Dobrindts dot com...again

Recently Diane Feinstein was at a fund raiser at the Grand Hyatt in New York. She left the ballroom to use the washroom and was overheard talking to a waiter

Diane Feinstein: It wasn't until the 19th Century that women began working outside their homes in large numbers. Most often, women were employed as teachers or nurses, and in textile mills and garment shops.

As women entered into the workforce, we had to fight our way into nontraditional fields: medicine, law, business, and yes, even politics.

The American Medical Association was founded in 1846. But it barred women for 69 years from membership, until 1915.

The American Bar Association was founded in 1876, but it barred women and did not admit them until 1918. That's 42 years later. And it wasn't until 1920 when, after a very hard fight, women won the right to vote -- not even 100 years ago.

Can you please tell me where the bathroom is?

Waiter: Around the corner.

Posted by David at 05:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I am sitting on an Acela train traveling back to Boston from New York. They predicted really bad weather in the northeast and the flights were starting to get backed up.

This is my first time on the Acela, Amtrak’s high speed train. My first impression after sitting on it for a while is that for a high speed train it’s not very high speed. We’re strolling along like it’s a Grand Canyon site seeing tour. I was imaging streaming through the countryside like a fighter pilot in a freakin metal bullet. I had an image of zipping past old barns and warehouses so fast you could only make out the color of the building. I’ve taken the regular Amtrak train enough to realize that we are not going any faster than that. It’s pretty…unimpressive.

I will admit I like the seats. They seem more comfortable and spacious than the regular trains. And I saw a pretty cool thing by Amtrak. Sitting in the row in front of me was a guy who got on the wrong train. Instead of going to Boston he was suppose to go to Philadelphia. When the conductor took his ticket they both realized the mistake. So the conductor, an older woman, walked away for a bit and came back and said they would stop at the next available stop, Stamford, which is not a normal stop, so this guy could get off and head back to NY to catch a train to Philadelphia. The stop only had a minor impact on the train schedule and made a huge difference for this poor guy. Nice move on Amtrak’s part since it was not their fault. They get a gold star.

I might get up in a little bit and explore the café car. I heard a guy who I think is a frequent customer of this route say “Do you want today’s coffee or yesterday’s?” while walking from the car “Today’s will cost you extra” he finished as he sat down next to his friend. I love the Delta Shuttle but the travelers are grumpy, in a rush and keep to themselves. The mood on the train seems much more relaxed and jovial. And I love that I have space, a plug for my laptop, I can talk on my cell phone and I didn’t have to go through the normal security hassles. But, and this is the HUGE reason why I don’t take the train, it is almost 4 hours to get from Penn to South Station and the Delta Shuttle is 40 minutes wheels up. I can leave the client location in NYC at 4:15, get on the 5:30 Shuttle, and walk in my door at 7:30 or earlier. With the train, it is much easier to get to Amtrak but if the train leaves at 5, I get to South Station at 8:45, and then have to get home which could take another 30-60 minutes. Flying is just quicker than the train.

Thought I’d share.

Posted by David at 08:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I am using dial up right now at the NY Hilton on 6th and 54th. You want to know why? Because this hotel treats me like DIRT. I swear that I was treated better before I was Diamond Hilton Honors level. I used to get coupons for free takeout breakfast, now I don't even though lower levels of Hilton Honors get them. I used to get a room on a high floor, now I don't. I used to get rooms with small comforts like, I don't know, shampoo and soap, now I don't. I used to get a free bottle of water in my room, now I don't. My freakin rooms used to have internet access that actually worked, now I get to use dial up after trying to connect for two hours and spending almost all of that time on the phone with technical support. The (expletive deleted) TV used to work and now I have to get up and turn it off manually, the phone on the desk used to work and when my room smelled like smoke and I asked for a new one they USED TO OBLIGE. Oh, they set up a special desk in the lobby for Diamond level guests so that I can get treated more rudely then the regular check in, hell, the computer kiosks have more of a personality. In fact, I should use the kiosks from now on because at least I won’t walk away feeling like I bothered someone. I hate this hotel and I curse the Hilton name, except for Paris Hilton who is strange.

Sorry, I needed to vent. At least my room is not covered in large spiders and there are no snakes under my bed, I think. Plus, the bed is comfortable.

