Finally bought the boat

Finally bought a canoe.  Family vacation at Lake Superior this July and 25th wedding anniversary get-away to Caribbean with spouse had me thinking about getting certified for scuba (sunken ships diving in Superior, usual stuff in Caribbean), but my ENT talked me out of it.  Half-a-dozen inner-ear surgeries, to include three rebuilt ear-drums (hard to accomplish with just two ears) kinda ruled me out.  So we'll stick to snorkeling (much cheaper, BTW) and, in my despair, I finally bought a boat - of the sort I am most familiar.  We always had a canoe in my family, so as a kid, I would explore local rivers with a friend for hours on end - just disappearing for the bulk of the day.

So, when I investigated what's out there, I decided to go with this slightly stripped down version of Mad River Canoe's Adventure series that is sold at Dicks for a good price (about $250 less).  Unlike most canoes, which stretch pretty wide (40 inches or so, this thing comes in just less than 35 inches (see a review here, where I got the pix).  The hull if very kayak-like, with flat surfaces that break every six or so inches.  That, plus the narrow width, makes it seem very unstable at first glance, but it isn't.  Jerkier at times, but when it slips to the side, it tends to stop when the first above-water panel hits the water.

The tradeoff on the width and hull design is that this thing moves in the water more like a kayak than a canoe, meaning it goes fast!  Since I don't fish and mostly like to explore, this is ideal, even as it takes some discipline with my kids.

Took it out yesterday with sons on White River inside Indianapolis.  Today we hit a local county park lake with my eldest daughter and our two new additions.

Anyway, shouldn't cause me any more surgeries and I do love being on rivers.

Upcoming talk in Johnstown PA (open to public)

Yes, this is open to the public.  Just a matter of registering as non-member.  But they encourage that, which is why they asked me to blog.  So if you want to come, please do.  Just contact them directly on how to get signed up.

If you're in sunny San Diego in early May . . .

From Electric Net:

Registration Is Open For 2011 NAED National Electrical Leadership Summit, San Diego, April 30 – May 3

February 11, 2011

Industry executives convene to plan for the business future with strategies, networking and education

The National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) announces that registration is open for the 2011 National Electrical Leadership Summit. The Summit will take place April 30 – May 3, 2011, at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. The agenda features an expanded lineup of keynote speakers, industry panels, educational sessions, and networking opportunities to provide members with the ideas and strategies necessary to plan for their business future.

The fresh, condensed format of the Summit gives attendees the opportunity to hear from top-quality keynote speakers during two general sessions. Dr. Thomas P. M. Barnett, will present "Twenty-First Century: A Future Worth Creating – Globalization Strategies," covering all of the details that go into determining whether globalization will advance or retreat in the decades to come. In the presentation titled, "A Technology Infused Leader," Scott Klosoky will discuss what today's leaders need to know about technology to stay effective in the future and allow the technology savvy generations to thrive in the workplace.

Here is the conference page.

The dream begins . . .

Saw this at Indy airport on my way to DC tonight. 

Didn't wait long, did they?

Woodson has already said he's aiming for a repeat.

Go! Pack Go!

Brangelina, the ball is in your court!

This owner wants one for the left middle toe!

My non-voting share that my Mom (son of HOFer Jerry Clifford) got me in 1997. The family's (theoretically shared among seven siblings) voting share (1 of about 1900) is held by my brother Andy in upstate WI so he can attend shareholder meets and vote on our behalf

When the Steelers sought their fifth NFL title (all Super Bowl championship games, because they never made it to the championship prior to the NFL-AFL merger), they often referred to it as "one for the thumb," meaning a fifth ring.

Alas, the NFL didn't start the bling tradition until after the merger.

But imagining what our chant would be, given our 12 NFL titles, I was thinking "one for the left middle toe" would provide some sense of our status as the Yankees/Celtics/Canadiens of the NFL.  That's why two weeks ago felt like my Super Bowl, because the Bears, with 9 titles, are sort of LA Lakers to our Celtics.  I don't have the same feeling for the Steelers, whom we play 2-3 times a decade, so I don't have that same, I-can't-stand-losing-to-them! urgency I have with the Bears or Vikes.  And yet I want to beat them badly, because I know how hard it is to get this chance.

