So I’m on the road this week….
I wanted to let you know that I was a conscientious objector to CES this year.  Really, if I want to hang out with 100,000 of my closest friends & neighbors, I’ll stay home and go to a football game.  Seriously – maybe next year.  For those of you looking for gadget guidance, I’ll refer you to my friend, Dr. Bob Spencer, who is carrying the torch for the skeptical gadget fan, and has posted some of his observations from his trip….er… pilgrimage… to Vegas for CES.  Heck, he even got a free dinner out of the deal from Greg LaFollette, so if they’re giving away free dinner, I may have to go next year (chortle, chortle….)

I had the privilege of getting an update from some software vendors yesterday, and I’m excited about the progress that many of the vendors are making in updating their products and otherwise finding new and innovative ways to meet the needs of the profession.  Once much of the stuff is released from NDA’s, I’m going to have a lot to blog about.  One trick I’ll recommend to those of you who spend much time in webinars is to set up your trusty LCD projector to display your webinar on the wall of your hotel room.  I did this yesterday in Syracuse, NY for a day of webinars in the Doubletree here, and it really helped me keep from going blind staring at a tiny screen.  I just closed in my garage as a home office (sorely needed – I was cramming about 300 sq ft of stuff into a 150 sq ft office.  I now have at least 300 sq ft to work with, and I can pare down the stuff a little bit.  I’ll send some pictures once I get the desk thing worked out, pics hung, etc.  It’s a pretty nice little space, and it has 14 gigabit ethernet jacks in the wall…. it’s nice to spend a little extra on the home network for a change.

[On a personal note, today my one year anniversary of my lap roux-en-y gastric bypass, and I would recommend it to any of you dear readers who have a BMI high enough to qualify (usually 36+).  I’m down 130 pounds, and have started the walk-jog thing at the hotels so I can get ready for a possible run in the 2008 NYC marathon (yes, I am aware that the original marathoner dropped dead after running 26.2 miles – but it has to be done!).  While it has a lot of ups and downs (the marathon), I’m looking forward to getting this done before I finish being 40 at the end of 2009.  Thanks to all of you who have offered your prayers and support over the last couple of years of this journey – the trip seems to get better and better each year.]

(blogged from the Outback Steakhouse in Syracuse, NY (where I ate a very tasty tiny steak)on my personal laptop and my Sprint aircard)