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This past week, I flew to Seattle for a few meetings and a quick overnight. I was back at the Seattle Grand Hyatt…this time with a view of a brick building with some cool stonework detail.

I was staring at my keyboard…fascinated by the letter 'J'. There is probably some deep psychological issue associated with obsessing about a keyboard.

I had the good fortune of working in our Honolulu office this past week. I n addition to the warm hospitality of my coworkers, I also enjoyed the chance to unwind in the evenings with Jeff, who joined me for the trip. Jeff got the bonus of wandering around Oahu during the day 🙂

Still, on the Sunday of our arrival, I was able to get out with Jeff for a casual drive around the island. We snorkeled at Shark’s Cove (the #1 photo below), along the famous North Shore. From there, we drove clockwise along the coast, finishing with an evening swim at Jeff’s favorite beach in Kailua.

One of our treats that first Sunday was a quick stop at the touristy…but tasty…Dole Plantation. Sure, its meant for kids…but the Dole Whip cones are worth a stop 🙂

We stayed at the popular Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki. Our room had a sunny view back towards downtown Honolulu. In the evenings, we sought out meals with views, and had some savory seafood served with the sounds of the surf. Oh yes…a few Mai Tais.

During the weekdays, my coworker Ken kept me quite busy with meetings, but he always took the time to seek out a cozy local restaurant for lunch. He was careful to push the boundaries of my comfort zone without sending me careening over the line 🙂 A notable afternoon treat was a tapioca tea from a tiny hole in the wall…quite a taste sensation.

The trip reminded us of all the things we love about Hawaii: the scented breezes, sweet sandiches from Stortos, calm evening swims, the rhythmic sounds of the ocean at night…and of course the friendly people.

This morning, Jeff and I wrapped up our Saturday morning drawing class today. Although I am certainly not good at drawing figures, I will say that I am a thousand times better than that first class. (We compared before and after shots today, but I can’t bring myself to post the before shot here.) We really enjoyed our instructor Linda, and hope to continue with her soon.

For now, here are a couple of shots from this week and last. These are typically 15-minute poses, so please don’t expect portraits…although I do believe these look like a man and a woman…so that’s a good sign 🙂

Please pardon the interruption while I order another Mai Tai.