No travel this week but not working from home. My two team members have flown to Minneapolis so we can work together this week. So we're working in the IBM office in downtown Minneapolis.
I'll be riding the bus to and fro. I purchased a "Go To" card at the Metro Transit office. It works like the Oyster card in London. It holds money and you just have to press it on the reader in the bus or the lightrail. Oh, so convenient.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Some Seattle photos
The view from the IBM office 9th floor. The Space Needle is in the distance.
Self-portrait outside the IBM building.
Waiting for delayed flight. The view of Mt. Ranier was phenomenal. This picture doesn't do it justice.
Self-portrait outside the IBM building.
Waiting for delayed flight. The view of Mt. Ranier was phenomenal. This picture doesn't do it justice.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Different location
In Seattle, Washington this week! It is so beautiful here. Bright, sunny and warm.
Had a series of problems this morning and was beginning to think I wouldn't or shouldn't be flying.
First my dishwasher (dishdrawer as many of you know) did not complete its cycle correctly. There was still water in it and the drawer wouldn't open properly. Also, it wouldn't turn on. There was some water in below so it kind of indicated that the overflow had tripped and shut it down. That is a safety feature so it doesn't flood the house.
That wasn't it. My drain was completely clogged up with gunk so the water wasn't able to be pumped out and drained. The dishdrawer then somehow tripped the GFI outlet so it wasn't getting any power.
I cleaned out all the drain pipe pieces and reset the GFI outlet. And all was well. But this was my morning to get ready to fly out of town. Thank goodness I had gotten up early and the flight wasn't until 9am.
The next incident was on the way to the airport. For those of you in Twin Cities you know there is all this construction on 35W and so no shoulders in the case of an emergency. Well...
...as I'm getting ready to left exit from 35W to Highway 62, the "Service Soon" message displays on the dash and the wrench idiot light comes on. And worst of all, the darn thing slows to under 40 mph and won't go any faster. The engine won't rev and that's just that.
I turn on the flashers and start looking for some place to pull over. There are barricades everywhere and merging traffic and a long line of cars behind me. I finally get to a spot where I could pull over. My only hope was to shut the truck off and restart it and pray that it would "fix" itself.
It did.
I went on to the airport without any further problems. I'm hoping when I get back Friday night that I can make it home okay.
Guess I need to take the thing into the shop. Thank goodness for the Yahoo Ford Escape Hybrid (FEH) user group. Someone posted a similar issue and how they got their '07 fixed.
Had a series of problems this morning and was beginning to think I wouldn't or shouldn't be flying.
First my dishwasher (dishdrawer as many of you know) did not complete its cycle correctly. There was still water in it and the drawer wouldn't open properly. Also, it wouldn't turn on. There was some water in below so it kind of indicated that the overflow had tripped and shut it down. That is a safety feature so it doesn't flood the house.
That wasn't it. My drain was completely clogged up with gunk so the water wasn't able to be pumped out and drained. The dishdrawer then somehow tripped the GFI outlet so it wasn't getting any power.
I cleaned out all the drain pipe pieces and reset the GFI outlet. And all was well. But this was my morning to get ready to fly out of town. Thank goodness I had gotten up early and the flight wasn't until 9am.
The next incident was on the way to the airport. For those of you in Twin Cities you know there is all this construction on 35W and so no shoulders in the case of an emergency. Well...
...as I'm getting ready to left exit from 35W to Highway 62, the "Service Soon" message displays on the dash and the wrench idiot light comes on. And worst of all, the darn thing slows to under 40 mph and won't go any faster. The engine won't rev and that's just that.
I turn on the flashers and start looking for some place to pull over. There are barricades everywhere and merging traffic and a long line of cars behind me. I finally get to a spot where I could pull over. My only hope was to shut the truck off and restart it and pray that it would "fix" itself.
It did.
I went on to the airport without any further problems. I'm hoping when I get back Friday night that I can make it home okay.
Guess I need to take the thing into the shop. Thank goodness for the Yahoo Ford Escape Hybrid (FEH) user group. Someone posted a similar issue and how they got their '07 fixed.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Home again
Went for my traditional last morning snorkel on Saturday. Decided I would try to see if the giant eel was in its lair. But it wasn't.
Did see an octopus though. So fascinating. It was tucked into the side of the "wall" doing a pretty good job of blending in but not enough.
Got checked out of hotel and off to airport without any hitches. Had a long layover in Dallas so had dinner and made some phone calls.
After we took off, the pilot told us we had the rate opportunity of a second sunset. As were were taxing to the runway, the sun set in Dallas. Because we were traveling north, the sun came back up just above the horizon and stayed there for quite a while as we flew due north. It finally set for the second time about half hour or more into the flight.
Did see an octopus though. So fascinating. It was tucked into the side of the "wall" doing a pretty good job of blending in but not enough.
Got checked out of hotel and off to airport without any hitches. Had a long layover in Dallas so had dinner and made some phone calls.
After we took off, the pilot told us we had the rate opportunity of a second sunset. As were were taxing to the runway, the sun set in Dallas. Because we were traveling north, the sun came back up just above the horizon and stayed there for quite a while as we flew due north. It finally set for the second time about half hour or more into the flight.
Friday, July 4, 2008
I did not drown
Had my first scuba experience yesterday. Carlos at Pepe's Scuba here at Coral Princess hotel was my instructor.
