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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 |
| Date: Week of July 17th Locale: Midway Airport This week finds me in Chicago again, delivering a class at Midway Airport. I have to say that I'm disappointed it's at Midway Airport, and not Midway island.  Once again, I'm at a customer site who is updating their system from a really old system. To make matters worse for them, they need to hire more technicians, but due to the union and how the city of Chicago works with them, they are very limited on their candidates. Oh well, not my problem, thank God. This class was interesting for me, mainly because I've never had a reason to be on the south side of Chicago much. We've all heard the news about how bad the south side can be, those of us old enough remember Jim Croce's song about it. I have to say that I found the area I was in to be much like anyplace else. Just goes to show that you can find good wherever you go, or find bad places. It all depends on what you look for, and the types of places you frequent. Noteworthy Restaurants: The Grand Duke Restaurant granddukesrestaurant.com This place is a Lithuanian Restaurant that serves good food. Never had Lithuanian food before, it was a little different for me, but I found it tasty. As usual though, I ordered too much. Maybe one day I'll learn.... Mabenka Restaurant mabenka.com This place is a Polish Restaurant, and I have to say I liked Polish food more than Lithuanian. Not that Grand Duke's was bad, Mabenka suited me more. Just don't ask what I had at either place. It's been a week, and I've forgotten. Next week will find me in Amarillo again. I'm looking forward to it, because I'm from next door to Texas, from New Mexico. Looking forward to seeing my brother, and seeing the area. Can't believe it's my fifth time in New Mexico in the last eighteen months! Til my next entry, y'all stay cool in the summer heat, and enjoy yourselves! Live, Love, and be Happy! |
| Date: Week of July 3rd Locale: New York City, NY Last week, I received a phone call from the Project Manager (PM) for the upcoming NYC Transit classes. There will be four identical classes eventually, but it's been a long journey getting here. I've been involved with this project for two years now, and have yet to deliver the first one. NYC Transit is a demanding customer, insisting on reviewing the course materials before classes are delivered. I don't mind that really, it's something every customer should do. I won't go into things that shouldn't be mentioned in a mere blog, but understand that I wrote this course especially for them. It is oriented to their equipment, covers only their equipment, and nothing more. I've spent the better part of two months in writing the original course and editing it based on their feedback. So far, there's been three additional edits from the original version. While we haven't billed them for all the time I've put into it, they have been billed, and I'm amazed at what the bill was.... Very amazed. Never knew I was so expensive.Based on the latest review and comments, the Project Manager decided I should come to NYC on the 5th of July, and spend Wednesday/Thursday with him going over the comments, and editing the manual. I've addressed each of the comments, edited as necessary, and sent the lead contractor (Motorola is a third party provider), as well as the PM, copies of the revised manual. The plan is to conduct another review this Thursday, and go from there. Any one want to bet there will be even more edits required? In some ways, it's a bit surreal that the first class for NYC Transit is scheduled to start on September 11th, 2017. They will be held every other week for seven weeks, until all four sessions are complete. I'll believe all that when I see it, when the classes are actually held. Sadly, I didn't get out at all this time, no photo's, no sightseeing. Why? I had a pretty good sinus infection going, along with Bronchitis. Thankfully, I seem to be on the mend now, and will be ready to deliver my next class Monday for Midway Airport in Chicago. Til next time, y'all continue prepping for GoT, it's chaotic, insane, and loads of fun!  |
