Recently, I was reading a book on the profession of copy writing. In the chapter relating to the creation of headlines, a dire perspective was given on the idea of using, "Do you know what  company XYZ has been up to recently?", as an opening to any form of communication. A stark prediction was given that there simply is no faster way to get your target audience to turn the page, with the mental response of, "Who cares."

Well oddly enough, I have family that reads this blog and they do care what has been happening in my life ... I know, go figure; eh? So, on that note, what follows is a run-down of what has been happening in my life over the past month.

For the most part, I've been working on web pages and some new development tools. The new look of www.forteetu.com is a testament to that. Yet, it is still a quickly put together solution for combining the majority of my content that is posted on a variety of sources, such as BlogSpot, Picasa and YouTube. There is another upgrade to the website coming. The new site will bring all of the content to its own local source and certainly look and act more like a native website. It should be another couple of weeks before the new site in re-launched. If you aren't a follower of this blog through my homepage http://www.forteetu.com , then please have a look at my transition site and bookmark it. Once the full redesign is launched, this blog will shutdown hosting from BlogSpot and be accessible only through www.forteetu.com and it's RSS Feeds.

I've also been working loosely with a photography and marketing group based in Melbourne. I don't want to say much on the specifics as there are a few developing opportunities and plans. What I will say is that I never thought it might "feel good" to be back in a business meeting environment. Yet, I find it engaging and a even refreshing to be back in a business environment, but at a more "down to earth" level and one not so entrenched in corporate folly. I'll post more on what is happening on this front as time goes by and plans are closer to their release dates.

On another subject of business, Kelly and I had the pleasure, if I may be so bold, of attending a recent trade show. It was hosted by BarterCard, a business collective that trades goods and services on "Barter Dollars". Other than the willingness to involve yourself in the alternative currency of BarterCard, there is no focus or similarity in the businesses involved. This leads to a VERY diverse and seemingly "trash and treasure" feel to the trade show. Ofcourse, we were there to promote Kelly's portrait photography studio. In the mix of other attendees were a couple of other photographers, a purveyor of cured meats, a merchant of automated massage chairs, more than one herbal Chinese remedy maker, rug salesmen, nick-nack shops, electronics goods and yes, even the Scientologists showed up. Who knew you could buy salvation from your alien soul infestation with Barter Dollars?

Another event recently, and sticking to the theme of photography, was a graduation exhibition for the RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology). Kelly's assistant photographer graduated this year. Congratulations Selena! As friends of the hard-working graduate, Kelly and I were off for a night of gallery viewing and guest speakers. The range of photography was brilliant and the images were really well presented. From commercial design to fashion, portraiture and editorial, every section was filled with dynamic and striking pictures. As usual with these kinds of social functions, the room was crowded and the food was mediocre. But what really stood out for the night, were the motivational speakers. Perhaps motivational is the wrong impression. Let's just call them speakers. The speach started with phrases like, "Now that you've graduated, if you're not sure this is what you want to do, go do something else." It then quickly it rolled into topics such as, "There aren't any jobs, never have been and never will be." And finally wrapped up somewhere around, "It takes more than talent and skill to be a successful photographer. It takes business sense and perseverance. Yet even with that, a lot of good photographers fail miserably and some really crap ones get famous." By the end of it, I wasn't sure if I should applaud or just give my condolences to the graduates. For my own bit, congrats again Selena; now go kick some a**!!!

And that about wraps it up for my November. Thanksgiving just past, so I wish all my American friends and family a happy belated Turkey Day. I'm hoping your holiday season is a cheery one!

Until next time!
Peace!

I need a new pair of shoes. I've said this more than once recently and the words flew from my lips again as the worn-slick soles of my hiking boots slid across the wet pavement of the local supermarket car park. A few months back, when I was preparing for a several month excursion around Australia, I only packed three sets of footwear. I took with me a pair of black Ugg boots to keep my feet warm in the cold winter of Victoria. I took a pair of flip-flops, more commonly called "thongs" in Australia, to wear on hot days or at the beach. And I took with me, my very trusty and well worn hiking boots to serve the general purpose of work boots and camping attire. I've had these boots for quite a few years now and they have served me well. But now, as I consider replacing them, my thoughts turn to were these boots and I have been.

In the United States of America, they have:
walked the sandy tracks of South Florida pine scrub;
strolled along the tops of the Grand Canyon;
climbed the cliff dwellings of Arizona's historic native americans;
sloshed through the frozen, muddy streets of Milwaukee, Wisconsin;
ambled along the waterfront district of Baltimore, Maryland;
propped up on a wooden railing while eating clam chowder from a sour dough bread bowl at San Francisco's famous waterfront;
and were tucked under a bar at one local watering hole for San Diego's lesbian community;

In Australia, they have:
hiked the sides of King's Canyon;
trod the hallowed grounds of Uluru (twice);
stood atop the Sydney Harbour Bridge;
walked the rain forest trails of far north Queensland;
and been stomped on during an outing at one of Melbourne's live-music, pub venues;

In some farther flung places, they have:
had beer spilled on them in Frieburg, Germany;
dodged dog-poo on the city streets of Amsterdam;
got dribbled with sauce while eating noodles in Singapore;
perused the hawkers stalls in the Shanghai Markets;
stood on the same ground as "tank man" in Tienemen Square, Beijing;
were left at the doorstep of The Temple of the Jade Buddha in Bangkok, Thailand;
explored an abandoned Club Med in Numea, New Caledonia;
and walked through the gates of the Taj Mahal in Agra, India;

To be honest, this is a fairly short and far from complete list of the places and things these boots have seen. Yet one thing struck me as my mind wandered between the slick soled boots and the list of places that made them that way. In each of these places, a small fraction of the sole of my boots has been left behind. Some infinitesimal portion of rubber has left me and been added to the local area through which I traveled. But this exchange was not just one way, not by a long shot. In each of these locations, not only has the scuff of my boot sole been left on the street, but the scuff of the local has been left on my soul.

I am a compilation of all that has occurred to me and around me since the time I was born. I would not be who I am today if it were not for the travels I have seen and the places I have been. My cultural horizons have been broadened, my tastes have developed cravings for food peculiar to a younger me and my appreciation for how incredibly small we are in the grand scheme of our little, blue-green planet has been deeply altered. It has been a fair trade to say the least, a bit of boot rubber in exchange for an enrichment of my being. I'll take that trade again, any day.

Now off to buy some new shoes and see where these ones will take me ...