Sandwich Heaven

The Original Primanti Brother's Diner
I finished the day by driving down by the river to the old blue-collar district, now called The Strip, and hunted down the original Primanti Brothers diner. The ambience was fantastic...definitely classic, industrial, working-class digs. The diner is pretty much original, the food definitely a heart attack on a bun, the natives friendly and the whole experience smacked of a scene out of any old steel mill movie that you have ever seen. The marquee sandwich is your choice of meat (I agreed with the recommended capicola), a handful of greasy fries, big dollop of cole slaw (not sweet), cheese, grilled onions if you want; all piled between two large slabs of fresh-sliced Italian bread and served up on a sheet of butcher paper. There are well-used bottles of Red Devil hot sauce all up and down the diner’s bar, so just add a real Coke to cool things off and there you are! OMG, I think that it was the best sandwich that I have ever had! Add to all that being soaking wet from walking through a driving thunderstorm, the comforting warmth of the diner, enjoying the company of regular, working-class folks and sharing the bar with a couple of Pittsburgh plain-clothes cops (real shaved-head, uni-brow gorillas, straight out of "The Shield"...Sorry, guys...luv ya;-)...it was pretty much Heaven! You know, I instantly felt at home and actually considered not leaving...truly good times, O já!!!

The View From Above

The Confluence

The hills above the Duquesne Incline offered a magnificent view of the city below, it being located right above where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers join to form the Ohio River...even on a rainy day!

The Ride To The Top

Duquesne Incline
Inclines are rail-mounted trams that were built in the 19th century to carry passengers up and down the hills and encourage the development of the heights around the city. Some even were reported to ferry cars up and down the hills!

Open & Honest Communication...Not!

Okay, I now believe that my right brain has totally take over. I travel completely across the state only to find myself embarking on yet another crusade on this topic. I mean, as a guy, aren't I supposed to present as the antithesis of this philosophy? And yet, here I am trying to coax my colleagues out of their xenophobic shells and engage them in open, honest and passionate debate on topics that I know should be making their blood boil! Has everyone forgotten that passionate debate is the crucible in which great ideas are formed? Worse yet than the silence, are the poisonous, whispered, behind-closed-doors conversations that sabotage any honest efforts at reaching consenus; and these lively little shadow conversations are enjoying the active participation of very folks that sit dumb and apathetic in the open forums! It does make one wonder what it is that they fear so much that they would rather let themselves go unheard rather than risk(?) taking a public stand on something for which they possess strong convictions. I do not know, but I am determined to find out...and drag them out into debate, kicking and screaming if necessary;-)

Eða Jafnvel Betra...Reykjavík

You Belong in Dublin

Friendly and down to earth, you want to enjoy Europe without snobbery or pretensions. You're the perfect person to go wild on a pub crawl... or enjoy a quiet bike ride through the old part of town.

What European City Do You Belong In?

Er Þessi Ég?

You Are a Natural Flirt

Believe it or not, you're a really effective flirt. And you're so good, you hardly notice that you're flirting. Your attitude and confidence make you a natural flirt. And the fact that you don't know it is just that more attractive!

What Kind of Flirt Are You?

It's A Small World, After All

After getting to talk more and know Gary and George from the hospital in Englewood, NJ; as well as Dan (my Lab partner) from Landers, Inc. (NJ, also) and Ryan from Virgin Records in L.A., I have been reminded that no matter from where we hail, or whom we serve, all IT guys share concerns and challeges that are more similar, perhaps, than we would like to admit. It is this honest networking amongst such a diverse group of passionate professionals that is perhaps the most valuable part of events such as this Microsoft Vista TAP-RD. I know that my experiences of the first day and a half have more than made this trip worthwhile...and there is another day and a half yet to come!...vertu svalur, ya'll

Geek Bowl

Microsoft hosted an all-you can eat, drink and play event at Acme Bowl at Southcenter this evening. What a great idea and an even better time! We got to play together, enjoy some good, old-fashioned conraderie and network on a level that wouuld never have ben possible otherwise. I even met a Microsoft rep and some partners from Pittsburgh and Philly who were able to steer me towards the best local eateries in the neighboroods of both towns...too cool! Great idea and kudos to you, Astrid...you are the BOMB!

Vista TAP Airlift at Microsoft

Here I am, with half a state seperating me from the one who holds my heart in her hands, in Redmond attending the kick-off event for the rapid deployment team for the new Windows operating system, Vista. The social last night was fun, though fairly low-key since it was attended by a bunch guys and gals;-) I did meet Gary and George, IT guys from the hospital in Englewood, NJ; and we spent most of the evening talking shop and drinking beer. Not too bad a way to start the event, but I suppose that we might actually have to produce some real work today. At least the weather is gloomy and cool, which really compliments my melancholy mood over missing being with her...Oh well, c'est amor;-)

IV Rocks!

Saturday night I dropped by The Pub and caught Bill Burke pounding away on the drums playing with his band IV. The three of them are actually pretty good and can really rock out. The crowd was lively and an interesting mix of young and old alike. I ended up staying for the whole night and enjoyed the music and the people. I might even start hanging out here a little more often.

Pennsylvannia Here I Come

It's official, I shall be travelling across the country to attend three days of training on meeting organization. Not that the training itself is all that astounding, but my having the opportunity to visit the East Coast is one that I am looking forward to. I plan on staying over the weekend and touring Philadelphia, the birthplace of our country's freedom, Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross' House, etc. The chance to see my good friend Forrest after all of these years is also too good to pass up and I have already called him to plan the weekend. April will be a busy month, but this trip will also be some fun!

