Does anyone want to see my stamps?

Don't you hate it when you get to somewhere fun and exciting, a place you have never been and the camera that you brought with you does not work? The only proof that I have that I was in Kuwait, Bahrain and Dubai are stamps in my passport and a few pictures I took with my phone. you will have to just believe me when I tell you that Kuwait and Bahrain were amazing. Dubai, was equally as amazing, I speak mainly of the architecture and number of buildings that have gone up since my visit a year ago. The pictures you see below is the view that I had from my hotel room in the downtown area of Dubai. The building that you see with the tall spire is the tallest building, right now, in the world. It is not yet complete but very impressive to say the least.

March 2, 2008
Kuwait City, Kuwait

I was impressed by the size of this city as well as the new construction that is taking place. As we drove from the airport to the hotel I noticed a lot of new construction as well as older, war torn buildings, that while inhabited, look like they have seen better days. I was impressed by the overall friendliness of the people I met and the interactions we had. In these highly Muslim populated countries it is hard to know what the reaction will be from the men and women. One man may shake my hand while others will nearly throw their hands up in the air and say, " I do not shake the hands of women". Some women wear head coverings and normal clothing while others wear the all black with head and face coverings. I asked about the differences and was told that for some it is their level of commitment to their religion. For others it is out of respect for family tradition. The program was a huge success. I would guess there were about 500 people in the audience and they were highly engaged and asking questions, which, as I have mentioned before leads SRC in different directions than perhaps was originally planned.

March 3, 2008
Bahrain

I don't have much to say about Bahrain because we arrive quite late and left immediately following the program. We stayed at the Ritz Carlton, which is also where the event was held. SRC and I were housed in a Villa...beautiful, huge, luxurious. Too bad I was only able to enjoy it for 8 hours and even with that amount of time I spent a few hours sleeping. I was quite impressed with what I saw from the windows and the short drive to the airport. The Ritz is situated right on the coast so the view from the back doors of the Villa were spectacular...palm trees, beautiful private pool all leading out to the ocean. I would like to return if only to see more of Bahrain. The event was for one client and I would say it was successful. The audience was smaller than the program the day before but equally as interesting and with many questions from the audience.

March 4, 2008
Dubai
Public Program

First of all, the hotel Jumeirah Resort Hotel was incredible. It is situated along the coast line and is one in a line of about 4 resorts. My room was incredible and I was able to enjoy it for two nights. The gym facilities were the best I think I have seen in my travels. I also had the option of running the length of the four resorts on an outdoor trail that connected all four. It was so fun to run along this path and see the vacationers and catch a glimpse of their lives whether it was a father kicking a soccer ball with his son and daughter, or a couple enjoying a dinner by the ocean. I also witnessed families enjoying the pools as well as conventions taking place at some of the resorts. The event was great: a public event hosted by IIR. This crowd was also engaged and full of questions. I love the questions and the direction they take SRC with his responses. It can also be a test for me and my knowledge of the slides. SRC may call for a slide that we don't use very often and it takes me a few seconds (or minutes) longer to pull it up.

March 5, 2008
Dubai

We ended up with a free day on the 5th. The event that had been planned had to cancel because of company restructuring. It was great to be able to sleep in and relax a little bit. I actually slept until about 7:00 a.m. which in my travels is sleeping in. I got up, went running and to the gym, had a good breakfast and prepared to move to the last hotel of the trip. It was better for us to move to the hotel where the event was being held because of traffic. The evening of the 5th we actually had dinner with the FranklinCovey Middle East group. They are a fantastic group of people and it was so wonderful to meet with them in a more casual setting. When I am traveling and especially during events I am all business. I have my game face on and my focus is on logistics, SRC, the slides, and making sure everything is in order. Many people who meet me for the first time in this setting find me very serious. So, it was great for this group to see me more relaxed and not so serious. SRC was a great host and complemented this group on being a "Transition Team", possessing the skill to influence all of Dubai and many of the Middle Eastern countries.

March 6, 2008
Dubai

The final event! Yahoo! The event was good but probably a little more difficult than the other events. I didn't think the audience was engaged in the presentation...they seemed distracted by other things. SRC felt differently. He felt that there was just so much information given that is different enough from how this group functions and thinks in their profession that it was overwhelming. That makes sense to me. Overall I would say it was a success. SRC amazes me! He adapts to such diverse groups and such varied questions. Plus he is able to keep his energy at a high level event after event after event. By the end of the day we were ready to go home.

November 5-15, 2007
Asia and Florida

November 5-7
Shanghai, China

As we prepared for this trip I was full of anticipation, not only for the presentations, but the travel and knowing we would be so far from home. SRC and I arrived in Shanghai Tuesday evening and after checking in at the hotel we both looked forward to some exercise time. Spending 15 hours on a plane, basically in a reclined position without much walking around and I was ready to get the wiggles out. Running felt great! Here are a few photos: the view from my hotel room as well as SRC's. Plus a view from the elevator.


The thing I was most fascinated by in Shanghai were the number of bikes and scooters on the road. I didn't see many pedestrians and even the cars were few in number. What we saw were bikes and scooters...everywhere. That is the main mode of transportation and it was amazing to see bikes lining the sidewalks or intersections filled with scooters and more bikes.

The presentation went very well. SRC was terrific and on top of his game. There were about 450 people attending and it was a very energetic and engaged group. Most in attendance speak English fluently so I did not notice a delayed reaction to jokes or questions asked by SRC. At the conclusion of the event we drove to the airport to board a plane...no time to enjoy the hotel or see any more of the city than we did to and from the hotel. Next stop: Hong Kong.

