Independent Consultant with a Hawaiian Shirt

The Hartford area is so pretty this time of year. With the fall color in full swing and the crisp air to wake you up every morning, it's everything I like about autumn. There is one small problem: I think I'm allergic to Connecticut. It's nothing personal, but ever since I started visiting this state 18 years ago, I have always felt unwell during my stay. I don't know whether it's something in the water or the air, but I just don't feel right. I can't sleep properly and my stomach never settles. What kills me is that I think this is a very picturesque corner of the country. I always love driving the narrow, winding country roads around hills and through the trees as they change color. I am charmed by what I see, and would love to spend more time just absorbing the views. I just don't think my body could handle it.

Hi all, I'm still in Recovery Mode from an incredible weekend at The Grapevine Project. God worked so beautifully in and through the lives of everyone there. Lots of stories to tell, and I'll get to them soon. Right now, I'm looking at the beautiful fall color on the trees outside my window here in Connecticut. Fall is a personal favorite, and I am enjoying the view. I'll try to get a few good pictures for you today. Blessings, Khalaf.

Hi all, I suppose I ought to fill you in on my upcoming schedule: October 17-19, 2008: Angola, Indiana ( http://www.thegrapevineproject.org ) October 19-25, 2008: Hartford, Connecticut October 27-28, 2008: Chicago, Illinois November 3-7, 2008: Ft. Smith/Fayetteville, Arkansas So what have I been up to the last few days? Well, I've been home catching up with my wife and children. It's been a refreshing time to see them and do things with them. So I'm sure you understand why I've been "off the air" for a few days. I'll be back to filling you in from Connecticut on October 20, where I plan to capture some neat fall color photos. Blessings, Khalaf.

Today on my way to dinner I looked up in the sky and saw a balloon floating past the moon: Here's a closer view of the balloon: There is a lot of wide open space out here, but much of it is disappearing quickly to urban sprawl. I suppose that a hot-air balloon is one way to rise above it all.

This morning on my way into the office, the "Hot and Now" sign at the Krispy Kreme was turned on. My car suddenly swerved into the driveway, around the building and into a parking spot in front of the entrance to the bakery. My feet magically lifted me up and into the building where my nose inhaled the fresh aroma of warm donuts coated in that magical frosting. A gentle voice beyond the counter said, "Good morning! Would you like a donut?" My hand left my side and took that donut, bringing it up to my mouth. Between bites my voice came together long enough to say, "I'd like 2 dozen please." I had nothing to do with it. After class I passed three certification exams (A+ Essentials, A+ Desktop Technician, Network+) before heading out for dinner. Tonight's comfort food was bar-b-que, courtesy of Whole Hog Cafe. According to the sign out front, it is a "World Champion BBQ" establishment. Upon entering, the credentials are further burnished as...

I am quickly making up for two months in the desert with all the rain I've seen since Thursday. Today was overcast, with rain coming down in various volumes throughout the day. Sometimes it would pour; other times it would mist. Despite the clouds and rain, one thing to be enjoyed was that strong smell of fresh, rain-washed air. The moisture coupled with the aromatic offerings from the leaves and grass brought a sense of peace and calm to my soul. The sense of smell is one of the most powerful influences on a person's emotional well-being. And as one who enjoys nature, I was loving every draw of clean, crisp air. After class I made my regular pilgrimmage to AQ Chicken, a uniquely Arkansas restaurant. In fact, the AQ stands for "Arkansas Quality". While a diner serving fried chicken shouldn't be thought of as anything special in the South, there is the charm of a family-owned restaurant whose specialty is called "Over the Coals" chicken. Imagine pan-fried...

