Fun And Games

It has been quite a while since I have been active in the world of video games. In my youth, I used to be one of those kids that hung around in arcades. I realized this past week that arcades have seemed to go the way of the buffalo. There are still a handful of kid's pizza spots and a few malls that have a small grouping of video games, but the corner arcade has now faded into the pages of history. Technology has played a part in the obsolescence of these recreation spots. In fact, I can play most of the games from years past on any computer or home game system. One can argue that you may lose the personal interaction that you got at these arcades. However, with today's systems, we now have the ability to play with other people anywhere in the world. The virtual experience is still lacking something that I just can't express in words. If you lived through the era of the video arcade and have tried out some on-line gaming or websites like Pogo or Gametap, you may notice some minor differences. The only thing missing is your physical opponent, but that can be solved by inviting your friend along and have them bring their laptop.

It is kind of nice to play games in the comfort of your own home, I guess. Progress has both good and bad effects on the video gaming front. In the past, it was one of the reasons for me to get outside for a short time. It was also a good excuse to meet up with some of my friends. Arcades typically weren't open 24 hours like the internet, so it did force you to go home and to bed. I'm still playing games while writing this post at three in the morning, so there is a downside to progress. To the aging group of us that used to hang out in the arcade, has the technology improved the video game experience for you?

To borrow a quote from WarGames -- Shall we play a game?

See ya.

The Road Less Traveled

I've often lamented about the plight of the holiday business traveler. While I will, no doubt, be one of those travelers this winter, I did manage to avoid the crowds this year over the Thanksgiving holiday. I will also, no doubt, be catching up with all of the road warrior adventures in my other blogs and websites. This time I decided to employ a different approach to the travel game. I sent my young friend James home for the holiday - from New York to Los Angeles. With the complications of the different planes, trains, and automobiles (no relation to the movie) today, I am still working on the adjustments to his itinerary as he is in transit.

Being on this side of the computer screen is really different. Instead of just thinking about all of this and doing the scheduling, I have this strange desire to be out there as well. I've always liked being on the playing field when it came to the road warrior game. With all of the travel disruptions that I've fixed en route so far, I kind of miss the adventure in some sort of twisted way. It also probably relates to the fact that James is the closest thing I have to a little brother of my own. That overprotective tendency is starting to kick in.

All of the delayed flights, early and late trains, missed connections, and other crazy travel disruptions are an integral part of the road warrior path that I have traveled quite often. So this time, while I play scheduler behind the scenes, this road less traveled may be something nice to do when I retire. But I'm not quite ready for retirement yet, so it's time for me to schedule another twisted adventure for myself out there. Let the road warrior game continue...

See ya.

Maybe It Is A Strategy After All

Sometimes, you just have to have some faith. I know I just talked about my contingencies in my last rant, er, blog posting. It's been mentioned that faith and beliefs and hope aren't necessarily a scientifically sound way to form your strategies. In fact, as a student of sales, marketing, and the business world, I've been trained to find the answers, sometimes even before the questions can be determined.

As I indicated last time, sometimes taking a leap of faith can be the best contingency of them all. Let me qualify that remark. After years of strategy and planning, you have to eventually know that there are way too many things that are out of your control, and infinite outcomes are possible. You can plan all you want based upon the best possible data at the time, but you really can't call most things absolute. It also helps to rely upon your best instincts in many cases.

When mentoring youth, I've always mentioned that it doesn't matter if your fifteen or fifty. We're still making decisions based upon our best analysis of the situation, and having faith that we've got it right. It's not the fact that I can analyze things better than a teenager (sometimes I can't). It's just that I might have been doing this a bit longer than some people. There's something to be said for experience, too.

Ok, I'm done with the psychobabble for now. See ya.

Planning My Planning

I've been trained to think in terms of contingencies. There's always a "Plan B" and a "Plan C" and sometimes I run out letters. Maybe I do take things a bit far with my planning and scheduling. Despite the level of detail and all of the different types of random elements and catalysts that you take into account when developing a plan, there is usually something that was not taken into consideration. The impact can be just as bad as a chemistry experiment gone wrong.

