My San Fran Trip...

Well, it seems that I've missed the first unofficial day of Spring in Los Angeles. On Sunday temps rouse to almost 80 degrees. And while the freeway was packed with beach goers, I made a detour through traffic and drove smoothly to work. Trust me no one was headed in my directions.

I'm usually a 9-5er, and the last thing on my weekend's mind is work, except for getting that Monday anxiety. I cringe in my sleep while anticipating that Monday morning alarm clock. Though a few years ago, a spent a lot of time working in that weekend office chair.

It was nothing to work on a Saturday and Sunday. My current record is working 28 days in a row. I worked 3 weeks straight, followed by 4 days and finally I took off Friday to handle personal business, but I returned to work on Saturday.

Everyday at work was a minimum of 10 hours, topping off at 13 hours. My check was fat. So much so that after a promotion and merit raise, I still made more that year than last year. But my Psoriasis levels peaked from being so stressed. And I was on the verge of having an anxiety attack, as well as failing in school. And you know what, the work never stopped.

I've learned my lesson since then. I like my checks small, well not really, but if it's in lieu of my health and education, then I'll pass. But since I somewhat, kind of sort of, insinuated that I may be available to train in San Francisco, my bosses called my bluff.

I worked 8 hours on a beautiful 80 degrees Sunday to prepare for my jet setting meetings. I missed the Grammy's *hunching shoulders* and the return to the beach or hiking in Malibu (thanks Trish for sending me the pix of you all chilling under my fav waterfall, made a sista feel real good *rolling eyes*).

So I left the office at 11pm, and went home with only a few hours to pack and sleep. Of course I bought all new clothes for the trip, so packing was a easy. But the waking up at 5am part wasn't. Well, I woke up, but didn't get out of bed. After dragging my zombie like body through the cleansing and dressing process, I was ready to go. Unfortunately, I was now running late, and for a plane nonetheless.

I ended up circling the airport three times, all the while wondering if the "American" sign represented American Airline. Then I realized that none of the air companies had airline behind the name, because of course, it was an airport. Common sense right? So I finally parked, and with 20 minutes before flight got my ticket and through security, all the while hearing my name called over the speaker.

Needless to say, I was running through the airport like OJ, back in the day. I'm a procrastinator, so this happens every time I fly. So I made it, and they actually gave me a better seat. No one else was in the lobby or waiting to board the plane.

Finally I make it to San Fran, but my grandboss was no where to be found. We were supposed to be on the same flight, and I knew that ice queen would be steaming if I didn't make the flight. So as I didn't seat in our previously assigned seat, but the roomier seats in the front of the plane, I waited for the last passenger to deploy before I realized that she probably didn't make the flight.

So I got to baggage claim, and still she's no where to be found. Couldn't go to the hotel, because I didn't book my own room or even know where it was located, so I took a cab straight to our building.

Well, she eventually called me and said that the flight was full. Funny, don't remember seeing her in the lobby. And I knew for a fact that my seat was empty and that there were plenty of seats available. But I played along with a "aww wow, really, shoot, now that's just awful"...

So we got our day started and what not. We went on a tour of the property. There's a park attached to one of our buildings. There are beautiful sculptures all over the park. Half of the park is owned by us, and the other half owned by the city. The grass is greener on our side...

When we came back out to go to lunch, there were people all over the grass having lunch. I was so jealous. We could never do that at our building, as it's surrounded by cement, and any grassy patches are occupied by the bums. And they're really territorial.

At the end of the day we walk to our hotel, and pass a few more parks. In each park, there's sculptures and artwork. I wish I had taken pictures, but my hands were occupied with luggage. There's artwork around every corner, at least in that part of San Fran. It's so beautiful. Even when we get to our hotel, there's a huge sculpture in the middle of the lobby.

So we all agree to meet up around 7:30 for dinner. Around 7 I get dressed and go down to Coffee Bean and it’s closed. WTF, who knew that San Fran was the city that went to sleep with the chickens, as my grandpa would say...

I go to Ann Taylor, closed. Nine West, closed. Liz Claiborne, closed. Then I just stopped my pursuit for any shopping. I was told that this would be the city to shop, since the store's headquarters are located in San Fran. Well, I guess some one forgot to inform them that I was coming through. The ultimate shopper arrives and they decide to go on a siesta...

So I finally, Starbucks is still open. I get a drink and coffee cake to take back to the room. My boss finally calls and says that the other girls are already in their pajamas and that she would hang with me if I wanted to see the town. I turned her down, just as the other girls did, but without a lie. I have nothing in common with the ice queen and I didn't want to have an uncomfortable dinner. So she tells me I can order room service and what not and we hang up.

It's funny because she was simultaneously sending me an invitation to an ass chewing on my work email once she returned to the office... The call time on my iPhone and the email are a minute apart...

So I went down to the concierge and got a map to Fisherman's Warf. I stopped to photograph a few sculptures, until my camera started acting the fool.

Finally made my trolley wait area, but the thing was taking forever, and it was freezing cold. So I grabbed some Taco Bell and headed back to my room. No lonesome San Fran story of adventure to tell.

But I'll say that my trip was worth it. I had the best crab cakes and salmon I had ever had. I got to sleep in a bed by myself for once. No limbs wrapped completely around my body. No snoring in my ear... I didn't wake up in an armpit... I didn't trip over a size 12 tennis shoe just thrown randomly in the hallway on my way to the bathroom... And I got to sleep in the most comfortable bed in the world. I slept curled up across the foot under a light blanket, with the balcony doors open and the heater on blast. And I'm going out to buy me a few of those neck pillows...

And ofcourse, just like the boss, my 9am flight was full... The flight after that one was full too. And it wasn't full just because I was in that comfortable bed still sleep. I didn't wake up to turn off the alarm, and closed the balconey doors and heavy curtains, and climb back in that bed with the comfortable neck pillow....

So now we're planning a more casual San Fran trip. I'm sure I'll have much more fun on the next. Oh, and I'm super sick now. It had to be the weather change. And walking around in all that cold, then returning to blazing hot temps.

And sorry this is sooo long. It was supposed to be like 3 posts throuhgout the past week, but I've been so medicated and what not. But I'm getting better. Hope you all enjoyed.