There Are No Christmas Trees in San Diego

This is how I know Christmas is around the bend. Not the displays at our neighborhood Macy's or Williams Sonoma. Not the piped in Muzak in the elevators of office buildings. Nope. It's the trumpet player that sits on the street outside the World Bank. Earlier this week, he started playing, “O Christmas Tree”. Normally, it’s an eclectic mix of the Star Spangled Banner, the horse racetrack call to attention, and Taps (which I find strangely humorous playing on my walk to work). Yes, it's decidedly random. But yesterday? Nope. Like Snoopy dancing on the top of his doghouse roof at the first sign of snow, this trumpeteer was belting it out, puffing his cheeks out like Louis Armstrong. Satchmo channeling Ernst Anschutz.

But he’s definitely got a jump on the stores. With temperatures here dropping into the bona fide 70s, we might actually have a winter to look forward to. I can't wait.

That being said, I’m definitely looking forward to my trip to San Diego next week. Teresa's headed to a conference all week in Rancho Santa Fe, so I'm just tagging along for the ride. Heading to Encinitas for golf school during the first half of the week, a nice Friday morning at Del Mar National if I can squeeze it in and then down to San Diego proper for some fine food and some find lodging. I can’t think of a better way to spend a vacation. Fun, sun and many pics to come.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm...Nano?

I don't know what's wrong with me. Clearly, I have been brainwashed by the people at Apple. I've somehow convinced myself that somehow, it was my fault that my iPod broke. 4 times. Evidently from all the "walking" I do to and from the Metro. Whatever. So I was convinced that hard drives simply can't take the heat.

Addicted to Alaska...or Something Like It

So I had to see for myself. Had to find out if Al Gore's Scary Mystery Science 3000 movie was true. Rest assured, the ice is still there. That is, I think so... After escaping 100 degree temperatures in Seattle (that's right...SEATTLE), we shipped off into the fog.

As far as I can tell, this is what Alaska looks like:



Pics coming, but suffice to say that we beat the fog, helicoptered across glaciers, walked in a rain forest, saw more than a fair share of bald eagles and ate more than our fill of food. Oh, and I got addicted to my motion sickness medication. It was awesome.

I just got back from Birmingham last week. Had a client meeting there, and I stayed over an extra day to see one of my best friends. Next stop -- San Diego in less than a month. Gitty up.