I have to consider the Pack underdogs on the basis of experience.  As I've noted many times, I felt this year was to get some playoff experience, but I really felt we'd go next year, when the SB visits Indy--natch.  

So we're a year ahead of sked, by my count, which relaxes me some, and yet, if real greatness (that's what the G on the helmet actually stands for, not Green Bay, as it was invented and first used in the 1961 season, which, BTW, started the 5 championships in 7 years stint under Lombardi) is to be had, like the Patriots of the early 2000s, upon whom we are modeled in personnel picks, then maybe this is when we steal one from the established winner, like the Pats did with the Rams in 2001.

This is my hope.

I plan on being fairly intoxicated by kickoff, to calm my nerves.

I said I would never go back to Soldier Field

I took my son Kevin to the Packers-Bears game a couple of years back (the ultra cold one on MNF the Monday before Xmas in 2008) and we lost a close one in OT.  But the big thing for the two of us was the nasty way we had been treated by the fans (cursed up and down, all sorts of sick name-calling, pushing, snowballs at the head, spitting, challenges to fight, etc).  It was a very drunk crowd and the security was weak, to say the least, but the big thing was the walking into and from the game--that's where we had the most trouble. I naturally got pretty mad afterwords and blogged it up (what you do in your middle years versus fight drunk gangs of twentysomethings with your 13-year-old-son at your side), swearing I'd never go back.

Of course, after the fun Vonne and I had in Atlanta, we were online buying NFC Championship tix about 30 mins after the Bears defeated the Seahawks.  The prices were sky high on Ticketmaster, but we found two weirdly underpriced ones on Stub Hub and put in a bid (goal line, lower right corner from TV angle, in second deck--which is nice at Soldier Field because that is one tight, well-designed stadium where everyone is pretty close).  Well, that deal fell through, and I figured the seller checked the prices and realize he was vastly underselling (seats in the same row were going for a lot more, for example).   But Stub Hub, nice company that they are, says they guarantee our deal and will find us similar tickets at the same price.  They actually move us ten rows closer in the same section for the same price!  So we snatch them up immediately and they come FEDEX on Wed.

Work through my week, despite a bad cold that segues into a nasty sinus infection come Friday (my first in 15 months and I am totally taken by surprise), so Friday night I'm in bed and Saturday morning my wife is saying it must be one and she demands I call my ENT surgeon (great guy).  So I get the usual WMD-level antibiotic I like for this (Levaquin, and yes, I am familiar with the complaints but it works well for me, so long as I don't take it for months on end like I did before the big surgery in 09), and I'm in decent shape by the time we leave the house around 4pm.  Get to Chicago around 7:30 local, check into the Dearborn Ave hotel, and walk over to Sullivan's for a fantastic steak dinner.  

Crash and sleep late, get the free breakfast, enduring a bit of good-natured taunting for my jersey.  We leave the car at the hotel, gear up for the cold and catch a cab.  Get to Soldier Field and it's a beautiful but cold day (15-20 degrees, feeling like 5-10 whenever the slightest breeze blows off the lake) and we hang outside chatting with Packer and Bears fans.  We go in via the old entrance and walk around the stadium for a long stretch (and it really is a cool place, albeit with way too few bathroom holes).  Buy some gear (commemorative tee shirts, pins, limited edition coin, pennant, program).  You can tell the Bears fans are super-psyched and yet so ready to turn on Cutler ("better do this and that or else!").

We're in the second row in the media deck section (TV side, obviously) and face the spaceship-like other side. Second row in the second section is amazing--like you're on the porch looking right into the field.  Pack warms up on our side and you can see faces clearly, even hear things--really special.

Pack goes length on first drive and scores far end, but Starks' TD in our corner.  The amazing Rodgers trip-up of Urlacher was down our side (heart-pounding, to say the least). And then Raji's pick six was in our corner.  So no complaints.

