Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Washington D.C. leaves lasting impression.

After a long day of touring DC, and a fairly long day of travel, we're back in the great white north (Canada eh?).
I wasn't able to post a new blog until tonight, but I'd like to comment on the impression that your nation's capitol has left on Sandy and I. Washington D.C. wasn't a place that was on our "places to visit in the near future" list, but the Yanik Silver Internet Marketing conference is held there, and Sandy and I wanted to attend, so why not spend an extra day to check out the sights. Let's just say that we will be back someday, and we'll plan on spending at least a week. We were awe-struck, with the historical significance of the statues and monuments, and with the physical size of it all. You see these landmarks on television, or in the movies (Forrest....is that you Forrest?) but nothing can do justice to the magnitude of these icons of American history.
My friends to the south, you have so much to be proud of. What you, and the rest of the free world stand for, is all there, etched in the walls of these magnificant structures, with the great men who authored our way of life, standing proud to see that we continue on with the dream. I couldn't help but think about that terrible day (September 11), and the anger that it stirs up inside me, and I feel so grateful to the thousands of all of our men and women that have died, and continue to give their lives for all of us in the free world. Thank God that some people still believe that what we have is worth defending. I am one of those people.
Thank-you U.S.A., and from a proud Canadian let's all remember these words. United we Stand!

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Sunshine and Springtime in D.C.

What a great day to be in Washington! Sunshine, slight breeze, but about 65F and rising.
I went for a jog this morning, and as planned, made my way to the Pentagon (partially by luck and instinct as I had no map). As I weaved and bobbed my way north and east from the Hotel, starting up Crystal Drive, I eventually found a road that went under a freeway that had a police car in the process of pulling over a motorist. This was the Pentagon Police Deptartnent, so I knew I must be close. On the other side of the underpass, there it was...the Pentagon. As I approached the parking lot I noticed another police cruiser had emerged from somewhere, and was slowly making it's way toward the underpass, and the location of the other cruiser with the car that was pulled over for a check. I jogged around a short distance, then made my way back the way I had come in, and past the police cruiser, which was now joined by the second police car. It couldn't have been too serious, as the motorist was pulling away by the time I jogged by. As I exited the underpass, it was then that I saw the sign I had ran by on the way in that read: "Entering the Pentagon. All persons may be subject to search". I was thankful that I had escaped without the full search, as all I was wearing was shorts, t-shirt, and my water bottle pack. I had only my hotel key card, $8 cash, and no rubber gloves!
I got back safely to the hotel zone, and as any good jogger would do, stopped at a 7-Eleven to pick up a 6-pack of Budweiser so throughout the rest of the day I can replenish my lost calories. Now back to work. Sandy will be attending sessions until 3:30PM, and then we will plan the remainder of our trip.
Tomorrow we take a tour with Old Town Trolley Tours so I'll report back after that.
Until tomorrow,
Terry Peterman
The Internet Electrician

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Thoughts from Washington D.C.

Well here we are (Sandy and I) in Washington D.C., for Yanik Silver's Underground Online Marketing Seminar. More accurately, we're at the Hyatt Hotel in Crystal City, Virginia, which is south of the Pentagon, and across the Potomac, south and east of the White house, and the rest of the attractions in your Nation's Capitol. Sandy is attending all the sessions of the seminar, and I'm holed up in my room adding some more useful content to our website, www.electrical-online.com.
Shamefully, I see that it has been since November of 2006 since my last blog entry, and this pathetic frequency is something that we are going to change starting right now. Sandy is enjoying the sessions, and is getting a lot of valuable information from them. Our goal this weekend is to get away from the routine at home so Sandy can learn new ideas at the seminar that we can apply to our site, and for me to get some uninterrupted time away from the contracting business to work on the website. At lunch break, and in the evening, Sandy shares what she's learned from the day's events. I must admit that I'm a little torn between getting out and touring all that there is to see here, and staying in the room to create content, but we are dedicating Monday as "Tacky Tourist Day" and will get out and see the sites. I'll be adding daily entries to the blog until Monday night, and then we'll set a more manageable blog entry schedule after that, but I promise that the days of quarterly entries are behind us now.
Until tomorrow,
Terry Peterman
The Internet Electrician