Greetings from Asbury Park

Well, we just came back from our trip to NJ and NYC and boy was it amazing.

Tonight I'll write about the first half of the trip before it blurs too much from all the fun of the second half.

We started by taking the red eye from Seattle to Newark. Whatever Conan O'Brien says about that town is probably true. So after touching down at 6:30 am with basically no sleep, we were off to our car and the Jersey shore.

The first 30 minutes were an adventure as we struggled with road signs, directions and turnpikes - but after several turnarounds and countless tolls we finally got headed the right way.

At about 9:30 we saw the sign for the promised land and new that things were looking up. We found the boardwalk and took a stroll with the early morning dog walkers and sanitation crews. Its definitely a place that is well past its prime, but it looks like it is on the upswing.

Since I'm writing and not dealing with photos at the moment - here is a flickr feed from someone else - its pretty much what we saw. It'll give you the basic idea - and it was a beautiful morning.

Anyway - the fat kid was getting hungry and was totally exhausted so we headed on to Atlantic City to find ourselves our room. We hit town about 11:00 am and prayed to the hotel gods that they'd let us into our room early. Well, I must have looked so ragged that they wanted to get me out of the lobby so within about five minutes of our arrival we were unloading our bags into one of the biggest most beautiful suites I've had the pleasure of paying for.

When I say that the bathroom was bigger than my kitchen and dining room - I'm not exaggerating - and it even had an extra room for TCB - so that was nice.

Anyway, we took a little nap and headed downstairs to find some grub. As often turns out to be the luck with me and Casinos I have a knack for missing the lunch seatings and get stuck surrounded by excellent restaurants that are all closed and am left eating chicken strips in the cafe. They're not bad and they fill you up, but they aren't good either.

Anyway, after another nap to help get back on track we decided to get some snacks and a glass of wine. Luckily, it was just hitting 5pm and the restaurants we're all opening up, so we went to Fornelletto where we enjoyed some great vino, and the burratta bar with roasted peppers - man that was a great way to get started.

We then hit the casino floor for some Super JackPot Party!!! We're not big gamblers, but we do love us our penny slots. Overall for the trip we finished up about $40. That's not too bad for penny slots.

The next morning, we got up and headed out to see some of the sites of Atlantic City. Its interesting. I don't want to say that I saw it all, or even have a great feel for it - but I'd have to say, like any city there are good parts and bad - there its just a little easier to find them and they're a bit more extreme.

We enjoyed Caesar's Palace - its a lot like the one in Vegas. And the shopping mall that they have that goes out over the beach is first class. Also took in a touch of some of the other Casino's but was freaked out by the animatronic miner talking about the goldrush. Aside from Caesars, the rest of the boardwalk hotels (what I saw of them) was more like the Freemont Street experience in Vegas - if you like it, you'll be fine - if you don't...

They also had a huge outlet store shopping area - I wouldn't call it a mall because main streets went right thru it - but it was several city blocks - probably a shoppers dream. I was hungry and thirsty and missing my lunch window again so it was less of a dream for me.

After a delicious lunch at applebees. (Okay- that was a blatant lie. we ate at Applebee's - but it wasn't anything like delicious) We headed back to the Borgata.

This dinner was one I had been dreaming about for a while.

The Borgata has Bobby Flay's first steakhouse and that meal was absolutely amazing. We got a beautiful bottle of wine - I had a well seasoned, perfectly cooked steak the size of my head, and we paired it with two kinds of potatoes and some asparagus. The Fat Kid was in Heaven.

I gotta run now, but I'll pick up here real soon and give the highlights of the next day and concert- this is as much for my memories as anything else.

Gin Hahn,

T

A random update

"Hello there, it's been a while -
Not Much, how 'bout you"

Okay- Its really not often that I'll quote Dan Folgelberg. But for today it seemed fitting. That catholic guilt has set in again and I realized that it'd been a while since I last wrote something here.