IMO, play of the game

Tense and everything, but a good game.  One worth staying for throughout.

Then the big disappointment:  the Bears had worked out deal with Packers pre-game, whereby if the Bears won, there would be big trophy ceremony at midfield on temp stage, but if Packers won, there'd be nothing and they'd do it in the locker room like it was 1963 or something.

Felt a bit cheated there, but it adds to the lore.  I thought it was stunningly low-class of the Bears organization and the ownership McCasky family.  Really uncool.  When the Giants beat us in Lambeau, they raised the Halas Trophy on our fifty and we had no problem with that, because they won.  But the Bears couldn't stand having the Packers hoist the Halas on their big C, and that was really poor sportsmanship.  I was stunned that the NFL allowed this, because it disgraces the game and the trophy and sets a bad example--in effect saying that the owners can do what they want they get mad.

It's also bad because it disrespects the general comity between the two franchises, going back to Papa Bear himself and Lambeau.  Halas was always on the Packers' side during the many league changes and evolutions, and if he hadn't been, it's quite possible that the Packers wouldn't have a franchise today.  So yeah, enjoy the rivalry and all, but respect the game and the history behind it.

But this is part of the rivalry, I suppose, and it makes a better, crabby-old-man story for me when I'm 125 and attending Super Bowl CXX ("I was there when those f--king Bears wouldn't let us hoist . . .").

I was peripherally involved in two fights.  Wasn't gaudy in my dress, with just my packer gloves and hat showing and my jersey poking out when I felt warm enough.  I actually kept my hood on to lighten my tinting glasses.  

First fight was some Bears fan slamming a Packer fan in Raji jersey at halftime.  That guy, in turn, bangs into me when I'm in line for head.  That one goes nowhere as everybody clinches and its over when the security guys rush up.  I have no desire to get involved because I can just see myself sitting in a tank in the bowels of the stadium with s--t-faced imbeciles for whom this is the highlight of their lives, and I did not pay for that experience.  

Later, in the head, some very drunk Packer fan (unfortunately, as I learn later, the guy sitting behind my wife) is standing in the middle  of the room, saying he's just warming his feet.  But he's got this snarky grin on and it's 14-0 and the Bears fans are pissed and he's head-to-toe in gear and that's just asking for it.  So somebody starts ranting him up and on my way out, trying to zip up, I once again find myself getting moved around oh so delicately and I'm just, "let me outta here," because--again--security is on top of the bunch real fast and this dumb ass Packer fan misses most of the 3Q and then insists on spending much of the fourth recounting his vast bravery (that's when I put the hood up to cut off his soundtrack and improve my vision in the darkening stadium).

We walked all the way back to the hotel (2 miles, but nice time on Michigan) after the game, got in the car, and were home by 11pm.  Did a long conference call on the way, then reviewed the DVR before crashing.

Great day, and worth the effort and money.  Something very special for me and Vonne.

But no, we resist the temptation on the SB.  Already tapped all our babysitters and frankly, we went to three playoff games this year (Wild Care Jets-Colts, Divisional Falcons-Packers, Championship Packers-Bears) for one-half the cost of one nose-bleed seat in Dallas--sad to say.

Plus, I am just beat after three weeks in a row.  We'll have a big party here and watch it on the HD home theater.

McCathy, Thompson, Murphy (L-R)

The Packers have no ownership, thanks to my grandfather, Jerry Clifford, who dreamed up and drew up the articles of incorporation about 80 years ago, so we live on good people at the top.  Mark Murphy, formerly of the Washington Redskins, is our excellent president, and Ted Thompson is the genius who pulled the trigger on Favre and elevated Rodgers (whom he drafted, alone with a host of other greats like Raji, Matthews, Finley, Starks, Shields, Jones, Nelson, and so on).  Packers lost a ton of starting games by starters this year, and still made it to the SB, which is nothing less than amazing, and all the personnel credit goes to Thompson.  Here we are three years after we dump Farve, doing it the Patriot way and in the SB.

