Behind the Scenes at ActiveRain

REBarCamp is comin' to Seattle!  And do you all know what that means?  Do you REALLY KNOW?

No, you don't know.  That's why I'm going to tell you.

It means:  The entirety of the AR Staff is going to be there! 

AND THAT MEANS (excuse my excitement here)...I get to go, too!

I feel somewhat like the tag-a-long little sister of the guys here at AR, but they constantly come back with stories about how much fun they had at this event or that event; I'm the one who gets to stay behind and make sure HQ stays up and running, so the fact that I get to go and plaaaaay is very, very exciting for me.

ActiveRich has all the annoying little details, but here's what you need to know (winkwink, nudgenudge): ----I---- am going to be there.  Yes.  So you should ALL come and meet me so that I can put names to faces.

*happydance*

(This message brought to you by the un-caffienated, highly-illogical and unCLAIREified, running-on-two-hours-of-sleep redhead who runs this blog.  Any sharp, stabbing adreniline pains you feel are probably normal; afterall, excitement is contagious.)

Yesterday, I had a coffee tete-a-tete with a guy around 4pm in Ballard and so I went to the coffee shop a little early to do some work for the office, to get some coding done, and to finish up a chapter on my novel.  It was CROWDED, though - more crowded than I have ever seen that particular coffee shop!!  To top it off, it was snowing (yes! snowing!) outside and forcing more people inside.  On one hand, it was really, really funny to watch people stand in the middle of the room and look around, slack-jawed, in hopes of finding a table.  On the other hand, I was one of those (closed-jawed, thank you very much) people.

So I targeted a seat at a fairly large table that was open across from an older gentleman (I later found out that he was 75 years old) and asked politely, "May I sit here?"  He laughed and said, "Absolutely, but my wife is coming back soon, and she's going to sit here."  He indicated the other empty seat.  I winked and told him that I'd give her some elbow room.

I started typing and glanced up only a moment before becoming enthralled by what the old man was doing.  He was drawing, and not just the drawing that you see people do when they doodle in the margins of a magazine, but actual pen-and-ink on sturdy paper drawing.  It had a sort of old-style flair to it, kind of like I was looking at some of the old propaganda posters from WWII.  His hand was so very steady that I just sat and watched him for a moment, trying not to be rude, but fascinated by not only his talent, but his dedication to getting each line perfectly straight as he shaded in the dark areas with a fine-point black pen.

He caught me.  I looked up just as he did and caught his eye, declaring, "I'm sorry!" I hadn't meant to intrude on his privacy.  He just smiled and informed me that they were just the drawings of an old man.  I mentioned that I hadn't seen anyone ever draw like he was; the man had considerable talent.  It was obvious that where he may not have been schooled in the art, he certainly was practiced.

As the conversation wore on, I learned that he used to work with the circus, he'd fought in several wars (one in Cuba), he had traded arms with men in marijuana fields, he had danced the night away at various clubs, he had scammed fairway walkers out of their money at carnival booths, and he had painted signs, done calligraphy, and now....now....he was writing a book about his "evil days" - the time during which he experienced all this.

As a writer myself, I hung on every word; it's amazing what 75 years of a life can bring into the world in the way of memories.  As his wife sat down with us, I explained with a grin after she mentioned that they were going to go see a movie soon, "I'm sorry, he was just charming me with some of his old stories." 

We struck up a rapport, she and I, even teasing the old gentleman about "embellishing" those stories.  I think, perhaps, what I got out of the experience was not the stories themselves, but the way his eyes gleamed when he told them, like he was reliving times in his own mind that were truly happy times for him.  With those happy memories, sharp wit, and steady hand came the wisdom of experience: he told me that I mustn't ever pass up an opportunity for greatness, because even the most insignificant step in the right direction was still a step more than I had previously made.

I think, so often, we younger people tend to dismiss older people because they are from a different time; someone very close to me refers to the elderly as 'living fossils', a term that I hate to hear, myself, especially after meeting people like this gentleman and his lovely wife.  I took my own grandparents for granted, and now that they're gone, I really wish I'd listened more to what they had to say.  Perhaps I would know more today if I had just taken the time to garner some of that old-age wisdom.

If we would all just stop and listen to those with more experience, perhaps we would make it farther than we would be by pretending we know everything.  Me included.

It's been a long, long week, for me especially, as the Japanese clog dancers who live over the top of me have been having drunken parties all week and literally kept me up all night long three nights in a row.  I have had absolutely zero extra energy this week to deal with the little annoyances that my job involves.

That said, I still think I got off easy this week in comparison to some!  Half of the office is sick - Jeff most noticably.  The poor guy had to get antibiotics and the whole gamut of doctor's visits to boot.  I had strep last week, the boys came back from NYC sick, and over the last few days, I've heard a myriad of complaints from others: "My throat is scratchy" or "Man, I have no energy".

