Beware of Gumby

I want food not my picture taken!

Moseying around the resort on our final morning in Arizona it was a day like any other for everyone there (except the retired gaggle of ladies who arrived early in the morning for what I assume was a means to escape the bother of youngsters). The sun was out, the birds were hopping from tree to tree, and the horses didn’t seem to care what was going on they just wanted to see if I had any food for them. It was just a regular day when I would be heading back home.

Halloween has never really been a big deal to me. I remember growing up and going trick or treating but over the years it has become less and less of an event and, in some instances, more of a nuisance than anything. This year was the first time that I had ever traveled on this particular day and it was quite interesting to see the characters wandering about the airport in Phoenix.

Driving from Wickenburg to Phoenix there was really no sign of the day being different from any other day of the week or year. But when we pulled up to return the car you knew exactly what day it was and that this travel experience was going to be one that would be both interesting and slightly disturbing. Put it this way, the young guy that checked the car had a Batman sweatshirt on…. He would have been a spinning image if Batman fought crime by playing video games all day and never exercising.

As we walked up to the shuttle service to sit down and take care of a few last minute calls before the flight I noticed out of the corned of my eye a giant green mass frightening small children at the Enterprise check in counter… it was a giant Gumby which made me wonder what these kids are thinking as that character hasn’t been relevant for a good twenty years. Regardless, I couldn’t help the thought from passing through my mind, “I’m Gumby, damn it!”

As we headed to the terminal to complete our check in and make our way to our gate the only people who seemed to put any effort into what they were wearing were the TSA officers at the security check in. By the way, can we please standardize the security process at airports in this country? While the broad strokes remain the same the details are what hold up the line (i.e. belt/no belt, watch/no watch/ wallet/no wallet, etc.). I guess this is why it is recommended that you should get to the airport two hours days ahead of time.

Anyway, walking to the gate there were people heading off to all different locations with various accents and outfits indicative of the day. Some make you just wonder what they’re thinking while others make you wonder what they’re parents would think. Thankfully, when we got on the plane everyone around us was in their usual daily attire and by the time we landed we could see the rain and knew that the eclectic residue of the day had quickly washed away before our plane touched down. I guess Philly isn’t a Halloween hot spot.

Long Way To Go For A Waffle House

Today was a day when I couldn’t seem to get caught up. Once one thing was taken care of three other things popped up. It’s bad enough when you are going through a normal day but today was anything but normal. Today was running from one thing to another, from one place to another, and when I finally had hours to sit and work I wasn’t able.

Today is the day that I previously alluded to when I had something coming up that I promised I would write about and I will do just that but only a little bit for now. Come on, I don’t have many interesting things come up in my life so I am going to take my time and get at least a couple days out of it. Let’s just say that I am not writing this post in one of my usual spots at home where much of my writing gets done.

So things were a little hectic at the office earlier today all leading up to the mid afternoon when I kept running around and jumping from one project to the next trying to tie up loose ends before departing at 2:30. Thinking back I am pretty sure that I got everything done or handed over but I am sure I will wake up in the morning with an “oh crap” moment as I inevitably realize what I forgot to do. But, until then, I am going to keep thinking that everything is good to go and try and relax and rest up for tomorrow.

Needless to say, my 2:30 departure from the office didn’t happen until 3:00 which pretty much messed up my schedule and my wife’s schedule as she left work as early as possible. Fortunately, I made good time getting to the apartment and we managed to get everything in the car and got on the road by 4:00. Destination, Philadelphia International Airport.

Check in was easy as I simply scanned my confirmation and retrieved my boarding pass from the automated kiosk. Security was a little bit of a hassle but it also went smoothly as they didn’t hesitate with my bearded photo ID and I didn’t have to remove my camera from the carry on (that saved a good 5-10 minutes in itself). So, despite my tardy departure from the office, I arrive just in time to meet my boss at the gate at 5:00, one hour before takeoff. Time to get comfortable in the emergency exit row, spread out into the empty seat beside me, and have a quick conversation before going to sleep. That’s right, I got on a plane for the first time in over a year and the first time ever on a business trip.

It was a pretty good flight with the only exception being my dislike of landings and soon after arrival we were on our way to the rental car and on the road. First stop, Waffle House! Hey, it doesn’t have to be fancy to be good. It didn’t take long before we had our dinner in hand and we set off for a road picnic. So, where am I? You will just to read about it tomorrow.

Can We Make This Campaign Obsolete?

For many of us, looking back at old class photos and school portraits is not a pleasant experience and for some can be downright disturbing. Those days were not something that I particularly looked forward to and looking at them now that sentiment is quite evident. The same can be said for many instances during the course of one’s life when they sit for a portrait of some form. However, yesterday was not one of those days.

With the assistance from the officers, members of The Rotary Club of Bala Cynwyd –Narberth took turns taking photos for “The World’s Biggest Commercial” campaign to benefit the PolioPlus program. The basis of the campaign is simple, “the world’s largest health initiative deserves the World’s Biggest Commercial”. Since Rotary International has millions of members around the world this should not just be a possibility, it should be a given.

Since1985, Rotary’s commitment to End Polio Now has resulted in the immunization of more than 2 billion children worldwide against polio decreasing the number of those affected by more than 99 percent (from approximately 350,000 reported cases every year in the beginning to fewer than 700 new cases reported in 2011). Of course, this success would have not been possible without the efforts of Rotarians worldwide as well as the generous partnerships that have been formed over the years including those from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, PhRMA’s contribution to this campaign, and many others over the years. We truly are This Close.

What is needed now is for Rotary leaders to motivate their membership and make your contribution to the eradication of this paralyzing disease. Take action and show your support. Go to the website and follow the simple instructions: Snap a photo of yourself making the This Close sign and upload it into the commercial. Show it to your friends and family and ask them to do the same. Your involvement will help convince world leaders that support for polio eradication is global.

How much do you value life? How much do you value the 60 seconds it takes to contribute to this effort? This is truly a once in a lifetime, once in a generation, the one opportunity we have to ensure future generations are lifted of this burden. Our goal is to see that this program becomes obsolete. Help us to close the gap and make polio are part of the past rather than the future.