Frantic Friday

In the U.S., today is referred to as "Black Friday" meaning that many stores and on-line retailers offer discounts and deals.  It's supposed to be among the best days for businesses to make money due to the high volume of customers.

All well and good.  I completed my Christmas shopping in July and have no need nor desire to do any shopping today.  Bah, humbug.  (That's the only slightly negative thing you'll hear me say, by the way.  I am just one of those guys who doesn't get into shopping whatsoever.)

I am actually working today (this post having been written last night and schedule to appear this morning.)  I have my first business trip coming up to Seattle next week, so I have to put everything together for the trip.  Actually, it is five activities in one trip: presentation on Thursday afternoon, meeting with some feds on Friday, another meeting with a colleague on Friday afternoon, open weekend, then a presentation on Monday morning followed by a meeting that afternoon, then I get to fly back home.

I prefer to make my own travel arrangements, rather than have someone else do it for me and not select flights, hotels, etc., that I prefer.  Even with restrictions on what airline I must use, there are ways around that, so I don't have to take, for example, Continental or AirTran or United (which for various reasons I don't like), and can use a carrier of my choice that offers a competitive fare and on which I accumulate frequent flyer miles.

Funny (odd), but this is the first Friday after Thanksgiving that I have had to work since 1992.  Usually, I spend this day cleaning up after our Thanksgiving Pot Luck.  Fortunately, my family and partner did 99% of the cleaning last night, so all I have to do today on my lunch hour is make a quick run to the dump (ooops, here in Snoburbia, we call it the "transfer station.")  We have trash and a lot of recyclables to dispose of, and it is better to take care of this massive chore rather than expect our regular trash service to pick up all that stuff (plus, I want to get the use of my garage back as quickly as I can.)

We had a great day yesterday, with 100 of our closest senior pals enjoying the day with us.  It really was a lot of fun, and not much work.  We smiled, laughed, sang, and some of the folks watched football with my partner in his basement "man cave."  I stayed upstairs most of the time just visiting and listening.  I really don't care for football.

Today as you may be going about shopping or eating leftover turkey or whatever, think of me, actually working at my new job.  And, truly, enjoying it because I can sit here in my leather and work from home.  Best of all worlds!

Life is short:  keep workin'!