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FAN FARE 700 POSTS SINCE OCT 2009
I Need A Vacation From My Retirement
Wow it has been a busy week. We spent most of the week getting my office empty. Thanks goes to Dennis, Jerene, Kristin, Devin, Ellen, Kevin, John, Dana, and a cast of others. While all that help sped things up, it was still the methodical process of packaging 17 years of memories and moving them out of my home away from home.
It was a tearful emotional experience. Not really, as I know I will stay in touch will many of the PADI family. It was 17 years ago, that I walked into the building in Santa Ana, CA as John Cronin's son. He had the biggest shoes in the industry to fill, so it was quite intimidating.
After a couple of month's of finding the ropes (Not learning them, just finding them.), I was at our industry trade show in New Orleans and was at an event and a lady who we will call Sally, who had an infamous dive center in Laguna Beach, came across the room and announced to everyone, the last time I saw you, you were 13 years old and pinched my cheek. Big shoes, really big shoes to fill.
After 17 years, plus a couple on the Board of Directors, I leave PADI happy knowing the company and the brand will live well beyond my tenure and prosper. (Secretly, I look forward to going diving again without the stigma of being a PADI muckity muck, just a lowly Open Water who has problems with buoyancy. Though I will miss being surrounded by at least 3 PADI Course Directors while in the water at any time.)
Well the boxes are gone and I've got everything stored whilst I look for a new office. I need an office just to have a place to go. Devin is already tired of me lurking over her when I am between Sherpa assignments. I now find myself calling her and letting her know about my where abouts.
Today I called to tell her I left the bank and was headed to the attorney's office. As I said the words, I realized the appropriate response should have been, "Who the heck cares!". Instead I got a polite, "That's nice dear." Which is wife speak for, "How many of these stupid calls am I going to get every darn day."
She even told a stranger yesterday that I should consider finding some 30 year old to have an affair with just so I don't drive her crazy with all of the minutia I do all day long. She said if I had a girl friend it would give her (Devin) a break. She followed the comment with a, "Don't get me wrong honey, I do love you." Mixed messages there.
Show Me The Money
Wednesday Devin and I had the chore of going to a Financial Advisor's office to discuss what bucket to fill with money. Now I have the greatest minds at UBS and Goldman Sachs at work on this project. My advisor at UBS will be known as Mr. T because some of you know who he is and he is an occasional closet reader of this blog.
He catered the meeting to Devin and walked the fine line of uncomplicating things while not talking down to her. (Side note, I have never figured out this fine art as I will frequently hear, "Don't patronize me I am not an idiot.") Nicely done Mr. T. if you are reading. The only criticism I would make is not to compliment me in front of Devin. She finds that very annoying.
By the end of the meeting, we have a game plan in place that we are comfortable with and it does not include stuffing the couch's with hard cash. I found out that Devin really likes charts. Lines and circles and squares and legends really keep her interested. When I find this 30 year old girlfriend (She must be older than my daughter.) I will use charts and graphs to remind Devin it was her idea. Yeah, that should work.
Hot August Night
Way back in July when I was gainfully employed, I had a birthday. (If you missed it, please remember my e-mail has changed so send all gifts certificates to brianpaulcronin@gmail.com. Hey I am not beggin, I am on a fixed income.) Kristin and Ryan surprised me with Tickets to see a 72 year old Neil Diamond at The Greek Theater. Last night, (Thursday) was the concert.
It was 40 years and a day from his original and now famous Hot August Night Concert and Album. My buddy Ben and I had the good fortune to see him twice in the early 70s. 72 and 73 I believe. Well Mr. Diamond did himself proud. He worked the stage for two hours and ten minutes.
The song list covered a lot of his 45 year career. My favorites was his "Morningside". He sounded as good as 40 years ago. Another nice surprise was seeing Ronnie Tutt on drums. He was Elvis's drummer from 1969-1977 and then Diamond picked up a couple of the TCB Band after Elvis's death. There he was 74 years old still laying down a beautiful backbeat while the percussionist did all the fills.
It was a great night and life memory. More importantly it was the funniest coolest night devin and I have had for long time. We hit a special place called Yamashiro's in Hollywood. It is an iconic Japanese, sushi/Teppan/traditional restaurant atop ahill over looking all of the LA Basin and Downtown.
From our table we could see Griffith's Park, LAX, downtown and the ocean. After copious amounts of raw fish, we had our really cool and professional driver head us on up To The Greek. Here are a couple of pics from the concert.
One is of Mr. Diamond from our seats and the other I took from the stage when Neil asked me up to help with his 35 minute rendition of "Sweet Caroline". It is a good shot of our audience and the infamous Tree People of the Greek.
Don't Read This Aloud
Ok there we were waiting for Mr. Diamond to awake from his nap to start the concert. Row 11 center stage we were. Then this 50ish looking woman in front of us turned to look back at the crowd and OMG! This woman was scary looking. I am sorry and I feel bad, but Devin and I looked at each other with eyes as big as raquetballs and then we looked away from each other because there was nothing you could say that would not be directly related to the sight we just saw. She looked like she had a head on collision with a bazooka full of Botox.
I was clever and got my iPhone out and wrote on my note pad "She Puts the MAL in a malpractice lawsuit against a plastic surgeon." Now Devin needs her glasses to see anything on an iPhone, so I handed her my phone to her while she got her glasses out of her purse. She got her glasses on and began reading the message aloud, "SHE PUTS THE MAL......", as I start screaming "WE WANT NEIL, WE WANT NEIL".
Devin realized what I had wrote and that she almost finished reading the message loud enough to have Ms. Polly Ethyl Lene face hear every word. We busted up laughing until Neil finally made it to stage and looked in our direction and grimaced at the site of poor Polly.
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Since 7/26/2012
