Sunday, May 22, 2005
What I did on my summer vacation
After finishing classes, I took a few days to go to meetings and visit home. Here's some of the various thoughts and observations I made during those days.
Wednesday:
The ride between Harrisburg and State College has some of the nicest scenery around. For a long stretch of the ride you get to ride along the Susquehanna River. The view from the highway over the river is lovely at this time of the year. It's even better in fall when the leaves turn.
I met up with someone that I used to work with who is now working in Centre County. It was nice to see her again. One of the nice things about getting away from the usual haunts is the ability to check in with others who have moved away. She seems to be doing well, and seems happy. That's the best part.
Thursday:
Meeting of a state wide committee today. The ability of a few to oversee a program that covers the state is a feat in itself. When you consider that we only meet every other month, it sometimes amazes me that things that we do work as well as they do. I only play a minor part in the whole thing. The part played by others makes me wonder if I could do it. I know that I lack an ambition gene, but I sometimes wonder how I could do in that type of role. Then as we talk about what the chair of the committee has been up to, I'm glad I don't have to find out.
The guys who came up with the concept for Hooters are geniuses. I like the wings, but of course I visit for the atmosphere. And the atmosphere at the State College Hooters is very attractive. Thursday is picture night. They allow you to get a picture taken with the waitresses. OF course I did.
Friday:
It's nice to be able to take your time getting somewhere. I headed back to the old hometown from State College today. I stopped in a bunch of places that I wouldn't have if I had been on a schedule. One of the places was Altoona. There's a Hooters there too. Good wings. Attractive atmosphere there too.
Back Home. It's nice to be home. Got to spend some time with Mom and talk about how things are going with her. She's shown the house to a few people already which means I really have to get the rest of my stuff out there.
Saturday:
You know a good friend when you see them again after a long time and you pick up where you left off. That was the case a few times today. Running around town today I got to meet a few people that I hadn't had any contact with for a while. It was nice to catch up and find out how they were doing. It was also another case of informing people about things. One asked me how married life had been treating me. The look on her face when I said that it hadn't been recently was almost comical. It was obvious that she was embarrassed. I tried to let her know that it wasn't a problem, but I'm not sure she got over it.
I never realized that I had this many frickin boxes of comic books. I filled the trunk of the car and put more in the back seat. And there's still more. I had some help getting them down from the second floor of the house but I won't have that help trying to take them back upstairs to my apartment. (I took all week to empty the car.)
Sunday:
Went to the Pirates game. PNC Park is great place to watch a baseball game. It's even better when the Pirates win, which they did. I kept score for the game and my notes matched the official score keeper's. I am usually more likely to charge an error and not give the batter a hit than most official scorers. There was only one play that was close and he agreed with me that it was an error. Between the guy I went with and me, I think we spent almost $200 for the game. Peanuts, beer and baseball--what a great combination.
Monday:
KCIT simulation. While I hope that I never have to use the Crisis Intervention techniques that I know, it is important to keep them honed just in case. It's sometimes more difficult to do in a simulation than it is in real life because you know that it's not real.
The trip back to Gettysburg was nice. I made good time as the turnpike was clear most of the way. Before getting on the turnpike, I stopped to get gas. Who should be there but my nephew! It was good to run into him before I left that area since I hadn't been able to when I was in Latrobe and he wasn't able to go to the game.
Tuesday: back to the grind.
Wednesday:
The ride between Harrisburg and State College has some of the nicest scenery around. For a long stretch of the ride you get to ride along the Susquehanna River. The view from the highway over the river is lovely at this time of the year. It's even better in fall when the leaves turn.
I met up with someone that I used to work with who is now working in Centre County. It was nice to see her again. One of the nice things about getting away from the usual haunts is the ability to check in with others who have moved away. She seems to be doing well, and seems happy. That's the best part.
Thursday:
Meeting of a state wide committee today. The ability of a few to oversee a program that covers the state is a feat in itself. When you consider that we only meet every other month, it sometimes amazes me that things that we do work as well as they do. I only play a minor part in the whole thing. The part played by others makes me wonder if I could do it. I know that I lack an ambition gene, but I sometimes wonder how I could do in that type of role. Then as we talk about what the chair of the committee has been up to, I'm glad I don't have to find out.
The guys who came up with the concept for Hooters are geniuses. I like the wings, but of course I visit for the atmosphere. And the atmosphere at the State College Hooters is very attractive. Thursday is picture night. They allow you to get a picture taken with the waitresses. OF course I did.
Friday:
It's nice to be able to take your time getting somewhere. I headed back to the old hometown from State College today. I stopped in a bunch of places that I wouldn't have if I had been on a schedule. One of the places was Altoona. There's a Hooters there too. Good wings. Attractive atmosphere there too.
Back Home. It's nice to be home. Got to spend some time with Mom and talk about how things are going with her. She's shown the house to a few people already which means I really have to get the rest of my stuff out there.
Saturday:
You know a good friend when you see them again after a long time and you pick up where you left off. That was the case a few times today. Running around town today I got to meet a few people that I hadn't had any contact with for a while. It was nice to catch up and find out how they were doing. It was also another case of informing people about things. One asked me how married life had been treating me. The look on her face when I said that it hadn't been recently was almost comical. It was obvious that she was embarrassed. I tried to let her know that it wasn't a problem, but I'm not sure she got over it.
I never realized that I had this many frickin boxes of comic books. I filled the trunk of the car and put more in the back seat. And there's still more. I had some help getting them down from the second floor of the house but I won't have that help trying to take them back upstairs to my apartment. (I took all week to empty the car.)
Sunday:
Went to the Pirates game. PNC Park is great place to watch a baseball game. It's even better when the Pirates win, which they did. I kept score for the game and my notes matched the official score keeper's. I am usually more likely to charge an error and not give the batter a hit than most official scorers. There was only one play that was close and he agreed with me that it was an error. Between the guy I went with and me, I think we spent almost $200 for the game. Peanuts, beer and baseball--what a great combination.
Monday:
KCIT simulation. While I hope that I never have to use the Crisis Intervention techniques that I know, it is important to keep them honed just in case. It's sometimes more difficult to do in a simulation than it is in real life because you know that it's not real.
The trip back to Gettysburg was nice. I made good time as the turnpike was clear most of the way. Before getting on the turnpike, I stopped to get gas. Who should be there but my nephew! It was good to run into him before I left that area since I hadn't been able to when I was in Latrobe and he wasn't able to go to the game.
Tuesday: back to the grind.