November 7-9, 2007
Hong Kong

What an incredible city! We actually did not see much of the city until the day after we flew in but our driver from the airport gave us a driving tour. He was a hoot! He pointed out the worlds longest suspension bridge. This picture is just one small section. I had hoped for a better picture but this will have to do. Our driver explained that we landed on one island, crossed the bridge to another island, went through a tunnel--under the water--to Hong Kong. He also pointed out the worlds tallest residence building...82 floors. Fascinating! Downtown Hong Kong is like a mini New York and even has some aspects of Las Vegas...building lit up from roof top to street level. The view from my room wasn't too bad either.
Wednesday night, after getting settled into my room I was able to get in a good run! The gym at this hotel was amazing...huge with great equipment. Thursday morning SRC gave a presentation to a small group at the LDS Church building. The group consisted of the Area Presidency, office staff and Senior missionary couples. In the afternoon I walked around "The Mall". A huge mall next door to the hotel. This mall must have been at least three stories with at least a hundred stores. I felt totally under dressed in my capris and polo...most mall goers were in business attire which was mostly black. A nap followed my time at the mall. Very nice!

We had a Community Event in the evening which was hosted by the Hong Kong Institute of Education. It was a great group made up of teachers, principals, and other school administrators. SRC has not done this before but at the conclusion he had me come out on stage as he introduced and thanked me for my assistance. I had been sitting behind a curtain, off stage, like Oz in the Wizard of Oz so it was funny to have me come on stage from behind the curtain.

Friday morning was a full-day presentation with about 400 people. Another home run day! After a book signing and short cocktail hour with one of the main sponsors we were on our way to the hotel. Singapore here we come!
November 9-12, 2007
Singapore

Arriving into Singapore was interesting. My first international trip was to Singapore. It was also my interview with SRC to work for him. I remember it like it was yesterday. Traveling with two very experienced travelers, I was trying to act like I knew what I was doing by I was watching and observing everything so I didn't look stupid.

Out hotel, Shangri-La, was lovely. We had "Garden Rooms" with a view of the pool, balconies, and wood floors. Since we would be in Singapore for a few days it was good to be in nice hotel rooms. The service was the best I have seen. What impressed me most about each employee is that they would serve you even if what you were asking of them was outside of their job responsibilities. For example, I was looking for the fitness center and asked a hostess at one of the restaurants where to go. She came from behind her hostess desk and walked me halfway to where I needed to go. I was impressed.

Saturday morning I woke up feeling very puny: sore throat, cough...not good! I wanted to fight it so I went running, took a nap, and tried to drink as much water as possible. SRC and I went on a tour in the afternoon and had a great time. Take a look at these pictures. Our driver was fantastic and really knew where we needed to go to see what we wanted to see. I didn't get pictures of everything we saw but here is a sampling. Singapore is an amazing, clean city.

Sunday afternoon we had a community event which was attended by about 900 people. It was a fantastic group. It was deja vu because of where the event was held...the exact same room at the Singapore Convention Center that the event was held in that interview trip to Singapore. I enjoyed working with the FC Asia group. The event was so well organized and went off without a hitch.

Monday was a full-day presentation attended by at least 400 people. It was great! The topic for each of these three full-day presentations was Insights into Leadership and what continues to amaze me is how SRC can customize each presentation for the country, audience, culture, etc. He hit a home run with each group based on needs, issues, challenges and what he learned from those who live in these countries.

We had one more night in Singapore. By the end of Monday I was feeling really sick. I now had symptoms of a head and chest cold. I was not looking forward to our flight back to the US. Tuesday morning we boarded a plane in Singapore and flew to Hong Kong to catch a connecting flight to Chicago. The flight to Hong Kong was uneventful. The landing was hard on my ears and sinuses and my ears stayed plugged even after we landed. As we flew out of Hong Kong I was amazed to see so many high rise buildings coming up from the landscape. What is so amazing is that the majority are residences. It's like mini downtown areas. The flight from Hong Kong to Singapore was LONG. The in-flight entertainment system at my seat was broken so no in-flight movies for me. It was not the end of the world but it was certainly inconvenient to not be able to lose myself in movies for 14 hours. It did give me a chance to focus on sleeping and I did watch some shows that I had downloaded to my laptop.

After landing in Chicago we cleared customs and made our way to the gate for our flight to Orlando. My ears were completely plugged and I felt like I was yelling whenever I spoke. I was trying so hard to remain up beat and do my job like nothing was wrong. The flight to Orlando was interesting. I ended up in a middle seat!!!! I was not a happy person! After receiving a phone call to speak in church on the topic of gratitude and taking some time to write down things I am grateful for my attitude did change. I was no longer so focused on the fact that I was in the middle seat, that my ears were plugged, and I felt awful. I just thought about all that I had to be grateful for. After what seemed like an eternity we landed in Orlando. The sun was shining and it was a pleasant 75 degrees. I was in heaven.

November 14, 2007
Orlando, FL

The event in Orlando was for a client and was a huge success. The word we received from my main contact for this event is that the participants were thrilled with what they heard and the morning could not have gone any better. I was pleased to hear that. Both SRC and I were feeling the effects of the difference in time zones and felt very anxious to get onto Tampa, the next presentation and then home.

November 15, 2007
Tampa, FL

We arrived at the hotel on the 14th and I actually spent some time in the warm sun by the pool. It was the perfect medicine feeling like I did. I had a good nights sleep and an easy morning on the 15th. The presentation was in the afternoon and although the group was far smaller than we had expected or even hoped for SRC did a great job. Once finished we bolted for the door and quickly got in the waiting SUV to take us to the airport. We had a short window of time to make it to the airport for our flight but we made it. The flight was good and when we got home I just wanted to kiss the ground. Another great trip under my belt!

October 22-26, 2007
Central America, Carribean

I've heard it said that traveling by chartered airplane is "a luxury", a little snobbish perhaps or even a little diva-ish (if that's a word). True, I will not say it isn't a luxury because there is no fighting with commercial airline passengers and we have two pilots catering to our needs. We also have free movement around the cabin. It is far from being an extravagant means of travel. At times it is necessary in order to get to where we need to go on time. I have written in past blog entries of trouble with the chartered planes: delays because of weather, delays because of mechanical problems, etc. We still deal with airports, security, customs, immigration, etc.

Why am I sharing this with you? This trip started out a bit rocky with a 6 hour departure delay because of mechanical problems. The solution: an alternate plane flying us to Mississippi where we would meet the original plane and fly onto Nassau. Now, a delay was not so bad because we were still in Provo and at home. But it also meant a later arrival into Nassau. A later arrival meant a very short and nearly sleepless night. It's at times like these that I gear up and prepare to be tired. It becomes a mental game with myself: "you may be tired but don't let it show. Smile, be pleasant and do your job well".

