If there is one design choice in India, that we should adopt in America, its providing s spray wand next to the toilet  It's super easy to keep the toilet clean. 

I am eating a lot of food that I just can't identify, even if the menu is in English.

I just trust that if the restaurant is clean, and crowded, then the food will be good.

Mostly I am not disappointed, though sometimes I have dishes that are way too spicy.

Bangalore is going well.

I had dinner with coworkers tonight. Food, drinks, dessert and tip at a high end restaurant cost us about $20.00 each.

Taxi was $5 for a 30 minute trip. Close to the hotel, traffic was so insane that I asked the driver to pull over and let me walk the last blocks. Of course he just stopped in the middle of the street, took my payment and let me out in the middle of traffic.

At my lunch with my old manager, he said a few things that struck a cord with me. I was talking about an coworker who left my team to work for his. I said "I miss her. I liked working with her."

My old manager snapped back "You don't have to miss her you know. You can talk to her anytime."

My old manager always had a tough-love attitude that I really respected.

Day two of Bangalore is starting. We are fleshing out a six month plan. That's always a lot of work, especially when I don't have a six month plan for my team.

> The entry speaks of a successful career.... !!!! and an employer who trust in your ablities

Yes. Yes it does.

I'm looking for a mentor. In pursuit of this, I had a lunch with an old manager who is now an executive. When I told him about my problems, he emphasized that I was having a successful career, and that I was overlooking the amount of timing and luck that it takes to get to the next level. My career problems are my problems... one percenter first world problems.

Bangalore is Bangalore. Part gorgeous. Part smoggy third world. The first day went well even with the jet lag and lack of sleep.

I am working in Bangalore next week. Its a 22 hour flight. I leave Saturday afternoon and arrive Monday at 4am. 

I enjoy the flight, even if it is long. I am flying business class... nice seat, lounge access, decent food amd drink

I'll use the time to catch up on reading and paperwork.

I won't enjoy the jet lag. Bangalore is 13.5 hours ahead of us. I'll be jet lagged the whole week there and the following week upon my return.

Jet setter problems.

"Get a shot " Tommy says. It's good advice.

I went to the Dr. last week for my annual checkup.

When he heard that I am traveling to India in November (for work) he updated my vaccines as well as giving me my flu shot.

He also gave me a prescription to prevent malaria. I don' think I'm going to take it though. I'll be in Bangalore in November. Bangalore is a very modern city. November is the dry season. Still, he insisted I take it.

A few days later he called me with my numbers. My cholesterol has gone through the roof! Now I am 10lbs heaver than the last time I had my cholesterol checked (2014) but, I'm exercising just as much as back then.

He is giving me six months to loose weight, change my diet and get my numbers back on track. After that we will discuss going on a statin.

Sigh.

It's been a quiet week. Getting to know the new boss.

The husband and I have been a little under the weather with a cold that's going around.

I had a private lunch with the old boss. He chewed over what happened-- where he went wrong, and why he didn't put two and two together.

Some of this applies to me.

Our boss's boss believes in an "Up or Out" style of organization. No one should stay put in their job for years. There is either a line-of-sight to promotion, or you are being managed out.

There are a couple of people on my team who are long length in level. They are not doing a bad job, but they are not growing. No line-of-site to their promotion. My boss's boss is wondering why I'm not either managing them out, or coaching them to shine.

I must make one or the other happen. Sooner rather than later, or I am not doing my job.

The other problem is that I too am long length in level. The boss's boss thinks I may be plateaued. Eventually the same evaluation will apply to me.

The husband has been traveling for a week. I've been dealing with work and taking care of the pets.

Monday, I left a bag of pepperoni sticks on the kitchen counter. The dog ate half of them and got very sick. When I came home from work, our house smelt bad. The dog had diarrhea on the floor. Thankfully, the dog didn't shit on the carpet. She chose a room with a tiled floor that has the kitty litter box.

I spent hours cleaning up and trying to get rid of the smell. I could just imagine how the husband would react should the place smell like shit when he returns home.

Monday overnight I walked the dog every hour or two.

Tuesday, I had the dog walker walk her extra.

Tuesday night I walked the dog every two or three hours.