Posted by David at 05:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Click here for pictures of Labor Day weekend 2005 in the Hamptons. Patti's parents were nice enough to put us up for the long weekend. We had perfect weather.

Or cut and paste the following URL into your browser.

http://www.moveyourasana.com/David/pictures/LaborDay2005/index.htm

Posted by David at 05:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Telephone conversations heard from one end.

Me: (phone rings, I pick up) Hello?

Other Person: (says something but you can’t hear)

Me: Hey, how’s it going? Long time no talk.

Other Person: (talking)

Me: I’m good. Doing the same old stuff. Work, kids, catching up on the house. How are you doing?

Other Person: (talking)

Me: Ha, so you heard about baby number three. Yeah, it’s pretty crazy.

Other Person: (talking)

Me: Yep, we found out a couple of weeks ago. Want to guess, I’ll give you one shot.

Other Person: (talking)

Me: You got it right out of the box. Good call.

Other Person: (talking)

Me: February 4th. Not sure about names yet though. Any suggestions.

Other Person: (talking)

Me: Nah, too common.

Other Person: (talking)

Me: Nope, too trendy.

Other Person: (talking)

Me: Thought of that, it’s on our short list.

Other Person: (talking)

Me: Hmm, never thought of that. Is that a boy’s name or girl’s name.

Other Person: (talking)

Me: Oh, so it wouldn’t work.

Other Person: (talking)

Me: Yeah, we can use clothes we already have for the new baby. That should save us some money.

Other Person: (talking)

Me: Yeah, we’ll just double up that room when the time is right. No need to repaint or redecorate.

Other Person: (talking)

Me: Ha, true. 3 against 2.

Other Person: (talking)

Me: Ok, sounds good. Thanks for calling, see you on Friday.

Posted by David at 02:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I ran another road race yesterday. Two weeks ago I ran the Susan Komen 5K breast cancer “race for the cure” road race. It is a huge event in Boston every year with (I think) around 5 thousand runners and walkers. I ended up running it in a time that amounted to an 8 minute 11 second mile. I thought I actually ran faster and I am not sure if the computer chip takes into account the fact that it took me a couple of minutes to get past the starting line. Patti ended up walking it and pushed the kids in the stroller. It was a huge event and for a cause that is near to my heart right now.

This past Sunday I ran a 10K race called the Marine Corp Honor Run. This one was really close to my house and the course was in a really pretty wooded area. Patti pushed the kids in the a 5K shorter version. I ran 10K, about 6.4 miles, in around 52 minutes which is an 8 minute 22 second mile. Not bad considering the last 2 miles was up hill.

Couple of things.

- I should have run these things when I was 21 and in the best shape of my life. While I am up to about 8 miles for my normal jog, it is never a piece of cake. I remember when I played sports in high school and carried lacrosse to college, I could run forever and barely breath heavy.

- Races like these are a blast and the best part, other than the charity that the money goes to, is the free stuff at the end. If they provided free beer I would do two a weekend.

- The Komen race was kind of sad because of the topic. Breast cancer is no joke and while it celebrates the survivors just as much as the victims, it’s heartbreaking still the same.

- I thought the Marine Corp race would be a blast and, while it was fun, I forgot to realize that a large portion of the runners would be military men in their late teens or early twenties in the best shape that almost anyone could every been in. Add to that ex-military people and law enforcement runners who are generally fit, and I went from being fairly fast to being behind the pack. The race the week before I came in around the top 25%. This race I think I was more like 50%. And while the mood was somber at the Komen race, it was the exact opposite at the Marine Corp race. A lot of testosterone. And a lot of crew cuts.

- My father was in the Marine Corp in the 50s and other than his three charming and talented kids, and their offspring, I think being a Marine is the thing he is most proud of. I thought of that while running the Marine Corp Honor run. No amount of words can express the kind of respect that I have for all military people. While soldiers usually get something back like a skill or trade, they give more than they get back. I come from a long line of proud military folks (I even have a WW2 Congressional Metal of Honor winner in my extended family) and the single greatest regret I have in life (so far) is not working harder to get into a military academy. Like the military or not, it’s something to be proud of.

