For those of you who don’t know (which is a surprisingly large number, given how hunkered down I’ve been with numerous projects and road trips lately) I’m headed to Hong Kong on Friday. Long story, short: the HK Trade Development Council contacted the magazine I write for, who then contacted me, with an invitation to speak during the Hong Kong Gifts and Premiums Fair about marketing trends in the U.S. gift industry.
Yes, I’m just a tad bit excited.
After a week in Hong Kong (only half of which will be work related), I’ll jet to Beijing for several more days of exploring…and to stand atop the Great Wall on my 48th birthday. Decided to throw in a few stockpiled Starwood points and upgrade to a Renewal Room at the Beijing Westin, where, according to the hotel “a fresh orchid and personal bathologist await to tailor your bath ritual from four regions around the globe; India, Orient, Mediterranean and Arabia to restore your inner calm.”
My inner calm is very much looking forward to this trip.
The laptop will be in tow, with the intention of continuing to post from both cities. While Hong Kong doesn’t concern me, I’m not sure what to expect in Beijing; the mainland is rather passionate about internet censorship. It doesn’t seem like something that should factor in, but my current experience with China is pretty much limited to dinner at First Wok or Leann Chin, so who knows.
The big issue right now is how I’m gonna fit two weeks’ worth of work attire and casual attire into a single suitcase.
We won’t even discuss the fact China Southern limits each passenger to one carry-on. Yikes.
For over a year now, more people than I care to admit have been not-so-subtly “suggesting” that I get a blog going. Yeah, yeah, yeah, me and everybody else. Whatever.
Don’t get me wrong–I love blogs. You see, there are a few I inhale on a daily basis, most of which automatically populate the tabs of my browser upon launch: tuaw.com and fakesteve.blogspot.com (no shock to my fellow Mac junkies); creativebits.com (to feed the right side of my brain); 43folders.com and lifehacker.com (yup, more techie stuff); plus davidgagne.net (not the same one I had a crush on last year). The latter of the bunch slowed quite a bit once he got engaged—the web David, not the Minnesota David—but every so often, he’ll drop in a gem.
While heading home from a board meeting in Phoenix, something occurred to me–with the exception of Fake Steve (who was eventually “outed” as a writer for Forbes), every one of these bloggers are regular Joe Schmoes who found a way to connect with like-minded folks out there in the real world…which is basically what I promote through RetailSpeaks (see link in the column to the right).
So. Here I am. Blogging. Connecting. Doing whatever it is bloggers do.
As for where this all goes, God only knows. Some days, the tone will be purely professional, while others might drift a bit more…um…off the cuff. Either way, I’ll write about things I see/think/feel/question that might, somehow, pertain to retail. Or not. Granted, a few entries might be kind of out there, but thinking inside the box has never been my strong suit.
With a little luck, this foray into the blogosphere will accomplish three things: give you a lift now and then…give me a lift now and then…
…and get all those poking elbows out of my rib cage.
Be careful what you wish for.
For those of you who don’t know (which is a surprisingly large number, given how hunkered down I’ve been with numerous projects and road trips lately) I’m headed to Hong Kong on Friday. Long story, short: the HK Trade Development Council contacted the magazine I write for, who then contacted me, with an invitation to speak during the Hong Kong Gifts and Premiums Fair about marketing trends in the U.S. gift industry.
