Chicago, IL
May 26-28, 2007

This past weekend I had the opportunity to fly with my aunt to Chicago. It was her first time in Chicago so I was able to play tour guide. We flew in Saturday night and stayed in Winnetka at the home of my great friend, SJM. He was generous enough to open his home to us even though he was not in town.
The heavens were smiling down on us on Sunday. The weather could not have been better: low-mid 70's, a cool breeze and blue skies. I first drove NJM to Highland Park to show her where I used to live and then we made our way to Chicago traveling along Lake Shore drive. It was so beautiful...tree lined streets, everything so green and in bloom. Downtown we walked the Magnificent Mile, shopping here and there, taking pictures, and just enjoying the myriad of things and people to see. The main event of the day was seeing "Wicked". It was spectacular and amazing! I had seen this show once before but for NJM it was a first. She was dazzled by the costumes, set-design, music, shoes...just about everything. It was a fantastic day in Chicago.



Sunday evening NJM went to Naperville to visit some friends and I drove to Aurora to visit my good friend HB. HB was recently married and it was fun to see her new home and to have time to visit with her husband and two step-daughters. It was so fun to get to know them better. L and K are so fun and cute! We feasted on spaghetti and then watched the videos from her wedding. It was great to re-live that event...at least the part that was recorded and that I was there for. The dancing, toasts, bouquet and garter toss...what a hoot! HB and her family surprised me with a birthday cake and singing. It was so fun to celebrate with them. K even made me a birthday card...so thoughtful! I am grateful for a friend like HB.


Monday: Happy Birthday to me! I have a tradition on my birthday. I stay up until midnight on the 27th to welcome the day of my birth and then stay up until midnight on the 28th to say good bye. Silly? Maybe, but it's tradition! This day was out of the ordinary but still great! I went running on the path that I know so well from my time spent in Winnetka and Highland Park. It was wonderful! Talk about memories. After getting cleaned up and going shoe shopping I went to visit with the Walkers in Mundeline. They have three cute, cute children and it was so fun to see them and have a chance to catch up with PW and MW. For the most part the rest of the day was spent traveling. All in all it was a great day and I received many birthday wishes on the phone, in a text message or in person. Another year older!

I absolutely love Illinois! I am already looking forward to my next trip, whenever that is. Given the chance I would move back in a heart beat.

Running With Angels 5K Run

About 6-7 weeks ago one of my colleagues suggested to everyone in the office that we run a 5K race together. The decision was unanimous and we all signed up. Saturday, May 19, 2007 was race day and it was fantastic! It was exhilarating and to tell you the truth I wanted to run again! It sounds strange but once I caught my breath, wiped away the sweat that was dripping into my eyes, had a few orange slices and water I wanted to run again if only to see if I could do better.

The one down side to race day was that my colleague who had inspired all of us to sign up, train and run sprained her ankle two days before the race and was not able to participate with us. Bummer! I felt that I was running for more than just myself, I was running for her as well. My time: 35:45 (unofficially). Now, I have a benchmark...a time to beat. My next race is June 23rd and I am already excited. The four of us run/walking came through the finish line within about 5 minutes (or less) of each other. That was the most fun...to see the others come across the finish line.

I arrived at the race location with two of my colleagues and before we could even park all of us were feeling a bit intimidated. There were runners on the road warming up and they looked fit, trim and experienced...like marathon runners. I tried not to get that into my head and instead remembered what my Dad has said to me as I left that morning, "...You're out there to have fun". It's true...this was supposed to be fun! I knew that I wanted to do well but I also needed to remember that this was my first race (I ran a 5K about 6 years ago but I'm not going to count it). The race started and I could not help myself, I started to run, working to keep my pace where it should be knowing that I had 3.2 miles to go. I walked three times during the 3.2 miles but kept a fast walking pace. Overall I would say I ran just under three miles and walked the rest. My goal for the next race is to run the entire 3.2 miles and to decrease my time.

For me this was a big accomplishment. I started training just over 6 weeks ago and I can tell you that my training paid off. I also know that my training can improve. I am excited to get out there and train harder and more seriously. I am adding in some [bike] riding as well to build my endurance and muscle strength. And I have commitments from two of my colleagues to run the 5K on June 23rd with me. This was not only big for me it was big for them. The feeling we all had on the way home reminded me of a cheer from 8th grade:

"Boy are we enthusiastic! We are feeling G-O-O-D!"

Of course there are arm movements, etc but you can't see that in this blog. Just shout it and emphasize the G-O-O-D!

Here are a couple of pictures from race day. The one on the left is pre-race and the one on the right is post-race.

Customer Service like I've never seen it!
Atlanta, GA

SRC and I traveled to Atlanta Wednesday night for two events on May 10th. We checked into the Buckhead InterContinental Hotel and immediately knew that I was going to enjoy my stay. The room was lovely and clean. The hallway from the elevator to the guest rooms had a nice dryer sheet, laundry room smell which I love. I got into my room and was soon opening the door to SRC with a request to come see his room. I walked in and it is stupendous! There was a small entry way which led to a huge living room area. To the right was a dining room and to the left was the sleeping room, closet and bathroom. The hotel staff had prepared some of SRCs favorite foods, the highlight of which was the strawberry shortcake. On the mantel of the fireplace was a bowl with peanut M&Ms, microwave popcorn and SRCs favorite movie. In the bedroom, on the bedside table was a framed photo of SRC and his wife. Talk about making someone feel at home. I was SO impressed with this type of customer service. Plus it was a huge deposit for SRC to see so many of the things he loves right there in the room. Throughout our overnight stay the service from the hotel staff was impeccable. I highly recommend this InterContinental property.
The first event of the morning was at the Georgia World Congress Center with the Governor of Georgia and the top Agency commissioners and their guests. Looking out over the room, which was packed, I would guess there were 200+ people attending. I was struck by how personable Governor Perdue is and how humble he seems. His main initiative is for Georgia to be the "Best Managed State". SRC had a chance to teach these agency officials and to engage in Q&A with the Governor. It was tremendous to see these two great men answering the questions from the audience. One thing the Governor said that stuck with me is, "Truth builds trust". The question had been asked about the balance between being "nice" and also being good leader who provides feedback, etc. The governor made the point that you can maintain your "niceness" while still being truthful about performance, action, etc. Something else the Governor said that I thought was so insightful is, "Vision without execution is hallucination". Isn't that true and well said?

The second event was with a financial advisory company based out of Atlanta. The group was made up of top performers and the up-and-coming performers...those who are the keys to the company's continued financial success. It was a nice size group with about 300 people attending. SRC had 3.75 hours to teach which was awesome and he did a great job. The chairman of this group was complimentary as well as grateful for the message that SRC shared and the things he taught. As I encountered the event planners and the invited quests I was so impressed with each person and how friendly and helpful they were.

It was definitely a great trip!

Dallas, TX
IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL

Dallas is an amazing city. I have been here just a few times but on this particular trip I was able to see a part of Dallas that I had not seen before...Frisco! The event SRC was participating in was held at the Embassy Suites in Frisco and can I just say, what a facility. I was told that it is only a couple of years old but still in excellent condition. This was the second event for this particular group and what a pleasure it is to work with them. I am so impressed with each person I meet and the AV group is terrific. The audience was tremendous...all business owners. Some who came on their own and others who brought members of their staff. In all I would say that there were about 150 people attending.

