Baseball Stadium Hat Trick

About 2 months ago, one of the sales guys at Sprinklr suggested that we do a customer event on a rooftop overlooking Wrigley Field in Chicago on a Monday night. Having never been there, I , of course approved the idea

A few weeks after that, my Dad, a big baseball fan announced his desire to take his children and grandchildren to a Sunday baseball game at Nationals Stadium.

I was lined up for 2 games in 2 days.

Then, my travel plans changed and I found myself headed to NYC on the Tuesday after the Wrigley event. When I shared my plan with my pal, David Bloch, that I would go to 2 games in 2 nights in 2 cities, he said, “you should go to a Mets or Yankees game.”

And the Stadium Hat Trick plan was hatched.

My colleague, Brian and I, were planning on working late that night anyway over dinner, so instead, we went to Citi Field (where we brought our laptops and iPads, etc.-and there’s free wi-fi, which I am using right now to post this).

I’m not really a huge baseball fan, but all three of these were good, solid reasons to go and it seemed like a chance to create a life memory.

So, I did.

It’s fun to talk to strangers…

A few weeks ago, my sister sent me a great TED video about the value of talking to strangers.

You have so  much to learn from them.

And, again, I’ve seen how valuable that can be. In this video, I hear from a University of Texas football legend because I asked him about his shirt while we shared an elevator ride in Dallas.

And here’s an article about the movie he was consulting on.

40s and the Decade of Mild Disillusionment?

People often comment about my proficiency in acknowledging birthdays.

I call about 1800 people per year and I do it because I enjoy maintaining relationships and hearing differing perspectives.

What’s been interesting to note as I (and the bulk of my cohort) age is that the good news (educational, professional achievements and personal milestones of marriage and children) is now being tempered with some of the hard realities of life.

People who have been laid off and are having difficulty finding work.

People with severe challenges on the part of their children, either disabilities (ranging from mild to major) or behavioral (addictions).

Marriages that have been dissolved or are in distressing and precarious positions.

Deaths of loved ones, both premature and of a more natural nature.

And the strain becomes a domino effect…one area (a disabled child) affecting another (marriage).

It should really be of no surprise, obviously this is what happens as you advance in the game, but still, it’s a wake up call.

You recognize, again, that life is not all Disney movies. Things never work out as you anticipate and you have to continually reassess your own position on the board.

1 degree of separation from Chuck D, Flavor Flav, and Public Enemy

I pride myself on my networking skills, but I have to say, I have now taken it to a whole new level.

At the pool the other day, I overhead a couple chatting and made an inserting remark into their conversation.

We got to talking and it turns out that the guy is a member of the rap group, Public Enemy.

James “Bomb” Allen (should I call you “Mr. Bomb?”) and I had a long chat about the history of rap and who the artists they most respected were (Run DMC, LL Cool J, and Beastie Boys) and some of the craziest moments in the band’s history (Redding UK festival where they had no idea where Flavor Flav was and then he just came flying onto the stage).

We also talked about the anti-Semitic controversy in the early 90’s (all a misunderstanding, apparently, according to James.)

Seriously cool guy and down to earth. So was his wife. It was a fun peek into a group that has impacted America.

And all the while, our kids are playing in the pool.

And, in the “street cred” department…before this, I was one step removed from ppl like Obama and Netanyahu, but these are easy.

Now, I’m one degree from Chuck D and Flavor Flav.

BTW, you can follow James on Twitter, if you want.

Laughing when facing a mortal disease…

This blog post is dedicated to my friend, Tom Siegman. I called him on his birthday the other day and he said, “hey man, keep on blogging.”

A few days ago, a friend of ours passed away. He was young, too young. Blogged on it here.

In the months leading up to this, people had the opportunity to go visit him and spend some time with him, just to keep him company during his time in between chemo, etc.

Last summer, I spent 2 hours with him and we spent the first hour talking about serious things, like American foreign policy, educational systems, the rise of China, etc.

At some point, talk turned to his illness. He couldn’t really eat food. He would get his nutrients through an IV, but he would drink just to avoid feeling parched and then, as I understand it, most of it would just go straight out of a tube in his stomach to the bag he carried around with him.

Now, I’m not sure exactly how we got the idea, but at some point (knowing me, it was probably I who came up with it), we realized that he could drink as much alcohol as he wanted and not get drunk.

