M@ Around The World

For my end-of-the-trimester vacation in August, I decided to take a trip back to Atlanta for the week to visit Frank (my brother) and Franco (my "fourth" brother). I also planned on visiting other friends that I didn't get to see when I breezed through Atlanta a month prior. The original plan was to arrive first thing in the morning on Mon the 20 th and go back to Albany on Fri the 24 th at night. That would maximize my time there and amount of potential fun to be had. Little did I know when I made these ticket plans that both the start and end dates/times would change... Monday: A quick swing through Stamford (CT) on the way... About two weeks prior to leaving, I was having a discussion with the HR manager for the program I'm involved in at work. She and I were planning a new module for our employee orientation sessions. This "Diversity Panel" would introduce the various employee groups for special interest groups such as African Americans, Women, Gay/Le...

A Much Needed Weekend at Home On Fri, Aug 3, I started the long journey back to Upstate NY from Mexico City, Mexico. Although my driver arrived just after 9:30a CST to pick me up, I didn't arrive until after 11:30p EST to the great Albany International Airport. The Luggage Situation If you've never entered into the United States of America through the famed Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, let me describe the process to you in one word: NIGHTMARE! After arriving at the gate, one has to walk half a mile (it seems) just to get to the passport control / immigration area. Unfortunately for me, there was a line at the passport control wrapping through several of the lanes. After wrestling through that jungle and being officially welcomed back to the US, I raced down the escalators to the baggage claim area. Another delay and a half later, I was grateful to see my luggage gliding up the beltway undisturbed and happy. Now, keep in mind that at this point I had traveled internati...