Shrillary, Cuba, and the Old Man on Campus

Ever since the Pandering Presidential Politico, the Mittster, got out of the race, I've not had much to say about the presidential campaign. Until now...we are, I believe, watching one of the greatest political meltdowns in history. And that belongs to you, She Who Must Not Be Named, oh Bride of Satan.

Oh Shrillary, was it not just last Thursday that you reached out to Obama as he sat next to you at the debate, declaring how proud you were to be sitting next to him. So Shrillary, who was that SheBeast that was shrieking into the camera two days later about Obama, essentially challenging him to a brawl on the streets. And Shrillary, who was it on Sunday that was on a campaign stage, openly mocking Obama's speaking style and campaign rhetoric?

It was you, Shrillary. Three classic signs of a campaign that's imploding: Act One - excessive pandering to your opponent; Act Two - outrage toward your opponent; Act Three - tossing any last shred of dignity you had and mocking your opponent's strengths. You reap what you sow - and Shrillary, you're getting yours.

As our administration is changing, we see changes just 90 miles to south of the southernmost tip of Florida - Fidel Castro has retired as comadante of Cuba. Who'd a thunk?! I figured it was going to take death to get him out. Having served my mission amongst the Cubans in Florida, I certainly was exposed to more than my share of anti-Castro rhetoric. And I certainly worked with enough people who suffered under his regime. Sadly, our policies toward Cuba have not done anything to reverse his impact. I only wish that we had lifted the embargo enough to see the free flow of U.S. dollars into the country. That would have changed it for Cuba. Fidel would have been gone a long, long time ago had we loosened the economic sanctions and allowed the average Cuban citizen to get a taste of economic freedom. The Cubans are an amazing, resourceful people and I'm certain we will still see change on that island.

Finally, it's Day Two of my executive education program at Wharton. I am staying at a hotel right in the middle of campus and have been walking back and forth across campus. This much I know - I'm an old man. Or college kids all look like they are about twelve years old. It's a very different scene than when I started college twenty four years ago. Although, check out the place on campus, right next to my hotel - a cereal bar called Cereality. It's a kick! Of course, I'm not getting the Froot Loops or anything like that - I need the old man oatmeal.

Anyway, I miss my family. This has been a long trip. I'll be glad to go home this Friday. And of course, Chicago is supposed to get pounded with snow tonight. Thanks for serving me yet another large helping of guilt, Senor Weatherman. Gracias.

A Trip 30-Plus Years in the Making

For as long as I can remember, my dad talked of taking his family to Philadelphia to see where he grew up. For lots of reasons far too numerous to detail here, that never happened. However, over the course of the years, my siblings have made it Philadelphia and have seen where Dad grew up. But not me - until this weekend. When this trip to Philadelphia presented itself, I thought of Dad and asked him if we wanted to join me here before my class started.

The weather tried to block both of us. Dad's first flight out of Phoenix was cancelled and then his second looked like it was going to be heinously delayed and I've already detailed the exodus from DC that I had, but we wound up arriving at the hotel on Friday night within 30 minutes of each other. It was good to see my dad! We were both pretty tired from a long day so called it quits pretty early Friday night.

We are both early risers and we were on our way by 8:30AM today. I drove as Dad navigated. As we drove towards the Penn Wynne area of Philadelphia, I sensed Dad's excitement. As we drove by an enormous Catholic diocese, he talked about getting in trouble as a youth for trying to play football on the grounds with a bunch of his friends. I immediately thought of Parker - I knew he'd want to know that about his grandfather.

As we turned down Manoa Road, Dad started pointing out houses and recalling the names of the friends and families that lived in those homes. Here's a picture of the home where Dad grew up:


I even recall seeing pictures of this house and it didn't look much different than I remembered. Dad asked me to drive around back and the brother of the house's current owner was there. He was very gracious towards Dad and it was something else to hear Dad talking to this man, pointing out the patio was something that he and my late grandfather built together. I felt incredibly honored to have this chance to get this insight into my Dad's life. We then drove around his old neighborhood. Here's his elementary school:

I can't get over how much this day meant to me. All of Dad's stories from his childhood had now come to life for me seeing his old neighborhood. Dad was raised by wonderful parents and had a really idyllic life and I'm really grateful for how that has impacted me.