From there, the plan we hatched was to go to the University of Maryland and challenge all of the frat boys to drinking contests for money. We saw an opportunity for him to “monetize his illness.” We both had a good laugh at this.

Now, some may think this crass, but what I think it represented for Gordon (and for all of us) is the ability to keep a light-hearted spirit during times of tremendous strain.

The gravity of the situation wasn’t lost on us, but the fact that we were able to have a laugh at the same time is, I think something that is commendable—mostly for him, as I wasn’t faced with the issue, of course.

I do recall reading somewhere (and I can’t remember right now where it was), that people who can laugh when faced with serious challenges are more likely to persevere than those who cannot.

In the long run, the disease got Gordon, but from all accounts, and from what I saw, he was a true fighter all along the way. I suspect this type of attitude had something to do with it.

The Epstein Top 5 (or 10) Tips for Just About Everything

As part of my 40th birthday celebrations, the NFO asked my family to submit their TOP 5 OR 10 LIST for various things they either experienced with me, learned from me, taught me, or just had for me.  Herewith, the amassed knowledge of the Epstein family.
ASHER
Jeremy’s Rule for Entrepreneurs

1. 1. Never stop marketing
2. 2. Never forget rule number 1
3. 3. Leave it all on the field everyday
4. 4. Be remarkable (positive when possible)
5. 5. Nurture the network

BARAK
Language:

1. 1) Immerse yourself in the culture.
2. 2) Talk to anyone, at anytime, about anything.
3. 3) Study.
4. 4) Believe that you can do it. This is a test of will.
5. 5) Love the process.

Lessons from Living with Jeremy:
1) Passion is key. If it is not present, manufacture it.
2) Adventure exists in the mind.
3) Never give up.
4) You will always win the game if you make the rules.
5) If you are not in a position to make the rules, charm the hell out of your adversaries.
6) If you cannot charm your adversaries, give up and move on, or change.
7) If you cannot change, find someone who will make you.
8) If you cannot find such a person, find an offbeat adventure to re-energize yourself.
9) Never give up.
10) Even if you live life with unusual seriousness, be the guy who laughs loudest at the dumbest, most sophomoric movies around.



DINA

Top 5 ways to make a lasting, unique and positive impression

1. 1. Every interaction is a chance to make a positive impression. Take the extra few minutes to draft a vivid, detail-filled email, note, or speech and use imagery in your language to help people remember you and your message ("there I was, standing in the rain, teeth chattering and mascara dripping down my face when I came up with the idea to invent the umbrella" is much more memorable than "Rainy days are wet. That's why I invented the umbrella.").
2. Don't be afraid to add some of your own personality to interactions. Related to this: If you don't have any personality, try to get some pronto.
3. Be honest about your strengths and weaknesses. Being genuine builds trust and goes farther than being "impressive" but phony. For example, I can't drive stick shift but I'm great at parallel parking.
4. Visualize your best, most confident, most relaxed self before entering any new situation; use that energy to help you make a positive first impression. In other words, imagine what you would do if you were Joe Biden, not Woody Allen.
5. Never ask a woman when the baby is due.

KIRA

1. 1. Trust that you are working on their behalf and confidence you can do it
2. 2. Knowledge about the market/their needs/their wants and even those they don't think about (if they are pregnant they don't want a walk up, but may not occur to them. Point it out, but they may not care.)
3. 3. Referral from a friend they trust
4. 4. Respond to all emails and calls in a timely fashion
5. 5. Make the feel like they are the only client you have and arent too busy for them, but casually let them know you have others without bragging.

Top 10 Travel Tips
David Epstein
March 2013

1. “Norway of the Mind.” The phrase I invented while in Oslo and traveling with an adult child to express the concept that what you know about the history and culture of your destination country is a key to understanding what you will see and the people with whom you will talk. Therefore, read books, e.g., history, literature, fiction written by indigenous authors about their society, and ask questions of its inhabitants initially extending on what you are learning by reading. Focus your reading throughout the trip on where you are, not elsewhere.
2. Have one or several broad themes for your trip, e.g., Italy, the Roman Empire or the Renaissance; Australia, European colonization and interaction with Aboriginals; Soviet Union and the late, unlamented German Democratic Republic, totalitarian societies and those based on individual freedom; South Africa, new South Africa after the collapse of apartheid; Hong Kong, for the handover from the United Kingdom to China in 1997; Northern Ireland for its post-agreement elections in 1998.
3. Let the trip unfold so you are flexible as to where you go and when. If you arrive at a capital city, stay overnight at a pre-reserved hotel, and then immediately leave the capital city to travel around the country, making choices as to what to visit and where you stay as you travel, saving your exploration of the capital city to the end. Use organized package tours only where conditions require.

