Big Month

Hey peeps,

I know. It's been a while. A long while. I was chatting with Kim (@PutItAway) and Deb (@dallisonlee) last night about Blog Catharsis at a Tweetup organized by Shashi (@shashib). Kim and I were in a bit of blog entry malaise. Well, Kim got her "blog on" this morning, and now I'm sitting here at DCA's Admiral's Club on my way home [Home (n): the place where (some of) my mail is delivered and my kids occasionally visit] after 28 days straight on the road, and I'm feeling a bit reflective. Yes, you read that correctly; 28 days. So here we go...

So much has happened this month, professionally and personally. Honestly, before I left I had a picture in my mind of how the trip would play out. It was all for work, but there would be one or two days and 1/2 days where I could carve some time out to take a look around. I tried to document my travels/experiences over here, but sadly (also somewhat expected) I fell off with time and energy to do so as the month went on.

• Barcelona: Beautiful, dense, city. Gotta go back.
• Kuala Lumpur: I barely saw it. :( But I did snag a few pictures of the Petronas Towers that I'm happy to have had the opportunity to snap.
• Sydney: This was my third trip to Sydney, and the town just "fits" for me. I like it.
• Canberra: Capital of Australia. Imagine if Washington D.C. were in Kansas, no, more like Western Kentucky. I love the Australians. They're brilliant, actually - they send their politicians out in the middle of nowhere. We build beltways around ours and worship them. We're just silly.
• Brisbane: Beautiful, hilly, town. Home to great group of people doing some pioneering work. I'm honored to be able to work with them.
• Washington D.C.: See "Canberra".

It was a great trip. It really was. Much was accomplished. Much was noted for what we must do next. My industry is populated by some extremely talented and visionary people. Sure, there are exceptions, but the list of people who truly know what they're about and actually get stuff done, is pretty awesome.

In my last conversation of this trip, I was speaking with one such person. We were talking about how to move something to the next level. "We're at a rare point in time where the timing of so many things are advantageous for us to have a lasting, positive, impact in all these areas. It's up to us to screw it up." (I paraphrased the first sentence, the second sentence is an exact quote.) When he said "us", he meant the collective "us" of our industry, and it's true.

Let's do this.

As for the blog, I'll try to do better. I don't write this thing for any particular reason or for any particular audience, but I do get an e-mail or two every now and then from a few of you who actually subscribe. I appreciate that. I really do. :)

Time to button-up for that flight home. I might just throw up my arms in glee when we're wheels-down in Austin. :)

100 Life Experiences

A Twitter bud of mine, @marinamartin, was testing some web analytics thing just as I was about to call it a night tonight. "Sure, I'll just pop over to her homepage. Will take no time." But then I started browsing, and came across this. Looked like fun, so I've given it a go below. Yes, it appears that memes can keep me up past my bedtime. Hope you have fun with it. I did. :)

1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band. (once, long story)
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on a train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitch hiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill.
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a Marathon.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David.
41. Sung karaoke. (once, never again, ok?)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted / drawn.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Got flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma.
65. Gone sky diving.
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.
67. Bounced a check.
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten Caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt.
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book.
81. Visited the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had chickenpox.
89. Saved someone’s life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby. (I'm not properly equipped, but I have two awesome kids.)
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a law suit.
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.
100. Read an entire book in one day.

2009

Something has gotta change in 2009. (YouTube refused to embed, so a link is a link).