Back in the USA, Flu and all

Hi Folks,

It's good to be back in the USA. The courses in Rome went very well. It's always fun and the people are super, but also a challenging adjustment to be teaching from 2 a.m. to 10 a.m. body time. It's also nice to do things without converting time, money, language or electricity.

Janet went with me on the trip and we saw some sights both in London and Rome. I was able for the fifth or sixth straight year to get my annual journal at Harrods. It winds up costing me about $50, but that's a motivator to actually use it. That has become a tradition for me.

I promised Janet that the first thing I would do is buy a cup of Starbucks coffee in NYC, since we arrived at JFK, took a taxi to LaGuardia and then after spending the night at a really nice Hampton Inn (I'm serious, it was great), on to DFW and OKC. All went well until DFW, then the flu hit me and the last thing I wanted was coffee. Those who know me know coffee is a very, very important thing to me, so Janet knew I was sick. That and wearing a coat while shivering.

I went to the doctor yesterday and he confirmed flu, but not sure of "regular" or "swine". He percribed Tamiflu and I'm feeling much better today, so I'm thinking "regular".

Back to the coffee...The gentle bagage handlers managed to break my French press on the way back home. Also, I took several packets of the new Starbucks VIA instant coffee on the trip and it helped. I give the Starbucks people credit for a good instant coffee. It's not that I hate Italian coffee, it just that the intensity is pretty strong - basically expresso.

I plan to return there in June to teach Innovative Software Testing Approaches, one I've taught there before, and Practical Software Test Automation, a new class for the spring I am very excited about.

Well, back to resting some. By the way, I'll be posting soon the prelimiary research on the tester to developer ratios.

Until then, I wish all in the USA a blessed Thanksgiving!