Even though I have been running for years, this is the first year that I am really focusing on it and getting serious about it. This is in large part because of Uncle Tim, and his multiple marathons. I think in a way it has changed his life and I am not talking about losing some weight. My goal for the rest of this year is to get to a half marathon, with a full marathon within the next 12 months. We’ll see how it goes after child number 3 is born in February.

Posted by David at 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For the past few years my immediate family and I have been holding an annual get-together, or some might say, a family reunion. It started when the grandkids started coming and has become an annual thing. First year it was Phoenix and Atlanta in the same year, then Virginia, then back to Phoenix, and this year it was at our place in Milton. One sister from Arizona, with her husband and two kids came out, my sister from Virginia, my parents from Atlanta and an aunt from Albany came. My parents came in on Friday night so they could be there all day Saturday to help with getting the house ready and to watch our kids. Then on Sunday everyone started arriving. First it was my aunt, so while I dropped my parents off and they waited at the bus station for her, I went to the airport and got sister number 2. Then later that night my other sister and her family arrived.

Monday, the first full day, we went into Boston and did a Trolley Tour. Always a good time to get a quick fix of Boston sites.

Tuesday, day number two, my parents and my aunt had to head back to their homes. So the day was a couple of drop-offs and some errands while the rest of my family hung out at the house.

Wednesday was the first day with just the siblings. It was another really nice day so we ended up going to the beach later in the day.

Thursday everyone left and by 6 at night all was quiet. The week was great and I got to touch up on my Tripoly skills. Tripoly is a great card/board game that I grew up playing. My sister’s and my kids got along well and no fights (adults or kids) made for a really nice week.

Next year we talked about renting a beach house, maybe in Virginia or North Carolina, so that no one had to host it at their own house. Spending time with my family, and Patti’s family as well, is becoming increasingly important so that my kids grow up knowing their relatives, just like I did. It was great seeing my sisters, my parents and my aunt and hopefully next time they visit I’ll have a house big enough to actually keep everyone.

Posted by David at 08:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The little bottle of shampoo the hotel gives you may look like exactly like the little bottle of mouthwash they give you, but it most certainly doesn’t taste the same, especially at 6 in the morning when you are just waking up.

Thought I’d share.

Posted by David at 05:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Things with the NY Hilton have been pretty good the last month or two. Not so much because the actual hotel has changed, but I have been working with two specific people, one at the hotel, one part of their 800 number, who have been extraordinary. I am now a Diamond Hilton Honors level, which is the highest level, I think, you can be. One of the benefits according to their website is that I am guaranteed a room if I call 48 hours in advance. I am at the hotel this week and realized I needed to extend my stay until Friday, so I called last night to change my check out date from Thursday to Friday, which is more than 48 hours in advance.

Me: (over the phone with a hotel person) Hi, I am scheduled to check out on Thursday but would like to extend to Friday.

Hotel Person: Please hold

(I hold the phone for 5 minutes while waiting, then put it down on speaker phone for another 5)

Hotel Person: I’m sorry but we are sold out Thursday night, we cannot extend your stay.

Me: (confidently, knowing I have the Diamond in my back pocket, a little surprised they didn’t know that with their magical computer that identifies what room is calling) Hmm…but I am a diamond level, I thought I was guaranteed a room if I book far enough in advance.

Hotel Person: That doesn’t apply when the hotel is sold out.

Me: (waiting for her to laugh, thinking she was joking…still waiting…silence…dawns on my she is not joking) Huh? A guaranteed room only applies if the hotel has availability?

Hotel Person: Yes sir.

Me: (losing a tiny bit of patience, but know that her statement is as far off as me jumping up in a business meeting and demanding a silver goblet of goat blood) That makes no sense. If the hotel is not sold out, why do I need a guaranty?

Hotel Person: The Diamond Level desk will be open tomorrow morning, could you call back then?

Me: Sure (I whisper as I hang up the phone) Dance jester, dance.

Posted by David at 05:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Most of the time when I am on a project I work at a client location, which has been in NY for the past 4 months. I was on vacation last week and when I got back the following was posted on the wall of my cube.

In case you can’t read it, it says “Twinkling Eyes Club, wishing you miles of smiles. The only non-exclusive club in the world.” Considering my surly and sarcastic nature, which I work hard to maintain, I will keep the picture on my wall. I work with a funny group of people.

width=237 border=1>

Posted by David at 05:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)