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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 |
This weeks finds me Augusta Georgia. I thought while I was here, I would challenge Tiger and Phil to a little game of chasing the elusive white ball around a grassy course. Sadly, they were to afraid to show up and play me. Or maybe it was the fact that I can't even get on the grounds of Augusta National.  Since I've only been golfing once in my life, and that was at a small course in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, I doubt I'd do very well here. Not to mention that it's been 37 years since I did that!I'm with the US Army this week, teaching the students radio programming. No, it's not as simple as adjusting a dial on the front either, there are actually over 3,500 different fields you can configure to get the radio to work on their system. So I get to cover each field and describe what it does, as well as teach them the best method to do this, allowing them to do things more efficiently. Teaching the class isn't hard, nor is learning this really. What's hard, is them finding the time to apply what is taught, and use it when they program the radios. They are pretty busy, like most of us are, so it all depends on how much time they can devote to mastering their skill. It's been a nice week, Augusta is a small town really, I can't imagine being here during Masters Week. I bet the room rates are 2-3 times what they are right now. Speaking of rooms..... When I checked in to the Homewood Suites, I was given a SMOKING room! Despite being a life long non-smoker, somehow I was assigned a smoking room. I inquired about other Hilton properties in the area, such as a Hampton Inn, or a Doubletree Inn. The man at the desk said that someone had been murdered in the Hampton Inn just two weeks ago, and that it wasn't in the best of neighborhood. Not having seen the area much, I took him at his word, and spent one night in it, then spent about 2 hours on the phone with American Express and Hilton Honors, and finally got Hilton to let me move next door to the Hilton Garden, which is a 100% smoke free hotel. Funny that the desk clerk at Homewood Suites didn't mention the Hilton Garden Inn was so close. Even funnier is the fact that the Hampton Inn is just three blocks away. If it's in a bad area, how good is this area here? Things to think about. Either way, I'm much happier in this room of course. Till next time, from Denver Colorado, y'all be good, and stay cool in the summer's heat. Jim |
| Well, I'm spending a week here in Decatur, Alabama. I find it a little humorous though, because I lived in Decatur, Illinois before going to Chicago to take this job with Motorola. I flew in to Huntsville on Sunday, and couldn't believe that I'd forgotten that Space Camp is there! I'm hoping I can spend a couple of hours there on Friday once class is done, and snap a few pictures. I was anticipating "having to eat" down home Southern Fried food this week, but I couldn't have been more wrong. I passed through this state in 2011 (it was during this time that I was promoted to Moderator! ), and spent the night in Spanish Fort near Mobile. I had dinner at a nice place there, and was that restaurant less than 2 miles from my hotel! It is Wintzell's Oyster House, a place that serves very good seafood. It's not much on looks, with tables that seem more suited in a camping environment than a restaurant, but that's never bothered me. I had some Oysters Monterey, and a delicious Mahi and Shrimp Cobb Salad. So I'm not having as much fried food as I'd feared, and am doing fine this week.Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be many "Photo-Ops" around here, so I may not take any shots this week. Unless I can find some in Huntsville on Friday when class is done. I wonder if they'd let a 59 y/o man in Space Camp? What? It's for kids? Maybe I could be a Camp Counselor then. On second thought, I've been alone so long, do I even remember how to relate to kids? Maybe I should find a cave somewhere and crawl inside. As long as it has Wi-Fi, I'd be fine.  Til next time, from Fort Gordon in Augusta Georgia (Two weeks away!). Take care, and stay cool in the summer heat.UPDATE: After class was done Friday, I drove to Huntsville for the flight back to Chicago. I had a lot of time before my flight, so I visited the Space & Rocket Center, home of "Space Camp". I had a nice time exploring the area and seeing the history of the United Space Program. There are too many things I saw to mention them all here, but one of the most unique ones was the capsule that Felix Baumgartner used in October 2012 in his historic jump. If you remember, he rode a balloon to an altitude of 127,000 feet, then jumped  from the capsule. He passed the speed of sound and achieved a maximum speed of 843 mph. Of course he was wearing a type of spacesuit for this jump, but breaking the speed of sound with no 'vehicle' surrounding you? Wow! But for me, one of the biggest attractions was the mockup of a Space Shuttle. This was used to check clearances for moving 'real shuttles' to ensure it would fit past buildings and such when it came time to move the real thing. ** Image ID #1948000 Unavailable ** Next week will find me in Augusta, Georgia. I wonder if I'll find time to hang with Phil and Tiger on the course? Wait, I don't even attempt to play that game!!  |
