1 Slow Cooker

1 Package Brats

1 Bottle Beer

1 Onion

1 Can Sauerkraut

   

You can probably figure it out from here … Go Packers

Thank You 2011, Hello 2012.

Was 2011 a year to remember? Are you entering 2012 with a new outlook, a plan or a resolution?

At my age (let’s just say middle age) there are always great things that happen with family, friends, vacation, etc that you will remember, but in 2016.5, will you look back at 2011 and say, “Boy, 2011, just turned me around, what a great year”.  If I do look back and say that, which I might, and feel like I will, I can point to one reason….

PEOPLE

This year, I had the opportunity to talk with, get to know and reacquaint myself with good people.

I chatted more with my brother (WI) and sister (CA) and parents (FL).  I spent a day in Wisconsin with 3 childhood friends.  I learned about good marketing from a superstar in Colorado.  I learned about passion for ones work from a lady in Florida.  I got included in a brilliant group of creatives from SC and NC #itykwim.  I learned about who drags you down and who picks you up, who I can count on and who I want to strive to be.

There are two people I am especially thankful for in 2011, and if you know them, you aren’t surprised, #sscl and #bandicoot.

The first is on everyone’s list, it’s like writing about Michael Jordan being a great basketball player.  His advice is free and seems to know exactly how to reach people, with meaning.  I can only hope to continue to learn from him.  By the way, on the 2012 advice, #3, really.  I hope you all have one of these peeps, I am glad I do.

The latter opened a new world for me in online marketing and changed the way I look at my business/job/career.  EVERY time I called or needed help, I had his full attention.  But, for me, on my side, it was more.  Just Friday a friend said to me, “Bandicoot is genuinely good people, we are blessed to have him in our tribe”.  I couldn’t have said it better myself.

And for 2012….

Yesterday I was in a checkout line, and after the man in front of me checked out, he turned around and handed me a gift card and said, “Hey, there is 3 or 4 bucks on here”, and he walked away.  Imabe more like him in 2012.

Thanksgiving this year could not have been better, a visit to the parents, Packer football, shark fishing and the warmest weather we have seen since heading south for the holiday weekend.

The traditional day after we were in Sanibel Island shark fishing.  We were actually just “fishing”, but since we caught more Hammerhead shark than any other creature, we will call it shark fishing.

Hammerhead shark can grow to 20ft long, here are the monsters we caught.

We also caught redfish, hardhead catfish (aka tourist trout), and one of these, yeesh …..

I also had a bit of a mishap with a sandwich tern so if you are an animal lover and want to spread the love this holiday season, spread some here http://www.crowclinic.org/ The bird was safely released, in good health, 2 days later.

I couldn’t help myself Saturday morning, the sun came up and the pond behind Chuck’s condo looked to good to pass up.  Every cast the fake worm was getting hammered.  (note to self: more fishing in golf course ponds next year)

I caught you a delicious bass (or 2)

Even Chuck got into the action

I say it every year, but next year, more fishing

I went to NYC for a day (actually 22 hrs) this past week to see The Big 4 at Yankee Stadium, more about that later.  So, what to do in NYC? (besides planking)

How about a little Reuben samich at Carnegie’s Deli?

 

 

 

 

We had to go see The Carter, one of the top five dirtiest hotels in the U.S. (no, we did not stay there)

     

 

 

 

We rode the subway and relaxed on city benches…..

 

 

 

 

…..inspected the public works and always watched our step…..

 

 

 

 

Finally we went to the concert of a lifetime (I think I have said that before, but can never say that again) and they must have heard we were coming

     

 

 

 

It was a great show, basically adding Metallica to the last GREAT show I attended.

Four of the best (and my favorite) metal bands of all times.  They were all solid, but Metallica blew everyone away.  Opening with Creeping Death and For Whom The Bell Tolls, closing with Seek and Destroy after Battery.  Knocking out all the classics, Master of Puppets, Fade to Black and Sad But True.  But, pulling out Overkill and the spirit of Lemmy with the rest of The Big 4 bands could have been the highlight.  Amazing stuff by all 4 bands.

And I am still debating the oddest thing I saw …..

A man with a satchel (European handbag) or a man wearing Capri’s ….. at a Slayer concert …..

     

Went to a luncheon today with the folks from #prsaclt, got to hear Geno Church talk about the good stuff he is doing with the Brains on Fire folks down in Greenville.

A year ago my sister expanded her business and we decided to give her a bigger footprint on the ole WWW.  One of the social networks that I built was a Twitter feed.  It was being fed from the information she put on her Facebook page.    The idea was for a very basic feed to help push out her free information about organizing.

11,307 ft above sea level (summit at Brian Head, UT).  The air is thin hiking at that elevation.

3305 miles by airplane

2888 miles by car

205 ft  below sea level (Death Valley, Salt Creek)

125 degrees F (Death Valley).  HOT and windy.

47 degrees F (morning near Brian Head, UT)

12 states visited (SC, NC, TN, KY, IN, IL, WI, MN, NV, CA, AZ, UT)

10 different roadside animal warning signs (rattlesnake, desert tortoise, bighorn, deer, cattle, donkey, wild horse, domestic horse, prairie dog, elk)

9 National Parks/Monuments/Lands (Bryce Canyon, Dixie Forest/Red Canyon, Zion, Cedar Breaks, Vermillion Cliffs, Pipe Spring, Death Valley, Lake Meade, Kaibab)

4 time zones, and at least one night spent in each.

3 great childhood friends visited.

2 very cool state properties (Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Parowan Wildlife Area)

1 ghost town (Rhyolite)

1 road impassable due to snow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 video of me cruizing down a massive sand dune

Now that all the Pro’s are done or nearly done blogging about the best B2B Conference of this year, I will give it a shot.

For the past 4 years, I have had the pleasure of attending the BMA (Business Marketing Association) National Conference.  This year, it was in one of my favorite cities, Chicago.

Since it’s going to be near 100 here tomorrow on the first day of summer, maybe this video will cool you off.

A week ago, I got back from New Orleans.

New Orleans has got to be my new favorite city.  It just felt right.