The reason I came was to Chicago was Jeff's Wedding. I have had a really good time so far, but if Jeff was not getting married I would be in San Jose right now. This fact alone should make me rethink my priorities in the world. I have had a really good time visiting with Jeremy. My time with Jeremy alone would have made this trip worth it.
Right now I am saving most of my vacation time for a trip in 2002. The vacation time is also a bit of a fall back plan. If I get laid off from TiVo they have to pay me for my vacation time. Right now that vacation time is over two weeks. Maybe I should re-think the way I am trying to use my vacation time.
Tonight I went to Jeff and Jen's Rehearsal dinner. Before the Rehearsal dinner Jeff and Jen had cocktails at their new house. They are not moving into the house until after the honeymoon. The house is very nice. It is a four bedroom house about an hour outside of Chicago. They are living in the deep suburbs.
I gave them a TiVo as a wedding gift. The TiVo was on the dinning room table when I got there. I was happy to see they go it. They are not going to set it up until after the honeymoon. I told Jeff to call me if they have any problems.
Jeff introduced me to his friends as "Rich the TiVo-Guy." I spent most of the evening being called TiVo-Rich. I gave the sales pitch about five or six times. It was nice, but it is another example of how my identity is too closely tied to my job. All Jeff's friends are very pop culture savvy. I hope that I made a couple of sales.
At the rehearsal dinner I sat with his friends from college. I think that I fit in with them well. I might have talked a little too much. I seem to have the ability to dominate a conversation. Since I have an idea about everything, it is not a hard thing for me to do. I think I went the whole evening without sticking my foot in my mouth.
The whole table wrote a toast for Jeff and Jen. We wrote it on post-it notes. I was elected to read it. They told me they chose me for my voice. I kidding them for picking me, but I was happy to do it. I like being told I have a good voice. Everyone was touched by the toast. I did not screw up the reading.
Labels: Chicago, identity, Jeff Banowitz, self, travel, vacation