As for McCarthy, I will admit he drives me nutty sometimes, but the players love him because he respects their bodies, and that makes for a happy clubhouse that plays very hard, and you have to respect his accomplishments on the field as well, juggling as he has with so many players.  He has also attracted a host of great coaches (Dom Capers, Joe Whitt, Kevin Greene and Winston Moss) on the D side, giving us a great balance this year.

So these guys get all my gratitude for this achievement, along with the players and the obvious stars.

Fingers crossed, we once again enter the Bear's den

I join the Center for America-China Partnership

Happy and excited to join the team/theme.  

Don't cross mama grizzly

In the afterglow of the Packer's big playoff win, I help my wife for a few minutes this afternoon in the attic, where she wants to locate and move down our collection of nice wooden blocks for our youngest girls to play with.

Anyway, we're up there moving these Rubbermaid tubs around, and as I bend down to the floor to pick up a piece of loose paper, I notice this amazingly realistic rubber bat figure lying on its back, wings spread, mouth agape, eyes wide open, etc., and I think to myself, "God, we have some stunningly good animal figures."

Until I realize this one is breathing hard.  

I start to exclaim, "I think that's a ba-"

From over my shoulder, where Vonne is standing up on some tubs to access upper shelves of storage, a purple Rubbermaid tub comes flying by to land with a deadening thud on top of the prostrate bat.

I correct myself:  "uh . . . a dead bat."

If I had thought about it, I would have been more spooked, but I grew up around them and we often had them in our house during summer nights. I was even bitten by one once, being forced to take the rabies series of shots.  I was later bitten by an actual rabid dog, forcing a second round.

I did all that, to include being hit by a speeding car in the street in front of my house, before the age of five - permanently skewing my sense of personal danger.  Now the father of six, I try to temper my type T personality (as in, thrill seeker), as my children routinely accuse me of trying to kill them atop mountains, in heavy surf, and so on.

But I learned something today about my wife:  watch for the quick strike if you threaten her in her house!

Happy New Year's

I and mine are disappearing to the north to baptize our two Ethiopian daughters in an extended family celebration.

The break will do me good.  Nearly recovered from ear surgery, and beat after penning about 70,000 words for Wikistrat since early November.

Looking forward to 2011.  Hoping it treats you better than 2010 did.

See you again on Monday, the 2nd of January.

Merry Xmas

Under the knife: revision tympanoplasty

Illustration found here.

A tympanoplasty, as defined by Wikipedia:

Tympanoplasty is the surgical operation performed for the reconstruction of the eardrum (tympanic membrane) and/or the small bones of the middle ear (ossicles). The term 'myringoplasty' refers to repair of the tympanic membrane alone^[1].

There are several options for treating a perforated eardrum. If the perforation is from recent trauma, many ear, nose and throat specialists will elect to watch and see if it heals on its own. After that, surgery may be considered. Tympanoplasty can be performed through the ear canal or through an incision behind the ear. The surgeon takes a graft from the tissues under the skin around the ear and uses it to reconstruct the eardrum. One of the most common graft sites is from the tragus. The surgery takes ½ to 1 hour if done through the ear canal and 2⅓ to 3 hours if an incision is needed. It is done under localor general anesthesia. It is done on an outpatient basis and is successful 85-90% of the time.

Both my eardrums fell apart in my youth, after countless ear infections.  I had my right ear drum grafted big-time in high school, and my left one done in college.  Both surgeries were successful.

I have never had any trouble with the left one, but about six months ago I got a perforation on the right.  At first, it was thought to be a cyst, since it was high up on the membrane versus the usual hole at the bottom. CT said otherwise, so just a simple hole requiring a patch and no work on the bones behind.

What I have today is thus defined as a revision of a previous tympanoplasty. I am eager to have it done, because the hole creates a certain amount of dizziness and constant ringing in my right ear - two things I remember from the previous situation. 

No complaint, as the original graft held for over three decades.

