The husband's birthday approaches. This stresses him out. There are a few other things going on his life that don't help-- he isn't getting along with his new boss, he has a job interview on Monday. Such is life.

We both of a habit of over stuffing our lives. Between work, work travel, vacation travel, dinner parties and nights out, our time goes quickly.

A few nights off may be just want the Dr. orders.

We had a very social weekend.

Fried Chicken dinner with friends on Friday.

Saturday was a Birthday party for Yo at a nearby Casino. Their steakhouse is awesome.

Sunday was dinner with Clem & Bates. Catching up with them, their activities, their travels. They are not a couple that sits still. If they are not traveling, working or hosting a dinner party, then it's Lyft or Uber. Or music practice. So much activity.

We have been back in town for a few days. Today I'm back at work. and the husband's starts training for his new role at his employer.

We celebrated the 30 year work anniversary for a guy on my team.

Then today, my intern from last summer, joined my team as a full timer.

And so work for 2019 begins...

Yesterday we drove up to Kitchener/Waterloo. This is where I went to University. I also have some relatives there.

It was good to see the relatives. We had a nice chat about family, travel and the future.

We also walked around my old university. It's greatly grown since I attended. Many new high rise office and condos are now around it. 

A professor at the university won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics. Banners celebrating this were all over campus.  

Currently, we are travelling back home.

This is our first vacation in a while where I've really enjoyed myself, and where I'm looking forward to returning home at the end. We had much fun in Toronto.

Toronto really embraces its winter. I guess it has to. Otherwise it would be a city filled with millions of depressed people. Every day Torontonians are out in the cold, skating, shopping, sledding, exploring. Wonderful.

Not that I'm ready to return to Toronto. I love Seattle and will stay there for many years to come. 

We are now in the lounge at the airport. Checkin and customs was the usual amount of frustration. Now we wait and travel and wait and travel.

We are at my friends G&J today for their  a New Years Day extravaganza. It's a large all day party. Food is served nonstop from breakfast till dusk.

Its been good to catch up with many of my friends here.

Many parents come with their kids. Some of the kids dislike hugging goodbye. Instead, a few of us have taken to saying "Firm Handshake" while giving the goodbye hug. 

I've been reaching out to old high school friends and having lunches with them. We've had a great time catching up. I haven't seen some of them in over 20 years. So many stories.

We are now in Toronto staying with friends. The husband and I have been exploring the city and socializing. 

Merry Christmas all.

The husband, one of my brothers and his family are visiting my parents. Its snowy and sunny. 

Eating too much chocolate today.

We spent Saturday with friends in Leavenworth. Leavenworth is a nearby tourist town that has adopted a Bavarian building code. During Christmas, it lights its self and its trees to the max. 

We at too much good German sausage there. 

It was cold. Snow was on the ground. None the less, we spent a couple hours on an outdoor patio to watch the tree lighting ceremony. 

So much job churn.

A peer of mine has left the company for a completitor. I can't say I'm suprised. He has been frustred by a few things, including the exodus of our former manager, and the reasons that lead up to that event.

Apparently this has been in the works for a while.

The guy they have on-tap to replace my former peer is very smart. He may not be suited for the role, but he is hard working, and will be able to learn. Part of my job will be to help him though this.

This next year will be interesting for me. WIth the up-leveling of my boss, and my new peer, the org could have much more hourse power than three months ago. It's my challenge to keep pace. Not get left behind. 

The husband is on the central coast in California. He is at his home town. By coincidence his work brought him there. The husband loves it. He hasn't been there since he was young. It's bringing back fond old memories.

The husband still has a job.

One third of his old team was laid off. In fact, the company laid off 200 people in total.

The husband has a new boss and new responsibilities. He has started training this week. Some of the wind has been knocked out of him though. He will need some time to gather his strength.

Thanksgiving is over. We've had a very social few days.

C2 flew into town and crashed for a few days at our place.

Then there was our straggler's Thanks giving, which went very well.

Clem & Bates came over for dinner last night. It's been too long since we caught up with them. They have been all over the place-- Morocco, Ireland.

This Wednesday, the husband will discover if he still has his job. His company is going through a big reorg. The details will be released Wednesday. Though a back channel,  he knows that he won't have a job under his current boss or boss's boss. 

I've been under the weather for the past few day. I picked up a cold somewhere between Bangalore and Dubai. I have quarantining myself to keep my friends and coworkers well.

We have already put up our Christmas tree & lights. We did it, in part to pick up the husband's spirits. His company is about to announce a large layoff. He does not yet know if he has a job. He does know hat he won't be reporting to his current boss. It has stressed him. We'll get through it.

At my work, its quiet with Thanksgiving coming up. Many people take the whole week off. The husband and I are hosting a stragglers Thanksgiving. Is that a Friendsgiving? Hmmm. Googling Friendsgiving shows me that a Friendsgiving is a potluck between friends the weekend before Thanksgiving. Which this is not. We are hosting friends, and acquaintances who have no local family. A straggler's Thanksgiving it is.

The husband is busy planning the meal. He has purchased a large honey baked ham, and is making desserts and deviled eggs. Our guests will bring the remainder.

I spent much of Saturday with AS. He is an old coworker, who also happened to be in Bangalore for other reasons. My company large presence in India. There are many reasons for the Americans to go to Bangalore without too much coordination.

We had breakfast together and then went shopping at a nearby mall. On our way out, the hotel security was concerned that we were walking. They wanted us to take a driver. We walked anyways. Both of us are used to the chaos that is Bangalore traffic. The mall was very Westernized, which is a little disappointing. There was some Indian men's clothing there. However, I am too tall for that. They don't carry my size.

I am substantially taller than most everyone on the streets. I get a lot of looks from that.


Currently I am on my way back home. My total travel time, door to door, will be about 32 hours. This gives me much time to reflect. To mull things over. To look for improvements.

One conclusion-- I don't spend enough time reflecting & improving. The day to day problem solving soak up all that time. In that respect, going to Bangalore was useful, just top pop me out of my routine. Thanks to the time difference, all things urgent had to be handled by my team. And they did a good job. I must continue to let them do so.

Another is that I don't connect with my network enough. Again, I'm hiding behind the day to day problems. Also, I have a tendency to isolate. Sometimes that's good, when I'm using downtime to recharge. But, sometimes I'm just goofing off, reading social media. I could use my time better. By reaching out to friends. By writing.

I also have a long track record of failed attempts at self-improvements. Recently I've become a bit better at forward planning. But, I still have a long way to go.

We shall see. 

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.