October 22, 2007
Nassau, Bahamas

The event in Nassau was a huge success. The venue was filled. In fact more tables and chairs needed to be added to accommodate everyone. SRC connected with the audience and the day was filled with a lot of interaction between the audience and SRC. I would guess over 350 attended and everyone really seemed to be engaged and gaining something.

Nassau is beautiful! Green and lush. As we drove from the to the airport I was amazed at the beauty of the ocean and the foliage. The road runs parallel to the ocean which is a beautiful blue/green as you can see from the picture (the view from my hotel room). Our driver told us that some tourists ask to stop on the side of the road so they can dip their toes in the water...some tourists have never seen the ocean and they can't wait to touch the water. I definitely want to return for some R&R.

October 23-24, 3007
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

We flew into Santo Domingo Monday night and I can't tell you how excited I was to get to the hotel and fall into bed. It was quite late when we arrived but the moon was high in the sky and very bright so it was easy to see some of the beauty of the ocean and palm trees. The hotel was right across the street from the ocean. These pictures were taken from my hotel room...not a bad view. At the airport we were met by our FranklinCovey hosts as well as two drivers, four body guards, at least two cameramen. I was not expecting that and tried to stay out of the line of sight of the cameras. We normally do not have this sort of entourage of people with us but our first events were with governments officials and they provided the transportation, etc. As we would drive to each location we also had a police escort which facilitated faster movement through the city. It also meant driving on the wrong side of the road a few times. I have learned to have faith in the drivers...they know the streets, they know how people drive and they won't crash.

We had a fairly easy morning which allowed for an extra hour of sleep and time in the fitness center. At the appointed hour we met in the executive lounge so SRC could be introduced to the President of the Congress. I have never experienced the "paparazzi" before but I think I have a pretty good idea of what famous people deal with on a daily basis. Cameras everywhere, taking pictures of your every mood. I tried to keep my "game face" hidden and smiled a lot never knowing quite where the cameras were pointed.

A meeting with the President of the Dominican Republic and the First Lady was our first official meeting of the day. The President of the Congress was our escort. We drove to the palace and were escorted into the President's office. I was impressed by the interior of the palace and also the offices. I was also very impressed by the President and First Lady...such personable people and they speak English very well. As we were sitting there I nearly had to pinch myself as reality set in: I was sitting in the office of the President of the Dominican Republic. Wow! That doesn't happen everyday.

From there we went to the House of Congress and met with leaders of the Senate and Legislature. We also had a session with the staff and managers of the different government departments equaling about 200 people. The final event hosted by the President of the Congress was with a larger group of about 400 made up of government and community officials. At the conclusion of this event we quickly drove to the LDS Institute Building where a group of Latter-day Saints were waiting for SRC. He stood after a long and very tiring day and spoke from the heart. He shared his testimony with this group and was incredibly moved by the spirit that emanated from everyone there. It was a great day!

At each location throughout the day we had the same cars, drivers, bodyguard and motorcycle police escort. As it turned out SRC had his car and I had mine. There were other passengers with us but we were in separate cars. It was comforting to see the familiar faces of Christian (bodyguard) and Alex (driver). As we exited each building I would look for their faces know that I was in the right place. I would also look for the familiar faces of SRC's bodyguard and driver and know he was in good hands. It was not easy saying good bye at the end of the day knowing I would not see them again.

The following day was equally great. Three presentations to three different groups: 800 people. All three groups were engaged and anxious to learn. Many asked great questions, some challenging but those are SRC's favorites. The AV techs were great and we all worked well together. That always makes my job easier.

SRC felt a profound spirit from each group. He had this overwhelming feeling that each person attending (all events both days) could move the country to greatness....each through a distinct contribution. On our way to the airport after the last event we drove by the LDS Temple. It is modeled after the St. Louis, MO temple. This is the first international temple I have seen during my travels. It is beautiful!
October 25-26, 2007
San Jose, Costa Rica

I have to say that I was looking forward to returning to Costa Rica. I loved it the first time and knew that my second trip would be just as great, if not better. I was also looking forward to the hotel. It was the same hotel as my first trip and I remember the bed...amazingly comfortable. My room was different but the bed was as comfortable as I remembered.

We did a lot of driving during the two days we were in Costa Rica which is not always the best but it gave me the opportunity to see a lot more. My companion for the two days was Luis and I thoroughly enjoyed working with him. We gave each other English and Spanish lessons. I did not feel intimidated asking questions or speaking in Spanish. Luis was a great help and a lot of fun. I was a bit sad saying good bye to him. I was also so impressed and appreciative of the staff or "back of office" as they called themselves...constantly behind the scenes making sure each event was a huge succes. They were so helpful and willing to assist with what I needed or asked.

The events during the two days were a success. Four presentations in two days totalling about 2,000 people. SRC did a fantastic job at each event and really hit a home run with the speeches. Each presentation topic or focus was different and I am continuously amazed at how he can customize each presentation. At the evening event on the 25th the FranklinCovey group surprised SRC with a Mariachi band singing Happy Birthday...in Spanish. It was awesome! Something he will not forget!

Overall it was a tremendous week. We traveled to three countries, SRC gave 12 presentations, met with the President of the Dominican Republic and enables greatness in about 4,000 people. Not bad for a weeks worth of work.

Europe
October 8-12, 2007

Moscow, Russia
October 9, 2007

Moscow in the fall…chilly and rainy. Nevertheless, we went to Red Square and took the pictures that you see below. SRC and I had an escort who also took some of these pictures. It was incredible to stand in Red Square and think of all that had taken place there.
















We flew into Moscow Monday afternoon which left time for a short tour to Red Square followed by a nice evening in the hotel. I did the healthy thing and went to the fitness center to run. I could have gone to sleep but then my night would have been even shorter than it was. I went to bed at 11:00 and woke up at about 3:00 and could not sleep any longer. With no English language channels on the TV except CNN and the BBC I was limited so, I did some work to get ready for the day.










