Paladin's Pit Stop

Happy Birthday, Girlspell!!

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 11:50:20 GMT

Just sending out some of the best of wishes to a woman who posts some very interesting videos for our enjoyment or enlighment. My favorites are the piano playing kitty!

I hope you have a fantastic day, Rachel!

Hugs,

~Sean

It's finally Summer

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:41:53 GMT

Well, I know that I haven't posted anything other than a birthday wish in forever but first and foremost, can I get an "AMEN!" that summer is finally here.

Honestly, I have felt like we were stuck in a perpetual spring season. It wasn't only that the weather in New England stayed dreary and damp until late July, it was also due to the fact we were heavy into Lacrosse when the high school season ended in mid June. Since June 20th, my wife, son and I have been on the road every weekend until this past week. We were feeling worn out and other than laundry, didn't know what to do with ourselves in a weekend at our own home. (o_O)

We signed our son up for a summer lacrosse program, which we do every year. Local organizers try to keep the top regional talent working together to get quality lacrosse candidates out of New England. Well, he also received an invitation from a second elite team which we could not pass up for him. He has talent for the sport and the hope is to parlay this into a great relationship with a good college. The only drawback is the impact on the entire family.

The traveling consisted of two hours of driving, twice-a-week for practices, and then tournaments on the weekends. The closest tournament was here in Boston and the furthest was down in Baltimore, MD for the annual Crab Feast tournament. That trip was worth it because the boys took the championship after some impressive wins against some stiff competition. The week after that were trips to NJ and then another to Norwalk, CT; a 3 hr drive from our town.

It was a lot of fun in many respects because watching 23 boys from various towns come together on short notice and 'gel' together was great. It was great and I think it showed the boys a great example of how you can fit in anywhere when there is a common goal amongst them all.

OK, I have to get ready for work. There is more that's been going on but I wanted to post something so you all didn't think I fell off the map.

Happy Monday!!

Birthday Wishes

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:11:06 GMT

I know that I haven't posted for a while but you can believe that I'd drop everything to send out a special word to someone wonderful who will celebrate her last B-day as a single woman.

Have a Wonderful day, Beth!!

Hugs,

~Sean

Lazy Rainy Daze

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:47:58 GMT

I know that I haven't been posting on LJ too much recently but I have taken moments to read up on everyone's lives. Well, what you've all posted about anyway.

Things have been busy for ol 'Sean-O' lately and I honestly have not wanted to reply to anyone's post with non-sensical comments. I recognize that we're all struggling in many ways lately but I also am well aware of the blessing that we all have in our lives that give each of us the strength to make it through those difficult periods. Please know that all of you whom I chatted or posted with over the years are in my daily prayers. That includes your friend, Katie! Every li'l bit helps, right?

For me, things at work have been busy because of the workload I picked up after my old manager left but honestly, I accept that as a challenge to my abilities to manage tasks and work assignments and see them to completion. The tough parts of my days, are when coworkers stop by to get your help with something that is taking them a long time to complete. I'm sure you can all appreciate this in one form or another. I am a 'people-pleaser'. I don't know how it happened but I actually take requests for help seriously and I don't like to see friends or coworkers struggling. My hope is that good deeds will come back when I'm at my wit's end or struggling.

Things at home are doing well. Princess is still going through the motions with Cosmo school. She has a personal "shorfall of incoming cash" (*chuckles) but she is getting support from us. Our son is struggling with balancing: friends, schoolwork and sports but that's a teenager's life. He doesn't think our expectations of A's & B's for grades is fair but we point to all of the gear he needs for lacrosse and the cool stuff he gets and say, "That all comes with a price, 'Chief'."

Thankfully, we haven't felt any negative effects due to the current state of the economy. We of course would love to make a few upgrades on our home but we're focusing on paying down debt and trying to look at how long the market may be this low. The signs of rebound are promising.

I'm looking into starting my MBA through an on-line university. I finally looked into it and it would only take me two years. I should still have some G.I. Bill fundage left over and my company offers tuition assistance as well. My biggest issue right now is if I can put the recommended 15 hours a week, per class, into my current schedule. My wife says she's behind me so, I guess it's up to my willingness to challenge myself. In adding that, I don't know how much 'Sean-time' I would get. I don't want to wind up morphing into a Grumple-stiltskin. ;-)

That's about it for now. I am making a concerted effort to post more and read-n-reply more. I went back over posts from this time last year and it's wild how different things were. But life is all about Change, isn't it? I look forward to reading all of your future posts.

Tah for now and "Goodnight hwimsey, wherever you are!"

A Hokie Birthday!!

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 09:38:39 GMT

I just wanted to take the time to say:

I hope that between gaming, school and work you get a chance to celebrate another year of accomplishments past and plenty of successes to come.

Cheers, rj!