The speaker kicking off the event was Dr. Kenneth Cooper, the founder of the famous Cooper Clinic located in Dallas, TX. I was able to listen to his presentation and I have a new resolve to exercise and eat better. He gave three words that will become my mantra as I work to change the physical aspect of my life: EXERCISE, EDUCATE, MOTIVATE. Aren't those words great! let's say it together: Exercise (your body), Educate (your mind), Motivate (your whole self). After he spoke everyone who had eaten a danish or gooey muffin was feeling a bit sheepish. His presentation was excellent.

My aunt has worked at the Cooper Clinic for years and as we flew into Dallas last night I wondered if there would be a chance for me to ask Dr. Cooper if he knows Viki. I did not at the time recall that Viki is Dr. Cooper's right hand woman. As I was setting up my laptop this morning I looked up and Viki walked in. I caught her eye and smiled. There wasn't immediate recognition on her part...the last time she saw me I had just returned from a day of skiing (two years ago) and did not look especially pleasant. In fact I looked down right scary. Before that last encounter it had been at least 8 years since I had seen her and I still had the nineties permed hair...pretty. So, it took her a minute to make the connection between that Chelsea and the suit wearing, direction giving Chelsea. Once she did make the connection it was awesome! I wish we had had an entire afternoon to catch up but as it was we had a minute or two here and there. It turns out Viki is great friends with the hosts of the event so it was great to make that connection. I am just thrilled to have seen Viki and reconnected with her. She is an amazing, beautiful woman whom I have missed seeing in the past few years.

This is a picture of me and Viki. I look like a giant next to her. We both have big cheezers and it looks like I have gum balls stuffed in my cheeks. I don't know what that's all about.
For those who have ever planned a big event whether personal or professional there are stresses and unknowns no matter how much planning or checking and double checking you do. I could, but I won't, give some examples from my own life that would bring this point home. Consider if you will holding a position of company President and this is the second event you are planning and executing. You have a great team that you can count on and who can count on you. Now consider that your wife is nine months pregnant and although her due date is April 18th the doctor has told her she is already dilated and really, at any moment, could go into labor. This is a true story. Luckily DD's wife did not go into labor before or during the event yesterday. Every time his phone would ring or he would exit the venue all who knew the situation looked up in anticipation. All of us were grateful that the baby did not come during the event. I wish them luck with their new little, pink, bundle of joy...when she comes.

March 18-20, 2007
Johannesburg, South Africa

I am behind in posting this portion of my blog. I have been home since Wednesday afternoon and have been spending my time away from the computer...at least trying to.

The Johannesburg events were incredible! SRC and I arrived Saturday night, spent some time with the FC Southern Africa group and then retired to our rooms. I slept in! It felt so good to not have my alarm wake me up. I did some prep work for the programs, had lunch with SRC and did some shopping at a shopping center that is a skywalk away from the hotel. Sunday evening SRC had two community programs. One was for a group of about 30 VIPs and the second was for the entire community. The crowd was huge...about 1,000. It was amazing to look down from where I was sitting to see all of the faces. SRC was in his element sharing insight and principles on the family. It really was a spectacular event.

The Leadership event in Johannesburg was a two-day event with close to 800 people. It too was incredible. There really was a team effort with SRC and Buyani during each day to make sure the participants experienced the full leadership program. In my opinion SRC hit a home run with this group. The participants really involved themselves in what was being taught, the activities, questions, sharing vision statements, etc. From where I was sitting I heard an echo from the audio speakers so it was a bit difficult for me to understand what was being said by the participants because of their accents but SRC, luckily, did not struggle like I did. The main thing SRC wanted to accomplish with this group was for them to experience the paradigm shift and he feels like that was accomplshed. Success!

Prior to lunch on day two SRC met with about 15 students from Life College. SRC is a mentor to the students and supports the mission of Life College. The hour that he spent with these students was enlightening. It was a structured hour with an ice breaker activity, small group activity and then large group activity. The questions that the students asked SRC were well thought out and the answers that SRC gave were perfect. I actually learned something new about SRC that I did not previously know. For the small group activity I was paired with two other students to answer questions about a quote that was given to us. The quote basically said that we become what we believe we will become. When I think of that statement I think of the positive beliefs that we have about ourselves, our lives. One of the two students in my small group said that these beliefs may not always be positive. She shared this, "If I believe I will become an alcoholic like my dad, I will". I would not have thought of it that way but it is very true. At the conclusion of the hour we all stood in a circle and shared something we had learned or something that amazed us. I was impressed by the things that were shared. One of the teachers was in tears as she shared what she had learned. Many of these students come from "the projects", so to speak, or don't have parents and are being raised by an older sibling or come from single parent homes...not the best situations for anyone but they are rising above all of that with the help of Life College and receiving positive affirmations from the great teachers, leaders and mentors. I was touched by this experience.

SRC and I flew home at the end of Day 2. We were traveling a total about about 24 hours, 21 of which were in the air. The first thing I wanted to do when I got home was to take a shower and brush my teeth. That is exactly what I did!

DAILY LOG
March Tour
BE SURE TO READ INDIVIDUAL DAILY ENTRIES FOR MORE DETAILS

I thought it would be fun, in addition to my entries per country/event to add in a daily log. This daily log would track our progress and movements. As I start the trip today it sounds like a fantastic idea. However, as the trip progresses I may find that a daily log is a bit over zealous. For as long as this daily log lasts I hope you enjoy it.

March 8th
11:50 p.m. Depart Salt Lake City

March 9th
6:00 a.m. Arrive JFK International Airport (New York)

I actually slept a good portion of this 4 hour flight. Typically I am al about the in-flight movies, just ask SRC. By the time the plane took off I was pooped and ready for some shut eye. I have a bit of the restless leg syndrome so that does not always allow me a deep slumber on these flights. This flight was no different with the RLS starting in the right leg and moving to the left. Such a great feeling—the constant involuntary twitching.

LONG LAYOVER (almost 4 Hours)
I could use a toothbrush. Of course mine is in my suitcase which is making its way from one plane to the next. My teeth feel like they have a sweater on…not the soft cashmere kind of sweater either. The itchy wool kind that you just want to take off the minute you put it on. Do you know the feeling?

10:20 a.m. Depart JFK for Dubai (11;5 hour flight)

March 10th
7:50 a.m. Arrive Dubai (this has not happened yet but I thought I would throw it in there so you would have an idea of our arrival into the UAE. It is about a 12 hour flight and Dubai is 10 hours ahead of Utah.

7:30 a.m. (actual) Arrival in Dubai. The flight was 11.5 hours. You should have seen the selection of in-flight movies. I was in heaven but practiced some restraint and only watched 2 and half movies. I spent the rest of the time trying to sleep, preparing for the presentations and writing in my journal. The seats…wow…I will post a picture so you can see my very own mini bar. Seriously, these seats were awesome and stretched out flat so you really could sleep.

I took a nap today once I was in the hotel and had had some breakfast. My eyes felt as if they had sand in them so I thought I would nap for about an hour. That turned into nearly three hours, not of deep sleep but enough that I felt refreshed. The show also helped. HEAVEN!

March 11th
5:30 a.m. Time to get up
7:00 a.m. AV Rehearsal: the event was held in a theater that is quite well know in Dubai. Very nice!
8:45 a.m. Program start
4:30 p.m. Program end: the program went well. SRC had to cram so much into the day but he did a fantastic job
5:30 p.m. Back at the hotel: checked email and went to the health club. To get to this health club you walk through the hotel, through the outdoor mall and into the next hotel. This place is huge! The health club was fantastic and very well equipped.

