Track Pete

(Pic) As I leave Blackboard for the final time, a little reminder is left behind to match the chalkboard art I created which they walk by every day.

As I get closer to the end I have been slowly clarifying and fleshing out my plans. With some great advice from a friend ("less countries, more smiles" - thanks Rob) I have simplified a bit.  For now this is what it looks like: Jan 13 - Feb 5: Road trip around the US including a ski trips with friends in Utah from Jan 26-31. Feb 14 - 21: Cambodia, Siem Reap area to explore the Angkor Wat Feb 22 - Mar 22: Phuket Thailand training Muay Thai Mar 23 - Apr 15: Rickshaw Run through India. Whether I fly back to the States from there or visit Nepal etc. is still to be decided. Amsterdam for Queen's Day is also still on the list. Buying tickets shortly!

As some of my friends know, shortly before leaving to South America for the 2009 Mototaxi Junket I gave notice at Blackboard where I have worked for the last 4+ years .  On negotiation with my management we decided on a final day of December 31, 2009, which is now rapidly approaching. The first question people ask on hearing this is inevitably " Where are you going? " implying that I'm leaving because I have a better position lined up - in fact, I do not.  I decided to quit my corporate job in the middle of a recession to focus on improving myself outside the workplace as well as to position myself towards new opportunities that simply aren't available within a company like Blackboard (I've been carefully planning for this financially for years). I'm approaching my upcoming freedom with great joy and figured I would share some of plans, since so many of my friends keep asking what I will be up to.  The nutshell is simple - six months of personal improvemen