Yesterday I was forced to go see Star Trek under the guise of “team building”.  As Hubman correctly pointed out to me, team building while watching a movie doesn’t seem like team building.  Very true – especially when everyone refused to sit next to each other.   Unlike the team from another company that came to view the movie, we literally sat with a chair between each of us.  It was quite funny honestly.

Work over the past few weeks has been amazingly stressful due to a project getting stalled.  As we get the issues worked out, it has become clear that maybe this project isn’t what the company truly needs.  On one hand, better to discover it now.  On the other hand, I personally am making a list of all of the companies I will have to go begging to if this project doesn’t happen.  If you recall a few months ago, I was happy to tell a lot of the vendors to go away and take their six-figure support contracts with them.  Yep, if we don’t do this project, I get to go begging.  I don’t mind eating crow, but I do mind watching our budget go through the roof.  And I don’t want to even think about all of the contract negotiations I get to do.  Ugh.

Going to the Star Trek movie was a way for us to leave the building and decompress.  Usually we put in backup plans in case something does come up of a critical nature.  Today we left.  No notice to the company.  No notes on the boards.  Nothing.  It was a nice change of pace.  (I personally have bought a ticket to a ‘team viewing’ of a movie, and promptly had to leave before the previews because of a problem.  I’m glad that didn’t happen to anyone.)  Doing this was exactly what everyone needed.

Speaking of eating crow, I did like the movie.  The back story on the characters was great.  I liked that the movie found a balance between being being seriously and not taking itself too serious.  And, in parts where it could have been campy, they avoided it well.  Even during the serious scenes, there was some comic relief that helped the story line but didn’t detract from the action.   Oh, and the actors and actresses playing the younger version of the characters did a stellar job.  They kept the characters true, but at the same time gave them amazing dimension.  I was impressed.

Friday night for me was quiet.  After spending some time with friends, I spent the evening relaxing and reading and just doing whatever I wanted to do.  Each year for the school auction, the principal and Garbanzo do an overnight.  They sell 25 slots for the kids to sleep overnight at the school.  The kids years ago created a legend about the school being haunted, so they do a ghost tour where the kids get to go into the teacher’s lounge and other areas of the school off limits to the kids.  They play tag outside in the dark with glow sticks.  They eat pizza.  They watch movies.  And they do other fun activities.  The girls do this overnight each year as does the principal’s kids.  This gives me a free night.  And, the ability to sleep in the next morning.

Saturday night, I have another night to myself.  This time, I am going to a concert.  Garbanzo, for my birthday the last few years, has given me tickets to the summer concerts around town.  He gets two tickets for each event.  It is not assumed he gets the other ticket – that is up to me.  This is how he makes up for all of the nights out where I get stuck with the kids.  Saturday is the first concert at a small club downtown, and it’s Richard Cheese.  I haven’t seen him in concert, but I have heard him.  It should be hilarious.  If you have not heard of Richard Cheese, go find him on iTunes or something and listen to the snippets of his songs.  You will understand why this should be entertaining.

I have at least 6 concerts plus the 4th of July baseball game which will be a family activity.  The girls fell in love with going to baseball games last year, so have been begging to go see more games this year.  They like it because I explain the game to them – and we keep score.  I get to demonstrate to them (and usually the men sitting around me) my uncanny knack of recalling what and where the batter hit last time.  When you are catching, having the ability to remember what the batter did last time at bat helps you direct the field.  It also helps ensure you call the right pitch.  It is a habit now.  Garbanzo laughs because we can usually hear a man or two explain to his wife or buddy what is happening – and it is exactly what I said a few seconds before.  It’s a fun game to play.  My all time favorite is years ago when we lived two blocks from the field and would go see games almost every weekend they were in town.  Garbanzo asked me why they were setting up the infield for a First and Third play (runners at first and third bases.  Garbanzo never played baseball, and even watching it never watched it with someone who had.  So, he can ask a lot of questions.) I explained the four options they have in those situations, when they are used, etc.  We heard at least 4 different guys around us give their buddies, word for word, the explanation I had just given to him moments before.  Garbanzo made a comment pretty loudly that he was glad his wife was there to explain the game to so many people.

So who else am I going to go see?  Death Cab for Cutie, The Decemberists, The B52s, the Indigo Girls, and the Veronicas.   Quite the variety Garbanzo got me.  I will definitely have to call my sister-in-law for Death Cab and the Decemberists.  She is a HUGE fan of both – and a good choice to come with me.  They are playing at a local brewery/winery in an outdoor concert – a good brewery too which makes my SIL another good choice.  Maybe I should just book us a room at the hotel that is on site.  The B52s and Indigo Girls are playing at the Zoo concerts.  Hope it doesn’t rain for these concerts – because I will be outside regardless.

I am just glad that Garbanzo looked at a calendar while buying tickets this year.  Last year he had me going to three concerts, three consecutive nights, in two separate places.  I ended up giving my brothers and their wives my Beck tickets.  I couldn’t make it down to Bend and back for work – and taking the day off was not an option that time.  My younger brother is still thanking me for letting him go – Beck puts on a great concert.

Then on Sunday, my friend is coming over, we’re going to do a bike ride, and come back for brunch.  I am happy she wants to go biking each Sunday because, as horrible as this sounds, she needs it.  Mentally and physically, she needs it.  I need it too, so I’m glad to drag her along if she’s willing.  We’re going to do a relatively easy ride Sunday so I can get an idea of how ready she is to do more. I know she hasn’t been out this year.  I’m just thankful we both have the same kind of bikes with the same modifications.  I have learned from riding with Garbanzo that riding with someone on a road bike sucks when you are on a mountain bike – I don’t care what kind of tires are on it.

Hope everyone has a good Saturday!