Well it's here. The biggest show of the year. I am writing to you from seat 1A on my way to Chicago. Make note of the time and then if this post does not make any legitimate sense you will know why.
Exhausted before we begin. I got about three hours of sleep last night and my incoming head coldis not helping a lick. But I am here. Along with a 50lb suitcase, a garment bag full of suits and a wig. Haha ... Sounds like a good time is about to be had! Pictures to follow, hopefully!
Lizzy, mommy misses you already but I love you and I'll be home soon. No more teeth and no crawling until I'm back okay? Continue to be the happy baby you are. I know daddy and you will have a blast!
Enough typing on the iPhone ... See you in the windy city!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Restaurants in Orlando ...
Just a few notes on restaurants ... Seito Sushi is amazing, Amora Sushi wasn't all that bad either ... Carraba's is a chain that I wish we had in Seattle (yes I know there is one in Mount Vernon, not close enough for dinner) and Flippers was just plain nasty. Although you can't expect much when you order pizza 12am.
At Seito get the Eelbow Roll, it is amazing. As is the sashimi ... all big chunks of fresh fish. It was amazing. At Amora be sure to get the Blue Fin sashimi if it is available. It too was some of the freshest fish I've had in a long time.
Now back to working on getting home!
At Seito get the Eelbow Roll, it is amazing. As is the sashimi ... all big chunks of fresh fish. It was amazing. At Amora be sure to get the Blue Fin sashimi if it is available. It too was some of the freshest fish I've had in a long time.
Now back to working on getting home!
Tired.
There is no other word to describe how you feel at the end of a trade show besides tired. On your feet from 7am-6pm, dinners following the show, maybe an after dinner drink. Tired. It just sums it all up. I'm tired. Very tired.
Add to the exhaustion dealing with literally hundreds of people who travel maybe once a year or five or ten. Really people ... it has been over ten years and you still don't know you have to take your shoes off and you cannot have liquids over 3 ounces? Where have you been? Living under a rock I'm assuming. Ben tells me I need more patience when I travel. Problem is when you travel upwards of 80,000 miles a year patience runs thin. It is generally helped by a priority security checkpoint or first class upgrades ... this trip I got one, not both.
I really shouldn't complain as I'd prefer first class any day to priority security, especially when I leave enough time to make it through security. But boy ... I just struggle with those people who don't read the ten signs while you wait in the security line that tell you to remove your liquids or your laptop. Or the person shouting while you are waiting in line telling you to take off your jacket and shoes.
But as I sit here and type this all I can think about is getting home to my baby girl. I miss her terribly and it has been a long time since I've been gone this long. I just want to hold her and love her! Time to fight my way through, enjoy first class and get home to my baby girl!
Thanks for letting me rant.
Add to the exhaustion dealing with literally hundreds of people who travel maybe once a year or five or ten. Really people ... it has been over ten years and you still don't know you have to take your shoes off and you cannot have liquids over 3 ounces? Where have you been? Living under a rock I'm assuming. Ben tells me I need more patience when I travel. Problem is when you travel upwards of 80,000 miles a year patience runs thin. It is generally helped by a priority security checkpoint or first class upgrades ... this trip I got one, not both.
I really shouldn't complain as I'd prefer first class any day to priority security, especially when I leave enough time to make it through security. But boy ... I just struggle with those people who don't read the ten signs while you wait in the security line that tell you to remove your liquids or your laptop. Or the person shouting while you are waiting in line telling you to take off your jacket and shoes.
But as I sit here and type this all I can think about is getting home to my baby girl. I miss her terribly and it has been a long time since I've been gone this long. I just want to hold her and love her! Time to fight my way through, enjoy first class and get home to my baby girl!
Thanks for letting me rant.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
M-I-C ... K-E-Y
How many of you ended with m-o-u-s-e? Too bad I'm not going to DisneyWorld. I am however on my way to sunny, warm Orlando! Aren't you jealous? I assure you if you were in Lynnwood this morning around 8am you would be. I woke up to all sun. (Do I mention here that my little princess is finally sleeping until 5:30am, woohoo!) Two hours later I look outside and it is dumping, yes dumping, snow. I left the house at 8:30am just to be sure I could make it to the airport. Within fifteen minutes our entire lawn/drive was covered in snow. They said it might snow ... hmmm I'd say they were a bit off. I love living in a convergence zone.It is nice to be traveling again but also hard. I had a two week break due to half our office heading to Ambiente (major trade show in Germany). We like to keep one sales person in the office, this year it was me. Okay generally it is me, but I'm anxious when my time comes to get to experience this trade show. But now we are back at it. We are literally less than two weeks away from our largest product launch in history. No stress! Although there is plenty to do I'm on my way to attend a hardware show and try and land some new business. I'll be hanging out at the Orange County Convention Center tomorrow through Saturday, selling to LOTS of hardware store owners ... hopefully it is worth the dollars spent.