On top of it, our phones are still screwy because I'm still dealing with a bunch of Brits who have their big noses stuffed up their own tight rears.  Honestly, what company on the internet today does not take credit cards over the web?  Why does setting up VOIP have to be so EFFING difficult?  So yes, you have my sincere apology about our lack of phone service, folks; where I can't bear the full brunt of the blame, I'm probably the only person here who actually deserves to be even lightly smacked for it.

Ah, another day, another fence to scale.  Do I sound like a complainer? Lol.  I admit I'm a little crabbier than I normally am, and yes, probably even a little diva when it comes to the woes of my position, but I promise, it's mostly for show.  I'm just as sweet and happy as ever; the nice thing about the AR staff is that we all really do pull together when someone's down or when there's problems on the rise.  Jorgen was up with me the night before last just trying to make me laugh when I was so frustrated about not sleeping, for instance.  We have a great bunch here.

I just HATE feeling like I'm spinning my wheels on something that should be utter cake! Grr. Arg. That, and, between the Escalade that parked three inches from my bumper and blocked me in this morning and a distinct lack of caffeine, I, for one, am fully glad that Seattle's division of Mother Nature has decided to shine down on us today.  (I went out and just stood in the sunshine for a few minutes.  It's freaking cold, but so nice.)

Beyond that...I'm hearing some veeeeeeery interesting rumors about what the guys are rolling out.  I would take a picture of our ginormous whiteboard, but I'd probably get thumped for letting go of the BIG SECRETS.  But.  I think you'll love it.  I hear ActiveBrad said something on his blog about widgets...mmmmm...crunchy widgets.

Question of the day:  How do YOU overcome the wheel-spinning feelings?  Any tips for this little redhead?

Whether you support our new President or not, I highly recommend everyone watch the Inauguration Ceremony, even if they must watch it after it happens on Tivo, Hulu, MSN - wherever.  Why?  Because every one of us, as American citizens, have the right, honor, and duty to participate in the Democratic process.  It is a historic day in Washington, D.C., not only because today we inaugurate our first president of a non-caucasian race, but because we inaugurate a new President, period.

The Ceremony is only ceremony if you take nothing from it.  I lived in Washington, D.C. for five years, and as a very political city, there was no day that passed that you didn't hear of some scandal or edict coming down from Capitol Hill.  I have stood in the National Mall and I have seen these places that are now being shown on camera.  To me, to know and to have touched these amazing monuments, watching this ceremony makes my heart do nostalgic little spins in my chest.

I do fully recognize that today is a historic day for more reasons than the ones that make it historic to me.  And as I've said before, I fully support our new President and yes, I voted for him.  I exercised my honor, duty and right to vote in this country, and I respect the full extent of our freedoms.  Now, I sound a little uppity about all this, I know, but when was the last time you sat back and said, "Man...I look at the world today, and I am so damned proud to be an American.  Our ancestors sacrificed life and family to give us the freedom we have today."

Unfortunately, I think many of us forget that we are so very lucky to lead the lives we lead, to have the rights we have, and to honor our country the way we need to.  We are too closeted in the boundaries of our own lives and own problems to remember, sometimes, how very lucky we are.

From the ceremony today, I take with me the knowledge and fact that whether it's a good change or a bad change that we have put into office....it is a change, and our nation will never survive without change, at least not on the path that we have already started.  From the ceremony today, I take with me the fact that I am, as we all are, part of this nation's government and faithful to our ancestors want of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  I may not, myself, be able to change the world, but if I can change one life, one person's outlook, I have changed THEIR world.

I urge you all to find what you should take from this Ceremony and hold true to it in your hearts.  It is only with that purpose that we'll be able to collectively heave ourselves out of this hole we've fallen into.  It's time to rebuild, America.  It's time to honor those who come before us, and those who gave their lives for us. 

It's time for this generation, my generation, who have never seen real conflict or have war thrust on our own borders to rise up and participate in this country, to learn how to lead and appreciate the true meaning of being an American, to have faith in our principles and our rights, to further the message that the Constitution was created to preserve, and to support the foundations of our country.  We need not only to appreciate our freedom, but protect it with our actions, no matter how large or small those actions may be.

Deep breath, America.  Uncertain times lie ahead, but with a little determination and some hard work, we'll get through them together.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things.

(From Our 44th President's Inaugural Address.  Thank you, President Obama.  Welcome to office.)

It surprises me sometimes that the children of the current generation have no idea why today is important; instead, they're happy to have a day off from school so that they can play video games or eat ice cream for breakfast.  Without getting too far into the rant regarding the corruption of the culture of our youth, I'll digress and move forward.

Martin Luther King, Jr. is often seen as a leader of Black people in America.  He is often seen as a preacher.  He is very often seen as a man with a big mouth, and most oft remembered for the fact that he got assassinated for having one.

Unfortunately, few people remember that he was also a civil rights leader, a brilliant man, and a regular joe, just like the rest of us, who wanted to see a better world for his children, and his children's children, and their children's children.  Most know of the speech he gave, his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, but I was amazed to find out how few people had actually listened to the speech or read the text.