Upward and Skyward

I am in Portland for the 2nd annual Washington State WESPaC User Group (WASWUG...gotta love THAT acronym, eh;-) I mainly go for the networking opportunities, but I must say that I have come to enjoy the positive energy of these conferences. I also attended the first one last year, when there was a lot of residual negativity about our student information system still floating around, and the unabashed enthusiasm and energy of the attendees was a much-needed shot in the arm for all of us that support this system. And, as was proved out, the optimisitic ones had the correct perspective, as we have completed the deployment of the student product with overwhelming success and yesterday began the protoype deployment of the fiscal product. The sessions this year have been well attended and the atmosphere familial and almost festive. You would have to look far and wide to find a better group of folks to spend time with, and I am having a blast!...vertu svalur, y'all

Perhaps There Is Some Hope For Me After All

The Art Director at the college paid us a huge compliment when she said that she had never seen the regional art show presented as well as it was this year. Since Suzie and I played the major part in the display and layout, I took that as a distinct compliment to our collaborative artistic efffort. What with me being a left-brain IT guy, my more creative right-brain self took that as incredible and welcome praise. Who knows, perhaps there is a new career in the making here...or perhaps it was just the product of my recent emotional pain and anguish that sparked a creative fire in me...who knows;-)

A Worthy Effort...and Fun at That

I volunteered to help Trish (my ex-assistant) with the setup for our annual regional art show at Columbia Basin College, where we showcase, judge and send on to the state competition, the best of our region's high school students' art. It was two days of hard work, but one that was just what the doctor ordered for me...a cause in which to expend all of my nervous energy, an opportunity to make new friends and a worthy effort on top of all of that. The quality of the product of our students' creativity never ceases to amaze me and, in sheer quantity, our show is always the largest in the state, therefore we have the privelege of sending more entrants on to the state competition. This year we are showing over 530 pieces of art, and that means that we had to check in, provide space for, hang and display all of that in two days! We did have a good team, most of the teachers pitched in, and we were fortunate to receive the assistance of an art student from the college. I had the pleasure of spending most of those two days working with Suzie, who was bright, creative and an effective compliment to my more analytical side. We made a good team, worked hard, had fun and collaborated on some very creative displays; accounting for well over 25% of the total pieces displayed. We worked well together and had fun getting it all done, even if it was a long couple of days. For me, it was the first time in over a week that I have been able to put other matters out of my mind and devote my energy into something truly productive.

They Just Don't Get It...

and probably never will. After many discussions with the boss about our leadership's level of "emotional intelligence" or empathy for their employees, I am afraid that I may be fighting a losing battle. The question goes back to all of the current philosophy on leadership and corporate culture...if leaders do not possess the quality of empathy then they can never "develop" it, as it is an inborn trait, not a learned skill, and before a good organization can achieve greatness, the leaders must possess a great degree of empathy for those that they lead. So it would appear that if my perceptions are accurate, we are destined to remain mired in mediocrity, lead by a group that does not possess the skills necessary to pull us up out of the muck of average-ness, nor are they able to be sufficiently introspective to see their failing, or honest enough to admit it. I have to confess though, that it may be unrealistic to expect them, or any human being with any sense of ego or pride, to be able to admit to such a foundational shortcoming in their leadership abilities. It does make one wonder though, if that was the case, why they would continue to promote our exploration of these philosophies which, if we whole-heartedly embrace and understand them, will lead us to recognize these shortcomings in the very leaders that are encouraging us to delve into them. Perhaps they are so lacking in empathy that they don't know that they don't have it, because they truly have no concept of what it feels like to have it! If so, then I am most likely fighting a battle that I can never win and the one question that I have to ask myself is whether or not I will ever achieve anything other than keeping things constantly stirred up in a vain attempt to fix something when I have no chance of first convincing them that anything is broken? So maybe, in the final analysis, I am the one that doesn't get it!!!

[Listening to: Smile Like You Mean It - The Killers - Hot Fuss (03:54)]

Truer Words Were Never Spoken

"Everyone in love is something of an idiot"...O, Já!
(Alan Shore from Boston Legal)

[Listening to: What Do I Get? - Buzzcocks - Singles Going Steady (02:54)]

It Never Rains, But That It Pours

Great, now in the most appropriate commentary of all on my present mood...it rains! It appears as if God does indeed have a sense of humor after all;-) Maybe one day, I will get mine back...nótt, nótt

[Listening to: Ruby Soho - Rancid - And Out Come the Wolves (02:38)]

Love Is A Many Splendored Thing

Sometimes it is a red-hot dagger driven right through the center of your heart, in other words...it just plain hurts!

[Listening to: Behind These Hazel Eyes - Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway (03:19)]

Michael Fullan

I had yet another occassion to partake of this visionary's always-inspirational insight on educational reform, change, and leadership. We have hosted three of his conferences and I make it a point to work every one of them. First and foremost, out of respect to the man, I would not risk to chance the quality of the technical support. Not that I am perfect, but I am, quite frankly, as good as they come in my realm of expertise and a speaker of his stature deserves no less than to be supported by a technologist of the same caliber. Secondly, and the most personally gratifying, is that I always come away from listening to him speak, with at least one epiphany. This one was no exception and revolved around the concept that great leaders possess a high degree of "emotional intelligence" or empathy for people. No sooner did he get the words out then I realized that this was the missing attribute of our leadership that has caused me so much angst and frustration, their general lack of empathy for those that they lead. More later on the far-reaching implications of this realization...vertu svalur, y'all

[Listening to: Leave Me Alone (Album Version) - The Veronicas - The Secret Life Of... (03:29)]

Pretty, But Mentally Challenging

A more accurate description for her I could not have come up with if I had tried, O já!...vertu svalur og glaður allan tímann líka

[Listening to: Sitting, Waiting, Wishing - Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams (03:04)]