Weekend 9-24-04 to 9-26-04

Tampa, FL @ My House

Once again, I do not learn from my past mistakes.  I once heard a saying, “You do something once and you can constitute it as a mistake and you do it twice, then you are just plain dumb.”  Ok, I may not be quoting it verbatim, but you all get the point.  I am just a bad bad blogger.  I am not in denial, I have no excuse, I am just bad!

However here is re-cap on my life.  Once again, my poor Sunshine State was hit by another “weather incident.”  They have stopped calling them hurricanes here because it causes an increase in anxiety levels.  Here are some surprising statistics that blew my mind.

·    & nbsp;   &n bsp; 50% of homes in Florida have been affected in some way by the hurricanes

·    & nbsp;   &n bsp; 25% of children under the age of 6 have felt adjustment disorder

·    & nbsp;   &n bsp; 80% of Floridians say they are fatigued from the hurricanes

Can you believe this?  This is truly sad.  Everyone has been affected one way or another.  In addition, tourism in the state has decreased substantially, real estate value on the beaches is plummeting, and as a whole--Florida is getting terrible PR.

On a more positive note.  I have decided to enter the world of home ownership.  No more one bedroom condo for this bachelorette, it is time to start investing in a phat pad.  Realistically though it is time to start receiving a tax break and acting like an adult.  But the phat pad sounds more hip and happening. This is what I just put an offer on, however, the rejected the offer. http://tampabay.mlxchange.com/EmailView.asp?r=1271246744&" title="http://tampabay.mlxchange.com/EmailView.asp?r=1271246744&" target="_blank"http://tampabay.mlxchange.com...;s=TPA&t=TPA. 

It is ok; this is a part of life.  Well, at least that is what my real estate agent tells me.  I will admit, I was very upset when Scott, the realtor, called and told me someone put an offer for the asking price.  First of all, who gives the asking price?  It is no longer a sellers market, or at least less of a sellers market.  So, somebody must have fallen in love with it.  Regardless, there still should be a little back and forth offer/bidding game.  Anyways, when I went into this town home and I didn’t immediately fall in love.  I wish it had more upgrades, the countertops were Formica and I am looking for granite, the cabinets were not good wood, and I would like hardwood in the living and dining rooms.  However, when I looked around and opened each closet, I knew this one had potential.  It had the baseline.  It was 3 stories, new, shingle roof, in an up and coming area, gated, and nice neighbors.  These are the characteristics you cannot change, nor would I compromise on.  The granite…well, that can be installed in a year and the hardwood; well I can be a carpenter for the weekend.  Well, no need to talk about the past.  I am going to see 2 more places on Sunday night.  I decided not to get emotionally attached anymore.  Gees, it sounds like I lost the man of my dreams, not a single family home in the burbs.

Ok, I promised AK that I would mention some more good news on my blog.  I have entered the world of seniorhood.  AKA, I got promoted!  Yay!  I think it means…more responsibility and not enough pay-would you concur AK?  It is actually a great day.  The hard work has paid off, I have more responsibility, and another chapter in the book of professional growth.  So next time I am in town with any of you…drinks on me.

Weekend 9-16-04 to 9-19-04

Philadelphia @ Inn at Penn

My trip to Philadelphia this weekend was much more interesting than my previous trips.  I had a chance to see the town and experience the wonderful nightlife.  Unlike my usual weekend stays in the room, doing microeconomic case studies and reading articles about managing people in the workplace.  Glamorous eh?

Friday night we grabbed drinks at Smith & Wollensky’s, a highly renowned steak restaurant in Center City.  Then we went to a bar/lounge/Indian restaurant, Café Spice.  That is tradition for me!  We met some NYers there for drinks and stuck around until after midnight. Then we pranced over to a place called Dolce, and all I could think of was Dolce and Gabbana, and they their beautiful fall collection. If anyone is interested, check out their gloves and scarves, to die for! Then we were on our merry way to this swanky joint called Paradigm.  I had a great time, met lots of new people, which is much needed because I usually become a recluse! 

