An early but fantastic night with T Dot's finest...

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond – IT’S THE WEEKEND!!!! Today was a great (but quiet) day in the Smoke. Work was good – I treated myself to a Costa Vanilla Latte (yeah, St. Peter will greet me with one of those in Heaven – it’s pretty much the greatest thing on earth) and a Ham & Brie Panini. I was STARVING this morning, which is crazy when you consider that I ate about a third of the Red Army’s month rations last night at the Chinese joint. All that being said, that Panini was guuuuuuuuuud.

After work, I went for a workout (my fourth in five days), where I was about to exercise for 35 minutes, nine of which were running! I did a five minute stint and a four minute stint. The good news is that I was actually able to do more than just a slight shuffle. The bad news is that it did start hurting again during both sessions. However, I’ve now found the breaking point – the 8.6 km speed on the treadmill. 8.6 is the point where I go from a shuffle to a jog, and that’s when the pain instantly starts. But hey, still making progress! In fact, today we had the walk to and from the Tube stop (a mile each way), the time in the gym, and a walk to and from Covent Garden (about a mile and a quarter). This is exactly why you carry your trainers (aka tennis shoes) everywhere you go over here in your backpack. Case in point - JT and I changing our shoes out last night for the walk home.

After the workout, I went home, met JT, changed my clothes, and headed to Covent Garden to meet Megs. We passed on going to the Porterhouse (RAMMED) and The Maple Leaf (I just couldn’t let her go in out of principle – Muise – you’re with me on this, right?) in favor of a pint at the Coal Hole (Timmy T for me, of course). We then wandered over to a Thai joint called Manoram, where they were about as friendly as Pol Pot but did serve some delicious green curry. Megan – we forgot to get a picture – we must make amends tomorrow.

Now we’re back at the flat, where it’s bed time for this crew. After the week we’ve had, we are absolutely EXHAUSTED. Tomorrow we’ll get up about 9, at which point we’ll head out for the day’s adventures. However, you’ll have to check back in 24 hours from now to see what the adventure of the day is.

Last note – I finished reading “The Exorcist” today. HOLY MOLY that book is scary. I honestly think the first 250 pages are better than the last 150, but it’s still worth taking the plunge, as it’s a fantastic book. That being said, if you are easily offended – STEER CLEAR. Not sure what the next book will be. I’ve made the executive decision to NOT start book 3 of the Twilight Series until after we return from vacation in September.

Okay, that’s all the news that’s fit to print. Chat tomorrow!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

Another integration session in the books...

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond. Wow – what a GREAT final day for the Integration Sessions! Again, I’ll spare you the details of work, but suffice it to say it was a GREAT day and an even better week – We really knocked some stuff out. After 4 days of very hard work, I am all smiles…

So key point: Congrats to Dinger’s idol, Ray Tavares, as tomorrow he’ll hit 15 years (and 14 Transitions, for the record) with Bank of America. So today, as a tribute, we recognized him during our Leadership Report Out. First off, Mike Ferone said a few congratulatory words, including referencing big ticket news events from the year Ray started work at B of A (they were CLASSIC). Also, I wrote a poem to commemorate the occasion. Now some of you have asked if I’ll post it on the blog. The answer, unfortunately, is no. That being said, I am happy to give you a rendition the next time I see you (since I will be in Charlotte at SOME point).

After the sessions, we hit our usual (aka the Cat and Canary) before rolling to Leicester Square for a pint of Timmy Taylor (still the reigning champ as my fave beer in the UK). After that, we rolled to our favorite Chinese restaurant (Fung Sheng), where Andrew Riegel held court and was truly in the zone.

As a bit of back story, Andrew (also known as the Brewmaster - he's the one on the right) is better traveled than ANYONE ON THE FACE OF THE PLANET SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME. Marco Polo WISHES he had this cat’s resume. He’s lived 5 years in Germany, 3 in Amsterdam, 3 in Shanghai, went to college in Ireland, and is now working on our project, where he’s got regular stops in London, Singapore, Toronto, Madrid, Hong Kong, and Tokyo.

Tonight he went from Brewmaster to Shogun, ordering in Chinese and serving up the FINEST CHINESE EXPERIENCE WE’VE EVER HAD. Dude – both the crispy and aromatic duck were off the chain, as were the other 789 dishes he ordered.


