Wow, the temperatures here in DC are brutal, the mercury nudging 100, seems to make people lethargic, even when indoors. Its been an interesting few days, with the departure of our System's Administrator, which in the end as far as attitudes in senior management was a mercy killing. Its a shame in some ways as he did have potential, but constant attitudes, a million excuses for not being to get to work, or not being able to do his job, and the final Instant Messaging fights with the CEO (you'll never win one of those) culminating in him needing to leave. Only afterwards in the last couple of days has the correctness of that decision become apparent with the discovery that he was running several sites on our system with unacceptable content.

On happier notes, its brought everyone back together as a team, surprising as we didn't think there was anything wrong, but an overall attitude change is plain to see.

Life continues in much the same vein as before, meeting a few great new people, who are becoming close, and talking to old friends, after many years of being fairly transient both in location and people in my life, the constant of their presence in my life brings much joy. Its a great feeling to be able to pick up a phone and talk to them, and share their lives, not just my own. It seems that I've striven for something, always searching and hunting, and yet now in a job that motivates me constantly, stimulates and drives me, I find I am more relaxed and comfortable with life just as it is.

Next weekend is a William weekend, and I can't wait, hoping a little of the temperature will burn off by then so I can take him to Cape May zoo, if not a boat and the lake fishing might be fun. No doubt there will be the usual movie thrown in, hopefully no tics ! :-)

Here's another shot of America where you can see the color of his eyes...

Oh, and one of my current favorite recipes, wonderful for summer.

Blackened fish with mango avocado salsa.

tilapia/snapper/catfish (enough for however many people)
1 mango (cut into cubes)
1 avocado (cubed)
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
juice of one lime
salt and pepper for seasoning
1 tbsp blackening spices
1 tbsp oil
brown rice

Combine mango, avocado, onion, cilantro in a bowl, season with salt and pepper.
Cook rice according to directions

Rub fish thoroughly with balckening spices, takes about 5-6 minutes to cook, so time with end of rice cooking. Heat oil to almost smoking, then fry fish 2-3 minutes per side, until it has a nice, dark crust.

Serve with brown rice, blanched snow peas and mango/avocado relish (or on side to your preference).

This picture wil probably come as a surprise to those that don't know me VERY well, rode horses competitively in jumping and cross country throughout my teens, but haven't sat astride a horse in over 20 years. A friend has been bugging me to come out to VA and go riding for a while, and despite how my last ride ended it began to appeal. So off to Catlett, and this is America, beautiful, if lazy horse, and the first time I've seen a horse with blue eyes. Also the location was away from prying eyes and people's knowledge that if I had forgotten how to ride and fell off, no one was any the wiser ;-). Amazing how quickly it came back.

The last week of work has been busy, mainly detail oriented, in dotting 'i's and crossing t's on he premium client business, in addition to implementing processes to make us more efficient as we are growing, an interesting mental challenge, but I'm now in full sales mode, and have to overcome feeling aggravated at it taking time away from sales work.

Its interesting reflecting a little on Friday with T how much we have changed as a company in the last 7 weeks, from where some of the partners we now view as not being suitable due to their size and client reach were the best thing since sliced bread a month ago. A more aggressive pursuit of larger agencies, and targeting designers of end clients that we want to work with has paid off greatly and our reach and appeal has grown through that.

A last thought for today, given that I'm the last person who could be thought of as a metrosexual, given that I'm truly happiest when out running drenched in sweat, or running just to not freeze, same on a bike, only happy in hills on a road bike, and challenging myself on a mountain..the worse the conditions, the happier I am. Yet, I look around my bathroom this morning, and there's a scrubbing soap, exfoliating face wash, 5 blade powered razor, with matching shaving soap, post shave moisturizing cream and balm, and gosh darn it, a $7 shampoo !!!. These things sneak up on you.

