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 |  I travel the country on business, sometimes the world. Come see where I've been. |
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Talk about perks, my job has one of the best ones I can think of! I travel in the course of business, delivering classes for my employer. I am a Senior Training Specialist for Motorola Solutions, and teach classes on a wide variety of subjects centered around 2 way radio communications. I'm qualified to deliver approximately 30 different classes, but about half of those are 'Legacy' classes, and are not in demand anymore. My students are technicians, those who maintain, program, calibrate, and repair large 2-way radio systems. Some of these systems are statewide, and use TCP-IP networking to allow sites to communicate with others. Some are small, traditional type radio sites. The size doesn't matter, in each case the systems must be kept operational at all times, since many of them are Public Safety Systems. So I get to travel, sometimes frequently, 3-4 weeks in a row.... where am I this week? This probably won't have daily entries, but I will make entries when I get to go somewhere, and keep an updated list of coming trips. My schedule changes faster than the weather, so don't be too surprised to see me list an upcoming class, only to remark later on that it is cancelled, or delayed. Delays are fine of course, but a later date might mean that someone else gets to go instead of me,,, Well, here we go with this, let's see where it takes us.  Best Cultural And Regional Honorable Mention |
| Locale: Washington DC Area (Glenarden actually) Week of: 9/25/2023 I'm out in Glenarden Maryland again this week delivering the same Networking Class I delivered to them four weeks ago. New students of course, and having delivered this just four weeks ago, my memory is a lot fresher, resulting in a class that has flowed much better than the last time. It's not that the previous class didn't go well, because it did. It's just that this class is heads-n-tails above that one as far as my delivery goes. You have to understand though. I have a high school diploma, no Master's Degree, nor Bachelors Degree, no Associates Degree. So you get in front of the students and the first thing you ask, is for them to tell you a bit about themselves. Their background, interests, what their knowledge/background with the subject matter is, etc. And at least two of them respond that they are a Cisco Certified Network Administrator (CCNA). At first it's a little unnerving. But as you discuss things, you realize that their knowledge is good, but rusty. You ask questions, cover the material, and can see them struggling with answers. You see their knowledge is there, but it's covered in cobwebs that they are brushing aside to find the answer. This is the kind of thing I learned long ago. The students are knowledgeable, but most likely their knowledge needs a a bit of refreshing. And of course there's the hands-on activities that I've done many times, and am very familiar with. However, it's all new to them. I love teaching these classes. This week I've made an effort to get to small 'mom-&-Pop' places for dinner. Please see below. Both had excellent food and service, even if I did get my dinner to go. (Neither had much of a dining room though, which is why I got it to go.) Next week is vacation for two weeks! Home to New Mexico, then back at it with a class in Schaumburg. Upcoming on my schedule. 10/16: Schaumburg (original class in Marin County was cancelled this week because they and their radio system are a long ways from being installed. The class would have been delivered far too early.) 10/23: Work from home, 10/30: Schaumburg 11/6: Schaumburg (Too many weeks there!) 11/13: St Johns Newfoundland (Maybe) 11/20: Thanksgiving week 11/27: Los Angeles with LAPD 12/4: Fort Lauderdale 12/11: Michigan 12/18: Christmas Break (Work From Home) 12/25: Christmas Break (Work From Home) 1/1/24: New Years Break (Work From Home) Noteworthy Restaurants: The Silver Diner https://www.silverdiner.com/ You know you like a place when you return to it the next time in town, and return I did to the Silver Diner. This time I had their Burrata Bruschetta, & their Kickin' Crab And Corn Chowder. Yep, I'd dine there again if I came back to this area. 5 Taco's De Mayo https://www.taco5demayo.com/ I found this small mom-n-pop place on Google maps, which is how I find most places to dine. Their food was excellent. The burrito weighed about 1000 pounds, or so it seemed. It was heavy, you knew you had something large there, I couldn't wait to get to it. I also enjoyed one of their loaded taco's plate. Some of that became yesterday's lunch Sea Starr Restaurant https://seastarrestaurant.com/ Another small Mom-n-Pop place with little, to no dining room. My only complaint is that their actual menu is nothing like the one on the website. Excellent food though, you almost can't go wrong. Peel-n-Eat Shrimp, Seafood & Vegetable Scampi. Yummmmm Tomorrow is the last day of class, and my vacation starts! I'll keep you informed about things as we drive to Albuquerque. Might stop in a couple touristy places, you never know. Well, that's about it for now. Until my next post, be good to those you love, spoil them, and write!  Jim Dorrell |
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