Wednesday morning I was exhausted. Fortunately, the dog started to go back to normal.

The husband returns home tonight. I hope the smell is gone and that I just haven't got used to it.

We had drinks with the ex-Boss. He said his boss told him the same story that I had been told-- that his position had been up leveled. That he was no longer qualified for the job.

Even for him it happened quickly. He walked into his regular meeting with his boss. HR was there. They had the talk. He was told he could have the rest of the day off. No prior warning. No recourse.

One of my coworkers has been working the grapevine for reviews on the new boss. So far the gossip is good.

And just like that, my old boss is out. It's shocking really. 

The offical story is that his position was upleveled. That our devisions business is growing with such importantce that we need a revolutionary step forward in leadership. That we don't have time to allow the old leader to grow.

I've met the new boss. He is open and curious  He fully admits to not being part of the decision process, and doesn't know what really transpired.

First, my boss suddenly left for the day. He canceled his appointments for tomorrow.

Second, HR and my boss's boss schedule.a short meeting with my boss's directs. first thing tomorrow morning.

Third, my boss schedules after work drinks with his directs tomorrow evening.

 

BD has been an acquaintance of the husband for years. They have known each other through the rooms of AA. They have worked on a few events together. BD retired a month ago and was planning much travel.

Then BD developed indigestion that that wouldn't go away. He went to the doctor. After much scanning BD discovered that he had pancreatic cancer.

He has about six months to live.

BD is sorting though his life now. His old sponsor has moved back to Seattle to help take care.

We will stay in touch as BD concludes his journey.  

The value of life changes so much when you learn you have limited time.

The new job is not to happen. I got the call from them today. The HR rep said they were looking for someone with a little strong management experience. A little stronger technically.

It smarts.

Having said that, the company released very bad news today. Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise.

Fall is here. It transitioned very quickly. One week we were complaining about the heat and the smoke. The next it's cool and rainy. Seattle normal.

I had the job interview last week. Last Friday. I think it went very well. 

It was a grueling process. Six interviews over the course of the day.

The recruiter warned me before the interview that the deliberations will take time. One week for me to hear their early thoughts. Two weeks before the specifics of an offer.

The husband is away in New Orleans for a week. He is there for work. 

His employeer just announced that there will be a reorg with layoffs. He is anxious over that. He'll land on his feet. Even if he doesn't, it's not like my job doesn't pay enough for both our bills. He doesn't like to rely on that though. He is competative, income wise. 

I appreciate that.

We spent a long weekend on the Olympic Peninsula with an old friend of the husband’s. It rained all the time. Such is life a rain forest. In fact, they get over ten feet of rain in a year.

We toured the four National Park Lodges. I’m very surprised with how nice they are.

We hiked a bit. Saw a few of the largest trees in the world. Spent an afternoon playing cards and watching storms over the ocean. Soaked in the Sol Duc hot springs. Ate good food. Lovely.

We have been talking it easy this labor day weekend, this last weekend of summer. The weather is no longer hot. The smoke has gone away.

We've had dinner with a few friend and gone on a couple of hikes.

At work... I'm contemplating a change of jobs. I have an interview with a different company.

I've worked for my current company for over twenty years. Now, I'm questioning what I want from the last fifteen years of my career. I am in a very competitive position. Do I want to keep pushing here until I retire? If I switched to the other company, there would be more money. It is also a younger company. They are looking for managers with my experience. Or so they say.

So much haze from the forest fires. All day the sun is twilight red. The sky is gray. Cars parked outside get a dusting of ash. 

The air is thick with the smoke from the forest fires. You can see the haze with in feet

We went to an gay mens AA retreat this weekend. We have been to this retreat before. It's  worth attending just to stay at the lodge.

I ran into a very old acquaintance. Twenty-three years ago he was my boss at a small company in Toronto. We lost touch with each other years back, but there he was. It was great to hear from him again and to learn his story of recovery.

At the end of the weekend, the husband and I gave the acquaintance our numbers. We'd both love to stay in touch. Maybe have dinner with him. The acquaintance put our numbers in a swag bag, then packed his stuff into his car, leaving the swag bag behind.

Well... at least the acquaintance knows our mutual friends. We'll  see if he reaches out.