| This week finds me in Atlanta delivering a class for MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority). Even though I've taught this class since 2006, I found it very difficult to deliver this one. My students had little to no background in Networking, and had a hard time grasping the concepts of TCP/IP, or the operation of the devices (switches& routers). Okay, now that I've made you all glassy eyed (bored) with that statement, I'll say it was a good class though, and we did get a few things done. My previous entry here was about Springfield Virginia and the weekend before coming to Atlanta. My drive back home was good, but very tiring. I was in the Northern area of Atlanta, spending my evening time in a hotel near the North Perimeter. Boy, doesn't that sound like I was in a military area of some kind, north perimeter? So I didn't get to downtown Atlanta proper, but I've been there before, and have come to detest the congestion of driving in a large city, not to mention having to pay for parking (If you can find a place to park that is). Add to that the crowds, the heat, and other inane things; a small suburb that is not as congested fits me better. I honestly don't see how someone can live in a large city under those conditions. Dang, I must be getting old! (er). So now, home for a week before flying down to Decatur Alabama on Sunday. Stay cool in the heat and enjoy your summer! Til then.... |
| After a week of being home, I came back to Springfield Virginia to deliver another class to the State Department. This one was as uneventful as the first, and I didn't visit Mount Vernon again. However, I'm due to be in Atlanta this coming week, so I drove this week. I could have flown of course, but I wanted to get a couple of things that I can't carry on a plane. I drove to North Carolina on Friday, spending the night in the town of Belmont. While there, I had the chance to see the plane that Capt. Sully landed on the Hudson, or 'The Miracle On The Hudson Plane'. I find that whole thing unbelievable, even today. At least it hasn't stopped me from flying. Yesterday I wanted to play tourist, so I headed out for Gatlinburg, Tenessee. Why there? To visit another Bubba Gump Shrimp of course! For some reason, I love dining there. It's one of two national restaurant chains that I try to dine at when traveling. Other than that, I make a point to dine at local places. But Gatlinburg is a big tourist attraction, and yesterday everyone and his brother was there. And a few more. I couldn’t get out of town fast enough, lol.On my way to Gatlinburg, I thought I’d stop at Clingmans Dome, the third highest mountain east of the Mississippi. I saw it on Google Maps while I was looking at the driving route, and it seemed a good idea. I went to the website for it, and saw that it is seven miles off the highway at the end of its own road. No big deal really. The website also stated, “The observation tower on the summit of Clingmans Dome offers spectacular 360° views of the Smokies and beyond for visitors willing to climb the steep half-mile walk to the tower at the top.” They lied! That walk up the hill is at last five miles long! It was a bit steep; I’m glad I wasn’t the only one huffing and puffing as I made the climb. Everyone had trouble making that walk it seemed, except for one sick individual. Here I was walking up that hill, my breathing labored, the back of my left knee aching (no idea why, I’ve never had knee problems), when suddenly a man passes me pushing one of those strollers that have the wide bar for your hands so you can jog as you push it. But he was running! I told you there was one sick individual on that trek. I finally got to the summit, and the temperature seemed to have risen 30 degrees. It was in the mid 70’s when I started on the climb, but seemed to be over 100 at the peak there, with humidity just as high. Plus, once we got to the top, you had to climb another 100 feet by walking a circular ramp that was about 400 feet long. Talk about adding insult to injury!Seriously though, it was a nice walk, a little challenging, but fun all the same. After all that, on to Atlanta! Or is that 'Hotlanta'? ** Image ID #1945052 Unavailable ** |
| I was sent to Springfield Virginia this week, delivering a class to the State Department. No, I didn't meet the Secretary of State, nor anyone important. I delivered a class to their radio technicians. I was surprised to find that their location was out of the way, in a very nondescript brick building. But I saw that my hotel was about 4-5 miles from Mount Vernon, George Washington's ancestral home. Thursday after class, I drove there and toured the grounds, as well as eating dinner at the Inn. Unfortunately, photography is not allowed inside the house. I had thought that this place would be run by the National Park Service, but it's not. A group of women purchased the estate from Washington's family in the mid 1800's. The house was in bad shape, slowly falling apart. Through their efforts, they raised enough money to start renovations, and have run the estate since then. I also hadn't thought about the location of Washington's grave site, but it's right there on the estate grounds. I think of presidents who have died since his time, and the tombs they have (Kennedy and Lincoln come to mind), and his is very humble compared to theirs. It was quite a humbling experience visiting this place, I recommend you see it too if you're ever in the area. Til next time, which is right back to this same place, same customer, then off to Atlanta for a week long class. Jim |
| Wow, tonight I felt like I was transported 45 years back in time. Arlington Heights, the small Chicago suburb I live in had its 'Frontier Days' over the July 4th weekend. The closing concert tonight was the band "American English." For those who have not heard them, they are a Beatles tribute band. They started out in the black suits the Beatles wore in the early 60's, and played such songs as "I Want To Hold Your Hand", "You're Gonna Lose That Girl", "Help!", and other songs I can't remember. There was a short break, and when they came back out, they were dressed like the Sargent Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, and sang songs from that era. After another short break, they were out again, this time as the Beatles in their later years. The thing that got me the most, is that they talked with English accents, and looked a lot like the Beatles! The crowd was terrific also, dancing and singing along. I was never lucky enough to see the real Beatles in concert, but this was good, very good. If you get the chance (and are a Beatles fan), you need to see them. |
