However,  there’s more to using Skype than just being able to give your friends the finger while sending them a file (the file sending is pretty great, because it will resume files if you get disconnected, etc). Skype is a powerhouse of productivity… especially with a little help.

If you have a PC, I have good news /  if you have a Mac, I have bad news:  Skype on the PC has an API (programming architecture) that lets developers create programs that work as part of Skype.  On the Mac, this doesn’t really exist, so there are a few programs that sort of do this, but compared to the selection of PC extras, it is pretty insulting.  https://extras.skype.com/categories/15/good will list the Mac ones, while https://extras.skype.com/ lists all of the extras, 99% of which are for the PC.

That said, some of Skype’s superpowers are Screen Sharing.  There are extras for this, but Skype now has this power built right in.  You can easily switch between video conferencing to Screen sharing.  I actually cover a bit on this functionality in Alternative Presentations That Kick Serious Ass. The short version is that you can use Skype to deliver a slideshow, a video, a mind-mapping session, etc… and while you present it, you use Screen Recording software to create a video of the presentation.  That video can be used for many purposes:

• It can be uploaded to the client so that they can replay it.
• You can study it to see how you can improve your presentation.
• You can upload it to Video Hosting sites (such as Youtube) and use it as a marketing tool.
• You can turn it into a product – depending on what the presentation was of, of course.

Using Skype, both as Audio or Video, you can record interviews, it’s generally my preferred method of choice.

On the Mac I enthusiastically recommend Ecamm Call Recorder which lets you not only record audio, but also video, and will even put the two video calls (yours / theirs) in two video windows that can be edited separately… or as default Skype which is a Picture-In-Picture mode. The software also lets you leave notes, so you can remember at which time you asked which question, etc.

On the PC side of things, I’ve personally used Pamela Call Recorder, which worked exactly the same… except it did not do video, but that was years ago. Now they do video.  Pamela also has an extremely impressive set of features, making it a complete call center.

This video was recorded using Skype to Skype calling with Ecamm to record a testimonial from David Gonzalez:

For editing purposes, I had David paned to the right, and me to the left.  Editing audio to be center-paned is easy enough (In audio Pan means which speaker will the audio come out on, left, right, or center (both). David had actually left his house and walked over to the pool, where the Wi-Fi could barely reach, and yet the testimonial came out just peachy.

This month’s interview with Jason Harty was recorded with Ecamm.  I actually recorded the video, but I thought that for sharing the interview, audio was more practical on this interview.  The cool thing is that Ecamm gives you many tools to output the recording as whatever format you want.

Other things Skype lets you do:

• Get a phone number.
• Get voicemail  through Skype (Skype offers voicemail, certain programs, such as Pamela, let you use Skype as a complete call center, with call forwarding, voicemail, etc).
• Record Audio / Video interviews.
• Record Audio / Video testimonials.
• Create products by recording a series of expert interviews.
• Provide a whole new revenue / services source by leveraging video conferencing (see Working Naked case study below)
• Save you money in travel by leveraging video conferencing.
• Have group text chat.
• Have call conferencing (mixing Skype, cell phones, and landlines)

One of my coaching clients, Lisa Kanarek of WorkingNaked.com was looking for additional ways to grow her business.  I suggested Skype consulting. Between that call, and our next call, Lisa had already gotten a client. In fact, I highly recommend that you contact Lisa for a session. By you using your webcam with Skype, Lisa can recommend the best tools to declutter your office, thus resulting in more productivity.  Lisa is ranked #1 on the internet for Home Office Expert out of more than 67,000,000 links.  That’s pretty impressive.  One of the reasons she is so unique is that she is not just an organizer (in fact, she’ll cringe if you call her that)…. she is a home office expert, a productivity expert, and even has a degree in interior design.  This means that she can help you select furniture, soundproofing, etc… and save you headaches and dollars in having to re-do your office later.

I of course recommended Ecamm to Lisa, so she now offers the video playback to her clients. Our next session is on how to market this service a little more, but considering her brand is about working from home (get it? Working Naked), she can now generate additional income, handle more clients, and stand out from the crowd even more.

As you know, I perform many tasks, but as a webdesigner and marketer, I use Skype quite often to give someone a live video review of their site or marketing materials, and then I send them to a page that has that video.

What is your business, and how could you leverage some of Skype’s powers to add more value to your clients?

This is useful information. If you see its power, please comment below, and share this with the people you know… Knowledge doesn’t change the world if nobody sees it.

Who writes their happy new year post on January 7th?  I do! I’m on Tico Time ? Yeah… things in Costa Rica are pretty relaxed.  But.. it’s my last day! I leave today at 1PM, and I wanted to start my new year of blogging from another country. This blog post is very important to me.

Last year I started of writing about that new year’s resolutions are bullshit. I still think that.  Most people don’t even last 1 week! I do have a few declarations to make to you and the universe, but before I get into those, let me tell you something I’m really proud about.

