A small, quick, nonsensical update

I’m writing at around 11 p.m. after a nice, big, tasty dinner at Tavern on Rush, which was quite yummy. Have you noticed I’m into trios of adjectives? Yes. This is my trend.

I am loving my swiss posse, I miss them so much. I wish they lived here all the time, or I lived there. Rollo is like a family, and I recognize that and am glad I don’t take it for granted. It is for sure a gift.

Our booth is looking amazing. It baffles me every time; just a few days ago I was looking around going “There is NO WAY this will be ready in 3 days.” And now today, here we are, sweeping off our floors and putting the Tool Bucket together (which you may remember from my IMTS “love” list), and it looks gorgeous. I would show you pictures, but…

My laptop got a virus. Yes, a bad, bad virus. So bad that I called up Hackie and told him what happened (Hi Hackie!) and he said: “Oh. that’s not good.” If Hack says something is bad, it’s REALLY bad because Hack can hack anything. So I think my laptop will be toast for awhile. New harddrive or something. So I’m on Bernie’s computer and I just don’t have time or energy to upload pics. Maybe during the show, eh? HA we’ll see. And I was doing so well on Facebook…

Anyway, life is good, things are good, thank God the stress is somewhat relieved. I got a mani/pedi today, and that was great. Though the chick was VERY forceful with her foot and hand massage - but I dug it. I am so tense and sore from standing and walking and building and bending and carrying, but my arms are looking fabulous, so I shouldn’t complain.

Out my window right now is the most gorgeous, breathtaking view of Chicago. I swear, this is a diamond of an apartment, I hope Bernie knows how fabulous it is to live here!!! A straight-shot of Michigan Ave., Navy Pier, the lake, Soldier Field, museums…just amazing. Especially at night. And every morning the sun wakes me up and the bustling sounds of the morning start filtering in…it’s not a bad life, I tell ya.

I wish I could paint you a picture of this little life I get to have during this brief time at work, because it’s the best. I hope I can do so enough with my words and pictures.

Add comment | September 6th, 2008 at 11:03pm

Struggle

Folks, I am struggling. I don’t know another way to say it. We have had a tough week at home and at work, and the show hasn’t even begun. Usually I am…less tired than this. I’m usually tired but not this stressed. I can only think that what is changed is that this time, I’m in charge. I like it, and I hate it. This is very - how you say - HARD.

The show setup is progressing and what I desperately need is a vacation. I have pictures but no energy to post them. Tomorrow I am officially living downtown until next Friday, where I will attend the rehearsal dinner and wedding of one Bertha Provencher. I am very excited but it feels like eons away with all that has to happen between now and then.

Also, one of our swiss employees, who has worked for Rollo for about 4 years now, passed away suddenly this weekend. He was only 63 and died of heart failure. He was scheduled to come to the show this week, along with his wife. It is all very tragic and sad and unexpected…we also lost another friend’s husband to cancer last week, and a gentleman in our church lost his father this week, he passed away in his sleep. So perhaps all of these incidences, combined with the work stuff, and some issues going on at home - maybe that’s why there is a hammer pounding in my head and I feel like I’m being pulled 83 different directions.

I find myself upset that one of my most favorite things in the world is now causing stress and making me not show up every morning, skipping and smiling. Which I was doing, by the way, up until this week. But I know everything will work out and yada yada - sometimes I wonder though, selfishly and stupidly, why it “all” seems to happen to me/us/etc. Why can’t I JUST be your normal, average, every day person who lives a boring yet lovely life? Oh to aspire to that one day.

Updates as I can get them…I’m off to bed, since I’m once again up early - a limo is taking me downtown. I know, I know - I write about struggles and I’ve got car service tomorrow. So maybe it’s not that bad then, eh?

7 comments | September 4th, 2008 at 09:34pm

Quick Sunday night Update

Had a ridiculously lovely Sunday. Woke up at Bernie’s, dreaming of bombs. don’t ask. I have no idea.

Anyway woke up to a gorgeous day, got my stuff together, made my way home from the city. Stopped at Peet’s Coffee on North Ave. and got a delicious pumpkin latte’ (too early? eh. who cares, it was delish) and two lbs. of their amazing coffee. Seriously, try Peet’s, if you haven’t. Major Dickason’s blend. Incredible.

Ok so let’s see and then…you know what, my brain is FRIED. I cannot even finish this post in an adequate manner. I have had a week and then some, and a crazy weekend at Bethany’s bachelorette (a few pics on facebook) and with the 3 more weeks I’m looking at…I gotta get me some rest. Today was a good chill day. Spent some quality time with the hubs and pups and had a nice dinner with some good friends.

