Running in Augusta

When I go running outside at home, I do the same loop every time, and I don't even like it that much because it is so hilly. Over the past few weeks, the weather has gotten nice, and Betsy and I have ventured around the city of Augusta on about two outdoor runs every week. Afterwards, we sometimes go eat, completely sweaty, but starving. I discovered a new website recently that I really like using to map out the runs. coincidentally it is called "mapmyrun.com". Using Google technology, you can zoom in really far to see exactly the path you take, and mark it. The following are some of the runs we've made up and run while exploring the city:

Lake Olmstead

Augusta Historic Downtown and Riverwalk

Augusta Downtown

Augusta Canal

Once you map the exact route you took, you can see most importantly - how far you ran. But also, you can see the elevation view, or count calories by entering your run time and weight. You can even see a 3-D view of your run if you have Google Earth!

Doing these runs has been a lot of fun. I run a lot better and a lot longer when with someone else (Betsy - things are so much better when we're together ;-) )

Hopefully I will be adventurous in Atlanta and run at home in new places too.

Final week in Augusta

well, my stint here is completing. I am slated until the end of this week, and then I go home. I have managed to schedule quite a busy April - especially with Passover around the corner, but I'll be happy to be home again.

Tomorrow night is my goodbye dinner here. I get to pick the restaurant. Where to?!

I know I haven't had many good blog posts lately, but exciting things just don't happen when you're staying in a hotel for 2 months away from home.


Until now, I have not looked for a roomate actively. I have told friends I am looking, but that's about it. Unfortunately, that hasn't been too fruitful. Should I make a post on craig's list? I don't want some psycho roomate, but it'd be nice to have a roomate to help pay the bills...

Air Conditioning Refill

I noticed at the end of last summer that my air conditioning was not working at all in my car. It was the end of the season, so I figured I would wait until this summer to fix it. I brought my car in, 200 miles shy of the 36,000 mile warantee, and even though the refill of the freon would be included - since I got in the accident last fall (after it stopped working), they would not cover it.

oh well, at least now I will have AC this summer.

cell phone number.

When I go to Cingular.com, I can update my profile. Does anyone else find it interesting that besides being able to update your name and address, you can update your phone number? if anything, shouldn't they know when your phone number updates?

Watch what you do. Always.

Well, apparently it's easy for people to lose my trust. Maybe it's easy to get it back, I don't know.

I hesitate these days to post anything about work, as I am well aware that some people from work now read my blog regularly, and others read it occasionally when the regulars pass it on to others while still trying to keep it a secret that they indeed do read it. you know what? It's fine. I dump a lot into this blog - daily activities, travels, future plans, etc. Pretty much all of this is stuff I talk about anyway. Unfortunately, these days companies can hire or fire someone based on what they post online, so while I'd like to be candid with what I post, if it has to do with work I unfortunately can't be.

I am currently fuming because of something that happened today. a person in a role of leadership did something that to him and possibly some others in the company was the right thing to do, and to me, it was unnecessary, none of their business, and breached my trust. I feel that being a leader requires both parties to earn each other's trust, and the moment they breach it, they've lost that trust for a long time. I think that when you do have another person's trust, when they make comments that are meant to not be passed on, or when someone makes an inappropriate comment about either another person in the company, or a comment that would not be seen as "acceptable" if reported to people higher in the company, you don't worry that the other person will go around passing along that information. It is a friendship as well as a work relationship. By accepting that, I can name plenty of times that MANY people above me have made comments that I see as "not acceptable" but after it doesn't sit well for a day, and I fume to friends, I don't worry about it because it isn't worth being a tattletale only to be seen as someone around whom everyone else needs to walk on eggshells. There are times when those comments don't bother me, but I could easily see them as being comments that are either close minded or raw to others.

Anyway, in case you've gotten this far and are wondering what kind of comment got me in trouble, that's not what happened. I didn't get in trouble for anything, and really the incident I am upset about is insignificant to my future or the career future of anyone else involved in the company. What bothers me more is the manner in which it was handled.

