Casa Fuente...

A fine Corona (house), a peach mojito and a barely clothed hot
waitress...love Vegas!

Vegas baby...

Well, I'm on my way to Sin City and already had two "hickups"! First,
I got Taco to the pet hotel too late to drop him off. Thankfully Benny
was there! Crisis diverted!

Second, I decided to get to the airport early to see if I could get an
upgrade. I can't because I purchased the cheapest ticket on the
planet! I might have been able to if I was a Gold Advantage member,
but I just barely missed that qualification last year! I am a third
the way there this year so far!!! Maybe next year. I digress...it was
a good thing I did get here early because they changed my gate ( and
terminal, for that matter)!

All good now and I'm ready for Vegas!

I did get word, I will be working for Special Services on the Board of
Director's Meeting! The third quarter meeting was suppose to be in
Rio, Brazil, but it was cancelled. :(. Apparently, the company didn't
want to in the current economic climate. So, I will have to wait for
next years meetings for an overseas visit!

Well, gotta go..........

I am the "TOKEN" white guy.....

I bet you are dying to know what this post is about....

I feel the need to do a little explaining first... So we all live in a
world with racism and with that a need for Diversity Inclusion.
Which, of course, means employers must focus on hiring a diverse work
force. Now, in a perfect world it wouldn't matter what your race,
creed or color is...you would be hired on your ability and the rest
wouldn't matter (great concept...right?). Unfortunately and obviously,
this isn't a perfect world and racism does still exist. Which is why
we have- and need - Diversity Inclusion. Which is what my friend,
Meriel, does for work. Which might be how we got on this topic to
begin with....

So, we (and by we, I mean Antz, Meriel, Rebecca and myself) were
having our weekly "noodles" night (at a vietnamese resturant called I
Love Pho next to my apartment...btw, I am really bummed about missing
that the next two weeks) and discussed our ethnic descents. Now
Meriel is of Asian descent. Rebecca is half white and half Hispanic
descent. Anthony is of Asian descent...actually after listening to
his family tree he is of "everything" descent! To include a full
fledge Italian. Me, however...well I am as much of a white boy as a
white boy can be a white boy (I don't care who you are...that was
funny).

So, at the conclusion of our conversation last night...Rebecca
declared me the "token" white guy of our little friend group. In true
Diversity fashion.

So, now, in line with the many coloful adjectives I answer to...I will
also answer to "token white guy"......

Going ons......

Well, let me start with the history making event that took place last night with the Columbus Blue Jackets making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. And to all you Blue Jackets fans...you're welcome. Because (obviously) it took me moving out of state and about 1000 miles away for them to accomplish this task (oh, and FINALLY firing Doug McClain had something to do with it as well). To top it off, it took a defenseman who never participated in an overtime shootout to sink the game winner. That is truly in Blue Jacket's style....

Things are going really well for me here both personally and professionally. I have been hanging out with Antz, Meriel and Rebecca on a pretty regular basis. We enjoy going out to see one of Meriel's friends band. They are really good. Then we usually come back to my apartment to play Guitar Hero. Because, as you may or may not know, Guitar Hero is for those of us who wish we were Rock Stars, but don't actually have talent to play real instruments....

The three of us are planning a trip to San Antonio in May. We are going to stay near the river walk, go to Sea World and visit the Alamo. It should be a fun trip. I'll have blog updates and pictures for it.

I am going to be really busy the next several weeks….
First, Curt is coming into town on Friday night and staying the weekend. I am planning on taking him for a tour of our Hooteresk (yes, just made that up) type restaurants. If all goes right, we should be able to eat 5 different times at 5 different restaurants all with scantily clad women servers/bartenders. God bless Dallas...

Second, on Monday morning when I take him to the airport, I will also be boarding a plane as well. I am traveling to Lake Mary, Florida again, but this time I plan on filling my open supervisor position. The personnel manager at that location has already pre-screened the 13 candidates and has narrowed the field for me (bless her). I hope I find what I am looking for. I will be traveling back home to Big D of Friday. As soon as I land I have to travel to my Carrollton facility to meet with a contractor who is giving us a bid on a new access system. Then I can collect Taco and go home and crash…

Third, I am going with Antz, Meriel and Rebecca to what is called the Scarborough Festival (which is basically a Renaissance Fair) on the Saturday after I get back. Then I have on day to relax (Sunday) because…

Forth, I am traveling to Arkansas on Monday to meet with the AP Team to accomplish some rather large projects we have been working on. I’ll be driving this time (bummer) and will be there until Thursday. I then have that Friday and Saturday to relax because…

Fifth, I will be boarding a flight to Las Vegas on Sunday morning for a well deserved and earned vacation. I will get to see a few of you and help Mike celebrate him slipping into Old Age….Also, I have every intention of visiting Case De Fuente to buy/smoke some fine cigars, partake in some really good Mojito’s and get my picture taken with the scantily clad Fuente Girls. Good bless Vegas….

So that is my April and will be “slightly” busy… Take care, Mark.

Oh, I just found out I may be working for EP (Executive Protection) for when the Board of Director’s meet for their board meetings. I would be working in the command post essentially “dispatching” the board member’s drivers when they need ground transportation. My boss has to approve it. This would be a really cool job and I would get to do it 4 times a year. Plus, it would give me great company contacts…..