1. Do not have expectations or a long list of “must see,” so that you will not be disappointed. On the other hand, do not say, “I will avoid that site because that is where the tourists go.” There is a reason the site attracts visitors.

1. Do not obsess about minor setbacks, e.g., lost luggage, bad meals, closed museums, or being overcharged.

1. If traveling with an adolescent child, make visits to museum no longer than an hour or so. You are teaching curiosity, not overwhelming the child with content.

1. If traveling with an employed adult child, he or she pays for the airfare to the destination. Thus, the adult child has a financial investment in the trip and is also discouraged from hoarding frequent flyer points. Parent can pay for ground expenses, defined as those expenses directly related to food, lodging, attraction tickets, guides, most but not all internal travel. This view will lead to delicious discussions in setting the boundaries.

1. In a new city, first take a bus tour for the overview. Hire a good personal guide at an important site who knows the subject matter and does not tell lame jokes.

1. All family travel is good, but your choices will be challenged within the group, as different interests are expressed. One-on-one travel for a parent with a teen age or adult child is the best, as you are then companions facing the challenges and joys of travel without the need to referee disputes.

1. Use the trip as the opportunity for long and searching conversations. Have an ongoing dialogue with your traveling companion (s) both on what you are learning as well as on any other topic, personal or general.

ELLEN EPSTEIN
5. Never do ONE thing when you can do three or four things simultaneously.
4. Remember the acronym F.A.T: FILE It; ACT on it; TRASH it. Only touch a piece of paper once.
3. Label your cables: (Jeremy knows all of this already)
Organize, store and buy computer cables wisely
by David Caolo on Jan 24, 2013
Step one: know your cables

1. USB to mini USB You’ll notice one end is a flat rectangle shape and the other is a small trapezoid shape. These are often used with digital cameras and often short, in the 1–3 foot range.
2. FireWire 800 These feature a squared-off end with a plastic“bit” in the center. FireWire 800 cables are typically used on high-end external hard drives and some video equipment. They transfer large files between machines and drives quickly.
3. Standard USB One end features a flat rectangle and the other a square with once side slightly rounded. Many printers uses these cables, as well as some external hard drives.
4. FireWire 400 Which, is also called “1394 cable” in some circles. Also used for storage peripherals like hard drives and some older video cameras. Transfer speed is slightly slower than that of its sibling FireWire 800.
5. DVI These cables end with a wide terminator with many pins and two screws to hold it in place. You’ll find that many computer monitors and projectors use these. Length can vary greatly, but most are around 3 feet long.
2. Get rid of Paper (Jeremy is almost Paperless!)
The latest model in the ScanSnap desktop line is the iX500 and it’s an impressive machine. I’ve been test driving one the past two weeks (thank you, ScanSnap!) and it’s amazing — it doesn’t require a desktop computer to launch, it will scan straight to a mobile device or an online storage location over Wifi (so I can save straight to Dropbox), it’s noticeably faster than the S1500M model we own, and I’ve been able to customize it to send scans automatically to whatever program I want, so items like photographs now import straight into iPhoto. I won’t upgrade permanently from the S1500M we already have, but if we didn’t have a scanner I would save up for this one. If you’re in the market for one, the list price is $495. They’re expensive, but they’re really nice. (Full iX500 product details.)
As far as shredders go, I’d recommend the Fellowes PowerShred 79Ci now. The thing is a monster at chewing up stuff you want to shred. And, as I referenced earlier, it’s on wheels, which makes it convenient to use and store. It’s also expensive, but the thing will last you a decade or more if you treat it well. OurPowerShred PS-77Cs is still rocking after seven years of service, and we use it daily. Unlike less expensive shredders, the PowerShred line is built to last.
The list of things to shred and not to shred is still accurate, though a lot of people greatly dislike my advice to destroy old passports. I probably should have written more clearly about waiting to shred the old passport until after you get a new one. Submitting your old one does speed up the renewal process. However, once you get the old one back, if you don’t need it for any legal reason, it’s safe to shred (just be sure to pop out the RFID chip first). My last passport, though used many times, didn’t even have a single stamp in it because so many countries have stopped stamping and my old visa had to be relinquished when I left the country that required me to have the visa. If you want to keep old passports, especially if they have stamps in them, do it but please keep it in a safe or safe-deposit box so it doesn’t end up in the hands of identity thieves.
Even with all of these products and systems, paper continues to be something we have to deal with daily in our home. We’ve unsubscribed from as much junk mail as possible, yet we still get some from businesses and services we use. The shredder, trash can, and recycling bin by our main entrance are essential in dealing with the junk immediately and not letting it come deep inside the house. But, the stuff we let in voluntarily —the bank statements, the receipts, the pay stubs, the contracts — still feels overwhelming at times. We’ve gone so far as to unsubscribe from all print magazines and now subscribe to these publications digitally over Zinio. The only way we’ve been able to keep from being overwhelmed by paper is to clear our desks each day as part of our end-of-day work routines. All papers filed, junk shred, receipts reconciled, documents scanned, etc. It only takes five or ten minutes, but it’s still a chore. I’m looking forward to the day when I only have to spend five or ten minutes a week (or less) dealing with paper clutter.
1. Hair is clutter (Jeremy also knows this!)
Eschew the trappings of our vain and materialistic culture by shaving your head. Did you know that you can replace the following items with a single razor and a can of shaving cream?