I can't really say much more. Just know that being a female in this environment is difficult, MUCH more so than the males think it is, and with as much crap as I have to put up with from the starting line, there's no reason to add more to my plate. Oh, and by the way, I am NOT one of the guys. Sorry to break it to you, but it's the cold truth. Maybe watch your mouths a little bit around the ladies. As a coworker put it - you can pretend I'm your sister, but don't dare think I am one of the guys.

This is for everyone - no matter where you work:
Don't take advantage of people's naivety or kindness or happy temperament to benefit your goals - especially if it diminishes either them or their goals. (this comment isn't necessarily specific to today's incident, just specific to what I've noticed has happened to me in general.)

I hate the country inn Augusta.

I hate the hotel we stay in Augusta.
So far, here are the issues I've had with the hotel:

One day, I came back to find that the cleaning people had removed their gloves and left them in my room. I told the front desk, but the gloves remained there the next day (when I checked out).

I came into the room, and the toilet had pee in it. Not my pee, mind you - no toilet paper was in the toilet.

Another time I checked in, and there were clothes in the closet from whoever was there last - they didn't empty the room.

One day I checked in, and the floor to the bathroom was STICKY it was so dirty

Another time, I checked in, and there was SOMEONE ELSE's hair in the shower.

Today, I came to find that there was an OPEN soap in the shower, and the sheets were used.

Here is the email I just sent to the management of this hotel:

To whom it may concern,

I have been staying at the Country Inn and suites in Augusta weekly for about 6 weeks. Every week I have been here, I have had issues with housekeeping either upon arrival, or throughout the week. I have told the front desk about the problems, and they have always been polite about writing it down in their book, but the issues have NEVER been resolved during my stay. The following are some (but not all) of the housekeeping issues I've had over the past 6 weeks :

- used rubber cleaning gloves were left in my room on the dresser, and not removed for the rest of the week

- bathroom floor was so dirty upon arrival, it was sticky when walking with shoes

- clothes in the closet upon arrival (and remaining for 5 nights)

- urine in the toilet after a cleaning

- hair in the shower upon arrival

- Today, upon checking in late, I found a used bar of soap in the shower, and unwashed sheets on the bed. I requested a room change, and the second room had mud on the bathroom floor. I am now in the third room of the evening.

Others of my colleagues have had issues also in this hotel, most notably the housekeeping staff leaving the door ajar after servicing for the remainder of the day until my colleague's return from work at 8:00 pm - making her personal belongings open to anyone.

I am truly disappointed in the quality of service, and would appreciate a phone call when you receive this message.

Thank you,
**signed me**

Almost lost!

I like that there are still times that one can trust the kindness of strangers to just do what's right.

Friday night, I went to an event hosted by the Atlanta Chevre Minyan. After the Kabalat Shabbat (welcoming of sabbath) services, everyone broke to go to different houses for dinner. I went to a guy's house who lived in the highlands, and it was nice. there were about 8 people I think that ate at his place, which was fabulously decorated. I mean, everything from the faucets to the paint to what type of bookshelves, all just looked so cool! I am (not so secretly) jealous of his decor ability.

Well, once I got into my car after dinner, I realized I didn't have my cell phone. I knew I had it after services because I made a call, but I hadn't seen it since I parked at his house. I turned around and went back to his house, checked the ground, and turned my car inside out, and didn't find it. I was really upset. I don't have a home phone, so that is pretty much my lifeline, along with the fact that I need it for work, and I have to drive so much now for work, I really can't be without a phone.

Well, I get home, and I have an email from my dad, timestamped 11:30 saying that someone called "HOME" on my cell phone, and after talking to my dad, left it in a bar in the Highlands with my name on it. He picked it up today since he was in the area, and I have my phone back.

thank you to whoever it was that found and returned my phone. And thank you to everyone who has done (or will do) a similar anonymous kindness.

Run in Augusta

After work today, I got an oil change for my car, and I replaced my air filter. After that, I met up with Betsy, and we did a run in Augusta. We started with the Augusta Canal trail, and ended up running our own route when we found ourselves back in downtown Augusta after a few miles.

