NYC for Meetings and Visiting

"Hi, I'm flying into LaGuardia today," I said. "Your reservation is for JFK."

Ok, so I figure the plan has changed. I didn't make the reservation. I get up to NYC and call the gentleman picking me up. "Where are you?" "I'm outside on the curb at Passenger Pickup." "Where? I don't see you."

Three or four calls later he asks "Are you at LaGuardia?"

Not exactly. Quite funny. An omnipresent narrator would have gotten quite a kick out of it.

Charles drove me up to his Connecticut home. I met Ed for the first time. Later I met Michael, Ted and Wes who I'd spoken to many times but never seen in person.

We had a working session from 6 until midnight, at which point most of us were nodding off in place.

Saturday was an all day session. Six gents around a table, trying to make sense of it all. What's the plan? What're we building? Who will we sell it to? Etc.

Tiring stuff. On Sunday Ted and Michael drove me into the city, giving me a nice little tour along the way.

In the city I stayed with uncle Robert. He recently combined two apartments into one and it looks great. With all of the extra wall space he's also building an art collection of bigger pieces.

Sunday night we had dinner with the Justers. I knew Chip and Laurie when I worked at my uncle's law firm before college. They didn't have Cleo, a delightful and enthusiastic 12 year old, when I knew them. Laurie now teaches 3 year olds so I got a bunch of great tips! Chip is a cyclist and investment manager. We at at Quarrto Gatti and had a wonderful evening.

On Monday I met Dave at Grand Central Station (yes, at the clock) for coffee. While waiting for him my goal was to get into as many pictures as possible. All the tourists out in force with cameraphones. Great to see Dave, lots of good ideas.

Uncle Robert and I hit a little Persian restaurant near his house. My salmon kebab was great. From there we retired to the apartment to chat. I enjoy my chats with my uncle Robert. Great perspective. And great to have somebody to vent to.

Today I fly back to Atlanta to my cabin fevered family. With the ice in the neighborhood (and its hills) they've been in since Thursday. Yikes.