Peace out,

~Sean

Give it up for Fritz42!!

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:34:47 GMT

usa shooting

For such a wonderful person who deserves all of our fondest wishes for a great day. I hope you can relax today. Remeber the motto, "One Happy Island". Happy birthday "T".

Hugs,

~Sean

Anyone have a gun to shoot the Lion coming?

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 12:27:44 GMT

OK, seriously, what the hell is with the weather this year. I guess we have been treated pretty good over the last several years but it's time for it all to stop. We're expecting two passes of storms today and through tonight here in New England. The first pass is supposed to sprinkle 1-2 inches of snow. The second pass is projected to dump 9-14 more inches from late tonight into Monday morning at commute time. Everyone here is ready for it to be over. The funny thing is, a majority of the snow we've had has melted already and people were getting set for spring.

You all know me though, "Things could be much worse." Besides there have been other interesting things to concentrate on.

It's been just over a year since I started the new job and I am very pleased with how things are turning out. My first manager was a serious micro-manager but I kept my patience (to the wonder of my other co-workers) and pressed on. I got a great review and, as an added bonus, was changed to report to a different manager. I was handed a huge project and my new manager was in a better position to guide me through the stages of the project. I'm working toward achieving the Regulatory Manager title next fall so, this is awesome.

So, I was pulled out from under my old manager and the projects she was working on. I had my own work with international registrations but, she seemed to hand me "higher priority" work to do. She had other work to do. As it turns out, she was missing many deadlines for that work. Handing me management of the one product line reduced the burden on the other three managers and we added a couple of people. Well, my old manager resigned on the afternoon of Feb. 9th. Two days before I went on vacation. We weren't all surprised because she had been acting different and we were all reading the signs.

The new surprise is, I get to assume 80% of what she was working on. (O_o) I found this out the afternoon before I left on vaca. I hadn't sat down with my manager yet, due to his schedule that day, but apparently word had gone out to the R&D and Clinical groups already.

Since getting back from vaca (a glorious week in New Mexico) I have been playing 'catch-up' on all of the old projects and relaying the workload to my new manager. He and our director hadn't realized the amount of activity going on so, they asked me how I felt. I told them that I could handle it but may need some support from the junior associates in the group. Hell, if I keep doing what I do best, that 'Manager' title is as good as mine. =)

Alright, I've rambled enough for one post. I do want to add something about the family trip to NM but will post that later.

Hooray for AAA

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 19:25:10 GMT

It finally happened. Princess's car stalled at an intersection last night and she couldn't get it going again. Thank GOD we added her to our AAA membership as a Christmas present.

HB and I were were taking Diamond for a walk/jog and I forgot to clip my cell phone to my waste before we headed out. Princess had the presence of mind to stay calm (*somewhat) and call AAA. Thankfully, we had gotten home just as they were leaving the scene and I got her VM. She couldn't remember the name of the garage that has worked on her car and she was going to have the tow truck driver bring the car to the house. I gave them the name and the driver knew the place.

That service and the peace of mind for HB and I was worth the annual fee for AAA membership. Pricess is very thankful for it and realizes the value.

Talk about a 'win / win' scenario. =)

Memeage

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 14:33:06 GMT

I got this from girlspell & katieay. You're supposed to tag 16 friends for their 4-1-1 but I'm going to stick with Rachel's idea of a "Respond if you want".

So, sixteen things about me. (*mentally imagine Letterman's top-ten drumroll)

1. I’m religious. My faith is “huge” to me and the LORD is my source of strength when I am low or need inspiration.

2. I am a romantic. I love to surprise my wife with flowers on occasion ‘for-no-good-reason’ and I remember special events or other things. Our song is I want to Stand with You on a Mountain by Savage Garden.

3. My favorite color is Blue. Black was big to me at one time (brooding teenager) because of the shear absoluteness of the color however, I could get lost in Blue. Either in the “Wild Blue” of the skies, or the “Deep Blue” of the sea.

4. I am extremely competitive. Either in something I’m competing in pushing a team I’m coaching. I’m not a ‘lunatic’ about winning though and I am able to accept loss and move on. I enjoy the challenge of competition.

5. On the other side of the coin, I am a very ‘easy-going’ person and I don’t have any ‘hang ups’ about foods, music, etc.; except ‘raunchy’ rap music. I enjoy a lot of rap however, the tunes with cursing every other word or nasty imagery I can do without.

6. Out side of the U.S. I have traveled to 16 other countries. A few I lived in for a year or more. One belief I hold true, is to learn how to ask, “Please may I have…”, “Thank you” and “Hello” in each countries native language.

7. I love to read. I have an ongoing queue of books all of the time but I’m slow to get to them because I do a lot of reading for my job and most days my eyes need a break when I get home. I still get to a couple dozen a year though.

