2 for 1.

So, it's been two weeks since my last post. I'll chalk it up to being busy before the big trip to Las Vegas... let's get into it.

Work - This subject is first this time as it was the bulk of my concentration over the last few weeks. We had a solid push to get everything ready, as a company, before we left last week for Vegas. It was a big show (not as big as EuroBike), but went well for us. It was a good way to highlight, for many of us, small & big flaws with our company. It will help us find out where we need to concentrate our efforts moving forward. In a nice way, it was great for me to put names to faces and understand further who my customers are - lots of foreign people, some interesting "gifts" upon meeting, and lots of work to do once back in the office (both personally and as a company).

Family - well, Ben's at Grandpa's. That's big news, esp considering my own history in the house. I believe Ben and Gramps will get along pretty well and it'll be beneficial for both. At the very least, Ben can keep an eye on Gramps and save money for his intended move to Omaha.

I haven't heard too much from anyone else, but have talked to Vic a bit (still trying to get down to visit her) and also my dad before I left for Vegas. I believe almost all of them know I've been seeing a girl up here in Milwaukee for a little over a month now.

Friends - Talked to Jenny while in Vegas. I was literally sitting in our booth before it was finished the night prior to opening. We got a chance to catch up and see how everyone was doing. She finally had a break at work and took some time off... that's a good thing. Now that Bret's a trader, I believe Jenny is now the king/queen with work hours, which is a title I'm sure she would be glad to trade in. George also had some interesting interactions with females lately, but I'm going to have to get the full story from him soon.

The most interesting note is that I looked up my old Wrigleyville roomie, Emeli, while in Vegas. She has lived there for some time and is now married (to the guy she moved out with). We had a really nice, non-Vegasy, dinner one of the nights in Sin City. I was happy to see her and it was fun to fill her in on my goings on since we parted ways in May of '05. Not too long of a night, but long enough to fill each other in. She now has a puppy in her life too, Bubba.

Pic - This new pic (should be up soon, issue with webpage) is the logo of a great breakfast place in the Mill. I've had a chance to try out many new places, but this one is right by my house, and despite a patchoolie-ish name, is a great place for food, of all kind. Just this morning, I got to try the very good soy-pesto scramble and some wonderful almond challah french toast. Plus, the prices will knock the socks off of anyone used to eating out in Chicago.

Bike - The new city bike was finished just before Vegas, got a quick flat tire, and now seems to be back in shape. There will be a few small changes over the next few weeks, but it's basically good to go. I'm very happy with how it turned out and it should be fun to bum around the city and try not to get hurt riding over city obstacles. The best part is that I have some more experience with products from work and all seems to be working as planned.

AR - Coming back from a trip, almost no matter the hour, I unpack and put away all the luggage. I can't fall asleep with it looming for the next day, or messing up the normal "put-away" standard in the apartment. This Vegas trip was no different, I finished up about 2AM.

The countdown begins...

It's only one week until I head out to Las Vegas. We'll start there...

Work - SO, the big bike show starts with two days of outdoor demo on M and Tu, then indoors for three days, thru Friday. I have meetings during all of the indoor show. If I'm lucky, I'll get to look around some of it on the last day, before flying home in the early evening. I'm just glad I get to go home on Friday. I've made a few connections with the old work crew, will probably see some of them out there. There is an outside chance the trip will be great for work, and fun personally - but I ain't holding my breath.

Family - haven't touched base with most in too long. Ben was out in Omaha. Vic's in the 'Paign (which has a new meaning for her). And other than that, I've been stuck on Wisco time. I'm still trying to get down to C-U for a visit and football game. It WILL happen.

Friends - Talked to George recently. He's going to be voted the President of his condo board. Sounds cool. And everyone seems busy most weekends with stuff going on for fall. Bret just sent out an invite for a cornfield maze evening - but I'll be in Vegas. It sounded totally fun.I'm hoping I can get a few up in the fall for a brewery tour or other such Wisco event.