1. 1. Combs
2. 2. Brushes
3. 3. Shampoo
4. 4. Conditioner
5. 5. “Product” (Gels, Mousses, Waxes)
6. 6. Scrunchies (N/A to Jeremy!)
7. 7. Barrettes (Ditto!)
8. 8. Hairdryer

It’s a practical and stylish approach that is surprising versatile–it works whether you look like Natalie Portman or Telly Savalas. And with all the money you save on haircuts you’ll be able to buy cool white clothing lifestyle that most minimalists only dream of.
Here are my tips that got lost. Please enjoy them!!
Love, MOM

Sushi and Mastering Your Life’s Passion

Find your passion and then commit fully to it.

That’s one of the key messages of a fantastic movie that I watched recently (with my kids as well) called “Jiro Dreams of Sushi.”

You learn the story of the 85 year old who is regarded as the world’s greatest sushi chef and his lifelong dedication to his craft.

Plus, you get a pretty clear picture of what it takes to become (and stay) the best in your field.

The movie isn’t about sushi. It’s about, well, a lot of things, but it’s a blueprint for mastery.

Most of us don’t achieve that level and Jiro’s dedication shows us why and why it’s so rare. And, I suppose, it helps us appreciate Mastery when we see it.

Bucket List-Real or Excuse?

Having dinner with a friend the other night, she referred 3 or 4 times to “that’s on my/someone’s bucket list.”

Now, I certainly know the concept, but hadn’t heard it used with that frequency.

I asked “is this really because your social network has a strong sense of their own mortality or something else?”

Her answer, “I think it’s just a way to make an excuse so that you can do stuff that you might not otherwise do.”

Thoughts?

Same idea?

Little Judgment Indicators…

My mom likes to say that you can know 100 things about a person simply by looking at what the bumper sticker (s) on their car say.
Sure, it’s a generalization, but generalizations work because they are generally true.
This came up on a recent flight when I had a window seat and a father/daughter (she was about 6) pair took the seats next to me. Predictably, the 6 year old was in the middle.
The first thing she pulled out was a math/numbers workbook.
This made a strong impression on me as it is the first thing that I ask my kids to do on planes too…by the time we get to hour 3, it’s iPad city all the way (but that’s just survival).
I immediately made a bunch of assumptions about him based on that alone.

Time to Retire “Retirement?”

A friend sent in this question/quandary. Figured I’d put it to the blog readership for input. What would you tell his father?

My dad told me he will retire in Jan. He’s only 59 ½ and would have another 2 ½ years to go at his work place.

He comes from a long line of public servants, was born and raised in a country where “careers” in public office are common, and his hometown basically has two job sectors, public and tourism (which during his life was low paying).

So he’s always been brainwashed into the long, stable career at one place and eventually retiring. From the same culture, retiring is seen as “life is over, now I idly wait for death”. He even brings this up in his email (that retirement does not mean death), so it’s definitely still present in his way of thinking.

I think the word retirement should be banished from the face of the earth. It’s been way too long since my college years of studying Economics, but I know it’s the result of an old system/way of thinking that is just no longer applicable.