January 1st was the anniversary of my Couchsurfing journeys starting!  I started on New Year’s day on 2007, which means I am now in my 5th year of couchsurfing! That’s also the reason that I wanted to send my blog post from here in Costa Rica… because that’s been a goal of mine which I finally accomplished: to couchsurf in another country.  I’ve been here for 5 weeks now on seven different beds.

As a kid I wanted to be an adventurer.  As a grown up (yeah, I know.. it’s debatable), I have “Adventurer” on my business card, and I’m actually doing it.  Here I am in a country where I don’t know the language, I did a shitty job preparing for the journey, the hotel room I got for the evening ($11) near the airport has what I think are bedbugs… so I helped myself to another room which seems to be bug free… we’ll see.  You might say “ugggh!” but.. it’s an adventure!

Adventure… new experiences.  While I was here I got up on some waves, I saw a dead guy, I stayed in a tree house 90 feet above the ground, I tried new foods, I pierced my foot with a branch… I took busses to get around.  I walked around a city where everything is vandalized and covered in razor wire, and security locks.

Know what?  It was a blast! The weather was great, the people were nice, I stayed optimistic, and I had friends along the way to help me make sure I wasn’t being too stupid.

Adventure.

I also got a lot farther on my book while I was here…. Which is a major step on my biggest adventure so far… getting a book out.  This is the hardest thing I’ve had to do to this day.  I enjoy the challenge, but it’s taken a lot of mental discipline. The book is coming out this year, and that’s a promise.

Speaking of this year, what else does 2011 hold?  Well, here’s those declarations to you and the Universe:

This year I am learning to pilot a small airplane to the point where I can take off, pilot it, and land.  I don’t really care about a pilot’s license… I just want to be able to do so.

This year I will do at least 10 public speeches in front of crowds of more than 300 people. I really enjoy being on stage, and I really love the feedback from people that the presentations helped them.

This year I am moving from consulting to coaching.  Rather than just taking on whatever projects come at me, I am taking on a select group of clients and working with them on a consistent basis for at minimum 6 months to make sure that their business grows, and they have more fun running their business.

In fact, I just started this recently, and here’s what’s being said already:

That’s Lisa from WorkingNaked.com – feel free to contact her and ask her about her experience.

This year I am sharing the vast knowledge that I’ve gained over the years from books, from consulting, from conferences, from couchsurfing with various experts on various topics, from everything…. I am extremely passionate about this.  I actually blew off partying in Jaco, Costa Rica for New Year’s just so I can launch http://IdeasOnRetainer.com on January 1st.  I wanted to start the year with this.  10 years from now, that site will still continue to offer incredibly useful interviews, and the best of all the resources that I know, and lessons that I’ve learned.

This year I will learn at least one song on the piano, and one song on the guitar well enough to play and sing them at a party or where ever… hopefully that means I’ll learn voice well enough to Karaoke those songs without peeing my pants or shattering nearby glass.

This is the year where I will listen more.  I will interrupt less.

The way I see it 2011 is the year of commitment.  These are not some bullshit resolutions, but are very specific goals that I am committed to, and am seeking help in staying the course.

I suspect that this will be the year of unbelievable serendipity. Just two days ago I said to Kathryn “I want to spend more  quality time with my parents”- so I called them up, and checked if they would be cool with a 2-3 week visit in February.  They said they’d be thrilled, and I never need permission.

The very next day I finally took the time to check out my flight schedule back to the USA – something I hadn’t done , not when I bought it, and not during my trip – and noticed that I land at 5PM in Miami, and fly from Miami to Dallas at 8AM the next day.  I am now going to visit my parents, today (a mere two days after saying I wanted to spend some quality time with them)!

Back to that whole five year of travels…. Charlie “Tremendous” Jones said

“You are the same today that you are going to be in five years from now except for two things: the people with whom you associate and the books you read.”

Well.. it’s been five years, and I’ve read a LOT of books!  I’ve met a lot of people, and I am beyond proud of the ones I associate with now.  I’m not the same person that I was five years ago.  I have had countless people mention this to me.

My writing style has changed. My priorities have changed. My life seems more meaningful.  I’ve become extremely helpful and positive, and life just seems to get better and better, and I keep whittling my belongings down to fewer and fewer.

I’m not perfect,, and crazy shit still happens.  There have been months where everything seemed to be going to shit, and I thought it was game over, and who cares…. But you know what, people do care, and that’s what pulled me through.  That, and I’ve become a firm believer in “Well, that sucked, but… it will make for a great blog post!”

I know that everything will turn out great, and I think that people see that in me… because on those days I doubt myself,, I now have close friends that believe in me more than I do.

Five years of driving is a lifetime…. In my travels I’ve had more experiences in such a little time, and so much time to reflect.  I’ve really had an opportunity to discover myself., and I’m still discovering…. Every day.

This is the year of gratitude.  2010 was incredible, and I think it was so incredible because I’ve become a lot more thankful for what I have, rather than thinking of what I don’t…  this year that trend will continue to grow.

