Fly over

Pardon my absence.  We've been having comcast problems for a few days and been living live sans internet.  The only was I've been able to keep up is via my iPhone and that is hard to do on that tiny screen.  

Actually I have started several blog themes (running, car accidents, names, road trips) but just cannot seem to get one out of the garage.  In the meanwhile, while I am looking for my muse, I'd thought I'd share a few pictures of yesterday.  All sorts of hoopla down here yesterday.  Something about the final flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour on its way from Florida to California.

Impressive up close

We were able to get up on the roof of our building and take some pretty amazing up close pictures as they did a couple of laps around Houston.  They even did several low lever fly overs of NASA which is essentially next door to us so we got a front row seat to the whole deal. The shuttle landed at our local air field and was stationed overnight and will be flying out this morning for another leg west.  They're supposed to fly over Austin and El Paso on its way to California.  They allowed people to come see the shuttle after it landed yesterday and the traffic/crowds in the area were insane.  The whole rig is amazing.  A massive 747 plane with another plane strapped on top.  Very impressive up close.  

This has been sort of a bittersweet event for the town.  Out of the 4 active shuttles used in the program over the past 30 years, Houston is not going to get to house any of the shuttles on display.  The sites selected were Washington (Smithsonian), Florida (KSC), California (NASA JPL), and New York (WTF?).  Houston lost out on the bidding to be a permanent home to the shuttles.  Hard to figure the logic since we've got the Johnson Space Center (JSC) and been a key part of most of the manned flights.  With the shut down of the shuttle program, a lot of people were laid off and subcontractors supporting NASA have left the area.  There is a general feeling that this was a political decision.  Lots of bitter emotion over this whole deal.  There was talk about letting the air out of the tires on the 747 just to keep it here longer... 

And so the streak ends...

OK.  Before I delve into the topic de jour, let me just comment on my last post.  Y'all are not helping me here.  I was sorta hoping someone would raise the bar of sanity and talk me out of this.  But, Noooo, you guys are all sorts of supportive.  Gee, Thanks.  Now I going to have to sign up and run it again.  I just want you to know that, somewhere around mile 10, when my knees are grumbling, I am going to be blaming thinking of you guys...


Now, back to our regularly scheduled program.  Attended a company party yesterday.  Ever since the new CEO came in, he has changed course on the company direction and gotten us back on track.  Over the last four years, we've completely eliminated the large debt and brought the company back into the black and a really strong projections going forward.  One of the things this guy has done is to recharge the company spirit.  I've like him from the day he walked in the door.  He's a very self effacing guy who is approachable and willing to joke with everyone.  Not what I'm used to seeing from a CEO.  180 degrees opposite from our last guy.  Dan has built up a solid rep and re-energized the company spirit.  They have held many company functions and events to promote the success of the company and extol the troops.  Last year, he rented out a local venue called The Main Event.  It is one of those indoor all-in-one entertainment places where you can bowl, shoot pool, do rock climbing, laser tag, glow golf, or just get lost in the arcade games.  He set up the party just for the company employees to celebrate our success for last year.  This year is the company's 25th anniversary and they wanted to have another party but this time they included the families as well.  So we rented out a local place that serves as gathering place for corporate picnics, parties, gatherings.  It used to be a working ranch that has a huge covered barn/pavilion, putt putt golf, softball fields, pool horseshoe pits, shuffleboard, basketball courts, and a trackless train ride.  It was kinda warm, but it was a great turn out.  Lots of food, drinks, games and entertainment for the whole family.           

I've gone to every single company party/event since I joined 10+ years ago and I have never one any of the door prizes or give-a-ways.  I was even boasting to my new buyer that I had yet to win anything at these shindigs, so if she won anything (only been here 3 months) I would be perturbed (not really).  Well, I guess lady luck finally took pity on me and I won one of the two grand prizes - a pair of round trip airline tickets to anywhere in the continental US (except Alaska or Hawaii).  Boo-Yah!  The running company joke is, several years back, when Dan had just arrived, we had another company gathering and he awarded a pair of round trip tickets to a woman working in our Clinical department.  These were primo tickets for anywhere in the US (including Hawaii and Alaska).  When asked where she wanted to go, she stated she wanted to go to Alabama (has family there).  Everyone was expecting Hawaii.  Eventually she did use the tickets to go to Hawaii, but she is still asked every year about where she would go again.  When I was asked where I was going, I indicated that I would like to go to Vegas, but I had to consult a higher authority (aka my bride).  She has expressed a desire to visit Charleston.  We may be headed to the east coast  later this year.       

More work rules

I'm trying to be a better person.  Really.  I try to play nice.  I always have a positive attitude, I am friendly to all my co-workers, I treat everyone with the same amount of courtesy and respect as I would expect to get.  

We spend more than 1/3rd of our lives at work in the company of people we may or may not like.  Day in and day out, we spend a large amount of the day sharing the same work environment with many people.  The same equipment, the same resources, the same facilities.  That includes the break room.  We share one lunch room with a a two vending machines, one coffee pot, a couple of microwaves and two refrigerators.  I find that it helps we we follow a few simple (common sense) rules

• If you use the area, just like at home, clean up after yourself.  If you make a mess, clean it up. 
• If you take the last cup of coffee, either start a new batch or turn off the pot (nothing like trying to scrap the 1/2 inch of crusty, baked on coffee off the bottom of the pot)
• Two refrigerators/limited space.  Please don't bring your entire week's groceries. 
• Please do not store your open drinks or leftover, uncovered Mexican food with lot of onions and jalapenos on the shelf.
• Please don't leave open food containers in the refrigerator for several days (or weeks). 
• If you use the microwave, please clean it out afterwards (if it make a mess - see item 1).  Much as I appreciate you having your food warm, I really don't like to nuke my food after your burrito has burped up its contents beforehand.  And, for the love of God, please cover your food in the mircrowave.  Nothing is as appetizing as smelling freshly microwaved fish heads or corn on the cob.   

Ok, enough griping for one day.    

Have a great day!