ESRI Business Partner Conference Closing, Palm Springs, CA

Sitting and listening to business and sales discussions. Working in this business environment yields $$$ for material luxuries. Sure, one can "feed his family" but something makes people work much harder than is required to attain that goal. Is it greed? Without some higher purpose of contributing to the higher good, what else can drive a person. This meams of making a living seems incredibly hollow to me.

I sit all day, every day.

Wyndham Hotel Palm Springs, CA ESRI Business Partner Opening Session
It's funny. At 8:15 am on a Saturday, I am sitting in the audience of a software conference. Today is the day after St. Patty's Day, which also happened to be a Friday night. The bars downtown and in the hotel were packed with revelers. I have been up for 2 hours already, having checked out of my hotel, gotten dressed and shown up early for this 8 am Keynote Address from IBM. Even though it is early on a Saturday, I feel rearing to go. This never would have been possible 3 years ago. I'd be hung over, feeling like crap, running late and feeling extremely self conscious and unconfident.
I recall many a scenario as above in which I'd be at a class or conference all foggy brained and self loathing. On such a day, I'd be looking around the room at the other people in their crisp collared shirts ad perfectly cropped haircuts, wondering how they could be here so early in the morning on a freakin' weekend and ready to work! Now, I know. They didn't drink themselves into non-thinking oblivion the night before.

The following is from my wireless treo. submitted as a series of SMS messages, 175 character limit, to go@blogger.com. I had to manually paste them all here as mobile blogger is a little clunky.

Right now, 3/14/06 @12:22 pm, i am sitting in my car, the landshark, at a 7/11. it is a sunny day and in the mid 50s. I am very glad to be out of the office.

I wish that I could go for a hike or a run and soak up the sunshine and fresh air. Sitting indoors, at a computer all day makes me long for the sunlight and time...

... in the fresh air. On NPR, someone said that it is so important for people to connect w/ nature,even in small ways, every day. She said that this is...

... especially important for those that work in front of computers all day. Amen to that. Still sitting in my car, I wonder if I am getting enough sunlight on my skin for ...

...the creation of vitamin D. It is kinda sad that I have to make a big, conscious effort to get myself outside during daylight hours. My daily routine ...

... simply doesn't require it. I am becoming one of those guys that is out of shape, bad and pale skin and simply has a dull aura. DON'T BE BOB! While ...

... a senior at Rutgers, my friend, who was a year older & working at an engineering firm, pointed out this guy Bob at his office one day. Bob was in his late 30s, early 40s ...

...and always worked late, indoors, at his desk under flourescent lights. He was pale, out of shape and dull looking. Jeff said, "I don't ever...

...want to like Bob." Me niether. I am almost Bob, though fighting it, in spirit at least. It would be very easy to slip on the Bob mask. I don't want to be Bob either.