Overdressed

First, the heat. GOD, the heat. Today's high: 105. I know, right? The "Desert" part of the title should have been a hint. But it's a DRY HEAT which just means that rather unlike Memphis, whose heat feels like every single person in the city took a shower and left the door open, the heat here feels like someone is blowing a hair dryer in your face.

When we arrived yesterday, I was surprised to find my first ever open-air airport. Because it never rains here, I guess. As we descended on the escalator, it felt like someone opened the oven door and a gush of hot, dry air hit me in the face. It was 7 p.m. I can't imagine if we'd been trudging through there in the bright light of day.

Palm Desert is just about half-way between LA and Phoenix, and people here tell me this looks an awful lot like Arizona. Our resort butts right up to the Santa Rosa Mountains, but - because it's the desert - there's no foliage on them. They look like big piles of dirt. Gigantic ant mounds.

Some of the things I would take photos of if I hadn't forgotten to bring my camera:
1. The Killer Bees Removal truck that was servicing the resort this morning.
errm....killer bees???
2. Rock Star vending machines
Big Daddy drinks about six of these a day. I've never seen energy drink vending machines though. Only in California.
3. The flowers

The flowers are beautiful, and so different from anything we have in Memphis. And as I walk through desert landscapes, I keep smelling this smell that I've never smelled before - like an herb or a spice. I don't know what it is, but I've noticed it in a couple of locations.

In the few hours I had open this afternoon, I tried to go shopping. I went down to El Paseo which is supposed to be their Rodeo Drive equivalent, but I couldn't find anything I liked. Mostly they had casual shoe shops and I was looking for dress shoes. From the looks of this place, the majority of their shoppers are over-tan elderly women with really short gray hair anyway. Not much need for pumps, I guess.

Our presentation to the corporate partner went really well today. Last night I met the company's CEO - clean-cut, chiseled features, young. Surprisingly young, in fact. Four kids under the age of 6. I went back to the room and googled him and found him in a Forbes feature on CEOs under the age of 35. He's 33. Thirty. Fucking. Three. Thanks for making me feel like a complete slacker. (I also learned that he went to BYU.....so, there you go.)

I'm pretty sure our new CEO was a trial lawyer before he became our CEO. Watching him do a presentation is a little like watching Sam Waterston on "Law & Order" - dramatic pauses and all. Very effective, though.

My inner-clock is all screwy. This morning I woke up at 5 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep. And I keep thinking we're two hours EARLIER at home and calling at inopportune times. It's nice here, but I'm ready to be home. I miss my family.

Posted by Kalisa on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 at 7:04 PM | Permalink