In total, we probably ran about 4 miles - we were running for 40 minutes at a nice pace, but probably not much farther, and gauging from my pedometer, it looks like about 4 miles. We ran along the canal, and then through an area we probably won't run through again, and then up the riverwalk along the Savannah River.

It was a beautiful day here - 78 degrees, clear, and in the evening, lovely to run. I guess Augusta can't always be "Disgusta"

19,700 steps today.

Klutz = Bela

Yeah. As if you didn't know I was a klutz already.

I fell into conveyor today.

if that sentance doesn't make sense, let me explain. I have been working with some robotic palletizers all week, and there is some really big conveyor that holds pallets of product. well, I was climbing around on them clearing a jam of product (they're still being tweaked and tested), and there was a missing roller, where I managed to get my foot stuck and slide in about 2 feet. I got a bit banged up and bruised, but it was mostly my ego that was bruised. haha I felt like an idiot, but to make me feel better, two other people on the project said they fell in the same place, and one of them got hurt way worse. I guess I lucked out in that sense. We'll need to fix that before it happens to someone else...

so far this week - gone to the gym twice, and counted 18000 steps yesterday, and 16000 steps today. phew. How is it that I am gaining weight here????

Paris, TX

I am in Paris, TX.
yes, this Eiffel Tower has a cowboy hat on it.
the Texans are proud people

Dallas TX, here I am!

Yesterday morning I left for Dallas, since I had to be in Paris, TX for work early Monday morning. I hadn't really ever been a tourist in Dallas, even though I'd been there once or twice in the past. My friend Greg from GT and his fiancee Rachel live in Dallas, so Greg picked me up from the airport and had a great day planned for us!

After picking up Rachel at home, we went to a Jewish Deli where I got a yummy salami sandwich...mmm...We ran into a ton of people that either Greg, Rachel, or both of them knew, and for once, I was the one that didn't know anyone ;-)

After dropping off the car, we walked from their apartment to downtown. it was probably about a mile walk, through cute neighborhoods and restaurants. after turning a corner, we saw the Dallas Uptown (read: downtown) skyline - the picture is of me and Greg. We went to the Nasher Sculpture center and saw the famous "Walking to the Sky" by Jonathan Borofsky, but skipped out on the much more expensive Matisse exhibit. here is the Borofsky in perspective. The other picture is of us being goofy in the museum.

After the museum, we walked down the block to catch the trolley. The trolley is one of about five streetcars from the early 1900's that they've refurbished and use for a tourist loop around town. The drivers are volunteer, and the one we had was quite nice and informative! The picture is of Rachel and I on the Trolley. We got off near a little coffee shop called "Petit Fours", and shared some cake and delicious hot chocolate! We sure did eat a lot! After the petit fours, we walked back to the apartment, and Greg explained to me how to use a Nintendo Wii. I created myself on it, and was surprised at how much it looked like me! I then played greg in Baseball (I won), Tennis (I lost miserably) and bowling (I don't remember who won, I think it was me). That is a cool system. Try it if you've never had a chance. After debating over where to go to dinner (only because no one had any ideas), we picked a place called Celebration, that has good home-style meals. The food was really good and filling, and a fancier place than I'd expected. When we got home, I think I fell asleep about 3 minutes after we walked in the door. I was wiped. This morning we went to breakfast before I had to leave for Paris. We ate at a little upscale cafe that looked so cute you almost didn't want to touch anything! Thanks Greg and Rachel for showing me a good time in Dallas!!

Tias in Town!

My sister Leah has a recital today, and so my mom's two sisters came in town for the weekend, and they're going to hear the concert today. I was in Atlanta for one day, so I had them over to my house for some cake and coffee. this is my mom with her sisters...

they saw this picture and said "we should be on a verizon commercial...if we had two more glasses in line." I think they meant cingular - as in, raising the bar...I guess the branding of that phrase didn't stick well with them =)

I love them anyway!!