Here’s a few pictures of my baby puppykins…he hasn’t gotten much photographic attention lately, so I thought you guys should know that he’s still doing ok. Mr. Bodie Boderson is still our baby buttercup, and I’m ok with that. He’s the best dog you could ask for, really. Good looking, charming, well-behaved, pees and poos when and where he should - what more could you want?

Is he a muffin or what??

5 comments | August 31st, 2008 at 09:24pm

Oops.

So my blog is suffering. I know. It’s been a big, long, ridiculous week.

If you are my friend on Facebook, I am keeping things updated on there. I am posting pictures because it’s just easier. I’m trying to do it every night when I get home, but well - some nights have been much, much longer and worse than others. I’ve been there around 8 almost every day, and home at anywhere from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Yowser.

I’ve gotten filthy and sweaty and oily just like always - but, we’re making progress. I’m really pumped.

This long, lovely, 3 day weekend will be spent at my good friend’s Bachelorette party - and hopefully sleeping a lot. Trying to detox before the tsunami of the next 2.5 more weeks.

2 comments | August 29th, 2008 at 10:54pm

what a weekend

i don’t even have time to capitalize. i’m just going with it. this will be a lower-case post.

anyway, this weekend was red-letter. for a bunch of reasons. A #1, I saw the Backstreet Boys. well, “saw” is a loose term. i heard them. i saw them from afar. i jumped over 13 year olds to see glimpses of the boys who serenaded my adolescence. it was amazing. more amazing than I thought, quite honestly. my main question was - weren’t these 13 year olds like, 5 when BSB first came out? hullo. what are they doing here. but i tried to get over it and we had a blast. girls night out on the lawns of Ravinia.

ok, so i’m sorta capitalizing.

then, a night at bernie’s with my sweet husband and my bern & corm. berncorm. cormbern. try saying that 3 times fast.

this morning started at northwestern memorial - don’t worry, it was scheduled. no weekend er trips for us, thank God.

it was an overall great day, topped off by seeing our favorite resident/doctor/caregiver/awesomest person ever, dr. dan popowich. you may remember him and his flowing hair from our first couple surgeries back in 2006. his hair no longer flows, his head is shaved. but he is awesome. and it was such a blessing to see him, that’s the only way i can describe it. some people just happen into your life and even though it’s brief or even under dire circumstances, they impact you in a positive way and you never forget them. that is dan for us, and i think that is us for dan. good times.

as you can tell i’m a little slap-happy. today david had his port removed and it was a monumental event. not fun, but he got through it. i’ll post more details on the cancer blog, but it was a celebratory day, however long and tiring.

now i’m about 15 minutes away from bedtime, since i’m taking a 6:25 a.m. train tomorrow. kill me.  but i’ll deal. because it’s the start of IMTS setup and as you saw in my last post, that makes me really happy. thanks for all of you who said you’d like to work with me. feel free to stop by, i’ve got free tickets for you!

thank you Lord for these blessings tonight, for i feel more overwhelmed with thankfulness and peace than i can even articulate. just thank you. over and over.

4 comments | August 25th, 2008 at 09:45pm

IMTS Traditions

There are so, so many things I love about IMTS. I don’t even know if I can list them all, I will probably forget a bunch. I just wanted to use this post today as a bookmark - a reference guide, if you will - for the show that will occupy my time for the next 3 weeks. My updates here over the next few weeks will be random and sporadic and cause many people to ask “what is it you’re doing, again?” So here it is - the answer to the question:

“What exactly is IMTS, and why would anyone love it as irrationally as you do?”

Well, that is an excellent question. IMTS stands for the International Manufacturing Technology Show. Sounds scintillating, doesn’t it?

But it really is. I had just started here at Rollo; I had only been here about a month in 2002 when the show prep was in full swing. I did a lot of projects for the show that year, but I was so new that I never expected to be able to go. And I had no idea what a “tradeshow” really entailed; all I knew of tradeshows were the small ones my dad used to go to when he worked for a paper mill and had a little table in a 10×10 booth and brought me back free pens and bouncy balls. This sounded a little more involved than that.

Then lo and behold, I was asked to go to the show. Stay in a hotel for free! Eat out with clients! Whoa. I didn’t even understand “expense account” so I can remember the first few days paying for my own coffee with my money, because I thought - work wouldn’t pay for my cup of coffee, right? Oh how wrong I was…how little I knew.