I will miss my Lizster ... a lot. She is changing week by week again. Over the last four weeks we have gotten two front teeth, learned to roll over (and over and over), actually smile - gums/teeth and all, started eating meat, we began clapping and saying mamama! Needless to say I'm a bit scared/sad to see what I'll miss this week or even next week. Yup you read correctly, back-to-back, week long trips. Orlando today through the weekend and Chicago next Thursday through Tuesday. Oh the joys of sales and trade show season!
See you in the sun!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Raider Nation
Who reading this does not LOVE to visit Oakland!?! Me.
So flying in here is so much easier than flying into SFO but it is Oakland. As I'm sitting here catching up on some work before my next flight I just saw an inmate escorted off the plane by eight, count 'em eight, police officers. Scary. I firmly believe in the innocent until proven guilty theory but if you have eight cops waiting for you ... I'm going to assume you aren't the nicest of people.
Okay so back to the traveling last week. I didn't write from the Twin Cities, my fingers couldn't type. It was too cold. I woke up Sunday to go to market and it was negative 12 degrees. Brrr. Okay, never mind it was damn cold. But market went great and it was wonderful to meet five of our new reps in the Midwest region. What topped off the entire weekend trip was dinner with my almost 91 year old grandma. I have not seen her in over two years and I missed the 90 year bash last year due to being just about 36 weeks preggars. We enjoyed a nice dinner, I cleaned/dusted/re-placed all her china, and I placed her roosters back on their ledge for show. I know what an exciting evening. But I can say I definitely made her week!
Last week was definitely a whirlwind though. I got home Monday and Lizzy came home sick from daycare. She ended up staying out of daycare until Friday and by then Ben had left for a boys weekend in Whistler. Must be nice! So Miss Lizzy and I hung out and did a ton of shopping and cleaning this past weekend. Such fun!
This is actually my last trip for a bit. Half our office will head to Frankfurt next week for Ambiente (a international housewares/furniture/lighting trade show) and I try to stay in the office when he is traveling, especially out of the country. My next trip is on the 22nd and I'll head to Orlando for about five days. Should be warm (crossing my fingers) but extremely busy as it is for a hardware trade show. We will see ... it is a new one, so hopefully we do some good business!
So flying in here is so much easier than flying into SFO but it is Oakland. As I'm sitting here catching up on some work before my next flight I just saw an inmate escorted off the plane by eight, count 'em eight, police officers. Scary. I firmly believe in the innocent until proven guilty theory but if you have eight cops waiting for you ... I'm going to assume you aren't the nicest of people.
Okay so back to the traveling last week. I didn't write from the Twin Cities, my fingers couldn't type. It was too cold. I woke up Sunday to go to market and it was negative 12 degrees. Brrr. Okay, never mind it was damn cold. But market went great and it was wonderful to meet five of our new reps in the Midwest region. What topped off the entire weekend trip was dinner with my almost 91 year old grandma. I have not seen her in over two years and I missed the 90 year bash last year due to being just about 36 weeks preggars. We enjoyed a nice dinner, I cleaned/dusted/re-placed all her china, and I placed her roosters back on their ledge for show. I know what an exciting evening. But I can say I definitely made her week!
Last week was definitely a whirlwind though. I got home Monday and Lizzy came home sick from daycare. She ended up staying out of daycare until Friday and by then Ben had left for a boys weekend in Whistler. Must be nice! So Miss Lizzy and I hung out and did a ton of shopping and cleaning this past weekend. Such fun!
