298/365 What goes around

It's one of those round tower old-style hotels. This was where I did my first ever seminar, a day-long workshop for SDE on Four Square Writing, just a couple of weeks after 9/11/01. I thought it was familiar when I saw Hilton Oak Lawn on the itinerary for today. This was where it started. Now it is beautifully renovated, and I return to do a Four Square Writing seminar for another company, one of a dwindling schedule of seminar work. First time I was here I was easing my way out of the classroom, now I am easing my way back in. This building isn't the only thing circling back!

207/365 O'Ahu Here we come

We were out of the house by 5:15 A.M., and it was a long day. One hour to Atlanta, then eight hours fifty minutes to Hawaii. First class flying can't be beat. I saw 3 movies Milk, Yes Man, Best in Show, several House episodes a few Flight of the Concords. We had 2 meals on the long flight, mai tais while boarding, and hot towels for our hands and faces. The lav in the upper (first class only) deck had Aveda facial mist to keep our pores happy. Unfortunately the glamour ended when we got to the hotel of the company's choice. It smelled like old fish, and I'm pretty sure that some one's toenail clippings were on the floor by the balcony. We were outta' there. The Doubletree Alana is perfect. Only a quick dip at the beach and we were pooped. We stopped and bought some modern Hawaiian shirts and muumuus on our short walk from the beach, had a bite to eat in a local coffee shop, and off to bed. Everyone feels fine, but a 6 hour time change is tough!

51/365 "I Pity the Food"

I fell asleep with some random cable channel on the hotel room TV, something way past CNN, maybe channel sixty-something. Finally getting some sleep after two long, sleepless nights on the road, I was blissfully unaware of the programming flashing a few feet from my bed: Bob and his happy enhancements, William "Billy" D. Mays's abrasive pitch for orange-inspired cleaning products and tear-streaked, open-handed televangelists. Tossing in the sheets this morning attempting to eke out every possible ounce of sleep, I was stirred by the most preposterous sight. Mr. T stood behind a studio kitchen counter, marveling at the moisture of steaks prepared in the Flavor Wave Turbo Oven. This was so overdone I thought it was a Saturday Night Live parody. As he tasted each Flavor Waved treat he delivered his traditional Mr. T-isms, sternly admonishing the audience to knock out fat and calories. How can I improve my day after a start like that?

22/365 Winter Sky in Columbia, SC

Outside the window of the Hilton Garden Inn: suburban scrawl, shopping mall traffic, drive through windows...and the most beautiful sunrise.