Yes, I'm back..........

Yes, I'm still alive and functioning. I've been gone the past few days taking a training class for work. It was actually a surprisingly good class, so the time was well spent. That's not always the case with training classes.

Random notes from the trip:

-Portable gaming systems that you can use to play cartoons can be invaluable when traveling with a 2 year old.

-It's easy to forget how bad the drivers, roads, and traffic congestion really are in the big east coast cities. Three days in Baltimore can refresh your memory in a big hurry.

-Driving on those roads in Baltimore with a pregnant wife can create some nausea issues you'd rather not deal with in most cases.

-High praise is required for teachers who can teach a class that obviously has the two extremes of students in their class. My training class had quite possibly the dumbest project manager available on the market. It also had a very good project manager who seemed intent on showing just how good he was at every turn. It was exhausting to watch and I'm sure it was even worse for the instructor.

-It's an amusing situation when a man from Kansas City (namely me) is telling the people from Maryland in a Baltimore training class where all the nearby eating places are around the hotel. Of course, I didn't tell them that I used to live in Baltimore.

-It's an odd feeling when you know instinctively that you should move your wallet to your front pocket given the neighborhood of Baltimore you are walking in. Three years away from the city hasn't dulled my pickpocket senses. Tight jeans certainly help dissuade them from any bright ideas.

-Stuffed fish is really good unless you cut into it and find out that the chef has decided in his 'infinite' wisdom to cook the stuffed fish with the skin of the filet on the INSIDE of the stuffed fish. Then it becomes a very good tasting fish only after you spend 10 minutes peeling the skin from the inside of the stuffed roll.

-It's funny when your 2 year old is walking up the jet way to get off an airplane and everyone behind her is waiting patiently for her to walk up the jet way on her own. It's even funnier when your child (who everyone is waiting on) keeps turning around to the crowd behind her and keeps saying "C'mon guys! Hurry up!". Everyone was chuckling at her and seemed to be pretty good sports about the whole scene. She continued to urge every one on all the way to the baggage claim.

-Long day of play + airplane flight home = wife and child asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow.