Busy On Two Levels

When I arrived at the lodge last night I was not surprised to find that I was the first one to pull into the parking lot. Somehow, despite having left the office a little later than usual, I made it to the lodge in nearly record time… why can’t this be the case on meeting nights? After saying goodnight to my son and making my usual stop at the post office, I unlocked the double doors, turned on the lights, and immediately headed for the coffee maker. Still reaping the benefits of making that donation!

After getting a few more things done on the computer and with the coffee cup nearly at half full, I took a break from the illuminated screen and headed out the front door to enjoy the fresh air and the congested sounds of the modern main line. Like many nights before, it was only a couple of minutes and a few phone calls later that our first candidate turned the corner and made his way up the stairs. I really enjoy seeing a motivated candidate at the lodge on these nights.

It is great to get the updates from their perspectives as well because we need to know not only if we are doing our jobs in preparing them but we need to know how everything is being perceived. After all, anyone who has participated in degree work know that it is a combination of substance AND presentation (which includes the ritual). These are the first experiences that a man has as a mason and a memory that will last a lifetime so we need to take the time to make sure that we are on point.

Over the next ten minutes or so, many more brothers walked up and into the building filling the social hall and lodge room with the sounds of good work and education being done. The lodge has come a long way from when I first started attending these fellowship nights soon after being raised. The attendance is certainly up and the dedication in many of the brethren is clear. We have always had a few that put forth the time and energy to guide candidates and now we have many all shining lights on the path.

What is even more reassuring is the fact that we also have other candidates in process and at least one more petition that needs to be read. We are moving forward and there is a difference that can be felt among the brethren. There is a passion in our ritual, a dedication in our words, and a heartfelt commitment in our actions… this is the true difference between a lodge maintaining the status quo and one that is a living and breathing fraternity inspired by the light in each of our fellow brothers. And those lights are getting brighter.

Beginning Late, Ending Early

Yesterday was a long day at the office. Longer than usual and actually not at the office. It was a travel day that began early in the morning as my alarm began annoying me (and my wife) at 4:30am. While I had planned on leaving at 5:00am I was, not surprisingly, 30 minutes late getting into the car and onto the empty highway.

The drive to the airport was much faster than I expected and when I pulled into the short term parking garage near at the terminal I was greeted with a pleasant surprise. Despite the sign telling all who got off at that particular level that the lot was full, I managed to find an open spot at the end of the aisle which allowed me to walk straight into the building with minimal effort. After printing out my boarding pass on the ground floor I retraced most of my steps and got in the long security line.

I was still running a little late by this point but had plenty of time to make it to the gate for the flight. Somehow, by the time I got to the other side of the TSA checkpoint, I was back on schedule as they singled me out for the expedited screening. From there I met up with my colleagues at the gate, boarded the plane, and almost immediately closed my eyes and fell asleep. By the time I woke up we were in Atlanta pulling up to the gate ahead of schedule.

The brief meeting with our client went well and by the time we completed our agenda for the day, we were even further ahead of schedule. So much so that while we chatted and got to know everyone a little better I was able to look out the window and take the picture above of Olympic Park. By the time our car arrived the lead we had on the day evaporated (thanks unreliable car service) and we were off to the airport for our return trip home.

By the time we got back to the airport I couldn’t help but think “while it was nice getting to Atlanta a little early, it would be great to get home early.” With scattered showers forecast in both Atlanta and Philadelphia and a TSA line that seemed to disappear beyond the horizon, it wasn’t looking good. Through security and near our gate, we took advantage of the 30 minutes before boarding was scheduled to begin and grabbed a quick bite to eat.

By the time we got to the gate we were expecting them to nearly be ready to start boarding. What we found was the plane just pulling up and passengers beginning to disembark. It wasn’t looking good but, somehow, the airline managed to get all the passengers off, clean, and board all passengers fast enough that we pushed back 5 minutes early.

On the return flight I was lucky enough to trade with my colleague for a window seat which both helped me to catch up on a little more sleep but also watch as the scattered clouds…

…got thicker…

…but almost disappear as we made our approach.

Somehow we landed early and I was back in my car as the sky was just beginning to change from day to dusk.

While I didn’t get home early enough to see my son before he went to sleep (I let him know what was going on the night before) I was home in time to watch the last glowing vestiges of the day burn bright on the horizon before night fell. It is good to be home.