The program was great! There were about 40 people at this program which meant a lot of interaction and questions. Three of the clients attending gave presentations in the afternoon which applied the principles that were being taught. It was very interesting to hear how the principles had been applied and success was and is the outcome.

The program ended and we were on our way to the airport. It may have been a nightmare but the afternoon quickly took a bad turn. SRC was being interviewed on our way to the airport when I received the call that the charter plane that had been scheduled could not get the permits to fly into Moscow. Let me re-phrase. The permits could be acquired but that would mean a 4 hour delay to our take-off and a 7 hour delay into Luxembourg. While I was on the phone the person interviewing SRC got out of the car to take the bus back to the hotel. She had been our translator…guiding the driver, etc. So, here I am on the phone driving to the airport and our driver does not speak English. Luckily, we had a solution in place before we even arrived at the airport but for a few minutes I thought I was going to have an out of body experience while tyring to remain calm, cool and collected. The plane was a good size and very nice inside. We also had our own flight attendant. What service! I had not eaten much all day so I was very excited when she asked if we wanted some food. As it was our arrival into Luxembourg was delayed by about 2 hours. At least we made it.

Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
October 10, 2007

What an amazing city! Very European and a lot like Belgium in my opinion. We stayed in a hotel that was very interesting to say the least. A very European experience. It had, at one point, been a block of houses but building was renovated into a hotel a few years ago. The ceilings were very high, the floor wood, and the furnishings very contemporary.

The event was held at a large, round building that is part of a school campus. A large room in the center surrounded by two stories of classrooms and a cafeteria. The building is part of a large block of buildings for Primary and Secondary schools. The audience was made up of about 350 participants. While in Luxembourg I learned that the city nearly doubles in size Monday thru Friday. People travel in from France, Germany and Belgium for their jobs. So some of the participants were from those countries. I also learned that there are three main languages spoken in Luxembourg: Luxembourgish, French and German. English is, of course, also spoken.

The day went very well and SRC did a fantastic job. I was also able to see my friends from Belgium…those I worked with on the Belgium event last year. It was very fun to see them again. Overall it was a great day! At the airport in Luxembourg we were met by our pilots for the short flight to Amsterdam. These pilots were awesome...meeting our needs and making sure we got to where we needed to go. Plus they were funny! Our flight to Amsterdam was short and we arrived in good time.

Haarlem, Netherlands
October 11, 2007

We drove from the airport to Haarlem. I did not see much of the city (it was dark when we arrived) but I did take a picture of this church which was right by our hotel. Amazing! I wanted to walk around the city but it was dark, it was late, and I would have had to walk by myself. The hotel was very clean and comfortable. It is actually part of the Best Western family of hotels.

The event was held at the Philharmonie (I don’t know if I spelled that correctly). It is a Symphony Hall with two main stages. Our event was held in the smaller of the two and it was beautiful. I would say there were probably 400 people attending and it was a great crowd. I was impressed by the organization of the event and the hosts themselves. SRC enjoyed the day as well which is always good.

After the event we quickly drove to an open field. That’s right an open field to board the helicopter. To get to the next location and event we needed to get there as quickly as possible and helicopter was the solution. It was AWESOME! What a way to see the country. I was amazed! The pictures do not do a good job in showing the beauty. Each city/town had a church and the farm houses were outlined by tall trees. I could see the well manicured lawns and fields, cows and sheep which looked very funny and a lot like larvae from where I was. Halfway into the flight we approached open water and I thought this has to be the city below or we are going to fly over this body of water and I cannot see what is beyond the cloud cover. There was a road, like a bridge, that we followed and I could soon see land on the other side. The interesting thing about this road: on one side is salt water and the other side is fresh water. Within another 15 minutes we landed in another field, loaded into a waiting car and drove to the venue.

The helicopter landed in a field right by this farmhouse.

Leeurwarden, Friesland, The Netherlands
October 11-12, 2007

The next set of events were held at CHN University. The emphasis of this university is hospitality so they have restaurants and a hotel right on campus. Nice! We were taken to our rooms, I freshened up a bit and we headed out to the first event. SRC was taken to a dinner for some Q&A with the attendees and I went to the main session to set up the AV. I was very impressed with the AV set up for each event. All of my requirements had been met, thanks to the event host and JB who arrived the day before to make sure everything was set up as it should be. The equipment had been tested so all I needed to do was plug my laptop in, test a DVD, etc and I was good to go. Plus the AV techs were helpful, fun, and good looking. Not a bad combination.

The main session of the night was the Leadership Program. I would guess that the room held about 350 people…nice size group. SRC did a great job and I had fun with the AV techs. I was wiped out by the end of night and could not wait to sleep. It was the shortest night of the trip. I think I got about 4 hours of sleep but felt pretty good considering.

The first event of the next day was a VIP breakfast. We first listened to three presentation on programs and efforts taking place to build a stronger community. SRC took about 30 minutes to share his thoughts and insights on what was shared. It was a good session. From there we rushed over to the main auditorium for the next event, also a community event but with a larger group and SRC teaching. He was on fire with this group talking about communities and family, mission statements, etc. It was great! At the conclusion I grabbed all of my gear and with the help of my personal AV assistant, Henk, nearly ran over to the last event with the staff and students of CHN. We got set up in record time and the session went well. It was in a more open area of the school so we drew a crowd.

Another helicopter ride, this time to the Amsterdam airport, proved to be equally as exciting as the day before. I was so tired and with the hum of the helicopter I found myself falling asleep but not deep enough that I missed any of the beautiful sites. After a quick change of clothes at the airport we boarded the plane and started our long journey home.

It was a great week! The events were tremendous and I met some amazing people but I am glad to be home!

Camp Yuba Triathlon 2007
September 8, 2007

I am a triathlete! I say that with a strong sense of accomplishment. I completed my first triathlon in central Utah on September 8, 2007. It was an amazing experience! And, I'm excited for the next triathlon...not sure when that will be but I will be participating.

Through the blog entry I will try my best to provide just the right amount of detail so you're not falling asleep reading details such as, "...and then, I took my left shoe off..." I have created a video of pictures. The song, compliments of Megan, is one that I could play over and over...it gets me pumped.