I recently took a trip to China and had an overlay trip across the USA with multiple flights, hotels, and people involved. If I had printed out the entire plan, it would have killed a few trees. In the plan, I outlined every contingency that I could conceive to get me to one of my connecting flights. I failed to consider the flight that connected me back home in between trips could be the one that caused the schedule to fall apart. I had to think on my feet in order to fix the mess that this caused.

You can schedule and plan all you want, but what ultimately matters is how you deal with the issue at hand. Falling back upon your schedules and plans isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes it just takes that leap of faith. That might be the best contingency of them all.

See ya.

Some Call It Magic

With recent events in the financial markets, it's pretty easy to get caught up in seeing the stock market falling, as noted from an old Bloom County comic strip, down a well. The temptation for me has been to work a bit harder in order to keep ahead of the curve. But then again, the impetus for hard work really shouldn't be predicated upon external factors. It's just another one of those excuses that we workaholics like to use to justify our routine. A few weeks ago, I recall mentioning that I'm just wired to be a workaholic. It's literally a part of who I am as a person.

Despite the intrinsic hard-wiring of my work ethic, I've recently been guilty of getting myself caught up in the past for a bit. Although it's only been a few months, it seems as though I haven't seen several of my closest friends in years. I do miss the music, the laughs, and the memories with friends and family a lot. To that end, I really need to take some time off. Yes, it's vacation time for me once again, if only for a long weekend. It took a really long time for me to come to the realization -- It's not about memories past. It's about making the time today, so you can have the opportunity to create those memories. That's where the magic begins. I'm off to Albany for now. See ya.

Of Forgotten Lore

We begin this post once upon a midnight dreary - well, it's more like two in the morning. Like The Raven from Edgar Allan Poe, I am pondering over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore. In this case, I'm pouring over some of my marketing and sales texts from the past and present in preparation to lead a couple of new teams at my various assignments. I don't remember late-night reading to be such a weird mind-bending experience. It has been a couple of decades since college, and I can still remember cramming management texts into my brain for short-term regurgitation.

Although I do believe that the shifting generations now play a key role in management theory, it's still interesting to note that many management principles and theory still have some relevance today. One thing remains constant - in order to succeed, you always have to be in continual learning mode. Once you stop learning, you start losing the capacity to make a difference. That's it for now. It's only this, and nothing more. Profound apologies to Edgar Allan Poe. See ya.

Let Freedom Ring

Last year I seemed to be a bit preoccupied, and I noticed that my blog entries had slowed tremendously. Every year, I devoted an entry to celebrate Constitution Day. So, in this post, I'm returning to the tradition in celebration of the day 221 years ago in 1787 to celebrate the signing of the US Constitution, the foundation of our government. After all these years, we sometimes take these freedoms for granted, and it's always good to reflect upon our freedoms on this day.

Let freedom ring, and once again, all patriots please rise...

See ya.

Where's My Tinfoil Hat?

I've been contemplating the merits of the connectivity we have within our society these days. With any reasonable advance in technology, there is always an associated cost. In past years, there were some strange conspiracy theories in which people thought that they could be tracked and controlled through technology. So much so, that some people decided to don tinfoil hats to block the electromagnetic fields. While this may be extreme in some cases, it demonstrates some of the common social attitudes toward privacy and related issues in recent years.

Today, we've seen social media become a common part of everyday life. It does appear that the tools that are available today allow us to have a more invasive view into the lives of others. We can share our thoughts, dreams, and even our current location and what we had for lunch today with anyone and everyone. A few years ago, this would have been viewed as an extreme personal violation. While I think it's a good thing to share information, I'm still of the opinion that there should still be choices to keep some of our information to ourselves.

Maybe it's a generational thing, but I still think it is strange that social media technology has influenced our current attitudes toward information sharing and privacy. A few years ago, it would have been really hard to convince me to post pictures on the internet, contribute to blogs or websites, or share my location through my cell phone. Times change, and so do people. Though, I still haven't thrown away my tinfoil hat yet.

See ya.

