You Only Know It's Camelot When It Ends

Every so often you hit a sweet spot in your work life. You enjoy your work, your work space is comfy, your colleagues are your work family and your boss rocks. It can be difficult to get all four at the same time, but when you do it's Camelot: The legendary time and place filled with potential and promise of the future. I have had the fortune to stumble upon a professional Camelot four times in my career, and each time I was happy.

The first consisted of the great boss and enjoyable work, my workspace sucked and I didn't have colleagues I considered family. The awesome boss left and I was thrown into chaos for a few months. Then the Dolce Vita happened. I came to share a great office space, with two colleagues that became my work family.  We knew we made each other happy, and understood that there was some special chemistry among us and the space where we worked, but we never saw the end coming. And that is how you know it was Camelot. It is the end that brings the awareness of the specialness of the period. In the years since we've met, we have seen each other through two births, two weddings and the fall of our Camelot.

It would be years before I would find another magical work environment. The change came quickly. My old boss left. Her replacement was her opposite in almost every way. Losing her was not the worst thing, but her replacement didn't inspire any of us on the team. Most jumped shipped, and then there was just the two of us, me and him. It was an exercise in conflict and resolution. We came out on the other side in my third Camelot. This time I had a great office, loved the work, my boss had my back and he became my work family. He was well into his 60s. When we talked movies or books he had an original perspective. There was the time we had him over for dinner and we were discussing the highly intellectual topic of R.R. Tolkien. He told me he remembered reading The Hobbit on the plane to Vietnam. We made a great team, but as all Camelots do, it came to a sudden end.

That brings me to my fourth and current Camelot. This has been the best one yet. My office space is enviable if not highly decorated. I love the work and I am respected for my efforts. My closest colleagues are my work family. We have dinner together most Friday nights and text each other incessantly about both the mundane and the crucial. The very best part of all though is the boss. He is a leader, a mentor, a champion and warrior. He is funny, smart, loyal and curious about everything. He is a family man, a religious man, a fair man and my friend. And for reasons beyond all of our control Camelot is coming to an end. It is a sad time for us but, I hold on to the promise that a new Camelot is coming. It is never the same, but it always amazing.

I watched the entire season of Orange Is the New Black over the Weekend

I know, I should not be holed up in my apartment binge watching American TV shows on beautiful weekends like this one in Italy. I should be at the beach or in the square with friends having a prosecco or taking a stroll up the hill arm in with my beloved. The truth is it is too hot outside to do most of that, and the beaches this time of year are beyond crowded. I am not seeking sympathy for any of this, but felt it necessary to explain why I watched the complete season of an amazing new series called Orange Is the New Black in two days.

Yes, I watched the entire season of Orange Is the New Black (OITNB) over the weekend. I love female prison shows. Women's prisons make for very good drama. I was hooked on a British show called Bad girls a few years ago, but OITNB is American and it is based on true story.

I first heard about Piper Kernan on The Moth storytelling podcast. I was intrigued. Then I heard she wrote a book about her year in prison after she got mixed up in her ex-girlfriend's money laundering business. Before I could start to think about reading her book I heard Netflix created a "web series" based on the book. This was the second series Netflix ran. The first was House of Cards, another hit.

I thought I heard the last of Netflix in 2011 when they changed their name and business model and then changed back and sent apology letters to all of their customers for the shoddy service. I was not convinced they could recover. After watching them flounder for months and my DVDs taking weeks at a time to get here, I gave up and bought Apple TV.  I did not look back until OITNB. There was so much buzz and critical acclaim for the show about a bisexual, WASP, New Yorker, serving time in a Federal penitentiary.

The critics and my friends on FB were right! This show is awesome. I watched all 13 episodes in two days. I even managed to go out for a walk yesterday. I was supposed to meet a friend today, but had to cancel as I needed to get through the last two episodes.

Piper's fiance's parents are right. Prison is changing her. Oh and Alex is very manipulative. I loved this showed. Cannot wait for season two.

My visit with a two star general

MG Sienko and me!

The Army has all sorts of traditions. Being coined is one of them that Americans have borrowed from the British. When an individual or a team has impressed a Commander they shake their hand and insert a coin in their palm. You are supposed to walk around with your most prized coin, and if you are at a bar and you whip out yours and it's from a higher ranking officer than the other guy, he's buying. I only have five coins so far. I am not pulling out coins in bars too often, but I do admire my growing collection from time to time. It is also an awesome memento of a great day.

We have had a steady stream of high profile visits in the past few months. The Secretary of Defense, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, the Under Secretary of the Army, three members of Congress and the Surgeon General. It's been an exciting time and I have had the opportunity to engage all of them on the work I do.

Despite the family tragedy at the beginning of the year, 2013 is turning out to be a stellar year rich in love, accomplishment and happiness.

Summer wedding Italian style

We are halfway through the summer already, and I only have one beach visit under my belt. It's been that kind of summer. Azzura and Nao's wedding is certainly the highlight thus far. Nao is one of Ryan's air soft buddies. The team and their wives/girlfriends are part of our surrogate family and the third pairing to get hitched in as many years.

Azzura and Nao are both from Soave and have known each other since grade school. They dated for seven years and got married last Saturday 20 July. The wedding was a very traditional Italian affair, which is quite different from an American wedding. For staters there was no wedding party. All of the guests waited outside the church for Azzura to arrive, and when she did arrive it was a very dramatic entrance. Her brother drove their father's cherry red Ferrari with it's feline purr of an engine up the narrow street where we all waited. Her fairytale princess dress billowed inside the car. She would later tell me how she and her brother struggled to get her and her dress stuffed completely into the Ferrari.