That Plan Didn’t Work

It is pretty obvious to my coworkers, neighbors, and anyone who reads this blog that I do a lot of ordering from Amazon. The selection is good, prices are reasonable, the shipping is usually fast, and I have never had an issue regarding the occasional return. I have had a solid overall experience with Amazon over the years which is why I was interested in the Subscribe & Save program. Pretty straight forward… select a few items that you would like to receive on a regular basis (i.e. coffee, paper towels, dish soap, baby formula, etc.), set the delivery date, and have them automatically show up at the door on the date you specified. At least that is how it is supposed to work.

A couple of weeks before we left on our Virginia vacation, my wife and I put a list together of the items that we would been upon our return. We could just as easily pick them up from the grocery store the following day but this offered a convenient and cost effective alternative… it is also nice to have all the bulky items on the doorstep rather than my wife having to pick them up while shopping with our son. So I logged into my Amazon account, selected the items, and adjusted the delivery date for the Monday after we got back.

When we pulled into the parking lot and approached the front door, we could see that there was a note left for us. Before we had a chance to open it, our neighbors stopped us and let us know that they moved our packages inside their house so they wouldn’t get wet. I wasn’t sure what packages could have arrived as the deliveries were scheduled for tomorrow, nothing else had been ordered from any other website, and our mail was on hold until the following day. When they emerged with a rather large box in hand I knew that Amazon screwed up at least some part of the order (I double checked later to ensure that it was their mistake and not mine).

When I went to the post office before work the following morning I found the rest of the items that we put on order. Not one thing was delivered on the day specified so now I am wondering if it is worth the aggravation to keep the subscriptions active. While normally it wouldn’t be an issue we almost had a serious problem… imagine if the baby formula were sitting out the in 90+ degree sun for nearly a week? Thankfully, this time, there were no sun baked boxes. I really have to think about this for a while but it just goes to show that sometimes you can be too fast with your shipping. After all, no one likes premature packages.

Note: Amazon customer service is of little help with this issue offering not explanation or honest apology (of course I could only understand about half of what they were saying).  

Last Time, First Time

I headed into this weekend knowing that it was going to be a long one. Earlier in the week I had to make the decision regarding where I would be going and what I would be able to get done. In the end, there were a couple of things that required my attention and so my long Saturday began with me staggering out of bed around 6:30.

The first stop of the morning was at the lodge where I had to ensure that the Red Cross had enough time to set up for the Blood Drive which was scheduled to begin at 10. For those of you unfamiliar with the logistics, they usually begin unloading the truck between 8 and 830 in the morning. Thankfully the traffic was light so my slightly late departure had me arrive just as the truck was pulling up alongside the building.

I stayed at the lodge through most of the set up and left for my second commitment about an hour before donors were supposed to begin showing up. It was time to backtrack a bit and take care of some final things at my mother-in-law’s house. My wife and I arrived at about the same time and double checked what had to be moved out. Once my brother-in-law pulled up, the moving went quickly (the 4 larger items were much lighter than expected) and we were soon headed back to our house to unload everything.

Fortunately, the only items that my wife decided to take from the house are ones that have a practical use and that we were going to pick up at some point in the future anyway. Because of this, we had plenty of room and knew exactly where everything had to go. After offering a little compensation to my brother-in-law for his help, my wife and I took a few minutes to relax and plan the rest of the afternoon.

My wife and I agreed that she would join me in Ardmore giving me a bit of a head start so that he could take care of our son before leaving and so they didn’t have to spend too much time at the event. With our plans in place, I got back in the car and headed off to the lodge for the remainder of the blood drive. After a quick retrieval of the mail, I walked back through the doors and checked on the donor progress… the turnout wasn’t bad for a last minute arrangement and it soon got a little better as a brother walked into the hall and signed up.

While we were catching up on things, my wife arrived and seeing others laying on the tables decided, for the first time, to donate. Of course we had to double check first but given that she was well beyond the 6 week waiting period, she walked up and registered to donate. As it turns out, she was perfectly fine and somewhat surprised at how easy the whole process was from beginning to end.

