Back

What a year it has been – so far. My last post ten months ago found me newly and happily married but somewhat cryptically too busy to blog. The reason behind that was I was starting a company on the side and realized early on that juggling a day job with a start-up left little in the margin. And so for nine months I labored 7 days a week and bit by bit designed and refined what was to become Pronto Marketing. At the end of September that chapter called Microsoft came to an end and a new chapter began.

Meanwhile life does go on. In May we bought a house in Bangkok. It's a bit of a fixer-upper but in an neighborhood we've lived in for about two years now – a quiet little corner in the middle of the city. Most of the work so far has been by Meow in the garden and putting in a koi pond. Around us a jungle grows, orchids bloom, banana trees stretch-up and countless plants thrive. Scattered between them our population ceramic figurines grows; singing children, zebras, sleeping frogs, duck families, monks, laughing pigs, happy turtles, tiny temples and elephant fountains to name a few.

Looking over my shoulder the chapter titled Microsoft came to a close a month ago (see the goodbye email below). It ended in a state of exhaustion and burn-out that wasn't what I'd have wished for or that it deserved. But that's how it was. Within days I was in Seattle where I visited the HQ campus and I walked under the trees turning from green to yellow in that time where the days grow short and gray; I remembered my footsteps across these damp paths so many times before and the flood of happy memories came back. Some time ago they melted but the sweet cold flavors linger on my tongue, eyes closed I smack my lips and savor… Thankful for what it was, ready to move on.

Back there in the US linger many of the best things – the family and friendships, the sun-kissed golden hills of California scattered with vineyards, bays and oaks; up in the evergreen northwest drizzle gray with surprises of sunshine. The best parts, the best people, the best children are close to my heart and stay that way always. No longer do I worry about losing them – good things last. And I'll be back often.

Back here in Bangkok it's a good life indeed! It's a delight to wake-up every day to the warm tropics and vibrant life, go to work to a job I love and have this fun and fulfilling life. There is so much to write about and share – it was good to be back in the US, good to be back in Bangkok and oh it's good to be back blogging!

Much, much more to come…

Comments

Beautiful house and koi pond, Derek! Good to see your business taking off.

[Chinarut]

hey - thanks for the mass email - it made a difference - the ole fashioned way :)

in any case - congrats on your transition - taking time off the scribe to focus on new directions in your life is great indeed.

thanks for the positive inspiration - it sounds like you're making it work and all the best!

[Andrew Hicks]

Welcome back to the blogosphere!

And best of luck with the business. I hope you start making loads of money pronto, and may you be blessed with many more figurines.

As to your account of leaving Microsoft, I'd have wept a little longer if that company were capable of making useable products that non-nerds are capable of using without a month's intensive training and that don't cause my laptop to crash every five minutes.

Nothing personal!

I'm not carping, honest!

Andrew Hicks

[Derek Brown]

Hi Andrew - thanks for the good wishes. I'm still in detox for Microsoft Kool-Aid addiction so it's a little hard to be rational. My first reaction was you must be doing something wrong however as the fog lifts I begin to perhaps see things clearer... My laptop only hangs up a few times a day so maybe the force is still with me.

I am sure more figurines are in my future. There are apparent acts of procreation going on while I sleep, the details of which I wish to remain ignorant, but the results are plain to see – and count. Some photojournalism is coming on this topic.

Thanks to K.Chinarut for the comment as well.

Derek

[Ron]

Hey Derek, are you ready to do a seminar on Bkk entrepreneurship? I could use some pointers. My patience is wearing thin after only the first of twice a month visits to Poi Pet..(my ship taking on water quickly..)

Slides, slides, slides. There's one missing! (Uncle Vit's Bj and the chamelon impaled on auntie's spike heel! Slides, slides, slides! There's one missing!!!

Excellent first chapter..

[Derek Brown]

Ha - not sure if 3 months of the job of Bangkok entrepreneur qualifies me to teach seminars :-) But learning every day.

Hang in there!