March 12th
4:00 a.m. Wake up!
5:15 a.m. Drive to the Airport to fly to Amman, Jordan
7:00 a.m. At the gate waiting to board
7:05 a.m. Announcement that ALL flight in and out of the Dubai airport have been stopped because of a crash on the runway. PLEASE READ SEPARATE ENTRY ON AMMAN FOR MORE INFORMAITON.
10:20 a.m. Depart Dubai airport in a car—destination Abu Dahbi Airport
2:00 p.m. Depart Abu Dahbi for Amman
3:30 p.m. Arriva Amman, Jordan
4:15 p.m. Arrive InterContinental Hotel
9:00 p.m. Day 1 of event conclusion

March 13th/14th
6:30 a.m. Luggage delivered to my room!
6:50 a.m. Fitness Center
7:25 a.m. Back to my room to get ready for the day
8:30 a.m. AV preparation
9:00 a.m. Event Start (Day 2)
4:45 p.m. Event conclusion
6:00 p.m. Leave for the airport
8:25 p.m. Flight departure from Amman, Jordan
12:45 a.m. Flight arrive into Dubai
1:45 a.m. Arrive at Park Hyatt Hotel
2:45 a.m. In bed!

March 14th
6:30 a.m. Wake up!
8:00 a.m. AV preparation
9:30 a.m. Program start
4:30 p.m. Program conclusion
6:30 p.m. Depart for LDS Fireside
7:30 p.m. Start of fireside (end 9:00 p.m.)
9:30 p.m. Return to the hotel

March 15th
12:45 a.m. Leave hotel for airport
2:35 a.m. Depart Dubai for Mauritius
9:45 a.m. Arrive in Mauritius
11:35 a.m. Arrive at hotel
1:00 p.m. Depart hotel for meeting with the Prime Minister
2:00 p.m. Meeting with the Prime Minister and members of his cabinet
3:45 p.m. Leave meeting for hotel
5:00 p.m. Helicopter ride over Mauritius
6:00 p.m. Time to myself—sleep!

March 16th
5:30 a.m. Wake-up
7:00 a.m. Leave hotel for event venue
7:15 a.m. AV set-up
9:00 a.m. Program Start
5:00 p.m. Program end
5:15 p.m. SRC TV interview
7:30 p.m. Gala Dinner with VIP guests

March 17th
6:30 a.m. Wake-up
9:00 a.m. Leave hotel for LDS Community Event
10:00 a.m. Community Event
12:30 p.m. Back at hotel to pack and prepare to leave for airport
2:30 p.m. Leave for airport
4:30 p.m. Leave Mauritius flying to Johannesburg, South Africa
8:00 p.m. Arrive Johannesburg

March 18th
8:00 a.m. Wake-up (oh the glory of sleeping in)
12:30 p.m. Lunch with SRC
2:30 p.m. Meet with Buyani to go over event details
4:30 p.m. Leave hotel for Johannesburg Community Event
5:00 p.m. VIP session
6:00 p.m. Community event (over 1,000 people)
7:45 p.m. Return to hotel

March 19th
5:30 a.m. Wake-up
7:00 a.m. AV set-up
8:30 a.m. Program Start
4:30 p.m. Program End
5:00 p.m. SRC Photo op
5:20 p.m. SRC TV Interview

March 17th
Mauritius, Day 3

Today, I found time early in the morning to walk on the beach. It was lovely. The sound of the waves, the warm water cascading onto my feet. I even found a beautiful sea shell to take home as a memento. SRC gave a presentation to a group of LDS members and non-members in the morning and then we flew to Johannesburg.

The LDS Community event was great. I would say there were about 100 people there and a good number of them were non-members (maybe ¼). SRC talked to them about families and the restoration. Our host for the public event the day before was also attending and SRC told me after that he had been quite touched by what was shared. SRC also told me that a woman, who is catholic, told him that for the first time she finally understands what the Mormon church is all about. There was an opening and closing hymn and prayer. The songs and prayer were in French/Creol. What a beautiful language and what beautiful people. At the conclusion of the event we made a semi-quick exit so that we could get back to the hotel and get ready for our departure.


March 16th
Mauritius Day 2

Today was fantastic! We traveled just a few minutes from our hotel to the event venue. I thought the hotel we were staying in was beautiful…this one was spectacular. Dark cherry wood, quite contemporary but the most amazing part was the pool area leading right to the beach. You look out over this balcony from the main lobby area and all you see is blue with a few smatterings of green and lovely flowers. The blue is not only the pool but it cascades right down to the ocean. There is a coral reef that protects most of the beach areas and it is so cool to see the waves breaking so far out and then it is calm water up to the sand.

The program went well with 400 people in attendance. This was a quieter group than in Dubai and Jordan but they had great questions. At the close of the day SRC asked the participants to raise their hand if someone in their life communicated their potential so clearly that they began to see it in themselves. A good number raised their hands. SRC then asked for volunteers to share their story. The one that impacted me the most was told by a gentleman that, you could tell, was so nervous to be standing in the sea of people but his story was quite something. Maybe not to you but it was too me. At the age of 20 he started his career at a bank. 18 months after starting his job the CEO called him into his office and told him that he was being promoted to manager. As manager he would lead 12 people. He doubted his ability to do this but the CEO believed in him. This man is now the CEO of a bank! I love stories like this. This man was so impacted by the belief of this CEO who most likely became a mentor to him…his life was changed.

At the conclusion of the event SRC was escorted to a lower level for a TV interview. I was sitting off to the side and wouldn’t you know it I put my head in hand and found my self falling asleep. Not that the interview was boring but I think SRC’s voice is becoming to familiar to me that it is now serving as a way to make me go to sleep. I was awake for most of the interview…don’t tell SRC I fell asleep.

Tonight was a dinner with quite a few Ministers of Mauritius and other distinguished guests. One of the guests works at the US Embassy in Mauritius. I think she is the only other blonde I have seen on the entire island. The people of Mauritius are beautiful…dark skin, shining eyes. Some look very African others look like they are from India. I have been very impressed with the graciousness and hospitality of everyone we have met.

I want to share an interesting experience that I had today. It was a good lesson for me. Throughout the day I was anticipating a phone call that could have potentially been very difficult. It was on my mind quite a bit and I was preparing my speech, so to speak. During the afternoon session of the event SRC was talking about Habits 4, 5, 6; third-alternatives and Indian Talking Stick Communication. As I listened to SRC my mind was flooded with thoughts, phrases and ideas for me to use on this phone call. I came up with my action plan and a good third-alternative that I would present after practicing Habit 5 (seeking first to understand and then to be understood). I felt strongly that once we got to that point we would be able to synergize and come to a win-win. The call was still not easy but it went far better than I thought it would. After listening and repeating to make sure I understood they did the same. At that point I presented my idea of a third-alternative and this individual loved it. Whether or not it will work will been seen but at least we concluded the call feeling better than when we started it.

I feel increasingly blessed to be in the job I am in. I paint a rosy picture most of the time in this blog so that you will keep coming back to read more and so it will be an adventure for you and not a diary of bad things that happen to CDJ. Frankly, this trip has been quite difficult and one that I hope never repeats. I have learned a great many lessons…hard lessons and I have questioned my ability to do this job. However, I am grateful for those who send good thoughts and (for those who pray) prayers my way. I know I am sustained with health and energy because of it. I know that SRC is also sustained because of the good thoughts and prayers.