So it was an interesting and busy day that came to an end with the lodge once again having been cleared out and my wife and I enjoying the weather by taking our son for a walk along Lancaster Avenue. And after a quick dinner with my parents at a local restaurant, we headed back home a little tired but having gotten a fair amount accomplished during the day. We all slept quite well last night and looked forward to a mostly open schedule for the rest of the weekend

A Few Interesting Developments At Lodge

First the first time this year I was finally able to get to the lodge at my usual time last night and stay relatively ahead of schedule for the entire evening. By the time the candidates arrived I had already sifted through the incoming correspondences and fielded a couple of calls from the brethren. Because of this I was able to focus more on what was going on around me and truly appreciate the hard work that was being done more so than I have been able to do in previous weeks.

However it was before I even left the office when I received an email from a candidate that took me back for a second. Some will read the contents in a negative way but I see the words as a very positive understanding of the importance of advancing to the next degree. This candidate, having postponed his third degree once before, reached out and requested that it be pushed back another month as he didn’t feel he was prepared to take the next step.

While he had missed a number of training nights due to other obligations since receiving his last degree, he was still far enough along that it wouldn’t have prevented him taking the next step. This was evident last night as he struggled a bit but was definitely retaining what he needed to know. However, I completely understood his desire to be properly prepared and arranged for his degree to take place in March.

The rest of the night revolved around the dreaded discussions of the politics of the lodge as well as the initiatives that many of us would like to see take place in the coming months. In my position I do my best to remove myself from the former but eagerly embrace the latter when it makes sense and will continue to help the lodge grow and increase participation. Spearheaded by a newly raised brother, the ideas for the lodge, especially those regarding the education of new masons, are impressive and can ensure our continued success. I guess we will have to see how quickly we can implement those programs.

For now I am going to do my best to keep up and stay on schedule with the projects that keep flowing in. With everything going on just doing this has become difficult leaving me scrambling before most meetings to make sure everything is in order for the evening. Well, it could happen.

Ugly Sweater Breakfast

They have to specify Christmas or Bill Cosby would win every year!

Every once in a while everyone at the office we all go out and just enjoy ourselves away from work and the deadlines streaming through our email. Sometimes it is as simple as having lunch together in the conference room (although there is usually at least one computer out and everyone is checking their phones for emails and calls). Yesterday was completely different as we all got on the road a little early and met for breakfast at Cracker Barrel dressed in our finest ugly sweater.

The commute wasn’t bad even in the midst of the morning rush hour and I was able to get there just in time having given myself a bit of a buffer for the drive. Others we not so lucky as an accident and general congestion kept them from joining us and put them two cups of coffee behind. However, the important thing is that we all made it to the meal and filled the table with good, non-work, conversation and compliments on the classy designs adorning each of us.

We did the same thing earlier in the year minus the sweaters and with a slightly different crowd around the table. While one person has left, three great coworkers now joined us for the morning relaxation. It was a great time but, as is the case with the piles leaving this country kitchen, we were all left a little sluggish as we drove down the road and to the office.

The light morning was soon followed by round after round of meetings where we continued the transition process set in motion by the departure of one of my coworkers. It is a bit of an odd situation that I find myself in as she is the only one that started working at the office before me having assumed her role a day before I began coming to work. While I am no stranger to having outlasted people at certain jobs, it is weird to be the one with the longest tenure (albeit only by a few days).

Honestly, given all the perks and the family like environment in which I work, it is hard to think about leaving this company. I understood the need for change at previous employers but this is a completely different environment. It is safe to say that I am here for the long haul. I was hear during the chaos of the first few months and I look forward to being here as the company grows even though the faces around the breakfast table may change.

A Long Baby Appointment

Here is your obligatory baby photo for this post (old picture from 20 weeks).

For the past several months we have been seeing the doctor every four weeks to check in and make sure our son is on schedule. Last night was the last appointment in that particular schedule as we will now be heading to the doctor every two or three weeks until our son’s birthday. Thankfully, everything has checked out so far and he is developing close to what the doctor expects (he is actually a week ahead of schedule at this point).

However, while the baby is progressing as planned, the doctor was running late last night… very late. We both made our way to the office a little quicker than expected and checked in at the front desk about twenty five minutes early. Once a couple of seats opened up in the waiting room we settled in for the duration as given the mass of people in the office we knew there was no way that they would be running on time. Our appointment time came and went with little expectation as to when we would be seen.

