LinkedIn, finally paying off, 200 contacts achieved

Lately I have been doing a lot of networking. I have to say, Linked In is a great tool. Here is my public profile if you want to research me, or link to me...

If you aren't using Linked In professionally, then you should. At first, it took some effort to get it going. More and more people began using it, and it has reached critical mass. For instance, I was looking for people with Sharepoint experience. Voila! I searched and found that there are several people out there, only 2 degrees away, that know people I am linked to. I reached out to them... we will see how that goes.

It's a great tool and, IMO, is just now becoming very valuable.

Oh, and as the title of this post says, I just reached 200 contacts...

The Driver, by Alexander Roy

Another book review... this time, it's a fun book... not intended for professional growth or learning... the book is The Driver, by Alexander Roy.

At first, I had reservations about the book... I opened it on a plane to Chicago and started reading anyway. After 30 minutes, I was enthralled and had to keep reading until I finished it, which was on the plane back the next day.

This is a story of pure determination. Alex, or Polizei, as his friends and admirers call him, is a rally champion. He is willing to sacrifice everything for his dream. He is thorough in his planning and doesn't always play by rules... well for that matter, he never plays by the rules.

He has a web site setup called gumball144, which has all kinds of video clips, pictures and other media for you to enjoy. I would recommend reading the book first...

All I can say is that this book was most excellent and I have to thank my good friend, Michael Stuart, for recommending it to me. I am inspired to go do something like this, now.

Here are a few things I learned from the book (yes, I was still learning things even though it was a fun book :)):

• Determination is very powerful
• I should widen my scope of reading and not only focus on work-related books
• I need to enjoy life a little bit more
• We are all capable of amazing things, like driving non-stop for 32 hours

Oh, and if you are really interested, he has a movie coming out soon. It looks interesting...

Brief comments on Egonomics

All I can say about this book is it is a must-read for anyone in a leadership position. I learned a lot from reading it... I hope to change some of my low-ego and high-ego behaviors based on it.

This book is worth its weight in gold for your life and career.

It's on sale right now for $6.99 at Amazon with free shipping...

Sonoma trip pictures

Ok, I know it's been a while since I posted here, so I am going to drop some 411 on my latest vacation... in Sonoma Valley, CA. Here are some pictures...

Yes, that's me using an iPhone instead of relaxing :/

Here is a picture of John Kelly (left) and me (right) having a glass of wine on his vineyard property just outside of Kenwood, CA. John owns a boutique winery called Westwood. If you are in to Pinot Noir, you should look them up.

Here is a picture of Geyser Peak winery. We really enjoyed their wines.

Another photo from Jordan... good stuff.

A couple of photos (front, Sheryl and Snoopy) from the Charles M. Schulz museum. That guy was amazing...

The view from Matanza's Creek.

The most lively and entertaining tasting crew was at Rodney Strong.

It's official.... and my musings on Australia

Well, it's official, mates! ... I'm now able to drive on the left side of the road in Australia. It was 5 minutes of sheer terror as I watched the cars approach me... but once I got past that I was able to do it. My wife and I drove approximately 500 Km (yes, it was Australia, and they converted to metric in the 1970's) in a hired car (that's a rental car to you and me in the USA).



We drove from Sydney to a place called Pokolbin, which is part of the Hunter Valley wine region. It's much less commercialized than Sonoma and Napa, which was nice. There were no fees to taste wines, and there were plenty of good ones.


We brought back a couple of bottles from Peterson's and learned about Verdelho, it's a wonderful white wine variety. We have found a few varieties sold here in Houston. It's always fun to learn something new!


Here are some general thoughts:

• Yuch! ... there were flies almost everywhere... and they were aggressive. Imagine trying to hit a golf ball with a fly in your ear... not fun :( ... that's the only bad thing...
  
• The people in Australia are very friendly and have a low worry quotient... "no worries, mate!"
• Getting around was easy, although you have to get used to the "left side" being the primary side.
• Sydney is beautiful, but hard from a transportation/commuting standpoint.
• Melbourne isn't as beautiful, but is much easier to move about in.
• The Great Ocean road is unbelievable. It's a must see. If you go, take the helicopter!
• Overall, Australia is a very livable and vibrant place. There is a lot going on economically as well as in the arts. Prices were a bit high, but the dollar is weak right now. If the dollar were more solid, I would expect that prices would have been fine.
  

Why Living a Life of Gratitude Can Make You Happy

I'm starting to really enjoy this Zen Habits blog!

Why Living a Life of Gratitude Can Make You Happy

Here's a poem from the article:

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings.

~ Author Unknown ~

Habits: Good Tips

Here are two great articles on Habits. They can be applied to any habit you are trying to change:

4 Simple Steps to Start The Exercise Habit

Set Up Habit Changes So It's Hard to Fail

Enjoy.