June 17, 2010

12:15 a.m.: Fell asleep on the couch again. Off to bed …

6:55 a.m.: Waking up. It’s generally a good experience for me, because I don’t use an alarm clock. I’m not one of those guys who go running or to the gym at 4:30 a.m. (it shows), and I usually work late (the nature of the business), so getting up between 6:30 and 7 suits me fine.

7 a.m.: Coffee, checking overnight e-mails on the Blackberry – I was always a Windows Mobile user, but I am starting to really dig this thing – and reading the newspaper on a Kindle. I’m especially interested in the story on the new aLoft hotel announced for the Deep Deuce area. For us, the more visitors to OKC the better.

8:15 a.m.: Shower, getting dressed. My job has definite advantages at times. Cargo shorts? Check. Merrell trail runners? Check. Which Thunder T-shirt to wear today? Hmm …

8:30 a.m.: Hopping on my scooter and heading to the office.

8:31 a.m.: Dangit, I forgot that I have to run to the airport today. Car it is.

8:35 a.m.: Bricktown parking garage. My commute was a little long today thanks to the construction on Robinson. I’ll have to change my route tomorrow and see if I can get it back into the three-minute range where it belongs. Reason number 573 to live Downtown.

8:45 a.m.: Checking on the boats along the canal.  Sticking my head into the Red Dirt Emporium and new Red Dirt Marketplace on my way up to the office. All is well. At least as far as I can tell. Our office staff will tell me the real story when they finish reconciling yesterday’s business later this morning.

10:02 a.m.: Working on scheduling for next week. We used to do this on an Excel spreadsheet. Now we have upward of 50 employees during the bulk of the season. Keeping it all straight is a chore, but thankfully, we discovered a fantastic scheduling software. I love technology.

10:27 a.m.: Call with OKC Convention and Visitors Bureau staff regarding a travel writer’s visit. The CVB has been doing an amazing job of promoting tourism and meeting business in OKC.

10:50 a.m.: Our wireless network between our ticket booth and the office is down. Also, somehow, some settings have changed in our point-of-sale system, and nobody can figure it out. I take off my scheduling hat and put on my IT hat. I hate technology.

11:40 a.m.: Headed to the airport to pick up the owner of Water Taxi, who is my employer in that capacity, but also my business partner in the two retail operations. Seems like that would be a complicated relationship, but in general, it has worked very well.

12:15 p.m.: We grab lunch at MidTown Deli on the way back in. Okie sandwich, naturally.

3:06 p.m.: Texting back and forth with Ryan LaCroix, one of the hosts of the “Oklahoma Rock Show” on The Spy FM. The Red Dirt Emporium is the presenting sponsor. He wants to know what songs I want played coming in and out of my interview. I settle on a Defenestration song from the ’80s and a Starlight Mints song released last year.

3:39 p.m.: Checking e-mails again. I read a book a while back about various techniques to not let e-mails dictate the course of your day. I need to read it again.

4:12 p.m.: Bob and I are discussing ways to involve some of our staff in more administrative functions. I love this idea!

4:40 p.m.: Working via e-mail with our graphic designer on our sign package for the Red Dirt Marketplace.

6:55 p.m.:  A quick walk-through of the store and the marketplace.

7:28 p.m.: A few employee, vendor and customer conversations later, now I’m in a rush.

7:59 p.m.: Arrive at The Spy studios, NW Expressway and Council. Again, I just don’t get the ‘burbs. Sorry.

8:26 p.m.: On the air with Ryan and Lacy. I love the job they are doing promoting Oklahoma music. It dovetails so nicely with what we are doing in the store. Talking with chief Spy guy Ferris.

9:05 p.m.: Headed back to watch the end of the Lakers/Celtics finals with my buddy Jeff. I’ve got to say, though, both of these teams could lose and it would make me happy.

9:31 p.m.: A bar, a big screen and basketball. Life is good.

10:55 p.m.: The Lakers win. Crap. Oh, well, life is still good. Plus, it makes me feel really good about the Thunder next year.

Midnight: Bedtime. I think I’ll pass on the couch this time.