Conference Craziness

I have recently had the opportunity to view a variety of conferences while staying at a hotel, while my spouse attended an industry conference. While each conference is unique, it is interesting to see the range of differences between them. There are the serious ones, the "gigglers", the big "ah hah" and the "drained and strained ones".

Two recent movies that present conferences or conventions come to mind; Cedar Rapids (2011) and Up In The Air (2009). The first movie depict an insurance association and it's various events over a few days. Up In The Air shows more of a motivational reward "party" session.

Conferences are a great time to catch up with familiar colleagues, as well as make introductions to newcomers and network all around. Regardless of the type of conference you are attending, a smile helps convey energy and interest. Help yourself and others by spreading smiles.  

Roadblocks

What do you do when you reach a roadblock? You can stay put and not go anywhere for a while. You can mumble and complain. Eventually you can choose to take the detour. Detours are usually complicated and confusing. Sometimes detours can even make you want to delay your journey and go back home. Detours do take more time, but eventually you get to where you intended to go, if you persevere.

Every day life is abound with roadblocks. While they can be frustrating, especially if they are unexpected, they can offer a chance to try a new route, see different thinks and have a unique experience.

How have you experienced detours in your life?

Do More than Expected

Sometimes doing more is a great way to get ahead. Sometimes life throws you a curve and you end up doing more. Sometimes more is just fun.

Why do more?

• Because you can
• Because it is a challenge to yourself. 
• It may be an opportunity to excel 
• It may make it better. 

Take some time to think about how you can do more.

One Thousand Days at Sea is now at eleven hundred days at sea - more has been done.

Stay tuned for a post on When Doing Less is Best.

900 Days at Sea

Do you ever feel you are adrift in the ocean of your life? Sometimes when we get lulled in the complacency of everyday waves of life we lose sight of where we are headed. We are usually most often adrift when we are out of touch with who we are and where we are going.

Going out drifting can be unwise if we do not have a map or a chart. Sure, we can enjoy a few days of "just being" but if we venture into waters unknown we can be pushed upon the rocks and shoals of life.

To get redirected and back on course, we need to stop and take careful inventory. The four questions we need to begin asking is:

Who are we?

What have we to give?

Where shall we spend our days upon this planet?

Who would be good and interesting passengers on our boat of life?

For the last 900 days, a sailor has been on an ocean voyage without resupplying or stopping.The original destination day 1000 - However the planned return to New York harbor in April of 2010 may be extended a few more weeks or months due to winter weather. It has been fun being a visitor to the 1000 day at sea blog and tracking this unique and interesting journey.

If you like to read and want to take another sea journey you can read the classic book Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum.

Transition Your Life - Golden Age

This is the fourth in the series of posts on transition times. Let's visit the transition periods that often occur in adulthood (age 60 - 72).

Transitioning to a smaller home
Transitioning to grandchildren and great-grandchildren
Transitioning to loss of a loved one
Transitioning to approaching retirement
Transitioning to retirement
Transitioning to career change
Transitioning to job loss
Transitioning to evolving spiritual or religious beliefs
Transitioning to a new or chronic health condition
Transitioning to caretaker for parent(s)or grandchildren
Transitioning to having college age children
Transitioning to having married children and in-law relationships
Transitioning to changing relationships with your parents (adult to elderly parent)
Transitioning to financial gain/financial loss
Transitioning to changing relationships with your children (adult to adult)

What other transitions do you think happen during this time period?

See also
Transition Your Life - Adulthood
Transition Your Life - Early Adulthood
Transition Your Life - Middle Age

Take A Desk Vacation

No time for a real vacation this month? If you want to go on Desk Vacation without leaving your desk - Here is a next to perfect strategy.

First, clear your desk, and empty your email box. Let your phone go to voice mail. Turn off the cell phone. - get ready to go.

Now the reward:

Each of these blogs provide great photos and reader story experiences. The way they are written makes you feel part of their environment.


Scotland - Claire's Garden
Alaska - Living in Tok, Alaska
Greece - Santorini
At Sea - 1000 days at sea

Do you have any other recommendations?

A Tour worth Taking

A couple of days ago I ran across this wonderful clip that was made to celebrate the 25th year of the publishing company - Fourth Estate - a division of Harper Colins. The creativity and animation is wonderful. It was created by Apt Studios, and filmed by ASYLUM films's to celebrate 25 years.



This Is Where We Live from 4th Estate on Vimeo.


Take a look and enjoy.

Fourth Estate has a blog called 5th Estate if you want to see their current books and info.

If you like this little adventure you might also want to go back to my August 17, 2007 post about Type City and take a tour.

600 Days at Sea

The last time I posted about the 1000 days at sea adventure was on day 300. Now over 600 days have passed. A lot has changed, and some things have not.

Soanya has departed and given birth to a son, so the adventure is now a solo trip with Reid sailing on alone.

Reid posts on the 1000 days website quite regularly with interesting tales, daily pondering and photos of the schooner, the seas, occasional birds and fish.

I still follow the sail path using Google Earth and go on mini geographic searches of the current area.

There is a lot to learn from the perspective of people who do things differently. Even when things don't have to be done, it can be amazing what can simply be learned from those who undertake the unnecessary, the unfathomable adventure.

Driving on the Other Side of The Road

July was the month my family and I drove 1580 miles on the left side of the road. Traversing England, North and South was an interesting journey of different road signs, roundabouts and frequent - maybe too frequent - periods of time hearing When possible please make an authorized U-Turn. Our Hertz Never Lost(R) took a while to get use to - but then became a new crutch in this adventure. We had of course a complete supply of maps and many many printed pages of Map quest driving directions. These were only occasionally looked at as we began to trust the Never Lost. We have heard many stories of how Never Lost has taken drivers into fields and of course horror stories of these misadventures. But I was grateful for our Never Lost because it was the one who made navigational mistakes not I, not my husband. We had someone else to blame, scold or admonish. Ah what a wonderful thing - that Never Lost.