Sixintheworld.com

Those of you who have been following us for a long time know I worked for EarthLink until about a month ago. Yesterday was a hard day for a lot of EarthLinkers: 900 of them were laid off. Many of my old colleagues read our blog, so I wanted to write some words of encouragement to them. Hopefully over the next few weeks I will be able to talk with most of you but until then….

For those who were riffed, I know your pain. I am only a month ahead of you. If your experience is anything like mine, over the next few days you will go through all kinds of emotions ranging from anger to shock, from fear to excitement. After you get off the rollercoaster, you will discover there are many opportunities beyond EarthLink and that leaving might in fact be the best thing for you. Personally I am excited by what I see. As a family, we are opening our eyes to a whole new world of opportunities. I will write a post outlining them more in the near future, but perhaps my recent experience can be a help to you. Anne and I have decided to put our energy into pursuing three different paths. The first and most obvious is the traditional job search. I am responding to job opportunities when they are presented, but I have not yet worked my contact list or pursued my next executive job full time. A number of good opportunities have popped up already and I am following up on them. Each one is with an impressive company and is the type of career opportunity I would expect after EarthLink. In parallel efforts Anne and I are putting a plan in place to take our travels and our stories to a wider audience. I don’t have much to say about this yet, but thanks to the enthusiastic response we had from this blog and from Oprah viewers, we think there might be something there. The third area is also still coming together. After our trip we have a desire to do more to help those who have less than we do. I have a personal belief that the best way to help the most people is through businesses that create opportunity or improved lifestyles for those at the bottom of the pyramid…again another post. I have found a number of like-minded individuals who invest in for-profit businesses with high social impact and will be aiding them in some of their projects. For me, these are all exciting paths, I am sure there are similar paths or interests for you to pursue. The bottom line to those who just had the mat pulled out from under them is hold your head up. EarthLink was a great company to work for. It is also is a great company to have worked for. There are many opportunities out there. And while I don’t know all 900 of you, I probably know half of you, and there will be things in the future for all of you. Your skills and experience are greatly needed. I am excited to hear about the paths you forge over the next few months. Don’t hesitate to let me know where you land.

For those who are still at EarthLink, I wish you my best. I guess it will take a while for things to settle down, but when they do, I am sure you can make the next phase of EarthLink as unique as those that came before. I was a fan of EarthLink years before I joined the company, I “bled orange” there for 8 years, and I still am rooting for you. I agree with the cuts. As painful as this is, it had to happen. EarthLink has some strong cash-generating businesses which will now receive more focus. As a customer, shareholder, and friend, I look forward to your future success and the increased cash flow in 2008 and beyond.

To our non EarthLink readers, consider this my last EarthLink post. Thanks for indulging me as this is part of our journey.

Technorati Tags: Earthlink, Life options, job search, post trip

I first started writing this post on September 30th of last year when we were in Australia. At the time I was amazed at how well the kids were responding to life without stuff. There was no question they missed their normal amusements–Gameboys, Playstation, Xbox, trading cards, plastic soldiers, legos, stuffed animals, puzzles, board games–but as soon as they were without their usual amusements, their creative powers kicked into gear. In 11 months of travel, they were never at a loss for games to play or things to do. Never did anyone utter the devil’s mantra: “I’m bored.” In the absence of brightly packaged, electronically engineered, mercilessly marketed gadgets, ordinary objects became treasures in the kids’ eyes. A teenager at a park in Matamata, New Zealand summed it up best when he watched McKane and the little kids hurling a 2-liter soda bottle filled with water and dish soap into the trees: “Cheap fun, eh?” The kids named this particular pursuit Soda Slammers, and it proved an inexpensive way to wile away many a free moment in the Kiwi countryside.

One day in Australia my allergies started acting up so I went on the hunt for my Allegra. I couldn’t find it amongst the medical supplies and had not a clue where my beloved antihistamine could have gone. Baffled I scoured our rental house only to find my pill bottle had become a bowling pin for Kieran and Asher. Somehow they had located a rubber ball and gathered an assortment of objects to stand in as pins on their makeshift alley.