Finally the car came to a stop in front of the church and she emerged unruffled. Her father walked her from the car to Nao, who waited for her outside the church. Inside there was a standard mass replete with communion.

After the ceremony we headed deep into the hills for the reception at a well known local winery. Nao pointed out the different grape varietals and encouraged us to try the exquisite red wine made on the grounds. There was an endless array of appetizers. Soon the owner came by and asked in Italian how Nao came to have so many foreign friends. Ryan and I sat together with Arnell, his Soldier friend in uniform and the Japanese-German couple Azzura met at language school in Germany. Nao looked at all of us and said it's just the way it is.

Us in Soave

It's Tuna Tuesday

Every year I try to out do myself for Ryan's Birthday with a big surprise. Two years ago I had big flat screen TV and matching stand delivered to the apt. Ryan was exhausted from the night before and happened to be asleep when it came. When he woke up I blindfolded him and placed him in front of the TV for the big reveal. He loved it!

Last year I got all of his best friends together at his favorite pizza place for a surprise dinner. They are Italian so their arrival times kept getting later and later. Back at the ranch I tried to stall him. Eventually he said he was starving and began to make his way down to Vesuvio's. Halfway there I told him I had to come back to change my shoes, and that he had to come with me. Eventually we made it to the restaurant and he was surprised. I also bought him a meat grinder. He had been talking about one for months. Now we make homemade ground beef.

Surprising this guy on his birthday is a challenge. This year his birthday is this Thursday. Last week I tried to secure a reservation at his favorite seafood restaurant for Thursday. Ryan loves the fresh tuna at this place. The problem was Claudio, the chef/owner, could not be sure he would have tuna on Thursday. He could promise me tuna on Tuesday. I made the reservation for Tuesday feeling secure in my efforts to surprise Ryan. He would never suspect a surprise dinner the Tuesday before his big day. Then the unexpected happened:

Me: Hi honey. How was your day?
Him: Fine. I bought fresh tuna for dinner
Me: But my friend Yumi is making us dinner. She wants us to meet her family visiting from Korea
Him: Oh can we go another time. I got fresh tuna from the pesceria. It's tuna Tuesday!
Me: But she made all this food
Him: But it's tuna Tuesday....

We went into the kitchen to inspect the tuna. It did look quite fresh.

Him: See, it's tuna Tuesday
Me: I lied. I made reservations at Claudio's. It's tuna Tuesday...

He vacuum froze the tuna. We leave for Claudio's in a few minutes.

Vicenza Highland Games

The year is 2013 and I am sitting in the Great Town Hall meeting known to all throughout the Kingdom as the Info X. As is customary, I was sitting close to the front of the Great Hall as the leaders of our clans regaled us with tales of their accomplishments. After a time the first Highland Games were announced. I lept at the opportunity to be part of the momentous occasion unaware of the athleticism planned for the day.

Two days before the games the events were listed:

Run 5K 

Scale a 7ft wall

Crawl through a mud pit

A stone throw

Wade through an ice bath

Climb over a car 

Slide through muddy tubes

Navigate a tire maze

Terrified of the majority of the events, the ice bath elicited the most apprehension. As the day drew near I intensified my fitness regimen. On the day of the games we dressed ourselves in raiment according to our lineage. 

The 5k caused me to draw labored breath. The sight of the muddy tubes gave me slight pause; I pushed forward. At the stone throw, my mate located a small stone for me. I threw it. Hard. Missing my mark I received a penalty of five push ups. Undeterred I pressed onward. The other members of my clan dug deep to encourage me even as I questioned my motivation in the dastardly mission. At the base of the seven-foot wall my countrymen provided foot and shoulder to hoist me over the wall. Once on the other side I landed squarely upon my feet and ran, stretching my legs wide to reach the next obstacle. 

When we came upon the ice bath I was near delirium. I waded into the water until I was chest deep. The passage of the other clans created a churning current. My mate shouted over the waves, but I could not hear of what he spoke. The water was a cleansing of the mud and grit. I emerged renewed. Climbing over the length of car was all that stood between me and glory. Once over the car I set my sights upon the finish line, and ran there with the swiftness of a cheetah. 

After the Games

Makeup, hair and a new purse

It's been an eventful few weeks.. again. GEN Ray Odierno came to Vicenza this week and I briefed him on some of my work. This was a big deal for me and all of my colleagues. He took lots of notes and asked informed questions. It was very exciting.

As much fun as that was, I'd rather write about my new hair. I love my new hair, and I think it looks great. In addition to my new hair I have been wearing a lot more makeup. For along time I shied away from anything more than a natural look. More than once friends have chided me that I should wear brighter colors, but I always stayed with muted tones..until now!

I invested in a set of Realtechniques make up brushes, and a few other necessities. I typically used whatever brushes came with the products I bought. I didn't understand the difference a good brush can make. A few hours of youtube makeup tutorials and in person discussions with with a dear friend and I was in the fast lane. I love these brushes. My favorites in the bunch are the stippling on the far left and the buffing on the far right. I use the stippling for my blush and the buffing for my foundation. It took me awhile to get here and I still have a long way to go, but I am certainly on my way!

Realtechniques brushes

In addition to my recent investment in makeup, I try to experiment with different looks.  I don't think I'm quite there yet. Most my looks are still very similar. I need to work on using different colors. The problem is I buy more of the same because I like it. I have to push out of my comfort zone if I want to achieve different looks.

I bought this very unusual purse. I actually wear yellow and grey often enough to have a yellow and grey purse. Today I went overboard and was a little too matchy, but it should be a great addition to my Spring wardrobe.