Our Africans take snow in stride

It is weird to see how quickly Metsu and Abebu absorb things. Still kind of slow on English because they speak a lot of Sidamo to each other, but that's a fair trade-off for their clear comfort level with us--understanding they still get to act like a 4- and 2-year-old, respectively, and throw fits now and then.

Anyway, first snow for them while I'm in China.  They head right out and play in it, like they've seen it a hundred times.

Several inches last night, so today, after workday put in (easy when jet lag wakes you up at 0400!), I go out and shovel up a ramp going down front lawn and into our cul-de-sac, and I get it smoothed out by putting Metsu in a blow-up inner tube and hurling her down the incline.  She hops on readily like she's fully read into the subject already, and whoosh!  Down she goes several times until the path is hard and slick.  Then she takes turns with Abebu, Vonne Mei and Jerry.  Abebu watches Metsu do it once and then she's eager to step up and get whisked down the lawn.  No fear whatsoever.

I guess I was expecting more wonderment. Instead, the two of them dive right in like the rest.  I mean, these two grew up about five degrees above the equator.  I can't believe they have anything to compare it to, but they just laugh it all off.

The "term sheet" roster of dialogue

Some of the organizations we conducted meetings with, focused specifically around the grand strategy "term sheet," as we called it.

I will post a final draft of the term sheet agreement here in conjunction with a second WPR column that recounts the journey and summarizes the feedback/impressions gathered.

Here's the official rundown:

The Proposed China-US Grand Strategy Agreement was drafted by John Milligan-Whyte and Dai Min of the Center for America-China Partnership and Dr. Thomas P.M. Barnett of Wikistrat.

In the past week, we have been meeting series of distinguished individrals and institutions in China to discuss and improve this proposal. They are include but not limited to (in sequence of meetings):

• President of Shanghai Institutes of International Studies 上海国际关系研究院院长
• Former PRC Minister of Foreign Affairs 前中国外交部长
• Two Former PRC Ambassadors to US and UN 前中国驻联合国大使
• Former Deputy Chief of the General Staff of People's Liberation Army (PLA) 前中国人民解放军副总参谋长
• Former PLA attache to North Korea and Israel 前中国驻北朝鲜和以色列大使馆武官
• Former PRC Vice Minister of Commerce 前中国商业部副部长，中国国际经济交流中心秘书长
• IISS-PSCC - Institute of International Strategic Studies of Central Party School 中央党校国际战略研究所
• CCIEE - China Center for Economic Exchange, 中国国际经济交流中心
• CIISS - China Institute For International Strategic Studies, 中国国际战略学会
• CFISS - China Foundation for International & Strategic Studies. 中国国际战略基金会
• CPIFA - The Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs 中国外交学会
• The Boao Forum 博鳌论坛
• BFSU - Beijing Foreign Studies University 北京外国语大学
• CICIR - China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations 中国现代国际关系研究院.

To say the least, the lengthy dialogues in each instance were fascinating.  I learned a ton, because this time, instead of being in book promotion mode, the whole discussion centered around the proposal, which everybody really was thrilled to discuss. They kept saying that this was such a new and innovative way to to something like this, instead of the usual presentation of respective views that get bundled up in these joint statements (something the Chinese take very seriously but I can't say that we do on our side).

Much as in the case of the Russians today, I think China should be putting its own experts up on American TV rather than having their country interpreted by U.S. experts on China.  I think that if this was the case, Americans would view China very differently.  I just don't think the country's real story gets through.

Brutal

I blame myself for the post on the playoff tickets! Like a true fan, I live the fantasy that my actions have impact on my team's chances.

7-3!

The worst part is the second concussion this year for Rodgers. He may be the second coming of Steve Young in more ways than one. Simply a very bad decision on his part, which costs us the game and maybe a whole lot more. Aaron has to learn.

For God's sakes!  Make him wear the new special helmet! Honestly, that should be league rule after the first concussion--no choice.

You could not come up with a worse sort of loss for us right now. Amazing to think league's best defense by points won't make playoffs.

