Never too young to drink coffee at a car dealership

I went to Chapman Volkswagen to get a maintenance service done on Poo2 (the name I've given my Volkswagen Jetta GLI) and it was one of the major service routines, so I was at the dealership for several hours waiting for the work to be done.

Tune up, new platinum plugs, oil change, fluid change in the fancy transmission the car has, brake adjustment, tire rotation, air and cabin filter replacement, and plenty more stuff on the list that I won't bore you with.

While I waited, I sat in the waiting area for the service department and watched TV, read magazines, and scanned through Twitter on my iPhone. I was also entertained by several kids coming into the waiting area and making themselves coffee.

I guess in today's Starbucks culture it's not too early to start an addiction to five dollar cups o' joe.

Kids making coffee at a car dealership.

When I was their age all I wanted was a glass of milk and a cookie.

Leadership Challenge at Camp Joy in Ohio

E.W. Scripps, the corporation that employs me, sent me on a required trip to the Leadership Challenge located at Camp Joy, which is approximately a 45 minute drive outside of Cincinnati, Ohio. Every manager in the company is eventually required to go. I didn't have to pay for it and it's amazing how much more willing I am to go somewhere if it's not on my dime.

The company goes to great expense to create leaders. It's a pretty extraordinary thing. I learned a lot from the experience and was so exhausted most of the time that it was a struggle to stay awake but it was worth it.

My flight from Tucson to Chicago to connect to a flight to Cincinnati was delayed by an hour which caused me to miss the connecting flight. That was the start of the lack of sleep at the beginning of my journey that carried over for days since I was sleeping in a bunk bed located in a cabin at the camp. The flight back that connected through Denver was uneventful and I actually slept on the plane.

I stayed at the Cincinnatian Hotel the first night but arrived so late (after midnight) and got back up at 4:30 a.m. I didn't even have a chance to enjoy the fancy hotel room except for a few hours.

The Leadership Challenge involved extensive classroom time and physical activities. The weather was cool and damp (especially compared to Tucson's warm dry weather) and I was concerned before I went that I'd freeze so I went to Dick's Sporting Goods before I left and purchased about $300 worth of outdoor gear to wear. I will say that I probably went a little overboard but the waterproof hiking boots that were part of my purchase turned out to be an outstanding choice.

Overall, it was a worthwhile trip and I learned a lot. I'm glad I went.

Flight to Chicago delayed leaving Tucson.

This was the start of days of overwhelming exhaustion

While I waited for my delayed flight to leave Tucson

I watched this hard working woman clean the terminal

TSA employees having a meeting in the terminal

discussing how they handled a difficult passenger

at the security checkpoint the day before

Getting ready to board the plane leaving Tucson

and I thought I'd take a picture of this guy on the right

because I thought he had on a funny hat

Goodbye Tucson!

I had a window seat on the flight to Chicago

Another picture of Tucson from the plane

I looked for people waving at the plane

but didn't notice any flapping arms

This guy sitting in the seat next to me on the flight to Chicago

was eating fruit and nuts and reading New Yorker magazine.

With a diet like that, I'll bet he has award winning poop.

O'Hare airport in Chicago

Interior view of O'Hare Airport

Busiest restaurant in the O'Hare terminal: McDonald's

I had a Big Mac meal while waiting for my flight to Cincinnati

Interior of terminal at the Cincinnati airport.

Not a lot of people there at midnight

My room at the Cincinnatian Hotel

Hotel room bathroom

Toilet with a handy phone and a huge shower

Shower and tub

Main room of the hotel room leading to the bathroom

View of the hotel room from the other side of the room.

The bed was very comfy.

Campfire with wine, beer, and s'mores at Camp Joy

The cabin I slept in while at Camp Joy

All of us participated in this obstacle course called "Gemini"

where the obstacles were all 20-30 feet in the air

Waiting to take a turn on a Gemini obstacle

Can't be afraid of heights to participate in this

Unhooking someone from the Gemini zip line

On the last day, everyone had an opportunity to climb that pole

in the middle with that little two foot square platform on the top

and jump off with a harness on

Everyone had an opportunity to try and jump and grab for the bar

It wasn't an easy challenge

One person out of all of us was successful in the bar grab

Heading back to Tucson...

looking out the terminal window at the Cincinnati airport

I bought some Graeter's ice cream at the Cincinnati airport and it was really good.

It really is irresistible.

Final leg of the trip from Denver to Tucson and my plane

didn't have a row 13.

Cue the Twilight Zone music...