Incidentally, the other cat in the photo is Matt "The King Donkapotamus" Miller, a great guy and good buddy of mine. Matt adopted two Guatemalan girls about 2 years ago - how cool is that? But Matt - Penn State sucks. That being said, I hope they absolutely SMASH GREG PAULUS IN THE FACE 800 TIMES THIS SEASON.

We then tried to say goodbye to folks, but I caved to the peer pressure and ended up at the Empire Casino. The good news? I made 31 pounds (about 53 USD) playing electronic roulette! The big winners were a) Andrew Riegel (yep, he was the MAN tonight), who played 4 hands of Blackjack, doubling his bet every time. He walked away 6 minutes later and 500 USD richer. The other was b) the Cyborg, who let all his money ride for his last two hands of Blackjack and made 500 USD as well (it was AWESOME to watch).

And in case anyone is curious, Muffin Puffin rolled home at 2 AM last night. Apparently, she was the LIFE OF THE PARTY back at the hotel bar, and now she is fully 100% of the Transition family. Tonight I didn’t let her out of my sight, but hopefully she had just as much fun as last time. (P.S. for Team Maple Leaf – she LOVES you guys. Megs – we are ALL ABOUT skiing during Go Live.)

Okay, that’s about all the news that’s fit to print. I am exhausted, but there’s nothing like a good Integration Session to get you back on the right track. American peeps – safe travels back to the colonies. See you in a month!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

12 hours of meetings and a wife AWOL...

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond. Today was a super busy day, but man did we accomplish a lot. Again, I am really proud of what we’ve rolled through this week – 1 more day to go. SPARTANS!!!!! Prepare for glory…

So we didn’t get out of the office until 8:30 today. Why you ask? Well, maybe because, according to some, I am a tyrannical ogre who works people like Grand Canyon donkeys. For proof, please check out the agenda we created for the week (thanks to Margaret for killing the sequoia necessary to print that thing off). Yes, basically it's "Sammy and the Amazin' Technicolor Spreadsheet (but thanks to the X-Factor, Cody Schwob-Nelson, for pulling it all together).

That agenda is now on version 22 (a version for every shot in a Jack Daniels bottle plus 1 – fitting, eh?), and I am SO GLAD that we won’t be making any more updates after tomorrow. However, probably not as excited as Cody, who probably now owns stock in the local ABC store. And yes, to confirm - that schedule represents only 3.5 days of work. THAT'S HOW WE ROLL ON INTERNATIONAL, BABY!!!

After work, we walked over to the Cat and Canary (see – more proof of the “any two words” theory) for a pint. Jenny actually beat me there by about ninety minutes, where she was able to sample and confirm that Honeydew is fresh again! It was good to chat with some of the guys I hadn't caught up with all week, like the Bristol Pistol Duncan Hollyman (who I'll be locked in a darts death match with tomorrow). We then sauntered over to GBK (well, most of us, but I'll get to that in the next paragraph), where I tried the Bleu Cheese burger (medium rare), which was OFF THE CHAIN. That place is SO GOOD. Check out the gang in action (and Dinger, since he's your hero, notice Ray "Old School Cool" to the right).

Noticeably absent in this photo, however, is my wife. Why, you ask? Was she hard at work? Nope. Was she busy making us money in the stock market? Nope. Instead, she really wanted Thai (she said this when she went to bed last night, for the record) and convinced some of the other members of the project team to go there for dinner. The result is that my wife is probably consuming Green Thai curry as I type this, basking in the joys of mint leaves and bamboo shoots. I love you, pumpkin! Come home to husband bear!

On the (not so) athletic front, I did 25 minutes on the treadmill today, but it was a humbling experience. I ran for 2 consecutive minutes, but at the ninety second mark, I accelerated to reach a “full stride.” The result was a pain after one step that’s still with me 15 hours later. Needless to say, I’ll be visiting a GP (general practitioner) when I return from vacation.

Okay, that’s all the news that’s fit to print. Chat tomorrow!

Love,

Sam and (somewhere out there) Jenny

OriEEEEEEENT!!!!!! Orieeeeeeeeeent!!!!!!!!!!!

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond. Today was a GREAT day all around. First off, we had an uber-productive day in the office – it absolutely FLEW by, and I felt like we turned the dial again. Couple that with some sushi (thanks, Donkapotamus – but you are still a CNN Doctor who plays golf in Fiji), a freshly cleaned water bottle (long story, but my Nalgene was basically gray from lack of santitation…mmmm…tasty), and a latte, and you’ve got a recipe for success.