8. I’m a big movie buff and I earned the nickname “Siskel” years ago from my coworkers. Of course, that was before becoming a family man.

9. I love winter (to a point) and enjoy standing outside as the snow comes down. We’re getting up to 7 inches as I write this and it looks great. It loses its glamour around mid-February though.

10. I have a bad habit of picking my finger nails unconsciously and it drives my wife nuts. I think I picked it up from when I worked in the restaurant and my years in the service. Bits of ‘whatever’ build up under the nails and I would pick it out. Now I will just start picking at my nails if my hands aren’t kept busy.

11. I can be a big procrastinator. It’s usually for completing small stuff around the house. I take care of ‘big-issue’ items like a clogged drain but I sometime bypass changing light bulbs or stuff like that.

12. I enjoy hearing inspirational or uplifting stories from people. We all have stories about failure of difficulties. Let’s face it, this hasn’t been a fantastic year for great events in the world either. But I really enjoy hearing about a heroic act by some average ‘Joe’ or ‘Jane’ who just felt they needed to act.

13. I’m a pretty analytical person when it comes to planning days or breaking down a project. Even when I’m confronted by the unexpected change in plans or an ‘urgent’ issue at work, I break actions into tasks to evenly distribute work over time.

14. Something that seriously bugs me in today’s day-n-age is the fact that teens don’t ‘call’ one another. They spend hours ‘texting’ one another (sometimes when they’re in the same room) but have a tough time actually making a phone call.

15. I cannot stand ‘Indirectness’ (if that’s a word). Whether someone is beating around the bush because they also have bad news or promotional adds that structure less than ideal information to make it seem important. How many of you have seen car dealerships promoting SUVs that get “24 MPG!!” when there are cars out there getting 48 – 60 mpg.

16. I try to be attentive to peoples characteristics; especially people I work with or see all of the time. I compliment new hairstyles, noticeable weight-loss, improved moods, etc. I have found throughout the years that I don’t have many negative relationships and I attribute that to how I learned to treat people. I bet you’ll never be able to guess where I got my guidance from. = )

So, there you have it. Little things about me that maybe you haven’t known about me. I honestly don’t recall everything I type. I usually shoot for laughter and go with what rolls off my mind.

Have a great weekend all. Keep warm and stay off of the cheap hot chocolate.

Happy New Year, all!

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:17:14 GMT

Here's to brighter horizons as the winds of change continue to blow.

Hugs around the world to all of you who have made an impact on my life.

~Sean

Season's Greetings

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 23:46:33 GMT

Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year to you all.

I know that I have been seldom heard from this past year but please believe that I have tried to fit postings or responses in. Unfortunately, like swngnblues company, my new company expects employees to focus on work and monitors internet usage. Don’t get me wrong. Covidien makes great strides in taking care of its employees but demands them not to abuse company resources.

Despite this obstacle I intend to find more time in 2009. This was a goal for 2008 but I also was just starting the new job. I want you all to know that although I haven’t been as ‘engaged’ on LJ as I was in prior years, you have all been in my thoughts and prayers this past year. I have read many funny tidbits and also shared in the feelings of discouragement and hurting.

To update any of you who have been wondering how things have been with me, I’m going to take a tip from RJ and try to keep this as brief as possible.

1. The new job is challenging but has been, by far, the best decision I have made in the last 10 years. I am part of a ‘Team’ and the relationships that have formed feel as though they are several years old. Not only have I been able to contribute in a big way, my abilities haven’t gone unnoticed and my director and supervisor are working with me to earn the title of Regulatory Manager by the end of 2009.

2. HB and I were finally able to make some “Home Improvements” to the house, which included painting every wall that had had wallpaper. I emphasize EVERY wall.

3. Princess graduated from High School and is now halfway through Cosmetology school. She is doing great and has really found her niche. I’m telling you, she’s a natural with hair, makeup and manicuring. HB and I still get irked that we couldn’t get her into the Vocational Tech School. Her room got painted Sweet Taffy Pink, btw. (*I’m still blinking from the brightness)

4. Young Master has started high school and after a lazy start, is doing really well. He played some J.V. ball and has an opportunity to play Varsity for the Lacrosse team in the spring.

5. My coaching career has come to an end however, I am looking into other avenues for donating time and making an impact on the futures for tomorrow's generations. I got a lot from coaches and teachers when I was growing up so, I want to give in the same way.

You may all recall that I have said that I have a blessed life. I truly feel that way and you are all part of it. Despite any rough times we’ve persevered through, we know that there are so many others hurting desperately. What I pray for this coming year for all of you though, are the following:

Beth: I wish for the love that you and Jeff share to grow so strong that it is contagious to others and that you have a joyous wedding that no one attending will ever forget.

