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Posts in New U
Business Travel and Fatherhood

Fairly early in my career I've had the opportunity to travel and see places I might not have otherwise. I'm not talking about "Up in the Air" or Platinum levels of travel, but enough to keep things interesting. Fast forward to having a child and longer trips away from home are more challenging. Like the time I told my wife that I had to go to South America during a bitterly cold NJ Winter and foolishly tried to feign disappointment. I won't be appearing on Inside the Actor's Studio anytime soon. That trip lasted 2 weeks. The hardest part was staying connected while I was away. My son was now old enough to really notice my absence so I knew I would have to pull out all the stops.

Here are a few EZPZ tips that made the long business trip easier on my family.

1. Facetime your new temporary home

The first thing I did when I arrived at the hotel was Facetime my family. I gave them a virtual tour of the hotel lobby and my room. This way they have a sense of where I am and what it is like.

2. Skype dinner

When I didn't have a business dinner to attend, I ordered room service, turned on Skype, and had a virtual dinner with my family. I get to hear about their day and vice-versa. There is something special about sharing a meal with loved ones - even a virtual one.

3. Mr. Greenspots

This last one is a bit of a lark, but it turned out wonderfully. I took along a stuffed animal of my son's as a travel companion. I had the random thought that it would be fun to take pictures of him posed in various travel scenarios. I'd send the pictures to my wife and when we were on the phone, Mr. Greenspots would take a turn and regale my son with stories of his adventures in a far off land and answer various questions in his high-pitched voice.

This turned out to be a big hit with my son as he imagined one of his stuffed animals traveling the world. And of course, upon his return he could tell all the other stuffed animals about it. After a while it seemed my son was looking forward to talking to Mr. Greenspots almost as much, dare I say more, than talking to his father. A victim of my own success, I guess. It was a small price to pay for hearing the excitement in my son's voice and making my absence a little less stressful for him.

Next post next Saturday, 6:30 a.m.
New UJoseph KwonTravel, Family
Protect Ya Neck

I love my smartphone just as much as the next person, but I guess there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. The amount of time we spend with our heads bent forward places a lot of stress on our neck, back and shoulders.

See this surprising illustration and EZPZ tips for staying healthy.

Remember, protect ya neck!

Next post next Saturday, 6:30 a.m.

 

A Solitary Lunch

When the spirit moves me and the scheduling stars align, I like to grab lunch with a colleague. It's a great way to break up the day and stay connected. On the other hand, sometimes it's nice to have a bit of solitude during lunch. However, these days solitude means something very different. Instead of just eating or browsing a book or magazine, I'll typically spend most of my meal on my smart phone, messaging, reading articles or on social media. 

One day I didn't have any lunch plans so I ventured out to enjoy a "Table for 1." For no reason at all I wondered what it would be like to just sit and eat without any electronic distractions. The thought felt so awkward and wrong, I knew I had to try it. So despite my synapses firing in full rebellion, I turned off my phone, stuck it in my pocket and didn't turn it on until I left the restaurant.

This is what happened...

I told myself, okay, I can do this. My confidence lasted about 30 seconds.

A feeling from my childhood suddenly arose. You know the one - when you are standing in front of an audience and for some reason, your hands feel so clumsy and conspicuous. They go in your pockets, then out, then hooking your thumbs in your pockets. None of it feels natural. Scanning the restaurant for someone to interact with, I realized that would be a cop-out. So instead I sit at the table and force myself to breathe naturally and eventually begin to relax. There is a machine that prints out the orders for the kitchen. I never noticed it or gave the sound much thought before, but today it sounds like a symphony of cicadas.  

As I look around I start to notice random things about the restaurant. Which chairs are crooked and which are not. Ditto for the place settings. I have a good view of the door and was pleasantly surprised that 90% of the clientele were Japanese (I was at a Japanese restaurant).

Without anything to read or anyone to talk to I take my time. I slowly chewed and tasted the food instead of inhaling it like a boa constrictor. And it was pretty tasty. At this point, the awkward hands feeling was gone.

By the time the check came, I realized I really enjoyed the experience. As I got in the car to drive back to the office, I wondered at how much I was missing at other times with my head in the screen. The irony of blogging about this does not escape me, but even that little bit of time unplugged made me feel so much more human and connected, all while having lunch by myself. 

"Now this is living!"

Next post next Saturday, 6:30 a.m.
New UJoseph KwonLunch