Thursday

March 29, 2001

dull drive

odd load

It's cold and rainy. Again. And I have to be in Houston for a a meeting at 9AM. The day is the color of this page. I love gray. But not on a day.

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I start early. With two commuter cups of Capresso jave juice, a French tape and an opera (Verdi's Othello) CD. I need gas but figure my energy-efficient Civic will get me to La Grange and the Bon Ton Bakery and Texaco. It does. I fill up, go to the toilet and get more coffee and two jalepeno cheese and sausage rolls.

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I have to wander around and find the meeting. They have opened new buildings at headquarters and renumbered the buildings but the room numbers reflect the old building numbers unless you've been invited to a meeting in which case they give you the new prefix.

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It is axiomatic that with limited resources (and they are never infinite, are they?) and unlimited things to do, you will make choices. Sometimes people negotiate deals on the assumption that (1) we have the people with the expertise and some products; (2) they will have time to integrate for the deal or will make this a priority. So when you see the deal, it is 'tell us what it is going to be and when it will be done' and not 'tell us if this is a good idea.'

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I'm exhausted when I get home. I vowed I wouldn't eat junk food on the trip, but nibbling Fritos seems to be the only way to stay awake. Drive another mile, sip some coffee. Drive another have a Frito.

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The driving is exhausting, but I work out what I'm going to do about several projects. Time to think.

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We are invited to someone's home for a reception for the the patrons of a local museum. We are deadly early and the good hors d'oeuvres make a meal. (Well, after the sausage rolls and Fritos...who needs a meal.) They review coming exhibits. We talk to people we know. Meet some new ones. Marcia Ball plays a bit. We tell her that we saw her play on our first date. At the Armadillo World Headquarters.

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I beg off early and doze over my papers. Ah. Sleep.

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