Giant room

After months of staying at the Hilton Executive Suites, I got a big big suite.  There is a sofa with coffee table, a conference table with four chairs,  large L-shaped desk with credenza and a large walk thru bathroom.

Thank you, Lauren, at the front desk.

Christmas in Charlotte

Mr. Christmas that is. My friendly National Rental Car return agent.  Somehow Christmas almost always is the guy who is there when I drive on to return my rental.  Familiar and happy faces are always welcomed.

Trying blogger app

Ok, here is first  attempt at blogging from my new smart phone.

Including pic of wisteria near my hotel in Charlotte.

Spring has arrived early in Charlotte

In addition to this tree blooming, there are jonquils blooming around the airport.

A snowy departure

An early morning freezing mist made the drive from home to the airport a nervous 20 minutes.  The airport was not crowded and by the time I walked to the gate, the weather had switched to snow and was coming down fairly heavy.

The plane had to be de-iced but not at the gate. I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I saw was the de-icing machine and we were very far from the terminal. When we started to head to the runway, I noticed the snow plows.

The snow plows were performing a well-choreographed dance to clear the runway of snow and ice. It was fascinating.  The pilot informed us the airport had closed for a short time while the runways were cleared.

Our takeoff was an hour late but I had missed most of it apparently. Charlotte was very foggy and misty not unlike Minneapolis except there wasn't any freezing.

Not enough blogging

So my blogging output, or input depending on how you look at it, has been very low.  So I'm going to try something different and do some stream of consciousness blogging.  That means you might get some of my opinion and attitude.

I'm back in Charlotte for work.  A local news story concerns woman who is suing the police for her injuries while in custody.  Based on the in-cruiser video camera, the woman banged her own head against the plastic divider then wrapped the seat belt three times around her own neck.

The officer had left her alone to get assistance.  The woman's lawyer says the police should have done more to protect her from herself.

Really?!  Step up people and take responsibility for your own actions.

Team outing

I don't often put activities directly related to work on the blog but this was such a unique and fun event.  The team celebrated the completion of our first phase of work by getting manicutes and pedicures.  I have never had a manicure let alone a pedicure.

The team getting manicured.

Pedicure results.

The very generous Kim.

A Charlotte Fall

Not as smooth this week

Well, I'm back in Charlotte. NC. But this week, Monday didn't go as well.
I actually got to the airport earlier but I hadn't printed my boarding pass. My printer isn't working so I figured printing at the airport would be fine.

I did know that I was departing from G21 so the mid-terminal security check would be the most convenient. I didn't know that the Delta kiosk wouldn't print my boarding pass, however. For some unknown reason my itinerary was blocked.

There are no gate agents at the mid-terminal security entrance. I had to take the parking tram to the main terminal. It was crazy busy at the main terminal. Monday's are always busy but everyone was making comments on the crowds.

Thanks to having status, I got a Delta agent quickly and she was able to print the boarding pass -- no problem. I was upgraded to first class again. That was a surprise and may have been why the record was blocked.

Now I had to get through security. The lines were twice as long as the previous Monday. It was now 15 mins. before scheduled boarding time. Twenty minutes later I was through security and at the opposite end of the airport from my gate. I made a gamble...instead of taking the long walk down concourse G. I went to C to catches the C tram to the mid-terminal crossover. It worked perfectly. The tram pulled up just as I was getting to it. I was the third to the last passenger on. Everything went smoothly after that.

Off to a good start

I'm back to business travel.  And my first flight was an upgrade from coach to first class!

On Monday I got to the airport a little later than I planned.  The security lines were very long and moved at a slow pace.  I knew the gate and it was near security so I was not too concerned.

I was not anticipating an upgrade because this was my first flight in several months and it was just a smaller regional jet.  By the time I got through security it was past the start of boarding...Delta starts boarding way early.  I stopped at the ATM and Caribou Coffee.

When I got to the gate boarding had started as expected.  I didn't know where they were in boarding so went up to the gate agent and handed my boarding pass.  She said "Oh, there you are." and took my boarding pass and gave me the first class seat!  Sweet!

The flight was uneventful which is always what you want.  There was a full breakfast even.

I'm in Charlotte, North Carolina.  It looks like I'll be traveling here for a long time.  The weather is muggy and warm...so not what Minnesota has been like for the past several weeks.  It was 72 degrees this morning which is warmer than it has been back home since August.

Charlotte, NC

A week in Charlotte for work.  Piggybackjng one project on another.

Today I went to downtown Charlotte to the office. Finally got to see the city and it is nice.

View of the Presbyterian  steeple out the office window.

Taylor and Tyron Streets intersection. There is statue in each corner.

Music by the Lake

Met up with co-workers at a bar and restaurant across the road from hotel.  Kind of an urban oasis with a man-made lake including swans and ducks.  Many restaurants and some retail.  This part of Charlotte is called University City.

Thursday evenings is free music by the lake. Lots of people were enjoying the music and dancing.  It was a pleasant way to pass the time.