The kids’ ingenuity increased with every continent we traveled. They continued to find new uses for plastic bottles; Asher entertained an entire restaurant staff in Vietnam for over an hour one morning by kicking one through imaginary goalposts. All things animal, vegetable and mineral took on new dimensions and became possible playthings. Pigeons–poor, hapless creatures that inhabit every corner of the globe–became the object of unwanted attention in the great mosque in Delhi and public squares in Samos, Greece and Cusco, Peru. Even fruit fell into the mix. Our veritable McGyvers of toys took the fragrant, low-hanging oranges of Colonia, Uruguay and turned them into bocce balls.

Now that we’re home, they’ve abandoned creativity and flung themselves shamelessly upon all the usual trappings. For the first week, the little two ran up and down the halls and stairways squealing with delight as they discovered long lost favorites in closets, drawers, and cupboards. Their rapture knew no bounds and for many days they were lost amidst mounds of playthings. Their grandparents went into their room periodically to make sure they came up for air, but for the most part we left them to their toy-induced frenzy. Dax had been reading a selection of short stories for his Creative Writing class, one of which was The Prodigal Son from the New Testament. The phrase that kept coming to my mind every time I passed Kieran and Asher’s room was “riotous living,” the words used to describe the fallen son’s behavior. All that seemed to be missing from their little den of joy were beer kegs and toga-clad fraternity brothers. Chairs were overturned, light fixtures were swinging, and clothing was strewn across every surface.

Now that they’ve had almost a month to adjust to life with stuff, the frenzy has died down and the floor has reappeared. What was neglected in the recesses of the closets before we left will be neglected once again and may even find its way to the local Goodwill if I have my way. We’re a far cry from our recent days of living out of backpacks, but maybe, just maybe, as the days go by, these kids will remember they don’t need “stuff” to have fun.

Technorati Tags: Family travel, Round the world, Round-the-world, RTW

Tom and I spent the weekend in Charleston and Kiawah Island, South Carolina where we joined a conference of insurance agents as their guest speakers. When we were invited to speak by our friend, Mike Jensen, he encouraged us to bring the kids and stay for the duration of the conference, a total of 6 luxurious nights in top flight accommodation. No brainer, right…travel with the kids, that’s what we do. The problem was school in Atlanta had already started and with the new attendance policies, we were sure to be incarcerated if we took the kids out for four days. (Travel is an unexcused absence and after three unexcused absences you’re in hot water with the government.)

So I arranged for friends to watch the kids, made out elaborate instruction sheets, packed lunches days in advance, and boarded a plane with Tom for Charleston. We hadn’t been there an hour when my new Verizon Razor rang. It was Dax. He had misplaced his copy of Watership Down, a 500+ novel the rest of his honors English class read over the summer and that he was supposed to read and annotate over the weekend. Great. We ran through our options, settled on one, and I hoped for the best.

We hung out with Mike until about midnight and collapsed into bed (this waking up at 6:30 stuff is tough) and hoped that we would be able to enjoy our alone time the next day. We awoke to the sound of my Razor. The school was locked. Dax couldn’t get in to find the book. We went to Plan B. I called Barnes and Noble, paid for another copy over the phone (2 days after buying the first), and once again hoped things would work out. We spent the day strolling the city with Mike and some of his colleagues and tried not to wither from the heat. Frequent visits to air conditioned restaurants proved the key to survival.

We passed on the period costume ball being thrown for the other attendees (Tom refused to wear either an Abe Lincoln or Confederate solider outfit, while I though a corset and hoop skirt sounded like fun) and spent the evening with my college roommate and her family. None of us could believe it had been 16 years since we last visited them in Charleston, and after a weepy farewell, we vowed it wouldn’t be another 16 before we met again.