Katie: I wish for your, M’s & Lucas’ year to be filled with love, and that you get to “be rich and be able to work at whatever you want to work at.” Also, that you are inspired to write many great fanfic tails to share with your adoring fans. Frohe Weihnachten to the lot of you! =)

Rachel: (*No, you don’t get 8 wishes) I wish for you to find the birthday present your sister gave you so you can release your guilt. I also wish that you can go a full year without a mishap so you don’t suffer any physical detriment.

RJ: That you are able to complete your MsA by the end of 2009 and that you find a more appreciative firm to work for. (*We have missed the cookie recipes this year, btw)

Sarah: That “THE Book” gets published. That the love your family shares grows even stronger and that the outcomes of your Home Improvement project leaves you with that ‘invigorating’ feeling of having all of those comforts you each have always wanted.

“T”-Mobile: I wish that you are able to sell the house quickly and get on with your future quickly. I pray that the Lord makes the bright side of his plans for you and your family evident very soon. I also wish that Asli is able to keep up with your appetite for Voyager fanfic.

Much love, hugs and peace be with you all and your loved ones.

“And may God bless us, every one!”

~Sean

Happy Birthday HWimsey!!

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:30:09 GMT

Let's give it up to a great author, mother, and friend who has shared so much humorous stories, HP fan fiction, and every day perspectives with us. Most importantly, being a great friend.

Hugs & Happy Birthday, Sarah!

Happy Birthday Iviolinist -(*ahem belated)

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:59:07 GMT

To an incredible woman who is works hard in one of the least appreciated professions. Give it up for iviolinist

Fri, 23 May 2008 12:17:47 GMT

I got this one from one of my favorite fanfic authors, the wonderful katieay.

Go here. Keep refreshing until you've collected five quotes that really resonate with you, then post them to your journal.

1. Our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man. No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings. ~John F. Kennedy (1917 - 1963)

2. We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. ~Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)

3. "Let the one among you who is without sin cast the first stone." ~Jesus Christ (eternal)

4. The worst sin - perhaps the only sin - passion can commit, is to be joyless. ~Dorothy L. Sayers (1893 - 1957), Gaudy Night

5. Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. ~Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 - 1968)

Peace be with you all.

~Sean

Happy Easter!!

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 13:20:37 GMT

I hope that everyone's weekend has been awesome. With all of the storms and resulting flooding around the country, it's been easy to be appreciative of the blessings in our lives. I'm looking forward to the stories to come as our school year enters the final leg and children everywhere start to get that antsy 'Spring' fever.

Good Friday

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:52:08 GMT

I know that I owe everyone a status update on my job change and other fun experiences with my muses Princess and Young Master. Good Friday is always a time that I try to dedicate to reflecting on the blessings that I have received and what sacrifices made over the course of the previous year. I have to say though, my sacrifices don't compare to those of some people I've seen on news reports or Oprah segments.

Still, when I focus to gain strength for something, I always look to my savior for strength. Hopefully, one day, I'll be able to get the kids to appreciate it.

Have a fantastic weekend,

~Sean

Swingin' in San Francisco

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:39:57 GMT

Who could ask for a better time than celebrating your Birthday in a cool city? Glad to know that you're having a fantastic time out there. I hope that the sun burn isn't itching too bad and that Missy has something great planned for your day.

Happy Birthday, mang.

~Sean

Give it up for Fritz42

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:59:56 GMT

Alright ladies and germs,

Those special days only come once a year and it's that time again for me to express my best wishes and heartfelt gratitude to someone who is 'T'alented, 'T'errific, 'T'rustworthy and just plain 'T'otally awesome.

Happy Birthday, "T"!

All set for Halloween, but...

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:33:08 GMT

OK, I checked this site out from when I was visiting fritz42's journal a few weeks ago and thought that, since I updated my page for the holiday, why not post my recommended costume.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought to be:

But it did give me a great idea for this year. (*hahahahahahahahah)

Unfortunately, it looks like I'm going to be dressed up in my assistant coaches outfit as our football team's first playoff game for Pop Warner is next Wednesday night. Oh, you should have heard the moaning from the kids.

The boys have played spectacularly this season and I am so proud of YM. He came out this year to be a leader and has worked his butt off to be one of the teams top 3 players. (*sniff) Oh, wait... there's no crying in football. (*swallows)

Either way, I'm still dying to find out what hwimsey's neighborhood is going to like this year. I've been curious if they'll go DH or stick with the OotP movie theme.

What does she always say? "Inquiring minds want to know." (*waggles eyebrows)

Happy Friday!

Movie Trivia Fun

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 16:20:37 GMT

OK I got this from girlspell and it is pretty fun for finding stuff out about your favorite movies you might not know.

