A Business Baby in Cincinnasti

Cincinnati isn't as bad as I was expecting.  It's a little chilly.  It's a little quiet.  People look like east-coasters.  Drive like west-coaster  There's a lot of diversity.  Traffic's not too bad.  There's a lot of Bengals fans.  That's all I really have to say about that.  If I had to grade it, I'd give it a C+.

This trip has been a business as usual experience...awkward business fun...

It's awkward being on a business trip and eating breakfast in the hotel lobby by yourself.  It's even more awkward when the lonely, cane-toting, grey haired, disheveled old man in the back won't stop staring at you.  Even more awkward as you wait for your toast to toast and you see him coming towards you out the corner of your eye....Please don't talk to me... Then he taps you on the shoulder and says "I'm sorry but I just had to say good morning to you because you are a gorgeous young lady."  ...Nervous laughter, burnging face...hehe thanks, now please go away...silly old man..I turn to sit at a table and the waitress comes in to kindly remind me that this table is reserved and she'll seat me over here...next to this sweet old man with the stare bear eyes.....awkward.

It's also awkward that as I wait in the break room with my business casual attire I'm thinking to myself I look like a goof. Then a sweet lady asks me what position I'm applying for?  Oh no I'm not applying for a job here, I'm here to train some of the lab techs...OH, Ok.. Are you just out of college?   No.

Another time I went up to a different lab door for a meeting... it's locked.... I phone in to the guy I'm supposed to meet with...He'll be right down to let me in.  He opens the door.... "Hello!  Heh, ya know on the phone you sound like you're 13, and now that I see you in person....you look like you're 13!"

How does a girl get any damn respect in this business world?  What can I wear or do to make it a little more obvious to strangers that "I AM NOT A CHILD!"

I should probably wear high heels... Meh, forget it.  I don't care that much.

Over in Cincinnati, there isn't too much going on....

The Bengals lost...  The stores close early.. 

There's the Great American Insurance Building:

And there's a local Nutcracker play (sponsored by the Great American Insurance) and the ballerina's crown is mirrored after the top of the Great American Insurance Building:

I had to call in to a conference call while here.  Thats was a first.  Normally if I can't make it there in person, no one really notices me missing.  But little Julie's growing up and being responsible.  I called in with my co-worker from my cell phone.  We were driving on the way to the airport when we called but eventually we had to pull over in the car rental parking lot to kill some time.  Still on the call, this huge swarm of birds wouldn't stop flying around.  I put the phone on mute and started snapping photos.  Not sure if you can tell but there are millions of birds in Cincinnati:

There is also one of the largest Children's Hospital in the US, here in Cincinnati.  I used to think if I could be anything I would be a doctor.  And if I could be any kind of doctor I would be a pediatrician.    I am so glad I didn't follow my childhood goals... Working in a children's hospital is depressing...all these little quiet kids with Michael Jackson masks on...kids shouldn't be that still or that quiet... parents shouldn't look so worried.

To leave you on a cheery note, baby Trevor was child once with simple, honest, accomplishable goals... and I'd say so far he's done pretty well:

He wins!