| Date: Week of June 19th Locale: Amarillo, Texas This week finds me in Amarillo, Texas for the first time. Amarillo is not on most people's destination list, but it should be. No, it's not beautiful, but it is interesting. Of course, I was in the middle of beef country, and took advantage of it a couple of times. This radio system is new to them, but then all of them seem to be, don't they? It was new in many ways though. Their old system was over 35 years old, and no longer capable of inter-operating with today's newer systems. It was an interesting week though, and a good class. Of course, I did find a couple of really good restaurants to dine at, and a couple of places to visit. Historic/Interesting Places Visited: Cadillac Ranch http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2220 Standing along Route 66 west of Amarillo, Texas, Cadillac Ranch was invented and built by a group of art-hippies imported from San Francisco. They called themselves The Ant Farm, and their silent partner was Amarillo billionaire Stanley Marsh 3. He wanted a piece of public art that would baffle the locals, and the hippies came up with a tribute to the evolution of the Cadillac tail fin. Ten Caddies were driven into one of Stanley Marsh 3's fields, then half-buried, nose-down, in the dirt (supposedly at the same angle as the Great Pyramid of Giza). They faced west in a line, from the 1949 Club Sedan to the 1963 Sedan de Ville, their tail fins held high for all to see on the empty Texas panhandle.  Palo Duro Canyon http://palodurocanyon.com/ The Canyon is 120 miles long, as much as 20 miles wide, and has a maximum depth of more than 800 feet. Its elevation at the rim is 3,500 feet above sea level. It is often claimed that Palo Duro Canyon is the second largest canyon in the United States. The largest, the Grand Canyon, is 277 miles long, 18 miles wide, and 6,000 ft. deep. There are plenty of photo opportunities in the park for us shutter bugs. (Which reminds me, in this digital age of photography, should we still be called shutter bugs?)   Noteworthy Restaurants: The Big Texan Steak Ranch And Brewery bigtexan.com Their claim to fame is the 72 oz steak you can eat for free! Of course, there's a catch. You have one hour to eat it. Plus, a shrimp cocktail, house salad, and a baked potato. You can purchase this steak two ways. One, just order it, and pay $200 for it. Or accept the challenge, sit at an elevated table and eat while other patrons watch. If eaten within an hour, it's free. If not, you pay $72, and take your leftovers home with you. Obviously I didn't try that challenge.... Jalapeno Rings, called the Ring of Fire were my appetizer, and a nice Rib-Eye Steak is all this old man had. Not too surprisingly, the record for downing all that in the fastest time belongs to a pretty well known name. Joey Chestnut - Eight Minutes, Fifty Two Seconds. Green Chile Willy's greenchilewillys.com I grew up in Albuquerque, and love Green Chile's! So finding a place with this name, I just had to visit! Their Green Chile Cheese fries are tremendous. Sadly, just the half size order was too much for me. But the Green Chile Willy's Ribeye with Green Chiles was excellent! I'll be home in Central Illinois for the next three weeks. Except, that's not quite the case. I received a phone call from a Project Manager last week; he needs me in New York City on Wednesday, so I get a week home, part of a week in NYC, and a week home. Then the traveling starts again. Right now, it's Chicago Midway Airport, Amarillo again, Sheboygan Wisconsin, Alberta Canada, Schaumburg, New Jersey, and Saskatchewan Canada. Then we're at Labor Day. Til my next entry, y'all stay cool in the summer heat, and enjoy yourselves! Live, Love, and be Happy! |
After class was done on Thursday, I drove 50 miles in about two hours to meet Annette  . After many trials and tribulations, we met near her house. We had a nice walk along the ocean cliffs nearby. The walk down the path was fine, but walking back up was a killer.  In packing for this trip, I failed to pack any shorts, so there I was, walking in 100 degree weather in long pants, t-shirt, and polo shirt. She was appropriately dressed and remained cool throughout. We finally reached the top without having to call the Paramedics to come get me, so that was a plus. Afterwards, we picked up her sons from school, and had a nice late lunch at the King's Hawaiian Restaurant and Bakery nearby. Yummmmm. |
| Date: Week of June 12th Locale: Riverside, California Well, I'm in a new location. New city, but not really a new location for me. I've been to Southern California many times. I taught a class in Corona (just west of here) the week that Michael Jackson died. I've also been in San Bernardino County for a class, and as you might guess, all over the Los Angeles area. But it's my first time in Riverside, and it's hot. It's another three day class, but different subject than my last entry from Toronto. Everything has gone well so far, but I have to say I'm amazed at what this customer had before buying this new system. Imagine having a home phone. No, not a cell phone, not even a cordless phone. Just a typical phone