To begin, let me tell you who was there to cheer me on. Dad and Megan were there to represent family. Sonia, Darla, and Jacques were there to represent my friends and colleagues. Sonia is the one to thank for the marvelous pictures. I cannot tell you how much it meant to have family and friends there to cheer me on. Their smiles, cheers, and just being there at each transition was truly what I needed to get me through to the end.

I had three goals going into this triathlon. In order: 1. Finish; 2. Don't come in last; 3. Finish in 2 hours or less. I met all goals: I finished in 2 hours flat and I didn't come in last.

Camp Yuba 2007 was at Yuba Lake in Levan, UT. Levan is the central most part of Utah. If you spell Levan backwards you get navel...navel being the somewhat center of a human body. Yuba Lake is beautiful and the weather the day of the event could not have been better. It was a bit chilly (48 degrees when I arrived) but as the sun come out it did get a bit warmer. The cooler temp made it nice for the athletes...I was plenty warm after the swim. When I arrived at the transition area the day of the race there were a few bikes already racked...all of them road bikes. Not knowing if I would want to do another triathlon after the first I did not invest in a road bike. I could fit the tires in the wooden bike racks so I fit it in between two of the racks. I also started to wonder if they would allow me to participate with a mountain bike. Soon after more mountain bikes started to show up so my fears were gone...at least about the bike.

15 minutes before the event started there was a pre-race meeting. Bullhorn guy went through each stage in detail and that is when the butterflies really started.

OK, now for the event...5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and their off.

The first event: a 1/2 mile swim. Buoys marked our path which created a triangle. As I walked down the boat ramp to the edge of the water I noticed the nail polish on my toes. For some reason it made me chuckle a bit that I had this bright red/pink nail polish on my toes as I was heading in to swim. The pack started and it was arms, legs, capped heads everywhere. I drank a lot of lake water for the first few minutes. Swimming in an open body of water is definitely different than swimming in a pool. I ended up swimming breast stroke and side stroke. Free style was pretty much out of the question if I wanted to stay afloat. Breast stroke is my strong stroke so I made pretty good time. Plus I used my arms more than my legs with the breast stroke saving leg energy for the bike and run.

Second event: 12.4 mile bike. The transition went well. I wore bike shorts for the swim and decided to just keep my swim top on as well. I am not one to parade around in skin tight clothing but in the heat of the moment/competition I didn't really care. Plus, it saved me some time. Shoes on, helmet on, sunglasses on and I'm ready to go. The bike course was on a paved road and had only 2 short hills. Overall it was not bad. Because this was my first triathlon I was doing my best to pace myself so I would not wear out my legs so much that the run was awful. While on the bike course I was passed by riders and I passed riders but everyone was so friendly. We were all out there for mainly the same reason and doing what we could to encourage each other to pedal faster.

Third event: 3.1 mile run: This was hard. I must admit I walked some of the 3.1 miles. The run course was mostly on dirt trails which I was not used to. I trained on asphalt and treadmills...neither have uneven earth or holes that could twist an ankle. The last half mile was on asphalt so I really made headway from there to the end. I felt like I finished strong and I know I could have worked harder but my goal was to finish and finish I did. As I was nearing the finish line my months of training and the realization of what I was doing flooded over me. I nearly started to cry but took a deep breath instead and picked up my pace. I came around the last bend and on the right was Megan and Darla. Dad was on my left and I just couldn't contain my smile. Sonia was somewhere taking pictures.

Running across that finish line was so exhilarating. I DID IT! It is unlike anything I have ever done in my life.

A special thanks to all of you who put up with my endless chatter about my training and about this triathlon. Thank you for the support and sharing in my excitement. This is not my last triathlon so be prepared to hear more.

Lesson's learned:
1. Train harder
2. wet suit would have been nice
3. Road bike for the next tri
4. Take time to re-fuel between each stage
5. I need to get stronger and lighter (weigh less)
6. 2 towels for transition area

Johns Family Reunion
July 2007

For all of those reading this blog who are not members of my family and who have always wondered (because I know you have) what my entire family looks like, well, today is your lucky day. This picture was taken July 2, 2007 and I love it!

This picture is the original 9 Johns. I have the best looking brothers, sisters, and parents.

All 34 of us gathered in Provo, UT for the 2007 Johns Family Reunion and to celebrate Mom and Dad's 40th wedding anniversary. It had been six years since we were all together and in that time 11 nieces and nephews were born. There are a total of 19 nieces and nephews...the oldest is 15 and the youngest is about 15 months old. We all had the best time. It was so fun for me, as the organizer, to watch everyone interacting together. My parents were in heaven with all of their children gathered around with their spouses and children.

I have many highlights from the four days we spent together but I think at the top of my list would have to have been Sunday, the very first day we were all together. As one of the gifts for Mom and Dad I has asked all families to be at church Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. As of 7:00 p.m. the night before I knew we would have all but one family there because of a change in their travel schedule. However, as each family filed into the chapel Sunday morning I was almost brought to tears when I saw this family walk in. It was all I could do to not jump over the pews to get to them. They had driven all night! Picture if you will Mom and Dad surrounded by 7 families...we took up 3.5 rows. It was quite the site.

Just to give a brief rundown on the fun we had together:
Sunday: church, dinner and family night at Mom and Dad's. Mamii came for dinner and family night. It was great to see her surrounded by great grand children. Murray gave a lesson on the armor of righteousness; Katelyn played the piano; all of the grandchildren sang, "I am a Child of God" and the adult children and spouses sang "Love at Home".

Monday: family pictures in the morning followed by lunch, home tours, swimming and then a BBQ at a local Provo Park.