I was very proud that I made it to class early in Saturday morning. I woke up at 6:30 and the last thing I wanted to do was to listen to the VP of Operations at GE tell me how to increase profit and concurrently make employees happy.  Gees, I can tell you the answer to that secret.  Give them more time off, increase salaries, and throw an extravagant Christmas party.  I wonder if they are recruiting for another VP?!  Well, I did make it and I was definitely not bright eyed nor was I bushy tailed, just very hungover.  However, Rinku guilted me into making it to class on time because the professors try so hard to think of innovative things for students—and I felt bad (she is a professor!). 

Saturday night, we headed to an Italian place called Angelino’s for drinks and then a club called Tragos.  There was an UPenn medical school party there.  Again, lots of fun.  The interesting point of this weekend was the people I met.  I went out to dinner with a friend of a friend from Tampa (Rinku).  I had never met her before, but the people we knew in common was unfathomable.  We knew the same people at the same times and were even in the same places.  To make the situation even more ironic, when we went out at night, I would talk to random people and after minutes of conversation we knew someone or they were even part of my distant family.  This brings an entire new meaning to ‘it’s a small world after all’!

Labor Day Weekend  9-1-05  to 9-5-04

Tampa, FL @ Home Sweet Home

Once again the beasts of the sea decided to torment our sunshine state.  I was working in Naples at a client for the week.  The beginning of the week was wonderful.  I had a chance to leave work at a decent time, head to the beach and run along the shore for an hour and then walk back barefoot in the water.  It was very relaxing, beautiful, and much needed after a hectic or sometimes mundane day at work.  However, I thought my life was beginning to spiral downward (it was) Wednesday night.  I came back to the hotel and decided to do some work.  I turn on my computer and I receive a blue screen telling me my physical memory is being dumped.  I call some of my IT gurus (thanks KB!) and nobody had a solution.  My computer was dead!  I had to head back to Tampa to fix it…however, my parents told me not to drive so late and just relax.  I didn’t know what to do without my computer…I was a lost child.  I woke up bright and early and headed to the office to revive my baby.  Well, it took almost 8 hours to fix the computer.  Once again, I didn’t know what to do with myself.  I even thought about going home and taking a nap…but how would that look.  So, I walked around, collected supplies to take to the client, bothered the admins, and then put together work paper binders.

Thursday was a better computer day, however the Hurricane Center said Frances was heading our way.  The direct hit would be Vero Beach, go through Orlando, and exit in the bay area, well this was all based on the “cone of uncertainty”…I like to call it the “cone of insecurity.” Oh joy!  Another one!  We all left work early on Friday and stocked up on candles and water.  The grocery store by my house and office was crawling with panicking Tamponians…and sure thing I was one of them.  I cleared the snack food isle.  I passed the low carb, low fat, items…if I was going to be whisked away by a storm; I am going to go happy and chunky chunky.  I decided, low carb, low fat food when prince charming decides to whisk me away.  Which won’t be a problem because he doesn’t exist…Miss Cleo advised he was hit by a truck.  Sorry for the bitterness!

Well, I stayed in and all weekend I didn’t change out of my pj’s, except once to have lunch with the sis.  It was a great feeling.  I caught up on work paper binders, Wharton homework, cleaned the house (it looks immaculate) and watched a bunch of movies (while the power was still on).   Sorry NavP for not hanging out, I owe you big time! The blackout was sort of romantic and soothing moment.  I sat around with aromatherapy candles, drinking wine, and eating cold macaroni and cheese.  It may not sound very passionate, but how much passion to you expect, it was only me, homework, and work paper binders!

I am happy to report, all my friends and family made is safely through the storm with very little damage.

Also, I want to congratulate Deepa and Ritesh on their wedding.  Sorry I couldn’t make it due to the storm and she had to cut the wedding short because of nature…but I have no doubt her and Ritesh will have a wonderful, stress free, hurricane free life in Chicago.  A toast to the happy couple!