What's the best thing you learned at the Rally this year?

[deantaylor]

Cool. Good stuff.
Yeah, over the years, I've wasted some time on picky details that don't matter ... lol.

[yammer107]

Also.....bring ear plugs for snoring roommates, a sweater for the chilled ballroom and a handkerchief for those emotional moments.

Ha Ha!! I knew that chilled ballroom was no coincidence last year - their trying to get everyone up to bed!
Who bumps up their air conditioners at 2 AM?

~ Chris

[bigbluebarry]

Best thing? From Blue Barry's talk, OPS: organize, prioritize and schedule.

Awww, thanks Stan! And I like how you dropped the "Big" from my name hehe

For me... There were so many things that I came away with this year but I think a couple that really stuck with me the most, and they are kind of intertwined, would be hearing Dean talk about relationships in the panel we were on and then from Chuck's (crs7string) class, hearing him say that the value is not in the transaction, the value is in the relationship... I learned this lesson the hard way at my 2nd Road Rally in 2009 in my one-on-one mentor session. I was VERY eager to generate a "transaction" during that brief encounter, so much so that I later learned that I lost the "relationship." It was a painful lesson but I definitely learned from it. Also, hearing I'd say hearing about just how hard that James Kocian works despite all the difficulties that life has thrown his way was one of the most inspiring moments of the entire Rally for me. Getting to hang out with him on Saturday night was just a blessing.

-Barry

[jazzstan]

Yep, I'm finding that your "OPS" works better'n mine: Overthink, Procrastinate, Stall. ha ha

[sethlit]

So many great moments. But I do want to give a quick shout out to Chuck's class. It was a highlight for me personally. Not only did I feel like I was getting the gritty street smarts of a highly informative Taxi god (okay, he did buy me a drink ) but the sense of an overall community echoed loudly in that room. We are all in this together.

Focusing on what you CAN control, and letting go of what you CAN'T simply allows you to become productive...and staying positive throughout. Thanks Chuck! And thanks Barry for the inspirational injections throughout the class. So glad I didn't miss that one.

Seth

[feaker66]

Wow, I am with Dean

Very appreciative of this feedback. Once again I learned.
It's five in the morning and it just fired me right up.

Sincerely

Paul

[deantaylor]

Thanks guys. Really appreciate it.

Stan .. love your OPS .. lol.

Relationships.. got it!!!

[Casey H]

In a session last year (I think) he tweaked us all a little bit by pointing out (correctly) that sometimes we'll spend a boatload of time deciding on whether we should pan that tambourine at 22.7 degrees left or 22.3 degrees left.

Yes... It takes a minimum of 0.5 degrees before you can hear it!! LOL!

Now that the technology is so powerful right at our computer fingertips, a lot of changes are made well... "just because we can". And then it's easy to forget that it all starts with great composition, melody, lyrics, etc. and all the endless geeking in the universe won't fix flaws there.

I hear the "Keep It Simple Stupid" theme ran through a lot of what was discussed this year.

Casey

[nick.moxsom]

Hey, Dean

For a minute when I saw this post I thought you'd been there and I missed you. You so have to get there next year – this was my second, and my personal progress was measurable. But more importantly, as Casey says, the friendships I built are truly inspiring and uplifting.

The main thing I learnt: Identify what you do well, and therefore what you don't do so well. Then find someone else to do that for you. But then you know that already...

Nick

[deantaylor]

i hear you Casey.

yep, i agree Nick. that's why I teamed with you on a few projects!! but it's good to be reminded.