Outside The Collective

Time is a relative thing. When I was in the third grade, I remember thinking that high school and college were things that were a distant journey into a future world that stretched across a couple of lifetimes. From the perspective of a hyperactive eight-year-old, I guess that would be pretty accurate. The generation before me always said that we were moving to fast. Along with everyone else, I couldn't wait to move forward and take on new challenges. In the era of the 1970's, it now seems prehistoric to think there wasn't an internet, standard phones had arcane dials and took some effort to use, and home computers weren't mainstream yet. It was the era of color television and the start of video arcades. For kids and the general populace, e-mail wasn't mainstream, and even if you had access, it was likely that you didn't know anyone else that had an account to which you could send a message. It's amazing to me that as one of the geeks that hung out in the arcades and played with computers, I would be in a decent position to actually understand and keep up with the youth of today.

It's been neat to have had a view into the world of the youth of the 1980's from my era, and 1990's and 2000's as a mentor and guide to various youth. It's been interesting watching people grow, learn, and change. Not too long ago in this very blog, I mentioned the acceleration curve running into the generation gap, and the perplexing view of being stuck between the generations. I've noticed that the youth of today have a constant connection to each other. Granted, they can disconnect from this "collective" if they so choose. The really interesting thing is the fact that we do have a truly global community, with today's youth constantly plugged in and sharing thoughts, ideas, and emotions with their friends. There are a lot of emotions that are shared today on the computer screen that would probably not have been shared in an in-person social interaction. The difference from my generation is that you can now keep up with your friends, even though you are separated by thousands of miles for years at a time, and still keep up with daily events just as easily if they lived next door, with a greater emotional impact. Some of the kids today have told me that they still have their few closest friends. What I have found, however, is that those "closest friends" of today's youth are hundreds or thousands of miles away in many cases.

Do I long for the lost era of the 1970's and 1980's? That's a tricky question. Before we can move forward, I think it's important to look at the past. While I was doing some cleaning, I found several old letters and pictures that reminded me of days past, and absent friends. It didn't provide that instant connection, but it did prompt me to contact several people that I once knew. I still get letters from a few friends -- yes, hand-written letters -- through the mail. I mentioned once before that there is a more personal connection when you send and receive letters. Now, I'm probably one of the worst case examples, as I hardly ever send any letters any more. In fact, it's probably been a decade or two since that was my mainstream form of communications with friends and family. Global communications and the internet are very fluid things. You can use the Wayback Machine or some other search tools to find web pages of the past. But that will only get you back to 1996 or so. Some of the content, when removed from the internet, can truly be lost. If you're a pack rat like me, letters can remain around for some time as keepsakes.

So, I find myself to be one of those antiques that exists between the generations. I can imagine what it would have been like to have this technology in the days of my youth. It would be interesting to have been able to keep up with everyone from my past. I wonder what kinds of challenges this generation will have because of our current progress. It is unprecedented to have a society of youth so connected together through the use of technology. The advent of camera and video phones, text messages, and the internet have allowed instant communication and transmission of data to audiences around the world. Literally, we can be part of someone's daily life and never meet face-to-face in the same room. I'm fortunate to have a view from outside the "collective" with the ability to connect when needed. As this generation moves forward, I'm sure I'll get fully assimilated eventually. Resistance truly is futile.

See ya.

Hey, Remember The 80's?

One of my co-workers posted something on his cubicle wall for an upcoming charity event. It had a bunch of television and movie stars from the 1980's. I don't know whether it was a good thing or a bad thing that I was able to name all of them. This means that I'd actually admitted to being around in the 80's and actually knowledgeable about the time period. So now I've been labeled as the "old guy." Since I'm a decade (or two) older than many of the people in my office, I should have expected it.

I'm probably not going to admit to my knowledge of the 70's yet. I was pretty young, but I still remember. I'm going to proceed from the assumption that I just have a decent memory of either decade. You're only as old as you think you are, and I like think I'm still pretty young.

Do you remember the 80's? See how well you do... See ya.

Pages From The Past

I was cleaning the office recently, and found a file folder labeled Absent Friends. In it, I found an old Polaroid of myself dressed up like Dick Tracy from the summer of 1990. It's amazing to me what I can find in all of these pages from the past. I found a few letters from some old friends, some of whom I keep in close contact, and others who have drifted apart. In this day and age, electronic forms of communication have taken over, and letters are somehow relegated to a world that is disappearing.

