Author Archives: JJD
Denver – White Christmas
It’s rare that the weather cooperates and does exactly what it should at the moment it should be done. But last night that happened! After a relaxed and uneventful Christmas Eve Day, Amanda and I went downtown for dinner at a new restaurant called Le Grand Bistro & Oyster Bar. We ordered oysters and soup […]
Denver – Tableau vivant
It was late on Christmas Eve when Amanda and I posted our tableau vivant Nativity scene. We considered taking a few minutes to wish our readers Merry Christmas and offer some cheery words about the birth of Our Lord, but we were sleepy and decided to let the image speak for itself. Then we remembered all of our art history […]
Denver – Productive and leisurely
It’s a good thing I went to church last Sunday and heard the Christmas message then — because that sure didn’t happen today. Instead, I slept until 10am (nine hours of sleep! in a row!) and spent the rest of the day being moderately productive and 100% on holiday — in both senses of the word: I relished the […]
Denver – Sweet familiarity
Welp, I made it to Denver. The trip went fine — but talk about over the river and through the woods! At 6:45am we were still sitting in the New York conference room negotiating, and I was starting to despair of catching the 8:00am train back to DC. But then the partner leaned over and […]
Superpowers, and so can you
It was 5:00am when the parties reconvened to resume negotiations. None of us had slept for at least 24 hours; the mood was grim. As the other side filed into the conference room, the first thing out of their mouth was: “Man, you guys look terrible! Well, except for you,” pointing at me, “you look […]
Picture this
Late stages of negotiations for a major deal with a professional sports team: 3:30am. Law firm conference room. Seven people waiting around a table made to seat 25 people. Papers and cups and laptops everywhere. One guy is dozing with his feet on the table. Two are staring blankly at their computer screens. One woman is […]
Nuit blanche
The message at 10:00am this morning: “It’s Friday before a holiday weekend, and we’ve got people who need to leave for family and vacation. Let’s get as much done as we can before 6:00pm, and then we’ll break and wrap things up when people are back in town.” The message at 10:00pm tonight: “We’re not stopping, and […]
Here we go again
I didn’t have to go to New York today after all. You’d think that would feel like a reprieve — but it didn’t. Because the client didn’t communicate its expectations regarding travel until the last minute, I stayed up until 1:00am last night packing my bags, and then was ready to go early this morning. […]
Prove me wrong
Boy have I enjoyed the last three days! Since getting back from New York on Friday night, I have: Eaten barbecue and Japanese with friends (at different restaurants, on different nights) Gone to ballet, Crossfit, spin and yoga classes, plus one weight-training session with my trainer Attended church, taught Primary kids how to sing in […]
A More Gentlemanlike Manner 