09 Dec 2008
My company is having a Christmas party this Wednesday and myself and Gabe – the fellow I work with – were invited up. The company paid for the tickets which was awesome.
Gabe and I left work in Athens around 3:00pm and left for the Atlanta airport. We parked at the park n’ fly and took the shuttle the few miles to he airport.
Earlier last week Gabe and I made a bet – a stupid bet on my part – and I lost so I had to buy dinner. So at the airport we went to chilis and gleefully partaked in blue cheesburgers and 22 ounce Bass beers. I expected the tab to be around $35. Noooo way, the ran was $50! Comes to find out, beers – he’ll anything in airports – are expensive. One 22 ounce beer was $8 and we each had two. Plus dinner. Hehe.
Out flight boarded on time and here I am in my way to Denver, 30,000 miles up drinking gin and tonic and writing this blog.
Next flight: Denver to Seattle. More to come.
26 Nov 2008
Last night I was driving to Atlanta to the home of some of my relatives. They live in a quiet neighborhood and both if their children – my cousins – are out of the house. Real quiet. After having a nice dinner and a few beers with my uncle and after watching House and Fringe, I went to bed and wrote a blog about big cities.
This morning I was 465 miles away in a peaceful suburb outside Atlanta. Tonight I am in Louisville, Kentucky staying with my aunt. Great hospitality, nice home, loud and abnoxious pets. Four dogs, one of which jumps on me constantly, two cockatoos both of whom squawk so loud my brain rattles around in my skull, and two cats who hide away in the master bedroom.
I enjoy animals. I have a cat of my own in fact, but I have no idea how she manages here. I don’t think I have the patience to deal with it all.
On another note, I finally got to meet my cousins little girl, Ashley. Adorable. And they have this little 8 week old kitten, Bonnie, that I wanted to hide in my pocket and bring home with me. I wonder what JC would think if another cat romping in his territory. Maybe he’d stop clawing my door frames…
25 Nov 2008
I’ve always loved big cities. I’m not talking cities like Sanford or even Raleigh, I’m talking about cities like New York, Atlanta, Charlotte, and Orlando. I’m talking about cities with countless skyscrapers, billions of neon lights, and great nightlife. And tonight as I was driving on I-85 through the heart of Atlanta I think I figured out a few reasons why.
Firstly, I love to people watch. And there’s not a better place to people watch than a big city; a city that’s got a huge gamut of individuals and personalities. Even though sometimes I like my peace and quiet there’s something serene about being surrounded by hundreds of thousands of people. Everyone is so into their own thoughts that you get your own little piece of the world.
Secondly, the road networks are fascinating. There’s a junction here in Atlanta appropriately called ‘spaghetti junction’ and it’s really an engineering marvel. The way the roads zip here and there and loop around each other and one minute you’re above cars then the next you’re below them…
Finally, the buildings. Every skyscraper is unique. Each one is someones attempt at individuality; a chance to reflect their persona by through architecture. Each person trying to be taller, bigger, more elaborate than the surrounding buildings in order to be that defining landmark like the Empire State Building or the John Hancock Building. Each building tells much about the owner and the company.
So I find myself drawn to big cities. The thrill, the excitement, the nightlife, the lights, sounds, people, and buildings all play roles to give a city a personality that speaks volumes. If I had to choose a city…