Sad moment would be taking the wheels off his first bike, to put it away in a loft, though he has the little bmx bike that was found and restored now, there's something just so cool about his first bike, bought for Christmas when he was 2 1/2 and ridden throughout the house, through the yard and over countless peoples feet, and just look at it, its just such a cool looking bike. Wonder if I can get an adult sized one.

Some weekends are cooler than others. They are just worth it, the pictures telling a lot of the story. It never ceases to amaze me how tired or run down I might be at the end of a week or two week spell, then head the car north at an ungodly hour on a Saturday morning and the instant I arrive I am met by a smiling, running, screaming little 6 year old figure...shouting "DADDDDYYYY !". The stress just fades away into insignificance. It doesn't really matter what we do from arcade video games, visiting Coney Island (drive through ice cream/water ice/soft scoop place - drive through, what a concept. Or just walking along the lane or the park, seeing his beady little eyes find a ball bearing or interesting stone, or a dead bug, the simple joys of simple pleasures.

This went out by email a couple of weeks ago, but folks all say I should post it here...this is what I have to deal with...

"OK, so I'm sitting in church on my last trip up to NJ with my son. He's spent the previous day playing his All Star Baseball game, then a bbq at his coach's house, in the pool, playing in the yard, trampoline etc. So the pastor does the greeting and the first hymn, then gathers the children around him for the children's sermon before sending them off to Sunday School. He asks as it is a beautiful day what they have done so far that day. My son's arm goes straight up and I mentally scream "Nooooooooo". He gets to William 3rd, and my worst nightmare comes true. In a voice that could part waves, in front of the pastor, and in front of a congregation of 200 people he announces "My daddy pulled some ticks off my scrotum". The ground could have parted and swallowed me up and I could not have been more delighted. Little b*stard will be lucky if he sees his seventh Birthday !"



Biggest thrill was to find a Swallowtail butterfly chrysalis, literally on the point of hatching, and to sit and watch together as the butterfly split the shell, pulled itself out and blew up its wings, a total process
that takes an hour or so, though he would run off to find something more interesting, every two minutes or so he wanted to go look back and see what changed. He wants one of the attached pictures for his wall.

A thought this morning on how we have become tied to technology, a facet I am certainly guilty, I probably check email before I make coffee and its the first thing I check when I get home. Equally I bought an ipod maybe two years ago and without it in my car am not quite sure what to do, trying to remember which presets on my radio are which stations.

But there's some areas of life newer is I don't think better as I miss part of the experience. An example is that I do have a Palm Tungsten, in the past I've even used it heavily, but found myself migrating back to an old battered leather Covey organizer, with a fountain pen. I just seem to be able to order notes better in meetings that way.

Though my new purchase is even better, a small black leather notebook called a moleskin www.modoemodo.com

Really quite a wonderful thing, where taking notes becomes a tactile experience, from unfastening the elastic holding the book shut, to using the fabric page marker aside to open at a blank page, again out comes the fountain pen, freshly filled with ink, a very strange feeling after we have been conditioned by years of tech, but pleasurable none the less as you think of generations of writers such as Hemmingway who used the exact same style of notebook. Talking of whom I was recently given a selection of classic books including several of his by a neighbour who was clearing out his parent's garage, so after Kerouac's "Satori in Paris", that will be the next book to read - and I thought I would be reading trash novels on my train rides home.

Of course, given my description of that notebook, I sit writing this on a Mac Powerbook, in and of itself an experience, different to a Windows PC or laptop, which I just view as a utilitarean box. Jobs and Jonathan Ely's ergonomic design and vision creating an altogether different experience to using a computer, very much the way things should be, as valid as a tool for ideas, work and play as the Moleskins delightful simplicity. To where when you use it, you forget you are using a computer, and it just becomes an extension of your mind and fingers.

So maybe I'm not a curmudgeonly retro-grouch after all.

Back on the metro once again, watching a few people from the parking lot, then the feed into the tunnel where last week I watched the trumpet player who was playing Miles Davis, this morning quiet, almost somber like a Monday.