It's really ironic that I'm the one yearning for the old-fashioned letters and paper. I've always been the one forcibly shoving my colleagues and friends (young and old) into the twenty-first century with e-mail, social networking, and other forms of electronics, communications, and gadgetry. There's something about letters that seem to have a personal touch that is lost in the electronic age.

In order to keep up with the times, I'm in the process of scanning some of my old photographs. The letters played a part in helping me piece together the timing of some of the pictures. Believe it or not, I was never good at keeping records or journals before I started blogging. So, I continue to look through my files and catch some of those pages from the past. Maybe I'll find a few more pictures of several more absent friends and reminisce about the old days. It's a good thing that we just had a long weekend, because nostalgia can take a lot out of you. It's been an interesting journey into the past this weekend. It is getting late, so maybe I'll try again . . . tomorrow.

See ya.

Spam, It's Not Just For Breakfast Anymore

Spam is one of those great breakfast or lunch meats from my youth in Hawaii. It is one of the most consumed canned meat products in the state of Hawaii. In fact, it is consumed three times as much in Hawaii as it is in the rest of the continental United States combined. But that's not the kind of spam I'm going to talk about in today's post.

The real focus of today's story is all of the electronic and postal spam that infiltrates our lives. I spend a majority of my time opening unsolicited targeted postal mail, and subsequently shredding it to avoid identity theft. In addition to that, my e-mail boxes are overflowing with advertisements that I would never ordinarily even think to look at. Even the attempts of the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 have not slowed the marketers down one bit. Today's marketers have even gotten around some of the unsolicited messaging by slamming their unwitting customers with extra mail, postal and electronic, by burying it in terms of service, or by simply creating marketing messages in subscription e-mail. They got cute and coined the term bacn.

I do have a keen eye for business and marketing, but I think our society has gone a bit overboard with all of the different types of mail and messaging. It takes me hours upon hours per week to get through all of the mail and messages. Marketers are getting a bit more clever these days. You can't tell if a message is an actual bill, a letter from a loved one, or a piece of junk mail. Even by attempts to remove yourself from catalog mailing lists through various services, there is still a significant amount of paper and electronic waste that remains.

I recently went on vacation, and came back to a mountain of junk mail and tens of thousands of spam messages. I'm just a normal guy, so I can imagine what kind of mail you would get if you actually asked for some of this stuff. So, whenever you see me attempting to clean the office, you know what I'm actually doing. I'm trying to get rid of all the paper and junk mail and respond to the important stuff.

I now have a craving for some breakfast. I think I could use some spam and eggs about now. See ya.

The Master Scheduler

Many of us spend a lot of time planning and scheduling the events of our daily lives. As long as I can remember, I always seemed to have some sort of plan to move forward, take vacations, or complete assignments, tasks, courses, or jobs. In fact, I actually made a career out of scheduling at one point, but that's a page from the past that I won't dredge up during this post.

If I can schedule and plan around all of the other career events, I'm sure I can squeeze a mid-life crisis into the mix. In past posts, I was starting to feel the aging process begin, but in the last year or two, the onset of the aging process has worn on me. Unlike the traditional symptoms of a mid-life crisis, I don't intend to buy a fancy car or go skydiving or bungee jumping.

My version of a mid-life crisis is a bit more cerebral. What happens when you achieve the original goals you set out to accomplish? Most of my career goals have been completed, and some of my retirement career goals are near completion. There comes a time when you know you've completed the course and the priorities that got you to a certain point no longer have that urgency they once had. So what do you do in that case? Normally, you make new goals based upon your current needs and ambitions, or remain complacent and lose part of the edge that got you to this point.

Since I really don't think it's time for me to lose the edge that got me to this point, I guess it's time to create some new career aspirations and maybe catch up on a few of those things that I missed a couple of decades ago. Time to start scheduling...

See ya.

End Of My Nose

I do seem to use a lot of old lines from movies, but it has worked for me in the past. I just figured - why stop now? This time I'm taking a page from Mary Poppins when I say that I've figured out that I can't see past the end of my nose. You see, we all tend to supplement that which is missing into our daily lives. When I think about the past week, which started when I went on a shopping expedition to buy a lot of toys and games for one of my volunteer projects, I finally realized what was missing.

