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Chicago, chicago... that toddlin town!
Some of you know I was promoted to the position of coach at work. Not supervisor, since I my primary function isn't supervision. Not manager, since I'm not quite managing the business. See, my function is development. My function is to take a good bunch of technicians and talkers-on-the-phone (that's the native american definition) and help them to be great. So... I'm a coach.
My company also calls us leaders, because we lead, yes? So, coaches and leaders we are.
Last week, from the 14th to the 18th, I was in Chicago, at the Eaglewood resort, getting training for what I'm doing. Which makes sense, cuz you don't want a whole bunch of yahoos like me spouting all sorts of stuff that may not do any good. Granted, I'm okay, but I needed direction. I wanted to be sure I knew what I was doing. To Chicago with my good self.
The flight was pretty boring. Coffee tea or me was served, without the me, and up and down we went. A short flight, 2 hours and 45 minutes, give or take. The only issue I had was that my left ear went pop pop pop squick, crinkle, pop. And so... out of commission except for low level bass rumblings and a constant high pitch ringing on that side of my head. I've had it before. Nothing to worry about. Just means I get to practice my old man "EH?? What did you say? I'm a little deaf, you know."
The resort was just that... a resort. Big ol' golf course in the back, lots of trees, banquet halls and meeting rooms. Really, nothing special. Oh... 3 bars, an olympic size pool, a bowling alley and a couple of billiard rooms. All of which I took advantage of.
Classes started sharply at 8 am and ran till 6 pm. All meals, and there were a lot of 'em, were paid for and there was a lot of food. From Red snapper for dinner to oatmeal for breakfast. I'm pretty sure there were things there that I personally wouldn't eat, and there were things that I'm pretty sure I couldn't pronounce without practice.
And deserts. Tons and tons of deserts. I had tortes, I had cheesecake, I had pecan pie, I had pecan pie cheesecake with wonderful coffee that did NOT come from Starbucks. Goodness, I don't think I can name everything I ate, but I do know that I finally reached the reverse point in trying to lose some of this 200 plus pounds. I now weight 2000 pounds. I'm glad I'm home where I can ritually starve myself again.
After the training, which was very gentle, very deep, and very intense (yes... it does sound like that, doesn't it?) the 18 of us, and sometimes the trainers would go down to the lower level, the pub level and take a nip or 6.
Eddie was the bartender, and me being me, I got to know him pretty quick. From Jersey by way of Shanghai, he ended up in Chicago. Nice guy, over worked, underpaid... pretty much like most of us. I got him to give the class a bunch of Harps 2010 World Cup glasses, which look like any other Pilsner, except it has the Harps logo, a picture of a colorful soccer ball and the number 2010 on it. Still, score one for us. We got prizes!
Did I mention that the only way off this fantasy island was by shuttle? No? Well, see, we all flew in, took a taxi or a Limo to the resort and there we were. Oh, there were some locals, but for some reason, nobody asked them to take them anywhere. I really didn't want to get out and about. There was a lot of absorb and we did have homework every night. Besides, the bars were open and the bowling was cheap.
Really, there weren't any highlights. Our days consisted of waking up, going to class, doing some indepth understanding of human nature (usually our own) and how to give folks direction in such a way that it seemed to be their own idea all along. Then we ate. Or drank. Or talked and laughed.
I met 18 folks that will forever be part of my world, because that's how great they are. I met a few that will be closer than that because that's how I recognize family.
It wrapped up at noon on Friday, and I limoed to the O'Hare for my 8 hour wait. That's pretty standard for me. I figure if I actually go anywhere, I'll be late for my flight, so I just hang around the chicago airport until I leave it.
Oh! One cool thing: Erin, one of the other students and I were looking for the security checkpoint. Normally, I know exactly where to go but that day, for whatever reason, I went to the First Class checkpoint. We second classers aren't supposed to, you know. But I did. and Erin did. We walked up to the little guy who was making sure undesirables didn't get in and Erin stopped and asked him "Is there any good reason we shouldn't be in this line?"
The little guy, bless his heart, blinked at her a couple of times and said "Not that I can think of" and let us in. Fastest check in I've ever been through. I give her credit for her big blue eyes, her big... attitude and her belief that there's nothing we can't do. I mean... it sounded like something I would do. I just failed to recognize that we shouldn't be there. And so did she. Cool stuff.
Especially when the other two guys traveling with us got turned away. They shoulda stuck by our side. We'd have gotten them in.
So, since I have to buzz off to work about.. mmm.. now, I'll wrap this up. I got some good stories and met some great folks. It was, as they say, a life changing thing. And now my life is changed.
I'll write more later, if I can come up with anything. Other than that, I'll jump on and write a little here and a little there. I've got chapter six of Jack's radio show underway, so that's a positive.
Hey! I've got nothing negative to say here. I'm actually surprised!
Y'all take care, have a wonderful day, week, month, etc. I'll be back soon.
My company also calls us leaders, because we lead, yes? So, coaches and leaders we are.