Yesterday was 4th July, the longer I live here, the more American I feel. Started the day as I woke up in darkness by driving to DC, down the beauty of George Washington Parkway (AKA GW Parkway), passing fallow deer on the side of the road, to visit the Jefferson Memorial. The last time I was here was on the West steps at sunset, today standing inside as daybreak loomed, reading the words inside the memorial, a reminder through life of why this country is a great one. Also a reminder of a friendship forged on these steps, a friendship that brought a great deal of joy to my life, but now that memory as I looked out over the water of the tidal basin causing bitter sweet memories, and confusion as to why we were no longer friends, but also a thankfulness that we once were, and cherishing those memories as something precious.

The remainder of the day was spent in Seneca Creek part for the most part, kayaking and then biking later, the sheer beauty of the lake itself along with its residents, herons, turtles and assorted other nature, the view from the kayak different than that of my usual running and cycling. The ride itself was brutally hot, cleansing in many ways to sweat out the troubles and niggles of life, though at the end was not sure whetther to turn towards home, or whether to throw the bike in the lake, or myself to cool off.

In the evening I suddenly, and unexpectedly got the hankering to watch the fireworks, something that in recent years I have been ambivalent about, so a parking lot to the west of 270 was found and chosen, offering a perfect view of the display at Montgomery Fairgrounds, for some reason this year they struck a resonance in me, perhaps a reflection, or mirror image of how I started the day.

The iPod has really become ubiquitous, as I look around the me, the tell tale ear buds in over half the people sitting around me, the remainder buried in the free newspaper given out each morning. The Indian gentleman sitting next to me appears to be listening to some techno...the chucka of the rhythm almost in perfect synchronisation with the sound of the train.

Today's focus is John 13:5-17 - Jesus said "I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, and nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him".

Sometimes I get caught up in helping friends and those around me, to the point it almost becomes a burden on my time. Though these days I have little personal time, I have come to on occasions resent the requests. In reality, though I might resent those requests on my time, whenever I see those friends and sully forth it is with joy at the time spent with people I care about. This applies both professionally and personally, that helping others is not a chore, but a blessing.

As I walked to the office, I saw an acorn on the ground, something symbolic to me "The greatest tree in the forest is an oak, but from small acorns do huge oak trees grow"...in and of itself it holds memories, good ones. But also symbolic to this company, and my new life over the last few months.

Yesterday another great day. There was a certain amount of kicking back in the morning, prioritizing what we need to spend the money on, new offices one floor down to double our space, equipment for the new hires, and upgrades of our other computers, though we kept coming back to just jetting off and renting an entire island in the Bahamas for a few weeks as a much more fun alternative.

More meetings and calls in the afternoon, some good, some pointless and dodged a bullet with a potential client who really could have been a smoking gun politically and press wise for us. Some customers you just don't want :-)

This morning brings a deal of frustration and anger, Le Tour de France, an event I look forward to all year, and was particularly relishing this year with it being wide open due to the retirement of Lance. There were so many contenders..Basso and Ullrich being the favorites, but also Vinikourov, Salvodelli, Simoni, Cunego, Floyd Landis (US), George Hincapie (US), Sevilla, Mancebo all with a shot, a great day in the mountains or a stellar time trial and the race was going to be wide open.

Then this morning, a major drug bust a month or so ago in Spain of a sports doctor which immediately got the Liberty Segurios team thrown out of cycling and launched a full scale investigation into the good Doctor's clients. The report was presented by the Spanish authorities to the Spanish Cycling Federation and thus to UCI, cycling's governing body..and Ullrich, Basso and Mancebo are out due to being implicated and enough evidence to justify their teams suspending and withdrawing them - somewher between 15-20 riders are expected to be out by the end of the day..this on the eve of the race itself.

Just so very disappointing.

