heathervescent

Going offline for a few days

Hello blog, I'm headed off to celebrate the end of the year and the blasting in of a new one this weekend. Even if I'm at a party, I always take a moment of silence or two outside at the exact changing over of the year. To focus my intent on what I will accomplish the next year. This last week of the year has been very fertile. And although I've railed against the mainstream my entire life, I am excited and energized to make this one of my focuses next year. I've already seen so many glimpses on how to make that happen.

G'night blog. See ya next year.

A Story on Firestarting

I occasionally attend a multi-day gathering with friends at an old homesteader cabin in the Mojave. The area is desolate, and for one weekend we bring in generators and DJ equipment, a stage and about 80 people camp, party and generally have a good time. We shoot guns at the private range and generally engage in standard desert activities: eating, drinking, esoteric conversations and taking in the natural beauty of the desert. At night it is cold, so we have fires - inevitably started by yours truly.

In this particular weekend, it was unseasonably cold and as the sun set, everyone was gathered in and around the cabin. It was crammed in there while no one was paying attention to the cold desert beauty at dusk. So I went outside to start a fire. At first, it was just me and Sam, and a friend or two stopping by. We chucked more wood into it and really got it going. Then others came out and started adding wood and pretty soon there were a lot of people by the fire. The fire was going really well and people were enjoying adding wood and taking care of it. Since there were 2 other fire pit possibilities and plenty of wood, I moved onto start another fire in another location.

Same story as the first one. At first it was me and Sam (my firestarting partner) stacking the wood, the newspaper, twigs and lighting the match in several locations. We always get the fire started on the first try. Again, we were alone with the fire, but slowly folks moved from the first fire and others from the cabin came out to be around the second fire. It was closer to the stage and dance area so people would stop by to warm up between dancing and wandering.

The same thing happened for the third fire. At that point I would occasionally need to add wood to the previous other fires.

I feel like that's what happened here in LA Tech. There are tons of people around adding fuel to the fire, chucking on their own pieces of wood. Making a fire bigger and even starting their own. The fires are beautiful and roiling. It's very hot and going quite nicely.

Modern Mainstream percolation

The mainstream is composed of individuals each trying to be what they think they want to be. To succeed in the mainstream, you have to help all those individuals reach their goals (whether they know what they are or not). Approaching the mainstream as a homogenous lug isn't going to make for success. I guess that's why I've failed/not been interested in the past. I've seen the mainstream as a clueless mob mass. Maybe that's the way it was in Marshal McLuhan's past, but not today. The mainstream is universe of stars. "Every man and woman is a star" A.C.

So to enter the modern mainstream, you must appeal to the concept of individuals, not mass.

I've got some observations about Apple and Google on this topic, but I've got a lot of work and I more or less took the day off yesterday, so must get crackin!

Recap 2007: A Year of Pimping and Promoting

I knew 2006 was going to be a hard year to follow. I didn't even try to come up with a goal as big as "to kick ass" for 2007, because I thought there was no way I could even come close. Instead 2007 was the year of 007- double triangle - the Jesus Year.

My goals were to 1) find my reason for existence; 2) pimp and promote; 3) simplify; and 4) create. At the bottom of list in my 2007 guidebook I found this in my own handwriting: "Rally myself into an unstoppable brand." I find that humorous. My only specific goal was to spend 40 days in the desert, because hey - it's the Jesus year, right? I didn't hit that one. I just couldn't take myself away from my projects for 40 days. So how did I do? Pretty awesome actually. Specifics after the jump.

Back on the GTD Wagon

Here's the third episode in my "Falling off the GTD wagon" series. You can find the first and second ones here.

More Thoughts

What a strange day yesterday was. Woke up in R's gorgeous house. Being in R's house was so comfortable, it felt like home. More home than the place I inhabit in Hollywood. Packed up and headed to San Mateo for breakfast date. "I was an asshole the last time we met here." I've forgotten those times. I've acquired the ability to drop/ignore/neutralize the negativity of past interactions - to remember only the abstract affection.

Then I was on my old commute freeways, driving it LA style - the way I always drove. "Tires kissing several highways". Threading the needle. Remembering 10 years of driving these roads, looking at how things had changed - and yet stayed the same. (So cliche for a reason.)