I am truly grateful that you’ve taken your valuable time to visit my humble site, and share my experiences.  I am grateful that you’ve read this.

I’ve learned that everyone is incredible, once you get to know them., and discover their story, and what they are about.

Tell me yours!  I’d love to know who you are, and what you’re passionate about. You can leave it in a comment, or use the contact form, or find me on Facebook, or Twitter.

Either way, thank you… for everything.

Oh yeah!  December 31st, I was working on my new site, and was dragged away at 11:40 to watch the fireworks. It was a 10 foot walk to the beach, ’cause Billy lives on the beach. Me, Kathryn, and Billy watched from the beach as people launched fireworks from every direction for about an hour. It was pretty mindblowing.  I was – and still am- grateful to be starting the year off with such a crazy display of fireworks, friends, and being on the beach in another country.

Now I am going to have to deal with the fears that I’ve let push me over to not committing. Check out Ideas On Retainer– coming January 1, 2011 after the hangover wears off.

I even like my new logo that I designed

Celebrating 34 with friend and Patron

The brakes don’t work!  We were gliding forward, and I was certain that this is it…. I was going to run over my 1st person ever! Why were they riding their bicycle right there?  It was a good 34 years of being free.

To start off, I don’t know what my birthday surprise is, so don’t let the title fool you. It’s the night before we leave Tamarindo, and I’m in a writy mood (apparently, Writy is not a word, but it’s how I feel– so… screw you red-underliny thing (underliny is also not a word)). I have a funny story, and a good life lesson. If this gets too lengthy for you, at least scroll to the bottom to view my favorite birthday video that I received.

Let’s start with yesterday… my actual birthday. I did not learn to surf (I did that today)… I worked (even though it was by the pool, in the sun, to good techno music, it is called work… just remember that if what you do for work is what you do for play, then you’ll never actually work a day in your life ), then Kathryn came over, then I was given a birthday beer, then Brendan, his dad, Kathryn, and I walked to Witch’s Rock Surf Camp. Which was the farthest I’ve had to walk in Tamarindo so far.

Joe Walsh (not the singer from The Eagles) was written about as having the 2nd coolest job in the world. He just surfs all day.  I met Joe while at Awesomeness Fest, after he spoke about his business, and passion. “I’m not a speaker, I’m just a guy that really likes to surf!” He drove down to Costa Rica in a converted school bus with some friends and family to start a surf-school, and it’s been doing really well since.  Now he surfs all day, and also has a restaurant.  It’s a good life.  One of my favorite parts of his story is that so many people thought it was a terrible idea, but he did it anyways, and now he’s uber-happy.

It was happy hour, so we ordered happy hour food and drinks- I started with “The Witch’s Tit” and Bean Dip, and Wings (I haven’t had wings in quite a while!). We were to have company soon, Rebekah, Kevin, and Yogi were coming, and I also invited Chase.  These are all people (and a pug) that I met at Awesomeness Fest… some of them were still here in Costa Rica. They all have incredible stories, yes, even the pug.

Rebekah has already agreed to be one of my interviews for my business interviews site. She works with one of the best photographers in the world, David La Chapelle. More importantly though, she took an idea of hers to start a business up with no cost, and her idea now makes over $2,000 a day– not including internet sales, and supports over 30 local families, plus is 100% sustainable.

Brendan’s Dad bought us all shots of Tequila. Rebekah had a bottle of Whiskey from her travels. We got Sushi. Chase showed up. I was surprised with cake:

I was amongst good friends (even though I just met Brendan’s dad that day– we get along really really well! He, like me, is uber-fast with the puns, and makes jokes about everything! Gives me something to look forward to), I was in paradise, and I was happy.

Kevin agreed to drive us to where Kathryn was staying at Playa Grande Surf Camp.  He had also told me about The Fiesta in Villa Real, where I can try to do some Bull Riding… since I’ve already played Bull Poker, this seemed like the next evolution. Additionally, I got to pick his brain as to how he made Yogi The Pug into a worldwide phenomenon. I was blissful, as I love to hear success stories.  Additionally, Kevin also agreed to be one of my interviews for my business interviews site.

I know it might seem like I interview everyone I know, but that’s not the case. I interview people whose stories inspire, and tactics can be learned from.  The very 1st interview is Jason Harty from Pretzel Crisps. If you remember, they sent me a huge Pretzel Crisps gift bag, and so I had to know how they were able to pull it off. Jason was kind enough to share an hour of pure business-secrets gold!

Interviews aside, it was a great time- including the drive home (funny how every few nights, “home” is a different place).

I woke up late today, and took a surf lesson (Age 34, day 1: surf lesson– cool start), and it was a blast! I was able to stand up properly and ride my very 1st try!  In surfing, this is a good thing.  In day trading, this is a bad thing.  A bit of success from the start made me feel as if I can do this, and it’s not so difficult.  In day-trading, it’s a bad thing, because it makes you feel as if you’re good at it… and then you’re not as cautious, or you don’t listen to others… er… so I hear

My surf instructor was this tall, skinny, underwear-model looking guy with decent English. It gave me hope that if I get into surfing, I too can have a 6-packs, and that kind of a physique. I suspect I would have to surf more often than an hour every 34 years though.