If he's not implicated..Forza Floyd, he's been racing like a certain Texan of late, e.g. at Paris-Nice while in the overall lead a group of 19 riders got away, and none of the other teams wanted to chase on the mountain, and he couldn't get any other team to share the load. So he sent his whole team to the front and had them light it up, for 3, 5 and then 10 minutes. When all the other riders were blowing up and dying on their bikes he looked back and shouted at the peloton.."You want more of that ? Because if you do we've got plenty !"...the other teams suddenly helped out chasing down the break rather than subject themselves to more pain. So very Lance like. And yes he won the race...a 9 day stage race, in addition to the Tour of Georgia, and the Tour of California.

George Hincapie would be a sentimental wish, the only rider to have ridden as a key lieutenant to Armstrong on all 7 victories, originally a sprinter, turned spring classics rider who then proceeded to win a mountain stage at last year's Tour, and he's not a bad time trialler either. But he destroyed his shoulder at Paris-Roubaix in April and has not been seen racing much. From the Discovery team Paolo Salvodelli looks a better candidate, winner of the Giro in 2005 and then one of Armstrong's high mountain sidemen, but had a bad Giro this year suffering from some kind of allergy.

Now I think and have written this I'm less angry, the sport and race have ejected and punished a bunch of cheats. Leaving the field open for what I hope (trust) will produce a clean winner.

Wow, its Thursday already. A week of water, rain..sloshing through Old Town Alexandria on foot, 7 hour Sunday night drives from NJ in the driving rain - 12+ inches in 5 days.

But what a week, we got our venture capital finally yesterday, they valued the company at $3.5 million, quite incredible given that the revenues for the year to May 31st were $120,000. In one month we have more than tripled the weighted sales pipeline, and ae still going strong this week.

We also recruited this week a very strong generalist to cover a few holes that we need filling, including the role for me of marketing/account executive to start creating more aggressive initial campaigns by farming leads through the web to drive into the sales pipeline even further. I'll guide him where we want to go and then let him loose on google and email..picking up when the leads are something we can move forward. Leaving me free to concentrate on moving those sales to close and billed revenue. I can see needed another account executive shortly. If Tanya and I between us can generate back to back meetings all week, another body focused entirely on lead production, I might need to clone myself ;-)

Talking of those back to back meetings, I'm now at Dupont Metro, so better get and go start them.

Ya know how this ends, dontcha ?

WHAT A GREAT LIFE !! :-)

Evening ride home, its after 7, the metro is still busy, some friends talking in russian. The reminder of the people, eyes closed or practicing the etiquette of the thousand yard stare, no eye contact, find a point on the car door, seat or even a poster and proceed to stare at it, eyes unmoving.

Day much better, the people from yesterday returning calls, a great meeting with a small creative company over in Georgetown, trying to think of the last time I was there, it much be 6 or 7 years, its not changed much, just enough to cause a slight disorientation of where I was. The feel of Georgetown much different from DuPont Circle, more DC in terms of people being more professional or monied, a contrast to the urban funkiness of Dupont. Much more big chain restaurants, the Clyde's, Five Guys, Gap, more corporate. Which strikes me that aside from a Cosi, Chipotle and a Starbucks, the northern side of Dupont doesn't really have any chains, shop or restaurant.

The customer themselves, a small 10 person creative company, as ever marvelling at the work, and the beauty of truly great creative design. Also it reflects in their surroundings, the layout of the offices and personalities, Xboxes and Foosball tables lying around, felt good to be introduced to the staff as "Our new partner", that's another one officially in the bag.

I saw this Maya Angelou quote today while at my client visit. "If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love. Don't be surly at home, then go out in the street and start grinning 'Good morning' at total strangers."

