On the train back from New York...

Well, the seminar wasn’t bad. I learned some stuff I needed to know, but one of the speakers had a family emergency and didn’t show. One of the other speakers tried to fill in a bit, but it was obvious she wasn’t prepared for all the material she tried to present. I give her an “A” for effort, though.

I had a quiet evening last night. I walked from Penn Station to my hotel, the New York Hilton (about 20 blocks) and checked in. New York City is an amazing place. It’s just so dense with humanity. Walking though Times Square on my way to the hotel was like walking around Fenway Park before a Red Sox game - there were just people everywhere.

Then I grabbed some dinner at a place called Schlotzky’s Deli. It’s a chain that used to be in the Boston area (including a store in Framingham), but didn’t do well. I loved the sandwiches, though. So, when I saw one about two blocks up from the hotel, I couldn’t resist checking it out. After dinner, I stopped at what in Manhattan they call a supermarket, which is equivalent in size to about two rows at the Super Stop & Shop at home. I picked up some chips and a big bottled water and returned to the hotel. I wasn’t really in the mood to wander around Manhattan myself, so I watched some TV, checked my email and called my brother.

Like I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I really didn’t enjoy traveling alone. I missed my family, missed being in my own bed and I felt kind of lonely. I guess if the trip were for more of a fun reason it might have been better.

The conference ended about 45 minutes early, so I had some time to go have dinner at the ESPN Zone in Times Square. It’s a cool place, with the requisite TV screens all over the place (including in the bathrooms). The food isn’t bad either, although a bit pricey.

I hadn’t really intended to, but I picked up a few little gifts for the family. I got A. a mug from “The Apprentice” at the NBC store at Rockefeller Center. She really liked the show, so I couldn’t resist. It says “YOU’RE FIRED” in big red letters on the side, after Donald Trump’s famous line - there was no way to replicate the little hand movement he does, I guess. The kids each got these cute Hershey’s trucks from a Hershey’s themed store in Times Square. The trucks are filled with Hershey’s Kisses and I thought they looked cool.

The train ride back has been uneventful. We left Penn Station about 1/2 hour late, so it’ll be a bit of a later night than I was expecting. I should still be home by a bit after 11 PM, though. I finished watching “The Right Stuff”, and I’ll probably throw in one of the Marx Brothers movies after I finish writing this.

The rest of the week should be pretty quiet, but we’ve got a lot going on next week. I have my game in the Monster Seats next Wednesday. Then A. and I leave the kids with their grandparents as we head off to Cooperstown on Friday for the weekend for my belated birthday trip. Then I take J. to his first game at Fenway Park on Memorial Day, as the Sox make up one of the rainouts against Baltimore from earlier in the season.

We just left New Haven, so I guess we have another hour and a half or so to go. If the change I made to the Blogger settings worked, you should be able to leave comments here, so I invite you to do so. I’d love to see if it works!

UPDATE! Just caught the last two innings of Randy Johnson's perfect game on TBS. It was truly amazing. The Braves just couldn't touch him. Not that the Big Unit being untouchable is that unusual, but not usually to this extent. A great game from one of the great pitchers of our time.