with a rotary dial. No answering machine, no listening to voice mail, etc. Not even caller ID. Imagine that overnight your phone is removed from the house, and you're given a cell phone, not just a cell phone, but a smart phone. If you remember those old phones, and look at the new cell phones, you'll have a small idea of what this customer had, and what they have now. I won't bore you with the technical details, but that's really what they had. Their old radio system was over 35 years old, and very limited. The new one is the newest (though smallest) offering we have in radio systems. I can't be in the LA area, and not try to visit with Annette . We will meet a little after lunch tomorrow and chat a little, most likely about WDC, just like last time. I just hope we don't bore her sons too much.... Tomorrow night, I may venture into the Hollywood area, we'll see how tired I am, or what kind of mindset I'm in. Would love to get a nice shot of the Hollywood Sign, but it's hard to find a good spot to snap a photo. When I was here once, my customer offered to take me to the sign, and we were all set to go. Started up the restricted road, and found it washed out. So we didn't get there of course. And with LA being such a small town, there's not much else to see around here, is there.... (Do you hear the sarcasm in my words?)Noteworthy Restaurants: Market Broiler https://www.marketbroiler.com/ While this is a very nice restaurant, with excellent food, I have to say I was a little disappointed. Not in the food quality or service. Quantity. Quantity as in TOO MUCH. I thought I'd have an appetizer I love, Oysters Rockefeller. Only four on the order, so no problem, right? Except it seems that my oysters were on Steroids. Add to it a large amount of Spinach, topped with cheese, and you have a meal, not an appetizer. I couldn't finish all four, not to mention my meal. It seems I'd have needed a knife and fork for the oysters, they were that big. https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/7c662d_df254d0fe133495da33347b437a8c689.pdf Wicks Brewing wicksbrewing.com I love dining at Pubs, love Pub food. The main reason is because they tend to not be fancy, just good, down to earth food. Here I had their Ceviche for an appetizer. And like the Market Broiler, it was huge. Take a soup bowl, fill it with fresh Ceviche, and call it an appetizer. Serve with chips spiced with quite a bit of pepper. I managed to eat half before having to stop so I would have room for the pulled pork sliders. Everything was good, don't get me wrong. Just far too much for one person to eat at one sitting. I'll be in beautiful Amarillo Texas next week. I'm going to drive there since this class came up suddenly. After the class is done, I will drive west four hours to once again visit my brother. His doctor visit last week did not yield good news. His time is short, so I will visit every chance I get. I'll be back in Amarillo in late July. I just hope his time hasn't come by that point, but I know he's close. Til next time, y'all stay cool in the coming heat. Supposed to be over 100 here in Riverside tomorrow. Thank God I'll be on the coast by mid-day, and much cooler. Take care of yourselves, be healthy, be happy, and write more so I can review at my 'slow' pace. |
| Date: Week of May 22nd Locale: Toronto, Ontario, Canada This week's class takes me to Toronto Ontario once again. It's my eighth or ninth trip here, and is beginning to feel like home. Okay, not really, but you get my drift. This is a short trip, with the class only lasting three days. Which means that I won't get out much at all. In all my times to Toronto, I've never really explored the city much, never been to the waterfront, and never seen the CNTower, or any of the other sights around the city. I hate paying to park everywhere I go, I'm not used to it, so that's one reason. Another is my aversion to being in the center of a large city with crowds of people all around. But the real reason, is that my customers have been in Mississauga, or the North York area, which is a little north of the city itself. Yes, I could go there after class, but that would mean fighting traffic that's easily as bad as Chicago's. Add to it a little fatigue from a long day teaching, which results in excuses as to why I've never been to the city proper. Perhaps I need a little incentive.... This was an interesting class, a first in some ways, since their RF system is a little unique. The class asked many questions, ending with us discussing their setup, how to best manage it, configure it, and maintain it. This was my third time with these students, so four of them were almost like old friends, with two new ones. Noteworthy Restaurants: Three Brewers Restaurant https://www.les3brasseurs.ca/ Their Tuna Poke is good, but I liked the Tuna Carpaccio a bit more. They have several dishes categorized as 'Flammekueches', and their Smoked Salmon one was excellent! I'll be in Schaumburg, Illinois for the next couple of weeks, but may head to California mid June. That class is not firm yet, but I'm hoping it will be this week. If so, I plan on meeting Annette for lunch again. Enjoy the Spring! Summer is almost here my friends. |