Much of what she says appeals to me, this one particularly, possibly because of the changes I've recently been through, and through breaking out of that rut, and also my demeanor even when things weren't so good in recent months. That a smile, and not putting on a happy face for the sake of others but in finding something good in each day really makes a difference. I always pause outside of the door of the office, collect my thoughts a second before coming in, greet Randi with a cheery hello and answer of "Splendid", "Great" or "Wonderful" when asked how I am..it really makes that difference in other people. Randi made a comment this morning that she just realised after I came in this morning, that I've only been here three weeks, and yet the mood has changed, there's an optimism and a happiness where before it was a quieter, people doing their own jobs culture - I don't feel that is down to me at all, but everyone else as a team, and a few of the things we've done together building everyone's attitude, not mine. This really is a great place to work, as Randi said on her Birthday, though she only works morning with us, this is the best place she could ever hope to be. Though as she is now on her way with family to London for vacation and will be going to Carluccio's tomorrow night in Covent Garden, that view should bloody well change, hope she doesn't forget my Marmite and cookbook :-).

Something slightly different today, a recipe :-)

Something to remind of summer and sunny bbq days, unlike the drizzly miserable weather outside. The picture about sums up yesterday, just one of those frustrating days when you can't get anything to move forward, hit voicemails all day, meetings cancelled etc. But today is a new day, and already going much better :-).

"Soo-do" Grilled Caribbean Jerk Pork

Ingredients

3 Scallions
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 teaspoons kosher/sea salt
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon molasses
1 habanero
1jalapeno
2 pork tenderloins 1 3/4 - 2 lbs

2 tablespoons vegetable oil for basting

Marinate pork

Combine all ingredients except pork in food processor and blend until smooth. Put pork in dish and marinate covered and chilled, turning occasionally for 8 hours. Bring to room temperature before grilling.

Grill pork

Prepare for grilling over medium-hot charcoal. Discard and marinade remaining in dish, then brush pork lightly with oil and grill on a lightly oiled grilling rack, turning occasionally and basting frequently with oil until thermometer inserted diagonally into center of meat registers 145 degrees F, about 15-25 minutes.

Transfer pork to cutting baord and let stand 15 minutes.

Optional relish

1 1/2 lbs firm ripe peaches
1/2 lb tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tables sppon kosher/sea salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime

Make relish

Cut a shallow X in bottom each peach and tomato with a sharp paring knife and blanch in 2 batches in a 4 quart pot for 10 seconds. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water cool enough to handle. Peel peaches and tomatoes, then halve peaches lengthwise and and pit. Cut peaches into 1 inch pieces. Coarsely chop tomatoes.

Cook onion, ginger and salt in oil in a 3 quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3-4 minutes. add curry powder and cook, stirring constantly 1 minute. Add peaches and tomatoes with any juices, sugar and lime juice and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick and peaches are tender but still hold their shape, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool, uncovered, then chill, covered, at least 8 hours.

Serve with pork.

These are taken just at the corner of my office, outside the Washington Area Bicycle Association, which probably explains the very classy silver Independent Fabrication (the road bike) and the single speed mountain bike (a man after my own heart).

The cruiser just oozes class and evokes something from the lines, the huge tires and mudguards.











There's something very pure about a track bike, no gears, no brakes, just get on and ride. Simple, clean lines. Independent Fabrication (www.ifbikes.com) just really have this stuff down, this one is a steel frame.

What to say about yesterday...it was a stinker !. One of those days where it just seems that it wasn't worth chewing through the leather straps. Meetings cancelled, parking tickets, just a nightmare. Parked the car under a sign that said two hour parking, but didn't read the sign 5 yards away that said "Street cleaning Tuesday, cars will be towed". Of course go to move the car and its not there, call the towing company and when I finally talk to a real human being they say its at the 1800 block of 18th Street, ok, great so the impound lot is close. But nope, they had simply moved it. Admittedly with two tickets, but I'll take that, over a towing and impound fee.

Day ended up well, with a client I've been working with wanting to move forward asap. Must have been the good karma I earned picking up bottled water, bread and peanut butter for the homeless guys who hang around outside the safeway downstairs. Certainly a bunch of character, "Santa" (aka Harry) being the kicker, camo pants, t-shirt, always has Safeway bags over his feet and a bright red santa hat, tows a large luggage suitcase everywhere, and always smiles. Pretty cool guy, to be able to find joy and humour in that situation.