I am probably the whitest of the white girls; I can mimic valley speak to boot, I generally date white guys, and some in my family were what would you consider prejudiced against all other races.  I know there's probably a lot of people out there just like me who were raised in a specific way but choose not to believe in those same morals and choose to regard people for their merits rather than their color. 

That is why Dr. King matters.  As a civil rights activist, Dr. King knew the danger he faced, speaking out against the injustices done to a sect of people in our country.  He knew the struggle we would face after he spoke up.  He knew the effects of his words on all people, not just those with darker skin that listened to his words religiously.  But most importantly, he gave himself to this service, body, mind, and soul, in hopes of improving America and holding true to that freedom on which we built the pillars of this country.

Lack of civil rights is not a race issue, it's a human issue, and I believe Dr. King understood this.  Today, the third Monday of January, is a day of service.  I would ask that any person who was blessed with today off would sit down and consider what service they can do to their neighborhood, city, or state that will help forward the civil rights cause.  I would ask that they find a reason for being today, and that they give themselves to the service that they do for us all.  Today, my friends, is a day of selflessness, and I can only hope that there's still a little of that left in the world.

I leave you with a passage from Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech:

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

I keep a lot of quotes on my Inspiration Board here at home, one of them being the following picture:

Some days, this one really strikes a chord for me.  It says, "Persistence: To go on resolutely or stubbornly in spite of opposition or importunity.  No matter how good you are or how many people you have you will always fail to stop someone who really wants it."

Professionally, I work with the best bunch of people I've worked with in a long time.  I'm surrounded by enthusiasm and a drive to get the job done.  Sure, we're only a clutch of a dozen people or so, but the fact that everyone pitches in when there's trouble on the rise is one of the most motivational things about my office.

Personally, I am a serial dater; you guys know that from the meme I filled out not too long ago.  I'm very picky and very resolutely against settling on my next partner, so I burn through first dates as though they were kindling and move on until I find someone worth what little social time I have leftover after work and obligations.

On the hobby front, I'm slogging through getting my latest and greatest written work written, editted and published this year.  On days that I'm filled with writer's block and I just can't get past this one...section...of..writing... I find that going after it doggedly gets me through.  Although I constantly have eight different ideas in my head about things I could be writing that seem far more interesting, if I gave in to my ADD imagination, I'd never get any story fully written.

So I guess what all these things boil down to are... how bad do we REALLY want the things that are "important" in our lives?  If you're not satisfied with your worklife...why? Are you motivated to go into the office every morning and get the job done, despite the oppositions you face, the lack of motivation from vendors or partners, the inability for certain people to get something finished so you can move on?  Do you keep optimism as your best friend and neighbor, despite seeing that looming cloud ahead that's about to rain on your parade?  Even in the worst of times, the word 'worst' is all perception. 

In short, count your blessings, love each one as though it were a tiny child to care for, and keep the sunshine in the corner of your eye.  Bad things happen to good people every day, but how you deal with them is what makes you better for the experience.  Be persisitent.  Be motivated.  Be optimistic.

Want it...REALLY want it.

"Thanks" to Sherry Scales ;) ;) (Love ya, girlie!)

MeMe:  Seven Things You May Not Know About....Claire C.

These are the rules:

1. Create a blog post with a link to the person(s) who tagged you.
2. List these rules in your post.
3. Share seven facts about yourself in the post.
4. Identify seven of your friends or contacts whom you will "tag" to be part of this meme. At the end of your post, list their names and the links to their blogs.
5. Let the friends whom you tagged, know that they've been tagged. 

SEVEN THINGS YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ME BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK

1. I used to turn slugs inside out with rock salt.  It was awesome and gross at the same time.
2. I (apparently) speak toddlerese really well.  I have an uncanny knack for getting children under 10 to speak to me, do as I ask, and obey the household rules, even the super-shy, hide-their-faces-in-a-pant-leg ones.
3. Although I am not religious, I carry my grandmother's guardian angel pin and St. Christopher's medal with me in my car since she died six years ago.  Although I don't fully believe in the symbols myself, she did, and that's enough for me.
4. No one can spell my cats' names properly (or say them, for that matter, on the first try).  "Saibha" and "Aiobhan" are both Celtic names that I chose based on their personalities.
5. I am an Island girl.  I spent many good, lasting memories up in the San Juans when I was young, and if I got marooned anywhere, I would want it to be there.  I'm home when I'm there and could easily sustain myself and survive.
6. I (also apparently) know all the "words" to "Mmm, Bop" by Hansen.  I was just in the store with our developer, Mike, and it was playing on the overhead.  I had been singing it for a full minute before I recognized it and pulled the obligatory "Ew, gross!" face.
7. I speed date people; I feel like I'm pretty good with first impressions and if something bugs me about a person, I move on to the next.  So far, I've dated an EMT, a cop (on and off again), three doctors, a dentist, a zookeeper and a handful of musicians.  And that's just from the last few months.
   

Well there you have it folks. All you ever needed to know but never asked.

I tag...

Bob
Jon
Mike
Jorgen
Jeff
Glin
Rich

(It's my job to get the dirt, right?  Why not make the guys suffer with me? ;) ;) ;) )