Sunday, January 18, 2009

Frigid week in Chicago

I was able to cross off another 'State Visited' from my list. My flight to Chicago last Sunday was SLC --> Denver, Denver --> Rapid City, SD, the Rapid City --> Chicago. Down to the final three States left to go - North Dakota, West Virginia and Alaska.

I can drive by West Virginia pretty easily next time I'm out in DC... and Jill has always wanted to take an Alaskan cruise... but North Dakota.... brrrrr.


The week in Chicago was spent teaching the new updated AirMagnet class called AM-115. It has been long in coming and I think I put too much stuff into the five days. The folks at AirMagnet wanted it to cover ALL their products, so we added VoFi Analyzer to the mix as well as a section on designing and troubleshooting the new 802.11 n protocol. Based on the student feedback it was a bit too much like taking a drink from a fire hose.


I'll have to adjust and adapt before the next session.


Chicago was cold! - You know I like to wear my Scott eVest with all my pockets filled with 'my' stuff. I always wait until the weather gets cold enough in the autumn to start wearing it again. Let me tell you, a small lightweight vest is no match for a Chicago winter!


I had a chance to go to the Chicago Temple one night, I've been there before on visits to Chicago. Last time I was there with Jill we had a chance to go together. While waiting for a session Jill and I found a nice little deli nearby to have a sandwich. It was a very cold night, but I thought I really need to go to the Temple, but when I got their it was all closed up (because of the cold) - but I did have a consolation prize, in that I had a great pannini sandwich back at the deli and it reminded me of the time spent their with my lovely wife.
Another night was spent with the three students from Denmark - they wanted a STEAK! So they took me to a place called 'Gibson's' - and were astonished by the size of the meat available. This was one of those places where they bring the steaks wrapped in clear plastic right to the table. I ordered the smallest possible steak, and even had them 'butterfly' it so it wouldn't be so thick. But they had an opportunity to eat what they called 'a Sunday roast' back in Denmark.Then on Friday night about half the class wanted to try one of those 'Brazilian Steakhouse' places recomended by another local Chicago student. So we packed up in a couple of cars, and braved the weather to go to Texas de Brazil. I thought good of the Danish folks for wanting to have new and varied culinary experiences! I think they had protein overkill for those two days.On the way out to warm up the car for the other students - I heard on the radio the temperature was -17 and with the Chicago wind the wind-chill was down to -47! Now that was cold, cold, cold! The book for the week was from PD James - her latest Adam Daglish novel - and it looks like the last, called the Private Patient. A nice good mystery for the trip!

2 comments:

Karrissa Winward said...

-47, that is crazy!!! Was the Texas de Brazil good? We saw that restaurant down by the Town Square and heard it was good. We want to try it sometime.

Gram said...

Sounds like you had good food in Chicago but you can have that cold. I remember one time in Laramie when you were two that it was 50 below and that wasn't wind chill that morning. My fingers stuck to the aluminum storm door when I went to get the paper. Good food - good book, two things not too bad. Good to see you tonight and it is good your hair grows fast.