But here's how it happens anyway:

• Can't care anymore about Philly (which goes 11-5 or even 12-4 and gets second seed).  Will worry about Vick later.
• Don't like our chances with Giants either, who can also go 11-5 with wins over Tavaris Jackson and Redskins at home and maybe help us out by beating Vick at home.  More likely lose to Philly and go 10-6 and we'd win last spot by virtue of direct win over Giants (if so, then we go to St. Louis or Seattle for wildcard game and I like our odds in both, problem being then we meet Falcons next).
• But since I really want home playoff game for me and missus to attend, I still want NFC North crown, and we get that by losing to Pats (Rodgers maybe out) and winning at home versus Giants and Bears to go 10-6.  Bears lose at MN (Favre back to do us that one last favro!) and beat Jets at home and then lose to us to likewise go 10-6. Then we're tied head-to-head and both have 4-2 divisional records but we win conference at 8-4 to their 7-5.  That gets us division crown and home playoff game, probably against Giants or maybe Bears (which would be sweeter to watch), but more likely Giants because they won head-to-head.
• To get second seed, we'd need all that plus, Eagles finishing 10-6, which would probably require losses to Dallas (Philly beating them at halftime right now) and at NYG next week. But I suspect Eagles go 3-1 or better.

So we beat the Giants at home and the Saints crush the Rams at St. Louis, and we're still the superior seed, so we go to Philly next while the Saints shock the Falcons in Atlanta! Thus, our win in Philly leaves us as the top seed and we host the Saints in a blizzard at Lambeau, winning a game for the ages.

Then we go to Dallas and play whomever, but hopefully not the Pats, who look very good right now. I think we could take the Steelers.

My God, it all seems so easy when you lay it out like that. All we really need is Favre to sit out Giants and come back to thwart them Bears in the fixed Hump.

IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK OF BRETT?

I think not.

Please correct me if I've miscalculated in any way. This is my football fantasy for the next six days, and I need to maintain the self-delusion.

In truth, I have never thought this to be our year. That comes next year, so the Pack can play in Indy in the Super Bowl--20 minutes from my house! But I do want Rodgers to win a playoff game this year, so he has that hunger under his belt next year. Frankly, with our injuries this year, I am grateful that I can still dream this way in mid-December.

I've got two playoff tickets for Lambeau in January

Packers just announced that all requests for playoff tickets from both Green and Gold Package ticket holders have been met.  You see, the Packers used to play two games a year at Milwaukee, and when they stopped that in the early 90s, they allowed the Milwaukee season-tix holders to keep their two games, now known as the Gold Package (2nd and 5th home games + one preseason).  Not sure what they'll do when the season get longer.

Anyway, the trick on playoff tix is both pools can apply, meaning 2X capacity.  This year, probably reflecting the bad economy, not as many applied and so everybody getting their requests filled.

Needless to say, this is exciting, but only if the Bears manage to get out of the way before season's end.  We play them at Lambeau for the last game.  We win and the series is even at 1-1, and so is divisional play at 5-1, but we'd beat them on conference play if we both win our remaining intra-conference game (Bears v. Vikes, Pack v. Giants).  Ideally, the Bears would lose to Pats at home, because it'll be tough for us to break that record home streak in Foxboro the next week.  Then, if the Pack takes the Giants (assuming we don't lose to the Lions tomorrow, which can always happen, and Bears take the Jets away), we both enter the last game with identical divisional and conference records and all we have to do is win at home to take the divisional crown and possibly the second seed, since we'd own direct tie-breakers over Philly and Giants, but only if the Eagles manage to lose one more (@ Dallas and NYG and home v. Vikes and Dallas).  Of course, the Bears can win at home v Pats and still lose to Jets, and Packers can drop two of the next three and make the last game possibly meaningless, but there you have it.

Of course, by even broaching any of these scenarios, the Pack is doomed to lose tomorrow and send me into deep depression! 

The tension is unBEARable.