Also, continuing on the road to recovery, I ran for 75 seconds today! I then tried another 30, but I started to feel some light pressure in the foot, so I wound it back down. Today was 2.5 km (down from 3 km yesterday), but I am still feeling good about things. The best part was that I was up at 6 to knock it out. Tomorrow I’m getting up at 6 again. That means Price is only being my start time by about 2 hours (but who really wants to bike 187 miles every morning, anyway?).

Third – AFD!!!! Legit this time…whistles and bells, please. And a gin & tonic to celebrate.

Fourth-and most important – we caught a footy match! So Lord G (aka Mark Goodyer) was able to “negotiate” 20 quid seats in the home stands for Leyton Orient vs. Charlton. So a few points on this:

1. In England, there are more soccer leagues than there are sheep in New Zealand.

2. The top league is called the Premiership, which consists of 20 teams (like Arsenal, Chelsea, Man United, etc.). The top 4 teams from this league play in the Champions League, which encapsulates the best teams of the top divisions in each country.

3. The team we saw tonight was in the First Division, which is 2 levels down from the Premiership (the level between them is called the Championship – NOT to be confused with the Champions League).

4. I still honestly DO NOT GET the offsides rule.

5. When in doubt on the soccer field (over here called the pitch), just throw yourself to the ground, act like you’ve been stabbed, and then scream at the ref whenever he doesn’t give you the call. That happens about 6,000 times a match.

6. At footy matches – if you are ever in doubt as to what to say, just repeat the “f-bomb” over and over. This includes children under the age of ten. Hey, start ‘em young, I guess…

Twenty of us from work went, and talk about a hoot. It was SO MUCH fun! The crowd was really into it, chanting constantly. An interesting side note is that the AWAY fans are always much rowdier, as they are the die hards willing to travel into enemy territory. This is the part where Americans say, “Come on, it’s not inner city Baltimore!” And this is the part where I say, “Wow – I’ve never seen a sporting event where there are more police than spectators (all in riot gear) and where they are checking the equipment (including the gurney lifter) in all EIGHT ambulances parked outside. Sean’s advice to me, “You can’t stop them – just cover your internal organs.”

We ate like kings, throwing down a meat pie (I got meat and potato – JT had steak and kidney – she won), a massive hot dog (the bread was like a baguette), and a bag of Malteasers (their version of Whoppers). It is worth noting that, right now, my stomach feels like I ate an expandable brick – I won’t need food for about another 6 years (that’s right, T-Rowe – CHUUUUUBBBBBBBY BUUUUUNNNNYYYY).

And even though the home team lost, there were some great shots, all the while chanting with the crowd (the cheer was really complicated – you basically just yelled “Orient” over and over in different octaves. That being said, it is pretty cool – and easy to remember).

Best off all, at the end of the night, we actually got onto the pitch for a photo!
The train back was crazy – we waited for about 20 minutes just to get into the Tube station. That being said, it was actually quite orderly and much less in the way of hooligan shenanigans than I expected.

Dad, Pattie – How 'bout those scrimmage updates?

Dinger – you KNOW the update we want from you. Let’s go, Kyle – we want details…

Okay, that’s all the news that’s fit to print. Chat with you tomorrow!

Love,

Sam and Jenny (aka Beckham and Posh)

The invasion of the colonists - and a (semi) AFD with GREAT Italian...

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond. This morning started rough. So as you might have been able to ascertain from the photos of last night’s blog, pub crawling with the Hitman, Mark Johnson, and Sister Mirza took it’s toll on the Taylors. In fact, after Chinese, we rolled home, and I was asleep at 10:30. The odd part was that I was WIDE AWAKE AT 1 AM, never to fall back asleep.

So I popped up at 6 and went to the office, where…wait for it…wait for it…I FINALLY did some cardio! I walked 3 km, including a full minute of uninterrupted running. It was nothing fancy, but I certainly breathed a sigh of relief. I’m hitting it again tomorrow, to see if I can run for 1:05. Hey – baby steps, but this way I at least find out, right?

Today was another GREAT day in London, as we formally kicked off some big sessions in the office. We got a lot done, and we even got out of there at a reasonable hour to go and enjoy some fine Italian (okay – THE BEST ITALIAN OUTSIDE OF ITALY). Mom – when you and Steve come, this is restaurant #1 on our list to take you (and promptly make you pay, of course…).

