As many of you may know, I travel – more than many, less than some – but I have racked up my share of miles, hotel points, new conversations, and the creation of new relationships and business opportunities. While I definitely miss being home, I try not to miss ‘major’ events; though with young children, it is the day-to-day things that make me smile the most. I definitely miss that….  But there are advantages to travel, too.  Just when feeling overwhelmed with the amount of email I receive, I can hope to jump on a cross-country flight and get caught up – disconnected. (While on-board wi-fi is GREAT – and thanks to ViaSat, becoming more available – it just demands that we be ‘on’ even more!)  To be able to plow through my inbox, Zune on, and focused is a beautiful thing.

Time to just think – when on takeoff and landing we have to be totally disconnected, forced to even put down our phones – about where we are going, who we are, about plans for the future and how to make the most of the present. That is almost a gift of time. And when not thinking, there are the magazines to catch up on….even though I have been banned from ordering / renewing, I do get lost in Oprah, BusinessWeek, Food & Wine – you name it. I own all the technology – iPad, Kindle, netbook, laptop, Zune, Droid…..but there is something about having actual paper, being able to fold corners or pull out an article that reminds you to hit Whole Foods on the way home and try a new recipe. All good things…

I work in technology – you know that. I love it, love it, love it! It enables my world, keeps me connected, at rapid speed, to the people and content I need most. There are not enough hours to keep up with it all, and yet I teeter between being ahead of the curve, and behind some aspects. And being on the leading edge is even better. I am surrounded by brilliant people – people who are creative in numerous ways, all of which are important to my existence.  Whether building the coolest software possible, engaging in new topics, saving lives, seeking innovative ways to change our world and that of our customers, connecting new ideas to people, and people to people – it all moves quickly and technology keeps it connected, at least for me.

So how do I / we keep it all together? I think that is the course for my blog….which, like so many other things, I have been ‘meaning to get to’ for so many months. Always wanting to have that ‘perfect topic’ with which to start, it has held me up from actually doing it. But no more.  I look forward to sharing the adventures of my world, and seeking your ideas on how to do it better, get more out of things, short of adding hours to the day (which is still on my ‘to do’ list), and REALLY enjoying every aspect.

Time to jump in, take more (calculated, because I am who I am) risks, and move ahead in great leaps and bounds. I hope you will join me on this adventure – lots of other people have inspired me to get to this point, and I will be forever grateful to them.  It’s time to invigorate the world, one person at a time, and celebrate our successes!  And I have plenty of time to do so as I cross the country, thanks to United, to meet with some brilliant people in DC who have already changed my world in a good way.  Words to live by….

“Don’t tell me what you can’t do; tell me what you CAN accomplish.”

Thank you, Mr. Reagan!