September 28, 1999 Well, that was fun. I got drafted into representing my department at a rather business-y meeting today. No huge deal, except I was in London at the time. I rather enjoyed hearing about the budget forecasts and explaining how my team's project would fit into the scheme of things for 2000. If this is where my managerial career is taking me, I can't wait to get more involved. -- September 27, 1999 Got back from England this evening, and the cab ride to my apartment was downright exhilarating. I had a great trip, but never before had I traveled from one major city to another and back again, and I spent some time on the plane back home wondering how I'd feel returning to New York City. London is so similar, yet so different -- clean and friendly and slower and earlier to bed. Big, bad Manhattan loomed large as I headed west. So it was with much delight that I quickly switched gears from "Ahh... I'm home" to "Wow, how cool is my home?" as I made my way uptown. London was fun and interesting, but New York, which I currently call home, is still the most exciting city I have ever encountered. And I like it that way. Still, my first excursion overseas was a blast. Amy was a great hostess, and I had tons of fun as Joe Tourist. And I've been in a great mood for nearly a week solid, which is simply a wonderful feeling. -- September 22, 1999 I'm taking my first international trip today -- flying Virgin Atlantic/Continental to London. I should be excited, but instead, I have the jitters. My nerves are a ball. My heart is beating at odd intervals that I can feel. I get really emotional at random moments and my stomach is upset. You'd think this would be a great moment for me. After 26 years of travel all across the U.S., I'm finally going to see another continent. But no -- I have to sit here and think happy thoughts just to keep my lower lip from quivering. Air travel is supposed to be the safest mode of transportation in the world, and I'm staying in a friend's apartment in England. My trip couldn't be more user-friendly. I just wish my subconscious would hurry up and believe that. -- September 21, 1999 My mother is having her appendix taken out today. I'm actually a little amused at the whole situation. I'm nervous and hopeful for the surgery to go well, and I'm worried for Mom, obviously. But I always associated appendicitis with a story I read as a kid, where an 11-year-old boy finds out he needs the surgery, and then learns what a useless organ the appendix is, and that he'll have a neat new scar on his tummy when he's done. Juvenile, yes, but some memories you just can't shake. It's a rather weird perspective to have, but it enabled me to be upbeat on the phone with Mom: "Hey, it's just an appendix; at least there's not something _really_ bad going on." Here's to hoping the surgery is a success, and that my mother recuperates quickly and easily so she can go on her trip to Spain next month. -- September 16, 1999 Hurricane! I'm going to go home from work early. -- September 10, 1999 Ah, Friday. Been a long week. Interesting, difficult, tiring, exciting. I get to spend the weekend doing family stuff in Jersey, and I can't think of a better way to wind myself down for a while. Now, if only it would stop raining. -- September 7, 1999 I came home today to find a deluge of Feels Like E-mail in my in-box, all from Earthlink subscribers. Seems the friendly folks at Earthlink put my "Feels Like" Forecast in their weekly newsletter. How cool! When the Forecast first went live, Yahoo! put me in their Cool Links section, which gave me upward of 1000 user sessions a day -- for a two-page Web site. The Earthlink thrill is the best I've had with my Web properties in a while. Wait'll Musiclues launches. I may have to revise this. -- September 2, 1999 I've actually had a lot to say lately, but I haven't been able to say it, since my original site host pulled the plug on its personal-web-site hosting services with four days' notice last week. Maybe I'll get to catch up here soon. In the meantime, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do. -- August netWert Home