March 15th
Mauritius – Day 1

I cannot get over the beauty of Mauritius! As we flew over the island in preparation for landing I could not take my eyes off the green hills, mountains, water, etc. Getting off the plane I knew I was in for a hot afternoon. Plus, I had on jeans and my Keen’s. HOT and sticky! The drive to the hotel was interesting. We passed buildings under construction and in some cases the scaffolding was built out of stiff, straight branches from trees. I found that odd and interesting. I am sure there is method behind what seemed to me to be madness.

This hotel is amazing! It is definitely set up for those who will not spend much time in the room…no remote for the TV, etc. The beach is just a short walk from the hotel patio. The color of the water is…well, just look in a box of crayons and you will find the array of sea water colors. Beautiful! I took a quick shower and met SRC back at the lobby. SRC was to meet with the Prime Minister of Mauritius and members of his cabinet. We drove to this beautiful property that is the official home for the Prime Minister. The current PM does not live there but he does use it for occasions like this. The meeting went well. SRC had about an hour and fifteen minutes to speak to this group of about 12 people.

At the conclusion of the meeting we were escorted outside for some refreshments and then whisked away to get back to the hotel. After all, we had an appointment with a helicopter. This was not just any helicopter. It is one of the official Mauritius police helicopters. Our pilots…policeman. What a tour! It was the best way for us to see Mauritius. What a beautiful island. To see the water, the hotels, the villages. I am attaching some of my favorite pictures so you can get a taste, from above, of what Mauritius looks like. The pilots speak very good English but they have thick French accents which made it difficult with some of what they were saying. Mauritius has quite a few volcanoes on the island. One of the pilots explained that these volcanoes were once called “dead volcanoes” but they are now called “sleeping volcanoes” because of recent volcanic activity and craters forming. Nothing to be worried about but it was interesting to hear the differentiation.

Seeing Mauritius will definitely be a highlight of this entire trip. I won’t have much time for play but I do hope to get down to the ocean before we leave on Saturday.



March 14th
Dubai

Today’s program was great! First of all, the flight from Jordan to Dubai was uneventful and uncomfortable. The seats, although first class, were uncomfortable. They reclined but in a very strange way. It was like sitting in a dentists chair…and I hate the dentist. I survived so please stop your worrying. (I am such a hoot!) I think I got about 3 hours of sleep prior to the event. When my alarm went off my first thought was, something is wrong, I am sure this clock is wrong. It was so cruel to make me wake up!

So back to the program. This was with a client and their top clients. I would say there were about 90 people there and I found it interesting to observe them. Some were very engaged, taking notes, asking questions. Others were more interested in what was coming in on their cell phones. Oh well, it is not my job to make them participate. The day was good and as I mentioned above there were quite a few questions from the participants. If I were to sum up their questions I would say they are fighting a new mind set and perhaps even a new tool set. SRC would introduce a new principle and they would have some comment about it. Almost like they wanted to disprove what it was SRC was teaching. It was more than just wanting further understanding. I wanted to stand up and say, “just listen and be open to what he has to say. Don’t argue the point, try to implement it before trying to disprove”. The Project Manager for the client actually stood up at one point and said, “We seem to be going around in circles with this topic (4 quadrants). Let’s move onto another question.” I commend the courage of their questions but it also helps to have an open mind to allow for paradigm shifts. I hope they came away with new ideas: new tools, skills and possibly a new mind set.

After the full-day program, SRC and I participated in a LDS Church event. We were escorted to the event by the Bishop of the ward in Dubai. I am not sure how many people were attending because of the overflow areas that I did not have a chance to see, but if all the chairs were filled there were probably 200 people there. I love to observe SRC at these events. His eyes just shine as he talks about the importance of families, family mission statements, etc. Although he was completely exhausted from the events of the previous two days he drew strength from the attendees and the topic.

Once back at the hotel I did some work, took a shower, and re-packed. I did not want to sleep knowing I would just have to get up an hour later to travel to the airport to fly to Mauritius.

March 13th
Day 2 Amman, Jordan

Day 2 of the event in Amman was incredible. Both SRC and I were so amazed at the number of questions that were asked throughout the day. We are not sure if it is the culture but the questions kept coming and they were good...very insightful, well thought out, and sometimes pertaining to their personal or professional lives.

Because the event was in the same hotel where we slept I actually took a power nap during lunch. It felt great and helped sustain me through the day. At the conclusion of the event a large group of people stormed the stage for signatures and pictures. People were cooperative and after some encouragement formed a line so things were more efficient. It is at times like this that I have to get over the fact that I have personal space that is not often intruded upon. The people crowd, they push, and they express joy at getting SRC's signature and/or picture. As my colleagues and I call it, "elbows out". This is when I serve as body guard to SRC as well as assistant.

We left for the airport at 6:00 p.m. The plane left Amman at 8:20 p.m. and we were on our way back to Dubai. I did not have a chance to see much of Amman but I had a great view from my room. What you see in this photo seems to be a representation of typical housing in Amman. When you get further into the country side the homes are more spread out and they are much bigger.

One other thing to report, half way through the morning, Her Majesty Queen Rania came into the program. She stayed for quite some time and at the end of the event we found out that three or four of her employees attended the entire event. The Queen is in her late twenties, early thirties and is beautiful. SRC had the chance to shake her hand and they had a brief conversation. If we had not been flying out after the program we would have had dinner with the King and Queen. Darn travel schedule!

March 12th
Amman, Jordan

What started as a normal trip to the airport to catch a flight turned into a bit of a chaotic mess. As we waited to board the plane an announcement was made that the airport had been closed due to a crash on the runway. I don't think it was a serious crash but bad enough that all arriving and departing flights were stopped. We left the gate area and went back to the lounge to determine what to do. Luckily we had Mohammed with us and he immediately went into crisis management mode. What was finally arranged was a car/driver to drive us to Abu Dahbi to catch a flight to Amman. The car ride was about 1 hour and 15 minutes and was really quite nice. It allowed me to see more of Dubai and Abu Dahbi. Here is another interesting twist. Mohammed stayed behind to fetch our luggage. He was going to try to catch up with us and fly to Amman when we did but he did not make the flight. So, here we are in Amman with out luggage. The most important thing is that we made it here for the program. At 7:00 a.m. this morning (Amman time) the group in Jordan started making phone calls to the participants to let them know of the situation and the change in starting time for the event. Way to be proactive!

We arrived in Amman at about 3:30 and after rushing through customs and immigration we were escorted out to a stretch Cadillac limousine. Not bad and it has some power. We made it to the hotel by 4:15 p.m. and SRC immediately went to the stage. I rushed over to set up AV and all in all the first part of this event went very well. It is a great group of about 235. Those who address me for whatever reason: hotel staff, event planners, etc call me Miss/Ms Chelsea. Even my name tag says Ms Chelsea, really big.

As we were driving to the hotel I noticed on the side of the road a Shepherd with this sheep. What was so interesting to me were his clothes. He was wearing camouflage. Kind of crazy!

Once the event got started I realized that I really needed to use the restroom. I have been drinking so much water and it had been since before our three hour flight that I actually visited a restroom. Luckily it did not get to the desperation point until after the first session. But it was now urgent!

So I mentioned that our luggage did not travel with us. This means that SRC presented in what he traveled in: polo shirt, baggy sweat pants, and windbreaker. His pants are so baggy that they looked like they were going to slip right off as he stood on stage. My outfit was not much better: polo shirt, jeans, and my Keens. SRC keep giving me a hard time about how baggy my jeans are. I can't help it. They are my most comfortable jeans and so nice to travel in.