What you have to do is:
[01] -- Look up TEN of your favourite movies on IMDB.
[02] -- Click the "trivia" link in the sidebar.
[03] -- Post a fun and random bit of trivia from each film.
[04] -- Tag five people

1. Caddyshack (1980) - Bill Murray improvised the "Cinderella story" sequence from two lines of stage direction. Director 'Harold Ramis' simply asked Murray to emulate a kid announcing his own fantasy sports moment. Murray simply asked for four rows of 'mums and did the scene in one take.

2. Star Wars (1977)- James Caan, Al Pacino and Burt Reynolds turned down the role of Han Solo.

3. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) - Traditionally when one of his films is about to open, George Lucas goes on holiday to get away from all the hoopla. As Star Wars (1977) was just about to open, Lucas went to Hawaii where he was joined by Steven Spielberg. When the grosses for Lucas's film came in, and it was clear that his movie was going to be a hit, Lucas relaxed and was able to discuss other topics with his friend. It was at this point that Spielberg confessed he always wanted to direct a James Bond film, to which Lucas told him he had a much better idea - an adventure movie called "Raiders of the Lost Ark". The conversation came up while the two were making a sand castle. After their trip, they got together and developed the script with Lawrence Kasdan.

4. The Marathon Man (1976) - The torture scene with Laurence Olivier and Dustin Hoffman was shortened after preview audiences were taken sick.

5. Heat (1995) - The first film to ever feature both Robert De Niro and Al Pacino acting together, which created much hype prior to release. They both starred in The Godfather: Part II (1974) but never shared the screen together as split chronology prevented this. When this movie was finally released, even its advertising material promoted the film as a De Niro/Pacino "showdown."

6. M*A*S*H (1972) - McLean Stevenson, who played Lt. Col. Henry Blake, died of a heart attack on 15 February 1996. The next day, 16 February, Roger Bowen, who played Lt. Col. Henry Blake in the movie, died of the same cause.

7. North by Northwest (1959) - Alfred Hitchcock couldn't get permission to film inside the UN, so footage was made of the interior of the building using a hidden camera, and the rooms were later recreated on a soundstage.

8. The Godfather (1972) - According to Director Francis Ford Coppola the film took 62 days to shoot.

9. Rudy (1993) - Rudy runs his fingers down the list in a close-up two times. The first time he starts on one name, the second time he starts on another name. The two names he starts his finger on are the actual names of the two players who picked him up and carried him off the field.

10. The Matrix (1999)- Sean Connery was originally offered the role of Morpheus. He turned down the role saying he couldn't understand the script.

Yes, they are long tid-bits but, will come in handy during a trivia game. =)

I tag: fritz42 iviolinist swngnblues katieay beautifulfic

Birthday Wishes

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 12:10:36 GMT

Okay everybody... let's give it up today for someone special who has really cute icons that she posts.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY,girlspell

Being a gentleman, I won't bother to ask you how old you are? =)
I hope your hubby has already started treating you in Queen-like fashion and surprises you with something special today. You deserve it!

Have a great day, Rachel!

Tokyo nights

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 23:22:19 GMT

I don’t know if this is something that we should all worry about but, I had a brief urgent post from iviolinist yesterday and I haven’t heard from her or seen a posting by her since.

I don't know what hwimsey has done with her but, Ivy, if your still out there and OK… please get to a pc if you can and let us know.

Alright, I promised myself that I would post more during this trip to Tokyo and I’m making good on my resolution. The last few days have been long for me as I have been waking up between 5 & 6 in the AM and working until our local rep stops by to get me around 9 AM to head to our consultants office. I’m still not used to the work habits here though:

We really don’t even get working by my definition until around 10 – 10:15, after everyone catches their train in and make it to the office. I don’t want to offend anyone but I have to say that, if you’ve never seen pictures of Tokyo or been here, this city is friggin’ HUGE. It is the largest, most densely populated area I have ever been to; and I’ve been ”Lot’s of different places.”

By comparison, New York City is quaint and London or München are pretty younger cousins. And I love those cities.

Needless to say, the sheer volume of people that move in and out of the city going in several directions clogs the system here at different times so many of my friends here don’t bother leaving home until after 9 AM to catch the train to work. Hence, we get started late and go until 6 or 7 PM. This is obviously typical for them but I’m about worn by 6 o’clock and ready for something refreshing. ;-)

I bring this up because we are scheduled to visit a clinician that approximately 1.5 hours away later this afternoon and then come back to the city around 7 PM tonight; along with half of the city that are returning from the local 5-day holiday break that is going on right now. From the vision that I have been given, it’s the equivalent of everyone returning home after Labor Day weekend before school starts. I have been told that we can consider ourselves fortunate if we make it back by 10 PM tonight.

I just hope this doesn’t turn into one of those nights I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.

Now, I can’t just post that without describing some of the fun stuff for a moment or two. Last night, we decided to go to dinner at The Ninja Akasaka restaurant.

