You Know It Is a New Year When...

Happy New Year! And just to prove that it is officially that time of the year, I wanted to point out a few indicators:

* You know that it is a new year when virtually every commercial on TV deals with smoking, over eating, drinking, and every other vice that people swore they would give up just a week or so ago.

* You know it is a new year when you receive several notices from non-profit organizations indicating how much they suffered during the holiday season.

* You know it is a new year when you finally find your resolutions you made a year ago under that stack of paper that you had as item #1 to organize last year. No, you didn't finally get around to organizing it, it just fell in an avalanche when you put on one more sheet of paper.

* You know it is a new year when that car you bought last year looks terribly outdated. Ditto on your shoes, suits, sports equipment, etc.

* Finally, you know it is a new year when every check you date needs to be corrected. We finally get it right around July!

Any way, Happy New Year!

I'm Back and Happy New Years!

I predicted very accurately that I was stuck and would be until I returned. We had a great trip, visited the San Antonio River Walk (which looked beautiful with its many Christmas lights), played several board games (including Risk, which brings out the worst and best in me), and ate way more food than is necessary. This last point led me to make many resolutions that, sadly, I have already broken. But there's always next year!

2006 was one of the most productive and exciting years I have enjoyed in a long time. I saw enormous changes in my family and business -- most of which were very positive -- that should provide much to build on in 2007. One of the more enjoyable things I've done and one that has contributed significantly to my professional life, has been this blog I've now seen excerpts of it in foreign languages and quoted around the world, showing how powerful the Web is and how small it has made the planet.

It is my hope that 2007 is a great year for you, one that makes you prosperous and productive and I look forward to spending much of it right here with you at this blog. Happy New Year!

Forgive Me, But I'm Being Held Hostage

Not really, but it certainly feels like it. I'm taking one of those rare things called "a vacation," and my wife pulled a fast one on me. As I scrambled to get ready to leave yesterday and tried to take care of things on the Internet, my wife said, "don't worry, we are going to a cabin that has Internet access." A beautiful cabin, but no Internet. She lied to me.

Well, maybe not, she may have been misinformed, but the results are the same. I'm writing today's blogs at a nifty little general store somewhere in the Hill Country of Texas. Beautiful location, but where is my browser? The people were nice enough to let me use it today, yet I don't want to press my luck. I am here to take a little time off, but I have come to believe that I'm an addict to writing blogs. I will miss this, write notes through out the weekend and write fresh entries as soon as possible.

Until then, have a great weekend and a wonderful New Year's celebration, and send me some suggestions for blog topics in '06. Meanwhile, I will try to sneak in a few entries between now and my return home early next week.