The last Gozur family vacation was 4 years ago. There were 4 of us.

The next Gozur family vacation is 24 hours from now! There will be 6 of us!

Since our last trip, which showcased 2 siblings – both over the age of 18 – prancing around Disney World like Brutus Buckeye during a goal line stand, there has been 2 new additions to the family, my fiancé and sister-in-law. Rather than striking a chord with Mickey and Minnie, we’ll be hittin’ the shores of Waikiki Beach for a family wedding.

The thought of lounging in white sand still hasn’t set in, although I’m eagerly anticipating the day. Soon, I’ll be on the redeye from Pittsburgh to Dulles Airport, only to be redirected directly from D.C. to Oahu. The fact that we’re heading east to go west still boggles my mind, but I won’t let it dilute my first pacific adventure!

When we get back next week, I’ll throw some photos up of my amazingly and newly tanned body. Fortunately for your sake, I’ll be sure I'm fully clothed (perhaps in formal attire from the wedding)!

Posted by Signal_Caller at 1:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As the sixth week of my internship comes to a close, I’ve compiled a brief list of things that would’ve made my transition to Cleveland easier had I known these tips ahead of time. Some are extensions upon previously noted concepts while the rest are new for 2008.

Tip #1
Weekend parking on the streets of Downtown Cleveland is free. How cool is that? I just figured that out (after living two summers of my life here)!

Tip #2
Dryer #23 in the basement at my apartment does not work. This would’ve come in handy before I dried my whites for 55 minutes, dried them a second time for 40 minutes due to me believing their dampness was related to the crowdedness of my towels, and then drying them a third time for 40 minutes in dryer #22 to resolve the initial conundrum.

Tip #3
Carrying an umbrella to and from work – particularly on days that are expected to downpour – could often be beneficial when walking 12 minutes to and from work each day. As if you didn’t already know this, my new dress shoes and manhole-sized puddles in front of crosswalks do not go well together.

Tip #4
Shorter lunch breaks (or – even better – no lunch breaks at all) can allow an actuarial intern to leave work for home at a sooner hour than expected. Upon arriving to work by 8:00 am and chowing down a sandwich at my desk, I’m free to retire from the office by 4:00 pm, at least while I’m still an intern.

Tip #5
While sitting in a cubical formation in the office, it is particularly important to ignore – to the best of my ability – the telephone conversations that my “neighbors� have. Yes, I understand that so-and-so’s kids were adorable last weekend at the town festival or what’s-his-name was recently traded to what’s-that-place. Still, I find it completely natural to roll my eyes every time I hear these conversations over the wall.

Tip #6
Sunday Night Cruise, hosted by Thomas John from 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm on Sunday evenings, is – quite possibly – the most enjoyable music experience any turnpike dweller can have for his $1.25 per trip. This 5-hour radio show delves back to the 50s for the perfect blend of Doo-Wop on the airwaves. Most people I know are either clueless or judgmental (or cluelessly-judgemental) on this historical genre. Still, I receive quite a thrill to sing back-up to the likes of Frankie Lymon, Jackie Wilson, and Frankie Valli.

Tip #7
Although General Tso’s Chicken is usually my take-out of choice, the local Chinese restaurant makes one stellar Chicken & Broccoli. It took me weeks to find out which dish was more favorable to my taste buds, but the wait was highly worth it. Being that I eat out often during the week, having a tasteful favorite at the local China buffet is always a perk.

Posted by Signal_Caller at 1:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I certainly mentioned this last year, but perhaps I’ll expand my notion in this entry.

There exists an unspeakable awesomeness hidden beneath the façade of being an actuarial analyst. Sure, the sheer exhilaration of calculating accrued liabilities is a buzz like none other. But, I speak of a more universal high – a perk so unspeakable, I’ll go right ahead and speak of it.

Last week, I received our company’s Cleveland Indians tickets for one of the recent weekend games against the cross-state rivals, the Cincinnati Reds. To my delight, the seats were located in the third row directly behind the visitor’s dugout. Do you realize how close I was to Ken Griffey, Jr.?

This close!?!

The sky was clear, and the sun shined brightly. Unfortunately for us homers, the Tribe lost. Still, the fun my coworkers and I shared that day was certainly appreciated. The little perks that the firm offers its associates such as this one consistently maintains the morale within the office.

Honestly, how many more times will I get the chance of capturing Adam Dunn’s expression so vividly after being thrown out at home plate?

Or, what about admiring the swing of one of the Tribe’s up-and-coming hitters from this field-side view?

Oh, yes. It is certainly awesome to mix work and America’s pastime – especially when it’s served to you on a silver platter!

Posted by Signal_Caller at 10:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When I would look out of my roommate’s window on campus, I used to see this view…

I KNOW! Nothing can compare to the sweet sight of the ‘shoe!

Now, as I look out the window of my studio apartment in downtown Cleveland, all I see is a complimentary high-rise about 50 feet before me standing erect across the street (along with plenty of neon lights obscuring the rest of the skyline). It’s hardly comparable to Ohio Stadium, but – then again – what is?

On the contrary, the inside of my apartment is definitely an upgrade to that on campus. Below are 2 panoramic views of a portion of the interior:

To coincide with this space, a walk-in closet which leads into the bathroom is also present but not captured. Frankly, there is little to complain about – spaciously speaking. Moreover, I have 2 parking spaces in the garage and 24-hour access to the penthouse recreation room and rooftop pool. Including the basement billiards table and outdoor putting green and tennis court, there is certainly no shortage of entertainment opportunities.

However, due to my work schedule, I must admit that I have very little time to spend casually enjoying this living space. Instead, I find myself constantly on the run – either coming or going - or both - in order to meet the demands of others.

Nevertheless, this summer has been quite rewarding thus far. I couldn’t envision my life in any other fashion than this specific time and place. As you can see, I have much to be grateful for.

Posted by Signal_Caller at 8:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you happen to be an avid reader of my blog, you’ll notice a recurring theme with my upcoming posts. Just one year ago, I entitled a slew of entries under “The Internship� catalogue with the intention to discuss the topics that arise both inside and outside of the office.

Well, I’ve recently begun my second consecutive summer internship in Cleveland, Ohio as a retirement consultant. I’m back with the same firm, and they’ve again elected to put me up in the same apartment (more to come later). Although the setting has remained the same, the faces have not. Many of the people I frequented with last year have since terminated from the firm, making this summer a different experience than the last.

I have plenty of information to share regarding my new experiences, so if you’re even remotely interested in obtaining an office internship, be sure to come back each week for new posts.

As for my lack of entries in the past four weeks, you can thank Time Warner Cable for the absence. It seems as though this inept cable company has reentered my life at the precise level in which it had once exited. Although I may have moved into my summer studio apartment on June 7, I did not receive internet connection until this week.

I don’t know about you, but one month is just way too long to go without internet access. Don’t get me wrong; I am not out to attack Time Warner. Their service – when working – is extremely superb. However, when the reception happens to go, so does their customer service department. When they both happen to go, so does my patience…and then my mouth. Nevertheless, I’m up and running (and so is my computer).

The above snippet may be minute, but it has drastically slowed my life these past few weeks. Oh, how I miss the dorm’s internet access. Hey, be sure to come back on a frequent basis for more tales from “The Internship,� okay?

Posted by Signal_Caller at 10:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)