Who'd of Thunk?

As I mentioned in my post yesterday, at the jungle Super Bowl party I met an author, Michael Cruit. Mike has been in Costa Rica for a long time now, living at the the place where the Sierpe River empties in the Pacific. That's even farther out there than Tracy's house. Michael has to come to town to get Internet.

Anyway, Michael has self-published his first book via www.lulu.com.

Big deal, ya' say?



Well, you're right, there are a lot of self-published authors out there.

Michael had a copy of his book at Tracy's house. Fastball Fari is a fictional account of the first female, professional baseball pitcher. Now I think just the premise of the book makes me want to read it. But even better is Michael's style. His sentence are short -- real short. The read is fast. I could have really gotten into the book that night, but realized that good author etiquette was to purchase the book to read it! If this sounds good to you, you can also do the same, either as a paperback or a download.

When Michael gets his load of books, who do you think he should send marketing copies to? I will forward your suggestions on to him.

Cultural Divide

One highlight of our trip to Costa Rica this year was the Super Bowl Party in the jungle. You see, Bradd, the owner of the lodge, is originally from Providence, Rhode Island and of course is a fan of the Patriots.

Tracy, a young American who has lived in CR for a decade or so, built a home in the middle of nowhere several years ago. It is truly is a palace, a simple palace. Actually, she rents this place out now, having built herself another home nearby. Anyway, we hiked the hot, sweaty 30 minutes to her house carrying all the bottles of beer, booze, ice and mixer. I must admit that when one of the guys offered to carry my backpack, I allowed him to do that!

What was really funny about the game in the jungle, (the tv was powered by the generator) was that the audio feed was in Spanish. And the announcer sounded like he was calling a soccer game. I hope you know what I mean -- the lengthening of the excited voice. "And he's over the Lin-n-n-n-n-e (only in Spanish)" which the tone going up and then down. Listen to a soccer game and you'll understand. Also, none of the commercials were the new ones.

I met an author at the party. I'll write about him soon. It's an interesting story.

The walk back in the dark was challenging. I made it back without falling on the slippery mud until I stepped onto a stump that had a hole in it. Luckily, no injury!

So what's the most unusual Super Bowl party you've ever attended?

One Person Makes the Difference

People ask us why we always go to the same place in Costa Rica every year.

Bradd Johnson is a big reason.

Bradd is the owner of Aguila de Osa, an American from Rhode Island, who has been committed to this lodge and this small community for over a decade. He is the largest employer in the community. Now you have to realize that he only has 13 rooms, so we're not talking about a high-rise. (Thank goodness for that!)

He is a fair man and gives people a chance to prove themselves before they even know they can do something. He is a mentor to many. He will be the first to admit that he makes mistakes and so when others do, he just wants them to learn and grow.

Bradd knows the names of all his guests even though they usually only stay three maybe four days. (Bradd does have a bumper sticker saying that he has CRS - Can't remember shit.) We are the exception, staying in one place as long as we do. He takes the time to find out about each guest and see the interesting ways each one has.

Just put yourself in his place. You run the joint worrying about cash flow and making sure that you can set aside a little cushion for the unexpected. You develop talent to manage the place and support their continued professional growth. And then with some you have to let them fly away, because it is time for them to go it alone. You have to make the day-long run (really a crawl) into San Jose several times a month to bring supplies needed to keep the place going.

You do all this and then at night you have to be the charming host during cocktail hour and dinner. Bradd is the ultimate networker, because his conversations are always centered on that guest.

Could you do that with a smile 365 days a year?

Awful Stats

I'm back.

Whew! The time flew by, until yesterday, when I traveled for 20 straight hours to get home in one day (well, it actually lapped over into the next day.) That's a story for another post.

As always the other guests were part of the fun.

We first met Nancy and Russ from Chicago on our boat trip down the Sierpe River. They were on the boat for a bird watching trip and then made a detour to pick us up at the small boat dock. The next day, Nancy and Russ spent the day at San Josecito beach with Steve and me. We spent time getting to know each other and we hiked to the next beach (about a twenty minute jaunt and then swam up the Rio Claro River to a special spot that we know about. After a short climb we showed them a very beautiful grotto and waterfall. We don't show this to everyone, just special people!


But what I will remember forever is a conversation that Nancy and I had about her volunteer efforts with her dog in the inner city of Chicago. The dog is a mutt, but a well-trained mutt, because he helps the children in this program to learn to read better by just being a dog. Nancy said that many times a child will jump two grade levels in reading during the eight weeks in the program.