I didn't think too much about it when one of the clerks asked me how many children I had. I said that I didn't have any children and left the store. Later in the week, I returned to another volunteer project playing games with kids at the children's shelter. I've been busy working with mentoring programs, and I just finished up at reception for a program that involves placement of interns. Was this an unusual week? Not really. I'm involved with mentoring programs and helping with children's programs all the time. That's when it hit me. I'm a corporate management type, and I spend the greater portion of my free time and extra funds on the kids and other related programs.

It's not like I'm planning on a major career or family change any time soon. Sometimes it takes someone to actually tell you what's missing for you to come to the realization that it's true. So even though there aren't any immediate plans, I'm no longer going to rule out changes to career or family. Vision really needs to extend beyond one's nose from time to time. See ya.

The Blogger Returns

During this last round of post-vacation work trauma, I seem to be shifting my priorities a bit. There was a time when I was just too busy to keep up with my various blogs. In the past year or two, I've fallen off a bit with my postings. I could blame it on the pressures of work, or the ongoing volunteer activities that have consumed a good portion of my time for the last few years. The real reason, though, is the fact that I really didn't think anyone wanted to listen, or at least read, the ongoing blathering of the days of my life. Based upon the comments, or lack thereof, it's quite obvious that I'm not breaking any records with audience numbers.

After reading a bit of my writings from this decade I began to realize that it's been a nice diversion for me, as well. So, it all comes down to this... (I knew I picked that title for a reason all those years ago). I'll return to my regular appearances here, and in many of my other haunts somewhere in cyberspace. I did seem to have my own brand of wit and wisdom in past years. This blogger has officially returned to active status. See ya.

Disappearing Act

Vacations are meant to allow one to get away from the rigors of work or school or other things. One can reasonably expect to return to what you temporarily leave behind. That sense of continuity usually is the comforting thing that brings you back every time. Usually, I bury myself back in my various projects at work and other volunteer groups a week or two after I come back from vacation. This was the first time in quite a while that the familiar things just weren't there any more. I gave up one of my main volunteer projects and there were a lot of complicated changes at work. I returned to a different desk, a different office, and a sharply reduced sense of permanence at the job. It was a strange feeling to be "in a world that's disappearing," as eloquently stated by Christopher Plummer in The Sound of Music.

It took a week to snap out of the daze. I may have left a few things behind before the vacation, but I'm still here, and I don't intend to disappear with just about everything around me. At least, not just yet. I think it's time for me to start another project. Looking back upon the last couple of years, I remember saying that I can't help them all despite all of the volunteer projects back then. As I said before, I'm still going to give it a try. This time, though. I think I'm going to take it a step further. To quote another source from the end of Bloom County, "Another day, another segue." See ya.

The Acceleration Curve Meets The Generation Gap

Growing with today's technology can sometimes be a bit harder for those stuck in the middle of the curve. I admit it. I was a geek from the early days of computers. While most kids were playing football, I was working on my various home computers of the day. Back then it was all about tape drives, floppy disks that were actually floppy, and computers that took up way too much room. Changing with the times has never been too much of a problem for me, but it has been a little bit of a challenge to be between the generations.

I didn't notice the generational challenges until I started getting caught in the middle of technology challenges between the two. I recall giving a computer lesson to a four-year-old many years ago. These days, that four-year-old is now a high school graduate and has some decent computer skills that rival many people my age, and can easily supersede many people in the generation before me. I found this article to be pretty amusing, as it did seem to capture some of my current challenges. While the article doesn't highlight generational differences, it does define one of the things that ironically binds me to both generations -- being labeled the "computer guy."

Don't get me wrong. I really don't mind the responsibility of being the "computer guy." It's just that sometimes there are other roles in life that I would like to play. With the current generation that seems to be constantly connected in a Borg-like state and the missing links that are the hallmark of my generation, I sometimes find myself a bit lost in the transition, not being able to totally identify with either. So, maybe the lesson here is that riding the technology acceleration curve can cause one to fall into one of the chasms of the generation gap. It's an interesting ride, to be sure. See ya.

