Tony Brewer

It amazes me how many people I have met at nice hotels around the world. Often times when I make it into a new city focused on the seminars and training, I do not even think about the things I am going to learn just from meeting and talking to people from other parts of the world.

When I venture down to the hotel bar, and even just waiting for a cab I tend to learn all kinds of interesting things about the world when striking up conversations with strangers. I have had many good times sharing experiences with people met at hotels from around the globe. It makes me want to have a hotel weekend at home with friends, so we could all forget about the mundane issues at home and just talk and share.

Why can’t we schedule some of the conventions at the smaller beaches? It seems that ever time I have the opportunity to attend a convention at one of the beaches it is always Miami - maybe Fort Lauderdale on occasion, but why not some of the smaller beach resort towns?

I would love to travel to cocoa beach, palm beach, even the Florida Keys, but all the conventions end up at the bigger cities. I wonder if it just easier to book events at these locations, or if there is some kind of discount or financial incentive, or do the organizers just assume that we all want the glitz and glam of the larger venues and associates hotels and nightlife? I’d like to know, and cast my vote for some smaller more intimate beach destinations for next years beach travels.

I’ve been there so many times, but going to Vegas has some kind of magic to it. Perhaps it’s the neon lights everywhere, or the moving sidewalks at the airport. I’m sure for many people it’s the gambling and clubs, but for me it’s more than that.

I love the fact that there is this huge mega city right in the middle of the desert, it amazes and saddens me in some ways that there is so much energy and water spent to make this mecca shine. People are paying for it all one way or another, I do wonder how they will keep this town going strong with the local real estate market taking such a tough hit though.

Sure people will fly in from around the world and spend millions hoping to win millions, but if the local people can’t afford their mortgages, there won’t be anyone there to deal the cards and clean up the buffets. I am sure the casinos are aware of this and probably putting pressure on government officials to make things easier for the local, or maybe they will just step in and start buying up real estate themselves.

It certainly would be a sad state of affairs if the only housing people can afford is corporate sponsored, but the way things have been in the news lately, it may be the only way to keep enough workers there.

I am on my way back to FLA tomorrow. Mom and dad are looking at some condos in the Palm Beach Florida area. They have been dreaming of retiring to Florida ever since I can remember. Dad has been saving for retirement and moving money into IRAs for some time. They are looking to sell their place in Virginia and move the equity from that house into a condo.

They should do well with this purchase, from checking on the internet it seems that they will have enough money to do the upgrades and buy all new furniture. Dad is considering selling the truck and buying a golf cart; he wants a condo that has a golf course next door.

Can’t wait to see which place they choose to move to!

I’ve made it back, I’m glad to be home, although I miss the hotel, I am not a huge fan of Pittsburgh. The hotel was great, I love having fresh towels delivered everyday. We had a layover in Atlanta, which is a great city to spend a few days in, but spending hours in the airport is not my favorite. It was a beautiful view of the Georgia real estate flying in though.

I had to wonder how much the property is in the area, it’s truly beautiful from the sky, I can’t imagine the house payments are all that much compared to cities like San Fransisco.