Last time I tried surfing was with Jason Moffatt - the day immediately after my 1st ever 30 day raw diet… Jason had taken me out to Benihana’s the night before for some fried food, and beers, and the next morning – right before surfing – his girl made us eggs and spicy fried potatoes… I had indigestion from hell, and puked all over myself… twice.  In my defense, Jason likes to point out that I kept on riding the waves… or trying.

This time it was much easier.  No wet suit was needed, as it is tropical and warm here.  The waves break right at the shore, so I could literally walk the board out to a good distance, then jump on it, paddle, and ride the wave.  The only thing I had to be careful of is stingrays.  They like the warm weather, so you have to drag your feet instead of just stepping… that way, you won’t step on them… as Gerry, the Surf Camp owner did the other day.

All right– so… I promised a life lesson in this post, here it is:

Sometimes it’s better to buy something than to wait on it.

I’ll explain:

Jason Moffatt had introduced me to Billy when I was house-sitting in La Jolla, and said that Billy would teach me to surf… but I was training for a relay race, so never took him up on it. I’ll be visiting Billy shortly. I’ve been excited about Costa Rica, as Brendan and Billy both told me they would teach me to surf while I’m here.  I then injured my foot, so couldn’t even walk to the beach.

Then Brendan was going to teach me, but his family came into town, the laundry people took their time, and … to top it off, by the time the tide was good, there were no waves.

So… I’ve been saying I want to learn to surf while I’m in Costa Rica.  I have opportunities for friends to teach me, but… it was faster and easier to just pay someone to do it right here, right now.

How many times have you used “that hookup” as an excuse to keep waiting on something? I bet there’d been a time when you put off learning or doing something that you really wanted to, because a friend was going to do it for you.

Since one of my services is web design, I hear this often “Well.. my buddy’s going to do this for me… he/she is a designer…” — meanwhile their existing site looks like shit, and is hurting business.

In business we call this opportunity cost… and it’s something that applies to your life as well— you may take that really great paying job, but the opportunity cost may be your free time, or sanity.

So, yes, it may cost you a few dollars to do something, that you could’ve gotten for free… but how much is the time you spend not doing it costing you?  Having a website that is an eyesore and doesn’t use any marketing concepts in the design may cost you a lot more than what someone is going to charge for it.

Last night, when I realized that I’m not going to surf, I was slightly bummed… so I decided I would just pay.  How much did it cost me? $40, well spent.  I’ve spent a lot more for much less satisfaction.  Now I have the next 3 weeks to improve my surfing, and I’m likely going to visit Billy soon.

“How much pain they have cost us, the evils which have never happened.” – Thomas Jefferson

You’re probably wondering whatever the heck I was talking about at the start of this post, about brakes not working, and running someone over.  That was from today.

Kathryn and I went to rent a car for whatever surprise it is that she has lined up for me.  We have a 6 hour drive to get to the Panamanian border. So, after I dried off from surfing, we walked along the beach, took the boat across the river, grabbed a chocolate banana smoothie, and went to Alamo Rent-a-car.

I forgot to mention that my foot was really acting up during surfing, and I was in a lot of pain by this point.  My toe had swollen back up again, and I was having to focus really hard to ignore it.  This was taking a lot of energy out of me.

I passed out in a chair while we waited for our turn at Alamo.  I was awoken to being asked if I had a copy of my passport, since Kathryn doesn’t have her license with her… so I’m the one that’s driving.

Ummmm… no…

Well, we need it.  Where is it?  We can give you a ride.

This girl gave us a ride to Brendan’s, and I noticed that this is the first time I’ve seen someone wearing a seat belt in in Costa Rica.

Thankfully, Brendan was home. He just got back from surfing with his dad and sister, and they were all resting on the couch and relaxing.

I got my passport from the upstairs vault, and went back to the place. I slept again until it was time to sign documents. I did not think I’d be driving in Costa Rica… the roads are not what I’m used to in the USA with asphalt… they are gravel and dirt roads, and we’re going to be driving through mountains and other terrain.Whee! Adventure!

We get in our Toyota Rav 4, I turn the key, release the parking brake, and…. the car starts gliding forward.  Right towards some guy crossing on a bicycle.  I pumped and slammed the brake, and no luck!  This guy was going to get it…

“Hey, maybe this car is stick-shift?” I said, and looked down, and sure enough…. there were 3 pedals! We stopped real quickly as I slammed the middle pedal, which is the brake, unlike it’s neighbor, the clutch. *phew* disaster averted.

“Good thing I sort of know how to drive stick, eh?”

“Yeah! Real good thing, ’cause I don’t know how to drive stick at all!”