Greetings from Arkansas! Of all the places I visit in my travels, this one feels most like home away from home. The people are sweet, the bar-b-que is tasty, the scenery is breathtaking. When I get an assignment in Arkansas, I look forward to it with a special eagerness. To get here I flew into Tulsa, Oklahoma, saving over $350 in airfare. I've made the 2-hour drive before, which is full of its own beautiful moments. Leaving the airport and heading east on US-412, I drove through a mostly flat section of the state before getting into the foothills of the Ozarks. The closer I got to the state line, the more the hills rolled. The plains gave way to wooded sections and soon, I was wrapped in a sea of green and blue - a far cry from the golden brown grasses of the Tulsa/Chouteau area. And then, I was "home": About an hour later I checked into my hotel and settled in for the evening. I'm still a bit jet-lagged, so I went to sleep around 8:30pm local time. The next morning...

I didn't make it through the all-nighter. After the rugby game, I told my brother I'd take a two-hour nap, wake up at 3:30am and leave for the airport. I closed my eyes and all too quickly there was a knock on my door. "Uh, bro, it's 3:30." Nuts. I'm still pooped, but that's what the plane is for. The anti-jetlag strategy was to stay awake and fall asleep on the plane in Dubai at 7:00am, which would be 11:00pm in Detroit. By sleeping through the entire flight I could then wake up in Amsterdam at 6:00am Detroit time and be on my way. But the best-laid plans of mice and men... My brother decided to forbid me from walking to the airport one last time, maybe because I had two large suitcases, maybe because it would be an extra few minutes with me. (I think it was both.) After checking in, I headed into the always-open, world-famous Dubai Duty Free for some more shopping. I must confess that I bought so much I ended up buying another suitcase in which to carry ...

With the end of Ramadan brings Eid Al-Fitr, or a 3-day celebration of feasting. It is declared a national holiday and most businesses close. That left my brother and his wife with an unusual 5-day federal holiday with no reason to go to the office. (The 3-day became a 5-day because of the Friday/Saturday weekend right up against the Tuesday-Thursday Eid celebration.) We went down to the Dubai Creek Golf Club, and swam in the pool. It was a great way to spend a few hours in the middle of the day. While there I managed to pick up one more souvenir for my trip back home - a sunburn. Funny that, all this time out here and I only get a sunburn on my last day. We headed back home where we changed and relaxed a bit before heading back to the Deira City Centre for some souvenir shopping. In particular, I was after a coffee table book of Kuwait that I was unable to get while I was there. It's going to feel like cheating that I bought the Kuwait picture book in Dubai, but I won't tell if...

Packing up my room for the last time, I felt a twinge of sadness. For the last two months this has been my safe haven, my home away from home. No matter how the day went or what happened I could always come back to the room and Skype home or simply stretch out on the bed and take a nap. Down at breakfast I enjoyed my last bowl of the best granola I've ever had. On my way out I said my thank-yous and good-bys to the restaurant staff. The maitre-d', Jhen, stopped me to present me with a signed card with a photograph of the entire restaurant staff. I was touched. At the checkout desk, I signed for the room and again received the warm gratitude of the gracious hotel staff. I must say that throughout the time here they have been nothing short of wonderful. I realize this is their job and that their customer service places a heavy emphasis on making the guests feel welcome. But there is a genuineness in their approach which can't be taught. One of the front desk clerks in particu...

Tonight was my last game of tennis. After two months of steady improvement, I had a feeling that something special was going to happen. And it did - but not the way I had envisioned. After warming up, Leah served first. Somehow I was returning serve where I wanted and how I wanted. I felt as if the tennis racket was an extension of my fingers. I was making all kinds of shots, working the angles and making her work. I broke her serve, 1-0. I reached for my serve, and found it. A couple of aces, and some serves that pushed hard setting up easy points for me. 2-0. Another break. 3-0. Another dominant service game. 4-0. Tonight could be the night I break the two-month long losing streak, I thought. As we were changing over Leah looked at her racket and piped up, "Wake up, racket! Come on!" That signaled the beginning of the end. She held serve on a tightly played game, 4-1. Then she broke my serve, 4-2. No big deal, I shrugged, as I kept after it. Suddenly, I was serving at 4-5. ...