Tuesday: Children's Discovery Museum in Salt Lake City, more swimming followed by a special presentation at Mt. Timpanogos Park in Provo Canyon. This was another highlight for me. I had prepared (with professional help) a video highlighting Mom and Dad's life. It is 33 minutes of pictures put to music. I had been anticipating this moment, this unveiling for months and it was a hit. There were tears, laughter and just a genuine enjoyment by everyone. In addition to the special presentation we also had a talent show. Monica and Keaton performed some ballroom dances that they have both been learning. They are excellent dancers! Brynn did a somersault; Madeline and Halayna did a cheerleading cheer; we watched a video tape of Anneka's ballet performance and Jana's hip hop performance from a recent dance recital; Clark shared family trivia from a Q&A that he had sent to each of us. It was so fun to all of this talent. Clark also gave a little lesson prior to the unveling of the family movie. Clark taught the importance of accepting everyone regardless of their race, color, language, physical or mental disabilities or struggles in life. He tied this to the family movie: even though we all come from the same family we are all diferent and that is what makes our family (and all families) so wonderful. The entire night was awesome!

Wednesday: 4th of July celebrations. We all did different things throughout the day. Clark and his family left in the morning for the airport, some families went to the parade and to Stadium of Fire. Most families did go swimming in the afternoon to cool off and we enjoyed a BBQ together at Mom and Dad's.

All in all it was a huge success. My work and planning paid off, at least, from my perspective. Each family contributed in some way: Dad made his delicious chili and hosted three families at their home; Murray's Sunday evening lesson; Rick's help with the video equipment; Monica's plans for the talent show; Clark's lesson on accepting everyone; Graydon hosting me at his homoe for a couple of nights; Jana's help with the family pictures; Carrie Anne created and printed the "Reunion Guide"; Megan coordinated the photographer for the family pictures and she is still handling the picture orders. In addition to all of this everyone helped with meal preparation and clean-up.

I get so much from each of my siblings, their spouses and children, and from Mom and Dad that I wanted to give back to them. I wanted our time together to be memorable and I dare say that was achieved. I am so blessed to be a part of such a wonderful, amazing family. I am so proud of my brothers and sisters and what they have achieved so far in their lives. Their families are beautful...their children are tremendous, so talented, good looking, well behaved and kind.

Here are more pictures:

August 18, 2007
No More Victims 5K Run
West Jordan, UT

Now that's dedication! I completed my fourth 5K today...in the sprinkling rain and blowing wind. My sister, MB, ran with me...her first 5K. As we walked from my truck to the registration area I thought, "This is going to be interesting...pouring rain, no sun, and a lot of wind". I really wanted it to be a great experience for MB so she would want to run again and again. By the time the race started the wind had calmed down and the rain was just a light sprinkling. It was actually quite nice...although my sun glasses kept fogging up. I finally gave up on those and moved them to the top of my head.

As for our performance, MB had enough extra kick the last stretch of the race to come in at about 34:45. I was lagging behind and came in at about 35:05. I was hoping for 32:00 but...every race seems to be different or I seem to be different every race. MB is pleased with her time and it now gives her a bench mark to run against and improve on. I just need to get faster. I am training for the triathlon so my focus is not just on running but you would think that with the training I am doing I would be doing better. I'm not complaining just making a point...I am not going to give up!

All proceeds from this run went to the Child Advocacy center in West Jordan...fighting abuse. Members of BACA, Bikers Against Child Abuse, started the race--engines roaring--it was awesome! We also had police escort the entire race because it was not a closed course. I wanted to fake an injury just so the cute blond policeman could rescue me. However, once they had their helmets on I could not tell who was who...not helpful!

This is a post race picture of me and MB. Aren't we cute!?

August 8-10, 2007

St. George, UT

Last week marked our second annual trip to St. George for our office retreat. Let me just say, it was as much fun this year as it was last year. Last year I took it upon myself to plan the trip and I did the same this year with a lot of help from SL. I will not give you all of the details...just highlights. SL and I arrived Monday night in order to get things ready for everyone's arrival on Wednesday. We went food shopping, tested the AC in the house and the temperature of the pool. I made sure the walking/biking trails were suitable for exercise and SL made sure she knew the way to and from the house to the spa so we would not have any lost colleagues.

Wednesday, as guests arrived they were welcomed by a goody box that contained treats, a CD of summer time music, and what SL and I could determine might be an enjoyable magazine for everyone. We headed to The Painted Pony for dinner...I speak on behalf of everyone when I say it was one of the best meals we had ever eaten. Unfortunately we had to rush through the main course in order to make it to the Tuacahn Theater production of Cinderella. I stayed behind with KH to sign the check and get dessert...for everyone. The show was fantastic and everyone really seemed to enjoy themselves. For those who have never been to Tuacahn it is an amazing outdoor theater set up against the red rocks of southern Utah.

Thursday we all had breakfast together feasting on JG's famous egg dish. Delicious! There were nine of us gathered together and of the nine, six had spa treatments scheduled for the day. That left the other three, me included, to do what we wanted...more pool time and naps. What a great way to spend the day. Once the 6 spa goers returned we began preparations for a BBQ and Karaoke! The food was delicious...it seemed a good number of us provided some favorite dish. The Karaoke was a hoot! I consider myself a semi good singer but you would not have been able to tell if you had listened to me. But, when you look as lovely as I did (no make-up, hair slicked back and hidden under a straw hat...just wait the pictures will tell the story) you tend to feel less inhibited and do crazy things. It really was a lot of fun and we had BC and MB to balance out the off-key singers. They both have excellent voices.

Two of the groups left Thursday night leaving five of us to suffer along without them. Friday came with three of us going to the spa. I had two treatments: Reflexology and a pedicure. The reflexology was incredible. I would take that over a massage any day. The therapist focused on the pressure points of my feet...spending just a little time on my hands. I am generally VERY ticklish on my feet but this did not bother me...no I did not kick the therapist in the face. I wanted to crawl out of there so I wouldn't disturb the good that had been done. After returning home I spent more time at the pool. By Friday night it was just me and DS left in the house.

Saturday I woke up, went riding for an hour, and came back to start the deep cleaning. DS left before noon but I wanted just a bit more time at the pool. Once back inside I showered and then did the final cleaning and packing in order to begin my trek home. By the time I arrived back in Provo I was pooped having trained every morning and enjoying the festivities during the day and into the evening. It was a memorable few days. Below is a picture of the entire group at The Painted Pony.

