DAY #161

UPDATE: Sunday, 13-Nov-2005 7:06 PM

Originally I had planned on inserting the below article about traveling around the word via cruise ship, which I ran into earlier in the week. Since theoretically, I could work from just about anywhere, would it be interesting for a few months? Ok, my dreaming is over.

What a weekend. I got left alone with kids and wife off to the grandparents. The result was a Saturday and Sunday that ended up being an 18 hour work marathon.

I spent sometime looking over the network sites and performance. And then did something that I said a while back (I think this spring) I will not do: I configured a Linux Server.

Well, perhaps, I can explain why: I am working on the database and some of the PHP pages that display data. The problem is that I have to upload the pages, then I have to view them and all that takes time. And on occasion my mind wanders and before I know it about a hour has disappeared. Not a good way to get things done.

So, I took the dual processor PC that is my back up one, and installed Red Hat Linux on it. It was pretty straight forward as Linux has come a long way since I last did this in I think 2002. Anyway, now that is working and I can locally test everything that I OR some of the projects that staff will complete.

Now when I test a PHP page I have to go no further than the second machine on the network and test it. There are 4 computers on the network.

I hope the setup will help me keep an even better focus on getting the corporate tasks done.

AN INTERESTING WEEKEND:

Even though I missed being with the kids and wife very much, I had a rather interesting weekend. My goal the rest of the month is to find up to 10 "average people" who are interesting. I need to explain that phrase a bit --I think everyone has a "story to tell", and I suppose I am looking for 10 people who have good stories, but they are looking to tell better stories one day. And in order to do that they are willing to take a chance or two and do some work.

My goal was to find a few such individuals and work with them to see what we can accomplish. I have found a few such individuals -Two are from the Rocky Mountain states and another from Texas. I have about seven more to go, but they will come along in the coming weeks.

My goal is to teach these people how to build their success, very much like I have done in the various projects that I have been involved with. My goal is to one day share their stories of success, as well as my own.

It's not an easy task, but I think a lot of people fail trying to do to much. What I'll do is to work with these hand-selected 'Associates' as I'll call them and make sure that they are happy with the success that they attain via the network. In order to do that I first asked what their position is now and what (as far as income goes) they hope to accomplish while working with me.

So far, the answers have been very modest. Perhaps, I can engineer a surprise or two in that column, but again, I didn't promise anything other than to give my best to help each of them and share in the success.

I think over the coming weeks and months I'll share each of their stories and how things are changing, as we grow the network. I don't want to mention too many personal details nor will I mention how much these individuals are earning. Let me summarize what I hope to do by saying that I'd just like to "put a smile on their faces" to start.

Well, on to other matters... A lot got done as it was 100% focus on the tasks at hand.

Now on to some of the tasks at hand:

I think just about all the tasks that I talked about in the prior weeks were done or are getting done as I type. The ads are cast. The Google ads are joining the efforts as I type, and things are growing --My favorite part of the effort. Now I need to make sure that I am ahead of the cure with materials that IR's can use to advertise and promote the network.

One of the Associates asked for ad materials and that is now my TASK ONE: I have basically created that, but I need to go over it with ONE MORE FINE look over before I release it. The problem is that once it's out of my hands and on another web site, publishing site, etc, it's GONE. I cannot get it back to change it. I cannot edit it. The words there are FOREVER! I need to make sure that we can deliver what has been talked about and what we are promising.

SO, the IMMEDIATE TASKS:
1. Benefits Article.
2. Products Article.

Let me put that on my MONDAYS' TO DO TASK LIST.

-Done...

Things have just gotten stated so I'll have to give it about a week to get a group of creatives ready for the new IR's and the Associates I'll work with.

Ok, it's been a very long weekend. I am back tomorrow as well to get the week going, and I've got to go! I'll part with the below article about cruises, as it warms me up a bit to think about it when it's getting colder outside. Perhaps, I can even update the BLOG from one of these behemoths one day. {B>) Sam out.

------------------ARTICLE from CNN/MONEY:

Around the world in 123 days
Long-term cruises growing in popularity

Monday, October 31, 2005; Posted: 2:20 p.m. EST (19:20 GMT)

The Prescott, Arizona, couple also dread the hassle of airport security and dislike the difficulty of finding restaurants in unfamiliar cities. So instead, while traveling to far-flung destinations most people only dream of, the retirees spend leisurely days playing ping pong and shuffleboard and relaxing with longtime friends.