It’s been forever since I’ve driven stick, but I did well enough to get us to Brendan’s, followed by a 40 minute drive to Playa Grande. While at Brendan’s we had a discussion about whether or not leaving my passport in his safe is a good idea or not.  I thought so, because it is safe there (no pun intended).

Kathryn and Brendan mentioned that there were stories of federal officers trying to extort money from people for not carrying legal identification (passport) on them at all times.

Ok… screw it.  I’ll take it with me. If that’s the case, I might as well take my suitcase with me, as we have a nice big car, and Kathryn’s checking out of Playa Grande Surf Camp, and taking all her stuff.

Now I was out of my comfort zone…. adventure!

I’m driving stick  - which I am very unused to – through a country with roads unlike what I’m used to, and terrain unlike I’m used to, I am carrying my passport with me, and all my belongings.  There is no safety blanket… you know.. that feeling of “well… at least if the car blows up, I’ll still have my stuff over at Brendan’s, and can get out of the country with no problem.”

But, that’s what I want.  That’s what I thrive on.  Being out of my comfort zone is how I grow.  If I wanted security, I wouldn’t be couchsurfing for 5 years.

“You must give up the life you planned in order to have the life that is waiting for you.” – Joseph Campbell

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt

“The man who never makes mistakes loses a great many chances to learn something.” ~ Thomas Edison

“Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing” ~Aristotle

So… screw knowing that my bag is somewhere. In the morning I will be leaving on a 6 hour drive to something amazing with a good friend.  I’m probably going to be off line until the 23rd. I think I’ll be working on my book some as well, but I can’t say, since I don’t know where I’m going, or what I’m doing there.

Brendan’s dad pointed something out… I’m slightly flustered because I need to give up control.  I have a hard time giving it up, and someone else telling me where to go, without me knowing… that’s a loss of control. Reflect upon that in your life. Are you just fine with someone else being in control, or does that drive you nuts as well?

Well… it’s 1:30AM, and we’re leaving in 6 hours, so.. I should get some sleep.  But, I did promise you a funny story (no, it wasn’t one of the ones told so far)-

How did I learn to drive stick shift in the first place?

It was during 11th grade! I was 16 years old, and working at a movie theatre.  There was a new guy that started going to our school. Chris and I got along, though he quickly became one of the cool kids.  His sister, Rachel, started working at the theatre with me. She was hot! Despite that our theatre uniforms were very unflattering, her smile could always brighten my day.

She knew I liked her, but she had started dating Jordan… who was kind of a prick. Jordan always acted high-and-mighty, as if his shit didn’t stink… but, he had to wear those hideous uniforms like the rest of us: black pants, white-plaid shirt, maroon vest, and I think we had bow-ties too.. I can’t remember.

We’d all party together, the whole theatre crew. We’d close up the theatre around midnight-1am, and then go drinking. Sometimes at someone’s house, sometimes at a hotel.  *shrug* there’s a lot of stories about this time of my life, but this one is about driving stick.

Rachel knew I wanted to drive stick.. I don’t remember how.  Maybe I was talking about getting a sports car?  Who knows… anyways, one night she forces Jordan to teach me to drive stick… using his car!

This was awesome.  I could feel his anxiety as his precious car was being driven by a complete amateur.  And yet, if he wanted to get any action afterwards, he had to play nice.

My goal was not to destroy his car… I really did just want to learn, and I did.  But watching your arch nemesis squirm is always fun.  Having someone be nice to you, even if they are forced to, is also nice.

I thought that it brought us (Jordan and I) a bit closer together, as now he had afforded me some trust that he wouldn’t've otherwise offered.

I did stall out a few times, but I’m also a fast learner.

I kind of wish that I could find Rachel, and reminisce about this story, but I can’t remember her last name.  Oh well.

So… there’s the story, there’s the life lesson, there’s some quotes… good stuff!  So, I’m off to adventure-  I”ll let you know what it is that I’m doing when I get on the web next!

On a separate note- I had over 200 birthday wishes on my facebook wall.  It was nice, and beat out last year’s 140.  Last year it took me 3 days to personally respond to each and every one, and send a personal note.  This year, I just pressed the “like” button on each one.  However, there was one video that was so great, I have to share it with you:

Celebrating my 34th b-day
By Couch Surfing Ori - Couch Surfer, Adventurer, Marketer, Photographer, & Fun  |  View on Facebook

The World's Largest Truck Stop

I just drove from Las Vegas (Sunday 1pm PST) to Detroit, Michigan (8pm EST Tuesday). It’s about 2110 miles.  I want to tell you how crazy Blog World was in Vegas.  I’ll try to do a short version, though being short-winded is not my strength.

Vegas: Fun! Tons of friends from all over the world.  Met new ones.  I love memorable meetings- When I met Deb, it was at a club, and Kate said “Give her a foot massage” “Ok” – so.. I’m on the floor at this club, this woman is writhing in pleasure, and that’s when we made introductions.  We’re great friends now.  I even danced!  A lot!  Like, pick the girl up, swing her around, Salsa, Cha-Cha, swing, hip-hop… who knew?!  I wasn’t even drunk.  Good mood can make a huge difference.