Last week, from the 14th to the 18th, I was in Chicago, at the Eaglewood resort, getting training for what I'm doing. Which makes sense, cuz you don't want a whole bunch of yahoos like me spouting all sorts of stuff that may not do any good. Granted, I'm okay, but I needed direction. I wanted to be sure I knew what I was doing. To Chicago with my good self.
The flight was pretty boring. Coffee tea or me was served, without the me, and up and down we went. A short flight, 2 hours and 45 minutes, give or take. The only issue I had was that my left ear went pop pop pop squick, crinkle, pop. And so... out of commission except for low level bass rumblings and a constant high pitch ringing on that side of my head. I've had it before. Nothing to worry about. Just means I get to practice my old man "EH?? What did you say? I'm a little deaf, you know."
The resort was just that... a resort. Big ol' golf course in the back, lots of trees, banquet halls and meeting rooms. Really, nothing special. Oh... 3 bars, an olympic size pool, a bowling alley and a couple of billiard rooms. All of which I took advantage of.
Classes started sharply at 8 am and ran till 6 pm. All meals, and there were a lot of 'em, were paid for and there was a lot of food. From Red snapper for dinner to oatmeal for breakfast. I'm pretty sure there were things there that I personally wouldn't eat, and there were things that I'm pretty sure I couldn't pronounce without practice.
And deserts. Tons and tons of deserts. I had tortes, I had cheesecake, I had pecan pie, I had pecan pie cheesecake with wonderful coffee that did NOT come from Starbucks. Goodness, I don't think I can name everything I ate, but I do know that I finally reached the reverse point in trying to lose some of this 200 plus pounds. I now weight 2000 pounds. I'm glad I'm home where I can ritually starve myself again.
After the training, which was very gentle, very deep, and very intense (yes... it does sound like that, doesn't it?) the 18 of us, and sometimes the trainers would go down to the lower level, the pub level and take a nip or 6.
Eddie was the bartender, and me being me, I got to know him pretty quick. From Jersey by way of Shanghai, he ended up in Chicago. Nice guy, over worked, underpaid... pretty much like most of us. I got him to give the class a bunch of Harps 2010 World Cup glasses, which look like any other Pilsner, except it has the Harps logo, a picture of a colorful soccer ball and the number 2010 on it. Still, score one for us. We got prizes!
Did I mention that the only way off this fantasy island was by shuttle? No? Well, see, we all flew in, took a taxi or a Limo to the resort and there we were. Oh, there were some locals, but for some reason, nobody asked them to take them anywhere. I really didn't want to get out and about. There was a lot of absorb and we did have homework every night. Besides, the bars were open and the bowling was cheap.
Really, there weren't any highlights. Our days consisted of waking up, going to class, doing some indepth understanding of human nature (usually our own) and how to give folks direction in such a way that it seemed to be their own idea all along. Then we ate. Or drank. Or talked and laughed.
I met 18 folks that will forever be part of my world, because that's how great they are. I met a few that will be closer than that because that's how I recognize family.
It wrapped up at noon on Friday, and I limoed to the O'Hare for my 8 hour wait. That's pretty standard for me. I figure if I actually go anywhere, I'll be late for my flight, so I just hang around the chicago airport until I leave it.
Oh! One cool thing: Erin, one of the other students and I were looking for the security checkpoint. Normally, I know exactly where to go but that day, for whatever reason, I went to the First Class checkpoint. We second classers aren't supposed to, you know. But I did. and Erin did. We walked up to the little guy who was making sure undesirables didn't get in and Erin stopped and asked him "Is there any good reason we shouldn't be in this line?"
The little guy, bless his heart, blinked at her a couple of times and said "Not that I can think of" and let us in. Fastest check in I've ever been through. I give her credit for her big blue eyes, her big... attitude and her belief that there's nothing we can't do. I mean... it sounded like something I would do. I just failed to recognize that we shouldn't be there. And so did she. Cool stuff.
Especially when the other two guys traveling with us got turned away. They shoulda stuck by our side. We'd have gotten them in.
So, since I have to buzz off to work about.. mmm.. now, I'll wrap this up. I got some good stories and met some great folks. It was, as they say, a life changing thing. And now my life is changed.
I'll write more later, if I can come up with anything. Other than that, I'll jump on and write a little here and a little there. I've got chapter six of Jack's radio show underway, so that's a positive.
Hey! I've got nothing negative to say here. I'm actually surprised!
Y'all take care, have a wonderful day, week, month, etc. I'll be back soon.
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I've only been through O'Hare once, on our way to Ireland, and I didn't enjoy it. Been through Midway plenty of times. Much more laid back.
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I've been to Midway once before the world was monitored. It was a flight from chicago to Dayton, Ohio. I don't mind O'Hare, but I'm used to it and kinda know where the cool parts are.
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Enjoy Chicago if you can. That's a city I've for which I've always had a big crush.
I'll be in OK weekends in May; hope I get to see you sometime then.