i love lucy too

the conference was exactly what i had anticipated. same thing every year...hug/love fest...food, alcohol, boring meetings, blah blah blah. fun? maybe.

it all kicked off on tuesday night with the opening reception. delicious hour devours, free booze, and reconnecting with business associates. i had a relatively good time talking to old friends and meeting some new, but it is always a little awkward. think munch 'n' mingle conversation, but this time it’s your job on the line, not your marital status.

wednesday was non-stop presentations from various divisions within oracle, all designed to make us feel like part of the "team" and unite us toward the common goal: make money for the man. whatever, whatever. thankfully the last presenter never showed so we got out of those a little early, just in time to run up to my room, change, respond to urgent emails, and head back out the door for the secret activity they had planned for us that evening.

i have to say that i have been pleasantly surprised the past few years with the activity they've done. this year i was a little more skeptical when i found out that we would be going to a vineyard in sonoma to do some wine tasting. not only was it an activity in which i wouldn't participate, it also gave my associates an excuse to get drunk even earlier on in the night and start acting obnoxious and unprofessional even before dinner. as we toured the vineyard i took pleasure in the beautiful scenery. it was everything you imagine when you think of a vineyard (picture to be posted): rows and rows of grapevines, rolling hills, beautiful sunset, and amazingly beautiful architecture. as our guide said, "look around. this is tuscany. now i've just saved you $3000, buy some wine." aside from sampling the wine, we also got to try their fresh olive oil (faaabulous!) and stomp some grapes with our bare feet. that was an experience. i guess if i had needed a reason not to drink, the fact that people's feet had been in my wine would have been enough. all in all the activity was...well...interesting and memorable. it's kind of funny for me to realize that i am old enough to be at a vineyard tasting (or abstaining from tasting) wine. weird!



this morning i had my final meeting, which is a one on one with our company and oracle. i wish i could say this was a hug/love fest like the rest of the week, but this is where we really get down to business. sparing the boring details, there is a lot of pressure on us to meet their sales quotas for us, something for which i am solely responsible. frustration.

after the meeting i said goodbye to everyone and after enjoying a delicious sourdough bread bowl full of clam chowder (new england clam chowder, ironically), i hopped in a cab back to andy and emily's place where i dumped my stuff off and headed back out on the town. i made my way to little italy where, upon seth's recommendation, i enjoyed coconut and milo gelato (2 flavors, not combined). i have now returned to the apartment, which by the way is freaking awesome (or fawesome, if you will) and am waiting to leave for floating sushi which will very deliberately be charged to the corporate card.

tomorrow- sacramento and salt lake ahoy!