The apps were great – mozzarella, mushrooms doused in butter and garlic, and bruschetta. Add in some vino (yes, yes, it was ALMOST an AFD – a little glass of wine does NOT count – I just drink that for the anti-oxidants…) and mushroom Ravioli, and you’ve got a recipe for a fabulous meal.
Photos of the gang are attached. And while I don’t want to talk work, I will say that, if you have to work crazy hours on a stressful project, these are the folks you want to be in a foxhole with – some great folks (and friends) in these pics.
And parents – just to show you that Jenny and I do clean up well and are presentable from time to time, here’s a photo of Mr. and Mrs. Assignee 47:

Dad or Pattie – someone shoot me a note and tell me how the scrimmage went.

Okay, that’s all the news that’s fit to print. Chat tomorrow, after Jenny and I have a truly unique and “grass roots” experience – a First Division (3rd from the top) soccer match. Can’t wait – GOOOOOOO Leyton Orient!!!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

The return of the colonists to the Mother Country - amidst several busted Tube lines...

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond. Today was another GREAT day in London, featuring some of the cast of characters I work with.

First off, we had a good “lie-in” as the Brits would say, sleeping until about 11 or so. We popped up for some brekkie of Museli and coffee before venturing to a pub I’ve been DYING to visit since arrived: The Hog in the Pound. It was great – Sean, Mark, Liz, JT, and I drinking and enjoying a glorious British summer day.

I had 3 Kronie’s and a “ploughman’s lunch,” which is code for cheese, apples, salad, and chutney (but we are talking an absolute SLAB of Brie and Cheddar, so no worries about my manhood).

After that, we wandered down to the Bear and Staff (Cy – not quite the Goddess and Puma, but a fun joint nonetheless – and Matt, I am sorry to report there was no feet ale this go around), where we had some Timmy Taylor and a new brewski – Mt. Snowdon Pale Ale (Brother Morgan – Yakeda). And while there were no great stories (because, after all, we are HR), at least we confirmed who has that Boom-boom-pow (sorry Liz, I had no choice).

We then wandered into Chinatown, where we met brother Narveson and then hit an old favorite – the Golden Dragon restaurant, where we took care of some crispy aromatic duck and several other plates. It’s worth noting that I requested permission to walk away after too many brewskis (the world was spinning more than a little). Yes, yes, I know, I know… however, I am happy to confirm that I was a class act all the way until the bill came -see?
After bidding farewell to that crowd, we rolled home, where I am now composing the last blog before what promises to be a LONG week in the Smoke. Lots of Americans, lots of meetings, lots to accomplish. But hey – bring it on!
Okay, sorry so short tonight, but there is some ironing and sleeping to get in before tomorrow.

Chat tomorrow!

Love,

Sam and Jenny

The Hop on-Hop Off Tour of Richmond - courtesy of the Lovely Lynda Grimshaw...

Family,

And a good evening to you from across the Pond after another FABULOUS day in the Smoke.

First off - CONGRATS TO TAIT "T-BONE" ROBINSON ON THE NEW JOB. For those of you who haven't heard, T-Bone is now the Senior Manager of Program Management and Financial Engineering for a Denver software start-up. That's right...he's the man with the plan. Way to go, brother!

We popped up (well, relatively speaking) around 8:15 this morning and were out the door by 9, catching the Bakerloo line down to Embankment. There we boarded a West bound ferry for Richmond and a fun filled day at the last remaining spot we had on our list of day trips: Kew Gardens.

The cruise on the river was amazing. Dad – you’ll remember how much fun the trip to Greenwich via boat was. This was just as fabulous. We saw the old haunts of Margaret Thatcher, Mick Jagger, and others, were treated to a great history lesson on the Thames tidal variations, Battersea Park, the hidden/”lost” seven rivers of London (including the one that feeds the Serpentine in Kensington Gardens), and some of the history of Chelsea. Also, we even got to pass through a lock on the Thames! Dad – I couldn’t help but think of Sau-St. Marie (and the gal who kept pronouncing Lake Huron funny).