One thing I realized that year - IMTS was almost like summer camp for the manufacturing industry. That’s the best way I can describe it. It’s 8 days (now 6, but back then - 8 straight days) of tradeshow noise, giveaways, meetings, peanuts, espresso, wine, dinners, seminars, meet and greets, all while spending every waking minute with your co-workers. Which sounds like a potential nightmare, right - unless you like your co-workers. Which I do! Especially my swiss comrades. This time of year when they visit is my favorite of all, because they are some of the most fabulous people on earth.

From that time on, I was a total sucker for IMTS. At the 2004 show I had now been with Rollo 2 years, and I had a lot more involvement in the show from start to finish. By the 2006 show, I was taste-testing restaurants and designing our lounge for the booth and running to 87 Target stores to get those little black ottomans.

And now, it’s 2008, my fourth IMTS in 6 years (pretty amazing) and I’ve got more responsibility than I even know what to do with. But I’m thrilled for those 3 years of learning because I would have ZERO clue had I not had those years under my belt.

There are a few IMTS “traditions” - and by that I mean, things that happen each and every year, or things I do in preparation, and the show just wouldn’t be the same without them. Here’s the few I can think of right now…they are stupid, but for some reason they bring a certain amount of nostalgia to me. I am weird, just go with it.

1) During setup, we eat ONLY McDonald’s.

It’s torture. It’s the only place open during setup, and since it’s 99% MEN working during these weeks, no one really objects. Except me! BLEH. McD’s every day for 2 weeks?!?!? Supersize me? Barf. So in 2006, the asian chicken salad had come out, and Kaz & I discovered it and ate it every. day. for. 2. weeks. After the show, she sent me this picture, reflecting my dedication to the salad:

HA! I was crying for decades when I saw this. Ignore the headline - not everyone speaks english as their first language.

2) My drives to the city.

They are a nightmare. I mean, I could train it, but then I’m bound by the train schedule and it’s almost more of a headache than jumping in my car and sitting for 2 hours. In fact, my drives during those weeks are almost my badge of honor. My time to detox, gather myself, think about the day, reflect. That’s why the ‘car jar’ I talked about yesterday is important. That’s why my IMTS playlist each year is important. These songs and these smells get me through. Trust me - when I get in that car, I am a sweaty, oily, nasty, dirty, skanky, HOT MESS. I need a quiet (or loud, if necessary) and pretty-smelling car to travel in. This is no beauty contest - sure, I may be working with men all day, but there is absolutely zero point in looking cute when you’re working in a dirty, air-condition-less warehouse of a building tripping over machinery and trying not to get run over by a forklift. Here are a couple shots to show you what it’s like:

Man, I have so many more but I won’t overload you. This post is already gonna be years long.

3) Show packing/prep at the office.

This is the week, really. The week before we move down there is always nuts and yet really fun. I snapped a few pictures this morning to show you what our office/showroom/warehouse turns into, because it’s hard to really describe. This show involves at least 5 semi-trucks (3 for machines, 2 for our display material) being loaded here, and that means probably a total of 30+ crates. I am now responsible, along with my boss, for almost everything that goes onto those trucks. Our booth this year is 60′ x 50′ and that’s the largest we’ve ever had, so it’s a lot of space to coordinate. The planning for this show started in early 2007, if that tells you anything.

You can’t really even move in the showroom/warehouse this week; it’s like one of those fancy tree mazes that extremely wealthy people have in their backyards. Only it’s not pretty, it’s big old wooden crate things and machinery.

4) Shopping.

IMTS Shopping that I did last week is awesome. I remember 6 years ago when my former mgr. asked me to do some shopping for the show - I was like, shopping?!?!? DING DING DING. OK!!!!

Only it’s not glam shopping. It’s Menards, Home Depot, IKEA (but not for fun stuff), Target, Factory Card Outlet (who really needs larger carts because I buy so much it’s spilling out of them!), etc. It’s endless supplies. You can’t even imagine the amount of junk we have to take to the show. Random snippets include:

-5 extra-large canisters of mixed nuts
-80000 cases of soda, water and beer (maybe not that many, but close)
-Advil, Tums, Tylenol, Pepcid AC, saline solution, sewing kit, shoe polish, mouthwash, lotion
-Cork boards
-Printers, Scanners, computers, plasma screens, DVD players, routers
-200 extension cords (ballpark figure)
-Espresso machine & coffee maker
-Vacuum
-Shopping bags
-Swiss chocolate & wine

Ok that’s just a glimpse. You get the idea. Anything and everything you can imagine needing for a week-long show - plus everything you never dreamed you would need, but you end up needing. My list each year evolves from the year before, as I find myself running out for last minute WHATEVER - so this year, I actually feel really good about what we’re bringing, and I cannot imagine running out for much.