Shrouded in a black, dimly lit mysterious hideout, it was actually an entertaining experience that you could bring your children to. They have it set up so an attendant guides you through a labyrinth around the restaurant where you can hear people talking while they’re eating but you can’t see them. The attendant has a dim lantern to guide you by and you can easily hit your head if you don’t pay attention to the warnings.

After a couple of minutes of walking, you wind up right back at the entrance where you started from but, through a different door. Then a second person comes to collect your party and lead you to a bar/waiting area where you can have a drink or appetizers before being taken to your secluded dining chamber where you have your meal.

It started out with some courses of small items that no one at our table had eaten before and so I didn’t feel like a complete novice. We had small conch called Escargot Bombs that had been prepared in butter and garlic. Then we were served Ahi tuna with an avocado mixture on top that was tasty. Next came soup.

The waitress came in with an air of mystery about her and set down a big wooden bucket of a leafy green, a jug of something, some small rolled strips of pork and a bowl with two big rocks in it. We were all arching out eyebrows and looking at one another when she started talking about how the Ninja must find creative ways to cook for themselves and she starts by adding these extremely hot rocks into the bucket of greens. Then she poured a broth over the contents slowly, giving us all a look like, “Wouldn’t you like to know.” Then she used tongs to lay the strips of meat along the tops of the rocks that were just underneath the broth level. Then she covered the bucket and said, “I’ll be back shortly to see what we have for you.”

I’ve never had soup cooked with super-heated stones before but it tasted pretty good after it cooked for about 10 minutes.

No, I’m not a ’workaholic’ but when I get on a project, especially that has been given the highest priority to me, I put everything I have into getting it done. I only have 4 full days here and I’m still getting confused questions from my counterparts here and we’ve been working together for over 7 months on this.

Anyway, here I am in the Yahooo-ooooh Café this morning at 6 bells sharing a little something with all of you for the great stuff you've shared with me.

I hope that everyone is enjoying the last couple of weeks before the school year cranks up. I'll post a follow-up to the big trip tonight. Please keep me in your thoughts. =)

Banzaiiiiiiiiii,

~Sean

A Room with a View... of Mt. Fuji no less.

Sun, 12 Aug 2007 20:58:10 GMT

Well, I've successfully made it over to Tokyo for round # 2 of the process of getting our device into Japan. Things have been busy in my preparations that I haven't been the best at leaving posts to everyone's entries and I hope to rectify that when I return home at the end of this week.

Who knows, maybe I'll even be able to start writing again and finish what I start.

Well, despite the fact that I've done it before, the flight over felt all the 15 hours it took to get here as I wasn't able to catch but a two-hour cat nap. I was kind of tired when we got in but it was 3 pm and the sun was brilliant in the sky so my system didn't have a choice. I did catch some more sleep on the bus to the hotel, which takes a little over an hour.

I'm staying at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel this time and like the title says, I had a great sunset view of Mt. Fuji last night. This, coupled with my amusement at the way people look at me, made for a great start to this trip. I guess there still isn't a big exposure to Americans here because I go through the same things all of the time:

Attendants check to see if I'm at the correct place or what I could possibly need.
Waitresses ask if I'd like silverware as opposed to chopsticks or, even better, when I order something, they look at me with an, "Are you sure?" look on their faces.

I just smile and reassure them. When they see that I can handle chopsticks with the best of them and that I eat everything then get, they get a look being impressed. It's entertaining in a way. =)

Oh, and guess what? They have a Yahoo cyber cafe here on 7th floor. Thank God, they are open 24/7 because I needed coffee big time this morning and there isn't anything in the room. ;-)

So, nothing seriously interesting to report yet but I needed to get a post out to all of you as I've been derelict in my LJ-Friend duties. Of course, I'm really hoping to read some great posts from hwimsey and iviolinist since they are team up together. I have tried to prompt them to record a Podcast for a Coven follow-up but, I never heard any confirmation on it.

Konichiwah, and have a great week everybody.

And then there were 22.

Sat, 16 Jun 2007 12:06:59 GMT

I have survived... to this point.

By my recollection, it has been an incredibly BUSY first half of 2007 for all of us. For some, painful on top of the mayhem. Suffice it to say, I feel as though I should be made an honorary Deacon, for the faith I have been blessed with and the amount of praying that I have done. Not to mention, the lunacy I've given in to.

I got back to the house yesterday evening to help

As I stepped out onto the deck and took stock of the throng in the back yard, three things registered in my mind:

1. 13-year old boys have WAY too much testosterone

2. 13-year olds can't do math. (22 will never be equal to 15), and

3. What were 18-year old girls doing here?

However, after a brief discussion with HB, apparently all have become an axiom in this day and age.

I do recall being slightly more aggressive at that age but, I can't recall having a party full of kids who played football, hockey and lacrosse in one back yard looking to have the time of their lives.

