Three years? It is hard to believe that I am going into my third year writing these things. Boy howdy! Let me begin by wishing you all a Happy New Year I know not everyone in the world celebrates their New Year at the same time, but since it is my culture’s I will wish a Happy New Year to you all.
Journeys are something we all talk about when I have you on the phone. The journey to become a CCIE, the journey a career faces us with, the journey we are on to survive tough times, and the journey the past year has challenged us with.
- I want to share a few things that happened to me in 2009.
- I was offered employment from several training companies and I decided to remain independent. Boy they were good offers to! The goal was to take the CCIE Flyer and make it a part of their companies.
- I was face to face with a woman in a burka that reminded me of Tony Soprano from the Sopranos TV show. Really she was mean too. I was not scared and I almost started laughing at the crazy surreal situation.
- I kept a 23 inch long 18 carat gold chain I found in a shuttle bus in London Heathrow taking me from a plane to the terminal. It was coated in filth and I thought it was a glasses chain used for keeping you form losing your glasses. I was shocked when I cleaned it up and it turned out to be some exotic heavy piece of jewelry. My wife had a peace sign made for me to wear on the chain and I never take them off.
- I started the year off in Central Park in NYC again in 2009. It’s a ritual for me each year to go there for New Year’s Eve. On the bridal path I found a 100 year old nickel signifying good luck to me for the coming year. Well 2009 was a lucky year for me and I still carry that nickel with me in my pocket every day.
- I started catching flack from everyone who is in the training arena when I started offering cheaper and better training from Narbik. Really it seems to have unleashed a real storm of controversy.
- I was humbled by several folks who look up to me and made me feel like I made a difference. I am truly grateful for the honor.
- Egypt was the most enjoyable site I visited this year. I was met by 30 CCIEs treated to the Pyramids, the Nile river and met so many network academy students who wanted to take pictures with me that I felt like a star. Then at 3:00 AM I was accosted in my cab by automatic weapon carrying militia guarding a road and still I am not sure why. I visited the city of the dead and I remain amazed at the wonders of the world and the human spirit. What a cool visit. Thank you Egypt!
- As a person I am very humble and I am not really comfortable with trying to say this, but I am most proud of how my efforts to help Karam resulted in his relocation from the Lebanese refugee camp to California turned out. Saving the lives of three people when all I wanted to do was try and find him a job? I really still cannot come to terms with it but I will go on record saying that anyone who knew his plight worl d have tried to help him. But for thr grace of God go I!
- My big brother Dan has been an inspiration all my life but in 2009 he molded a vision into reality. I have always loved him and I am happy to be in his shadow.
Welcome to the December 2009 issue of the CCIE Flyer. We have a whole lot to cover but so little time to do it. Our swim suit issue was a rousing success and we are still here, Dan and me. So hats off to Eve (my muse, I would not be writing if not for her), Monica (my best friend at Cisco), Dan (my big brother, editor and inspiration), Brad (who hates me but thought this was a great idea also known as Man Boobs), Darby (for 6 tries and counting and sharing), Terry Slatery, Vik Malhi, Charles Whitaker, Celia Harper-Guera ( I miss you), Nickelby (my friend), Ibrahim (my Libyan hippie friend), Bill Philbrick, Eden Britt, Beth Rowland, Brooke Elingworth (if not for you might not have hung on so long), Germaone Eccles (I do love you take care of baby E), Scott Morris (first called me a celebrity in the CCIE world and made me feel I was doing something worthwhile), Wayne Lawson, Brad Ellis, Narbik, Faisal, Yolanda (you know why), Fay Deng, Karam (for making it all seem worthwhile), Toby Grey, Mike Kazakevich, Dan Losco, and many, many more!
This month we tackle no real issues we rest.
Have a Happy New Year!
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