Posts Tagged ‘planning’

The Year Ahead

// January 23rd, 2006 // Comments Off // Life Happens, On the Radar

I want this year to be productive. Everyone should. Is moping a good way to spend your time? Where are you going to be at the end of it? What will it have gained you? Nothing is not an option.

Let’s work on something better than nothing; something productive, proactive, growth related. You can only be passionate about a few things at the same time or you’ll be too fractioned to make any traction on all of them. This year I’m coming to terms with three such passions.

Rededication to coffee and the hunt for greater understanding and participation. To that extent I have made new goals to take apart my espresso machine, hang out with the [CCC](http://www.counterculturecoffee.com) espresso techs, and culminate my learning by _if possible_ [pid](http://www.espressoparts.com/product/V_PXR3_PID) my Nuova Simonelli Oscar. As well it goes without saying that opening the [cafe](http://www.caffenuance.com) this year would be fantastic. Not having control of so many variables we can only continue our efforts which begin with a fresh meeting with our property broker, Michelle Buckley of [New South Properties](http://www.newsouthprop.com/) to begin the churn of properties over again. This time we’re scaling back a little working to be more agile for a more expidient, but secure launch.

I’ve also let the artist in me languish over the past few years. I used to do a lot of digital art before digital art was even a real concept. Back in the early 90’s I could be seen with a large 12x12 [wacom](http://www.wacom.com) tablet in my lap just doodling away or working in Painter on some slow to create realistic oil piece. Over the years I got out of graphic design because I felt people I was working with or for asthetically didn’t get it. As well the web back then was table crazy, and tables just never grooved with me at all. It took the art and made it much more science than I wanted. I’d like to get a tablet back in my world and go back to basics. I love design, I love expression.

The last thing I can really say I’ll work on this year is local networks. Last year was a boon to me online. I’ve met many great people through the internet but the internet is something not yet realized locally as much as it should (much greater for bridging large divides). I need to return to my region and start building relationships at home. At this point in my life I need help (hehe take that as many ways as you need), and you gain help through relationships. Unfortunatly I really don’t have as many as I’d like in Charlotte so the effort must be put into this. With strong ties come strong abilities to leverage. Through this I hope to become a little more civic minded and motivated. The wonderful crew over at [Urban Planet](http://www.urbanplanet.org) has been a nice starting point.

As I come to a close the old UGA slogan runs through my head…
>It’s time to let the [big dawg](http://www.alumni.uga.edu/alumni/images/fun/wallpaper/640x480/Uga.jpg) eat.

-a

Staking it all down

// April 24th, 2005 // Comments Off // On the Radar

Little by little it’s all coming together. We’ve confirmed reservations in Milan at Hotel Baviera Mokinba for our entry and departure hotel. Very reasonable and right next to the train terminal. We’re still playing around with where to stay after Milan. We basically have two nights before we have to be in Florence. We looked at staying in Portofino but it’s a bit too stiff. However, right outside at Santa Margherita, is right on the money. From there we’ve found generic-ish flats in Vernazza, but we may stay farther south towards Riomaggiore. If anyone has a suggestion, we’re open to it for that day/night. We just want to walk a bit of Cinque Terre. Train it to Florence where I am waiting to hear back from Hotel Aprile, a very nice looking establishment. Then in Venice a few days later we’ll be at Pensione La Calcina which also looks great.

I’ll break all this out with links when it’s all said and done.

-a

See more progress on: Travel to Italy

Another Weekend Plotting

// April 18th, 2005 // Comments Off // On the Radar

We got a slew of responses from my request. We’ve got to iron out the days and the start and end point. However I think we are good on where.

Milan, Venice, Florence, Excursion to Siena or San Gimignano, through/break in Pisa, & Cinque Terre.

Need to see what fares very between starting/stopping in Milan, Venice, or Pisa and accomodations.

-a

See more progress on: Travel to Italy

Italy Trip

// April 11th, 2005 // Comments Off // On the Radar

Tossed this note out to some knowledgable friends and family:

Here’s how we’re divising our trip. Maybe it’s backwards but it seems to work. First we picked out locations, next we’re making lists of sites to see, now we are polling those who know the country of special places within or close to the places we will be, then prioritize what we want out of each of these lists, finally we will apply a duration to each place and then we book.

Our current thoughts are a to stay with trains since Robin nor I have driven in Italy yet and as our first real excursion to the country we’d rather not pile too many worries on our plate. We’ve decided on Milan, Florence, Verona, and Venice. Early probabilities are a short stay in milan, longer in florance, short in verona, longer in venice, but thats still to be decided. We’ve got most of the regional galleries and sites to see, what we’re looking for are neat eateries, caffe’s, an easy excursion from the norm. We’d like to see local sights, eat great food, see some caffe’s that might lend us ideas for our own shop, anything else that might round our trip out nicely. We’re looking at leaving at the end of May so our timers are running pretty hot right now.

-a