Joe McCarthy

I want to experience peace as every step and the miracle of mindfulness. I believe that passionate commmitment is contagious, and that meeting, or at least being near, Thich Nhat Hahn, would help me achieve greater peace and mindfulness.

Oriah Mountain Dreamer came to town not long ago to do a reading at East West Bookshop, but it was the day I was preparing for a colonoscopy, and, er, as anyone knows who has gone through such a procedure, it is not a day one wants to be out and about. I was disappointed at missing this opportunity to see, hear and/or meet her … and am on the lookout for subsequent opportunities.

Josh, and his robot co-op cohorts, are walking the talk of following their passions. I admire the way he and his team have pursued—and realized—their goals, and the way that this realization has benefited the rest of us!

I enjoyed meeting Josh, and the rest of the team, this spring, and was buoyed by his encouragement and support in my own entrepreneurial aspirations (and have been remiss in not taking greater advantage of the insights and experiences he has to share).

I had a great conversation with Pete recently. He and his company, WhizSpark (mantra: “fostering interaction”), have some revolutionary new mechanisms for utilizing social marketing for promoting events. I think that whenever technology can be used to enhance (and reward) people’s natural inclinations and activities, especially to benefit others, it’s a big win.

While I’ve had phone calls and email exchanges with Pete, I look forward to an opportunity to meet him F2F.

Kathy Sierra, and her co-author, Bert Bates, wrote the fantabulous book Head First Java, that was the most instrumental resource in my “getting technical” again. The book is the most useful, engaging, and entertaining [gasp!] technical book I’ve ever read, and helped me to feel more joy and empowerment in my venture.

Not long after picking up the book, I discovered Kathy’s blog, Creating Passionate Users, which immediately catapulted to my #1 favorite. Although I’ve been in media deprivation mode for a while, I still sneak peaks at her blog on occasion.

I would love to experience some of her absolutely contagious passion and enthusiasm first-hand!

I’ve read some interesting and inspiring articles about Howard Schultz recently, and just started his book, Pouring Your Heart Into It, where he talks about the importance of treating everyone with dignity and respect. In addition to his passion and values, I’m also inspired by his goal for Starbucks to become a “third place”, and his desire to share “the romance of the coffee experience.”

If you pour your heart into your work, or into any worthy enterprise, you can achieve dreams others may think impossible. That’s what makes life rewarding.