ITLP Conference 2009

I just got back from Chicago where I attended the IT Leader's Program 2nd annual conference. I had a great time. I presented my leadership diary three times - mostly tongue-in-cheek presentations, recalling our various leadership concepts and gently poking fun at them. The third day was spent poking fun at the previous speakers sessions. However, the previous speakers were mostl very good, especially Professor Ronald Burt on Social Networks and how they create advantage and value; Professor Harry Davis on leadership as performance art (I know what you're thinking and you're wrong); and Clarke Stroud Vice President and Dean of Students from the University of Okalahoma on the role that students play in advancing technology. Clarke Stroud was almost (but not quite) as funny as I was and he also gave me tons of material for my final diary - just a lot to revisit and make fun of.

It was also good to reconnect with my ITLP colleagues from around the country. Many of us are dealing with similar issues obviously around budgets and crises caused by security issues. Many of us spent some quality time at a bowling alley in Chicago - great fun!

House update

It's been a while since I've posted to my blog; just busy I guess. We finally took possession of the house last week. Getting through closing was a really pain in the neck but it finally got done. Now we (and by we I mean Gordon) are spending a lot of time doing work to make it move in ready. Last week, he got a lot of electrical work done so now the house won't be a fire hazard. He also got some new drywall in the laundry room. And now he's focusing on doing some ceiling insulation. That'll take a couple of weeks and then we'll have it painted and have the floors repaired and refinished. In between that, we'll make the pool ready for swimming.

All of this while we pack and move and get our Hercules house ready to rent!

I am thrilled with the house, but I hadn't been there for several weeks until we got the keys last Thursday. There's been some rain in between those two times and the weeds in the very large garden are about five feet tall! That's a lower priority than the house interior, obviously, but it is a mess. We spent the night there Thursday sleeping on the floor. It was so quiet! On Friday the refrigerator and other appliances arrived.

So it's a work in progress. But it's exciting.

A new house!

So after several days of looking at homes in Sacramento, the offer we place on the first one we bid on was accepted yesterday! Woo-hoo! We have to get it inspected but assuming that it doesn't have some major strucutural issues, we'll close on the house in the beginning of May.

The house is in Fair Oaks, which is a suburb of Sacramento. It's about 15 miles from my office, so a bit of a commute, but the Fair Oaks location is great. It's only a mile from the American River and numerous trails for hiking and biking. It's also very close to Fair Oaks village, a cutesy little village with shops, restaurants etc. Because of the proximity to Fair Oaks village we're actually in walking distance to a pub! The house is on a half acre, so the yard is very big and includes a pool, two decks, and lots of trees. I honestly think there are camp sites out there! The garden does need work, but that doesn't have to be done before we move in. The house itself is very nice, four bedrooms and great living space. It sort of looks like a cabin. Also, even though it's close by stuff, the location feels pretty remote, so that adds to the cabin like feeling.

Once we close, Gordon is going to do a little internal work - mostly painting and new floors. Then we'll move in, do some cleanup on the house in Hercules and rent it. Once we're in, Gordon plans to work on the external stuff, making the garden a beautiful oasis and adding more sheds and workshops for himself.

We're really looking forward to it. It's a great house and garden and in a fabulous location!