Better Late than Never

I have been slammed since I got home from Detroit. I am usually pretty consistent (Darla would say OCD) at keeping up my blog, but it got away from me this week. My trip to Detroit was a good one. The company is having a rough year and we are doing better than a lot of offices, but the mood was pretty good among the managers and the future is bright. My office continues to improve, although we are down a bit over last year. The managers that actually lost money this year were the ones looking a bit shopworn by the end of the weekend. We have some exciting new products and innovations that will be rolling out this year. Our company partners are thrilled with our production and our outlook and were happy to be there celebrating with us. The theme this year was a campaign theme, "Campaign for Excellence" and it went over well with the managers. This was my fifth year attending the annual meeting and I'm feeling very comfortable with my place within the hierarchy of the company. We've had a fair amount of turnover in Branch managers and I am probably in the middle in terms of seniority with the company. I received my five year platinum pin this year and it was a nice little token of my time with the company.

We stayed at the Ritz Carlton again and the accommodations and food were first cabin. I left for Detroit at 6 AM which helps me transition to the time change as I'm up at 4 AM to make my flight, which is 7 AM Detroit time. I woke up that morning and it dawned on me that we have a President with the middle name Hussein. Who'd have thunk just seven short years past 9-11? I really enjoy Obama's speeches, but they always seem a bit full of air. I hope that he can help rally the country. Our economy is probably the worst it has been since the Great Depression. There is a Democratic majority in Congress, the Senate and in the White House and the one thing we can likely count on is higher taxes and more social services and government intervention in business, medicine, and all other areas of our lives. Four years from now, the Democrats will be run out of Washington and the Republicans will be viewed as the saviors. Some things never change. The one true indicator is that the stock market is not a fan of Barrack Hussein Obama as it has tanked. The averages are down 15% since he was elected in a landslide...well, he had 52% of the vote for President, which with the goofy electoral college somehow corresponds to a mandate. I think the stock market has pretty well given Obama it's mandate as well. Big Business and Wall Street cast a wary eye on Washington.

I got back from Detroit on Saturday night after flying through Denver on my way back to Sacramento. I had time to eat a chicken Philly wrap at the Great Steak Escape in the terminal before boarding my plane and heading home.

It is a small world and that was evident again when I had dinner on Friday night at the awards banquet with our Underwriting Manager in Dallas, Sheila. She mentioned that her daughter was off to college and I enquired where she was attending (to be polite). It turns out that her daughter, Courtney, is a scholarship soccer player at Southeast Oklahoma State University. My nephew and Godson, Chris, is a scholarship football player at Southeast OSU. Better than that, the kids just hung out together on Thursday night at the campus. Courtney lives in Arlington, about ten minutes from Randy's house in Eulis. Small world.

I did manage to get out on the golf course Sunday. We teed off at 11 AM and I played with Bob and Mel at Woodcreek. I shot 40+41=81, Mel shot 82 and Bob shot 76. It was a perfect day on the links. My new Fusion driver is a keeper and I have my Taylor Made R7 on EBay as we speak. I had a new Winn grip installed after I played on Sunday and the pro installed it as I had a beer after the round.

I will miss playing this weekend as I'll be in Surrey visiting Shirley on her birthday celebration. Darla and I will meet Randy and Cake in Seattle and drive across the border with them that afternoon. There is a White Spot hamburger with my name on it waiting in Canada. Darryl and Cheryl arrived yesterday.

Our dog, Buddy, isn't doing well. he is about 14 years old and on his last legs. he toddles around like an old man and his legs can barely support him. He's begun messing in the house and Darla is beside herself. It is likely that we'll have to put him down after the boys come home this Thanksgiving. He really isn't doing well. It's sad.

I had my interview yesterday for the board position with the Sacramento Independent Agents and Brokers and passed with flying colors. I will work with the President and Vice President who both ran the golf tournament over the last two years. The installation luncheon is on December 9th and I will reserve a table for my underwriters and their assistants.

Well, the blog will be late again as we will be in Canada this coming weekend. Jennifer is doing well and Samantha is standing up ad taking four or five steps before plopping back down. Jen said that she said "Kitty" the other night, so she is doing well. John and Jennifer are on speaking terms, but the speech is a bit stilted at the moment. It will get better as time goes on. They are both excellent parents and have Sam's best interests in mind. Take care all. Ciao.