| Date: Week of May 15th Locale: Westfield, Massachusetts This week's class takes me to Westfield, Massachusetts, right next to (West, imagine that), Springfield, Massachusetts, home of the Basketball Hall Of Fame. The customer is the City of Westfield, and it's been an interesting week. The RF Technicians here are all self trained, with little to no formal training at all. For them to be able to support this system is quite a feat really. They do need a few more classes, but it will all depend on if the city wants to spend money or not. This class is a tailored class for them, taking modules from about 5 different courses. I managed to put the manual together on a Friday morning, but it took about six hours to arrange the Powerpoint slides the way I wanted them. Fortunately, everything has gone well, all things considered. Noteworthy Restaurants: Cana Korean Restaurant http://www.canakoreanrestaurant.com/ I fell in love with Korean Kalbi (Often spelled Galbi) Ribs long ago. Having a Korean Restaurant near that makes them told me I had to dine there. They were excellent! I have to say, I made these about a month ago, and they were very close to the taste of these ribs!  Bernies http://berniesdiningdepot.com/ When I was in Colorado Springs, I had the chance to dine at an airplane restaurant. It seemed only natural that I dine at a Train (Okay, Dining Car) Restaurant. The food was good, but nothing I'd rant and rave about. I couldn't believe the size of the Prime Rib the lady next to me ordered. And it was the medium size order! It was a good 3 inches high, and probably weighed somewhere close to two pounds! Glad I didn't order it. I have to fly home tomorrow, and wouldn't want to carry it on the plane.... Til next time, enjoy the spring! My next trip is next week, when I will visit Toronto for about the 10th time! Y'all enjoy yourselves in this warm weather! |
| Date: Week of April 24th Locale: Fort Wayne, Indiana This week finds me in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I one time, Fort Wayne was the home of the most restaurants per capita in the United States. I can believe, after seeing the number of good places to dine this week. I was here exactly 3 years ago, plus 10 days, same customer. This class is a different one than the first, but I have many of the same students. It's always nice to return to a place you've been, and be welcomed by the students. Class went well, and even ended early at their request due to a workload forced on them by outside circumstances. This doesn't mean they didn't get a complete class, far from it. A lot of what this course teaches, they already knew, so you could call that part a review of sorts. Historic/Interesting Places Visited: Old Fort https://oldfortwayne.org/ Fort Wayne is named for Anthony Wayne, often referred to as Mad Anthony Wayne. He was a leader of a militia from Pennsylvania during the American Revolutoin, and a key figure during the Northwest Indian wars of early 17th century. I recall reading a book in the early 1990's called 'The Frontiersman' (the life of Simon Kenton from the same time period), and that's where I remember Anthony Wayne from. The Old Fort was built by Wayne's men in 1795. Noteworthy Restaurants: Bourbon Street Hideaway http://www.bourbonstreethideaway.com/ This restaurant is in the basement of a building in downtown Fort Wayne. I was there three years ago, and had to go back again! It's only open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, but the food is excellent! This time, I had fried catfish smothered in Crawfish Etouffee. Oyster Bar Restaurant http://www.fwoysterbar.com/ I felt the call of Oysters Rockefeller, so thought I'd visit this place. Very good food, but I settled for a Caeser Salad and Firecracker Shrimp Appetizer because the Oysters were so big! Til next time, enjoy the spring! Right now it's April 30th, and I'm off to Schaumburg Illinois for the next two weeks before going to Westfield Massachusetts in the middle of May. Til next time.... |
