Well, let's check the mail bag and see if there is anything I can clear up for all of you loyal Mark's World visitors...
Here's one entitled "Are you getting my emails?" Another is entitled: "You get fired already?" Next is "Whatever Happened to Mark Sweetwood?"
These and the very many others are all fair questions. I AM getting your emails. I HAVEN'T been fired, yet. And Mark Sweetwood IS alive and well and living in sunny Florida.
I probably owe you all a bit of an explanation. After a 1,400-mile, two-day trek I showed up for work on my first full day in Florida June 2 and new boss Tammy Raits introduced me to the Daytona staff of Hometown News and then gave me a quick tour of my new surroundings in the beautiful Melbourne area. When I arrived at my new temporary home, I crashed for a long sleep and then began a new routine:
Work. Sleep. Figure out where to live. Repeat.
Since piling up 1,400 miles to get here, in two weeks I have added an additional 1,100 miles simply by going to work and then driving around.
Where am I staying? Well, I'm not really an editor, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night...
Thank you. Thank you very much... Sadly, many of you waited two weeks for that joke...
So, I decided to back off Mark's World for a couple weeks because, like many of you, I have a job to go to each day. Blogs are for the unemployed and the dreamers! Actually, I just needed to focus on learning a new system, a new staff's name, directions to where I have to be every day and all sorts of important stuff that had to displace useless information from the past year like "'Cheaters' is on at noon."
Did you know they changed the AP Stylebook since I last looked at one in 1993? Seriously!
Now that I am getting a little more comfortable, I will continue to get caught up on my emails and I pledge to update this site more frequently. I was on quite a tear before I left Illinois and it is obvious that a few of you just got spoiled.
Seriously, I appreciate the interest and the love that flows from all of you and I am lucky to have so many friends, relatives and acquaintances who care enough to relentlessly accuse me of being a lazy shirker.
I am taking some pictures to augment the site so stay tuned!
Meanwhile, there has been one small change in protocol here at Mark's World. In the past, I allowed any and all anonymous rabble to post comments here. Well, a nameless person thought it would be cute to post something here that frankly was as confounding as it was amusing. I wasn't sure what it was. Hence, the origin of the word "confusing." And, with the increased traffic, we were getting ads from "spambots" posted among the replies.
So, to keep everything on the up-and-up, the Mark's World executive committee has voted and you now must register to post here. Sorry for the hassle. Don't worry, it's painless. If you don't trust the system, simply email me your Social Security (Wait, let me look that up ... Yes, it is still capitalized...) number and I will handle the registration for you.
More later!
Mark
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Friday, June 02, 2006
The Eagle Has Landed ... And Crashed
As composed, mostly, at 8:30 a.m. but not posted until 9:30 p.m.:
Boy, dial-up sucks.
It sucked at the La Quinta Inn and it sucked at my parents house, having arrived there at 7:30 p.m. last evening.
Yesterday represented nine hours of power driving putting me in the driver's seat for 22 of the previous 32 hours setting a new personal record that I never plan to best. I already told Mary that after I fly back to finalize the move and return with her and the cats that she is doing most of the driving... The parents greeted me in true Southern style: Champagne and chicken wings!
Ya might might be a redneck if yer chicken wing gets caught in yer champagne flute... In some circles, that was hailed as comedy. In others, it was a sign of the death of comedy. I'm nothing if not versatile.
The wings were outstanding! It was great to see the parents and they even helped get me ready. In tandem, they ironed my shirt...
Today I get to meet the Daytona staff of Hometown News and then head to meet the Melbourne staff. I am excited!
I listened to the Ken Blanchard (of "One Minute Manager" fame) audiobook "The Leadership Pill" as part of yesterday's nine-hour iPod entertainment extravaganza and was thoroughly impressed. He summed up the principles of effective leadership far better than I ever could. It's a must-have for every manager's bookshelf (or iPod). For me it was a great reaffirmation that my principles - as drilled into me by mentors and the school of hard knocks - are sound.
Thanks to all for your emails and blog posts and phone calls and instant messages, etc. We're setting some records as far as traffic over here on Mark's World and I am completely amazed. When I am less exhausted I will answer your emails and post a more complete update...
Now, I am the victim of a caffeine crash. That's what happens when your trip is fueled by Coke Black and more Coke ... and you stop...
More later,
Mark
Boy, dial-up sucks.
It sucked at the La Quinta Inn and it sucked at my parents house, having arrived there at 7:30 p.m. last evening.
Yesterday represented nine hours of power driving putting me in the driver's seat for 22 of the previous 32 hours setting a new personal record that I never plan to best. I already told Mary that after I fly back to finalize the move and return with her and the cats that she is doing most of the driving... The parents greeted me in true Southern style: Champagne and chicken wings!
Ya might might be a redneck if yer chicken wing gets caught in yer champagne flute... In some circles, that was hailed as comedy. In others, it was a sign of the death of comedy. I'm nothing if not versatile.
