ABSILVER's World

So.. as I sit on a long flight to Vegas it causes my mind to wonder as always.. so here we go. This adventure will be many firsts for me. First time in Vegas not as an IBM employee. Although, going for Impact 2010 means I have not gotten very far from the platform. I keep thinking of the vision of standing on a platform and you have to step on the train. That last moment when you lift your foot off that back platform and step on the train. Some days I think I am on a new train and frankly sometimes I feel that back foot is firmly planted while I am looking in the train. Second, I am there to promote what I do for a living focused on marketing and partners. I have this idea around Right Sized Marketing. Helping partners add to their execution plans the ability to leverage agency caliber work at the right size for them. Focused on their needs, their business plan, their marketing requirements, and frankly their budget so they get the best they need for their work. Las Vegas is a

Hello to the world... I sit here in my little space feeling more optimistic than I have in a long while. The economy seems to be on the mend. For the first time in my new career, I can see work all the way through June and I am at peace for the weekend. I have seemed to at moments have made some mindless mistakes lately. Last Friday I missed a conference call for work. Last night had some friends over for dinner and accidentally turned the oven off. You can't very well serve chicken tartar. So, over more beer and hummus the chicken cooked. If you ever want a fool proof way to cook chicken breasts (bone in please) Google Barefoot Contessa and Chicken Salad. The recipe to cook the chicken breast is a no fail recipe. That said, I would recommend Whole Foods or kosher chickens to start. The best part, was having moments this week where my mind just hummed. I had a great call with a partner on Wednesday about something totally new business wise and low and behold it just came

I sit here on a Friday. A holiday of my own choice, because today, I am my own boss. Not sure, sometimes I feel like I am more at the whim of others. But, today I am my boss and so I am taking a day off in sunny Fort Lauderdale. Listening to Madonna, cleaning house, and checking an occasional email. Then off to lunch in the hood with Kevin and Rich. Life is pretty darn good today. I like living near the hood. In the middle of this all, another drama plays out as it has so many times. Harry is packing, shipping, and shutting down his winter holiday. Time to go back. The flowers are starting to bloom. The Daffodils are coming up... and as Harry taught me.. flowers come up in colors in the spring and the first are yellows. When Harry and I were together. These four months were long and short to me. More importantly they were not the event they are today. If it was time to be back in New Jersey, it just meant he and Daisy would be back in a working rhythm with me. The differe

Where is Home? Ever wonder.. what or where is home for you? Is home where you were born? Is home where you put your head each night, so it changes? Is it where you wake up and smile? I am having one of those days where contemplating home, and where that is or should be is on my mind. I am a very lucky man with choices. While the world is rocking and rolling.. I have choices as to where or how I want to live. I know for most people, life is moving so fast they don't have the luxury to stop and wonder. I have created a pause in my life, and I am wondering where I am headed. Today I have two homes, and I am not sure if I know the core answer. I was at breakfast today saying I need an anchor, and I need a place that I can just know is my base. Doesn't mean I can't have a second place.. but I need an anchor that when someone says where are you from? I don't feel like a multiple choice test: a) where I was born? b) Where I live? c) Where I work? d) Where my heart is? e

It is flying time so more random observations. To keep other passengers guessing about me. 1) Wouldn't it really be better if no seats reclined in coach? 2) Tiger said it best. I got caught and thought I was more privileged than everyone else. Yes, he could and still can have anything he wants. Let it go and frankly watching repeats of his "heartfelt" typed and read speech on TV is not really necessary. 3) I don't understand curling as a sport. Reminds me more of a bar game. 4) I love Canada and respect most countries. But, is there anything more pride stirring than watching USA athletes win medals with composure and dignity. 5) All of a sudden over the last year bill Clinton looks like a greater president and a faithful husband. :) 6) ABS prediction, Obama will go down in history as a great president and the right man at the right time. 1/2 of the negative commentary is racism and history will be amazed what he accomplished any way. 7) Delta's uniforms look bette

I am on a flight from Montreal to Atlanta ending in Fort Lauderdale. Minding my own business and enjoying Bruce Springsreen and my own mind but I keep getting looks of people wandering why I am not working. Why am I not reading pr doing something productive and I thought just sitting here staring into space was productive and frankly peacefull. So to confuse them I am sitting here typing ony iPhone effectively about nothing except the lack of peace. Montreal was nice and the work productive but in February with snow everywhere is there really a better place to be than South Flotida? I know Palm Springs is nice although I have not been there. (ok here is a first ... Woman sitting next to me is expressing herself.. :). Interesting ... For a while I was a tense flyer but the more I fly lately the more calm I become. I wondered o. Wednesday if I have flown out of any airport more than Fort Lsuderdale. Between living there on the 90's. Being a snowbird effectively fo

Here I sit on the verge of a career intersection. Working with IBM partners, and getting ready for an IBM event on Monday. But, I don't work for IBM any more. I represent myself and the company(s)I partner with. So, picture it, I am on a conference call to support this event. Where we have a virtual booth, at a virtual venue, and it is all a virtual event. It is like going to a family reunion, and since the last one you got married and adopted three hamsters. Those that loved you at the last one want to catch up, and those that didn't well... the same is true. But now you have a spouse who does not have your history with the family, and can judge your behavior and relationships objectively. So, you sit down to dinner and all the family dynamics and sibling rivalries show up but your spouse sees it more like a sitcom pilot that never made it to the air. What do you do? What do you when it is work related and you can feel through the keyboard what is wrong. It hasn't