Oh, yeah. And with 7 bikini-clad girls giggling and yet acting like one of the guys. When did things change?

As it turned out, those 18-year olds had familiar faces and were actually girls I have known for several years as they've grown up with YM and his buddies. The fact that at 13 they rival YM's 17-year old sister in attitude and (if you'll excuse me) shapeliness is making me wonder what they are putting in the water in our town. (*shaking head)

YM's B-day is in the middle of winter around the holidays so, of course, no one is really available to come to a party. Not to mention the fact that HB and I don't want a ton of teenagers in the house without being able to kick them outside at some point. This was a lesson we learned from a party of Princesses' several years ago. Perhaps fritz42 may have experienced a similar joy since she's walked those miles before us.

The party progressed pretty well as the boys, and a few of the girls, played whiffle ball in the yard and some were doing flips off of the diving board into the pool. The real fun started when I announced that burgers and dogs were ready. There was a made scramble for foodstuffs and soda, and ice was spilled all over the deck in the frenzy.

Then you know what happened? We all found out how cool it looked to hit a cluster of ice cubes with a whiffle bat.

Yep, one of the little darlings picked up a chunk of ice and shouted to a boy still down in the yard twirling a bat. Then we all watch with anticipation as the cluster resembled a meteor losing it's fight with the earth's gravitational pull and then being obliterated by the impact with the atmosphere. In this case, the atmosphere was a two-inch diameter yellow hunk of plastic.

You could have heard a pin drop afterward and, although I have only heard of this in the past and also read it in stories, I could hear the smiles cracking on the faces of every boy on the deck. As I looked to my left at the assemblage on the deck, All of the boys faces slowly gave the same response; "Dude!" This was when things got interesting.

With four batters in the back yard, everyone on the deck (including the girls) were chucking ice from the cooler out into the backyard. The batters couldn't keep up with the artificial hailstorm however, that didn't keep them from blistering what they could make contact with.

At first, they were haphazardly hitting the offerings in whatever direction they were facing. Then, amazingly, they realized that they were getting hit by the ice as much as, if not more, then they were doing the hitting. The next thing I know (while I'm turning more burgers), is the batters have positioned themselves so that what they hit, comes back at everyone on the deck.

After the ice ran out, everyone started to talk about tricks off of the diving board and so they went to watch the boys: do their stuff. This lasted about 3 minutes as the pushing and tossing of fully dressed kids started and everyone wound up in the pool. I know that HB took some pics so, if I can get them onto photobucket later, I'll follow-up with snapshots of the events.

Just when I thought we had everything contained to the back yard, several of the kids wanted to play badminton, which we had set up out in the front of the house. It was almost like a group of like atoms that are part of a compound. The whole group acted as a vapor and all slowly started to float out of the pool area and back yard, around the side of the house, and out to the front yard.

It was cute as several smaller clusters formed and just sat and talked while four people played badminton. A few boys played catch with a nerf football and things quieted down. Then one boy decided it would be 'cool' to dive over the top of the badminton net and disrupt the game. That's when the testosterone ramped back up in the boys. From a clinical standpoint, you have to marvel at the resiliency of a teenager's energy supply.

From a parent's POV though, you ask: "What the F@%} possesses them to try and jump over something 6 feet high while four people are swinging rackets?"

Yeah, we no longer have a badminton set. Surprisingly enough though, no of them did anything untoward with the rackets themselves. Our first set was lost when Princess' girlfriends smashed those during a party for her several years back. How these energized boys didn't give any consideration to this was remarkable in my eyes.

After 3 hours of similar sporadic behavior, we satisfied their cravings for cake and things seemed to die down a little. A lot of them wound up back in the pool while one boy was taking the bouncy ball and trying to hit their heads before they could duck under the water's surface. They seemed to really enjoy themselves. (*squee)

Pickup at 9 bells turned out to be more fast and efficient than I had anticipated. We have a circular driveway and thankfully, arriving parents seemed to pick up on the flow. Withing 15 minutes, all of the kids had been picked up by their 'driver' and taken home. In all, I know things could have gone much differently... and way more horribly.

I can only imagine what we're going to hear from our neighbors later this morning when we're out in the yard; HB and I doing our normal yard duties and the boy picking up his friends fun. That's how I like to explain the effort he has to put forth. "You're not working... you're just picking up your and your friends' fun." (*huge smile)

I know that I owe a LOT of posts to each of your offerings hwimsey, iviolinist & fritz42 but I felt I had to share a little something as well.

Have a great weekend all! See you in the posts.