He explained all the equipment. How to use the respirator and how to retrieve it when you're underwater if you lose it. Most importantly for me was how to clear water from your goggles underwater.
We did a brief go through in the swimming pool then went right into the ocean off the hotel. The water is about 20 feet deep. I had some problems getting the buoyancy vest to deflate enough to let me sink. I'm not naturally very buoyant so thought it was kind of funny.
We swam along with the current. Carlos showed me the "home" for a big squid. The squid was in there all curled up. He also showed me the biggest green eel I had ever seen. It must have been at least 4 feet long and a good 10 or 12 inches tall. It was enormous. I had snorkeled around the spot several times and had not seen it.
The experience was good. Especially since I didn't drown or have any real problems. I'm not sure if I would do it again though.
He explained all the equipment. How to use the respirator and how to retrieve it when you're underwater if you lose it. Most importantly for me was how to clear water from your goggles underwater.
We did a brief go through in the swimming pool then went right into the ocean off the hotel. The water is about 20 feet deep. I had some problems getting the buoyancy vest to deflate enough to let me sink. I'm not naturally very buoyant so thought it was kind of funny.
We swam along with the current. Carlos showed me the "home" for a big squid. The squid was in there all curled up. He also showed me the biggest green eel I had ever seen. It must have been at least 4 feet long and a good 10 or 12 inches tall. It was enormous. I had snorkeled around the spot several times and had not seen it.
The experience was good. Especially since I didn't drown or have any real problems. I'm not sure if I would do it again though.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
(No Subject)
Pretty much not doing anything.
Sleeping (sun bathing...thank goodness for spray on sun guard to reach everywhere).
Reading (Jimmy Carter auto-biography of his boyhood in Plains, Georgia).
Snorkeling (only occasionally and only here at the hotel).
I did go into town last night to eat at favorite restaurant, Casa Denis, just off the Plaza Mayor.
Today I'm actually going to do a planned activity. Taking an introduction to scuba course. If you don't hear from me, I've succumbed to the bends or some other tragic outcome.
Sleeping (sun bathing...thank goodness for spray on sun guard to reach everywhere).
Reading (Jimmy Carter auto-biography of his boyhood in Plains, Georgia).
Snorkeling (only occasionally and only here at the hotel).
I did go into town last night to eat at favorite restaurant, Casa Denis, just off the Plaza Mayor.
Today I'm actually going to do a planned activity. Taking an introduction to scuba course. If you don't hear from me, I've succumbed to the bends or some other tragic outcome.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Cozumel, Mexico
Finally a non-business trip. Flew from Minneapolis to Miami. Then Miami to Cozumel in a prop-jet. I thought you couldn't fly directly from the United States to Cuba but I guess you can. There was an American Eagle flight from Miami to Havana right before my flight.
Got here safe and sound. The flight to Cozumel was not full and took a little over an hour. They didn't have the custom's forms on the plane so had to fill out in the airport. Got through passport control and the very short custom's declaration line where you press a button. If the light turns red, you have to have your bags searched. It the light turns green, you get to go on through.
Paid my taxi fare at the airport window...$8 US or 78 pesos. Turns out I had quite a lot of pesos left over from my last trip so using them. The exchange rate this month is almost exactly 10 to 1. 10 pesos to one dollar. Makes easy for calculating in my head.
First thing you have to do when you get here is not worry about time. I didn't even bring my watch. Even though I was the first in the transport, the drivers want to fill up the van to make it worth it. My hotel is on the north side and not as many people stay on this side. It took a while to get more passengers so I just sat and read my book.
I was the first to be dropped off at my hotel which is not far from the airport. I dumped my stuff in the room; put on my swimming suit; went down to the beach and jumped in the ocean. The beach at my hotel is all man made because we actually are sitting on the coral. The water off the pier is pretty deep...probably 15 feet or more but crystal clear and full of fish. The corals were pretty damaged up by Hurricane Wilma a few years ago. The hotel itself was nearly destroyed.
The corals are coming back and soon will be quite spectacular.
Towel art.
The famous sunsets...
Got here safe and sound. The flight to Cozumel was not full and took a little over an hour. They didn't have the custom's forms on the plane so had to fill out in the airport. Got through passport control and the very short custom's declaration line where you press a button. If the light turns red, you have to have your bags searched. It the light turns green, you get to go on through.
Paid my taxi fare at the airport window...$8 US or 78 pesos. Turns out I had quite a lot of pesos left over from my last trip so using them. The exchange rate this month is almost exactly 10 to 1. 10 pesos to one dollar. Makes easy for calculating in my head.
First thing you have to do when you get here is not worry about time. I didn't even bring my watch. Even though I was the first in the transport, the drivers want to fill up the van to make it worth it. My hotel is on the north side and not as many people stay on this side. It took a while to get more passengers so I just sat and read my book.
I was the first to be dropped off at my hotel which is not far from the airport. I dumped my stuff in the room; put on my swimming suit; went down to the beach and jumped in the ocean. The beach at my hotel is all man made because we actually are sitting on the coral. The water off the pier is pretty deep...probably 15 feet or more but crystal clear and full of fish. The corals were pretty damaged up by Hurricane Wilma a few years ago. The hotel itself was nearly destroyed.
The corals are coming back and soon will be quite spectacular.
Towel art.
The famous sunsets...
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