1/4 year in Chicago

OK, My sister Monica just got back from 2 weeks in Italy and posted a few posts to her blog... She has inspired me to catch you all up on what has been going on around here... Huge changes in the works, slowly changing our lives... That's in a nutshell.  Here's the detail.

Rose, Mom, Kris, & I 

February 11 two of my Mastermind team members, one from Denver (Rose) and one from Boulder (Kris), headed down to Albuquerque to pick up my mom, and then on to Phoenix for a Send Out Cards "Treat-em-right" motivational and training seminar.  On the way down I got a call from Gilbane, my primary client, saying that they had 4-6 weeks of work for me.  It would involve one week in Chicago, getting facetime with the client, and then the rest of the work could be from home on the ranch.... Just my style of contract.  They wanted me on site on Monday Feb 14... the day I was planning on returning home from the Phoenix trip.



Well, anyone who has been following our life for long knows that we are in no position to turn up our noses at any billable work, so I got down to my best talent... problem solving, and got it all worked out.  When we passed back through Albuquerque to drop my Mom back off at home after the Phoenix trip, Kris and Rose would drop me off too, and I could fly to Chicago from Albuquerque.  Kris and Rose needed to get home of course, so they would take my car to my house for me where they had left their car.  Then Monica (my sister), who happened to be planning a trip to Pheonix herself, passing through Albuquerque on the day we were returning to Albuquerque from Phoenix, would meet up with Mike in Pueblo, who would hand off a packed bag with my dress clothes, and work computer, and I could fly off to Chicago.  Then at the end of the week I'd fly back to Albuquerque, just in time to be picked up by Monica, heading back home, who could give me a ride on home to Colorado...

Worked out great!  Anyway, they loved me in Chicago.. I fit right in with the team, each of us filling a needed role.  So as soon as I got home, they called to say, "You need to come back, we need the who team here at the table until this job is done."  Well, I've lost count of the weeks, but humm... some 16 weeks later was still in Chicago.  Going home Friday evenings and returning on Monday mornings.  Bright side is I've never spent any time in Chicago before, so now I've seen the sights, down side is, by now I could care less, and I go to work in the AM, and back to the hotel in the evening........ Not an inspiring lifestyle.

I only stayed over two weekends in Chicago.  Those weekends I got out to see

• Navy Pier
• Frank Lloyd Wrights House
• Unity Temple
• Lakeshore Drive
• Willis (Sears) Tower and the Ledge (4' deep glass boxes that extend out of the building on the 105th floor!  What a trip!)
• Magnificent Mile Shopping
• Second City Comedy Club
• Pizza at Ginos
• Hershey Shop
• Millenium Park
• Historic Water Tower
• Garrett Popcorn
• Northwesten University
• Frank Lloyd Wrights Robie house
• O'Bama's house,
• and went to a German Beer and Brat Fest..

So I did see a few things.

Frank Lloyd Wrights Unity Temple

Too cloudy for the Sears tower today!

A VERY COOL model of the city, made by a 3-D Printer.

(Go see it in the Santa Fe Building if you get a chance.)

Millineum Park

The LEDGE!!

 The view from the Sear's Tower

(I stayed to watch the sunset)

Pizza with my Cousin Hillary, whom I haven't seen in 20 years!

I've also learned a new appreciation for those that try to do Send Out Cards part time while working full time, because by the evening, back in my hotel room, I have to really push myself to pick up that phone and do some Send Out Cards... If I didn't totally believe that Send Out Cards has the potential to support me and allow me to retire in comfort, I wouldn't give Send Out Cards another moment.  My business was stagnant for 3 months before I decided to do something about that.. More on that later.

My calorie intake and exercise routine has also given me somewhat of a challenge, but by the end of April I'd been there long enough that I was able to start disciplining myself on those issues too.  So tough though to stick with it!  Aargh. 

I came home from Chicago yesterday and at this moment have no plans to return, my bank account is breathing a sigh of relief, so I am careful not to complain.

After I wrote ALL the detail... I decided to take pity on you all and break it into 4 blog posts... Guess I really should post more often, so they don't have to be so long!  Watch for the other posts in the next few days.