Last year I heard about the LeWeb3 conference from a post by Jason Calacanis titled I wish I was in Paris at Le Web 3 (fka Les Blogs) where Calacanis mused that he'd wish he were attending LeWeb3 06 it but somehow missed the boat.
Well…. this year, next month, Jason Calacanis (who I just missed seeing again at a Blogger dinner that happened last Thursday in NYC that I should have known about had I been on Facebook more closely) said he's going to LeWeb3 next month (I guess he decided that while he missed it last year - he was not going to miss it again and is attending).
Well ….. I thought about it, and, on the spur of the moment, using my inner vision, was invited to attend LeWeb3 in Paris next month (I could speak about Virtual World Analytics were I were asked to though I'm attending as a blogger) - now I just have to figure out how to pay for the travel part - not exactly easy for me. I could use up my remaining vacation time, so that part is OK.
Recently, I was telling my friend Christine Boulet, who lives in Aix-en-Provence, that I envision myself being in France sometime soon, again - but I can not predict when - usually anything I can imagine (the Artist in me) can come to pass.
It's an ability I've had all my life, and from time to time, I'd notice how I could see myself doing something (ie: being in a certain job) and the path to it was opened up to me soon after (but I usually don't control the timing or circumstances surrounding my wishes) - all I had to do was imagine it.
But it wasn't till later in my life that I learned how to harness my imagination - before - it happened, usually involuntary.
I dreamed up my trip to France earlier this year, a dream of mine since I was a teenager, where I stood in front of Mount Saint Victoire and visited my favorite artist, Paul Cezanne's studio in Aix, touching his cap, cane, smock and coat.
I toured Cezanne's studio twice - often sensing his spirit as I roamed in the gardens surrounding his estate (see my large painting of Cezanne’s Back Yard below)
And it happened with the Web Analytics Association too; I dreamed up being a Director at the Web Analytics Association, and somehow, it happened. I dreamed a Social Network for the WAA - and now it's happening.
Gary Angel suggested the new Social Media Committee of the Web Analytics Association, that I am the Director of, define Social Media Standards - and now we are in the midst of that - with large committee made up of 46 members - perhaps the largest committee at the WAA - and it all started with ideation - with me "dreaming it up".
Last month, while meeting with Jim Sterne at the Emetrics Summit - sitting at the Hotel Bar with others on the Board of Directors of the Web Analytics Association, I told Jim I first got into Web Analytics due to him - his book on Web Analytics, written in 2001 was the means to bring out our sitting and talking last month.
In fact, six years ago, after 9/11, I was out of work in New York City, broke, and living off of FEMA money (to pay the rent) - my life was miserable, as was my family - it was touch and go. I used to make six figure income the years before as a Systems Admin, but that door closed. I didn't know what would come next and then one day I sat down at a Barnes and Noble in Chelsea, and happened to pick up Jim Sterne's book on Web Analytics.
I read the whole book in a week or so and found it interesting - and somehow, a voice in me, the Artist, said - I can do this.
And here I am, today, six years later, sitting on the Board of Directors of the WAA. How it happens - I don't exactly know - but I do know that I create my web analytics and my art using the same abilities. I'm probably the most "Right Brained" Web Analyst out there - but I do use my Left Brain as well - method, sequential thinking, discipline, limits, are needed as well - it's in finding the right balance.
Many other things happened after I first "dreamed them up
" - I dreamed up another trip to France - and now … the path to it's happening manifested through LeWeb3 Conference next month, which I wanted to attend for the last year, after I heard about it from Calacanis (now I need to dream up the money to get to Paris and pay for the hotel …..hmm…maybe it's time for bed so I can work on dreaming the means to get to Paris and stay there too). Working on it.
With that in mind - here is a recent portrait (which didn't turn out exactly as I envisioned - but perhaps, helped me get to this point) of me, back in France, in front of Mount St. Victoire.
