Copper Care

I hear you, Avid Reader. I hear you! Copper is not locked in her crate with no food, no water, and no bathroom break while I am trapsing around Asia these next three weeks. To allay your concerns, she is in the wonderful care of The Village.

John & Amy Weaver are house-sitting at my place and taking care of my little girl -- who I miss heaps. The Paulsons are also on doggie duty here and there and friends like SallyB have already hosted Copper in her home to help acclimate my pup to cats. My amazing neighbors are on CopperWatch 2009 as well.

That said, Amy sent me this photo that I got upon landing in Japan... I thought her dead! The message of her being so tired she was OUT was obviously Lost in Translation!

525.600 議事録

It's not RENT, but it's still a year. And it's essentially been just over a year since we launched DRIVEpm in Japan. What a year it has been:

- the team is now writing over $800K/mo. in revenue

- the team is one of a mere handful who met their budget for FY09 (generating over $5.5M USD in revenue and beating their target by 1.7%... in a down economy)

- growing from four folks to eight, doubling their size.

Best, the team has created and is maintaining their cohesiveness in spite of a recent reorganization that has them folding into the larger Microsoft business. It's a treat, Avid Reader to see history repeat itself relative to a strong business being created... this time in a world oh so far away and one in which I've been able to play a strong part. I couldn't be more thankful.

We enjoyed a delicious okanomiyaki restaurant tonight and spent more than four hours enjoying adult beverages and conversation. Despite being overly tired and jet lagged today, it was the best possible way to end the evening. Oh, and two of my three presentatiosn to online professionals in Japan are now complete. One to go!

Why I Love Japan, pt.2

Wouldn't you know, another odd incident and my continued adoration of Japan grows. After dinner last night with folks from the Regional office (Hong Kong), I catch a cab to my hotel. On the way to the taxi stand, I check my phone: 10:46PM. Early night. I'll be able to get some good sleep.

I arrive at hotel, quickly check email for messages from Europe and New York, then start to settle for the evening. Which includes setting my alarm for the morning and mapping how to spend my time (particularly with 8AM & 9AM calls with Seattle and Sydney, respectively). The alarm is on my phone. Small problem: NO PHONE!

After tearing apart the room -- after having downed a sleeping aid, mind you -- I still can't find the phone. In my hazy step-retracing, I realize that it must have falled out of my backpack in the cab. I figure to myself, "Self, it is long gone."

Or is it?!

I quickly recall the hotel finding and delivering my shorts and decide to give the hotel another challenge. "What color is your phone?" "Black." "Can you bring the receipt to the front desk, please?" It is 12:36.

I wake up to a note under my door and a flashing message on the phone: "We have located your mobile phone. It is at the front desk."

Shore enough, it was in the backseat of the cab... the driver of which returned to the hotel at 3:15AM to drop the phone off. I love Japan.

Why I Love Japan.

Avid Reader, I love this place. Let me tell you a couple of stories -- just about this hotel -- and you will also be in love.

- Upon checking in: "Welcome back, Mr. Moore. We would be honored to upgrade your room to a deluxe for your stay." Umm... OK!

- Hand-written, personally signed... "Dear Mr. Moore, Welcome and thank you for staying with us. It is our utmost pleasure and honor to serve you. Please enjoy your visit." Know what?! I think they actually mean it!!

- "We understand you lost your trousers and have placed them in your room for you. Please notice them.". Background: I *thought* I may have left my favorite pair of shorts here on my last visit. I asked the concierge this morning -- after my complimentary breakfast buffet, of course (!) -- who asked my room number, then proceeded to tell me that I checked out in May (5/13 to be exact) and she "will do my best" to find them. Sure enough, I return to my room tonight to a shopping bag on my desk, a flashing phone message, and my dry cleaned, mind you, shorts... from over 3 months ago. This is in stark contrast to me leaving something (my camera) in the reception area of the high-end hotel I stayed at in Boston a couple of years ago and there being no record of it at 7AM the next morning. Some things that make you go hmmm...

Save the soaking I got this morning on the way to the office thanks to typhoon season, I'm excited to be here again. After dinner tonight with colleagues from Hong Kong at Gonpachi, I'm heading to bed exhausted yet contented. It's going to be a great week!

The "Good News! Bad News!" Game

The Good News is... I made it; I'm in Japan!
The Bad News is... right smack dab in the middle of hurricane season.

Typhoon Krovanh approacheth:

Conundrum

How am I supposed to leave this for three weeks? How, Avid Reader? HOW?!

JWI 2009

The John Weaver Invitational has come and gone yet another summer... and yet another summer, I am rendered immobile. Avid Reader, I am having a hard time moving, much less getting up and down or even sneezing! All in all, however, it's a pretty darn good pain and I'm excited to have gotten to play in my one outdoor tournament with so many close friends.

From a play perspective, I had a great time in pool play with Sean Smith, John Weaver, Jake Putnam, Mike Walton, Chris Costa and Jeff Baldwin. It was a pretty even pool, ultimately won by Chris; I think I was 4th or 5th based on record (3-3) and points for/against.

This put me smack dab in the overall standings of 28 guys and I was ultimately paired up for the tournament with Alan Wittren. Alan was SUPER excited to play -- and had the energy to boot. We were a good pairing altogether -- with his size and net play and my focus on defense (OK, really just trying to play smart behind a big guy), we knew our roles and played them well. In fact, well enough to win the tourney title!

We played a number of great teams, including Jake & Jason, Mike & Moses, Mark & Chuck, John & Alex, then Mark & Chuck again in the final. I'm not going to claim that any of our matches were filled with highlight reel shots, but we were consistent and had a few plays here and there when we needed them!

So, here's to you, Alan Wittren, JWI 2009 Champion!

(If you are interested in all of my photos from the JWI, Avid Reader, click here.)