sjarvis.com » minneapolis

Travel

Steven — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 03:59:04 +0000

So, week before last I was in Minneapolis for training and meetings and top secret stuff for my new job. The company I work for is based in Mpls, but I work here in NWA. Mpls was fun!

Great city. I could totally live there… from May to September. Not so sure about the other seven months (known colloquially in Mpls as “winter”).

Next week, I’ll be in Germany. The Wife and I are escorting a gaggle of high school students on a four-city tour of Deutschland. Should be fun. I’ve never been to Europe, so I’m looking forward to it.

Some Mpls pics are already in the Flickr queue up there at the top of the page. Photos from Germany will join it next week.

I’ll be incommunicado until the 24th. Those of you who need to be able to reach me already know how.

Minneapolis Wrap-up

Steven — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 06:05:12 +0000

Day 4 of Minneapolis was pretty smooth. Did some more training. Had another fabulous pizza lunch, this time at Punch (Napolitan style pizza). Finally got snowed on (what’s a winter trip to Mpls without snow, right?). Flew some. Sat around in airports. Flew some more. Finally got home.

I’m looking forward to getting into the new office and getting to work on Monday. It’s going to be a big challenge to get my part of the operation whipped into shape, but it’s going to be fun. I’m looking forward to getting back into the news bidness. I’ve missed it.

Minneapolis, Day 3

Steven — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 03:55:29 +0000

My head hurts.

I’ve learned so much new stuff the last three days that I fear my noggin will esplode with it all.

Actually, I just have a backache from the too-soft mattress in my hotel room. Otherwise, I’m doing great. I’m going to miss all the great people I’ve met and worked with in the last few days when I return home to my full-time assignment.

Ate lunch at a great place called Pizza Lucé. If you go, get “The Bear.” It’s fearsome good.

After work, one of my new colleagues (dare I say “friend”? I think so) drove me all over Minneapolis. I saw the statue of Mary Tyler Moore throwing her hat in the air. I saw First Avenue, where Prince got his start. I saw the wreckage of the I-35 bridge collapse. I saw all sorts of stuff.

I finally went to a Trader Joe’s. I went BACK to the Mall of America to pick up some Legos for The Boy at LegoWorld (or whatever it’s called). I went back to the Apple Store to get a World Traveler Adapter kit for charging my Apple goodies on my upcoming jaunt to Germany.

I am now relaxing at the hotel and getting my stuff ready for a half-day of work tomorrow and then seven hours of traveling to get home (a two-hour flight, a three-hour layover, and another two-hour flight). I will be sleeping most of Friday.

Probably no post tomorrow night, but I’ll catch up on Friday, since I’ll more or less have the day off.

Minneapolis, day 2

Steven — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 05:20:39 +0000

My brain hurts from all the stuff I learned today. Training proceeds at lightspeed. I think I’m retaining most of it. I’m feeling pretty close to being ready to hit the ground running next Monday in the new position back in NWA. It’ll be a while before I get my workflow really efficient, but that’s a fun challenge in and of itself, right?

Finally got to IKEA today. I love it nearly as much as I thought I would. I’ve never been to one. I hope to go to one again soon. I ate the swedish meatballs. Excellent. So was the macaroni and cheese.

Bought a few things, including a tinkertoy-like building set for The Boy’s birthday next week.

Finally got to the Mall of America, too. I needed to go by the Apple Store to have my iPhone checked out. It was showing some display flakiness. They replaced it quickly, and I’ve already restored all my info on it. LOVE the iPhone.

Also got to briefly fondle a MacBook Air. Astonishing construction. WAY more solid than my MacBook. Still underpowered and overpriced for my wants (needs?), though.

MOA also has a Legoland. They were near to closing, so I just got to browse. The Boy and I will be having SO much fun with Lego soon.

Looking forward to going to Germany. Just 15 days away!

Tired now. Must sleep before tomorrow, another full day of training and meeting people.

Minneapolis, day 1

Steven — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 01:45:35 +0000

Day 1 of training with the new company went pretty smoothly. The people are really great. They (we? I won’t be working out of this office, though) have a Wii and foosball table in the break room. Free (pretty good) coffee. I think I’m going to like working here.

Was going to go to IKEA and/or the Mall of America after work, but decided I was too tired. Will definitely do it either tomorrow night or Wednesday night after work. There’s snow on the ground here. Apparently, it stays around all winter. That would take some getting used to. It was a balmy 35F or so today, though.

In the land of snow and ice

Steven — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 05:58:34 +0000

Yup. I’m here in Minneapolis. Home of two of my most favorite 80s musical acts: Prince, the Replacements, and Hüsker Dü. Okay, that was three. So far, I’ll have to say that the people are friendly and it’s very cold. And their pizza is good even if they employ the wrong cut (the grid or tavern cut).

I’m here for a week of meeting the new boss and other folks, doing some training, and getting orientated to the culture of my new employers.

Yes, new employers. I have given up the full-time freelance action for a return to the online news business with an interesting job with a really (so far) cool company. I’m not going to say who they are, because this blog isn’t about them; it’s about me.

Anyway, more about Minneapolis — including a trip to the Mall of America and IKEA (SQUEEEEEE!) — and travel throughout the week. Maybe some about work, too.