Jeopardy kept us occupied for a little while but our patience began slowly degrading as Wheel of Fortune gradually killed our brain cells. By the time that show ended there were still a few of us fidgeting in the waiting room and what little patience was left quickly vanished once Dancing With The Stars came on. Honestly, I don’t know how people can watch that show. Fortunately, it wasn’t long after the dancing started when we heard my wife’s name being called and we moved as fast as we could to the examining room.

This change in scenery was met with more waiting as we could hear the doctor and nurses scurrying up and down the hallways like mice trying to escape from a trash can. This was accompanied by the sounds of heartbeats from the adjacent rooms. It was nearly 8:30 when the doctor finally opened the door, listened to the heart rate, took the usual measurements, and answered the couple of questions that we had for her. We discussed the net appointment and were on our way out having waited over two hours for a ten minute appointment.

It was a long night that followed a long day but it was well worth the wait as we were able to once again hear our son and watch him as he kicked wondering why he was being poked and prodded. Like many nights, that is what grounds us. But we also learned the important lesson to never again make a doctor appointment the week of Thanksgiving… I think even the baby was not happy about having to sit in the waiting room so long.

It’s Freaking Snowing!

This is what we saw on the news!

When I opened the door to my office at the end of the workday there was no one to be found in the building. The bitter rain had driven everyone from the warm confines of work and the only car in the parking lot responded to my remote. It was darker than I had seen in a long time at this hour and the echo of the heavy rain nearly drown out the traffic just on the other side of the embankment.

As with all unfavorable weather conditions, the commute home was slow with the glare of headlights screaming from the wet pavement. So, like many nights, I pulled onto the highway, slowly accelerated, and waited for the blaring of brake lights to fill the horizon. As I fluttered the gas pedal, the rain began getting heavier, the mist from the trucks denser, and the pace of travel much slower.

Nearly halfway home and I was making pretty good time given the weather around me. Around this time the straight streaks of condensation that I had become accompanied to this evening began slowing their descent and hovering above the road before melting on my windshield. Not even midway through November and the frigid temperatures were already providing us with a wintry mix.

It took me a little longer to get home from that point as the roads remained cocooned with fall leaves forcing us all to slow down significantly on the back roads. Thankfully I was able to find a spot in the parking lot as another day of work was just completely on the perpetual maintenance project in which we live. With the sleet pattering all around me I was finally able to walk through the front door and spend the evening with my wife.

Not long after we finished our dinner we saw the news previews pop up on the screen showing the flurries falling across the region. That was when we noticed that things had grown silent just beyond the windows. Curious, we walked over to the door, cracked it open, and glanced at the light accumulation already coating the cars.

While not a significant weather event and nothing that would hinder our commute in the morning the fact is that we’re not even halfway through November and it is already freaking snowing! Surprised, I couldn’t help but venture out into the sloppy slush so I grabbed my hat, put on my shoes, and stuffed my mail in my pocket. Might as well enjoy the change in the weather before we get tired of it because based on the predictions that is not going to take very long.

Party Fallout And Leftovers

Friday morning we all got to the office a little later than usual. At least most of us as there were a couple that never made it in the door. It was a great party the night before but we were all a little tired (to say the least) from the long day out. It seemed to be a day when tasks took a little longer to complete and time just seemed to move a little slower than the previous day.

It didn’t take long before we all started looking at the clock trying to figure out when we would be able to pack up our things and head out the door for the much needed weekend. At the same time, many of us didn’t want to begin the trek home too soon as the rush hour traffic was a little off due to the deluge of children itching to take to the neighborhoods. Needless to say, I decided to stay a little longer than usual to make sure that I would be able to relax over the weekend without a mountain of projects hanging over me.

While the mountain still had a fairly substantial summit by the time I left, I was able to take care of all the things that were pushed back from the previous day due to the party prep and commute. With all the extra things swirling around us on Thursday, we all stumbled into the office in the morning with a growing list of things that we needed to accomplish right away or else our entire week would have been derailed. We all put our heads down and took care of what needed to be done but the list inevitably flowed right past the end of the day and into the weekend.

