Saturday, June 20, 2009

Pictures from Arizona

I went to Arizona for a work trip last week (should have stayed there!) and took a few pictures. I was hoping for an adjunct trip to the Grand Canyon or a little hiking but alas, I was sequestered to a few blocks in and around the convention center. I took some walks and these are the pictures.


How pretty are these? They are ubquitous but that doesn't make them any less pretty!

This is the brand new, enormous convention center in Phoenix. It's a stone's throw from the Diamondback's stadium. Oh, and that's the view out my hotel window. How I wanted to escape to those hills!

Pretty!


Some cool mosaics outside the convention center.

And one last pretty flower picture! The locals getting off the bus and walking to work must have thought I was a loony tune!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Kristen...

...is psyched to have worked out 3 days in a row. Let's hope for sustainability.

...skeptical of the amount of people at this conference attending the LGBT tobacco conference. I say there are probably some more important things we should be putting federal dollars into but that's just me (I'm waiting for the hate comments to roll in, go for it!).

...has developed some sort of weird anxiety this week. I think because I know I really don't belong here among all these people who believe so strongly in this work. It reminds me of the focus group I went to for chocolate where all the women were really fervent chocolate fanatics and knew the cocoa content in all different brands of chocolate. I just went for the stipend and free Lindt truffles.

...thinks she might be hogging the computers at the cool new business center setup at the Phoenix Sheraton. She loves her some modern touches.

...wishes her bathroom at home were like her hotel bathroom. Even just a little.

...misses her bed, her time zone, her boyfriend, and her cat in no particular order.

...needs a hug.

...passed up on yoga with the boss invitation this afternoon. Nuff said.

...is glad the hotel tvs have HGTV, TLC, and MTV. But no Oprah at 4 pm sadly.

...got re-stressed while sitting at the pool listening to a woman yell into her phone for 1/2 an hour. Seriously, get a clue.

...bought a bathing suit with no boulder holder support. Good for sitting in the chair and nothing else. Will soon visit llbean.com.

...has been brainstorming the future with a little bit of passion knowing that putting it on paper is a good start to make some dreams start moving.

...is psyched that Starbucks is the most convenient and cheapest place for breakfast this week. Heeeelllloooo mocha frappacino (please do not send nutritional info in a comment, k thnx).

...wish dinner were a little earlier tonight but is glad that it's cool enough to walk to the restaurant.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Sunday

Kristen is enjoying her favorite kind of Sunday. The kind where the breeze comes in through the window and the bells of the church are playing pretty songs. Doesn't hurt that I got myself back on the elliptical and am feeling a small surge of 'thank god I can still do this'. Exercise clothes are packed for the week-long trip to Phoenix in hopes of killing some time finding muscles that might be hidden under one too many burritos.

Without writing a small novel, I ask you internets, and feel free to respond privately via email and not as a comment (but you can do that too) what you think about this because it's driving me a little crazy. I have recently asked folks to think good thoughts if that's what they do or to pray if that's what they do, for my friends who are going through some unquestionably tough times with their newborns. I have been told that asking people to pray is hypocritical because I don't necessarily believe in a god. I'm a little miffed because my intentions were/are pure and I'm trying to build as big a network of positive energy as I can realizing that not everyone builds good energy the same way. I guess it's not a question of my intentions but rather of my choice of words. I could have asked everyone I spoke to to think good thoughts and 'send good vibes' if you will. What are your thoughts?

Milo and I have had a lovely morning keeping each other company. I have learned that I cannot upload video taken on my cell phone to another site without buying a Quicktime upgrade so I cannot share with you our latest adventures with the red light. But here he is in all his pretty boy glory.