The Challenge:

Help me find an alternate word or phrase for this period of life. I’ve always been fond of a period I describe as “Independent with no dependents”, which is usually that moment after college where you have your first job and no worries on your mind.

It’s that entrepreneurial spirit that lets you take risks without care, since you’re in it for the experience and thrills. It seems like “retirement” would be a similar phase.

You’ve done your time, paid your dues to higher ups, presumably saved up and will not worry about bills and finances.

You’re independent – again. You’ve also, in many cases, raised your kids/family and they’re off and on their own.

You’ve got no dependents – again. What a wonderful time to be in – again! Yet “retirement”, yuck.

Perseverance to get a Nobel Prize…Of A Personal Kind

So, it’s cool news about this Israeli scientist who won the Nobel Prize.

The moral of the story…perseverance, commitment in the face of adversity…that’s the eternal lesson.

How to Get Paid to Do What You Want to Do Anyway…

For some, this may seem obvious, but a simple model for career satisfaction dawned on me a few days ago as I drove Tonka to ballet camp.

She explained to me that her future aspiration is to become a ballet teacher.

“That’s great,” I said, “but if you are going to do it, be the best ballet teacher you can be.”

This conversation led us down an interesting path as we discovered what it would take to help her reach her goal.

We narrowed it down to three steps.

First, DISCOVER YOUR PASSION.

For many this easy, but for many, after years of corporate experience, it’s not always that easy to reconnect to it. Still, if you’re not passionate about something, you’re never going to invest the extra effort at mastery.  Just because you’re passionate, doesn’t mean it will be easy…it’s not. There’s no guarantee you’ll make it.

If you’re not passionate, however, I guarantee you won’t make it.

Now, most of the time, the next area that people attempt to tackle is “how can I make a living at it?” I think this is the wrong second step.

SECOND, you have to minimize the amount of time you spend doing the life maintenance tasks. You MUST pay your bills, for example. You need to shower. You need to get the groceries. You need to manage your investments, run errands, drive carpool, etc. Whatever it is…these things are requirements and are not going to go away.

What you need to do is drive the amount of time you spend on them to Zero. You’ll never get to zero, but eliminating time-wasters around these “operational” tasks is critical. Setting up auto-pay on your bills is a simple example. Then, once a month, look at all of your bills to see if there are any errors. It’ll take you less time to look at 10 bills at once than 10 times to look at 1 bill.

And TIME is the critical component to the third component.

THIRD, never stop marketing  

Actually, it really is that. It’s going to take A LOT of time to figure out what you can do with your passion so that people will pay for it. Sure, you need to invest in your passion so that it’s worthy of being purchased, but that’s the easy part. There are a ton of starving artists out there who can show you objectively great art, but it doesn’t matter, if you don’t have a customer.

And that part takes a LONG time and the BEST place from which to take that time is going to be the time you save in #2 above (after all, you want to spend as much time as you can in #1-your core passion-that’s why you’re doing it after all anyway, isn’t it?)

So, I said to Tonka…

1. Work hard at becoming a great ballerina and a great ballet teacher
2. get as organized as you can, so you don’t waste time looking for your ballet shoes (this fact had precipitated the conversation that morning)
3. spend as much time as you can understanding WHY someone would pay for ballet lessons and then HOW can you differentiate in a positive way your lessons from all of the others?

Now, remove the ballet references and put your own passion in there.

My BIG goal for the next 3 years….

Oh wait. I can’t tell you.

Here’s why (3 minutes)

Watching and Playing…

Speaking of “playing the game,” one of the things I enjoy doing is both playing and watching…at the same time.

Say, you are in a fight with your teenager about whatever people fight about with their teenagers.

It’s intense and unpleasant. You’re frustrated.

But, at the same time, while you are screaming, you are saying, “oh, so this is one of those times when we are going to be looking back at the time we were fighting with each other.”

It’s not quite perspective in the sense of “oh, this isn’t really a big deal,” because it is. It’s more of “I see which scene I’m in in the story right now.”

Not sure I did a great job of explaining this, but maybe an example will help.

I was reading the Berenstain Bears to the kids the other night.

All three of them were listening (unusual since Tonka is normally reading on her own).

We were all snugging on Nadia’s bed enjoying the story.

As I was reading them, I made a conscious effort to stroke the scalp and back of each kid, savoring how they felt at that particular, fleeting moment in time, and I watched myself, as if a spectator, being a father who was cherishing the moment in a private way.

Maybe everyone does this, I don’t know, but I wanted to share it.