The wings were outstanding! It was great to see the parents and they even helped get me ready. In tandem, they ironed my shirt...
Today I get to meet the Daytona staff of Hometown News and then head to meet the Melbourne staff. I am excited!
I listened to the Ken Blanchard (of "One Minute Manager" fame) audiobook "The Leadership Pill" as part of yesterday's nine-hour iPod entertainment extravaganza and was thoroughly impressed. He summed up the principles of effective leadership far better than I ever could. It's a must-have for every manager's bookshelf (or iPod). For me it was a great reaffirmation that my principles - as drilled into me by mentors and the school of hard knocks - are sound.
Thanks to all for your emails and blog posts and phone calls and instant messages, etc. We're setting some records as far as traffic over here on Mark's World and I am completely amazed. When I am less exhausted I will answer your emails and post a more complete update...
Now, I am the victim of a caffeine crash. That's what happens when your trip is fueled by Coke Black and more Coke ... and you stop...
More later,
Mark
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Pardon Me Boy.....
CHATTANOOGA, TENN. – Some life lessons gleaned along the road during my 13-hour, five-state trek Wednesday:
• Yes, I meant "five-state trek." I notched a corner of Georgia in addition to the expected Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee.
• My suspicions were verified: Just about every state does roads better than Illinois. In my various attempts to leave Illinois, I kept hitting traffic jams due to construction work. Well, when you have already insufficient six-lane roads encircling a major city like Chicago and you close one or two lanes, traffic is going to be a nightmare. Why did I encounter eight-lane and even 10-lane and 12-lane roads around "lesser" municipalities like Louisville and Nashville? Seems like somebody somewhere has a better plan.
• Oh yeah: None of these roads was a toll road. Apparently, moving people around is an actual priority.
• Diamond lanes. One extra lane is a diamond lane which needs to be traversed by a vehicle with more than one person during peak hours.
• Cheapest gas so far: $2.5999 in Bowling Green, Kent.
• Most expensive gas: Whatever I paid when I tanked up the last time in Illinois.
• I spent 13 hours on the road but the net effect was 14 hours when you factor in Eastern Standard Time.
• I am moving slowly Thursday.
• The editors of Mark's World voted the 2002 Kia Sportage as "Car of the Year" due to its great performance.
• What Mark and the Kia dealer service team missed: The interior light is out.
• Trip highlight: Pulling in to the La Quinta after 13 hours.
• Scariest moment: Flying down the mountain about 35 miles north of Chattanooga in the dark in the rain with scores of yellow warning signs alerting drivers of the peril. All trucks had to be individually inspected before they were even allowed to head down.
• Scariest scent: The scent of burning brakes was thick in the air during the downhill slalom.
• Most breathtaking view: Probably from the top of the mountain had it not been dark and/or raining.
Today's trip agenda: Heading south on Route 75 toward Atlanta (reputation as the worst traffic hazard of the trip) and then I'll knife my way into Florida. Thanks for all the blog posts and the emails!
More later.
Mark
• Yes, I meant "five-state trek." I notched a corner of Georgia in addition to the expected Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee.
• My suspicions were verified: Just about every state does roads better than Illinois. In my various attempts to leave Illinois, I kept hitting traffic jams due to construction work. Well, when you have already insufficient six-lane roads encircling a major city like Chicago and you close one or two lanes, traffic is going to be a nightmare. Why did I encounter eight-lane and even 10-lane and 12-lane roads around "lesser" municipalities like Louisville and Nashville? Seems like somebody somewhere has a better plan.
• Oh yeah: None of these roads was a toll road. Apparently, moving people around is an actual priority.
• Diamond lanes. One extra lane is a diamond lane which needs to be traversed by a vehicle with more than one person during peak hours.
• Cheapest gas so far: $2.5999 in Bowling Green, Kent.
• Most expensive gas: Whatever I paid when I tanked up the last time in Illinois.
• I spent 13 hours on the road but the net effect was 14 hours when you factor in Eastern Standard Time.
• I am moving slowly Thursday.
• The editors of Mark's World voted the 2002 Kia Sportage as "Car of the Year" due to its great performance.
• What Mark and the Kia dealer service team missed: The interior light is out.
• Trip highlight: Pulling in to the La Quinta after 13 hours.
• Scariest moment: Flying down the mountain about 35 miles north of Chattanooga in the dark in the rain with scores of yellow warning signs alerting drivers of the peril. All trucks had to be individually inspected before they were even allowed to head down.
• Scariest scent: The scent of burning brakes was thick in the air during the downhill slalom.
• Most breathtaking view: Probably from the top of the mountain had it not been dark and/or raining.
Today's trip agenda: Heading south on Route 75 toward Atlanta (reputation as the worst traffic hazard of the trip) and then I'll knife my way into Florida. Thanks for all the blog posts and the emails!
More later.
Mark
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