August 4, 2007
St. Louis, MO

A trip for the books! One like any other as far as work trips go. I flew in to St. Louis the day before the presentation. SRC was scheduled to fly in the day of the presentation. It was just so strange to be on my own for the logistics, etc. I was craving vegetables! Attached to the hotel is a mall and what did I find in the food court, Panda Express! It was delicious! I got up in the morning and headed to the gym...bike first and then run! It felt great!

I met up with ER, the rep from a PR firm for the client and together we covered the logistics of the event: the venue for the general session, the press room, entrance and exit strategy, etc. Once all of this was done I headed back to the hotel to meet SRC. Once back at the venue we headed to the press room and then onto the General Session. SRC spoke for one hour and he was awesome...a home run for this group! It was incredible. Here is the biggest difference between this event and all others, I left before SRC was done. He got through his slides and the videos he wanted to show and then I was off. I had a plane to catch! What I didn't know is that Southwest has its own terminal at the St. Louis airport and with traffic at a minimum on Saturday afternoons I made it to the airport in about 13 minutes. I had plenty of time to change my clothes, get a salad, and find a place to sit on the floor in line "A". The flight home was uneventful...

July 30 - 31, 2007
San Diego, CA

I must say that if given the right opportunity I could live in San Diego. The weather was divine during our two day stay there. Plus, the view from my room was amazing...I looked down at the resort pools and out at the ocean. I saw big aircraft carriers cruising through the water. It was pretty cool!

SRC and I were in San Diego for a 7 Habits Certification event. This is the second event of this sort and it was awesome. The group was smaller...about 155 people but the caliber was excellent. All of these participants were so anxious to hear from SRC and to learn from him. They were also very enthusiastic about becoming certified in 7H. SRC presented for about 4 hours the morning of the first day followed by about 40 minutes of Q&A with the entire group. Once again I learned a lot of new things about SRC. He told storied and related experiences with his research and study that I had not heard before. The afternoon of day 1 and morning of day 2 consisted of visits to each of the break out sessions. SRC answered more questions and had a chance to connect with the participants. It is so inspiring to see the fire in their eyes and the fire that lights up when SRC is talking to them. It is times like these that remind me of why I love my job.

The evening of July 30th SRC was invited to participate in an LDS Young Single Adult Fireside. The event took place in Corona, CA which was about a 90 minute drive. Upon arriving at the event we had maybe two minutes to spare before it was to begin. As I was walking in a kind man asked me if I needed anything as I prepared to go on the stand to set up my AV. It was right then that I was processing in my mind, "I hope I remembered to pack my power cord...YIKES!!!!!" I had left my laptop in my hotel room. Before leaving my hotel room to go to a cocktail party and then the LDS Fireside I mentally checked off what I needed and even thought to "lock" my computer so that anyone coming into the room would not be able to access anything on the internet. Whew! Smart thinking...they couldn't access anything on the internet but they could steal my laptop. Anyway, back to the fireside. I looked up into this man's eyes and said, "I forgot my laptop". There must have been a look of fear and devastation in my eyes because he immediately said, "I live three minutes away I will go and get my laptop" and like a knight in shining armour he was gone. Now, SRC was in the restroom while this exchange was taking place and to this day he still does not know that I forgot my laptop. Once they got through the welcome, song, and introduction I was on the stand plugging in the laptop.

New York, NY
June 26th

What a day! It was an easy morning which was very nice. I was able to get in a three mile run on the treadmill and get some work done to boot. From the hotel SRC, SC and I we taken to The Union League of New York, a very posh looking club. No cell phone use is permitted while in the building and I am sure at one point no women were allowed. We were first led to a lounge that we decided must be the “Presidents Lounge” because of the paintings of past U.S. presidents on the walls. The food was good and the table conversation great!

Time Warner Center was our next stop. SRC and SC were scheduled to do an on-camera, recorded interview with Glenn Beck. This was my first experience with this type of media interview. The men first went to “make-up” and then led to the studio to get their mics on. Shortly after that the taping began. It was so interesting to see this entire process and to watch the interview. Both SRC and SC did a great job and let the sound stage with smile.

We rushed as best we could in New York traffic to the airport. What we thought would take us 30 to 45 minutes took us well over an hour. The poor pilots had been waiting for at least three hours for us…luckily they could wait in the terminal and not have to sit outside in the 90 degree weather. Add in the humidity and it was like being in a boiler room. As the pilots prepared to roll out to the runway word came back that the right engine would not start. Uh oh! One pilot went out to see what he could see. The determined that the starter for the engine had gone bad. While the pilots, the airport, and the charter company were trying to determine what to do it just so happened that one of their planes was in the air or just happened to be landing in New York and would be empty traveling back to where they are based. Amazing! So, here we are on the plane not knowing what our fate was going to be and another plane came to our rescue. The luggage, etc was moved as the other plane was being re-fueled. We finally arrived in Boston 3 ½ hours later than scheduled but we were there with plenty of time for a good nights sleep.

Boston, MA
June 27th

Mark this down as one of the most phenomenal days of my career with SRC. It was amazing! The group consisted of about 140 Mangers and Directors from a well-known food company. The day started with a 90 minute review of an Engagement survey that this company had instituted and completed with their employees. Results were reviewed, questions answered, and comments made. The group took a 30 minute break and then hunkered down for SRC’s presentation. SRC set the tone by showing “Everest” first asking the group to look for signs of leadership, trust, systems, and communication. SRC wanted to get them out of the mindset that they were in from the previous meeting. At the conclusion of Everest SRC asked the participants to break into groups and discuss what they had observed. I love that film. It is such a great illustration of the four things listed above. Plus it is so powerful to see this blind mind reach the summit, Mount Everest with his team. You feel like you can conquer anything.

I won’t go through the entire day but I will tell you that SRC spoke to their hearts, he spoke to their minds, he taught them. It was amazing! The flow, the feeling in the room…it was electric. All systems were in alignment for this to be a great day! At the conclusion of the day as SRC was giving his final comments and he became quite emotional. That does not usually happen. I tell you what, the power in that room was awesome! The group was captivated and gave him an amazing standing ovation. So many people approached both me and SRC with sincere thanks of gratitude. One gal said to me, “That was amazing. He had us laughing, crying, learning. Thank you!” What I have recounted here does not do this day any justice but trust me when I say that it was a most amazing day!