Cell phone talking speeding across the San Mateo bridge. Three full lanes both ways. So many nights I took this home. Engraved neural pathways, body never forgets. I allowed myself to go on an old autopilot in an upgraded plane.

Then the central valley and brainstorming with Chicken John. He was headed back to SF, while I was going the opposite direction. Fate caused a pause in our travels for a cup of conversation in Santa Nella. We talked about shows, tours, communities, sortition, technology. He talked about exit strategies and death, I told him of my stair stepped bell-curve, a way to trick "death"; he pointed out the larger fractal picture. Death, ending, exit strategy is always there. That reminded me of the Void to Full (and vice versa) polarity. Something can not become full without first being emptied. We walked dammit in the parking lot. And then he went north, while I went south.

I hit the bad traffic and pulled out of the mainstream - took a side road. But a quick stop caused another surprise. I ran into Uwe and Ji - old colleagues from iAmaze/AOL days. They were on their way to LA. I tipped them about my secret route and told them to call me when they got to Hollywood. Then I was in the desolate lands. 33. Through orchards and oil wells. Remembering the last time I took this road. I was taking Lady Knight to LA. It was my first big solo motorcycle trip. In August, it was a hot dusty quasi-desert - desolate is not a word to describe what the landscape was.

All this way I am listening to Jim Collin's Good to Great. 10 hours of instruction, revelation, understanding.

It's almost too much to take in. Data swirling into the tornado from different areas: Open Space Technology. The Shocking News. Jim Collins. Chicken John. My Obsessions. Possibilities. Revelations.

I am exhausted. I sit at the center with my tea set. White linen tablecloth. Tea pot, milk, sugar on hand-crocheted doilies. The winds of possibilities build the tornado stronger and stronger, my calm in the center, calmer and calmer.

I was distracted. I was knocked off course. I lost faith. I questioned myself. But I have returned. You can not know order, without getting swept into the chaos. You can not create, without tasting the destruction. You can not know your own strength, without doubting it. You can not move through fear, without being intimate with it. You can not do the impossible, without questioning whether it is possible.

The mortar between the bricks. // The glue that dries clear.
I have plowed the sea.
That scene in one of the Sargasso Bronte romance.
An eternal golden braid.
yes, and...
  "In the process i hope i become irrelevant"
Leave no trace.
The journey is the destination.

It's not about the messed up ball of yarn at the beginning; or the perfectly coiled yarn at the end. It's in the unwinding. And then in what you make of the yarn. In that, the yarn is unchanged.

"The geese in the sky have no desire to leave a shadow across the lake. The lake has no desire to receive it."
- A Zen Koan

SF Thoughts

I've been San Francisco for the past few days. It's the first time since I left that I haven't had weird twangs from my past life. I've started to make new memories. I'm staying at one of my oldest friends and her house is so comfortable, I feel at home. The first night, I rolled over half expecting to find S and was surprised not to.

I've really enjoyed the brisk mornings and my commute up 19th Ave through the Park, watching the two orange horns of the Golden Gate appear behind the hills of green. Then it's just historic buildings and the bay and a room full of people with interesting activities, learnings from very many diverse backgrounds.

I had some surprising news last night. Shocking in fact, because it hit me like a baseball bat out of left field and knocked my emotions into a pulpy bloody mess. News that makes everything else in my life so small, my recent angsts so petty. The only reassurance I have is that possibilities I know will never exist in this limited reality, must exist in another. It's a second golden ticket from the universe. And the pain and payment for this one is much greater. "The broken mayonnaise jar on the white kitchen floor." A hard reminder that every moment counts. Every infinite moment in the actual past or future. I will not grieve yet. Not for the future that can not be or lost moments of the past. There are moments now - today. And if I am aware, I can make each moment last for infinity.

There is a trick in there. But here, on this longest, darkest night of the year, I can't find it. I have found the faith to be what I am and had it shattered in the same day. That makes my faith stronger and makes me hate it - the strength binding me. It makes the drive for me to be what I am even stronger. That is trick in this ticket. The shattering of what will never be. And because it will never be, I must become what I am. No more hiding in the curtains.

Geek Dinner recap

That was one awesome geek dinner last night. I think we had most of the heavy hitters of the LA Tech Community in attendance. Lots of new faces (thanks to the article). The food wasn't that great, but we made up for it in great company. We had a link with the South Bay (in NorCal) geek dinner and I broadcasted our geek dinner via Justin.tv. It was loud on both ends and we can definitely improve the experience, but it was great to have the link with them.