1st night- didn’t have a couch lined up.  Ended up getting the largest suite at the Luxor, and it was technically with someone whom I met at the 140conf (though, at the mixer). This happened spontaneously, as I went to Vegas intentionally without a couch.  I then had Shane agree to let me crash his couch at the Luxor, and while on my way to Shane’s room, Kendall invited me to instead crash at her suite:

I ended up being the official photographer for TechKaraoke at BlogWorld.  Rad event.  Next year, I will sing in it!  This will require me getting over some internal issues, and possibly seeking some pro vocal coaching.

I was VERY goofy during this event.  I was very me.

Why? Because I was constantly surrounded by great friends who like me for me, and thus bring out the best in me. While there’s many people, I’m going to give the big shout out to Kate Buck Jr.

I met Amber (@MissDestructo) – she’s bff material, meaning, rad, funny, has attitude, knows who she is, speaks her mind, laughs at my jokes, is smart.  She too gets frustrated at people not living their lives.  My business manager told me that she’s envious that I’m going to BWE, ’cause I’ll get to meet Amber, whom she’s a huge fan of.  So, I message Amber, saying that we have to make a video for her.  So, I’m at this giant party at Liquid, talking to one of my fans who was excited to meet me, when I see Amber’s blue hair.  I cut out mid-sentence, “Excuse me!” jump on some furniture to get around people, tap her on the shoulder, and she ditched her conversation without finishing her sentence either!  How cool.  We walked off to a private cabana, and filmed the video.

I also shot a bunch of pics of her. The cool thing I want to point out is birds of a feather.  She quickly introduced me to many other cool people… Generally, I bring up Birds of a Feather when I talk about the 2 couches (yes, in all this time, I’ve only had 2 couches that I didn’t really think were great people… I didn’t like how they treated their kids/significant others, and some of their other values) that I didn’t vibe with… they were friends, despite being across the country.  Then I held a workshop at a studio that was provided by a friend of one of them… whom one of my students later informed me got convicted for 57 counts of child molestation.  Yuck. So… it’s great to be able to say Birds of a Feather in a good context. We hung out a bunch, and that’s not the last we’ll see each other or interact.

To avoid eating crap food all the time, especially on the road, I spent $200 at Whole Foods on Raw Foods that are Dehydrated.  So, I did stop at about 10 McDonald’s on the route to Detroit, but it was only to steal their internet signal from the parking lot. I haven’t weighed myself, but generally when I eat a mostly raw diet, I lose a lot of weight… quickly.  I was thirsty as all heck though- dehydrated food rehydrates with your bodily fluids – but had also brought a bunch of spring water with me.

So, I spent $200 on raw food, and I still have a bunch of it.  I didn’t eat crap food, which is generally so easy to get on the road (You never see Organic / Raw Food restaurants at service stations), and it helped me stay healthy despite my very little sleep (I didn’t get out of the car except to fill up gas, or go to the restroom.  I would sleep- and usually for 15-60 minutes on the side of the road, or rest stops when I was exhausted).

The journey was tough- I had to get here (Detroit) in time, so I didn’t have time to get couches, despite wanting to, and having people invite me.  I thought I had time, then I kept realizing I didn’t.  So, the journey didn’t work out as I had anticipated, but it was incredible!

People retweeted, and got their friends involved, and people were connecting with each other, and me.  It was a blast!  I got to meet new people that I didn’t know, that are like minded and incredible.

Dan from Mile High Buzz

Since THIS roadtrip was intended to promote the 140Conf, I kept using the HashTag #140Conf Roadtrip (it means in twitter you can click on the 140conf and see all the updates that mention it), and I was seeking characters, as that’s what the 140Confis about. Characters, and usage of the real-time web.  I found one!

Well, I gotta give Brandie (previously mentioned business manager) credit for the discovery.  Because I was looking for spots to have Tweetups at, we thought a coffee house would be great.  Apparently,  most of the coffee shops in Denver do not have websites or social-media presence. This was shocking.  Yet, one guy whom Google was listing at first place for most shops’ names was Dan, with his Mile High Buzz blog.

Dan uses social media and his blog to get the word out about mom and pops coffee shops.  That’s exactly who I was looking for!  Brandie contacted him for me, as I was driving some crazy ravines at this time, and in the morning I got to meet him for an interview.

I am going to donate some of my time, and upgrade his blog for him, to empower him to help more coffee shops, and let others post their own shop reviews.

I lost my iPod charger!  That sucks, ’cause now I have 3 iPods, and none of them work   So, no audio books this time around.  I did refresh my mind about some new marketing techniques I recently studied about Cell Phone advertising, by playing that course on my laptop which sat in the passenger seat.

There was a cool piece of serendipity!  You know I love talking about Serendipity!

