An evening of Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet

Could I get any less sleep in this upscale hotel? I think I went to bed at 1 and woke up four times before my 6:30 alarm. I'm like a zombie. I was dragging my head all morning... four diet cokes later and I was finally awake.

The day was really quick. Quicker than yesterday. I imagine things will just move faster. Learning some very useful tidbits. Finding out how incorrect our current processes are.. how inefficient our practices may be.. how quickly certain jobs will become irrelevant.. how much work is ahead of us at my job... like my boss said.. she has enough work for me for years to come... if I stay that long.

The gang of 8 was together again tonight.. my groupies. We skipped the movie, grabbed four bottles of wine and headed into the lounge outside my room ("Bring out the TV!"), main lobby ("Could you move your gathering?" and finally to the rec room to watch American Idol ("I was wondering what all the hooting and laughing was about!") and the Grammy's, drunk and laughing far too loud.

Right at the beginning Mary (who exactly resembles Mary McDonnell from Dances with Wolves) people laid out their political leanings out on the table and Gregg nominated Kelly as the group's fag hag, a term to which she had no clue. Leeland, Shelly and Gregg were all too happy to help explain its meaning and their gift of bestowment. Even Mary, in her mid40s, knew the up and up.

I think it's hilarious the discussions that erupted throughout the night. Between Shelly's story of phone sex with her partner, to Gregg's definition and experiences with twinks, to Kelly's "8 years, 2 months and 4 days" of bitterness and her excessive "need" for new batteries as of late (from the from desk guy, no less).. to Mary's deciding that maybe she'd be gay for Faith Hill. To my feet and arm being "measured" by Mary (to her great excitement), to Gregg's up or down radar on Idoldom, or Leeland's mistaking Idol for "Star Search", oh these poor young/old people alike. But they were a blast and several of the young conference workers enjoyed hanging around us... well into the night.

Yes, too much free alcohol. It was said that they haven't had such a fun conference group in over six years. I don't doubt it. They want to take us out into town tomorrow night. Perhaps.

Kelly shared her ghost experience from last night. Nothing major, and people started rolling their eyes and telling her to shut up about the spooks already.. but she said she wore a teddy to bed "just in case" Tim the ghoul visited. Water ran in her sink for 10 seconds... and something "fell" onto the floor in a crash. Nothing there in the morning. She was hoping it was Tim's pants hitting the floor. "You think you've died!? Wait for tonight!"

So sorry about the frankness, today. But it's fun to be around lively people again. Reminds me of college and my great times with the gang. It'd be a hoot to work with these folks. I guess it tends to run with the job description. How unique but very similar everyone is. Unfortunately, I demonstrated my lack of memory when it comes to names.

Tomorrow is going to be tough. Learning is moving fast. I have yet to study for my exams. Sigh.

Fastidious... oh how it describes me. I set 'em high, expect nothing less and reach for the stars. I have a 5 year plan. Where are your goals? Are you moving in the right direction?

I guess another F word of the day could have been fairies. Heh.