Also got my new phone, releasing my inner geek with a matte black Razr. A slew of text messages in the afternoon while I was out from the bosses at the beach with the England v Sweden soccer score, gotta love technology.

A note on the pictures, they are all taken either from the office, or within a block or two, just what catches my eye on a particular day. Today's picture is my CTO taking a catnap at lunch.

This morning's ride in was cool, beautiful weather, the demeanour of people changing with the temperature and sunshine. Two surreal moments, one a Volvo passing me on 19th Street decked out in English flags, lets see - a Swedish car, made by an American company, with English flags all over it.

Second surreal moment and an indication of being here too long was being passed by a motorcade of police motorbikes, a couple of black Chevy Suburbans and a limo with US flags on it, and realising that I paid it no attention...

Its also halfway to the weekend - and looking forward to heading to NJ to see William, just been online booking surfing lessons for him for Sunday, though Daddy wants to try it too ;-).

Late Friday epilogue.

After the euphoria and work of the last couple of days, take two exhausted people, add in one with back muscle spasms, and a little small company crisis, then just to finish it a completely unreasonable, incredibly rude potential client who wants $70,000 of system and service, who knows the cost and value, but is insistent we give it to her for nothing, and to make those payments of nothing over 12 months, this totals up to a pair of slightly cranky people. But actions were taken and moved on - customer placated and pushed out to Monday to resell or jetison, drugs were found, and 3 new potential opportunies raised their heads. Amazing what difference an hour makes when neither person takes the othrs crankiness personally, a big difference from my last situation where the CEO made everything personal to his ego.

In addition, I learnt a couple of new tricks about google, which in combination give me an almost unlimited supply of potential new clients, who already understand our model. Watch this space.

Just a quick rant - Cingular and UPS suck - 7 days to deliver a phone that should have been here overnight ?. And Verizon's customer service, even the interactive voice system is abysmal..you are PHONE companies by gosh darn it.

Enough of the negativity, I'm tired, wired, beat, exhausted, think I have a fork in my posterior but am too tired to find out for sure, but smiling. :-)

"Confess your sins to each other" - James 5:16

The story that accompanied this quote was of watching a mother watching a video in a class about prioritizing the important things in life, when she blurted out "That woman on the video with the messed up priorities - that's me". How I take this and think about it, is that we often see characters and behaviors in others, that we criticize or comment upon either to others, or just think about, while being completely blind to the same traits or behaviors in ourselves. Perhaps a good lesson, not just as a daily focus, while watching other people, instead of forming negative opinions, to instead focus that inward to think whether we do the same or similar. It will certainly temper our response to those people in dealing with them, and give a greater understanding of what made them feel that way.

---------------------------

Wow. What a day Door to door was 6:30am start, 10pm finish. Back to back meetings between North Virginia and Baltimore, with a mad dash between them. I continue to be absolutely amazed by the reaction of partners to the Suite, right place, right time, right market strategy.

All three of the potential clients we met with committed to working with us, not only committed but want to start right away. Even the the last meeting who was probably the hardest in some ways, and best in others, as a CTO he understands technology, knows what went into the product build and the sheer value it represents to both him and his clients. Total initial project value within the next 45-60 days around $450k. On top of which another partner who we had worked with to prepare a proposal for a potential client of theirs called to say that the client had cancelled their procurement altogether and wants to meet with them TODAY to discuss a final price with all of the optional add ons that we had proposed, so another $40k to be booked this morning.

I think this is a reflection of the sheer hard work, and sacrifices that the company has invested over the last 3 years, and the hardships faced financially and emotionally, and now we are on the cusp of their rewards, it makes me immensely fulfilled to be a part of this.

