Can't Live With 'Em OR Without 'Em

I was all ready to write this nice long blog post tonight, but... my computer has decided to take FOREVER to bring this page up. I swear, wireless networks in hotels... sometimes they're great. Sometimes not so much. I'm not complaining. My compadres are paying $170 a night for a smaller room, no breakfast, and less atmosphere. I choose Hyatt Place once again for $100/night and breakfast thrown in. They like the Hilton points. I say Hyatt points are just as valuable.

I'm back in Atlanta (well, really, Duluth/Suwanee/John's Creek) this week for more Integration Project "stuff". Because my job is so nebulous at the moment and I can straddle the worlds between HR and Integration, I think maybe I'll take advantage and sleep in in the morning! Oh shoot... I hope no one's on here who can tell on me. Carrie, Larry? Shut it. I was thinking tomorrow morning, especially with tonight's late supper and drive back from Buckhead, would be a good sleep-till-8-then-work-out-before-going-in-to-the-office day. Yeah, sounds like a plan to me. That way, I'll be perked up from the workout just enough to be productive... from my temporary away-from-everything office that they stuck me in for the week.

I was going to write tonight about decisions in interpersonal relationships... how it's interesting to watch the paths of people's lives... when one person decides to befriend (or not befriend) another. Tonight, I went to dinner with 4 Dutchmen/women and 1 American (plus me). I would classify the American as one of my best work friends... although when we actually worked together in PA, we hardly spent any time together. Now that we're on opposite ends of the country, we're much closer. One of the Dutchmen has been my coworker for years now. We've hung out. We make an effort with one another, but we're just casual acquaintances. This Dutchman and my American friend, however, are much closer. Coming back from dinner tonight, the American was telling me all about the life of the Dutchman. I should make relationships like that, I thought. Then I remembered why I don't... because I don't remember. Someone can tell me their life story today, and I'll be doing good to remember their name tomorrow. AND being in an HR-related position, people seem to clam up when it comes to sharing personal life details around me. Stupid HR. Anyway... the point was going to be how relationships change and shape our lives. More than any other thing, it's the people we choose to befriend, live with/around, and learn from that shapes our personalities. Yes, no, maybe? Well, it's definitely true in my life and work. Now, could I change myself and become more of a relationship-builder? How many of my friends/acquaintances would say I'm already a very good relationship-builder? Many, I hope... because that's what I need to be in my next life... work life, that is... if it all comes through for me. :) But, no, I haven't heard anything more yet.

Anyway, Joey's & Kate's wedding was lovely. A few pics for your review: