30 Nov 2012 ~ Skye's Going Away Party

Listening to:  The Crystal Method ~ She's My Pusher (Vegas)


I had a Happy Hour in honor of Skye's moving back to the US. Some co-workers came over for drinks and I made some appetizers. Skye was shy at first, but soon came out of her box and wowed the guests. She almost tipped over my manager's wine glass by flying to the rim of it...although she's never done that with me before. She's just a rowdy party bird after all, showing off in front of people.

This is the modified crate she flies in.  I put in her favorite toys (an empty toilet paper roll and some wooden kebab sticks), a towel on the floor. To eat, she got a millet sprig, bowl of seeds, and half an apple.

She left Hong Kong on Thursday morning and arrived in Los Angeles on Thursday morning. Got the first report the USDA vet says she is very healthy after her trip. As I'm writing this she's on a road trip to the quarantine facility in San Diego and will be there for 30 days. The driver reports she is happily chirping during the car ride.

26 Nov 2012 ~ Sunset Cocktail Cruise

Listening to:   Eric Clapton ~ Help Me Up


I didn't just lounge on the beach in Langkawi...I did venture out for a sunset cocktail cruise on the Andaman Sea.

The hotel van dropped me off to meet up with other tourists from various hotels.

No, this was not the cruise ship.

We went out on the orange boat. It's owned by a French couple. (Who later commented that they get extremely few Americans, so I was an oddity...or a gem in the rough...depends on how you want to look at it I guess).

I snagged one of the Thai beds up front.

It was a perfect afternoon for being on the water.

The highlight for me was that they unravelled a large net off the back of the boat and we could go out and just float. I did this for about an hour (the boat wasn't moving) and they were nice enough to toss down cans of beer to those "netting".

Just in time for the sunset, besides unlimited drinks, we were served a very nice buffet of shrimp, grilled chicken satay, cucumber/carrot salads, and a orange sponge cake for dessert.

As an added bonus, in the other direction we had a full moon rising.

I didn't recognize very many songs they were playing, but out of the blue I was humming along to  "Smoke On The Water" by Deep Purple. Now that's a flashback!

Yes, a quite enjoyable rendezvous.

More Happy Toes!

22 November 2012 ~ Thanksgiving

Listening to:  Lou Reed ~ Take A Walk On The Wild Side (Orpheum Theater, Boston)

20 Nov 2012 ~ Macaques (I think....)

Listening to:  Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris ~ All The Road Running (WXPN-FM World Cafe , Philly, 5/19/2006)

My hotel balcony in Langkawi Malaysia had the following sign...

I didn't see any monkeys around the resort.

But then on Day 2, I took a walk to the edge of the beach.

 
 And to my delight, not only did I see one macaque...

I came across a troop.

Here is a mom and child.

Looking for something ?

http://youtu.be/8qrrsT9geZQ

The showoff...

Careful...

http://youtu.be/h50-7J8W3O8

Or you'll get a headache and need to hide from embarrassment...

http://youtu.be/oSwAFtUXIP4

This is a yawn and not a menacing look....

 That was excellent nature entertainment. But then I headed back to the beach.

17 Nov 2012 ~ Malaysia Animal Sightings

Listening to: Staple Singers ~ For What It's Worth (Fillmore West, ST, 1968-04-19)

Happy Birthday!! This guy snuck up on me while I was in the beach lounge chair.     These guys are fast.  On my way back to the room, I noticed a rustling in the leaves. And spotted this bird. Lunch time! http://youtu.be/XDMcSWdoWHc

15 November 2012 ~ Langkawi Views

Listening to: Easy Star All-Stars ~ Within You Without You


Here are some additional photos from my trip to Langkawi, Malaysia. Was it really only 3 weeks ago?


This is the view from my room. It was really nice having a balcony and fan.

Zooming into the lagoon, and 2 swimming pools.

The lagoon provided a nice water sound scape I could relax to in my room.

I spent most of my time at the beach. I did not go into the swimming pools at all (although swim-up bars are always enticing).

Which I had to myself most of the time, unless someone took out a sailboat.

I read books, listened the waves, sitting under a tree.

Went swimming when I got too hot.

My toes were doing the Happy Dance!

12 Nov 2012 ~ Customer Appreciation Party

Listening to:  UTFO ~ Roxanne Roxanne


I'm back in Hong Kong.

The customer appreciation party Workday throws for it's customers is always entertaining.

We had a Group/ReGroup session on Wed afternoon...done up Vegas style.

Of course, that included "Elvis".

http://youtu.be/5fJpQ8N-CiQ


And a juggler...this skit was impressive.

http://youtu.be/5uIqyIoV4hs

Even Wayne Brady showed up with some top-notch improv. (No, I did not volunteer to be a participant on stage).

http://youtu.be/7D7SysLpv34

Afterwards there was a 80's dance band and video game room.

Next year's event will be San Francisco.

7 Nov 2012 ~ Team Dinner

Listening to:  Odetta ~ He's Got The Whole World In His Hand



We had a Workday Team dinner at the Monte Carlo hotel.

On the walk there, I saw this store, which I thought was a funny name and tag line..."what color is your tongue?"

So of course I had to get a goofy picture.

Here we are at dinner.

And the Vegas lights.

Results are in.

6 Nov 2012 ~ Workday Rising

Listening to:   Black Eyed Peas ~ Don't Stop The Party


Happy Birthday!!

I hope everyone voted.

 

I am currently in Las Vegas for the Workday Rising Conference.

 

 



I was asked to be a moderator at my Hong Kong customer panel at the conference.

It is being held at the Aria Hotel.

This is the view from my hotel room.

I knew it was a nice hotel when I checked the mini bar and they had a bottle of Flowers wine. I've only had this wine once before at an Oakland restaurant, but quite memorable.

4 Nov 2012 ~ Langkawi, Malaysia

Listening to: Grateful Dead ~ Playin' In The Band (Winterland, SF, 11/10/73)


I was able to take a few days of work as compensation days for 2 public holidays I had worked at the beginning of the month. I took advantage and so spent a long weekend on the island of Langkawi, Malaysia.

Here is a view of the Westin Resort where I stayed on the evening I arrived.