Tuesday night – long day in NY

Greetings from Laguardia Airport… I’m sitting here waiting for my flight back to BTV in about an hour. I’ve spent so many hours in thes part of the airport over the last few years  that it’s not even worth exploring anymore… Maybe I can get my blogging in before we board.
    I’m down in NY for the day for two sets of meetings.. I had to leave the house about 5:30 this morning… Amazingly.. I woke up without an alarm… of course.. I woke up about 10 times through the night wondering what time it was.. Even so, I woke up rested…  I tried to sneak out with out waking Diane or the dogs.. but on my fifth time back into the room to find my @^$ wallet, I woke them all up…
It was fun being up before the sun.. I went out side and admired the flowers that have come up over the last couple of days They looked cool in the pre-dawn light. .Diane has been hard at work in the garden during this beautiful weather.

The sun was just rising as we took off… It was one of those old turboprop Dash8’s… I really like the way that they sound.. the two propellers create a cool throbbing in the cabin that lulls me right to sleep.

I got to LGA around 8:30.. then drove for an hour to get to Armonk.. I took work calls as I drove. Once I got to Headquarters , the early morning caught up with me..    Those of you who know me well know that when I stop moving I often have to go to sleep for a few minutes.. there’s just no fighting it..  I have a favorite place in one of the remote parking lots in Armonk where I go to meditate and/or sleep when I need to… 

 I barley made it there in the car.. stumbled out and fell asleep for 9 minutes in the beautiful sun… It was glorious  (ok… so the picture is faked.. but I really did fall asleep there… )

I like going to Armonk.. I always run into friends there..

I  looked up my friends Doris, Neal, Marylou, Robin and Grace. Doris just adopted a really cute little girl from China… and Grace just returned from a 5 month leave after the birth of her baby son. I loved looking at both of their pictures.. After some catching up, I went up to my old guest office and got to work on the phone.   After a quick lunch, Robin. Marylou and I went upstairs to one of the ‘big’ conference rooms.  The room has a huge round table that made me feel like a knight.  We had a very productive meeting

As soon as we were done there, I ran out to the car and drove up to Yorktown , taking work calls on the way.   I had a very productive set of meetings their with friends. I have a new assignment at work and these guys are going to help me get it done. I love the atmosphere in Research… it’s such a cool place.   Before I had to dash back to the airport, I had a short meeting outside with my friend Ruud (pronounced Rude… making him th most inappropriately named person I know. he is anything but !)   Ruud had some good insights into my assignment as well.

By the time we finished talking it was almost 6:30… I got in the car and drove back down towards the city. I called Max… but it wasn’t going to work out to get in to Brooklyn to see him. It was strange being so close and not getting to see him.. We’re driving back from NYC together in 2 weeks. I miss him so much.

Traffic was mercifully light so I made it down to the airport in plenty of time.. the setting sun made even the grimy parts of the city look nice.

I dropped the car and found my terminal.. I was starving so I grabbed a burrito and sat down and ate it by myself.. I just hate eating alone.. but I hate starving too. It’s strange.. everyone else was eating alone.. I was surrounded by lonely people.. In a past life I might have struck up a conversation.. Now I just sit and think.. or not think if possible. As it turns out, a good burrito can be a great meditation mantra.

OK.. that does it for tonight.. I’m hoping to board soon. More tomorrow… GNite folks.. Gnite Sam.. I love you
-me

ps. Gabe is still in South Carolina.. Should I call him ? .. or leave him alone on his vacation ? I miss him so much !