So what's going on? Well I'm still rounding out my time working for this giant soul sucking company. I believe you know it as Goliath National Bank. As each day goes on I say goodbye to more and more friends, watching them walk off into the sunset looking for new jobs elsewhere. Some are doing well, starting their own companies or going back to school. Others are enjoying their summer and planning to look for work in the fall after the economy hopefully gets a bit better.

Me I'm waiting for my time to end - trying to keep a low profile, and hopeing that they don't realize that they actually will need me for an extra month or so. The money is great and no one should complain, but shutting down an organization this size is so depressing. I think they should be giving us grief counseling.

On other fronts - many of you are aware (if there are any out there who still read this) that MyICE and I have set a date for the big wedding. All I can say is that its gonna be a lot of fun for everyone lucky enough to get an invite. And the planning for that seems to be going along swimmingly.

Last week I spent a good chunck of time working on possible plans for the rehearsal dinner. Its amazing how with all the people that need to get included in that its almost like having another wedding. Again- to those lucky enough to get in, you'll have a blast - and to the others - sorry, we'll send pictures.

Sounds like we may be having a bachelor/bachelorette party with some of our closest friends in Sin City this fall. I'm glad to be an excuse for others to let their hair down. We won't be sending pictures from this event.

Looking forward to my post employment vacation. We are heading to NYC to see the boss. Going with JB and his GF. A good time will be had by all. I sincerly plan to spend 3 days eating my way thru Manhattan - thats after doing the "Unofficial Bruce Springsteen Tour of New Jersey." We'll drive thru a bunch of spots made famous by the songs and spend to glorious days and nights in Atlantic City.

I'm still hitting the road on the bike whenever I can. Need to plan a few more longer rides for the summer while the weather is good.

Oh, and I've been trying to get to the gym a few days a week. Which is nice for everyone. Especially my clothes. I'm finding lots of things that I haven't been wearing in the last year or so that suddenly fit again. Can you believe that for my birthday this year I was 1/4 of 1,000 lbs? I can. Anyway, its safe to say that I am a good bit less than that now. Still got a ways to go before I can fit into one of those european cut suits for the wedding, but we can hope.

What else? I'm reading the Julie/Julia book.And that I've thought to myself many times in the last few months that I need to come up with something like that to do to keep me from going crazy in the next few months... well that just makes me crazy.

Enjoying the summer - drop me a note or give me a call and we can share some drinks on the patio.

Gin Hahn,
T

Really, I was wishing you'd gone away

Sorry- Probably more than 140 characters here.

Shall we talk about TV for a moment? For years, "The Girls Next Door" has been the most annoying half hour on TV. I'm not sure who watches it. It's not guys - we don't mind being teased a bit, but we certainly aren't going to come back week, after week, after week to be teased by some kinda hot but not hot enough to be in the magazine and certainly annoying and whiney and giggly chicks that pretend to be all lovee-dovey with a viagra takin' octogenarian. So who watched this shit? Ladies? Nope- I know you'll are smarter than that.

Anyway, it was a glorious day when the show ended. But now while surfing the net this morning I stumbled across this.

Seriously, yes- I do want you to go away. How did you get engaged when you were dating Hef all these years? Was it all a lie for TV? Say it ain't so. And are you and Holly still hanging together? Thank the maker! Oh, wait, I get to see your workout playlist? Fantastic! I'm stoked! And you get your own reality show? You just realized it's St. Patty's day, and your implants are Irish?

It's good to know that you don't need to be smart, or educated or even pretty to be a star and have america love you.

There's hope for me yet.

Gin Hahn,
T

Happy Pretend to be Irish day

Here's a few ramblings that are spinning in my cobwebs. More than 140 characters, so it's going to show up here. If you dare to read, you'll most likely suspect that I'm in need of some medication as my thought pattern may appear a bit hyperactive - in reality, while I may need medication, I'm just writing in between things and not going to go back and proof read. So deal with it, or don't. Remember this is about me, not you. I started writing this more than a week ago when I was crazy busy with work. Its slowing a bit for a few days. Time to catch my breath.

