train Blathering

I've updated yesterday's Blathering with photos.

So I'm typing this on the train from Syracuse to Toronto. The trip home today is supposed to take over eight hours, including customs-related stops at Niagara Falls (U.S. side) and at the border for Customs inspection.

If it wasn't for the time factor, I'd say I'd easily prefer travelling by train than by plane and by bus. Less hassle at the border; we don't even have to get out of our seat to go through customs. Not as claustrophobic as a bus or plane. Cheaper than flying.

In the train I was on, there was a lounge car where you could sit at a big table on cushier seats than in coach while you munched on overpriced train fare. But best of all, I had a power outlet beside my seat both parts of the trip! Woohoo!

Spent my train ride working on my NaNoWriMo novel, snoozing, watching Lord of the Rings on DVD, listening to MP3s on my laptop, reading, chatting with the guy running the food car. The ride home was rougher, with my laptop screen shaking so much it was nearly impossible to write. Couldn't read because of motion sickness. Had to type this Blathering over several hours because I kept feeling sick.





As you might have been able to tell from Mark's Guest Blathering yesterday, I had fun. And ate way too much. The roast beef sandwiches in Clarke's Ale House were to die for. And Mark's already mentioned that he took me to three (3!!!) great chocolate shops. Two of them kept insisting on giving me free samples. It would have been rude to refuse, of course.

More tomorrow.





Links/News:

One year ago, I was an obsessed geeky fangirl.

Two years ago, I took a week off from Xlibris. Unstated: I was close to being burned out at work.

One of the reasons I sold Inkspot was because I was stretched too thin, knew I needed help in specific roles. I had originally been verbally promised (I have since learned the value of a verbal promise in the corporate world) that I'd be spending my first month interviewing and hiring approximately 12-15 people for these roles. In the six months I worked for Xlibris, I only got to do one interview specifically for an Inkspot staff position, was told that my opinion would matter the most, recommended that the person NOT be hired for my team, and they hired him the next day. I found out when I arrived at work in the morning, ran into this guy and his friend in senior management who told me the "great news". I was furious, of course, but was told to try him out, and that if he didn't work out, I could hire someone else. One of the first things the new hiree did was to schedule a meeting to plan the future of Inkspot with the rest of my team, and told me I could attend if I wanted to.

Yes, I raised a stink. No, things did not get much better.

Four years ago, I talked about Internet awards.

Five years ago, I hadn't started Christmas shopping.

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Today's Blatherpics:

	I try out MarkO's cool electric guitar.
	Mandy, trying to tell me with her eyes that she hasn't been fed in weeks and is wasting away and would I please give her some food, for pity's sake?
	Mark plays one of his songs on the piano.