I'm about to jump into my car and blast up to San Francisco for Open Space Training. I'm very excited about this. I woke up this morning with the idea for my next/first official open space event early next year and a vision from a location in the past. Karnak.

Last night, as we went around the room, each table read off their top 3 stories for 2007 and predicted the stories for 2008. Nicole Jordan wrote that 2008 is the year for LA. I couldn't agree with her more.

A shot of faith and inspiration

Just watch this.

Virtual Combined Geek Dinner

Tonight will be the first ever NorCal/SoCal Geek Dinner!

Bring your laptops and EVDO or other wireless broadband connections. Bring a webcam if you have one, although I will have some available.

And, you can still tune if you can't make it in person.

NorCal (South Bay) is here:
http://www.justin.tv/sbgeekdinner
RSVP: http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/384133/

LA (Santa Monica) is here:
http://www.justin.tv/lageekdinner or
http://www.stickam.com/profile/lageekdinner
RSVP: http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/383895/

LA Geek Dinner - Tomorrow

Just a quick reminder that tomorrow is the LA Geek Dinner! Click to RSVP.

Here are the deets:
El Texate

 

    316 Pico Blvd
    Santa Monica, California 90405

I've some exciting stuff to talk about as well. See ya in Santa Monica.
 

Thoughts and Harrison Owen

Good Monday Morning Blog! Well, that was quite an awesome weekend. Roadtripping with friends and playing in my old hood - Oaktown Bootieville and Berzerkely. Lots of good conversations and connections with friends.

This morning however, I want to point you to an interview with Harrison Owen - the creator of Open Space Technology. I'm actually heading back to San Francisco on Wednesday to get official training in Open Space Technology Facilitation. I first heard about OST from Mary Hodder. I was telling her about my barcamp organization experiences and she told me to check out Open Space. When she first described it, I couldn't tell the difference between what I used for Barcamp and what she described as Open Space. It was only until I experienced it, could I see the sublime difference.

I first experienced OST at the Internet Identity Workshop earlier this year and I was blown away. It was at the same time more structured and more open than "barcamp". I'm not sure how to describe the difference, perhaps by the end of the week, I will.

Thoughts and Thanks

I sent this to the barcampLA list today. If you're of the like mind. Please join us.

--------------------------------------------

Yesterday's article about the geek dinners and our LA Tech community was a validation of what all of us on this list know has been happening and growing for quite some time. That the tech community here - spawned by Barcamp is no flash in the pan. That community is _you_. Everyone on this list and everyone who has attended an event are the community - and the _real_ reason that article was written.

We have awesome community leaders and plenty of community to grow. Many of you have heard me compare the LA Tech scene as a sleeping giant. Well, in the words of one of my favorite authors, Frank Herbert - "The sleeper has awakened."

And guess what -- that means the spotlight is on us. The world has started to take notice. Let's blow them away. How do we do that?

1. We are team. We're on the same side.
We might not always agree or get along. We might have different focuses and go to different events - but ultimately - working together will help us kick ass daft punk style: harder, better, faster, stronger!

2. Just do it.
Got an idea or a dream? Don't put it off another day. Everything starts with a small step. Don't think you can, then ....

3. Ask for Help
Have a question, need some help. We have the answers in the community. Please feel free to personally ping me. I love enabling you to be successful.

4. Be supportive.
Help those you can. Offer constructive criticism. Remember, everyone is doing the best that they can. Get over yourself and put your ego aside. Everyone can kick ass in their own way. Help them do that.

Finally, I want to say kudos to _you_. Yes, you reading this message right now. This is your community. Let's take even higher. You decide where we go. I'm at your service.

-Heather

Loving the Materials

It's very important to like your materials if you want to kick ass. I talk about this in episode 2, on getting back on the wagon with GTD.

Dec Geek Dinner - El Texate

The word is out. The December Geek Dinner is on Tuesday, Dec 18th at El Texate in Santa Monica.

Location (map)
316 Pico Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90405

Get Directions(310) 399-1115

Starts at 8pm. RSVP on Upcoming

Word to the Founders...