The cruise was great for so many reasons. First, it was a perfect day, and Jenny and I got to relax whilst drinking our coffees and eating our Ham and Brie sandwich from Café Nero (SO GOOD PEPPY CHEEKIES!!!) and seeing some amazing sites. I'm sure everyone recognizes Parliament, but the second photo is of Battersea Power Plant, mine and Jenny's favorite building in London. Second, as a sucker for history, I now know where to find the remains of Captain William Blithe. Third, it was honestly a good chance to relax and let the pressure of work (which feels as though it’s mounted slightly as of late) slide away.
But the biggest reason...I WAS ON A BOAT!!!! Check me out, lookin' like I'm Leo. If you on da shore, than you ain't me-O!!!!

However:

Ray - I wasn't wearing my flippy floppies.

Sean - I wasn't wearing a nautical-themed pashmina afghan.

Megs - There was no dolphin.

The good news (for Kimmy) - this wasn't SeaWorld - this is a REAL AS IT GETS.

P.S. - If you are not understanding a word I'm saying right now, there are probably a few good reasons:

1. You haven't been on a conference call with me in the last 5 months.

2. You aren't trying to implement a payroll in Canada.

3. You didn't ride home with Kim Tacy in May.

4. You have better things to do with your time than listen to a RIDICULOUS SONG on YouTube.

Fun historical note: the route we sailed covered the 4.5 mile length of the Thames that hosts the annual Oxford-Cambridge boat races. This year was the 155th running (Oxford apparently won handily – sorry Carter!).

We landed in Richmond and met friend and co-worker Lynda Grimshaw (who has some wicked cool Oakley prescription sunnies, for the record) for what can best be described as the “Lynda Hop on-Hop off tour of Richmond and Kew.” So much fun!

We started with a drive through Richmond, taking in a view from Richmond hill of the river and the preserved land. Whilst we were taking in the scenery, Jerry Hall (that’s right – Sir Mic’s gal) walked in front of Lynda and hopped a cab. How cool!

After that, we drove through Richmond Park, an ENORMOUS park with great views of the city, wonderful countryside, and wait for it…wait for it…three enormous herds of deer! Yep, it used to be a king’s hunting grounds, and the deer are still around.

This park is simply beautiful – tons of places to walk, run, and bike, as well as spread your blanket and have a bottle of wine. If we ever move back to London (don’t panic mom), this would definitely be a spot we look at.

After that, we popped over to Lynda’s flat and met Barry (her fella). Then we walked over to Kew Gardens, celebrating its 250th year. But not, however, before getting an ENORMOUS meat pie and pasty. Seriously – JT’s meat pie was a solid slab of pork, and my pasty was basically a 12 ounce hamburger wrapped in buttered bread. Remind me – why am I fat again?

Kew Gardens was, simply put, fantastic. Lynda got us in FREE (so glad she had that annual pass!), and we walked around some simply breathtaking gardens. We saw the old pagoda (build in 1761, at the time it was the most authentic Chinese building in Europe – Jon Brisson – that fact is for you, much like Dublin’s Phoenix park being the largest walled park in Europe – you’re welcome for that), the Palm conservatory, some really cute fish (mom – they had a BLUE lobster – just like the one in the Seattle Aquarium), an awesome exhibition on water lillies (I know, I know…VERY manly), and a great arbor section.

Also, we saw the palace where King George III was imprisoned during his bouts with “madness.” Yep – the movie was set in that building (but not actually filmed there – it was just reopened to the public 3 years ago.

The highlight, however, was this spectacular tree walk through hazel trees (and plenty of others that I can’t remember).

What I will say is that, being near Heathrow, planes fly overhead EVERY FIVE MINUTES. It is shocking how busy that place really is. That being said, the place is a very nice sanctuary.

It should be noted that Jenny was blown away by the vegetable garden display - seeing all the peppers, onions, lettuce, and tomatoes fascinated her. Yes, my Tennessee family, despite this, I'm happy to report that she's still "a good 'ole gal."

We left the gardens around 6 and took the district and bakerloo lines back. Now, we’re finally back at home, looking forward to a veggie dinner and an AFD.

As I prepare to post, my perfect pumpkin is sitting across from me right now blazing through book 3 of “Twilight”, and I’m about a quarter of the way through “The Exorcist,” which is so far WAY better than the movie (but isn’t that always the case?).

Okay – a slightly better performance tonight with the blog. That’s all the news that’s fit to print. Americans – safe travels over to the mother country – we’ll see you tomorrow. Chat then!

Love,

Sam and Jenny