Consolidation? Maybe, Maybe Not.

In the weeks following a vacation, I seem to get a renewed energy on my blogs, podcasts, and other media projects. Like everyone else, I have a pretty busy life. With the perils of the day job, travel, volunteer projects, two volunteer board of directors, and my friends that count on me, I think my plate is pretty full. Every time I get started on blogging and podcasting, I just can't seem to get enough. Of course, I have way too many of them, and I really should start consolidating sooner or later. There are great services like Friendfeed, that can consolidate all of the blogs and microblogs like Twitter and Pownce, and all of your RSS feeds. But one of the things that I like about having all of the separate forums is the different audiences that actually read this stuff. If you really wanted to figure out who I am, you could easily do a few searches and find everything that I'm associated with. It's not rocket science.

I've used Friendfeed to consolidate a lot of my other stuff, but I think I'll leave this blog detached for now. Unless you already know about it, it's not easy to find from all my other projects. I don't always have the most brilliant things to say every time I post, but it has been a great way to get my thoughts out there. As I probably said in some previous post somewhere, it's cheaper than therapy . . .

See ya.

The Pack Rat Is Back

In cleaning up my office, I found an old button that says, I live in the past, the rent is cheaper. I actually remember when I got it in the 1980's. Yes, I'm somewhat of a pack rat, but not to the compulsive degree, though some of my closest friends might disagree. It's amazing to find the miscellaneous junk that a pack rat like myself can't seem to throw away. Part of the problem revolves around the fact that too many memories are tied to each item in the office, right down to the yellowed papers from close to thirty years ago. I have gotten a little better as of late, though. The office cleanup continues, and I've parted with a lot of old stuff, but I'm still keeping the button for now. The memories still overpower the urge to have that spotless office. See ya.

Paging Mr. Peabody

I shipped a box to myself while on vacation last week, and it arrived today. Although the box contains dirty laundry and a few things that I bought in Atlanta, it still serves as a reminder that I really, really, really needed that time away. Returning from a long vacation is not an easy task. It seems that it was an instant energy drain, both mentally and physically.

It doesn't help to add a lot of changes at work to the mix. I came back to a new office location, new job responsibilities, company layoffs and other less than thrilling news at work. All of these things just make you want to get into the Wayback Machine and return to that nice, peaceful vacation. Maybe all of this is a sign that I should schedule another one . . . tomorrow.

See ya.

Still Grinding

Twice in as many days. Yes, I know. It's been a while since I've regularly blogged, but it was something that a very good friend of mine told me that got me started up again. You see, my young friend James wanted to know my story, and it got me thinking about the various blogs, podcasts, and other media that I have produced in the last several years. I've said it many times before in this blog, and I'll probably end up saying it several times to come -- I'm starting to feel time catch up with me. It was probably the fact that my young friend James is now a college freshman, instead of the clingy four-year-old that I remember so well. I know I've influenced him throughout the years, but I think he might greatly underestimate his impact on me as well.

With another day remaining on my vacation, I've decided to review a lot of the material that I've written over the years. I'm beginning to wonder what I was thinking with some of these strange adventures on the road. I often wonder if anyone would ever believe that this stuff really did happen. Truth can be a lot stranger than fiction, and a lot of the stuff that I've been through does seem to be a proof point. Everyone has a story, and I never thought that mine was an interesting Indiana Jones-style adventure. However, it did appear that I have had my share of mystery, intrigue, and pure strangeness over the years. If I did have a lot of time on my hands, I might put everything back together and write my story, just for the fun of it.

But the story isn't over yet. Even after all of the adventure, and all of the "fun" on the road, you always have to come back to do the paperwork. In my case, it's coming home to a lot of mail and catching up on the standard household responsibilities. Yes, it's back to the daily grind, and it has absolutely nothing to do with coffee. See ya.