Bike - It's arrived. The brown blob pictured on this page. It's a street/dirtjump/city bike that is being built up now. I'll use it for around town errands, fun on the city, and general mayhem. It's gonna be cheap to outfit, so no big deal. Just waiting on some parts from our warehouse and a distributor. Could be done before Vegas, if I'm lucky. After Vegas if I'm not.

AR - Almost daily, I'll pick lint off all my rugs. This includes the two in the living room/entry way as well as the bathroom, bedroom and truck. If I can see the offending lint, it's mine.

The city becomes personal...

... I thought it was a good title. Provocative. Compelling. But, there's not much to back it up.

Family - Not too much news this week as I didn't go down this past weekend. I stayed here in the Mill and found some new hotpsots. I do know that Vic is still down at school, counting any amount of days possible... til the next trip home, til winter break... I hope she counts only one set of days - til she graduates from the U of I.

Friends - Tom's back in DC, but his bike got jacked by UPS. They tore it a new seatpost hole and hopefully he takes it out on some poor sap on the phone. George had some good indie rock this past weekend, but the Bears and Cubs both stunk it up... so no Chicagoan, including George, can be too happy. And have no fear everyone, I can't stand any of the WI teams up here... all of which won this past weekend.

Work - It's still going really well. The company is having it's own issues that come with putting 4 brands in one building, but I've seen it before. I have faith in the people I work with and am pretty sure, that like before at SRAM, it'll come together really well down the road. I continue to do my own part with lots of help from others around me. Just got a new laptop (nothing to fancy), a new desk chair (don't snicker), and a fixed desktop, so I can have both pieces of it at the same level. This is a great help for keeping the keyboard on the level. Vegas in 2 weeks, and counting. Oh, I just heard, the hotel we're staying in is also hosting the National Gay Rodeo convention. Bring your chaps, Cowboy. (no, this is not a joke)

Bikes - Really working on putting together a city/street/park/dirtjump bike for around town. The BMX bike won't travel too well (can't really sit down and pedal on it)... the mtn bike is too nice for an errand bike. So, with some help from the previous company and the current company, I can get into one pretty inexpensively. We'll see how it develops, right here. Oh the big race in northern WI is this coming weekend. I'm not entered in it, but it's their 25th edition, which in the MTB world is pretty long.

AR - I didn't seem to keep my silverware sorter in all the moving, so I just lined up all my silverware in the drawer. By utensil, upsidedown, it looks nice.

Experiment.

If you read this, send me an email @ mkator@illinoisalumni.org. If I don't get more than, say, 6 people to reply... this is the last post on this blog.

Back from the Land Of Sausage.

Family - Well, Vic is still at school... in fact she went back to school today (Labor Day) after a good home-cookout in Glenview. We suspect she'd rather not, but we all think her being at school is the best thing. I'm hoping to visit her before my next work trip at the end of the month.

Friends - Tom heads back to DC tomorrow. He's made a nice vacation out of a couple weekends and I'm sure got to see all the people that never visit him in DC. I'm not someone that sees him all the time there, but I have gone. I have to say, it's one of America's coolest cities, esp for the patriotic vibe that radiates out of it 24/7. They have tons to see, do, and eat... and all the museums are free.

Haven't been in touch with anyone else really, the work travel keeps that to a minimum. Speaking of...

Work - I just got back yesterday from the work trip to Germany. We were in Friedrichshafen, in the area they call the Bodensee. It's got a great rustic, yet not rural, quality to it. They have a big lake (Constance) and so many apple orchards. Plus, one of the biggest convention centers I've seen... then filled with bikes, parts, and bike lovers. It was pretty great. And, I feel that I performed my function there as well as I could have for being 4 weeks into a new gig.

Saw alot of SRAM folks there too... they had a HUGE booth staffed with over 75 people. This is the big time in the bike biz. Still, not always peachy.

