The Leaves are Brown and the Sky is Gray
Todd Swank's Diary Entry for October 20, 2024
I spent most of the week in Chicago for a conference called Utility Analytics Week. While a couple of my customers were there learning about grid reliability, outage prevention, and all the tech to make utilities run smoother, I was there with a different mission: understanding what makes these customers tick. I wanted to dig deeper into their focus areas, network like crazy, and build some new relationships. It was mostly meetings and presentations at the conference center, but I managed to escape to the Loop for dinner and take in some of Chicago’s iconic architecture. Fun fact: The Loop got its name from the elevated train tracks that circle downtown, and “Windy City” isn’t about the breeze—it's a nod to the city’s long-winded politicians.
There were about 15 Oracle folks at the conference, but I spent most of my time with my teammate Jitesh. We’ve been collaborating on a few key accounts, but this was our first time meeting face-to-face. Safe to say, we hit it off quickly. Jitesh is based in the area, so he took me out to a couple of his go-to spots for dinner—definitely a perk to having a local connection. Most of the day was packed with sessions and meetings, but the evenings out made the work trip feel a lot more like a real adventure.
We bumped into a genuine movie star one of the nights—John David Washington, the son of Denzel Washington, who was in town for the premiere of The Piano Lesson, coming to Netflix soon. I recognized him and his voice instantly because I’m a fan of his work, including Ballers, BlacKkKlansman, and The Creator. We ended up facing each other the whole time at dinner, and I even worked up the nerve to shout out that I’m a huge fan. He graciously thanked me, and now, I’m convinced we share a special bond—one that he may or may not be aware of.
After three nights away, it was good to be back in Minnesota, even if it meant trading conference rooms for Grandma Linda in the backseat. We headed over to Avery and Abby’s place for dinner and some college football—because nothing says “family bonding” like yelling at the TV together. And sure, I wasn’t on my own couch, but I’d take their place over another hotel room any day. Plus, watching football with them? Way more entertaining than those conference sessions.
On Sunday, Luke and I headed to U.S. Bank Stadium, ready for a showdown between our undefeated Vikings and the 4-1 Lions. This game had all the makings of a classic NFC North clash—two strong teams with a lot to prove. The Lions have been a serious contender these last couple of seasons, making us a little nervous, but the Vikings have been absolutely rolling this year. It’s always a bit of a thrill to watch a game with stakes this high, and we were hopeful that the home-field advantage would make all the difference.
The game started off with a lot of promise for the Vikings, jumping out to a 10-0 lead after a 34-yard touchdown run from Aaron Jones and a 57-yard field goal from Will Reichard. But then Sam Darnold threw an interception, and it was like flipping a switch. Suddenly, the momentum shifted, and Detroit’s offense caught fire. They put up 21 unanswered points before halftime, including a 45-yard touchdown run from Jahmyr Gibbs, who seemed to glide right through the Vikings' defense. By the end of the second quarter, it felt like we went from cruising to chaos, and the Vikings found themselves in unfamiliar territory—playing catch-up.
The Vikings stormed back in the second half, with a clutch touchdown by Justin Jefferson and a defensive score that actually put them back in the lead late in the fourth quarter. But Detroit's offense wasn’t having it. Jared Goff led a clinical march down the field, setting up a game-winning field goal that sealed the deal. It was a tough loss, but hey, you can't win 'em all. Maybe dropping one now will give them the edge to bounce back Thursday night in LA against the Rams. Here’s hoping for a quick turnaround—because nobody likes a losing streak!
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