The Best Of Times

Ok, I admit it. I really, really, really needed a vacation. So much so, that I even used that as a tagline at on an invitation. This was a two-part vacation. First, my friend Jon got married in Shanghai, so I traveled from San Diego to Chicago to Shanghai for the event. I wasn't really prepared for the driving conditions in China. In fact, the taxi ride was one of the most death-defying stunts I have undertaken in my lifetime. Yes, I lead a relatively boring life. Despite the road conditions, it was a wonderful visit to Shanghai. Though it was a bit hot, humid, and smoggy, it was a great trip. Jon had a traditional Chinese wedding, which was deep in ceremony. Though we had a lot of things to prepare, Jon managed to pack in a lot of sightseeing, great meals, and a lot of fun for all of us into a short weekend.

As a graduation present, I took my young friend James along with me for an adventure across the USA. I started this trip on the day that I got back from Shanghai. In my delirious state, I originally thought that keeping up with a teenager would be a bit of a problem for an aging guy like me. I was able to hold my own for the trip, and I think I surprised James a bit with my resilience. For the first time in a couple of years, I felt like I was finally getting some needed time away from the pressures of work. I also think that James probably needed a vacation just as much as I did. We ate at some of the finest restaurants in Dallas and Atlanta, and got a couple of burgers and pie in New Haven. Of course, we had to stop by the Space Needle in Seattle once again to get a souvenir photo as we did a couple of years ago.

What matters most is the fact that I got to spend a couple of weeks with my best friends. Even though I went to all of the corners of the USA and halfway around the world, the destinations were basically the backdrop. It is important to keep up with everyone, and as a road warrior, I'm one of a few people that has the means to literally meet with my friends anytime or anywhere.

It's always hard to get back into the daily grind after a nice long vacation, but it's that time again. In my absence, I've got a job promotion and moved offices. In addition, I've got a lot of stuff to do at home to catch up from my two-week absence. I must admit, with all of this going on, I've got to take vacations more often. I might even become the President of the company if I stay out for a month... See ya.

Random Thoughts

I've found that blogging is much cheaper than therapy. I've recently gotten over the death of a friend, many organizational changes at work, and lots of life changes for my closest friends. One of my friends is getting married, the other is off to college across the country. With all of the random thoughts that can go through your mind at any given moment, there are always those people, places, and things that are rarely far from your thoughts. For me, it's my closest friends. Despite the fact that we don't see each other on a daily (or sometimes yearly) basis, I still keep in touch as best that I can. When something is important enough, you always need to make the time. I've done that over the next few months. I've got weddings and other road trips that require my personal attention, and I used my legendary scheduling skills to get ready for the multiple trips. It's interesting to see the ripple effect that is caused by major life changes of other people.

I once took a picture of myself with a few of my friends several years ago, and due to travel schedules and other commitments, we haven't been able to get together ever since that picture was taken. It's starting to become a bit difficult to get everyone together from all over the country. Some have new jobs, and others just can't travel as easily. I also just got contacted from one of my classmates for the first time in almost twenty years. I don't think I've had the opportunity to be with more than two of my classmates at the same time in almost twenty years. We're spread out all over the world, I think.

With all that has happened in the past several months, I've realized that I do need to start getting back out there to see my friends more often. In the past, I've been too focused on various projects. Last week, a friend of mine called me to let me know she was in town -- well, about 100 miles away. I decided to drive up and meet for dinner. These days, even with the pressures of work and other stuff going on in life, you've got to make the time for everyone. I think it's time for a few other reunions, too.

Ok, I've been spewing forth a lot of psychobabble once again. Although, I do think it has some merit. Don't let life pass you by. Think about it. See ya.

Death Of A Telephone

I've noticed that traditional methods of communication have become somewhat expensive in today's world. We're starting to see less expensive alternatives to communication these days. I've noted that my telephone bill has gotten to be progressively larger. The ironic thing is that I hardly ever use my land-line phone these days. With great low-cost alternatives like Skype, VoIP services, e-mail, cell phones, and other methods of communication, it's not surprising that my usage of the land-line phone service seems to be fading. As with everyone else these days, I'm always on the move, and I need my communication methods to be as mobile as I am. So, the home phone finally begins to fade into the background. I'm in the process of divesting one of my land-line phones in favor of all of the other methods of communication. I wonder which technology will be next to fade into history. See ya.