dispatches from the new world of work

Countdown ...

Foot of Market Street, San Francisco

I can already feel the withdrawal symptoms making their way toward my consciousness. In two hours I pack off my computers ... speak to the Inc. 500 25th anniversary gathering here in San Francisco at the Fairmont ... and then head to New Zealand. And 3 weeks later (12 February) I surface again.

No computer.
No computer.
No %^&#$)@ computer!

Hooray!
Ye gads!

I've been wondering when I was last computer-free for this long. Surely in an earlier millennium. As I mentioned before, Susan will conduct an inspection that will put the TSA to shame. Only my camera—and her iPod—is/are allowed under the category labeled "electronics." Even the ratio of non-fiction to fiction books will be assessed. No sport coat. No ties. ("But what if we go to dinner in a nice place?" "Tough.") I am considering an audio Blogpost or two—assuming I don't get caught—maybe while Sergeant Sargent (as in Susan Sargent, spouse) is in the shower.

Well, I will truly miss our communal gathering—hold the fort until I return. And a heartfelt thanks for making this a useful and exciting community!

(I had planned some pithy observation about business & management & life as we know it as sendoff Post. In the end ... I had too damn much packing to do.)

Cheers ...

(The photo is of the fabled San Francisco Ferry Building, once home base for the Port of San Francisco—it's at the foot of Market Street.)

Tom Peters posted this on 01/22/07.

Comments

Tom left this post with me to publish for him today. We see he's already done an audio-blog. That's good. But I've wanted to email him twice since he left his computer behind. Little did any of us realize that I'd be suffering withrawal, too, once the electronic connection between Tom and me was broken. So, Tom, if you get to a computer and open tompeters.com, I hope you will see these comments and know it's not going to be easy for me, either. It will be a long three weeks. We hope to get some good posts from the Tom Peters Company folks during that time, however, and we hope our readers will continue to visit tp.com while Tom is on a well-earned break.

Posted by cathy mosca at January 22, 2007 11:42 AM

You just made me smile - it must have been ages since I had 3 weeks without electronics. Well, I've certainly got to confess the state of gizmo-addiction.

All the best for your holidays and enjoy New Zealand,

Wolf-Dieter

Posted by Wolf-Dieter Grabner at January 22, 2007 11:46 AM

1. Wonder though about cold-turkey ... since 2.0 is so rewarding, beneficial, & authentic week-to-week ... pure Mother Nature though is epic

2. I trim back - taking zero calls & emails at times - always love to almost daily surf though - so I keep that option

3. Trevor surely is laying in wait - seeing this as opportunity for his nefarious agenda - please watch for Tazmanian Devils - may be a TG plant :>}

Posted by sean_IT_world at January 22, 2007 12:45 PM

1. Vacation - this just in Tom via Time Magazine, Jan. 29:

2. "Take a Vacation - A change of scenery clears the head, recharges the batteries and according to a recent study sponsored by Air New Zealand, improves reaction time 82% -- provided that you ignore your e-mail and allow a couple of weeks to disengage and unwind."

3. Air NZ promoting vacations - quite the surprise

Posted by sean_vacation at January 23, 2007 11:40 AM

Tom,

I was at the Inc 500 conference and heard you speak. I would love for my management team to hear the message that you put out. Are you planning on releasing the video from that presentation, or did you even take video.

Respectfully,

Lew

Posted by Lew Amicone at January 26, 2007 12:25 AM