Knowing the day and the week that had just come to a prolonged end, it was not a surprise that I was the last one to get up from my desk, start the dishwasher, and make my way out to the barren parking lot. Now, with the weekend concluding, I am nearly up to date with everything that has to be done. I will still have to put things in overdrive in the morning to get caught up but I should be able to get back to even by the middle of the week… well, I hope that is the case. I guess we will have to wait and see and hope that all the other events this coming week done impede me as much as last week did. Anyway, back to the beginning of the week and another growing mount of projects.

However, there was leftover jars of cake which made my wife happy (at least for a minute or two)!

Party Time In Old City

I prefer a beard!

I was the last to leave the office on Thursday, turning off my computer at half past three and rushing out the door and doing my best to keep the car in the approximate vicinity of the speed limit as I made my way to the apartment. Moments after pulling into the parking lot, changing my shirt, and putting on a sport coat, my dad walked around the corner and I was once again in the car. We arrived in old city just in time to watch everyone strolling down the street to the nearest bar after a long day at the office. While I too was walking into a bar, I headed upstairs to the event room at Prime Stache to help my colleagues prepare for our party.

It seemed like it was only a few moments before our guests began to arrive (including my dad who walked around a bit so that we could prep). We all quickly dove into different conversations with the same thought running through all of our minds… we couldn’t believe that it had already been a year (a little longer for most of us). It was a night to celebrate our success and, more importantly, the hard work and long hours that we all put in to ensure that this day would come. We all took a bit of a risk joining a new venture but it never seemed like a risky move as we have remained confident in both our abilities and our leadership.

Over the past year, primarily over the last several months, I have had to learn to pull back a little from work and spend the time needed with my wife. While the night was going well, my dad and I left a bit early so that I could spend the evening with my wife. Not part of the original plan but something that needed to happen that night. There were still people coming and going when we walked back down the stairs but the drive back out of the city was much faster than it would have been later given the fact that we were driving right at the very beginning of mischief night.

Once I met up with my wife in Bryn Mawr, we settled in for a night of doing pretty much as little as possible. While we didn’t wind up going very far we did manage to entertain ourselves by watching the constant flow of police walking by with teenagers in tow. After a quick trip to Wawa (the Gobbler is back) we settled in at the apartment and rested for what was going to be a hectic end of the week for the two of us.

It Was A Good Friday

My wife was not happy with me this morning as my alarm abruptly interrupted her in the early hours of the morning as she attempted to sleep in during her day off. Oh well, it was time for me to get up and go to work. I already used my floating holidays earlier in the week so today it was time for me to again try to make up for those days off. And there was a possibility to making up that work as most of my colleagues took the day off and a lot of people were off as well being that it was a bank holiday. That fact was noticed immediately upon turning onto the Schuylkill Expressway and not having to slam on the breaks attempting to merge. It was the easiest commute that I have had so far since I started this job.

The office parking lot was about half full when I arrived and the building was quiet when I walked through the doors. The office was silent when I entered as only one other person was working with me today. With the exception of a persistent cough that he has been dealing with all week and a few quick conversations, we both put our heads down and attempted to get as much done as we could.

In a complete change from my usual workday routine, I texted my wife what I wanted from Wawa for lunch and waited for her arrival. About an hour later, my wife walked through the front door and we sat in the family/conference room and enjoyed a nice lunch together. Granted, I am not used to this. In fact, I believe that this is the first time that my wife has come to my work for lunch. And when I say that I don’t just mean this office, I mean any office. So, it was quite the change but something that was a fun twist on the daily routine.

Just as we were finishing up our hoagies (please note that they are not subs, grinders, or anything else you refer to them as) my boss walked in the door and greeted us in her usual friendly manner. It really is more of a family atmosphere of mutual respect rather than a rigid hierarchy. This was also a first as my wife had not met my boss since I started this job. About ten minute later I walk my wife back out to her car with her newfound knowledge of why I really enjoy going to work every day. After all, it is not just about the work/job, it really has a lot to do with the people I work with.

With my wife on her way back home it was time to continue working on various projects in an attempt to get things done. By the late afternoon I had made a lot of progress on multiple items but I couldn’t really call anything completed. When five o’clock rolled around, we were told to leave and enjoy the weekend a little early. Oh well, I guess I have a few things to work on this weekend. So, it was a productive day with an interesting twist right in the middle. I am already looking forward to the next time that I experience a day like today. However, I hope a get a little more work done the next time.