Yesterday evening was also enjoyable, a relaxed evening near the Can Factory in Baltimore with our recruiter/sales trainer/venture capital brokers, Martin and Joe. Who have been involved for the last few months and helped to shape and mould our direction (and of course to whom I owe a debt of gratitude for Martin realizing that Tanya and I are a good match, that our differences compliment, and in predicting how similar we are in many other ways. The last week spending a lot more time together has unified to become a single mind, I'm able now to predict where she is going with a thought.

Its also been enjoyable between lunch with T yesterday and the truck ride with C, then spending the day in the car with T, getting to know them on a more personal level as guards are beginning to come down and we gel as people, not just business partners/colleagues.

Oh my gosh I am beat. This evening's commuters reflecting the late hour of the trip home, a smattering of Government ID cards, mixed in with tourists, early happy hour partiers and assorted office and shift workers. The mood quiet, most sitting looking a little shell shocked, if they are not already asleep.

I have been asked by someone whether I am really as religious as the focus of the last couple of days. My answer is that I do have a relationship with my faith, that does involve going to church pretty much every week, however I would not describe myself as "Christian" in the modern overriding definition. I used the quotes from the "Upper room" as a guiding and starting point, as it were to hand, to give me something I feel perhaps I don't do well as a person and then to keep that in mind during the day, more to become a better person who thinks and shares of others.

Today was a very mixed bag, customer calls early in the morning, following up and confirming appointments, finishing up the draft of a proposal in between, a nice little walk up to one of our partners on T Street, where today's picture was taken during. Then lunch with the CEO, and a ride, with the whole company over to Springfield to go get some partitions to split up the development office and part of the major open area as cubicles for the new staff starting in July and September. It dawned on my other partners that this is probably the last time we can fit our entire workforce in two vehicles, a 'wow' moment followed by grins.

Each day as Tanya, Cindy and I get to know one another more closely, it seems to sink in more that I'm not just an employee, but courtesy of the equity agreement that I am actually a partner, an executive in the true sense of the word and not just a title. It's not really an ego stroking feeling, more a sense of belonging, that this is not me merely earning money for other people, but that this truly being also mine along with T, C and Travis to build, to make successful.

The product is really amazing, everyone we talk to is interested still, and every potential partner we show it to wants to be involved and use on their projects, the release and productization was perfectly timed, even if only by pure luck, we just seem to have hit the leading edge of a sea change in the industry of how web sites will be built as people move away from the model of doing everything in house or contracting out.

Tomorrow is a huge day, meetings in the morning in North Virginia, both with partners that will potentially commit on the spot (the second more likely than the first), then a dash to Baltimore for a major OEM/Strategic Partner meeting, and finally with our buddies Joe and Martin last of all. Probably ending around 7-8pm..its gonna be a long one, I think I'm tired today ?

Today didn't really have a focus, if anything it was listening and keeping of mouth shut, with the opportunity to get to know my colleagues much better outside the office.


written 9:30pm 6/14/2006

Daily focus - Corinthians 12:1-11 - "We are to use our gifts in accordance with the grace that God has given us"

Reading the persons take on this, it does give a good focus for the day, I often recognise attributes in others, but do not as often as I should name or affirm them. We all have been given gifts, whether they are professional skills, a nurturing nature or simply the ability through a word or smile to bring joy to others.

-------------------------
Now into my third week with Orchid, a couple of quotes seem constantly at the front of my mind - Steve Jobs "Insanely great", and a Helen Keller one "One can never consent to creep when one has an impulse to soar".

Part of the process as I met with potential employers over the last few months has been soul searching about the companies on my resume, and those that I was happiest with. In many ways I feel that since Nexor, and perhaps even more so, Apple I have followed an academic career path. Taking positions because I felt they were right in terms of growth. Then the last few years almost having stagnated as I took positions because of the size or security that I believed those companies offered.

