I'm Alive...

...sort of.  Louisiana was a much better trip than expected.  True southern gentlemen, gumbo and networking.  I also treated a table full of men 20 years older than I am to a fancy dinner.  I experienced heart palpitations as all eyes were on me while I calculated the tip minus my little green calculator I carry with me everywhere.  I gave the wrong tip, but lucky for me (since it was a business dinner), I under tipped instead of over tipped.  Don't worry.  She still got 15%.  Why am I still talking about this?  AND Turks and Caicos-amazing trip!  Couldn't have been better.  I relaxed and slept-two things I haven't done much of lately.

The point of this post is that I am swimming in Annual Convention.  It starts next Saturday.  EEK!  I am flying solo when I get there without a helpful sidekick.  EEK EEK!  We have established that I am a stress eater and I have eaten more Cheez-Its this week than I am comfortable admitting...except I just did.  I have also gone to the gym more this week than I have in the last 6 months so that helps. I think things are finally falling into place and the constant pit in my stomach is slowly starting to disappear.  But no worries-I am sure it will come back in full force on Thursday or Friday as the day approaches.  Good thing there is a lot of fast food nearby.  Ed-I know you can relate.

I love this little poem-it provided a moment of peace for me today.  Enjoy.

cool summer nights.
windows open.
lamps burning.
fruit in the bowl.

and your head on my shoulder.
these the happiest moments in the day.

next to the early morning hours,
of course. and the time
just before lunch.
and the afternoon, and
early evening hours.

but i do love
these summer nights.
even more, i think,
than those other times.
the work finished for the day.
and no one who can reach us now.
or ever.

-a poem by raymond carver

Mom and Dad are coming this weekend for the World Beer Festival.  Woot woot!  We have Chase Spence and Courtney Wolff's wedding and the Church Hill Italian Festival too.  I will blog about all of the mentioned events in this post at the end of June when my life slows down for a brief period.

In the meantime, don't forget to call me on June 21 to wish me a happy birthday and you can send gifts too if you want, duh!