On Sunday we moved on to Kiawah Island and what is perhaps the BEST hotel we’ve ever visited…and we’ve stayed in some nice ones. The Sanctuary is heaven on earth. It was built only 3 years ago but exudes the grace and charm of a Southern plantation. Thick plank, oiled walnut floors, hand-knotted Oriental rugs, grand open staircases, the deepest crown moldings I’ve ever seen, understated artwork and hand painted murals of local scenery, and a surprisingly elegant yet homey combination of chintz drapery and upholstery conspire to make The Sanctuary a visual delight. Just outside grass-covered sands and a gently lapping Atlantic await beachcombers who are encouraged to ride complimentary bikes or sip ice cold lemonade by the pool. My usual concern when we stay in a luxury property is that we’ll get nickel and dimed, on everything from internet access to bottled water. Not so at the Sanctuary. Once you’re in (which admittedly isn’t cheap), there are plenty of freebies to go around–ice water by the pool, lemonade in the foyer, wifi in the rooms, bikes on the beach. The best part, however, and something that is often lacking in similar places, was the UNPRETENTIOUS service. The staff were all gracious and eager to please regardless of how guests were dressed or how old they were. This place caters to kids–and not kids who are dumped at a babysitter spot or herded into day camps–but kids who are there to spend time with their parents. We saw dozens of couples with young children who were welcomed into the restaurants rather than being discouraged from entering with their little ones in tow. The Sunday brunch even had a separate low slung table for muchkins, complete with chicken fingers and baked ziti in silver-plated chafing dishes and Swedish fish and M&Ms in glass jars.

We tried our best to enjoy the beautiful surroundings, but we both agreed something was missing. It seems after a year of family togetherness, we’ve grown quite attached to those offspring of ours and don’t feel right traveling without them. Everywhere we went and everything we did made us think of the kids and what they might do were they present. Asher would be running up and down the hallways. Kieran would be scouring the grounds for animals, McKane would be playing with everybody else’s kids, and Dax would be trying to bodysurf what few waves emerged from the gently blowing wind. We tried to bust a pyramid in honor of our continued post-RTW travel, but we simply need 6 to get it right.

Our two-ness seemed even more unnatural when we woke early Monday morning to deliver our presentation. Armed with a mean Powerpoint, lavalier mikes, and our usual wit and charm, we told a warm and welcoming audience all about our big adventure. In retrospect, I’m sure they’ll all be motivated to travel the world with their kids after they’ve heard from the couple who traveled to join them…without their kids! Even so, one particularly interested listener approached afterward and said, “You just lived my dream.” Another said, “It’s good someone out there has the courage to do what you did.” Their comments highlight the questions currently commanding all our energy and attention (when we’re not helping with homework): Now that we’ve lived one dream, what’s our new one? And once we figure out what it is, will we have the courage to live it?

Which would you rather see? Tom going back to work as a high-powered executive and the rest of us soldiering on in our suburban lives or a more freewheeling life involving consulting, speaking, books, and of course more family travel? Would you buy the book, watch the show…or maybe even buy the Asher action figure with karate chop action?

Technorati Tags: Charleston, Family travel, Kiawah Island, Round the world, Round-the-world, RTW, South Carolina

Well, it’s over. After one year of traveling, my family and I are adjusting to life back in suburban Georgia. As I get ready to go back into school tomorrow, I can’t help but think how lucky I was to have had such an experience as this at a young age. I can’t help but look over all the exciting things I did, all the once in a lifetime experiences, and am finding myself having mixed feelings. There’s a part of me that wants to pack up the bags and head off—a part that enjoys the non-materialistic, free-roaming lifestyle of not knowing where I’m going to sleep tonight or what I’m going to eat for breakfast in the morning or if there will even be breakfast. Then there is the part of me that likes the routine schedule and the security of not being nomadic—a part that likes going to school at the same time, seeing the same people and doing the same things everyday. So I can’t yet say assuredly that I like being gone better than being home or being home better than being gone. What I do know, is that I need to brace myself for the next few weeks to come.

Technorati Tags: Family travel, Round the world, Round-the-world, RTW

Six continents, 31 countries, and never were we anywhere hotter than this. It’s 105 in the sultry South and the mosquitos here could eat their Asian and African counterparts for lunch. Unfortunately they accept us as a sorry substitute.

You haven’t heard much from us in the past week because when we’re not fainting from the heat or suffering from yardwork-induced dehydration, we’re walking around in a daze wondering where our backpacks have gone and why the sink keeps piling up with dirty dishes. Poor Tom has had nary a moment to consider his professional future since getting the kids up to speed has been far more work than I can handle on my own. The last 10 days have been a blur of completing the boys’ online coursework and finals, registering four kids for three different schools–a paperwork nightmare which includes visits to doctors and dentists–and buying all the necessary supplies…except the jumbo-sized 8 pack Crayolas, which are out of stock at every Target, Kroger, and Wal-Mart from here to the Mississippi River. Add to that the continuing mystery of where our sheets have gone, how 432 lightbulbs can go out at once in hard to reach locations throughout an oversized house, the continuing debate/paralysis over what kind of car not to get, and oh yeah, why exactly is it 105 outside, and you’ve got a recipe for a couple of stressed out return travelers.