Countering such pessimism, say we get the second seed, and then I'm watching a divisional game vice a wild card game, plus, if the Falcons lose at home, we'd have two seats for the NFC championship!  Stranger things have happened, like the last time we got it by surprise and hosted the Giants, who thereupon beat us (Favre INT in OT) and won the SB.

Needless to say, I'm cheering my lungs out for Brett from here out on (Giants, Bears, Eagles and I don't care about the Lions, except maybe he goes out on nice note).  Go Favre!

A wonderful evening with old friends

I am such a doofus when it comes to remembering names--either of people or places.

I see on the sked today that we're heading over to the China Foundation for International Strategic Studies (CFISS) and I hear from my hosts (Center for America-China Partnership) that it's a military-associated think tank (meaning strong ties and lotsa retired officers) and I never make the connection.

I spoke her once two or so years back.  It was a big presentation and then a big dinner.  I also came back and just had a long afternoon of talks with senior guys.  Then once my good friend from the place met me downtown and introduced me to this famous artist/business guru.

Well, we pull up tonight and I recognize the building, and then recognize the guy waiting for us, and then suddenly I'm shaking all these familiar hands and actually remembering names.  Faces I never forget, because I have a visual memory, so it all just floods back and here's my buddy--and right behind is the artist, and it's all like a homecoming and very nice.

So a long discussion and a great dinner and it was just so great to see everybody.  Just top-flight people and minds, and I was so happy and proud to have made the connection happen for my hosts, because these are excellent people to know.

Trip keeps getting better.

What I like about this trip

While I won't be blow-by-blowing this trip like past ones, because it's a more business-oriented trip than previous ones where I was mostly in book-tour-like mode, I did wake up this morning and feel the need to write the following, just because I like sharing when I'm in a good mood.

Every other trip to China I've made in the past (this is the eighth) has seen me scheduled to within an inch of my life -- as in non-stop speaking and meetings and movement.

This time, I finally followed the advice long offered by various hosts over the years:  come and stay for a stretch and take things more slowly.

So here now for four days and looking at another ten days.  Great set up with nice big hotel room that allows me space for doing yoga 1-2 times a day.  Close physical connection to Center for America-China Partnership that allows easy back-and-forthing.  My hosts at the center have set me up with an office where I'm able to stay on top of work and yet easily prepare for and engage in the meetings they have set up.   Instead of the usual exhaustion and feeling of spinning through days, I feel very much at peace and ready to engage people I meet at a level that's very comfortable for both sides.  It's hard to dialogue when you feel out of sorts.  Not impossible, just a lot more effort.  But if you don't need to make such effort, everything unfolds so much more naturally.

Food, as always is great.  I just feel like this is a very privileged trip.  So neat to be so close to Tiananmen Square (my hotel room almost peers down into it!), that it reminds me of staying at the Mandarin and being so close to the National Mall in DC.  You just feel like, wow, what a neat thing to be able to have this experience as part of your career.

I don't think I've ever been so relaxed on a trip--unless it was a vacation.  And here I am getting all sorts of work done (no allergies here means I sleep a lot less than at home) and making all the meetings and getting the exercise in and eating moderately (hard to overeat Chinese food).  Just really nice.  I love waking up at 4am feeling totally refreshed.

I postponed an ear surgery to make this trip happen and it's been entirely worthwhile.  The amazing part is managing to feel so good physically while being on the road overseas and doing so much work.

And I have my hosts to thank for that.  

My one regret:  can't really use my nfl.com account like I do at home, because once I'm overseas, I'm in a different category in their scheme, so I will have to skip using Game Rewind to see the next two Packer games until I'm home again.  Just unwilling to (re)buy access overseas when I've already paid for it at home.  But that will just give me some stuff to catch up on when I recover from ear surgery.

Tweetless in Beijing

Enjoying my time so far in Beijing, but not expecting to blog any of this or my meetings. 

Will still look to make something happen daily on the blog, but I'm finding Twitter unreachable for me here, and if there is some clever workaround (and I'm sure there are plenty), I'm going to be too busy to find it on this trip.