So, my phone has not been working since I arrived in Dubai. Talk about not feeling connected to anyone. I am thousands of miles away fro friends and family already and to think that I have no easy connection to them is hard. I spoke to Spring on Saturday and explained the situation to them. What they said would take 24 hours took about 48 hours but my phone is now working. When I discovered that it was like Christmas! I actually hopped up and down with a huge smile on my face. It's the simple things...

I am mentioning again that I am without luggage. Here I am, it is 10:40 p.m. (2:32 p.m. in Provo) and I need to go to bed but I have nothing to sleep in. Call me crazy..actually don't call me crazy, I feel beat up enough. I have to sleep in PJ's. (Don't laugh!) I won't sleep well if I am just in my skivies so I went and bought a t-shirt at a shop in the hotel. It has a camel on it! The problem is that it is not very long. Why am I sharing all of this detail? Truth is, I am crazy, I know it. Just don't give me a hard time about needing to wear pajamas. Plus I need to feel prepared in case of emergency. Without luggage, if there was a need to evacuate quickly I would only have to worry about my laptop bag...shoes and clothes will be close and ready. The hotel has given me a toothbrush and toothpaste so I am set there. My luggage will be here in the morning so at least I will have clean clothes.

I am looking forward to tomorrow. It will be an excellent day..the conclusion to this two-day event and more interaction with SRC and these participants. The questions that they are firing at him are great. You can tell they are just yearning for this stuff...they are like sponges, soaking it up.

March 11th
Day 2 Dubai

The program today was great! The audience consisted of about 375--representing quite a few organizations. One organization brought 40 of their employees...impressive. I was very anxious going into this program because of events/conversations leading up to the event. I was, you might say, lacking confidence in myself and in SRC. This is not a good mix and SRC reminded me that I need to have confidence in him. He is so right and he did a terrific job! The feedback that we received during the day was very positive and it increased my confidence in the success of the remainder of the programs on this trip.

It was so interesting to look out at the audience, which was primarily male, and see the local dress. Not all men, but some of the men wear long white tunics (to the floor) and head...I'm not sure what to call it...fabric withe cording around the top. Some where white and some wear red. The group putting on the event was so great to work with. The AV team was a hoot! I really enjoyed myself. Oh, some of the women wear long black tunics with head pieces. Their faces are not covered but their hair is. So beautiful!

March 10th
Day 1 in Dubai

These are a few pictures of the grounds of the hotel It is huge. There is a man made canal that
runs through it and I took a boat tour today and saw even more of the hotel. I am also including
a picture of my hotel room.





















The two gentleman in this picture are Murad Suleiman and Peter Kasic (in the red). They were my companions for the afternoon/evening. Murad is the FranklinCovey Middle East General Manager and Peter Kasic is the VP of International - EMEA. After the boat tour we stopped at a mall and did a bit of shopping. I did the shopping! I have to be careful with buying too much because I have limited space in my luggage. However, I saw many things I could have purchased not only for myself but also for family and friends. CAJB and MEJB, talk about throw pillows. They were everywhere as well as these great bowls made in Camodia. SJM, I don't know if you would be into incense burners but they had quite a selection...something else to add to your collection of interesting items. A lot of good this information does for each of you but at least you know I was thinking about you. The picture below was taking at an open cafe in the mall. As we walked through the cafe there were several people drawing smoke from these things. I can't remember the name but it looked like serious business. Peter was telling me that this is the safest way to smoke...there is so much water in the base that it takes out nearly all the bad stuff. Plus, he said you can request a flavor; vanilla, apple, etc. I had to get a picture.

After the boat tour and shopping we drove around the city taking in the mosques, the smaller of the BIG homes and seeing the local fare. We ended up at a restaurant call Sammach, The Fish Restaurant. Overall the food was great and we had a lot of it. Small shrimp, large shrimp, calamari, crab (which I didn't eat), Lady Fingers and Hammour, plus some other things that I can't remember the names of. The last two on this list are fish. The Lady Fingers freaked me out a bit because they were fried whole. To eat them you pull off the heads and then pull off the meat. Is fish a meat or just fish. Anyway, it was definitely finger food. Hammour is a white fish and perhaps it was the way it was prepared but it was really good.

I am so tired and excited to go to bed. Tomorrow is the first of the presentations and I am feeling nervous and a bit anxious.

Atlanta, GA

I have been to Atlanta before but had forgotten what a big city it is. My day, March 5th, started early with a 7:00 a.m. drive to the convention center for my AV check. It is always interesting to anticipate what I will find with the AV set-up. At these big conventions I am guaranteed to find a huge set-up and this event wasn't any different except that there was a huge tractor trailor behind the stage. Not only was the AV set-up for the live, on location event, this particular organization has an internal TV station. So, SRC was not only presenting to a live audience of 5,000 he also had the potential of presenting to a TV audience of 10,000.

I love to see these organizations, that are doing really well, celebrate in style. This group opened the session with a Gosepl Choir...awesome! This was followed by a great Rah! Rah! state of the organization speech by the founder. I also love it when oraganizations with a lot of money put that money to good use, supporting a cause, so to speak. This particular group celebrated its involvement with The Children's Miracle Network by spotlighting the Child of the Year. Asking this young man to come out of stage and share his vision and accomplishments with the group. It was very powerful to see his attitude of "nothing can stop me" even though he is confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. They are also involved with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. To celebrate their involvement with this foundation, country singer, Tracy Byrd performed on stage. It was so great to be there to witness all of this.

SRC was the closing speaker to this session and his message resonated with the mission, vision and spirit of the organization and the event. It was so neat to look out at the captive audience and realize they are really listening, they are really learning. That is when I know the presentation has been a success.

The flight home was a hoot! One of the flight attendants could be described as a cattle driver, pig wrangler, traffic cop, comedian. He stood at the door into the plane and, over the intercom, directed people to find their seat, step out of the aisle before putting their bag in the overhead bin. It was hilarious. This guy is the size of a line backer so no one wanted to go against what he was saying. As he told quite a few people, his job is to make sure we leave ON TIME. No one can argue with that reasoning. One of the other flight attendants said that since this guy has been on the planes their on-time departures have increased. What he is doing is working!

I find that at the conclusion of an event or series of events and I know I am going home, I come down from this adrenaline high and feel as though I have not slept in days. I continue to marvel and how tiring traveling can be.

New Orleans, LA

From Florida we flew to New Orleans where SRC would be speaking to a group of about 2500 people. The flight in was uneventful and at the airport we were met by two Tulane University Students. SRC had been asked to speak at a Lecture Series for Tulane University the evening we flew in. Prior to the speech the two students, Stephen and Thomas took us on a short tour. We drove through a few of the areas hit by Hurricane Katrina. By now, most of the rubble was cleaned up but the devastation was there. We saw many FEMA trailers parked in the driveways of unoccupied homes. What was most interesting to me was seeing the water line on fences, homes, buildings. It was amazing to think that the water nearly covered the structures and here we were driving on dry roads. The roads by the way are in awful shape. The sidewalks are cracked, bubbled, and curved where they shouldn’t be curved. I am not sure what else to say except that I can see growth and re-building taking place and as we drove downtown to our hotel it was buzzing with activity.