This is actually my last trip for a bit. Half our office will head to Frankfurt next week for Ambiente (a international housewares/furniture/lighting trade show) and I try to stay in the office when he is traveling, especially out of the country. My next trip is on the 22nd and I'll head to Orlando for about five days. Should be warm (crossing my fingers) but extremely busy as it is for a hardware trade show. We will see ... it is a new one, so hopefully we do some good business!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Dallas ... oh mother lovin' Dallas
On my way to Minneapolis and I can say that Dallas was marginal. Sadly the best part was dinner last night. Okay maybe 'sadly' is not the appropriate word as dinner was AMAZING last night. Market seemed slower then usual although word on the street was that order writing was up. I was not seeing that. Today was better, still not thrilled though. But the cherry on the trip had to have been my flat tire yesterday morning.
Running late after a phone call with a rep and of course in a hurry to get into my car and over to the showroom. I pulled out of the hotel and all I hear is thu-thump, thu-thump, thu-thump. Mother lover a flat, seriously? On a rental? Crap. I spent about twenty minutes trying to loosen the lug nuts only to give up because I was in a skirt, ivory jacket and it was frickin' freezing outside. Called Hertz who then called AAA and about two hours later I have what I have affectionately nicknamed the 'weenie wheel' on my car. A doughnut. Don't go over 50 mph he tells me ... haha ... that's funny. Have you ever driven in Dallas? Speed limit says 60 but if you aren't going 80 you are flipped off, honked at, glared at, hands thrown up in the air ... terrible. So I drove to and from market yesterday with my hazards on in the far right lane of the freeway. Fun.
Last night made up for it though ... dinner with two other industry peers and wowee was it yummy. I didn't realize it was a chain but in searching for the link to the restaurant I have discovered there are a few located in Texas, Colorado and Hawaii. Kinichi = amazing sushi. We had incredible sake (not a sake fan but this was amazing), fresh wasabi along with a new pickled wasabi, and more sushi then we could stuff our faces with. The escarole had to be my favorite of the evening though. So fresh, it just melted in your mouth.
If you are ever in one of these locations ... amazing! This place was swanky, incredible music and just plain fantastic. They even had a sake sommelier! Who has that ... well not many places. Only 70 of these talented people in the world. www.kinichirestaurants.com or www.kinichidallas.com
Today was a decent day at market, almost sad to leave as I was writing orders left and right, but off to Minneapolis I must go. Heading in to train a few new reps, see a new showroom and work a show that I have not worked as of yet. Looking forward most though to seeing my grandma tomorrow night. I missed her 90th birthday celebration due to being eight months pregnant last May and I haven't seen her in almost two and a half years. I miss her. She was adorable, when I told her I was going to come say hi and have dinner ... first question ... is Elizabeth coming with. No sorry grandma I'm traveling for work and she is home with daddy. Gosh I need to get back to Minnesota to visit with the baby girl.
Back on Monday only to return to work that afternoon for a meeting and dinner with a major retailer. I'll probably get about two or three hours with Elizabeth Tuesday morning and then I head to Portland for the day for a meeting with a regional independent. Back Tuesday evening and then a meeting Wednesday in the office with another major retailer. Phewww ... I'll be glad when Thursday is here. I'm tired just thinking about it.
Oh wait ... did I mention that I fly out again next Monday?
Running late after a phone call with a rep and of course in a hurry to get into my car and over to the showroom. I pulled out of the hotel and all I hear is thu-thump, thu-thump, thu-thump. Mother lover a flat, seriously? On a rental? Crap. I spent about twenty minutes trying to loosen the lug nuts only to give up because I was in a skirt, ivory jacket and it was frickin' freezing outside. Called Hertz who then called AAA and about two hours later I have what I have affectionately nicknamed the 'weenie wheel' on my car. A doughnut. Don't go over 50 mph he tells me ... haha ... that's funny. Have you ever driven in Dallas? Speed limit says 60 but if you aren't going 80 you are flipped off, honked at, glared at, hands thrown up in the air ... terrible. So I drove to and from market yesterday with my hazards on in the far right lane of the freeway. Fun.
Last night made up for it though ... dinner with two other industry peers and wowee was it yummy. I didn't realize it was a chain but in searching for the link to the restaurant I have discovered there are a few located in Texas, Colorado and Hawaii. Kinichi = amazing sushi. We had incredible sake (not a sake fan but this was amazing), fresh wasabi along with a new pickled wasabi, and more sushi then we could stuff our faces with. The escarole had to be my favorite of the evening though. So fresh, it just melted in your mouth.
