We're leaving!!

Here's the back story on why I'm writing this blog....

I work on the US version of a very large international company's web site. Earlier this year we launched a major redesign. I was the lead producer on the project and now the new design is getting localized for all the different regions, starting with Japan.

As the lead producer, the only people who know more about the site and how it was put together are the lead engineer and the lead technical producer. So guess who the Japan team asked to come train them on the new site and how it works? Me and the lead technical producer!!!

And the pre-trip nonsense...

YEAH!!! It's always been a dream of mine to visit Tokyo. I'm soooo excited. I can't wait.

The company wouldn't pay for my husband to go on the trip so we borrowed money from friends to get his ticket and scrimped and saved to have spending money for him while we are there. My company is covering all of my expenses. They better!!! I saved them 4 grand in airfare going coach with the husband instead of taking business class, which is allowed at my level for long international flights.

The husband set up a blog to document his preparations about getting around in Tokyo and all the techno stuff he whipped together to make the trip easy on us. We're both anime nerds - otaku, in Japanese (although it has fairly negative connotations, nerds aren't appreciated in the US either). He got maps together of all the places and anime shops we might want to visit. He'll be exploring during the day while I'm at work and showing me the coolest stuff at night after I'm done at the office. I'll be putting a link to his site (Digital Gaijin) in the nav bar on the right, at some point later. (don't bother googling it - he hasn't set up the meta data needed to make it search-able).

Everything you read in this blog will be about the trip and what we saw and did in our free time while in Tokyo - granted there isn't much free time. But we do get to take a weekend to do touristy stuff and can roam around every night after the training sessions.

We leave tomorrow. I'm spending some of my time tonight making this post, but for the most part - I'll be cleaning, getting ready for the dog sitters, and doing a final suitcase check. I plan to stay up as long as I can and sleep on the bean bag in the living room so I'll wake up easier in the morning.

I'm going to miss the dog, but we bought a web cam as part of our trip preparations so that we can check in on him. The dog walkers already know about the web cam and we have showed them what it looks like when someone is looking in. One of my friends will be staying the night with him just so he won't be lonely. She can't walk him though - he's almost a big as she is - so the dog walkers will take care of the poo patrol.

I've know I was going on this trip for 6 weeks. It's been hard to let my projects go to the other producers on my team - but I have to - the projects can't simmer for 10 days while I'm out of the country. Some of them go live while I'm out. But I've given the team alot more responsibility and they are handling it well. I hired some good people :) Part of being a good boss is being good to your peeps - I try - but I don't know if I actually am....

DIGRESSION!!

Sorry - maybe I should erase that last bit? oh well.

I'm getting loopy and I still have lots to do before I sleep.

more to come....