The visit to Tulane University was exciting. These students were full of life and wanted to learn and wanted to be there listening to SRC. He really shines in this element because he is truly teaching. Students and faculty attended the evening event and many had questions but most were there to listen. The crowd probably maxed out at 195. I was very impressed with Stephen F. He is the one who originally contacted me…last week. In just a matter of days he pulled this event together. He exemplified leadership in the way that he delegated and as Darla told him “Make it happen”. He did indeed make it happen and the event was a success. The thing that impressed me the most is that he did not take credit for the success. A sign of a true leader.

The event today, the main event, was at the New Orleans Convention Center. SRC had lunch with VIP’s prior to the general session, a group of about 30. Great people! I was very impressed with everyone I met. SRC was the closing speaker to this event and taught the essence of 8th Habit Leadership. I continue to learn something each time I hear him speak. We did have a bit of trouble with the volume for the DVD’s and I did race/walk up to the podium three times to tell SRC what was going on but other than that it was a flawless show. I am certain the attendees wondered who this blonde woman was doing the quick step down the middle aisle. My job is not only logistics it is to provide entertainment for the attendees. Now, it is time to go home!

Orlando, FL

The day SRC and I flew to Orlando it was near blizzard conditions in Salt Lake City. It was nice to leave the snow and cold and be welcomed in FL by 80 degree temperatures and sunshine. We stayed at the Omni Orlando Resort which was very impressive and a bit unlike the other hotels I have stayed at in Florida: it was not on the Walt Disney World Property. That was the biggest difference.

SRC and I decided to visit Epcot Center more for the food than anything else. It was fun to walk around and see the different people and countries represented. The food was great! I had the best chocolate ice cream cone right outside of Paris. Delicious! As you can see in this picture, the table has finally turned and SRC pushed me around while I sat in the scooter. Not that I normally push him around and not that we actually traveled around Epcot this way, but it was fun to take the picture. We did have a good time.

Now, to the presentation. SRC was a surprise to this group. We sat through the morning meetings and listened to the different executives report on 2006. It was very interesting but started to get very long as the program got further behind. The theme of this event was “Turn it Up!” They had a live band that played each time the speakers came on and off the stage. The band also played at the opening of the event which also included dancers. I was very impressed. As I said above, SRC was a surprise to the group. As he was introduced you could hear audible gasps of excitement and the applause when he came out on stage was almost deafening. I was back stage with a huge grin on my face. The presentation was geared toward the 7 Habits and I would say that SRC did a fantastic job with the group. The group size was about 250-300, mostly between the ages of 30-50 and all were full of enthusiasm. It really was great to be there.

Tegucigalpa, Honduras

The flight into Tegucigalpa was uneventful, which is the type of flight we like. SRC and I finally landed at 12:30 p.m. after an all night/morning flight. I was feeling fresh as the morning air. My teeth were wearing a nice cashmere sweater and my skin felt like it had been air brushed with germs. I could not wait to take a shower and brush my teeth. From the airport we were driven to El Zamorano which is part of an Agriculture University in Tegucigalpa. It was like a compound with guards, big buildings, small building, and a church. They had reserved a house for us to rest and get cleaned up. The first thing I did when I got to my room was lye down on the bed. It felt so good to be stretch out after spending 12 hours in a near sitting position. I did not sleep fearing that I would not wake up or that I would be too groggy for the presentation. I did shower and brush my teeth so my two main objectives were accomplished.

I must tell you why we were in Tegucigalpa. Two weeks ago I received a call from Mitty, who is the licensee in Honduras. Mitty explained that she had just received a call from the President’s office inviting SRC to come and speak at an event celebrating the President’s first year in office. Wow! SRC and I had visited Honduras in November and at that time had the opportunity to visit with President Zelaya. It was an honor for SRC to be invited to participate in this event. As we arrived at the event site I was amazed by all of the people. I think the audience totaled about 300 people. Most were invited guests of the President but also included Ministry Presidents, Vice Presidents, and cabinet members. Plus, spouses and family members were attending. It was a great group and you could tell they were eager to hear SRC’s message.

The weather was quite warm and the dress for this event was business casual. I did not really come prepared for business casual so I decided on a knee length floral skirt and white shirt. I stood out like a sore thumb as I stepped out of the car amidst those dress in darker colors and their dark complexions and hair. If my long blond hair doesn’t already make me stand out my outfit did. I just put a smile on my face and went into the building.

SRC was welcomed by applause as he walked into the building and after a short introduction by the President’s advisor the presentation began. Oh, before arriving at the event site, Mitty told us that the President had arrived on a Harley Davidson. What a hoot! Can you picture it? The President dressed in his leathers, helmet on, with his entourage of body guards following in front and behind in their armored cars. Quite a site! OK, back to the presentation. SRC did a fantastic job and really engaged the audience, which probably totaled about 250. The audience included the President's cabinet, ministers and their people plus spouses and other invited guests. SRC had an interpreter who did an exceptional job. We could tell that she really prepared before hand. Most of the interpreters prepare by reading SRC’s books so they are familiar with the terms, phrases, words he uses. Adriana (the interpreter) was not only in sync with what she was translating she was also expressing the emotion and importance of what SRC was saying. Quite impressive! At the conclusion of the presentation President Zelaya presented SRC with a plaque recognizing him as a honorary guest. President Zelaya has such a warm smile and although his stature and mustache causes a bit of fear enter my body he really is a nice man.

Monday morning SRC was able to teach a group of about 150 people; executives from Tegucigalpa. The impressive thing about this event is that it was pulled together in less than two weeks. Mitty and her team did a phenomenal job. They were a terrific group as well and asked great questions. I have said this before but the Hondurians (is that right?) are beautiful people. They have bright eyes and shining faces. All of them seem happy regardless of their station in life. This group seemed happy to be attending and SRC was nearly stampeded at the end by those who wanted pictures and autographs. Talk about elbows out. I have to get in right up in a few faces of those who were crowding and being forceful themselves. With the language barrier and not understanding, “Move back” they looked at me like I was talking nonsense to them. They soon got over it once their picture had been taken or book signed. It’s either that or SRC gets lost in a crowd of people coming down on him.

As we drove around Tegucigalpa I was amazed at the homes that lined the streets. These homes were worn down, small, and not to clean looking. When we arrived on Sunday after having spent four days at a gorgeous resort on the island of Maui it was a shock to see the poverty and poor conditions. I am sure there are areas that are not like this but we were not able to see that part of Tegucigalpa. We could see homes on the hillsides and from the air I could tell there were areas with larger, newer homes. It was such a contrast from Hawaii. It is such a contract from the neighborhood I live in. I feel ever more appreciative of my circumstances.

Maui, Hawaii

You know your job is not so bad when you can travel to Hawaii, work and have time to play. SRC and I flew into Maui on Wednesday, January 24th. Upon arrival we checked into our rooms and I immediately turned around and went to the Ritz Carlton for an audio visual rehearsal. SRC would be speaking to Yum! Brands the following day so it was my turn to do some work to prepare. With the time change I was wiped out by the time I got back to the Grand Wailea so I had some food and went to bed…at 9:30 p.m.

Let me just say that this resort is spectacular and huge! Waterfalls, fish ponds, swimming pools, fountains, ocean, as well as beautiful flowers, palms trees and interesting statues. As I was driven to the Ritz the sun was setting…it was absolutely incredible. Kevin, my driver, told me to watch for whales, which I did and spotted at least one. He also told me a bit about the island and interesting bits of information about the culture.