A few weeks ago, I messaged my friend June “*hugs*” out of the blue, just for the heck of it.  She replied that it must have been divine intervention.  I didn’t think much of it. But lately, as I was heading to Colorado, I texted her to see if she was around.  She was in Chicago.  So, since I was planning on being in Chicago today, I texted her to see if she was in Chicago.  She said that no, she’s on her way to Iowa!  I was in Iowa, and heading to Chicago!  So, we met 1/2 way, which was at the world’s largest truck stop.  Since I’m on the 140Conf Roadtrip, I want you to notice the serendipity, and the use of real-time technologies.

Turns out though that the reason she said a few weeks ago that I must be a divine messenger is that when I sent the *hug* out of the blue, she had just found out that her mother is ill, and may pass… which is why she went to Chicago.  Cool, eh?

So, I started tweeting with one of the speakers at this 140Conf today.  Turns out that Je-Nae Duane wanted a ride from the airport to the cocktail party .  I said I’d be happy to, but then when I got to some god-forsaken town in Illinois that has a shipping yard, I not only had to go through massive amounts of streets that are ripped up from construction, but I also got stuck waiting behind the tracks for a train.  This train was the longest train I had ever seen (that’s not sarcasm, it really was), and also the slowest moving.  In fact, numerous times it came to a complete stop, then would start again, at a snail’s pace.

I was getting angry, and THAT is when Ja-Nae called me for the first time.  I was watching impotently as the train crawled along, and my GPS showed me that arrival time would be later and later.  I didn’t know who this girl was that well, and I didn’t want to keep her waiting, so I told her to Cab it.  She insisted I just call her as I know what’s up.

The train finally ran out of cars, and was no longer blocking the tracks… however, there were other tracks, and something else was blocking traffic.  I just felt as if I’d never leave town!  I felt as if my entire push to get to Detroit on Tuesday was a waste of time.  It was not a good feeling, as I generally try to focus on the positive.

The second I got back on the freeway, I started hauling ass.  The interesting thing is that in Michigan, people drive awesomely!  Many of them speed heavily, but they do so in the left lane.  They are aware of other drivers, and move out of the way to the right lane.  Being tired, having a full car, and driving an SUV all led me to feel as if I’m speeding, despite only doing the speed limit -70.  Once in a while I’d move to 80 or 85.  I tried to speed it up and see far I can get the estimated arrival time to reverse.

When I did arrive, I picked Ja-Nae up, and we started chatting.  I was so blown away!  This woman sings opera all over the wold, has authored a book on how to start your business for $100, and has founded the largest entrepreneurial network on the planet or women. She is working on her 2nd book, and is teaching people to make social change.

We arrived at the 140Conf mixer, had a drink, a tiny bit of food, met some characters, and then she had to leave to go to her hotel.  I was lightly crushed, because I wanted to hear all of her stories!  She is just fascinating, and is my age, and has quite the story(stories).  I hope that I’m not too distracted from paying attention to all of tomorrow’s speakers!

As I’ve grown older, making a difference has become more and more important.

How did this start?

Recently I spoke at the 140Conf, a conference held by Jeff Pulver (CoFounder of Vonage.com, and the guy who is responsible for VOIP (Voice Over IP — Internet-based telephone calls) being free, rather than billed per-call by the phone industries).

I met Jeff prior to the event for coffee and a chat. He was (is) an incredible person. He has a good sense of humor, and helps many people.

His passion for what he does, as well as his intelligence are both quite apparent. I decided I wanted to get involved in spreading the word about the uses of social media for other reasons than just marketing or being social. Jeff recently started his 140Conf Small Town as well, to spread the knowledge of what industries and individuals in those towns can do with these real-time technologies.

Basically, it’s how to leverage social media for social good. That’s a cause I can believe in! I’m not the only one, the mayor of Detroit is opening up the event!

I’ve used social media to connect with people, to connect other people with the people that have exponentially increased their business, with people that can solve their problems, to raise funds for a poodle that needed a $2,500 operation, and much more… the speakers at the 140 Conf have even bigger stories than mine.

So what’s this trip?

I am driving from Las Vegas to Detroit, then down to Kansas.  I will be using Social Media (Facebook / Twitter / 4Square / etc) to announce my locations, and I will have Tweetups (get togethers at certain destinations, generally announced on Twitter).  I am looking to spread usage of social media as a tool for social change, and business growth, while meeting characters. As I find characters, I will be filming their stories.  I am also, as always, looking to connect with great individuals along my route.

If you caravan with me, you get in for free!

That’s right, Jeff Pulver agreed that anyone going with me to the Detroit 140Conf or the Kansas 140conf gets in for free.  Tickets are generally $140, which is a bargain to see the panels and speakers that Jeff has lined up. I’ve never had a Caravan, and that would be rad!

What’s my Route?

I leave Las Vegas on Sunday morning, with pit stops in

Richfield, UT
Grand Junction, CO (Stop for the night here)
Brighton, CO
Grand Island, NE (stop for the nite)
Cedar Rapids, IA
Chicago IL
Then of course Detroit, MI.

Tell Me Your Story!