If you are ever in one of these locations ... amazing! This place was swanky, incredible music and just plain fantastic. They even had a sake sommelier! Who has that ... well not many places. Only 70 of these talented people in the world. www.kinichirestaurants.com or www.kinichidallas.com
Today was a decent day at market, almost sad to leave as I was writing orders left and right, but off to Minneapolis I must go. Heading in to train a few new reps, see a new showroom and work a show that I have not worked as of yet. Looking forward most though to seeing my grandma tomorrow night. I missed her 90th birthday celebration due to being eight months pregnant last May and I haven't seen her in almost two and a half years. I miss her. She was adorable, when I told her I was going to come say hi and have dinner ... first question ... is Elizabeth coming with. No sorry grandma I'm traveling for work and she is home with daddy. Gosh I need to get back to Minnesota to visit with the baby girl.
Back on Monday only to return to work that afternoon for a meeting and dinner with a major retailer. I'll probably get about two or three hours with Elizabeth Tuesday morning and then I head to Portland for the day for a meeting with a regional independent. Back Tuesday evening and then a meeting Wednesday in the office with another major retailer. Phewww ... I'll be glad when Thursday is here. I'm tired just thinking about it.
Oh wait ... did I mention that I fly out again next Monday?
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Happy New Year ... Happy Travel Season
Have I mentioned before how much 3:30am wake-up calls suck? I'm pretty sure I have but I'll say it again, 3:30am wake-up calls suck! Especially when said wake-up call is interrupted by a 3am crying baby. Elizabeth has had a rough few weeks of colds and coughs but we were finally starting to sleep through the night again ... until this morning. I suppose I need to look at it as it was God's way of giving me 20 more minutes with her before I needed to leave for five days.
Well the holiday's are officially over and trade show season is in full swing. Fortunately or unfortunately I was supposed to begin my travel season last week on a trip in to Atlanta and then back through Denver. Last Wednesday morning in addition to the six inches of snow that fell I got nailed with one of the worst cold/flu things I've ever had. Needless to say I have a extremely understanding boss who agreed that flying with a 103 degree temp and flu symptoms was probably not ideal (more likely he and the other passengers did not want to get what I had!).
So we begin travel/trade show season today. On my way to Dallas to work the Dallas Market, should be fun and a great way to catch up with my reps and some industry peers that I missed last weekend. Traveling back through Minneapolis to train some of our new reps and work a day or so at the Minneapolis Market and then fly home. Should be fun, should be entertaining, should be exhausting.
Work has been so crazy lately it is hard to think of fitting in so much travel but we'll make it happen. Instead of sleeping on this four hour flight I think I'll probably work on some promotional opportunities, close out some old inventory, hopefully have a creative nugget or two for some marketing/sales copy that needs to be written and prep for two meetings next week. Ahhh a day in the life ...
Here's to hoping Lizzy sleeps through the night for her daddy this weekend. Here's to hoping that first tooth that I am anticipating doesn't make its grand entrance this weekend. Here's to hoping Lizzy doesn't realize that I am gone for five days. Finally here's to hoping my husband has a great weekend spending some quality father/daughter time!
Now ... where can I get some caffeine ...
Well the holiday's are officially over and trade show season is in full swing. Fortunately or unfortunately I was supposed to begin my travel season last week on a trip in to Atlanta and then back through Denver. Last Wednesday morning in addition to the six inches of snow that fell I got nailed with one of the worst cold/flu things I've ever had. Needless to say I have a extremely understanding boss who agreed that flying with a 103 degree temp and flu symptoms was probably not ideal (more likely he and the other passengers did not want to get what I had!).
So we begin travel/trade show season today. On my way to Dallas to work the Dallas Market, should be fun and a great way to catch up with my reps and some industry peers that I missed last weekend. Traveling back through Minneapolis to train some of our new reps and work a day or so at the Minneapolis Market and then fly home. Should be fun, should be entertaining, should be exhausting.
Work has been so crazy lately it is hard to think of fitting in so much travel but we'll make it happen. Instead of sleeping on this four hour flight I think I'll probably work on some promotional opportunities, close out some old inventory, hopefully have a creative nugget or two for some marketing/sales copy that needs to be written and prep for two meetings next week. Ahhh a day in the life ...
Here's to hoping Lizzy sleeps through the night for her daddy this weekend. Here's to hoping that first tooth that I am anticipating doesn't make its grand entrance this weekend. Here's to hoping Lizzy doesn't realize that I am gone for five days. Finally here's to hoping my husband has a great weekend spending some quality father/daughter time!
Now ... where can I get some caffeine ...
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