Thankfully our load was lightened immensely by the constant presence of grandparents for the past three weeks. My mom was here for our first week home and Tom’s parents were here for the following two. They left tonight and we’re waiting for the real shock to hit tomorrow morning when there’s no one to play with the little kids, feed us when we forget there’s no cafe on the corner (only rocks and bushes there), make us laugh when we feel like crying, and remind us that the rewards of everything we did this past year will far outweigh the trauma of our current readjustment.

In the meantime we’ll continue to eke out our deer-in-the-headlights, day-to-day existence and will hopefully hit a groove once the kids go back to school on Monday. Our current report card doesn’t look too good, however:

New job No
New car No
Cell phones No
Satellite TV No
Sanity No

To be honest, even though our current reality is unsettled, it’s downright exciting. Granted, it’s also a bit scary, but if you look at things through rose-colored Raybans, the shakeup could be another important step in our family evolution. We took life by the reins a year ago and have been thrust into a position where can do so again if we put our minds to it…now if only it would cool down so we could think clearly!

As Anne has alluded, our reentry has been a little bumpier than we expected. We knew there would be shock adjusting to the average American lifestyle, replete with big houses, cars, and bulk consumerism. We even expected difficulty getting used to being separated after 11 months of round the clock togetherness. But one thing we did not expect, at least not right away, was the task of adjusting to a new employment situation. Those of you who know me are familiar with my zeal and unabashed pride at working for EarthLink. I have been with the company for the past eight and half years and considered the work I have done there as more than just a job. For years we have been the only independent ISP, the last company of significance providing an alternative to the monopolists and duopolists (the cable and phone companies). It has been a hard fight. As the underdog, we’ve always had to work harder and do more with less. Even so I’ve found the work emotionally rewarding. Regardless of a perpetually lagging stock price, I always threw myself into my work with everything I had. Unfortunately for me, the Earthlink I left is no more. In its place is a new company in the middle of a dramatic change. If you have been following us long enough, you know that the EarthLink CEO, Garry Betty, died unexpectedly in January. EarthLink hired a new CEO about five weeks ago, and he is in the process of analyzing the business and will be making major changes in the near future. I agree with his approach and support his efforts, but sadly I will not be part of them. Regardless of my past contributions, being the guy who has been on leave for a year puts me in a tenuous position when someone is aggressively looking to make cuts. In short, I didn’t even make it in the door. As soon as we got home, I received word that I needed to move on. I had always thought this was a possibility and even offered to quit when I first approached Garry about the trip, but I was completely unprepared to start looking our first day back in the country. Both Anne and I spent much of last week in shock trying to process the news.

This week I am doing much better. I am going to miss the many great people at Earthlink and the uphill challenge we faced. In the long run, however, I believe the change will be a good thing. Coming off our life-changing experience, there are a myriad of different things I would like to do and directions I would like to take both my career and my family. The trip reaffirmed many positive things about both people and business, so I have returned with a newfound optimism and hope. Much of what attracted me to EarthLink–the innovation, the customer-centeredness, and the desire to contribute to society–can be found in abundance around the world. Now that we’re home, the planet seems small but the opportunities vast. Filtering them is going to be my biggest challenge. For the short term I will spend a lot of time discovering what is out there and coaching Asher’s soccer team. Then I look forward to throwing myself into a job that is both challenging and meaningful.

If you have any ideas, send them to me. And if you are looking to hire an executive with varied experience, including dragging small children around the globe you know where to reach me.

I had planned on creating one last entry saying good bye and thank you as I headed off to work, but I guess that post will have to wait. You can look forward to many future updates as our ongoing saga continues.

And finally, it wouldn’t be a post-trip entry if I didn’t somehow leave you hanging. The same day we learned of our unemployment, we also received word that someone might be interested in helping us with future Sixintheworld travels and sharing our adventures with a bigger audience. The possibility is tantalizing, and though a long-shot, a fascinating development in our domestic lives. As always, we’ll keep you posted.