Last night, a few hours after I found out the LA Times article was running, the boyfriend, my pal Kaliya aka Identity Woman and I twisted our way into the Beverly Hills. The streets were dark with welcoming lights on the multi-million dollar homes, LA city twinkling behind me. As I downshifted to gain power up the hills, I was internally chucking. You see, I was on my way to a last minute Barlow get-together.

Barlow of John Perry Barlow, the Founder of EFF. My chuckling was because here I have been trying (and succeeding) in kick-starting the LA Tech scene for about 2 years, but I'm not the first one to do this, in fact Barlow's Frenzies are famous for this type of activity. And they've been going on, I don't know how long. They are old school. But there is one person in LA that has been rocking the Tech Party Scene for 20 years. Her name is Coco.

So on this day, where the LA Tech Scene is getting press due to the new explosion of geekterific events, I want to give a shout out to one of my inspirations - Coco Conn. You've been a quiet inspiration to me since I met you (back at the SRL <3 LA show). Thanks and Rock on!

I think I can say, the sleeping giant has awakened.

If you're new to the LA Tech Scene, go check out this page (I'm writing it right now), where I've outlined the various kick ass leaders in the community and where you can go to meet them and learn more.

xxx LA,

-H

I am Queen of LA Tech

The LA Times has officially recognized me as the Queen of LA Tech. Well, ok, maybe not officially the Queen of LA tech, but at least someone who likes to throw tech parties and "nerd" out.

So hi all you LA Times readers. Want to know more about me? Then check out my bio, and then my company - The Purple Tornado. We can help your company kick ass online. (And throw a kick ass party too.) Here's my original call to arms to the LA Tech community.

Want to join? Then join this group.
Want to find about upcoming tech events? Then check out OptionLA - the site I created to catalog all the events.
Want to list your geekertific event? You can do that too.
Want to come the next geek dinner? It's December 18th in Santa Monica. Email me for details.
Jan 15 is going be with our friends Machine Project.

Please feel free to send me email. I promise that I will read all of them that flit past my spam protection. Especially since my inbox is now GTDed! blog at heathervescent dot com.

ps. Check out my last LA Times mention (reigning over LA Blogging) almost 2 years exactly. Thanks LA Times. I try to do our city good.

LA Santacon 2007 - what happened?

Folks always get antsy about Santacon before it happens, because most people like to know what is happening before they do it. But sometimes you gotta trust that something good is going to happen. Take this year's LASantacon. Highlights included:

• Santa's rolling down the hill at the TarPits and hanging with the Giant Sloths (still one of my favorite LA spots)
• Not getting kicked out of the Grove - Not sure how that didn't happen (but more than that, the looks on people's faces as we walked through the grove)
• Snowball fight
• Giant Twister (that I personally made the night before, inspired by the guy who made the SF Twister board).
• Limbo-dancing under a candy cane
• Secret Exodus and landing on Melrose
• Taking over the Top Floor @ The Formosa
• and other things Santa doesn't like to say on blogs.

Everywhere we went people's faces lit up. Children were delighted - especially the ones who joined in on the snowball fight. I only wish we had been able to walk back on Hollywood Blvd - because there were some prime interaction opportunities. The word from Santa is that 2007 was Best. Santacon. Ever. I'm so proud I could help make it happen.

I'm the one with the megaphone. ;) ps. see ya in SF next weekend.

*photo by Kmo of me and Cameron.

Santa Twister

IMG_3832
Originally uploaded by santacluck.

Here are Santas playing on the big twister board I made. Photo by SantaCluck!

2008 Thoughts

It's December and you know what that means in Heatherland? Time to map out my "goals" for 2008. The past couple years my goals have more been topics for pondering. 2007 was easy - it was the Jesus year because I turned 33. I was fretting a couple months ago that I wasn't going to make the 1 specific goal I made this year - my 40 days in the desert and was beating myself up about it, when I realized, hey - I can still do that. I'll give myself another year to do it. In fact, 2008 is 2007 Version 2.0.

The biggest thing I've gotten out of 2007 was my complete and utter success with Pimping and Promoting. Prior to this year, most of the projects I've produced, created or seriously participated in, I have under promoted. Kept secret for the most part. Hidden, underground, invited only a very select few to participate. That changed in 2007. I started pimping out my friends who kick ass, I pimped events I produced and most of all, I didn't feel like I was selling out or being a slimy marketing person with my pimping.