Last week Two weeks ago, we ventured down to Palm Springs. There is something about that town that boggles me. I can't put my finger on it. Something about how the old money and the gay community collide, or don't collide. And how all these young straight people hit the town looking to hook up and don't realize that there won't be any others of their same persuasion available. Its just an odd place. But I do love the weather. Also - don't get how a town that is a "destination" shuts down at 8pm on weeknights.

NCAA Tourney time. This weekend was all hoops all the time, as we watched all the conference tourneys in preparation for filling out our brackets. MyICE and I are headed to PDX this week to watch the first two rounds in person. We didn't imagine when we threw our names in the ticket lottery a year ago that we would get to see our hometown heros. We are buzzing.

And struggling to make it to the finish line. We won't head down their until about 8pm Wednesday. And then we have 4 games on Thursday. Thats a lot of sitting around. Something I excel at.

Writing a business plan for a Vodka company. We'll need a few thousand bucks to get us started. If you are interested in investing, let me know.

I've been listening a lot to the new U2 record. I dig it. Not bad for some old farts from Ireland.

I've had a subscription to Rolling Stone for years. I finally stopped it last year when I hadn't read any of them for months. Now I've bought the last 3 issues. What's up with that? I like the new format, and the writing is good again and the stories are relevant.

No more Seattle-PI. I'm bothered by this, not just the PI, but the Rocky Mountain News, the TNT, and all the others that are going by the wayside. Where will all the journalists go? Online newspapers aren't the answer. People aren't paying for them and ad's aren't really working out as a model either. Without good old fashioned newspaper reporters we wouldn't have known about Watergate, WMD's (or lack there of) and I'm certain a ton of other stories that are escaping my mind at the moment. It is a sad day.

The economy sucks. Just thought I'd mention it. I have my resume ready. If only someone was hiring locally in my field.

At the moment I'm listening to a Springsteen bootleg from the 1999-2000 tour. Its good. The E Street Band is really good live.

Speaking of what I'm listening to. I set up a script that sends what I'm listening to to a twitter feed. Over a hundred people have subscribed to it. I can't understand why. But I guess that was part of the social experiment.

Starbucks has discontinued Energy. Nice, they hook me and then the ditch it. Now that I'm addicted I'll have to find another source to get all hopped up on.

Prince is putting out 3 records this year. Springsteen, U2 and Prince. Feels like 1988 all over again. Maybe I'll grow my hair out and wear my jeans too short and tight again. Most likely no one wants to see that.

I think we're narrowing down the wedding date and location.

Oh and my birthday is coming up. If you were inclined to send a gift, I'd love a gift certificate to the Inn at Langley.

That's it for now.
Gin Hahn,
T

Corporate America

Okay - so here's how a meeting went today.

Well, actually, here is basically a direct quote of about 10 mins of the meeting... Abbott and Costello live.

Me --"I think I understand, but let me say it back to you so that we know we're all on the same page here.

You'd like me to validate the number you have on your spreadsheet and tell you if it includes handling and freight, but I can't have a copy of the spreadsheet, and you aren't certain where that number came from or what goes into that number, only that it came from your finance team and have been assured that it is correct."

Reply - "Yep - thats what we're looking for"

Me- "So what am I supposed to be telling you? I don't quite understand which cost this is for, which campaign are we talking about?"

Reply - "Well this is just for planning and budgets, we're looking ahead."

Me - "Oh, okay. If you can tell me what the plan is for, I can tell you what my numbers should be."

Reply -"That's not in our spreadsheet, we just want you to tell us if the numbers are right."

Me - "Sure, what numbers?"

Reply - "The one in the spreadsheet" (At this point, the two other people in the room with me on the call are almost on the floor laughing.)

Me - "Can you share the spreadsheet with me? Maybe I can try to back out the numbers."

Reply - "Sorry, I've been asked not to share this spreadsheet with anyone, its highly confidential."

Me - "Okay- well, I'm not really sure I can be much help. I can tell you how I would arrive at some numbers, but without any tactics I can't really give you a number."

Reply - "Oh, no I understand that, I just need you to tell me that the number I have is correct."

Me - "Okay, what's the number?