I, like Jeff Pulver, am looking for characters.  If you have a great story, are a character, and/or are using the internet to affect social good, then I want to know you!  I want to meet you on my journey, and film your story.

Want to be a Couch?

I am also looking for people to Couchsurf with along the way.  If you want me to stay with you, fill out the form at Crash My Couch.

Know Characters?

I’m looking for characters, so if you got them, let me know!  Use the contact form on my site, and let me know who they are …. especially if they are on my route.

Want to go to the 140Conf for free?

Just caravan with me!  Contact me (on Twitter would be great:  I’m at http://twitter.com/couchsurfingori), and let me know!  We can drive together!

Where to have a tweetup?

If you know any places in those cities that would make for good tweetup spots, or own them and want the promotion, then let me know, and I’ll make sure we do it there.

Spread the Word-

Since I need to get the word out about my trip, get people interested in the tweetups (and decide where to have them), and of course to spread the word about the 140conf, I need to bring attention to this post.  So, please post this on Facebook, Twitter, Social Bookmarking sites, StumbleUpon it, e-mail it to your friends, e-mail it to your enemies, forward it to reporters, forward it to bloggers…. just get the word out!

Thanks, and I’ll see you on the road!

Keith Ferrazzi and his current Nanny

Keith has the most amazing home.  Since he travels so much, and hosts weekly dinner parties, he has to have help. Here’s a wonderful opportunity for anyone in or near LA that wants an amazing with an amazing person (which I honestly think Keith is)- Here is the job posting, followed by an interview I did with the current “nanny”.

Looking for a personal "nanny" (more than just an assistant) for a healthy, crazy busy, fun but very demanding adult 44 year old man.

Skills: Must be SUPER organized, NEVER drops a ball and always finds a way to GET IT (anything) DONE.

Style: Very candid, tough, NO DRAMA. Big nurturing heart, a true caretaker who loves children (none yet).  Trustworthy beyond belief!  Very socially engaging but knows boundaries with many guests and friends. Frugal and a great negotiator.

Special skill: A flair for elegance and throwing parties and dinners.  Able to cook some.

Fairly unpredictable schedule includes many evenings and weekends and some travel required for out of city events.

Please don't waste your time answering this add if even one of these criteria are in question at all.

I’ve met Julie (pictured to the left with Keith), and she is a super hero, capable of all the above listed items… so, I wanted to share what her experience has been for the last 6.5 years working with Keith.

How long have you worked with Keith Ferrazzi? Been with Keith 6.5 years.

How did you meet? Met through mutual friend.

What are some of the highlights of the gig? Getting to know Keith, getting to understand Keith, getting to meet all the people who surround Keith- Mark Thompson, Julie Woods-moss, Dr. Mark Goulson, There’s 100′s of people. Nancy Nadore, Keith’s family (parents, neices & nephews).

What’s Keith Ferrazzi like to work with/for? Challenging, but very interesting.  Keeps you on your toes. He is stubborn, but so am I.  It’s busy. Intense sometimes.  Half the time it’s a lot of fun.

I filmed “a day in the life” – I stayed at Keith’s home, went to his office, saw him lecture at the CIO100,  and rode with him to the airport.  Since that’s got a lot of video, I have to edit it- so I’ll post the whole story soon.

I think Keith is an amazing person, and one of the few who definitely walk the walk as well as talk the talk.

While I’m editing the whole story, here’s what Keith had to say:

TJ is 17. I am 33. He has dropped out of high school, and is debating college.  I dropped out of college, and debate on a daily basis what do I want to do next.

I have thousands of hours of audio book listening, couchsurfing with industry experts, reading regular books, and attending conferences on an extremely diverse range of topics (I’ve been to Cosmetics conferences, fishing conferences, manufacturing, modeling, photography, and of course, marketing).

One could say that I have an unfair advantage here. But, I’ve earned my network, TJ wants to get introduced to it, and Ideation is a skill that the strengths finder says he has in his top 5, while it is not listed in my top 5.

That being said, there is a beauty in not having the experience that I have.  Kids often have the best ideas, because they haven’t been told that they can’t do stuff yet.  They haven’t had the school and corporate system crush their dreams and creativity yet.  The same is true with TJ.  His younger age has prevented him from having many of the bad experiences I’ve gone through, and he is not as conditioned and set in his ways as I am.  That, and at 17, he has not killed as many brain cells as I have.

I already get paid to dispense my ideas (consult), and make them happen (implement), which is why this isn’t about me.  This is about giving TJ a chance to prove what he can do, and give people an opportunity to see (well.. hear) what strong ideation can do for them.

That being said, SEO questions , and the like, will not be answered, as TJ had to google what SEO is.  This is about creativity.  If you need ideas- directions to go, personal problems solved, directions for your business, ways of outdoing the competition…. You will get a lot of out this. Kate Buck Jr will be moderating the event.

Ask your questions here in the comment section, and tune in tonight at 11pm EST to http://CouchSurfingRadio.com -  tell any of your friends that are in a bind.