I’ve been working at different Cliffs properties since Thursday, spending time online trying to get things done by day, sneaking in a few holes of golf or the driving range in the afternoon, jumping into the lake with my boys, sleeping next to my wife, waking up with my youngest by my side.  It’s a fair trade.

I do miss a real vacation, getting totally away from it all, forgetting most everything at work.  I used to have them, glorious times in Tuscany, Venice, Paris, Hawaii, the beach.  These are times of the past.  I have the means to still do these things but not the time nor the business situation.

It has been a nice time, though.  I gave the lesson Sunday to the chapel at the lake community where my in-laws live.  It’s a special place, where her grandfather first built their cabin, where his father grew up in the summers then brought his daughter and son during their youth, and now my wife brings our boys there.  My lesson was What is the role of the Christian in a Global America?  If I actually get three comments requesting it, I’ll post the lesson.  It is one of the sad things about this site now, the lack of posts and interchange.  I’ll keep pushing through with the words, although I do miss folks on the other end.

I’ve been following the WSOP Main Event from afar, watching the bustouts of lucko and LJ among others, seeing my friends IGGY, Liz Lieu, and John Armbrust make it through their Day 1’s.  Liz is in the best shape of the three, sitting on 68k heading into Day 2.  I must confess that it was much better being with my wife and boys yesterday than driving to the Rio for the last first day of the Main Event (no offense, Gene).

We took the boys along with two friends from London to Furman Soccer Camp.  It was bedlam as the older friend (a sixteen-year old girl) was accidentally assigned as a roommate with another of my players, a ten-year old boy.  It took a good bit of work to get her situated, and we didn’t get everyone situated with sheets on mattresses, etc.  Of course, my wife was worried while I was fairly oblivious to being concerned as we drove away.

My parents are in the nation’s capital, and I’m so glad they are able to spend time together out and about.

Back to work, and thanks for stopping by.

Joe Sharkey at the NY Times writes this morning about the TSA’s approval of new laptop carrier designs which will allow the traveller to keep their laptop in the case as they pass through airport security.

Strange that they had to come up with something I used for seven years.  I bought my Lapdog from Shaun Jackson Design in 2000 or early 2001, I can’t remember which, and I finally tossed it away early this year.  It was a breeze heading through airports all over the world, just unvuckle the fastenings, unfold the Lapdog, and fire it on the conveyor belt.  No need to take it out of the laptop even.  After 9/11, the TSA eventually required that I (along with all other users) had to take the laptop out of this case.

Heading to the Mountains north of Greenville, SC for the holidays.  Hope everyone has a safe and restful weekend.