The program has me traveling to various open enrollment events at businesses that have United Healthcare for their insurance. I attend the benefit fair and help answer people's questions about the insurance their company offers through United Healthcare. It's a great opportunity to really make a difference in the lives of our members. The department I'm currently in is "behind the scenes" so I don't have any interaction with our members any more, and I was missing some of that personal contact.
I flew to Denver last month, and just this week, I went to Virginia Beach. Even though I was traveling for work, there was a few hours on Tuesday and Wednesday to do some sightseeing, which is an awesome perk!
I flew out of Central Wisconsin Airport, so didn't have far to drive, but because my flight out was at 6:30 in the morning, I had to be up Tuesday morning at 3 a.m., (a/k/a "the crack of stupid!") to leave by 4:15 a.m. and get to the airport by 5 a.m. (90 minutes prior to takeoff is recommended for our little airport). After a three hour layover in Detroit, I was in Virginia Beach by 2:00 p.m. Lucky for me, it was about 20 degrees warmer than usual, so it was about 80 and very humid. The Norfolk Airport is a lot smaller than I expected, but that was a nice change of pace from Minneapolis and Detroit! I picked up my rental car and headed to my hotel in Virginia Beach. As I was listening to Google Maps tell me how to get there, I was thinking to myself that it is absolutely amazing that we were able to do that kind of traveling with just a map years ago! It's really amazing that we were able to figure anything out with just a piece of paper! Thank goodness for progress, as I LOVE being able to use GPS to get around in strange, large cities! BUT, I must admit, one of the nicest things about being home is traveling on familiar roads!
I know lots of you have done lots of flying, but it's still new and fun to me, so I had to take some pics from the plane. I just love when you get above the clouds and into the glorious sunshine! How can anyone deny there is a God when you see something like this?! Just the fact that you are hurtling through the sky at 500+ miles per hour at 35,000 feet is a miracle in and of itself!
Because it was late in the season, the pier itself was closed, so I wasn't able to take a walk on it, but I did peer through the gates (see what I did there, I "peered" at the "pier!" HA!)
Of course, being the bird fanatic that I am, I had to take some pictures of the seagulls! I think you'd be disappointed if I didn't!
A storm had rolled through as I was driving along Pacific Boulevard and it poured! You can see that storm behind the pier.
It seems all the rage to take pics of your feet in various locals, so here you go! The water was much warmer than I expected it to be, but still a tad chilly.
It was fairly windy out, which apparently brought out the local surfers! Certainly not the size of wave I would associate with surfing, but then again, I probably couldn't stand on a surfboard on dry ground, so who am I to say?!
I did not book a hotel on the beach (I was about 6 blocks away), but I bet I could have gotten a smokin' hot deal on one! I'll have to remember that if I'm able to go to this same event next year! I think this is a pretty cool picture, though, especially since there are barely any people on the beach.
I'm really not one to take selfies, but I couldn't resist taking one with the ocean in the background!
I'm not sure what this creature is, but it was washed up on the beach. I figure it got washed up during high tide and couldn't get back in the water. I do believe it was quite dead, but I wasn't about to touch it! I assume it's some sort of ray? I'm sure someone will tell me!
I never thought I'd be working for such a huge company, but I must say, there are some incredible opportunities that are just not available at smaller businesses! I don't do enough flying to not enjoy it, and really look at all this as a fabulous adventure! I was a little sad that Greg was not able to enjoy the beach with me, and it wasn't the same without him, but being gone really makes him appreciate me and all that I do that much more, especially since I telecommute, so am home all the time. I could tell that Sophie really missed me, too, as she was quite needy all day today. (Sophie is our Newfoundland, for those that don't know.) She will normally "visit" me a couple times a day while I'm in my office working but today, she came to visit at least six times! I guess she wanted to make sure I was really there.
And now, for a funny story! When my event was over on Wednesday, I decided to go for a drive. I was headed north on Pacific Avenue and was enjoying looking at the houses that were situated so close to the ocean. After a while, I saw a sign for a lighthouse and lighthouse tours. I thought, oh hey, that's cool, I'll go tour a lighthouse! So, the lighthouse is on a military base, which didn't really mean anything special to me. I got to the entrance of Fort Story, which looked like a typical military installation. I didn't think much of it, because I'd been at Fort Leonard Wood and civilians are (or were?) allowed to drive around unattended and visit the museums, etc. So, I pulled up to the guard and the conversation went like this:
Guard: Hi, ma'am, you're looking a little lost?
Me: Well, I'm here on a business trip and I saw the signs for a lighthouse and lighthouse tours, so I thought I'd check it out.
Guard: Yes, ma'am, but the problem is that the tours are by tour bus and the last one is at 3 p.m. (It was 4:30 p.m. at this time). So, this is what is going to happen. I'm going to put a cone behind your car. You are going to give me your driver's license, and I'm going to walk a short distance from the building here. You are then going to make a U-turn between me and the building and will stop at the building and I will walk back and hand you back your driver's license.
Me: OK. Let me just get my license out for you. (He's watching me dig in my purse for my license, and I'm thinking to myself, should I tell him that I am not armed and I am just getting my license out? I didn't say anything, because I also didn't want to arouse suspicion! LOL )
I handed him my license and he walked a distance from the building to give me room to make my U-turn. Of course, I start to go too far, thinking I should make my turn behind him (obviously not paying attention!), and he hollers at me "BETWEEN ME AND THE BUILDING!" Whoops! I whip the wheel more and am able to make the U-turn between him and the building. I stop and wait for my license and the guard tells me to have a nice day.
This just cracked me up! All I wanted to do was visit a lighthouse! Maybe the signs should say something about "guided" tours, etc. Oh, well. It's always an adventure and I had a great time, even if I didn't get to see the lighthouse! I thought about taking a picture of the entrance to Fort Story, but for some reason, I thought that might be frowned upon! Ha, ha, ha!
Hope everyone had a great couple of days! I know I sure did!
God's Blessings to all!
Julie