The event for Yum! Brands was a huge success. There were probably 250 in attendance at this event and all we captivated by what SRC said. He really hit a home run! Both SRC and I were impressed by, not only the group attending, but the entire company and what they stand for. Very impressive! At the conclusion of the program we were driven back to the resort to begin our fun and frolic at the beach.

As I normally do I wore my business suit (black) to the Yum! event. Here I am in Hawaii looking like secret service…totally out of place. SRC and I ate at a pool side bistro which also put me out of place surrounded by swim suits and shorts. I finished lunch, hurried to my room, changed and out to the pool I went. That evening the FranklinCovey group went to the aquarium for dinner and to check out the fish, etc. It was really quite fun! It was my first chance to see everyone from FranklinCovey who was there for President’s Club so that was fun as well. SRC and I found out that he was speaking to the FranklinCovey group Friday morning instead of Saturday morning. That was a bit surprising but we managed.

Friday morning I got down to the ballroom to do my audio visual set-up for SRC’s presentation…business as usual. The meeting started and SRC welcomed everyone and thanked them for being there. As he usually does he pointed to me and told the group I would be assisting him. Then SRC called me to the front of the room. As I was walking to the front he said, “Chelsea is a trained hula dancer and she is going to do a hula for us”. I stopped and turned around…the inner dialogue began, “Chelsea you can either be a stick in the mud and say you won’t do it or you can muster some courage and just do it”. I did it! With the encouragement of the audience I got up on the stage, took my shoes off and prepared to do the hula. SJM happened to have a grass skirt on which he kindly let me borrow. H. Smith volunteered to serenade as I danced. And so it began, Chelsea, on stage by herself dancing the hula in a grass skirt. I had a huge grin on my face the entire time not quite believing that I was in front of 400 people. H. Smith did a fantastic job and when I concluded with a bow the room erupted and gave me a standing ovation. Not bad for having taken three Polynesian dance classes in my lifetime. As I look back on it now I am glad that my courage stepped up to the challenge and I did it. I would have been more embarrassed if my weak side had won and I had not done it. Once that was over SRC started up his presentation and did a fantastic job with the FranklinCovey group. I really do work for a fantastic company and love my job. I have decided that I will not be sharing any secrets with SRC again. What happens in Maui stays in Maui!

Laird Hamilton, the famous surfer, was the guest/surprise speaker after SRC. I just have to say, he is one fine looking man. He was standing behind where I was sitting during SRC’s presentation and when I turned around and saw him there I could not help but do a double take. Wow! He was an excellent speaker as well and the audience seemed to enjoy his message. He spent a good portion of his time answering questions which he said is his preferred way of speaking to a large group. I don’t know if I speak for the entire group but I really enjoyed what he had to say.

I need to add that I love working for FranklinCovey. It is a pleasure to rub shoulders with so many fascinating and wonderful people. As I listened to BW, SM, BB, and SJ give their updates from the 2006 fiscal year I heard the passion that they have for their jobs, the company, and the employees. I am lucky to part of such a great organization.

Friday afternoon was play time! Yahoo! I spent time in the sun, in the pool, on the waterslides, and just having a grand time. It really was a little bit like heaven: cool breeze and warm sun. The waterslides were a blast! Most, if not all, of the pools are connected by the waterslides or lazy river. There is also a bar at one of the pools which we stopped at and were treated to smoothies. So fun! Thanks SJM!! I went to dinner with a fun group at Ruth’s Chris. We laughed and ate and laughed some more. I know some incredible people and I feel lucky that they are my friends and colleagues. You learn the most amazing things about people in a relaxed atmosphere like that.

SRC and I concluded our stay on Maui today. We attended the FC meeting this morning and then I immediately changed and went to the pool for some time in the sun! It was another beautiful day! We are now on our way to Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

New York, New York - January 8-9, 2007

My first ever trip to New York! The hotel where I stayed, Millennium Hotel, overlooks Time Square. It was amazing to drive through Time Square at 12:30 a.m. and it was as bright as day. To be honest it was smaller than I imagined but still amazing. My room overlooked other buildings but if I craned my neck to the left and pressed my face to the class I could see a bit of Time Square. I started my first day with news of a "strange odor" penetrating the city. OK, strange odors I can handle but when office buildings are being evacuated and you are in the city impacted by 9/11 it is not anything to take too lightly. I stayed in my room, watching the news until I felt it was safe to leave. I took a cab to Soho and met R.H. for lunch at a yummy French restaurant. My back was to the door so he watched for stars...we had a false alarm with a Paris Hilton look alike. The food was delicious and R.H. and I talked about the event that night with SRC and he told me about New York. At the conclusion of lunch I stayed in Soho for about another hour to do some shopping. Great shopping! I braved the subway to get back to the hotel. It reminded me of Chicago.

SRC had been invited to speak at a YEO event in New York which is why I was there. The venue was an old Broadway Theater attached to the Millennium Hotel. It was amazing! R.H. told me that during a recent renovation they uncovered Tiffany glass that had been painted over. There are beautiful greens, blues, golds, and reds. Spectacular! In total there were about 250 people attending the event and SRC did a fantastic job. Take a close look at this photo and you will notice the marquee above our heads. The event organizer had 2-3 artists in Central Park draw SRC and the one you see here was the best. I rather like it. You will also notice that I am in jeans. I was not quite through with my Audio Visual rehearsal when I got the word that SRC was arriving. I raced outside and met him at the curb. He just smiled and laughed. I did change into a business suit and looked appropriate for the event.




On my next trip to New York I do not want to go alone...it would have been far more fun to see everything and more with someone else.

Viva Las Vegas!

If you want a Las Vegas experience away from the strip I would recommend Red Rock Casino & Resort in Summerlin! My first experience at Red Rock was the movie theater. My brother and sister live in the Summerlin area with their families and this is one location we have gone for movies. This Casino and Resort opened in May so everything is still pretty new. SRC was invited to be the "surprise" keynote speaker at an event in Las Vegas at Red Rock. The Casino and theater part of the resort are very different from the hotel. You walk into a large lobby that opens up to a lounge that is very posh. Overall I was very impressed with the hotel. The rooms were amazing...very contemporary and spacious. The bed was...well, as Matt M. described the beds at Snowbird, "like fudge". You just sink into it and you are enveloped with comfyness. It was wonderful! Large flat screen TV plus a small flat screen in the bathroom were two pluses to the room as well. The swimming pool, which I could see from my room is round and looks very tempting from above.

The event was great! SRC hit a home run with this group. The intent of the keynote was to inspire, motivate, WOW!, and instruct on work/life balance. SRC did just that and left everyone feeling inspired and ready to tackle whatever comes their way. The executive who introduced SRC got up at the end to close the session. He thanked SRC for coming and said, "Aside from sitting in the back blubbering (crying), I learned many valuable lessons..." It was awesome to be part of that.

Once the event was over we had 70 minutes to get to the airport, get through security and board the plane. We were on the plane with 10 minutes to spare. I will admit that we cut to the front of the security line. Right as we were convincing a gentleman to let us step in line they opened up another line which we immediately went to. Big smiles and many words of appreciation help in situations like these. By the time we got onto the plane (Southwest) the majority of the seats left open were middle seats. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE middle seats. I love "my space". I have a very spacious and comfy bubble that I take good care of, so a middle seat is something I try to avoid. SRC found an aisle seat and and I found a middle seat in between two fine looking men. The flight might not be so bad afterall.

