Dear Autumn

Dear Autumn,

On your first official day here I'd just like to say, welcome back! I've missed you for a long time now. I know your visits are brief--sometimes as short as only a few weeks. Perhaps you don't feel welcome in Utah? I admit, there are a lot of people who wish that Summer would linger a little longer. And I'm sure that Utah's reputation of having the "greatest snow on earth" makes you feel as if people are only enduring your stay in anticipation of an early arrival from Winter. But I, for one, am a true fan of yours.

Now that you're here, let me tell you of some of the things I hope we can do together. After all, I plan to make the most of every minute we have together.

• I used to always love when school was starting, and I have a suspicion that it had to do with your arrival. Remember how I used to try doing my homework outside under the trees? Haha! The homework was so boring it would often put me to sleep. But you always had a bed of leaves for me to nap in. I think this year I need to read a good book under a tree again, for old times' sake.
• Speaking of leaves, before it gets too cold we should go on a hike. I've been getting better at my photography. We'll do a photo shoot up in the mountains. But you're so photogenic, I can't imagine one picture not turning out perfect.
• I promise we'll do another murder mystery this year. They're loads of fun! I know I could do them in other times of the year, but they're funnest with you around. Maybe that's because of all the spooks of
• Halloween! This has to be the best time of the year (better than Christmas). I plan to spend all October enjoying this holiday. Remember when I was 10 and Grant Gordon and I would read each other scary stories? I think that might be part of the reason I love all the ghosts, goblins, witches, mummies, vampires, werewolves, zombies, skeletons, and other spooks of Halloween. It's time for haunted houses and scary movies! And who can deny the joy of dressing up in obscure, eccentric, scary, or funny costumes, parading through the school (0r the office), and going to fun parties?
• I'll go to a corn maze this year, and try to get lost. It's always funner when you're legitimately lost. Besides, I'm in no rush to go back inside and get out of the perfectly chilled air, that smells of harvest.
• You bring the best food. I love your tomatoes, zucchini, herbs, pumpkins, apples, and of course sweet potatoes. You always give us plenty of excuses to eat delicious soups and chili. There are tons of good recipes to enjoy while you're around.

There are plenty of other reasons I hope you'll stick around this year. I love your visits, and hate it when you leave early. I hope this year you'll stay for Thanksgiving. You're a much better guest than Winter (who's always cold and impersonal). But either way, I'll make the most of the time I have with you.

Sincerely,

Jon

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Conference Calls Gone Wrong

Sometimes people struggle because they don't understand the technology they're using. I often feel that's the case with some of the equipment we use at my office. We're a satellite location of corporate headquarters, which is located in New York (surprise, surprise). So we often have meetings in which we video conference into New York. I'm always entertained at how long it takes them to troubleshoot what's wrong with the video conference - why we can hear them but not see them, etc.

Sometimes people are just idiots, and are oblivious to the impact that their use of technology affects those around them. I experienced one of these moments yesterday. The CEO in New York was speaking to the company. Big deal. Our office wasn't the only office video conferencing, and many others were calling in to listen from various parts of the country. About halfway through the meeting we heard a phone ring from one of the many lines connected to the mothersource. For the next few minutes, I was treated to one half of a personal phone call. Following that, we heard a baby crying, and somebody moving things. This went on for a good 30 minutes while the CEO (whose receiver was silent, and was therefore unable to hear the background noise) went on with his presentation, unaware of the problem. Multiple times, someone from another line voiced in to request that the person put their phone on mute. But the efforts were futile. The guilty party was obviously not paying any attention to the meeting.

On the other hand, it did break up the monotony. So thank you, anonymous stranger.