A Very Nice Day...

The picture is of the approach to Pier 11 in the East River in NYC by ferry. I actually took it this summer when Julie and I came up from the Jersey Shore.

It turned out to be a very good day. There are times when I get little joy working the phones but, this morning, the effort proved to be fruitful. Spoke with a couple of Universities I have been trying to reach, connected with a couple of potential software customers and had a great meeting at Parsons.

I have a few more things to take care of and then I'm off to meet Eva and Nic for sushi.

Running and Gunning...

Took way to long to get into NYC today. Trains running late and it screwed me up. I arrived to a pile of mail and learned that my answering machine isn't giving my all my messages when I dial in remotely. Responded to 12 old messages (my poor customers!). Made a deposit (yeah!) and paid bills (boo!). Spent almost an hour in line at the post office trying to get mail forwarded and found out they are closing the branch my PO box is at. Of course, this means the forms I filled out on line are useless and they don't have the ones I need at the moment.

Accept the situation and deal with it. Stay conscious, present, in the now.

Thank you Eckhart Tolle!

Ron Bernal

Now here's the story of a guy who just does not let go. I've spent years trying to shed my N.J. past (don't ask why) and to move on to better things. Other than my family, who all still live there, I was MOSTLY successful. MOSTLY that is because Ron Bernal (that's him pictured to the left) just wouldn't let go.

To this day, I never know if that blinking light on my answering machine is going to be a message that starts off, "Hey Smegma, do you miss me?". Or, "How's your wife? What's she wearing?". Most years on St. Patty's day, I don't dare answer the phone for fear of the drunk dial from some borrowed cell phone calling from a random bar (or the streets) in NYC after the parade ends.

Every few months we might actually get to talk to each other. Usually, I get verbally abused and then get an update on everyone I knew in high school. See Ron doesn't only stay in touch with me, he stays in touch with everyone (whether they like it or not).

So, after all these years (more than 30), no matter how hard I try, I am forever tied to my past by a crazy Cuban who just can't let go. I'm so very grateful...

Wall-E

I came home from my visit to Pixar with a 3 disk set of Wall-E (thanks Renee!). I'd seen it before but, on an international fight on a 7" screen. Just finished watching along with Andrew Stanton's comments. Great stuff!

Now I'm really looking forward to UP in 3d!!

My First

WTF is up with customer service. I know the economy is tough but, you would think companies would be wise to take care of the people who do regular business with them. I had an experience yesterday with a partner company (where I actually used to work). Without going into detail, they treated me like some one time transaction, not a regular customer. It left a bad taste in my mouth. I can only imagine how they treat people they deal with for the first time!

Anyway, it left me wondering. When business turns down, maybe desperately so, how should customers be treated. Does the almighty dollar come first (perhaps if you know your company isn't going to make it!) or, do you take your most precious resource, your customers, and make them feel even closer to you than you ever have before.

Thoughts?