My Life on the road | Peaches Prattlings

{March 25, 2017} I can sleep anywhere, anytime… and he proved it!

I used to be like that…sigh, I miss those days.

Yesterday, I flew to Salt Lake City. I sat next to a nice guy heading home to Lake Tahoe. We talked tech, movies, skiing, travel, pets, smartphones. He asked why I didn’t have an iPhone, being such a techie. I love my answer!! “I’m allergic to apples!!!!” Muwahaha!

We also talked about sleeping and sleeping on flights. I mentioned that I don’t sleep much or on my flights and he said he could sleep anywhere and he did…

I asked him if he wanted to stop talking so he could get some sleep, he said no and about thirty minutes later I look over and he’s out…

He woke up when we landed and had a good laugh.

{March 24, 2017} A chilling tribute

There is too much violence in the world. That is an understatement…

This week I’m in DeKalb, Illinois doing support and I’m staying near NIU, Northern Illinois University. I told dad and his question… do they have tshirts?!

So yesterday after work, I stopped by the NIU campus bookstore to get dad a shirt, got one for me too, I know, shocker!

While I was walking to the bookstore, I saw all of these markers. Crosses with hearts, names, dates, ages, numbers. Some had photos, some had flowers. I knew it was a tribute to something and someone, but I wasn’t sure what they were for.

I had a feeling it was for those who had passed on, possibly students from the university, but then I noticed the ages. They ranged up and down the scale, men, women, children, races.

I asked in the bookstore and was told it was to honor those killed in Chicago so far this year. If there are more before the prayer vigil and duscussion tomorrow, there will be more markers.

Greg Zanis, the man who carved the crosses and began the tribute, who is a non-for-profit carpenter, feels that this is the petefct way to raise awareness of what is going on in Chicago and the university is the perfect place with so many students who live in Chicago.

You can read the full article here. http://amp.daily-chronicle.com/articles/2017/03/21/ce46f3bee0504d689ab82637dc788eec/

It was chilling and makes you think. You know there is violence in the world, you know it can be in your backyard, but unless it touches you directly, you may not realize just how close you are.

There are 128 markers here. It’s only March 23rd.

{March 23, 2017} Hello energy vampire… you win!

Oh my! Have you ever dealt with an energy vampire?

Do you even know what an energy vampire is? An energy vampire is someone who sucks the energy out of you or out of the room.

As a trainer, I deal with all sorts of people and attitudes all the time. I was on a project at a hospital once and a doctor, who was also the department head said “we’re all just overgrown teenagers, don’t let us get to you!” That actually helped with some groups.

I don’t stress out or get offended by what people say, in terms of the applications I am teaching, there are a lot of reasons they may be resistant. Some pout, some come kicking and screaming, some give you that look, you know, “ok show me something, prove yourself”, you know, teenagers! Now, other are polite and let me walk them through things and sometimes they learn a something, ya never know!

The thing you remember, it’s not me they’re directing this at, I’m just the wall they’re slinging at. They don’t know me personally, I’m the one they’re taking their feelings out on. None of it has stopped me or scared me off, I keep coming back.

Recently two people really tested me. They exhausted me, sucked my energy, scwooooop [sucking sound, ha ha].

One never stopped talking while I was trying to show them the system. This person kept clicking buttons on the screen, “I usually do this and this and that and this and that” it went on for a minute…even when people are experienced, sometimes I can tell them something they didn’t know or maybe give them a trick or two or a shortcut. This person had no time or interest, not even as a courtesy, so I stepped back and said, “you do what you normally do and I’ll watch, ask me questions if you have any”.

The other person was very self important and very knowledgeable in a lot of areas, but not 100% in one of the things I was showing them. Didn’t matter, they were going to tell me what they thought every step of the way and how they did this and that and this makes no sense and why do we do that, not efficient. They also seemed to hate their keyboard! Remember the older keyboards you had to mash the keys or someone who tries to kill the keys? This is not one of those keyboards, this is just that person! I couldn’t put my hands on the desk, it kept jumping!