| Okay, I know the Queen Mary is actually in Long Beach, but I'm a hop-skip-and jump from there here in San Pedro. I can see why people flock to live in this area. You are close to Los Angeles, which many would say is the entertainment center of the world, yet away from all the congestion that exists in any large city. This area has been improved quite a bit in recent years, and they seem to be working to bring more tourists here. The decommissioned Battleship Iowa (BB61) is moored within walking distance of the training site, and that will be a draw to many, especially veterans. The climate is great, an off shore breeze keeps the humidity down, pollen count low, and temperatures very moderate. Haven't found a great Sushi bar nearby, yet. But I did go to a nice place called the Yard House last night, as well as the Ports O'Call here in San Pedro Monday night. On Thursday it was pretty foggy, I could hear the foghorns sounding in the harbor warning mariners of the area. As I looked out on to the veranda, I saw a beautiful sight, and quickly grabbed my handy camera. ** Image ID #1940859 Unavailable ** On Friday as I was heading back to the hotel at 11 am or so, I saw this, and immediately thought of alien spacecraft arriving through clouds, much like in the movie Independence Day. Had to snap this shot also. ** Image ID #1940860 Unavailable ** Travel is looking busier (is that possible?), I'll be in Virginia with the State Department twice in July, but may also spend six weeks in a row traveling in late July, and all of August. The summer is here, so stay cool and don't overexert yourself. Til next time, keep on writing, and I'll get reviews done as often as I can. Jim |
| Recently, I went to Spokane Washington to deliver a class at Fairchild AFB. I loved the downtown area of Spokane, they've done a lot of work to make it appealing to all. There is a cable car ride over Spokane Falls that is pretty cool. But I think the high point of this visit was driving 80 miles to see the Grand Coulee Dam. I did not realize that it is the largest cement structure in the world. Largest in that more cement was used in erecting that than anything else! There is enough concrete in the Grand Coulee Dam to build a highway across the United States! It was a very impressive thing to see, but I didn't have near enough time to look at the area properly. Another nice place to visit in Spokane, is the Manito Park. If you're a flower lover, this is a must visit. The Rose Garden is very impressive, but I loved Duncan Garden a little more. It reminded me of a garden seen in movies of medieval times. It's about the size of a football field, and in the summer it will be covered in flowers. Sadly, I was there a little early to enjoy that beauty, but it was still very impressive. Next trip is to San Pedro California, and in July, I'll go to Springfield Virginia twice, with a week home between those classes. Til then, y'all stay cool as the summer hits us, and keep on writing! Jim |
| This past week I went to Salisbury Maryland to deliver a class. My protege was coming with me so he could learn a little more about this class, and finish his preparations to deliver it. I find that funny, because he knows more about this subject (Networking), than I do. He has a better background in it than me; my advantage over him is experience. Experience in teaching overall, not just in teaching this course. However, last Wednesday, the classroom manager asked me if Ariel (yes, Ariel, my protege is a man named Ariel) could deliver the first couple of days by himself, while I remained in Schaumburg. Like I said, Ariel knows more about this class than I do, but has very limited teaching experience. I felt he would manage fine for the first three days, and told them that. As a result, I didn't leave until Wednesday for Maryland. I spent part of last week and the first two days this week creating a single site radio system that is portable, for use in classes that will be delivered in Canada. I did manage to finally get to Salisbury and assist in delivering the class. Okay, I assisted on Wednesday afternoon, and taught Thursday and Friday. We drove back to the DC area yesterday through a driving rain, all compliments of Tropical Story Andrea. We managed to get to Arlington National Cemetery (Ariel's first time visiting there!), and watched the changing of the guard, and paying our respects as best we could. Neither of us had an umbrella or raincoat, but managed to get a saleslady in the Woman In Military Service For American Memorial to give each of us a large black garbage bag to wear as a rain poncho! (I'm still kicking myself for not getting a picture of the two of us dressed like that). Back home in Chicago now for the weekend, before heading off to Fairchild AFB next week. |
| Came to Fort Worth this week to help a new contractor employee deliver his first class. Downtown is torn apart by construction, there is a new convention center being built. It seems like it will be called the Sundance Center; there is a lot of large cartoon type covers on the fence that depict The Sundance Kid being transported in time to our world, being interviewed by a man involved in the construction. I was here in 2005, and found a place called 'The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium'. They have about 90 beers on tap there, with another 190 or so in bottles. Guess they'd have something for everyone there, huh! The contractor I was here to monitor was not near prepared enough to deliver this class, so Tuesday morning I became the instructor. It wasn't my idea though, I was looking forward to a relaxing week for once. This is my eighth week in a row delivering a class, and the eighth different class I've delivered too. I like that though, I don't teach the same thing over and over, it's never a bore! But a week off my feet would have been nice, I have to admit. Oh well, maybe soon. Guess that's it for now, will see you next time when I'm in Salisbury Maryland in two weeks. Till then, be good, and keep your fingers on those keys as you write your stories and poems. Jim |
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