Are you ready for the craziness? Leaving Vienna in less than 48 hours. All classes and paperwork are finished. New York is on, Chicago is on, Spokane is on, going back to DBS in New York is 95%. Going across the country and back again in less than a month. Holy hell in a hand basket.

I just got back from having drinks with my Negotiation and Mediation prof. That guy is awesome. He was in Iran when the shah was overthrown, he served in the Marine Corps., and has the best damn stories and views around.

I am more than ecstatic about seeing Jessica. She is the best. That's all there is to it.

Going back to Chicago will be even more fun, and Spokane will be... something to talk about to say the least.

I will be in Chicago from July 3rd to the 9th. Let me know if you want to meet up between the 5th and 9th. Ah, Time, my arch-rival, we meet again.

T-minus ten days. It's VIE to JFK (6 hours behind Vienna Time) on the 23rd, leave from LGA to ORD (One hour behind NYC Time) on the 24th, go from ORD to GEG (2 Hours behind Chicago Time) on the 25th. Then it's GEG to ORD on the 3rd of July, and then probably ORD to LGA around the 9th.

The Mountain weekend was good. I wish I would have learned something but it was a good time.

Going to the mountains this weekend. Raxkoenig.at. The good news, going to the mountains for some fresh Austrian air and old school Austrian food, bad news I am not going to learn anything this weekend, doesn't sound that bad but I was really looking forward to a real strategic management class. So geht es. Pictures to follow.

So I haven't been posting that often. Austria is like that. Everyone here is very whatever about most things.

Today is a holiday. I don't what holiday but I know it's a holiday because all the stores are closed. That's fantastic since I didn't have time to buy rations on Friday and the stores are always closed on the weekends. Gotta love that socialist work ethic.

In other news, who do I know in Cali, Kentucky, Hong Kong, and Ghana? I have gotten hits from all of those places. The Ghana hit might have been from Wes but I am clueless as to the other three places. I have gotten about 15 hits from HK in the last three days. Anyone have an answer to that?

The summer is coming up, for me at least. I know it started for most of you. I land in NYC on the 23rd. Looking forward to a wonderful evening with Jessica, then I fly to Chicago on the 24th. After that it gets hazy. I might go back to NYC if DBS hires me back. There is a chance I will be in Spokane, WA from the 26thish-July 2nd.So that's fun.

Discuss: The USA has lower environmental standards than the EU, however if a company in the EU pollutes and is acquired by another company the acquiring company has no responsibility to clean up the acquired companies mess, whereas in the US the acquiring company would take full responsibility for the clean up even if the company is in another country.

I went for a walk today.

What ever happened to this boy:

That picture was taken 4 years ago. Wow. Amazing what you can find poking around on the internet isn't it?

Back in Austria. Things are so much better this time around. There wasn't anything bad about the first part but it's so much easier when you know what to expect. Know what to hear, who you say "Morgen" to and who just gets a smile and nod. The flight back was uneventful. Why is there more leg room on a flight from Amsterdam to Vienna than on a flight from EWR to Amsterdam? Because they laugh at me. They laugh.

Jet lag sucks, hence the 5:49AM post. I've got stuff to do so I should get to that now. More to come later.

107.5 hours in 7 days. It wasn't that bad, except for the 20 hour days and the crazy businesspeople that turn red when they drink
 and ask you to move heaven and earth then act like it was nothing and walk away. It was a good experince, great money, and quality contacts, and best of all I got to spend three weeks with Jess.

Damn, I am tired.

Damn, I'm tired. It's 9AM on a Saturday and I am at the office. I've been putting in 12+ hour days most of the week. It's good work for great money, but damn, I'm tired.

Sorry for not updating sooner. Here's a quick run.

2 weeks ago and 2 days. I land at JFK spend still think I am abroad because 70% of the conversations I hear are not in English. Jess picked me up at the airport. I spend time with her and go to bed. 2 weeks an 1 day ago,  I spend the entire day napping and doing nothing. 13 days ago, Jess and I walk around NYC and she buys a Juniper plant/tree thing.

Sunday, book my ticket to go to Chicago. Go out for food with Jess have a lovely time. Monday start work. Friday, leave work get on a plan go to Chicago.Spend two action packed days at home. Went to Bryan's first communion, showed the family pictures from Ireland and Berlin, had dinner with grandma, flew back. Monday morning, went to work. That take us to here. I can't say much about work. I am not sure what the rule are for insider trading and what not.

One thing I can say, if you have the choice between doing the same job at a non-profit or at a for-profit, go with the for-profit. They spend Mad Money over here. Mad Money is a terrible show by the way. Cramer is a douche who thinks if you yell a bad stock tip it becomes better. You find these things out working long hours at a brokerage.

I've got to get back to work.

PS. Debating on whether to spend time at camp this summer or not. Thoughts, comment, question?

Hello kiddies, your uncle J. is back after a long sabbatical.

Still haven't found the words to properly describe my Austrian experience. Yesterday I saw a mother, I hope she was the boys mother, holding her son's penis as he peed into a storm drain on a busy street as cars drove past. Everyone acted as if nothing was happening. Such is life.

Jessica started working at DBS Vickers on Friday. DBS is having a convention May 17-19. Can anyone else see where this is going? She told them she knows a guy with several years of convention experience. On Monday, they sent me an email and I replied with my resume. They called me on Tuesday and I was hired. I start tomorrow and land at JFK tonight.

I'LL BE IN THE USA IN 16 HOURS. I am missing three classes and all my profs said it was ok.

I'll start filling in the gaps for my trip in New York when I have the internet at my place of residence.

I am in shock. In the span of 5 days I was hired for the highest paying job I have ever had and I get to see Jess for three weeks and my dad is flying me into Chicago for Bryan's First Communion and who knows what kind of contacts I will make at thsi convention.  

If you will be in New York or Chicago while I am there let me know. I have wine to pour and stories to tell.