Bikes - nothing new to note personally, but I have some new bike ideas after seeing so much cool stuff at the bike show. I've also recently got some new parts for a mtn bike, from the fine friends at SRAM. If I play the cards right, I could have a street/park mtn bike pretty easily.

Also, the weather had been nice the whole time I was gone in Germany, hopefully I can get in some rides to the office this week.

AR - I often, not always, wipe down the faucet and sink area in a public restroom after using it. Typically, it's so drenched with water and soap that to make it look like I wasn't the slob who left it, I just go over all of it with some hand towels.

Come fly with me...

Family - The shoe is yet to drop on Victoria. She's really wanting to come back home, but I'm not sure that she will. Alot of the family feels she should stay and finish, but she's as stubborn as the rest of us.

The new "pic" is of the little neices - Bridget and Abby. Can you tell which one is the nuttier? I saw them both this past weekend. They spent some time in my truck and seemed to have a blast.

Friends - Tom is in the city and 'burbs until after Labor Day. One for the family time, and also to run the Accenture Chicago Triathlon. In fact, it was today (Su). I know his plan was to get up before the sun in order to get down in time to stage all his gear. I've heard he might have got a late start... hope it went well.

Jenny was called into duty late Saturday night in order to watch her sister's dog. "Why?", you ask. Well, word on the street is that her sister dropped her water on the hospital floor and the baby is imminent. Congrats to all, I'm sure I'll find out what happened by next week's update.

Travel/Work - Off to Germany tomorrow (M). I'll be meeting at least 6 of my customers and getting a good bit of practice for the show in Vegas, one month later. I get back next Sunday.

Bike - My two rides are in running order, but the bigger news is that until this afternoon, I hadn't ridden on about 6 days. The rainy weather here has kept me off the bike and out of the wet for some time. I'm glad to get back on... and see the sun.

AR - I will almost always "fix" the tines of a fork, rather than eat with one that has bent or mis-spaced tines. And I only say almost b/c I don't know when I didn't fix one. At a restaurant the other night, I fixed them before eating as they were both kinds of out of whack. I've no idea what's happening in their dishwasher, but I don't like the look of out of whack tines. I don't even think it has much to do with feeling them in my mouth.

About 500 miles later...

Family - It is done. Victoria has been dropped off at school for the 2nd time in 3 years. After not liking EIU, she has transferred out of Oakton and into UofI as junior. She will be getting her teaching degree there; I have no doubt... mostly b/c we're not going pick her up again. She had the big crew to help this time - M&D, Jes, Me, Ben, and Rachel. Everything went smooth and we were in and out in 4 hours, including dropping her stuff at the dorm (Barton), hitting Hickory River for some BBQ, a random-awesome stop at Blain's Farm & Fleet, and custard at The Cup on the way out.

Friends - Hit George's Indie Rock "Meet-Up" event on Friday night. It was great to be back in the city and see G-Money, but he was a bit under the weather. And to top it all off, the bands were, uhh, not good. We're interested in rock 'n roll when we go to the shows, but the bands were light rock at best. Ah well, it wadn't that much to get in anyways. Live and learn.

Saw Jenny for brunch at France's Deli. Great food and good company too. It was rainy as well, but pancakes always seem to help.

Tom's in town this weekend for the Accenture Chicago Triathlon. I'll be meeting up with him on Saturday, maybe watching the race on Sunday before going back to The Mill.

Work - Still going smooth. Off to Germany for a tradeshow this next Monday. Back right before Labor Day... which isn't too shabby.

Bikes - Lots going on here last week. Got a new BMX bike, yes, like kids ride. This one is sized for my height and should be pretty sweet on the track. Yes, there's a BMX track here in Milwaukee and I've wanted to race since I was little, so I'll get out there after Germany. And, got some new wheels for the Kona. It's a nicer set of lightweight wheels from work. Should prove beneficial on my work commutes, which I did two of last week. This week looks wet, but maybe I can get one or two in again.

AR - I can't think of one this week, but my AR won't let me leave this section blank, so there.