I kept my cool with both, smiled and did what I could for them, stayed positive and encouraged where I could. I talked to their managers about how it went and since the managers know them, it wasn’t a complete surprise.

It happens, you can’t have total angels every time, right?! Tomorrow is a new day!

{March 17, 2017} And then this happened…

Flattered and humbled.

I spent the week doing support at an office in Chicago. One of the things I did was teach multiple one and two hour sessions.

I spent a little extra time with a few of the people I was training, it was nice when some came back after training to get more help, I did what I could, even learned a few things myself.

Today, when I was leaving, I found this card on my bag. It was from the SDS, the trainer, that I had worked with for the week.

We hit it off immediately, both professionally and personally, it was great!

I’m always humbled and flattered when I’m given a compliment about the way I train. It helps me remember why I do what I do, this just made my day. Thank you!

{March 17, 2017} But I still want to push the buttons!

No, I’m not a three year old! Well, maybe sometimes!

I’m staying in a hotel that has one of those newer elevator system, where you enter the floor you want on the touch screen near the elevators and it displays which elevator to take.

The hard part is, when you walk into the elevator car, you still look for the buttons to push and all you have are the open and close buttons, oh and the emergency buttons. And everyone sees you looking and smiles because they did the same thing!

Then, there’s that momentary feeling of being incomplete because you didn’t push the button or ask someone to push the button or watch someone push the button. Of course, at that point you’re almost transported back to childhood when you fought over pushing the buttons!

Do you remember those days? Of course you did because inadvertently, you end up in an elevator with a little kid who just has to push the button or it gets ugly!

It’s ok, I’m over it, I’ll push the buttons on the next elevator, well, as long as there’s no kid on it!

{March 15, 2017} It took how long?

Flight…fine, pick up… fine, drive… not fine.

I landed about 30 minutes late, we taxied for a while, due to the show, which covered the runways, understandable. I had arranged with my taxi driver to pick me up, I was supposed to land at 630am, he would pick me up at 7, take me to the hotel, I would get an hour of sleep or at least a shower, then take me to the client site by 9am.

Big snowstorms in Chicago over the weekend gummed up that plan…

I landed about 7am, was in the car by 745, I had to get my luggage, then the taxi monitor had to call him, he was waiting in a lot.

Then…I got in the taxi and we were off. We were going 38 miles, should only take about an hour, maybe a little less.

THREE HOURS! Yes, you read right, three hours!

There was snow and bad traffic on the highway. GPS originally said just under two hours. I emailed my lead and the office I was going to, let them know I was going to be late, I should be there by 10am.

After about an hour, I told my driver I was going to take a nap. I woke up just before we got to the office, three hours total!

It was alright because everyone was running late, I still felt terrible! Got a lot accomplished in the short time I was there.

Best part…what a nap!

{March 13, 2017} What a weekend!

Paddle boarding, swap meet, visits, oh my!

You know my weekends are not sit around and do nothing, right? This was no different!

Friday was my second travel day, made it home, very exciting, laundry, straighten up, get ready for visitors, weehoo! Well, there was the dinner date with my honey, that was a Wahoo! We went for pho and then dessert a few doors down, closed them both!

Saturday morning cane early, with an alarm, boo. But… for a good reason! Something we have been talking about for a while and I surprised PSM with SUP lessons, Stand Up Paddle board lessons! The funny part…I ruined his surprise! He got us lessons as well, just hasn’t booked them yet! Sorry!

We headed into Honolulu to Ala Moana Beach to meet our awesome instructor Eva. We had a fifteen/ twenty minute lesson on the beach and a half wall, some stuff stuck, the rest came back when we went into the water.