I was wrong about that, Mark Gregory, a career counsellor set me straight, that another lateral move, or a position offering the same thing I had been doing would have been a mistake, it was time to find a more entrepreneurial company as a VP position and step up. Likewise Janet @ Software Consortium was spot on when she said my ideal company would be a small start up, where I could fly and be energized. Both were right, and I have come to realize that what I was looking for in terms of security does not exist in others, but instead within myself. That I will make my own security.

So far this is definitely Mr Toad's wild ride, packed schedules, wall to wall meetings, and even a $300k upfront deal close in my second week. Right place, right time, right company. I love the freewheeling culture, the commitment from every member of staff (OK, there are only 7 of us, but that becomes 8 today, and 10 on July 5th.), even the clients, who are creative, ad agency or interactive branding. A return to my roots with Apple - in many ways it is a similar feel to those days and that what we are doing represents the kind of revolution to people in that industry.

I even enjoy the commute, from watching the various reactions on the train in the morning and the ability to read something business wise (currently SPIN selling again) on the way in, to give my day focus, a gentle preparation for the day, and planning what I want to achieve in my mind before arriving at the office. Through to walking through Dupont in the morning, how the nature, feel and people change and flow through the day - of course whether I will still feel that way in the depth of mid winter remains to be seen. But the company culture will be changing then too, a we grow, new people, new ideas, new projects, we should be 12-15 people by that time.

For now, I feel truly that I have a completely new lease on life, energised, enthused, and even the weariness at the end of each day is infused with its own self righteousness - of a day when much was achieved, and enjoyed.

I posed a question to people I know recently that if they had to describe their lives as a song title, what would it be. Right now I would pick either "Lust for Life" by Iggy Pop, or "Running down a dream" by Tom Petty.

Life is not merely good, its is GREAT ! :-)

Thought for the day : "More Fruit", John 15:2 "Every branch that does bear fruit (God) prunes so that it will be even more fruitful"

To me, this is apt, a process I have been through for a few years now, and yet still have to work at, to cut away materialism, cynicism and old habits - each time I do so, I get happier within myself as a person. Painful as it might be to let go of wants or dreams, in the long run it makes me a happier and better person. Focus for the day, is in contact with other people, to lose that negative edge...that by doing so it will bear fruit in better relationships with those around me.


Usually I take the 8am train, everyone awake, ready to go to their day, The 7am crowd is different, people quieter, more reserved, their eyes stretching wide as they lok at their newspapers trying to wake up, lids almost shut one second, then eyes stretching the next, as if opening eyes wide will allow the story to sink in better. The woman in a seat two rows from me talking to a friend on a phone headset, about the adult toy and clothes party she hosted Saturday. The two women a few seats down, both deaf, talkng in sign language, the one making clicking sounds as she mouths the words she is talking.

The woman opposite me, putting in eye drops, before her contact lenses...one hopes someone else dropped her off t the train. Others snoozing, grabbing a few last minutes of z time before their day begins.

The walk from the Dupont Circle metro, first on the elevator, standing behind someone in khaki capri pants, complete with ruby red slippers, straight out of the Wizard of Oz, as I get off at the top I notice it is actually a man..welcome to DC

A quick stop to browse in the window of Claude Taylor's store (www.travelphotography.com), new pictures, wonderful, beautiful and insightful of the countries he has visited, his personality and eye shining through. I have yet to be thrown out of his store, but that's probably in the mail (read his bio).

This morning, with the rain, there is no sign outside Scientology, no offer of a free IQ and Personality test..the usual crowd outside the El Salvador Embassy, not on the sidewalk today, but instead huddled in every available doorway, bringing back memories to me of freezing January morning's standing outside the Immigration building in Ballston to renew my work visa while my Green Card was being processed.

Outside the office are two of the big yellow busses for the school on the second floor, Chuck arrives, unlocking the side door to let the kids in, his usual happy self, with a smiley face umbrella, hang with him for a few seconds, saying hi, talking down to the weather and asking about his weekend. He always has something funny, or good to say about life, a good person to see first thing in the morning.