Reply - "I've been asked not to share it."

Me - "Okay, well, what are you trying to do?"

Reply - "Verify if the number is accur.....

At this point one of my teammates stops laughing long enough to hijack the conversation.

Gin Hahn,
T

Life, in 140 Characters or less....

I'm thinking that Twitter may be just right for me.

I have lots to say, but its usually pretty random, and often not very well thought out - but if I don't say these stupid things, or write them down, they gut stuck in my head and rattle around in there for days until I do something with them.

And while I love the time we spend together here- I almost always feel responsible to stretch it out a bit. Which I'll continue to do, just not as often. And all of those little nagging bits, I'll Tweet those.

In fact, when I post here, I'll probably Tweet there so you know its out there.

But like all things me - take it or leave it, it makes no difference to me. Like I've said many, many times... This is for me, not you. Its my time machine. My digital time capsule. I can check in on it down the road and see how I was feeling, what I was going thru on a given day. What entertained me. Who pissed me off.

Because I know that my memory is short - and I'll forget.

So peace for now - we'll chat again soon.

And follow my short bursts of random thoughts. At your discretion.

Gin Hahn,
T

Just when you get comfortable....

Its that time of year again and the rhetoric is amping up.

What dear T are you referring to you might ask...

Spring Training? (Hope springs eternal, but not in Seattle)

New Springsteen record?

Fergie and Josh got married?

Nope, gentle readers, now is the time of year where my ex and I argue about money.

The amount her highness gets is really a pretty simple equation. And this year even simpler than most because I can't get a raise, so really it should be exactly the same as last year... but really the only thing that will be the same is that she's gonna act all entitled, disagree about how to get to her % and somehow assume that just because I'm making the same or less as last year, she should somehow be getting more. And while the discussion can generally start after my last paycheck in February - this year she's already started. For the record, last year it didn't get settled until almost May.

What does this mean? Well, it means that for the next two months I'm going to be in this constant vortex of bitchy negativity. I'll be a pain to be around. Coping in ways that aren't great for my health. And always a bit distracted. And often afraid to check my email, knowing that the latest round of character assassinations are just around the corner.

I know its coming. I can see it. I hope that this year I can do a better job of not getting sucked in. Unfortunately, when I stay above the fray, she plays dirty and gets our kids involved.

The other day someone said something to the effect of "I wish she'd never entered our lives." I have two great kids that I wouldn't have otherwise so I would never say that, and I always stop others and remind them of that fact. But that aside, times like this, I have to agree with a good friends assessment. She is a "#$N@"!

For the record, today I found another $7000 dollars that I've overpaid her over the years. Combine that with previous findings and its getting close to more than my salary for a year.

No wonder I'm not rich. I only have to pay her for 17 months more. Of course I fully expect she'll try to take me to court around then to extend it. How else will she live?

Vodka Hahn,
T

Bookmark This!

Free time has been at a real premium lately. Just keeping up with the daily news has been a struggle, especially because there is just so darn much of it. Anyway, I'm considering making this site my startup page. It has a quick glance at all you need to know about the nations news on a daily basis.

Keep up to date. Yes we can!

Gin Hahn,
T

New Year, New links

I'm not very thoughtful today.

I'll start by passing a few links that I've enjoyed.

Jay-Z + Radiohead = Jaydiohead. Sweet! (Thanks JB)

Miss the old days? This site will bring you back to the christmas of my youth - if you don't like the first show to come up, get up and change the channel.

Artie Lange is in rehab, again. That's a bummer. Again.

Facial recognition is coming to iPhoto - as well as geocoding of your photos. Cool or Big Brother? I think a little of both.

I gave these people $10 when they came to the door - I thought it was fishy, but the lady was walking around in the snow - I guess she needed the money more than I did. Some say I give my money away too freely. Resolution for 2009 - give less money away. 2010 is a lock for less financial giveaways. Countdown to freedom is now 539 days...

I'm starting to plan some spring rides. This site is a great reference - he even points out the best burger places along the way.

Peace to all in the new year-
Gin Hahn,
T