It took a second, but we mastered it! Not experts ready to try out for the x-games, but we got the hang of it, enough that we went out and purchased a set of paddle boards for each of us! I think we’ll be doing this together every weekend I’m home and I think PSM will be spending some weekends practicing and leaving me in his wake! I’m hoping to find dime places i can do it on the mainland!

We had so much fun on the water, practicing falling, getting back on the board, turning, seeing sea turtles, they came by, stuck their heads up, said hi and then left, it was great! Some of them were huge!

After our fabulous experience, we were hungry! Off to a new place for breakfast, Egghead Cafe, really good breakfast. I had an avo-corn and egg sandwich with garlic aioli, yum! PSM had a pancake bacon,egg and cheese sandwich, he said yum. We shared the three pancake sampler, there were bananas, macadamia nuts, green tea, ice cream, red beans, so much…yum!

We then left to do some research into buying stand up paddle boards, went to a few places, left to do some thinking and went to the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet, http://www.alohastadiumswapmeet.net/content/home.aspx. 
This is an Oahu staple, three days a week its where you can find everything from trash to treasure. We bought Hydro Flasks, they keep your drinks hot or cold for hours, even days. I wouldn’t have believed it if i hadn’t tried it! Love!

Annie got an upgrad on her seat covers, these actually stay on because there is a separate head rest covert, who knew! PSM got some for his truck too. The best part, water resistant!

After the swap meat, we made a decision…Blue Planet, http://blueplanetsurf.com/, to buy our stand up paddle boards. We got boards, fins and leashes, it was a great package and they’re good boards. Because we bought two, we got tape they put on that will help protect the edge from the paddle, they ever threw in company logo stickers for the boards, looks awesome!

John was a great salesperson and help with installing the stickers, tape and helped PSM strap the boards to the roof.

We went home and got some dinner, tonight was Raman at one of our favorite places, shower, turn around and head back to the airport to pick up PSM’s aunt and uncle coming for a visit.

We got back to the house, visited for a bit, then bed, it was almost 1130 by now!

Woke up this morning, went to one of out favorite breakfast places, My Cafe, induced the family to malasada pancakes! Y U M!

Back to the house to pack and they headed to the airport to go to Kuai for the week, I was bummed not to be able to join them.. next time. I headed out to Honolulu to see TS!!! She was in Hawaii for the week with her daughter,KS and friend, M. How fabulous! We had lunch, caught up and they told me all about their fabulous time in Oahu and Maui, great trip! So great to see them!!!

I saw them off to the airport, went to the beach for a few hours and found my way home, without gps!

Then it was hanging out with Mollie, we’re talking about going to the beach in the morning for a few hours before I have to leave for Chicago.

Another fabulous weekend at home, too short, but fabulous! Can’t wait for the next one… next month!

{March 10, 2017} New friends and vouchers

Today’s travel was pretty good. And profitable.

Today I’m flying home! That’s the best part. My flight from Chicago to was simple enough, we left a little late, but I knew I’d still make my connection in San Francisco.

The guy that sat next to me was very nice, turns out our last names are the same except for one letter, go figure. He’s from Chicago and doesn’t really like to fly and thanked me when we landed, for helping him get thru the flight. He made my flight entertaining, he was a character! So thank you!

I got to San Francisco and eventually made it to the gate and i hear them calling my name, uh oh! Turns out they wanted to see if i would move over one seat, sure.

Then they made an announcement that they were looking for people to volunteer to give up their seats because there was a weight issue, the plane was zaftig.

I called PSM and asked for his opinion. $400 and a seat on the first flight out in the morning. As it was, I wasn’t getting to Hawaii until 1045pm, hmmm…ok, why not, they may not select me.

They did tell me not to put the compensation amount as they would put the highest number on it. Ok.

They kept calling for volunteers, they needed eight. Then…20 minutes later, they announced the gate change, we needed a new plane. Great… there was a couple frm Alabama who had missed their 7am flight, they were supposed to be in Hawaii at 4pm, its now 715pm in California, ouch.

