my monaco blog

For those that are interested in following my trip through Nice, Monaco, and Maranello I've been keeping a blog (photo album, video album, and twitter microblog). I'm a geek, what can I say? I didn't get any good pictures today cuz I was shooing video, but it's truly a magical experience.

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Haha. Thanks, I love you guys too. ;-) Seriously though, I appreciate the encouragement. Rock star or not, it was a big deal for me to take the plunge and work out the logistics (frankly I'm usually too lazy).

Thanks Carlos... I really slapped the blog together. I wanted to merge photos from flicker, rough videos from exhaust, blogging, and twitter updates, and be able to make updates remotely from my phone. Might be easier to comment directly on any one of those sites.

11:30pm here, guess it's almost dinner time. haha


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As usual... a shady deal. ;-)

I only _started_ talking to various scalpers with qualifying 30 minutes away (I love a buyers market. E.g. "This ticket will be worth zero in a few minutes"). Met a gent from Poland, let's call him "Eugene". He had a few seats in the private stands in front of the wine shop at start finish. He was nice enough to actually walk me to the stands, and show me the layout (buffet style food, a few tables to eat out). It was a nice location at start/finish. His asking price was either 160euros or 130, I wasn't clear, but I was planning on an offer even lower.

We haggled a little bit and I pointed out that the stand he showed me (101) was not the same as on the ticket (103), and that 103 was pretty crowded. He asked his boss (the proprietor of the wine shop, I assume) if I could sit in 101.

After some back and forth the proprietor lost his patience with both of us a bit. In, what I assume was his best SoupNazi voice, he barked: "You want best seat in house? Balcony, VIP service, champagne, 5 course meal, blah blah... 200Euros!!" [no soup for you!]

So that's the deal. More than I planned to spend, but well worth it in this case.

I still haven't left for the track today. It's nasty and raining out, which, while great for racing, will suck for getting to and from the train. ...I've got Eugene on my cellphone, I might need another balcony. I think I'll call him when they start the installation lap. ;-)

That's F1 glamor on a budget, puff style.

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Tarek! Oh, sure _NOW_, I hear back from the legendary Tarek, just as I'm packing the car to drive to Maranello. haha. Well, for now you'll have to wonder about the puff report on women, or rely on mid-atlantic rumors (most of which, I started ;-) ) ... hope to catch you next time though guy. I hear good things.

Well, what an experience! What a race. I have no ear drums left. I was even closer to the cars today.

Wetpet, Deep was repeatedly invited, just like you were. I even extended use of the unused sofa bed. Oh well, let's all go next time. (BTW I've been a huge Deep fan a decade longer than you, but you've got Deep-groupie-itous bad. Seek help. hahaha!)

I gotta get on the road for Maranello. Updates soon.

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Hey guys. I just got back last night. I'm way behind in updating my blog, but hopefully I can do it today, if I put out a few fires first. I have some great new stories to share.

Ok, connectors... not to put anyone to sleep but...

They are referencing a term from the book The Tipping Point by M. Gladwell. I occasionally go off on rants about books that interest me, so they are teasing me a bit ;-). The book describes three types of "special" people with certain attributes that contribute to epidemics of various types (fashion trends, fads, smoking, even disease).

Mavens (i.e. useful know-it-alls)

Salespeople (not always in the literal jobs-sense)

and Connectors

A connector is the type of person who sorta knows everyone, and that other people rely on because of those connections. Here's an exercise from the book... think of all of the people you know well, or consider a friend. Now ask yourself how you know them. You will tend to trace your relationships to one or 2 people. They are most likely natural connectors.

The idea is that if something big is going to happen, it will probably require one of each of those types of "special" people. We are fortunate to have several "special" people here in the MA Fchat group...

But unfortunately, "special" mostly in the "short-bus" sense. haha!!!


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