Third Times Is The Charm (Or Is This Four)

Yesterday I had to leave the office much earlier than I usually do. I was in the car and on the road by 3:00pm. Not for anything bad, it was actually for a darn good reason even though I knew I would be sacrificing some of my evening in the process. Had I not double booked myself to be on two calls at the same time I could have held off until 4:00pm but sometimes those things happen and you have little choice in the matter so I headed out the door a hour early so that I could borrow some office space from a client for a call.

So, I got to my client’s office with about five minutes to spare until I had to get on the phone. Cutting it a little closer than I like but, hey, I made it and that is what really counts. While I was waiting for the call to begin, I pulled out my computer and started getting a few other things done. It’s great having access to a secure and reliable wireless network. The call went off without any issues, as I would expect from the people on the line. With about 30 minutes until my next commitment I had just enough time to get my tie on and prep for the next event, the reason I had to leave the office early which you know I don’t like doing.

A quarter to five and I could hear some very familiar voices carrying across the building. Knowing that things were obviously getting started a little early, I hurried myself back out to the car and dropped off my bag and coat, it was a mild evening, so that I wouldn’t have that clutter later in the night. On my way back, my colleague joined me and we entered the reception, mingled (with plenty of work mixed in) and awaited the Governor’s arrival.

That’s right, for the fourth time in the last six months, I was able to meet Governor Corbett and hear him speak as well as honestly answer every question that is presented to him. It was and evening when I wish my boss was able to attend as her views are similar to mine but she has yet to meet the Governor. With that said, her substitute representative, this being his first encounter, left that evening impressed by the fact that he finally met a politician who took his time, spoke to everyone, and was honest and sincere in his answers and views.

There were other business items that came up during the evening that brought the evening back to some of the issues that we have been facing time and again, nothing which I am at liberty to discuss here, but it was an excellent evening nevertheless and our client seemed to be pleased with the overall experience and results of the evening. And, personally, the evening served as greater motivation to do my part in participating in the process and ensuring that Pennsylvania continues along the right path during a second term by Governor Corbett.

In the end I only left with one question unanswered: when asked if there is any media in the room, should I start raising my hand? It is an interesting dilemma and one that will only become more complicated as some other projects, hopefully, come to fruition. I guess I will have to take this day by day, event by event, until I reach a clear conclusion. Until that time, my hand will stay down. No need to complicate things.  

A Pleasant Surprise

I arrived at the lodge tonight a bit early having made great time on my drive from the office. I turned into the lot expecting to have some time to kill as I stood outside and waited for others to arrive (especially those with keys). But tonight was a bit different.

As soon as I got out of the car and popped some smoke I noticed another one of the brothers pull in a few spots down. I couldn’t see who was driving but there are not many Mississippi plates around here. So, I walked up and we caught up a little bit on what was going on (not much since we saw one another last Tuesday and Friday).

Walking up to the front door it was easy to see that there was at least one person who beat us there and when we entered we found that it was a few brothers. After catching up on the happenings of life outside the lodge (most notably some humorous stories about the tribulations of rebuilding at the New Jersey shore) our conversation shifted to the weekly discussion about improvements that need to be made to the building.

There are many items on our to-do list and more things seem to be added every week. However, there is progress being made and we were reminded of that fact when we walked down the stairs on our way to the office. It’s amazing how a simple cleaning and fresh coat of paint (or even primer as was the case tonight) can make such a huge difference just in the experience of coming down the stairs.

Maybe it was the fumes (the floors in part of the basement had just been refinished as well) but I was feeling really good about some of the progress that was being made. Granted they are small improvements at this stage but they are improvements nevertheless. Of course, this only fueled further discussions regarding improvements but at least they were now being focused on the needs that exist in the office space.

This is when my to-do list began to grow. Having a little access to some of the things we need and want in the office, I was writing notes about who I need to call and what I needed to do as we wrapped up a few of the tasks for the night and began our slow departure for the evening (which usually takes at least thirty minutes). While it is additional work, they are things that I gladly take on knowing that I can have an impact on the lodge (however small that may be).

So our night began a little bit early and ended a little bit early. We need these kinds of nights every once in a while to balance out the much longer meetings and, sometimes, conferrals. But no matter what time were are there it is still a great night of fellowship and I always depart feeling uplifted in some way.