Various Notes from the Road.

I've been out of town this week for work training. Here are a few notes from the Doubletree hotel in Rockville, MD:

-Surprise, surprise - it's just as hot up here as it is in Fort Worth. Boo.

-Since my bed at home is now decked out with a new mattress, down comforter, and astronomically high thread-count sheets, the hotel bed feels like a plank with a tarp on it.

-This hotel charges for internet use, which greatly annoys me. It seems to me that a hotel which accommodates 90% business travelers (if not more) should include internet at no additional charge. Yes, I'd rather have the internet charge built into the cost of the room even though it would take away my choice, and yes, I know how illogical that is.

-One of the things I learned at training this week was the "Scale o' Commitment" (not the real name). The "lowest" level of commitment is political, where you are dedicated to a project due to a "what's in it for me" perspective, i.e. you are paid to do it, etc. The intellectual commitment is when you are mentally attached to an objective through logic; you want to reorganize your desk in a certain way because you think it will be more efficient. The emotional commitment is even deeper, where you are driven by your feelings. Finally, there is the spiritual commitment, where you are driven by your dedication to a higher purpose. We glossed over the spiritual one since for the most part it doesn't apply to business initiatives, but it struck me the most since during breaks, the plasma TVs on the wall of the learning center flashed incessant reminders of war. How can you bring peace between two countries who both believe in their own, different, higher purposes?

-A super-short-top-of-my-head-which-I'll-probably-want-to-change-later list of awesome first songs off first albums (see TWM's "FIRSTS ON FIRSTS"):

Radiohead - "You"
Because it's Radiohead, and I'll never forget the first time I heard it.

Nine Inch Nails - "Head Like a Hole"
Trent arrives on the scene and sets the precedent for NIN's sound, which sounds just as fresh today.

Oasis - "Rock and Roll Star"
Although they've had a tumultuous career, "Definitely Maybe" is a masterpiece and the opener sets the stage.

Guns n' Roses - "Welcome to the Jungle"
An absolute no-brainer.

Rage Against the Machine - "Bombtrack"
Fierce. Thinking about this song makes me sad that Rage is no longer.

Korn - "Blind"
It took me a while to think of this one since Korn is godawful now. This song, however, has stood the test of time and was a crashing, unforgettable first-first.

Alice in Chains - "We Die Young"
Our introduction to AIC, the song is now even more gripping given Layne Staley's fate.

Weezer - "My Name is Jonas"
My favorite Weezer song was also their first^2.

That's all I can think of for now. Have a good night, everyone.