How not to end a trip to Japan

Fri, 23 Mar 2007 17:00:06 GMT

I had such high hopes for providing regular updates during my trip to Tokyo however, I didn't anticipate being kept as busy as I was. One night, we wound up staying at a restaurant until 2 AM. (we had gotten there around 6:30 pm)

The first thing that impressed me (besides the bowing as if I was Sultan Sean) was how well maintained the city was, despite the fact that it is a city and has millions of people doing business and walking around every day. My first visit to Japan was to Chitose (Shi'toe-see) Air Base, which is on Hokkaido Island. That was a much smaller city but immaculately maintained; recycling and waste receptacles were everywhere. Oh, and no one considered 'flicking' their butts on the sidewalk or into the street.

What? Oh, the image that I have posted with this update. I'll get to that in a bit but I am hoping that you will understand the implications. Hint: fritz42 & iviolinist have to deal with this phenomena a lot. ;-)

I flew Air Canada (which I highly recommend) out of Boston, with a two hour stop in Toronto and then the big jump to Narita A/P in Tokyo. Those naps helped me adapt to the 13-hour time difference and get right into the workday over there with our business partners. My first adventure though was getting to my hotel, which was 1 to 1.5 hours away depending on the mode of transportation. Now, if I recall correctly, I mentioned that I only speak a shot-glass amount of Japanese and the partners that I was going to be working with were under the impression that our 'In-country' manager was going to pick me up and deliver me.

Challenge # 1: Manager is visiting mother in Iowa after hip surgery.

Yes, I did have a colleague's contact number but I was not about to call them up and ask them to come 2 hours from their home to get my sorry @$$. I have traveled before and know that all places, Japan especially, have very detailed transportation routes.

As I gazed around the A/P transportation hub admiring all the pretty symbols, I realized that they had the names of some of these areas in English. That grin came across my face, you know... that grin Harrison Ford gets. Especially when he plays Indiana Jones. I swaggered on over to the counter with this same grin on my face.

Now, when I got to the counter, the attendant turned to her coworker and said something and then turned back to me with a smile. I can't swear to it but I think that she said something along the line of, "Hey Kiyoko, look; another lost America."

So, I start by saying, "Konbanwa." (Con-bon-wah) This means, "Good evening." (*waggles eyebrows)

She replied in Japanese and I assumed it was, "Can I help you?", since that's how ALL attendants start with a customer.

I resisted the urge to use my best Bond accent and asked if there were any shuttles to the Westin Hotel. She got that huge smile that said, "I KNEW you were a lost American" and said , "No shuttle; too far."

I started to say, "Oh, fu..." when she asked, "Where hotel?" (*pointing to the schedule behind her) Behind her little command post was a huge display board of rotating tags that had time-stamps and Japanese symbols on them. I figured out right away that they were the routes however, without knowing which route was which, I had no way of picking it out.

Have you ever had your prayers answered in the blink of an eye? Well, go visit Japan. Actually, I later realized the same feature is available in Canada for both the English and French speaking peoples.

In the matter of me looking down at my things and then back to the board, the symbols had changed to English names. I felt like the scene of Hermione in the movie Goblet of Fire as Harry comes over the ridge from his fight with the Horntail. "YES!"

But Bond doesn't jump and 'squee'.

"Ummmmm...", looking back at my itinerary. "Shinegawa."

"Oh, Hi"(yes), she said, and checked the schedule. "Shinegawa. 'All' hotels next boose, 19:40." (*smiling)

It was 18:25 (6:25 pm) and I could clearly see that there was an 18:40 Limousine Bus and asked for a ticket for that one.

A great frown appeared and her forehead creased. (They hate disappointing anyone over there) "Oh... so sorry... sold out."

Now, I have seen how their system works and want a hot shower pretty damn bad at this point; not to mention call my Hun-Bun. Oh, yeah, and have a cold beer, swnghblues. I am not waiting another whole hour before I get moving.

"No problem" I said, with a huge smile of thanks. "What 'IS' going to Shinegawa?" Just get me close is what I'm thinking and I believe she understood my line of thought.

"Oh, Hi... Shinegawa Prince Hotel. Bus at 19:00 (7 pm)."

"And from there I take a taxi to the Westin" I said, smiling."

"Hi!" (*huge smile and head nods)

There was nothing left to say except, "Visa?" (*Big grin and snapping the card between my fingers)

As it turned out, the bus ride to the Prince Hotel was roughly an hour and a half. The cab ride was about 15 minutes to the Westin and I checked in. By the time I stumbled into my room, it was just after 9 pm (7 am EST).

I called HB and filled her in on the fun time I had coming into the country and then I fell into a very hot shower. I pulled myself to the fridge/mini-bar and reached for a cold one. Then I thought to myself, "The have GOT to have draft beer downstairs."

Yup, you guessed it... I dug deep down inside of myself and found the strength to put on some slacks, shirt and shoes and headed down to the restaurant. Thankfully, they stay open until 10:30 pm. Yebisu Black. A great beer. =)

~End Day # 1~