The BEST Business Trip Ever!!!!

Every year AT&T has a kick-off for the new year to come for all of the sales and sales support people in California. In the past it has always been in San Francisco or L.A. This year it was in San Diego!!!!!! Since the company paid for the flight- I went down a few days early. So I will talk about the Kick-Off more in a moment, but first I want to share about the couple of days that I spent there before that. 

When I got into San Diego- the first thing I did was take the train up to San Juan Capistrano. What a fabulous experience!!!! I got on the train, put my Ipod on--- and enjoyed the ride along the ocean!!! It was like watching a movie with the perfect scenery and music! It was a gorgeous day- 75 degrees. I can't begin to tell you how fun it was to just travel along the ocean- looking out at the surfers and life at the beach! Life long friends, Joanie and Susie and Joanie's daughter,  Kristen,  met me at the train station in San Juan Capistrano. We had lunch out on the patio at Sarducci's!  After great girl talk time we went on up to Laguna Beach to Joanie's. I had a wonderful visit with Joanie, Allen, Kristen and their 6, yes SIX, cats and one dog!!!! They have a beautiful home overlooking the ocean. I never tire of being there. Joanie is like family and we had a lot of catching up to do. Sunday morning I got back on the train back to San Diego. 

Once in San Diego, Barbara and Harland picked me up. We went over to Coronado for lunch (a favorite place called Tartine's) and a leisurely stroll along the beach. After 3 weeks of rain and cold in Sacramento I was so happy to have sun and the ocean!!! It was so great to see Barb and Har too!!!  After a great day in Coronado we went back up to their place in San Marcos.  A wonderful dinner of barbecued salmon topped off a perfect day. Monday morning we took off for the San Diego Wild Animal Park!!! I haven't been there in years..... And it was a day that hardly anyone else went to the park. We felt like we had it all to ourselves. Another day of beautiful weather and great friends!!! How lucky I felt! I had a blast seeing all the animals at the park. I came face to face (with a piece of glass between us) with the King of the Jungle. UNBELIEVABLE!!! I have been to the zoo a million times but have never been that close to a lion to see his eyelashes and whiskers!!!! And humongous paws and nose! I know I sound like a little kid but it was pretty profound for me. We had another great dinner that night. Now I am getting really spoiled here!!!! Tuesday morning was time to head to San Diego for the Kick-Off, but before I did- Barb and I had breakfast at Seaport Village, out on the patio looking out at the bay and across to Coronado. I am so thankful for the time I was able to spend with such great friends. 

                      Lunch at Tartine's in Coronado.

                   Barb and Har at South Beach in Coronado.

                                    Check this guy out!!!!

                                    He weighs 460 lbs.!!

SO with my soul filled up with sunshine and ocean and friends, I headed over to the San Diego Convention Center for 2 days of propaganda Rah-Rah for AT&T!!! Imagine a room filled with about 3,000  people. I was up close to the front. In addition to great music and lighting they got everyone pumped by bringing out a guy named David Garibaldi. He was amazing- he is an artist. But not a normal type of artist. He jumps all over the stage to music and paints this canvas of about 4ft X 5 ft. He painted a picture of Robin McGilvrey- our VP of BCS (Business Communications Services). Only for the first half of his performance we couldn't tell what it was. Then it finally became apparent. He was so awesome. Later in the show he came back out and did another picture. The 2nd picture he did was Mick Jagger! If you want to take a few extra minutes you can check him out online. He is a Sacramento guy, by the way.  

After all day meetings they had a dinner then a concert for us that night. What a blast that was. The band was a bunch of old rockers from different bands-They call themselves WCR which stands for World Classic Rockers. They are guys from Steppenwolf, Toto, Journey, Santana, and Lynrd Skynrd.  After playing for 2 hours they closed with "Born To Be Wild"! I ended up on the stage with some of my friends and we got to meet them!  Up close you could tell how old they were (older than ME!) but it was so fun to hear the music I listened to when I was much much younger!!! 

                    Fergie Frediksen, Formerly with Toto

                     My friend Collene  and I with Randall Hall, 

                                formerly with Lynrd Skynrd

On the next day- we had more meetings. Then they closed with the motivational speaker. Guess who it was???? Chris Gardner - The REAL guy from The Pursuit of Happyness! He was such a great speaker. His message of staying focused to overcome obstacles was so inspirational. His goal in life was to break the cycle of fathers abandoning their families. He was homeless with a baby. In the movie his son is 5 but in real life his son was 14 months old. I can't imagine being homeless with a baby.  I waited in line for over an hour to have him sign his book. When I told him I already had his book but bought another one so I could meet him he gave me huge hug!

 

So that was the ending to my fun filled 5 days of business and pleasure. I was so happy to be in Southern California with the sun and my friends and the ocean. I wish I had been able to stay longer to see more people while I was there. But at least I can say I made the most of the short time I had while I was there! Hmmmm..... sounds like a metaphor to me!