Wednesday, March 23, 2011

It Was Work!






So I was able to go to a conference down in Palm Desert, CA last week for work. We stayed in the J W Marriott resort. Holy Dooley that place is huge and awesome! Four pools and three jacuzzi's, and, yes, I jumped in all of them! I flew down with a co-worker and was freaked out to see what seemed to be countless golf courses surrounded by homes! Lots of pools, too. I was excited to get off the plane and step into the 86 degree warmth. We met up with another co-worker who had taken his whole family on a vacation.

Monday morning around 6:20 I went for a 5 mile run. Perfect 65 degree weather and a beautiful pink sky! The conference was really good, too! The first keynote speaker was an economics professor from New Mexico State University. He was like Doc Brown from Back To The Future! I don't know if I agreed with all his thoughts, but he was fun. Lots of good discussions and speakers. Crappy lunches, though.

After the conference sessions we hung out at the pools and got some needed sun. Yes, a Utah winter makes one very pasty! We were invited by a vendor to a dinner at another golf resort. We got shuttled over and were taken to the bar. You know, living here in Utah and working at BYU I just don't see a whole lot of drinking going on, but at these events with an open bar, people are just throwing them down! Crazy. But, they had phenomenal hors devours! We adjourned to a room for a beautiful steak and fish dinner. I hate fish, so the steak was what I ate. And can someone please tell me why asparagus affects the urinary track with that smell?!?!?! Oye!

Another early morning run on Tuesday. It's been a long while since I have sweat while running in the morning outside! Lovely.
We had another economist speak, but this one was more realistic on what's taking place in the economy. Fun topics and speakers, another subpar lunch, but more pool time! We also had a big conference banquet. Holy cow, people were getting hammered.

The best part of the dinner was this luscious dessert! Chocolatey and rich. Ed ate two of them! Anyway, pretty sweet gig. I had a blast and it was so nice to be in the warm weather.

The cab driver sure took the long way to the Palm Springs airport!

And I must say, I have seen enough old, leathery, wrinkled skin to last a lifetime!

Of course when we landed in Utah, it was cold, rainy and windy. Welcome home. March and April are tough months for me; I am programmed for Spring being nice and temperatures going up. Here you get snow into April. I think it snowed last May. Ugh. Anyway, it really was a work trip. I could handle those more often.