We then went into downtown Philadelphia, checked into our hotel, and started exploring the city again. First stop was the Reading Terminal Market for lunch. It's kind of like a Disneyland of Food. In spite of losing 18 pounds since January, I was determined to enjoy this place. I did all right by eating at a Middle Eastern place for lunch. I got derailed by the Amish though! Curse the Pennsylvania Dutch and their hot Apple Dumplings! Check 'em out:

I spent about twenty minutes justifying this taste treat to my dad, like a drunk justifying one more drink. Well, Dad and I shared this and it was awesome! And so worth the afternoon of heavy walking that I put in in order to burn some it off!

After lunch, we toured Independence Hall and saw the Liberty Bell. It's an impressive thing to stand in the same place where our nation's founding fathers were, struggling to create the foundation our country. What it must have been like to be a part of that! Wow! Finally, here's the Liberty Bell:

It's been a good, good day. It's been so good to connect with this part of my Dad's life. It's been an opportunity to count my blessings and be reminded again how lucky I am to have been born of goodly parents.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

So I finally managed to find a hotel where I don't have to pay $12.95 for 24 hours of wireless access and I can get caught up! Just a quick recap of where I've been:

• Wednesday - flew to Mexico City. Had a dinner scheduled with my company and could not get to said dinner due to a huge protest that shut down one of the main drags through Mexico City - la Reforma. My dinner was at a club in the Centro Historico and not a single cab would take me. Gracias. So I wound up eating tres tacos - dos de chorizo y uno do chuleta at El Caminero - I love this taco shop!
• Thursday - do a presentation in the morning and run to the airport for an afternoon flight back to Washington DC via O'Hare. My upgrade cleared and I had time to stop at my favorite panaderia in the Mexico City airport and I'm thinking all is well. And it was until I got to the gate for my connecting flight to DC. It was like a scene out of the last flight out of Saigon. All flights to BWI and Dulles had already been cancelled due to weather and this flight to Reagan National was the last flight out. People were trying anything to get on this flight. Of course, the inbound aircraft was late, which the gate agents "forgot" to announce. Just before they finally announce boarding, they say to make it quick becuase a monster ice storm is going to hit National. Umm..ok. So they invite First Class to board and on I go, only to discover that they had done an aircraft switch and there was no First Class on this flight. I was too tired to get irate and it's only an hour and 20 minute flight to DC. One guy essentially had a cardiac in the jetway when he saw that there was no First Class and wound up not flying. Well, the urge to get us out was insane. Again, "last flight out!" mentality. Get to DC after midnight and into my hotel by 1AM. Friday morning meetings starting at 7AM. Great...
• Friday - it's icy in DC and it's going to be an ugly day for flying. By 12:00 Noon, United called me to tell me my flight do Philadelphia is cancelled and they can get me to Philly Saturday afternoon. Check here for "no." So it's Amtrak to the rescue. Who'd a thunk!? After my board meetings ended, a buddy of mine who owns a chauferred car company had a Town Car for me and got me over to Union Station in no time flat. I was on the 4:00PM Acela Express to Philadelphia. Have to admit the train was a pretty darn civilized way to go. Yet another cab upon arrival and I meet my dad at the hotel.

So now that I am in Philadelphia for a week, I'm looking forward to the weekend with my dad and starting this class at Wharton. I'm really glad to not be flying for a week!

Packing Up Again

Long, dang long, day at the office - didn't get home til nearly 6:30PM. Lots to do in advance of leaving tomorrow on this nine-day trip. Mexico City, Washington DC, and Philadelphia. I do the first two cities tomorrow through Friday and then Friday to the next Friday, it's Philadelphia. I will be at the Wharton School attending a week-long Executive Education session, like an MBA "boot camp." It should be quite interesting. I'm looking forward to it.

I'm also looking forward to this Friday as I am meeting my dad in Philadelphia. He has been trying since about as long as I can remember to get his children to Philly to see where he grew up. My sibings have been but he and I have never been able to make it happen. And now we are. It will be just me and him for the weekend and I am really looking forward to it. It will be fun to reconnect and I am looking forward to seeing where he grew up. It will be interesting to see the environment that helped shaped Dad into the man he is and the father that he has been to me.

This is a long time to be gone from the family though. I hate long trips like this. I haven't had one like this since 2000, as close as I can recall. I'll miss Shari and the kids tremendously. I just hope that we don't get a pounding snowstorm. It's no longer funny but whenever I leave on a trip of more than two days, we get pounded. Pounded. Right now, it's just stupid cold and only trace snow in the forecast, but I'd really like to go knowing that Parker isn't going to have to spend his life shoveling while I'm gone.

Courtney and Parker are at Mutual (Courtney drove again - gaining more and more confidence each time she's behind the wheel). Sarah is home - she's out of Young Women now. Strange to have her home. This is a whole new dynamic at Casa Lyons....