Those who are reading this...please explain something to me. Perhaps I could get all of the married men reading this to help me with something. What is the purpose of a wedding ring if you are not going to wear it? For those women who are single...at least for me, I like to act like I am not "looking" for Mr. Right but I always try to put my best face on, attempt at flirting when appropriate and try to make a good impression. So, here I am on this plane sitting between two men who are not wearing wedding rings and we are engaged in good, interesting conversation. Man on the left, 35 minutes into the flight mentions his daughters. Man on the right, as we land mentions that his wife is picking him up at the airport. Either these men were so turned off by me that they would rather lie than risk any further contact or they truly are married. Seriously, explain this to me. From now on, I am going to assume every man, regardless of finger jewelry, is married. Call me shallow, call me cynical, call me desperate (don't you dare!) but a ring would be helpful! I mean, come on! Don't get me wrong I wasn't sitting there planning my future with either of these men but I did have a moment of, "hmmm, seems interesting enough...perhaps a date?"

What is a single girl to do?

Brussels, Belgium

SRC and I spent the most time in Brussels than any other stop on this European trip. We arrived Wednesday night and received a warm welcome from the FC Belgium office. The FC office in Belgium is part of FranklinCovey Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg) and can I just say that I was more than impressed with everyone that I met and the event they put together. I went to the event location that same night for my AV rehearsal and was very pleased with what I found. The AV set up was, again, a great set-up. Three screens: two side screens for graphics and films, middle screen for SRCs image. The AV tech tables were up in this balcony area which was really very cool but required a bit of maneuvering over boxes, cables, people, etc. Everything was so well organized and no detail was left undone. This speaks for the entire program as well. As I reviewed the AV with the tech crew and realized that everything that was required was provided, plus a few extras, I said, “I am in heaven right now”. Again I received a few “crazy blonde American” looks but that is what makes it so fun.

The program venue for this event was an old Cinema (movie theater) one that Charlie Chaplin performed in. So there was a bit of famous history for this event. There is also a gorgeous ballroom in this building as well which was used for breaks and lunch. It really was a great venue for this event. The main event room was filled to capacity with 400 participants attending. I did not see much of the audience from where I was sitting but SRC commented more than once that the group was very intense, in a positive way, as well as interested and intrigued by what they were hearing. SRC took them through quite a few interactive activities that got them involved in what was being taught. He took them through the Empathic Listening exercise which was a huge success with this group. At the conclusion of the program, Claudia, the main organizer of the event met SRC on stage to thank him and to present him with a big bouquet of flowers. She then asked that I come to the stage. Here I am up in this balcony surprised by her request and trying to make my way down as quickly as I can without tripping over cables or falling down the two flights of stairs. Once I made it to the stage I was also presented with a large bouquet of flowers. Very lovely indeed! It was a pleasant surprise that is for sure.

SRC and I made our way back to the hotel to unwind and change out of our business attire. We met up with Paul, Claudia, Anne, Joris and a tour guide. We actually did some sightseeing. I was so excited! Can I just say that I was very impressed with what I saw? There were two highlights for me: seeing a Chi Chi’s restaurant in the middle of Brussels and walking through the town market. We walked down this narrow street (walking only) with shops on either side. This street took us to an open square with more shops and restaurants. “Tis the season: we were lucky enough to see a huge Christmas Tree decorated with white and blue lights. It was already dark outside so it really was a beautiful sight. As we stood there listening to the tour guide tell us about the market and the buildings a laser light show started. As it turned out the show actually starts December 1st but we were there to see a bit of the rehearsal. It really was spectacular!

I went to dinner that night with Paul, Claudia, Anne and Joris. We took SRC back to the hotel and then drove to another area of Brussels to find the restaurant. From what I was told the cuisine and ambiance of the restaurant is Brussels: the food was delicious, I must admit. Paul and Joris had mussels as their entrée. I had never actually seen anyone eat mussels before so it was quite interesting to watch. Joris had this technique of using the shell as tongs/fork to extract the meat of the mussel from the other shells. Quite impressive! Oh, before going into the restaurant we passed more shops and I decided I had better go into a chocolate shop to buy chocolates from Belgium. I asked the gal who was assisting me what she would recommend. She recommended an assortment of chocolates. I wanted to make sure that I did not end up with a lot of alcohol filled chocolates. Why am I telling you this? My comment about no alcohol intrigued the group I was with so they asked me if it was a religious thing that I didn’t drink alcohol. This led to a discussion of the LDS church. I know I did not do a very good job but at least I was able to answer their questions. I was even asked about polygamy. It was great to be out with such fun, talented, and good people. I had a great time!

I have decided that words like “awesome”, “fabulous”, “cool”, “hoot” (my favorite word) don’t work well in these European countries. So, I found myself saying things like, “lovely”, “splendid”. Not bad words but also not part of the forefront of my vocabulary. Perhaps I will begin using them instead of the American slang. In Belgium, I found that the residents speak 2, 3, 4 languages: Dutch, German, Flemish, English, French. Here I am, an American, speaking one language and knowing a few words in two. SRC tells this joke when traveling internationally: “Those who speak three languages are trilingual. Those who speak two languages are bilingual. Those who speak one language is an American.” He always gets a laugh. It sure has me thinking about studying other languages.

So, here we are flying home. We are just about to complete the first leg: Brussels to New York (JFK). I am ready to be home but so happy about how this trip went.

I know…

I know when I am past my tired point when my eye starts twitching…and I have my deep throat voice going (very lady like)
I know when I have been in one too many hotels over a short period of time when I can’t remember my room number when checking out.


Stockholm, Sweden

SRC and I arrive in the dark and left in the dark. Right now there are 8 hours of daylight in Stockholm…tis the season. The sun came up about 8:00 and started it’s descent at 4:00 p.m. The city lights of Stockholm are quite beautiful. We saw the tower where the Nobel Prizes are celebrated (dinner…very posh gala event). We also saw the building where the Novel Prizes are actually presented to the recipients. Quite something… During lunch today I had a few extra minutes and my camera so I decided to take a walk. It is not often that I get outside during a program but today I took advantage of the 8 minutes that I did have. I took a few pictures just to prove that I was actually in Stockholm…city streets, quite narrow, with interesting buildings on either side. It felt good to be outside in the brisk winter air. As I rounded a corner I came face to face with to mothers (could have been Nannies) pushing strollers (prams) with small children bundled in their winter suits. Quite a scene!

The event today was with a smaller group but it was fantastic! SRC did an amazing job drawing the audience out with a lot of group interaction and question and answer throughout. The location was interesting to say the least. It is normally used as a Jazz Bar and for special musical events: concerts, orchestras, etc. There was a disco ball hanging from the ceiling and a bar off to one side. All of this added to the uniqueness of the event and the group. It is amazing to watch SRC on stage drawing his inspiration from the crowd. He follows that inspiration and at the end of the day he has hit a home run. The audience leaves with new information, feeling inspired and wanting to make a difference in their jobs, families and relationships in general.

I don’t often talk about the food but today I have to tell you about the lunch we had. To say it was steak and potatoes would not do it justice. It was SO good. The mashed potatoes melted in my mouth. The steak was delicious and both were topped with this sweet, yet salty, sauce and bacon curls. They were more than bacon bits so I will call them bacon curls. The gentleman who served the food told us the name of the dish. He said it in Swedish but to me it sounded like, Shoemakers Box. It was delicious!

One more stop…Brussels, Belgium!