We all get up and make our way over yo the new gate, I made some friends along the way, an older guy from The Big Island, a young guy from Dalton, GA, and a mom with her three month old from Philly.

Then, we had to sit there and wait until the new plane arrived, now my flight would get in to Honolulu at 1244am, glad i made my decision to volunteer.

My new friends and i talked and enjoyed each other’s company until it was time for them to board. Also listening to their pleas for volunteers, “we need five more volunteers”, that went on for what seemed like forever! But… the amount for the voucher kept going up…

Finally the other plane left and we just had to sit there for a few more minutes and then they called us up one by one to give us our stuff.

I ended up with $30 in food vouchers, a hotel voucher and $800 towards a future flight, not too shabby.

But… my luggage is still going to Hawaii, huh? Didn’t someone explain that to you? No…

Oh well. So, I’m sitting here in the Comfort Inn Suites near the San Francisco airport, the alarm is set for 5am so i can catch my 719am flight to Honolulu, in my economy seat, did I mention I gave up a first class seat? Well, if it happened once, it will happen again, I’m sure.

Wish me luck for tomorrow!

{March 8, 2017} Uncommon Grounds

A new restaurant, for me.

Tonight WIS and I went to dinner at a place called Uncommon Ground, a farm to table restaurant. Fabulous!

It’s a warm and inviting place with wooden tables, benches and chairs, warm lighting, decent music and a good atmosphere. Next door they have live music a few nights a week.

Ok, I cheated and I payed for it…our appetizer was artichoke and goat cheese pesto, served with crispy toast points, oh my word! Remember, I gave up dairy because it makes me ill, so if I eat it, it’s on me. Was it worth it? Tonight, yes!

Main dish, I had butternut squash risotto with drunk [rum soaked] raisins. I enjoyed this immensely! WIS had lavender honey chicken, looked great.

It’s a great place that doesn’t pressure you into ordering, leaving because you’ve been there too long. The staff is attentive, but not pushy or at your table every five minutes.

A definite plus and try again. Happy vegan!

http://www.uncommonground.com/home

{March 6, 2017} First run of the season…ahhh

I arrived in Denver late Friday, drove up to Silverthorne, where I was staying for the weekend.

The nice thing this time, I was joined by some friends. Last weekend I got to hang out with my friend APM, this weekend, his wife, NLM and their seven year ood daughter, ALM. They were already in the room asleep, best part… they brought my skis with them!

We got up Saturday morning, went for breakfast, caught up and then got dressed and headed out to hit the slopes at Keystone. I’m a skier and they are both riders, snowboarders, see…the two can get along!

ALM had never been on a gondola, she was a little nervous and after… didn’t want to go up the mountain ant other way!

We got to the top and picked a green circle, I was fine with this since it was a year since I’d skiied and wanted to get a feel for things again, they wanted it because ALM is still learning and this was a family/ learning trail.

We had a great time, there was stopping and starting intentionally and unintentionally, falling, learning, tumbles. We stopped after msking it down once for some hot cocoa and a treat, back up for another run.

It was great watching them together, I’m looking forward to trying a snowboard next year and NLM being my instructor!

At one point ALM said it was time for private lessons. That meant me, then her mom, then me. She would tell us what she wanted us to do, she said copy me, unless I fall, the don’t copy me! Sounds good!

After the second run, we were done, this had taken a good chunk of the day. We headed to the shuttle, back to the car, then the hotel. We regrouped, went to get some dinner at Whole Foods, back to the room for showers, dinner and a movie. We ended sacking out pretty early, a full day on the slopes can do that to ya!

This morning, breakfast, packing and they headed out for home and I went back to Keystone for a few runs, back to the hotel, shower, off to Boulder for an errand, traffic was ridiculous! Drop off my skis, say hello and goodbye and then to the airport.

Now I’m back in Chicago ready for a new week. Fabulous weekend!

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