If I can make this about me for two seconds, it is days like this that keep me doing what I am doing. I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to do what I do and support SRC in doing what he does. I also know that the prayers being given on our behalf are being answered. I am so appreciative of everyone who supports SRC in his work. Your efforts do not go unnoticed nor do your prayers go unanswered.

The view from my hotel room in Boston was unlike any other…the airport runway! These pictures were taken outside the hotel.

Panama
June 28th and 29th

The two days in Panama were amazing and exhausting! We arrive into Panama City at about 1:00 a.m. and into our hotel rooms by 2:00 a.m. After preparing for the next day I finally got in bed and was asleep by about 3:00 a.m. The alarm was not a welcome sound 3 hours later but duty calls. I was up, dressed, and down to the event venue by 7:00 a.m. The first event was for the public. The topic was leadership. The room was huge and filled with people anxious to hear SRC’s message. I would say there were about 800 people there. It was a good group.

The second event was in the afternoon for all government employees of the Panamanian government. The room was set for 1,400 people and I would say that just about every chair was filled and people were lining the back wall. SRC was fantastic and really hit a home run with this group. The participants sitting within my line of sight were busy taking note, anxiously waiting for the next principle or skill or tool that SRC was teaching.

The third event of the first day was for the community. Again, a fantastic group. The room was set for 1,200 and I would say that 90% of the chairs were filled. The topic was families and, as always, SRC spoke from the heart. He speaks from the hear for every program but when he talks about families there is a tenderness and reverence with which he addresses the topic. The day was over by 9:00 p.m. My plan, once in my room, was to check email, have dinner, and go to bed, wake up and go to the gym to run. I checked the schedule of the gym and it opened at 6:00 a.m. which did not work with my schedule. So, I scratched my initial plan and ran Thursday night. It was a good run…on the treadmill.

The program held on Friday was very interesting. SRC had been invited to participate in a forum called Prosperous Panama. Along with SRC, other thought leaders from Panama were invited to present their thoughts and findings on how to overcome poverty in Panama. I found each panelist to have passion for the topic and they were well prepared and well spoken with their presentations. I learned a lot. Once SRC and the panelists had given their presentations the participants submitted questions and the panelists engaged in Q&A. Poverty is a hot topic in Panama and you could tell that the audience was inspired and energized by what they heard. SRC was grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such and event. There were probably close to 1,000 people in attendance.

Here are a couple of pictures: the view from my room, of course.

At the conclusion of the event we changed clothes and were driven to the airport. Dallas, here we come…or so we thought.

Travel

When SRC and I fly on a charter we typically fly with a company called Clay Lacey, based in Los Angeles. My experience with them thus far has been flawless. No problems with the planes, the pilots…sometimes we don’t have food on the plane but a safe arrival to our next destination is more important than food.

This trip presented some interesting challenges for us. As I reported in my New York blog we had engine starter problems as we attempted to fly from New York to Boston. Well, the problem came up again as we prepared to fly from Panama to Dallas. Because of scheduling changes we were departing 1 hour earlier than originally planned. I was excited about this because it meant getting into Dallas earlier which meant a possible run on the treadmill and a long nights sleep.

I could tell after 1-2 minutes of prep for take-off that there was a problem. Andrew got out of his seat and told us that they were experiencing the same problem with the right engine and they needed to take a look at things to determine if it could be fixed quickly. At this point the fun began. SRC was exhausted and short on patience for this sort of thing. I was trying to remain calm and keep a cool head. The pilots were so apologetic but also keeping a cool head. Over the course of two hours attempts were made to fix the problem. At the same time Clay Lacey dispatch was trying to find an alternate way to get us to the airport and I had Darla working on finding a commercial flight for us. I spent most of my time with the pilots or on the phone. I stayed clear of SRC…it made me more anxious to be near him.

Keep in mind that we are in Panama where the humidity makes it feel like you are in a sauna. Luckily there was a breeze and cloud cover but it was still thick and quite warm.

It was determined that we would not be flying on this lear jet. Plans were made for us to fly from Panama to LAX on a commercial flight and then fly onto Dallas on a charter flight. All of this flying were get us into Dallas at 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning…two hours before SRC was to be on stage. We arrived into LAX at 12:20 a.m., flew out again at about 1:30 a.m. and arrived into Dallas at about 6:20 a.m. I had slept fitfully a total of about 3 hours between the two flights. I felt not so fresh and cranky. I consciously had to snap myself out of the crankiness and perk up. I was not doing anyone any good by being somber and cranky.

Dallas
June 30, 2007

There was a time while still in Panama that SRC considered not doing this event in Dallas and finding a local FranklinCovey presenter to present. SRC decided to suck it up and do the event. We are both very glad that he did. The group was big…about 800 and all a majority of people were there because SRC was going to be speaking.

Once at the hotel SRC went to his room and I went to the ballroom to take care of the AV. I had 20 minutes to freshen up and put my suit on before needing to be back in the ballroom for SRC’s presentation. I managed to stay awake for the first part of his speech but with difficulty. My mind felt cloudy and sluggish but at the break I found Diet Dr. Pepper, grabbed three cans and proceeded to wake myself up. I am trying to stay away from soda but today was an emergency. I made an exception, if you will. It worked! I made it through the second half without much trouble or wanting to crawl under the table for a nap.

At the conclusion of most events, as SRC is giving his closing comments he will thank me for my help. Before telling you about his closing comments I will first say that when SRC was introduced the participants were told that SRC and I had flown through the night arriving at 6:30 a.m. that morning for the event. So, when SRC was closing he expressed thanks to the participants for being there, the event organizers, the client and me. He said that when we arrived at the hotel he immediately went to his room and I went to the ballroom to set-up the AV. SRC said, I at least had a chance to take a bath, Chelsea didn’t…but she still looks sparkly. He said this after he had thanked me for my help. When he said what he did about not having a chance to shower I said, “Thanks a lot Stephen.” Everyone laughed. It was quite comical.

Now, we are on our way home. I can’t wait to take a shower!