| Locale: Albuquerque, New Mexico The entry is not about me, or where I've traveled to. It's about someone else. Terry Dorrell. More specifically, Terry Lee Dorrell, born January 9th, 1960, in Mobile Alabama. My youngest brother, and the only living relative from our immediate family. Sure we both have grandchildren. But our parents are both deceased, as are our sister, and other brother. My brother has bladder cancer. I don't know how far it has progressed, if it has spread and is uncurable, or what. One day his wife forced him to go to the hospital, she almost had to drag him there. His body had turned an awful shade of yellow, his legs and torso starting to bloat a little. Turns out there was a mass in his bladder. A fairly large mass, large enough to block the tubes from his Kidneys to his bladder. Urine was building up in his body, and was the cause of his bloating/color. They operated the next day to remove the mass, but couldn't get it all for some reason. He is now on Chemo-Therapy and Radiation Treatments. I am here to visit him, be a brother, and let him know that yes, I do love him. I can't be here long, work doesn't permit it. I'm not sure when, or if, I'll see him again, so this trip is special to me. He's lost a lot of weight, looks to be less than 130 pounds right now. He also looks older than me, but is six years younger. I will not ask for prayers, I feel that would be a bit hypocritical of me since I don't attend church. But if you have a moment, think of him, tell him hello in your thoughts, to let him know you're thinking of him. If he can't hear you, maybe I can... Thanks. UPDATE: I thought I'd show you two photos. My brother Terry (age 49) & I, November 2009. We both look healthy, and middle-aged. ** Image ID #2118556 Unavailable ** My brother Terry, April 2016 (age 57), suffering from Bladder Cancer. To me, he seems to have aged 20 years since I last saw him. And, he's lost an awful lot of weight. ** Image ID #2118557 Unavailable ** |
| Date: Week of April 3rd Locale: Lansing, Michigan This week finds me in Lansing Michigan again. My customer this week is the Michigan State Police, the course one of our smaller boxes. There's a bit of a story behind this course that is neither here nor there. Just know that I wrote it, and am still learning it, since it's a different type of device than others in our systems. You don't configure it with the same basic steps as you do other devices, so it takes a bit to understand it. I think that in delivering this class to MSP twice in three weeks, I'm finally starting to feel comfortable with it. Once again I drove, but this will be it for a while driving wise. I drove through pouring rain on both drives, and of course, I had to fight the Chicago traffic both times. Pouring rain and Chicago traffic does not make for a pleasant time. I did enjoy my visit, and found a place I'd dine at again if ever in the area. Noteworthy Restaurants: http://www.thecreolelansing.com/ This is one of the few restaurants I've dined at the serves Bone Marrow as an appetizer. I've never had it, only seen it in bones, and just couldn't bring myself to try it. The couple sitting next to me had it though, and I have to say it looked good! I chose their 'Blue Crab Fritters', and wasn't disappointed one bit. The main menu has some interesting items on it, but the one at the bottom really intrigued me. It was simply titled 'Trust Us', with no description. Nor will your server tell you what's in it. This is a special dish that changes almost daily. I just had to order it! When it arrived, I was pleasantly surprised at its contents. A small layer of crawfish etoufee covered with sauteed Collard Greens, topped with thinly sliced hanger steak. To the side of the dish were two quarters of a round waffle, with a smear of Peach Jalapeno Jelly. I loved every bite of this dish, and one of the things I really liked about it, is that it wasn't huge. It was a good size, the kind you'd serve yourself at home. It wasn't one of these huge dishes that you can't finish due to its size. Til next time, enjoy the spring! Right now it's April 8th. I am on the road again, driving (remember what I said about driving?). This time though, it's personal. I am driving to Albuquerque to see my brother. I don't have details or facts, but I know he's terminally ill, with just a few months left. Since I am booked solid between now and mid-July, this may be my last chance to see him. All of you my friends, take care of yourselves. Spring is here, summer is on the way. My muse is demanding I write a poem. It's scribbled on a notepad, but needs a bit of editing. Quite a bit. Funny how driving in a car alone, no radio on, wakes your muse..... |
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I then went to Taiwan for two weeks; but, although that was nice, it wasn't 'home'. 