Remember I said that. On my 87th trip to Home Depot next week, I’ll eat those words.

5) The Tool Bucket.

This is an item in our booth that we use to display our gorgeous tools that our machines have made. It’s really cool-looking and an incredibly tedious project. I get the lovely task of doing it every year, and this is actually a compliment that Kazumi trusts me enough to let me do this. This is her baby and she is VERY particular about how it comes together.

Every year, a couple days before the show starts, the tool bucket is ready for me to put together. I put on my headphones; I clear out a space in the middle of the chaos of the booth setup, and I zone out and put this thing together. Here’s a picture of me from last year, beginning the process:

ZONED OUT.

And here’s me and some co-workers admiring my finished product:

Neato, eh?

6) PICTURES.

Last year’s IMTS was a record year. Between 3 cameras we took almost 2000 pictures. I know that may not sound like a lot, but when you think about the fact that this is WORK and not a personal vacation, I think that’s a lot. Rollo is huge on pictures at the show, pre-show, during show, out to dinner, post-show, traveling home, etc. Pictures pictures pictures. Since we all get along, this makes it a little more enjoyable. Here are some of my faves from last year:

Kazumi wanted to kill me for this picture…but I love it!!!

A little trick I learned from Kaz - always make people hold up their food in dinner pictures:

Last show, I taught Kaz a bunch of modeling moves for optimal picture quality. She learned very quickly:
(even David got in on it)

This is a real picture - I was falling asleep at our last dinner after teardown:

I have thousands more, but I’ll stop there. I hope I have illustrated just how fun this show is for me; for everyone! I think everyone has a good time. That’s why I work so hard on the dinners, because it’s our time with customers, yes - but it’s our time to relax, too, and I want everyone to have a great experience every night. Relaxing. Elegant. Great food, excellent service. So that pictures like these can be taken - really, that’s the point. It’s all about the pictures.

So Monday, I’ll be gone, because David has doctor’s appointments downtown. I might pop into the office after that, if necessary. Then starting Tuesday, I’m downtown every day for the next 3 weeks. I’ll be coming home at night, so I hope to blog at least a little about what’s going on when I’m home. But I will most likely be a zombie, staring blankly ahead until I get up the next day and do it all over again. We’ll see what happens.

8 comments | August 22nd, 2008 at 10:29am

Kakoonk Kakoonk-koonk…his name was couldn’t stand it.

I’ve got Lupe Fiasco in my head, sorry. just had to get that line out. over and over and over it plays…

A little bit better night’s sleep last night. I got to spent some good time with Marm, which was nice. We had to go to Regina’s to get dresses fitted/fixed/chopped, whatever…mine for Bertha’s wedding, and mom’s for - you know - all her life events. Or just, like…church. Whatever.

After we ran over there, we made a quick stop at Jewel. Well, supposed to be a quick stop. I had no idea that Tuesday nights were “bring all your rambunctious children to Jewel and let them use the grocery store as their own playground!” night. I wish I’d gotten the flier! I’d have stayed home.

Even though it was chaos on a random weeknight at the grocery store, Marm & I had a lovely little time. I was stocking up David for next week when I won’t be home anymore to feed him, so he got lots of convenience foods (pizza, stouffer’s meals, cereal, french silk pie? You know, the basics) and Latte had to get a variety of things for her and Daddoo. It’s rare these days that I get to have a little random boring outing like that with just my mom and me, so I enjoyed every bit of it. Thanks Latte.

The best thing about the night was this example of my precious mom. I was pulling into her driveway and I was thinking “oh, I gotta get a car jar for next week when I’m in my car 18 hours a day in traffic…something fall-ish.” I have very rigid traditions for IMTS (more on this tomorrow, perhaps) and one of them is purchasing a fall-smelling car jar so that I can get geared up for fall while I’m at the show. Because by the time the show is over…it practically IS fall. Anywayyyyy…

The point is, Mom walks out and she has a little bag of “little presents” for me. First thing I see? A car jar - Home Sweet Home. THE BEST fall scent. Oh man!! Then she checked out a copy of the Sex & The City Soundtrack from the library, which I was THIS CLOSE to purchasing the other night on iTunes. AMAZING! What else? Oh. A Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin oil for my burner at home. And a fall handtowel.

I love love love my Marmalatte’.

6 comments | August 21st, 2008 at 08:35am