That's great, but here is the part that touched me. She said that those who plan for future prison needs, look at the number of illiterate third graders today (or whenever they are doing the planning) and then interpolate that into the number of prison cells they will need in the future.

Illiterate third graders of today, become prisoners of tomorrow.

Talk about investing in the future and making a long term commitment to our communities.

This conversation with Nancy happened on the very first day of vacation, but I can tell you that it will ring in my heart for many years to come.

Thanks, Nancy, for making a difference.

I have plenty more to share. But tell me, how do you think we can change these statistics?

See Ya in a Few

Since we will be leaving for the aeropuerto at 3:30 AM, I'll probably not post before I leave. Steve gets grumpy when I make him wait!

Tomorrow we'll spend the afternoon in San Jose, capitol of Costa Rica. We'll probably go down to the Central Market, although the workers at the hotel where we stay think we are crazy. Later we'll find a local restaurant and have some wonderful Rican cuisine and then that'll probably be it! My eyes will want to close at about 8:30.

The next day, we'll catch a small plane down almost to Panama on the Pacific coast. After a ride through a banana plantation and a boat ride down the Sieppe River into the ocean, we'll arrive at Aguila de Osa or paradise as I like to think of it.

People ask me what I do down there. I answer with one word, "Nothing!" That's a real vacation!

Oh, we'll go to San Josecito Beach, snorkeling and diving, horseback riding and zip line riding, but the overall theme for me is sitting and reading. I have six books with me, which probably means I'll be paying for overweight luggage on the Costa Rica flight, but there are no stores for me to buy more if I run out. I also watch the white face monkeys jump through the trees, kayak out into the ocean, watch the macaws eat cashews right outside our room and quietly watch the hummingbirds of all shapes and sizes. Ever so often a huge lizard will either fall out of a tree with a thump or will make lots of noise climbing it. Maybe we'll see the crocodile, although I think that last year the locals told me that it had disappeared.

Hopefully, I won't repeat several near misadventures of years past! That of getting a jellyfish sting on the side of my face because it was on my swimming shirt. When I took it off over my head, the j/fish smeared its stinging venom as it bushed against my skin. Not fun. One year I also missed stepping on a ferdelance snake by inches. It is THE most deadly snake in the world.

The very same year I got closer to a sea snake as I was snorkeling than I wanted to. It also has dire consequences. While that's not the way I want to go, Costa Rica and especially the area around Drake Bay where we go, is to die for!

I'm sure I'll have some fun stories for you when I get back and by the way don't forget the start of International Networking Week on Feb 4. Register at our website and compete in the contest. I will be networking with people from all over the world and will be listing those names when I get back.

Till then -- go network!

Weighing Your Tools

This picture cracks me up.

It may need a little explaining.

This is the airport at Palmar Sur, Costa Rica. I think you can see that it is a rather small facility. This sign painted on the wall encourages you to go to the world wide web to book airline reservations for Sansa Airlines. Beneath that is a scale. Yep, that's the rudimentary way they weigh luggage.

Weight and the Web!

What a juxtaposition. But you know, it works. When we first started going to Costa Rica nine years ago, computers were not in evidence, but that is just the opposite now. Conversely, the scale has not changed. It worked well then and continues to deliver the information they need. (Mainly that they need to charge me extra for my overweight luggage.)

What's this all to do with networking?

Have you upgraded your contact management system? If so, do all the bells and whistles work for you? If not, do you need to go back to the old way?

Time for a Break

Well, I am taking a breather from writing each day as tomorrow before dawn, my hubby and I leave for our most favorite place in the whole wide work, Aguila de Osa at the Drake Bay in Costa Rica. It is truly paradise for us, a time to relax and recharge.

It's a rugged trip to get there, two legs from Toledo to Atlanta to San Jose, CR. Then the next day we start with the smaller plane, then a taxi, and finally a small skiff that will take us down the Sieppe River, out into the Pacific Ocean along the coast to our final destination. Those other guests who make their way are usually wonderfully adventuresome people. Dinner conversations are wide ranging and fun. I get to practice my networking skills, seeing how much I can find out about those who are only staying for a day or two.

I have my two subs lined up for each week I will be absent from BNI and have sent my commercials to them. I have books packed that will make my luggage overweight, but since there are no stores where we are going, it is with pleasure that I pay that extra. The house sitter is ready to take over the house and the dogs and the Tuesday night Certified Networker class will be taught by senior trainer Merri Bame. I'm ready and I'll be writing again after we get home in about two weeks.