The day breaks reflectively in Beantown

Boston, April 7, 2006, 6:07 a.m.
View from my hotel room.

I got home from Boston late last night. My first flight was delayed, which caused me to miss my connecting flight to London - though I did get to wave at the Dash-8 as it took off and banked over the shuttle bus that was taking me to the terminal.

The delay gave me time to sit quietly at the gate as I awaited the next flight home. I thought about what I was bringing back with me, and what I learned while I was away. I think I figured it out:

Although business travel can wear on the body and mind, I try to make the most of the experience by focusing on the fact that I'm in a cool, new place that allows me to tell cool, new stories upon my return.

My philosophy is simple: if you don't take the time to get out of a conference room and explore a bit, you've missed a great opportunity to learn and to broaden your perspectives a little. You've missed the chance to get yourself lost in a neighborhood that looks completely different than any you're used to. You've missed the chance to bring back visions and images that may inspire your friends and family back home.

I took two great walkabouts while I was in Boston this week. I captured well over 350 pictures (advice to all: carry big memory cards and lots of replacable NiMH batteries) and am starting to upload them to the companion Flickr site - find it in the sidebar to the right, and click More of carmizvi's photos to view the photostream.)

Each image has a story associated with it. Admittedly, most are mundane. But a few are poignant, and every one serves as a window for my family, a glimpse at what I was experiencing when I couldn't be home with them. I somehow felt connected with my family as I took each picture. I tried to remember what was going through my head as I tripped the shutter so that I'd be able to talk to it when I got home. It's not just a picture; it's a story that I hope others want to hear.

They say storytelling is a dying art. I'd like to think that it's alive and well, that it's simply taking on new forms as technology and business force us to connect with each other in increasingly creative ways.

Your turn: What stories will you bring back the next time you're away from home?