milk

Last night Brendan called me to see if I was in a position to get milk. "I'm in Maryland," I replied. He had forgotten I was leaving that day.

I return home tonight. So far it's been a pretty good trip except that time goes by too freaking fast!!!

Still, I had a nice visit with my friend Jennifer last night, and today is a long meeting and I don't have to present anything, just observe, so I doubt I can screw that up (just watch me!). Now to finish prepping my part of another presentation between now and 8:00...

Things to do with Miles

I just got a note from US Airways pointing out that my miles were about to expire unless I earned more or spent some. I have no travel planned, so I took the third option. I donated them to Fisher House to help wounded soldiers get home.

If you have US Airways miles I encourage you to consider donating some to a good cause.

I felt bad yesterday because I didn't respond when a man in uniform walked up to the rental car counter beside me and told one of the rental car gentlemen that he was looking for an option to get to virginia because he'd just gotten back from Iraq and his unit had been basically stranded there in Baltimore and he wanted to go home. The agent started to ask him something and I had to deal with my own agent and when I next looked over (it seemed just a minute) the soldier was gone. I think neither the fellow behind the counter nor I knew quite how to respond to the young man's anger but I wish I'd reached out to him somehow. I had time: I could have driven him to a bus station or something (a rental car not being the most sensible one-way option). I could have at least told him that I appreciated his service and I welcomed him home and I wanted to help him. But I didn't react quickly enough.

After world war II, thousands of soldiers hitch-hiked home. The nation reached out to anyone in uniform and helped them along. Our soldiers deserve as much support today.