So much happened yesterday that I don't want to miss writing down all of it. I am going to go in chronological order again to make sure I capture the whole day which went from 4:50am until 9:30pm. That's the time I left the hotel and the time I got back. Yes, I had a very long day yesterday.
I got up around 4 and immediately started getting anxious and paranoid about everything. I had no idea where I was going, how long it would take me to get there, etc. As a result, I left the hotel at 4:50 and walked across the street to the train station. I bought a round trip ticket from Penn to Penn. Their idea of a round trip ticket is two one way tickets. Remember that. I found the train track and managed to get right on a 5:01am train. The train ride over wasn't too bad. It was two stops (Secaucus followed by NY Penn) and I was in NY at about 5:30. Penn station if you've never been there is HUGE. Like level after level. Hundreds of people pushing and shoving all of whom apparently know what they are doing. Especially on a Tuesday during commute times. I was the odd fish out for sure. I figured out how to get out and to the street. The station is roughly at 31st street and 8th ave. I needed to be at 18th street and 5th ave. When I hit the street I could tell it was going to be a rough, hot day. I decided to take a cab because I didn't want to try and walk in that and die.
The cabbie got me where I needed to be around 6am. So yeah, I left too early. I then sat until 7:40 when the local contact arrived. Whatever. I watched TV in the lobby and relaxed. Now, the problem with these presentations is they weren't official training. They were free 'workshops'. Which means they were being led by two salespeople (one on our side, one on Tableau's) and they were being very loose about start times and agenda. This gives me serious anxiety. I like to start on time and get through material. But the sales guy kept pushing the start time to allow stragglers, of which there was plenty. Finally started the first session a little after 9. 22 people. Got through all the material, had barely 30 minutes to relax when the second group of 30 people started arriving. We started that session around 1:30. Finished up a little after 5. Talk about an exhausting time. Over 50 people total in one day. Whew.
I did end up forgetting my mouse and while I was able to borrow one yesterday, I needed one for the rest of the week. I was planning on meeting a friend for dinner around 6:30pm and had plenty of time to kill. We were meeting at a place on 23rd and 9th. Not horribly far away, about a mile, and I had time to kill, so I walked, stopping at a best buy along the way to kill time. I nearly died walking just the four blocks to best buy. It was 100 degree with 1200%n humidity in the shade. I meandered around Best Buy for a while and then headed to the restaurant. Dear god this city smells like piss and shit. They don't believe in dumpsters in this city and there's just bags of garbage on the street. It's disgusting. And the smell in the heat was unbearable. I made the walk and thought I was going to die. For real. The place we were supposed to meet didn't have a bar and I ended up next door at this 'contemporary indian' place. I had a watermelon whiskey drink that was really good.
Speaking of drinking, I think I have finally reached a healthy relationship with alcohol. I was at the restaurant from 5:45pm until 8:15pm and I had two drinks. Mostly I had water. Kind of proud about that. My friend showed up at 6:40 and we had a wonderful time catching up. The food was excellent and then I had to head back to NJ. As I was heading back my sister messaged me and I called her as I was walking to the train.
Turns out my dad's cancer has returned. I didn't know he ever had it in the first place, but given our relationship that's not surprising. It's prostate cancer. While I know my sister was stressing, having gone through prostate issues, I know that this can be caught and removed. The big catch is if it spreads. That's always the concern. He goes in for a biopsy today and they will know more by end of week.
While on one hand it would be nice of me to visit or call, I am having a hard time reconciling that. I am sure my sister would like to see us make up, being sick doesn't change him from being a racist, homophobic, transphobic, bible thumping, Trump supporter. All those things I can't support. Just because you're sick, it doesn't make you a decent human being. I am sorry but I don't need that type of person in my life. If something does happen to him, I will be there for my sister but not him.
She is also going through some shit with some old medical debt which sucks. I wish I could help her out but the numbers are too large for me to help in a significant way. But adding my dad's health issues on top of it sucks big time.
At the same time all this was going down, I was trying to find the station while not dying of heat stroke. I did manage to find the station but stressed out about finding the right train. Not as clearly marked as London's tube for sure. I managed to get on a train and thanks to sheer luck it was going the right way. My buddy sent me a message during the train ride to let me know a former work colleague died. Unfortunately I couldn't remember him (hey it was 20 years ago people) so while sad, not anything major.
Finally got to NJ Penn and came out the wrong side. I had to walk through the homeless gauntlet to get to my hotel. Collapsed in bed at 10.
Wow. What a day. And now for another long crazy day. Whee!
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