Over the years, Carl, 65, and Linda, 58, have given up their vacation home and other travel plans in favor of cruises that can last months on end.

They are in good company. As the travel industry continues to rebound from its September 11 downturn, cruise lines are seeing increased demand for a luxurious and pricey niche: trips that run anywhere from two weeks to several months.

For 2006, Holland America plans a 20 percent increase in cruises longer than 12 days. And in 2007, demand is forcing the cruise line, a Seattle-based division of Carnival Corp. & plc, to switch to a larger, 1,380-person capacity ship for its around-the-world cruise. The company scaled down to a smaller ship following the September 11 attacks.

Silversea Cruises Ltd., which specializes in high-end luxury cruises, recently launched a series of trips lasting 34 to 123 days and plans its first around-the-world cruise in 2007. At Cunard Lines, also a Carnival subsidiary, demand for world cruises is so great the company plans two simultaneous trips in 2007.

Crystal Cruises Inc. spokeswoman Mimi Weisband said her company, a unit of the Japanese company Nippon Yusen Kaisha, is seeing a record number of bookings for its forthcoming 106-day world cruise.

Cruise lines say a key attraction of long cruises is that it allows people to visit plenty of far-flung destinations -- such as Antarctica and Easter Island -- without dealing with airport security and other hassles typical of getting to such remote areas.

While some people revel in fingering native currency, finding local accommodations and sampling unfamiliar foods, a key selling point for long cruises is the ability to see a truly exotic locale then get back to the ship in time to shower in your room and eat a steak dinner.

High price tags
Some passengers also are what Holland America spokeswoman Mary Schimmelman dubs "destination collectors" -- seasoned travelers who are eager to get to places that might be hard to reach without a boat. For that reason, cruise lines often vie for increasingly far-flung ports of call, like Safaga, Egypt, Lautoka, Fiji, or the Galapagos. The itineraries change often, since many long cruise passengers are repeat customers.

Such cruises don't come cheap. A high-end room on a world cruise can cost as much as $200,000 per person, depending on the cruise line, and it's not uncommon for other longer cruises to cost between $10,000 and $60,000 per passenger.

Cruise patrons also often have to foot the bill for drinks -- including coffee and soda on some ships -- and any off-boat excursions, adding thousands more to the bill. Many ships also function as roving malls, tempting passengers with clothes, jewelry, fancy spa treatments and other costly indulgences.

But many in the industry argue that even six-figure cruises are a relative value when you consider what it would cost in plane fares and hotel costs to see these remote destinations.

The trips also require time away from home that most Americans, with a scant two weeks of vacation a year, don't have. Still, cruise lines say the boats aren't entirely populated with retirees. On-board Internet access, cell phones and BlackBerries are making long cruises increasingly popular among entrepreneurial 40- and 50-somethings, who are able to turn the ship into a virtual, floating office.

"People can fairly successfully run a business from being on a ship," said Jan Swartz, a senior vice president with Cunard.

'Select sliver of people'
Some are also fulfilling a lifelong dream while they are young enough to really enjoy the more adventurous locales. Weisband of Crystal Cruises said one recent world cruise passenger was a 36-year-old who had endured a nasty breakup and resolved to change her life. A Holland America world cruise even included a family with children under school age, Schimmelman said.

The cruise lines also say they see professors and other educators with more flexible summer schedules on some longer cruises. Rich Skinner, co-owner of the travel agency Cruise Holidays of Woodinville, recalls a 51-year-old teacher who saved for years to pay for a long, $40,000 cruise.

Despite the growing popularity, long cruises remain a relatively small portion of the overall cruise market. And Skinner said they are still primarily the bastion of older, wealthier people who are willing to pay high prices in exchange for being treated exceedingly well.

"It's really a very select sliver of people," Skinner said.

Even with e-mail and other modern on-board technology, getting away from it all for as long as 120 days can require plenty of pre-travel organizing.

The Magnis, who recently finished a 97-day cruise and expect many more long cruises in their future, have by now perfected a routine of prepaying bills, stocking up on medication and getting their mail held for months. They also have cultivated good relationships with their neighbors, who the couple says are more than willing to help but are sometimes mystified that they still bother making these arrangements for their short stays on solid ground.

"Our neighbors want to know why we don't sell our house and just rent a room," Linda Magni said.

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