It's all good so far

It seems this is time is geared for reflection. In the past few days I have been to the Cardiologist for the first checkup of the year and have received diet and exercise instructions. I have updated my accounting software and have been working through reconciliation issues. At work the 2013 plan has been rolled out. We are also working on our employee evaluations and I have been asked to submit a volunteer resume to a friend of mine.

With all this inspection and introspection, I can appreciate the Post Christmas theme of the “Pray as you go” podcast on living simply.

This year’s goals will take active effort to achieve. There are challenges to meet. There will have to be time for diet and exercise so I can continue to rise to the challenge. There will have to be time for reflection. There will be a more deliberate focus on what I am doing. Focused servant leadership. Balanced budgets and work life balance.

It is going to be a busy week. With Emily back at school we can begin to get our routines normalized. It is the first week of ordinary time. I need to be sure that I make ordinary time for diet and exercise, for writing, for the family business, and the business of being a family.

Second day back in the States. Recovering from the jet lag and the bronchitis. I had a chance to get into the doctor’s office this morning and get get scripts for antibiotics and a cough medicine.

Not completely out the work loop today. We had a discussion on how we measured a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for spills. Having to run my memory was not good, fortunately Kelli was able to save the day and point out how we had done things in the past.

Also was able to upload the family company data to quickbooks online. Not a perfect translation. For some reason it did not include the vendor name on any split deposit data. I have sent Dad a copy of the print out to show him what we have going on.

Next weekend will be back to the accounting grind. We will see how it works with the online version.

Spent some time also at the apple store trying to get the keyboard repaired. They tried to find a way to tie it to a product under warranty. The phone is but the iPad isn’t, and I don’t own a Mac.

They ended up giving up and I had to replace the thing at cost. It still makes typing so much easier on the iPad and on the iPhone.

Tired and would like a nap but I will give up the nap in order to be able to get a full night of sleep and be back into the real world tomorrow.

Beat the 6:00 alarm up and got through the mornings rituals. All the gear loaded, timed the final cough meds, and checked out out of the hotel. $118 for Internet services for 8 days. Probably the only issue I had with the hotel other than loading full size Kleenex into a square size box. Not a big deal unless you are coughing like Typhoid Mary and need to extract a Kleenex in a hurry. But. Nice stay all thing considered.

To the airport without mishap or misplaced luggage. Cruised thru the business check in and security. Got to the Qantas lounge ( business class is great) and got a quick breakfast and a fair coffee.

Working on the blog when the Woz ( Steve Wozniak) walked in. Tried not to be the fawning fan. I let him work. It was. Close to time to for the flight to Sidney, so I left the lounge and went to the gate. Steve was there talking to a couple. They asked for a photo, so I volunteered. I got into the conversation about the new iPhone 5 and the best US service provider.

Turns out that the Woz was my seat mate. We had some friendly discussion and traded cards. I told him about seeing the contents of this travel bag on the EDC (every day carry blog). He was traveling light this trip with only two iPhones, an iPad with the entire Big Bang theory collection, a nano on the wrist for music, and a 13 inch Mac Air-book.

He had been to Australia to give a couple of talks and I found his picture on the today’s edition of the Financial Times. Article about the challenges for apple. I gave him the paper as we parted ways.

Got through Sidney customs and have discovered that the flight to the States has been delayed by a couple of hours while they shift planes around. It does not bode well for for the final leg of the journey from Dallas to Houston. I know that the new arrival time busts the connection and will. Be interested in how they get the 550 passengers re-routed ( it is an effing big plane). Not sure that I want to overnight at DFW. We will see how it goes.

I am currently in the Qantas lounge having enjoyed a free lunch and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc Semillon and am relaxing. I have updated Sandra on the situation and there are worse places to hurry up and wait.