with consistent scheduling, and thank God I'm scheduled to deliver this class 3-4 times next year! There was one area of 'rustiness' that I couldn't avoid, that being the use of the Service Monitor to perform checks on the system. In one of the hands-on activities, we needed to get to the Spectrum Analyzer mode, and from there, the Track Generator mode. I couldn't remember how to do that! I got there on one of the three Service Monitors, we only needed the one. Thankfully, one of our lab techs asked how we were doing, when I mentioned the Spectrum Analyzer mode, he politely showed me how to get there. I don't think I'll forget that small step very soon. After the class, I flew to Albuquerque for 2 days, just so I could attend my High School class 50th Reunion. Yes, I am that old. The trip there was delayed 5 hours by thunderstorms in Dallas, the trip home was also delayed 2.5 hours for the same reason. It was a good time, I loved the 'New Mexican' breakfast I had each morning, but it was also very tiring. Luckily I was able to nap some on Monday, so caught up a little bit. It was a weekend I wouldn't change one bit, other than 'healing' our housesitter/dogsitter so my other half could join me, as we had planned. I ended up going alone. If not for the reunion, I would have cancelled the trip. As it is, due to several doctor's appointments being scheduled during my planned October vacation, we've cancelled plans to go there for the Balloon Fiesta. That's probably a good thing too though, because I would have been exhausted when we headed out.In Closing I am in Buffalo next week, and know I'll stop at the Anchor Bar and Grill for dinner once. It's the original home of Buffalo Wings. I was there in 2014, and long to return. My schedule remains full to the gills through the end of the year and through March of 2023. Til next time, be good to yourselves and those you love, and WRITE! Jim Dorrell |
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I then went to Taiwan for two weeks; but, although that was nice, it wasn't 'home'. 