J.P.

First stop of this trip is at a Motel 6 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The drive from home across the desert to here was enjoyable. I always enjoy the open desert and at sunset it was especially nice. Interstate 10 isn’t in the best of shape, especially when you cross from Arizona into New Mexico. The desert sun can be harsh on pavement.

I plan on getting up early in the morning and continuing east. The latest forecast shows a small potential for severe storms throughout Texas. In the morning I’ll drive in the direction where the colors on the forecast map look the most dire.

After tonight’s drive I plan on staying off the Interstates much like I did on last year’s trip. There’s much to enjoy off the freeway.

Mother Nature has decided she wants to park a high pressure ridge over the plains for much of next week. This is pretty much going to quash the chance for tornadoes where they can best be spotted. Seasoned storm chasers sometimes refer to this as the “Death Ridge”, not because it causes death, but rather because it kills the chance for tornadoes to chase.

Of course my storm chasing trip of the year starts tomorrow evening after work.

There is still a potential for severe storms, albeit a lower chance, in the likes of Texas and farther east than I would normally go. Is all of this disappointing? Somewhat, but my yearly storm chasing trip isn’t just about storm chasing. It’s also my way of enjoying a retreat, where I spend hours exploring small towns I’ve never been to, seeing sights I’ve never seen, and enjoying the vibe of a part of the country I’ve never lived in.

Yes, I’ll be heading for every little red blip that might pop up on the weather radar and I’ll always plan my destinations around the Storm Prediction Center’s forecast map, but if I only get lightning shots or rain shots or even beautiful shots of sunlit skies, I’m good. It’s a week away from the norm, and while my norm is pretty great, getting away from the norm for any reason can be great too.

Earl helped me pick out my new glasses at my last eye appointment. My prescription had changed slightly. These glasses have progressive lenses and I wanted frames big enough to make the progression worthwhile. The selection at Target Optical was a bit limited, but I’m happy with these RayBans.

Today I learned that 50% of the 10,500 employees at work are full time, remote workers. I’m happy to work for a company with such a strong Work From Home infrastructure. During the pandemic lockdowns, senior leadership discovered the company didn’t miss a beat; productivity actually improved a bit when folks were working from home.

There are plenty of roles in any company that must be accomplished in an office, but there are also many roles that can be worked from home. I have worked from home for over a decade and my career has grown in ways I didn’t think was possible. All of the people that report to me work from home. Our team earns accolades for our results.

Work From Home fears aren’t productivity based, they’re people and management based.

This is how you do marketing for Father’s Day. Even though it’s been 11 1/2 years since my Dad’s passing, I think about him every day. There’s so much I want to tell him of my successes in life, and the constant barrage of Father’s Day marketing messages makes me feel a little glum.

Hats off to Harry’s for showing a little compassion.