Prior to 2007, I never mentioned the geek stuff I did in LA on my blog, barely mentioned a geek dinner - and now I'd like to think that some of the LA geek event explosion has to do with my raising the flag of awareness of the geek things I did/do. I know I've inspired many of the tech events in LA. I can't specifically tie that back to my goal to pimp and promote this year, but I'd like to think it effected/created it. If I was more egotistical I'd say, "I created this renaissance!" but I know it's been created by all the participants, I've just been the primer iter parus.

So now, 2008, I'm taking 2007 thoughts to the next level. I'm meditating on the concept of "pimping the bellcurve" aka taking it mainstream. Taking my projects, clients, ideas, friends and most of all - myself - to horror of horrors - the mainstream.

This terrifies me. But I remember I felt terrified this same way when I decided chose to work on pimping this year. It's no big deal to talk about all the cool stuff I'm doing, the cool projects I know about and how cool my friends are that kick ass, doing awesome stuff.

Is the world ready for heathervescent, aka hbomb aka heather schlegel aka my other monikers? Hell yes. The world has been waiting, goading, pushing me, I think I'm just finally getting the balls to come on stage.

Rising to the front

I've recently become obsessed with Gwen Stefani. I've got the beat of Hollaback Girl tattoed in my brain, mostly because of DJ Schmoli and A+D's mashups and the three performances I've produced with Gwen mashups: The Original Hollaback Thriller, Hollaback Thriller Redux, and Hollaback Headhunter.

I was often surprised to find out a song I liked and heard on the radio was hers. What really made her stand out in my brain though, was when I saw/heard her song "wind it up".  I don't usually see music videos, so just seeing it was a major accomplishment for me. What I heard blew my mind. I thought it was a mash-up, but it was so obviously her song taking from various inspirations. Brazilian batucada,  musical mash-up with a club beat and a rap ripple going through the song. I was blown away - this was the most innovate music by a single artist since I heard Suba.

I've started listening to her entire discography and I continue to be impressed, inspired you might even say, so much so, that I'm making Gwen my role model for 2008. I'll add her to girl crew of Pippi, Aeon, and Ivy. I need to add some pop-bling to my image and she's the perfect polish.

Not in Charge

Not in Charge
Originally uploaded by Jenski2.

From the what I did yesterday file - It  was LA Santacon and I helped HeliSanta put the thing together. Together we really kicked some red tide ass. I think everyone had a great time. My favorite moment: the snowball fight in Pan Pacific Park and the looks on the people's faces as we walked through the grove.

The massive synapse firing is what I'm going for. Creating a memory, a story that is unforgettable and ephemeral.

Friendship Bracelets are so the next wave

This is just too freaking good. Thanks Rosie for the lots of fun.

To Remember...

"Don't forget you're going to die."
  - John Hawkes

Wise Words

"Fame or integrity: which is more important?
Money or happiness: which is more valuable?
Success or failure: which is more destructive?
If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never truly be fulfilled.
If your happiness depends on money, you will never be happy with yourself.
Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are.
When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you."

~ Lao-tzu, 6th century bce Chinese philosopher, founder of Taoism from Tao Te Ching
via Jordan

I'll ponder this as I pop up to Canada for a quick 24 trip.

Falling off the GTD Wagon

A few months ago, I stopped using my GTD notebook. Life got hard. I felt like I didn't accomplish much. It's time to change that. I'm doing a short series this December about getting back on the GTD Wagon. Join me and get your ass kicking on! Here's the first episode.

Membership or not membership

Some things I've learned from Cacophony - stolen straight from Rev Al's mouth.

There is a curious, almost inverse relationship between attendance and paid subscriptions. Those who are generally out and about doing events seem almost less concerned with maintaining contact as "official members." Those who keep sending in money year after year tend to be in more outlying neighborhoods/cities, and seem to be content with vicarious "membership." It's almost as if the concept of membership were antithetical to the Cacophony ideal (or maybe that's just what I want to see).

And on do-ers vs wanna-bes

You can't really tell who's full of hot air online. This calls for a meeting. Face to face. We've found that actual monthly meetings in the real world help determine who's just an online know-it-all and who's ready to roll up their sleeves and do something. If they never make it to an actual meeting to discuss the ideas they've been going on about, it's clear that they won't make those ideas happen. Then we know to just politely ignore them when they beat their chest online. Meetings are fairly loose, but we do go down an agenda, basically reviewing past events one by one, discussing ideas for the coming month bandied about online, and then opening the floor to whatever new ideas there might be.