Related articles

• Managing Stress and Staying Healthy: Advice For College Students (education.com)
• The Berenstain Bears Wish You a Happy Thanksgiving with Their Tenth Digital Book App for iPhone & iPad (prweb.com)

“You’re Wrong”

Jeff comes up to me the other day.

Doesn’t even say hello.

“You know, you’re wrong,” he says.

“Uh, what are we talking about?” I ask. “…and nice to see you as well.”

“You can’t let your son root for teams as a day trader. It’s precisely because sports are unimportant that it’s a good way to teach loyalty.”

Scott also had really strong feelings on the subject, as you can read in the comments to the post.

Related articles

• Rooting for Teams as a Day Trader (jer979.blogspot.com)
• Study: successful day traders stay in the black by syncing up via IM (arstechnica.com)

Ric Elias: 3 things I learned while my plane crashed

An inspiring 5 minute presentation that gives us all perspective.

Have I lost focus on what’s important?

I’ve learned a lot from cab drivers over the years.

They meet a lot of people in their line of work and often have good stories.

I’m usually happy and excited to make conversation with them.

The other day, however, I got in a cab on the way to the airport and after some initial conversation, I pulled out my laptop.

Not to be anti-social, but because I was on a few deadlines.

I felt bad.

I wondered if I had lost perspective and stopped appreciating my fellow human being, from whom I could learn?

Or, was I just being responsible at that moment?

In an entrepreneurial endeavor, it’s easy to be fully consumed by the business.

In some respects, that’s necessary, but I’m not sure it’s worth it.

Balance. Easy to say. Hard to do.

The Cranberries and the Soundtrack of your Life…

My friend Emily Waldman once told me that when she listens to music as she goes about her day that she views it as if it is the sountrack to the movie that is her life.
I thought about the other day while having breakfast in Santiago.
The song “Dreams” by the Cranberries came on the radio in the restaurant.
I hadn’t heard it in a long time, but when I did, it transported me back to another time and place.
You know how there are certain songs that do that, right?
Well, for me, this song was one with which I became familiar during my time in Japan in 1997-98. I had a few CDs in my one room (as part of a shared house) in Tokyo and the Cranberries was one of them.
So, I listened to it A LOT.
It was the soundtrack for that time of my life…young, adventurous, on the other side of the world.
Then, here I was, in Santiago, Chile. Again, on the other side of the world (sort of). Maybe not as young and maybe not as adventurous, but still, I hope (or at least I tell myself), young at heart and with the spirit of an adventurer.
When I heard the song, I thought about the distance between Tokyo and Santiago, not physically, but meta-physically. Spiritually. How the time had passed. How I was, in some ways, very different, but in some ways, very similar.
I liked very much how the song, for that moment, played the role of “1/4 speed button” and life seemed to go in slow motion.

Return to Muenchen…

Image via Wikipedia

In hindsight, we are able to identify special times or places after which we are no longer the same.

On a societal level, things like 9/11 certainly fit the mold, but our lives are filled with hundreds of these turning points.

For me, arriving in Munich in the summer of 1994, between my junior and senior years of college, was one of those moments.

I arrived solo and after a 6 week course as the University of Regensburg, I took off on a solo 4 week backpack/hostel excursion through a large chunk of Europe.

After that, my life and worldview were never the same.

So, an opportunity to fly back to Munich to teach a class on behalf of Microsoft on Digital Marketing was welcome.

It’s a chance to reflect on the twists and turns of life ever since.

The Stories We Tell Ourselves…

In marketing, we know that the best way to convince or persuade someone to act is to help them create their own narrative as to why they want/must buy something.

We do this in almost all parts of our lives.

Case in point..my recent (insane) travel schedule.

It’s tough on the NFO and tough on KKR. No doubt.

Now, I love travel. I love marketing. And I love getting paid to do both, BUT…part of the story that I tell myself is that I am ultimately going to be a BETTER father by taking these trips to distant lands, taking me away form my kids.

Why?

Well, it’s no secret that globalization is a powerful force.

It’s no doubt that it’s only starting and we have ways to go.

So, I reason, the more I can understand some of the different factors that affect globalization, some of the countries involved, and the issues they face…many or all of which will (I don’t think it can be argued) have an impact on the future lives of my children, the better I can prepare them for that world.

True? False?

It doesn’t really matter.

It’s the story I’ve convinced myself is true, so I can live with it.