Which leads me back to my thoughts on community vs cliques... and are people who only socalize online, just lame-rs instead of do-ers? I should just write up my thoughts on the subject sooner than later.

Innovator Paradox

The problem with being an innovator, or trendsetter, is that eventually your ideas will go mainstream - and that's exactly when the innovator/trendsetting loses interest in them. Who wants to live in the frontier-land when it starts booming. Sure, the innovator or trendsetter can set out for new innovations and trends, but the problem with that is they don't always stick around long enough to reap the benefits of the bell-curve. How to do both? Innovate and pimp the bell-curve? Birth something from the wet possibilities of infinity and shape it up to ship to the craving mainstream masses?

hmmm.

Santa is coming to town - Saturday

You'd better watch out, Santa has something up his sleeve this Saturday in mid-town LA. Just saying...

How I got my Winnie

The Winnies 2007 1673.jpg
Originally uploaded by luismi1985.

I look more terrified - like maybe instead of a trophy, there was a mouse. Hey - good thing I'm not going into acting, eh?

The Winnies 2007

The Winnies 2007 0985.jpg
Originally uploaded by luismi1985.

Yet another winnies photo.

The Winnies 2007

The Winnies 2007 1415.jpg
Originally uploaded by luismi1985.

Jennifer Fader and I pose at the Winnies. Thanks Irina - you kick ass in my book.

MatzoBall Soup, Wifi and Geeks

Andy and I dream about the LA Tech Community. I know, I know, I need to work on my diction Mom. By the way, Twiistup 3 is Jan 16. Just wait till you see the tricks I have up my sleeve for this one....

Grapples

I have three of them in the fruit bowl and the smell is absolutely driving me crazy. I don't really like apples at all, but these grapples (looks like an apple, tastes like a grape! registered trademark) are really insanely amazing.

This Patent Pending process is complex and the ingredient mix primarily includes concentrated grape flavor and pure water. All ingredients are USDA and FDA approved and the process has been licensed by the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

I suggest you check em out. I guess they're worth their $1.25 each price tag.

Bullseye

In my awake/dreaming/trancestate this morning I was mulling over the archery:bullseye concept. There are many targets - some of them require different type of arrows. Some are closer, some are farther. Some are ones I've hit before, others I haven't. One arrow can hit only one target (and only one bullseye on that target) - no matter how good the archer.

Which targets do I want to hit. Which arrows do I need to hit them. And which targets/arrows can I retire - or minimally put on the back burner for the moment. And what criteria do I use to decide which targets I'm aiming for?

As my dad always used to say, and I've taken to heart, "Aim High".

Update: and what if instead of using a bow and arrow, I want to use an AR-15? (In that case, I'll have to move out of California to begin with, or borrow a friend's.) Wait, I thought I already went through the hardware upgrade. But a machine gun would give me the possibility of hitting more targets and there for more bullets. Hey, Heather, I think this is where the metaphor breaks down. Yeah, I think you're right. I'll go back to archery now and focus on the once and future bullseye.

Goth Gwen and the Industrial Bananas

IMG_0920
Originally uploaded by Jenski2.

Wow - that was a lot of fun being goth Gwen and dancing to the Front 242/Gwen mashup with A+D. I was a little nervous because I was on stage by myself for a whole 2 minutes, and I wish I didn't have these 20 extra pounds (well, that's the cost of a good LTR). Props go to my hardcore bananas Carmen and Jenna. And to A+D and all the back stage lovelies. Hey - I kinda like this entertainment being on a stage thing.

The Return

4 hours till showtime at BootieLA and I've just gone through 4 months of mail and cleaned my desk. Why is it I get hit with the office cleaning bug Saturday night before a performance?

A performance I might add that I found out about a week ago and making last minute changes to as we speak. And yet, I am not the least bit nervous, concerned or scared. I remember when I did my first Bootie show last October. I was terrified about it. More terrified than pitching or presenting to a client or corporate VP or CEO. And now, without a second thought, I am brainstorming a major US/European tour with a troupe I have yet to form for next year. In fact, that reminds me - it's the month to wrangle all the goals for 2008. What is the theme for 2008 going to be? Well, I'm pretty sure it's going to be along the lines of Archery: Bullseye.