April 30, 2013: My New Workday

A mid-day walk on Thames Street

Day two of my adventure was a day full of technology and a look into the future of healthcare. Did I mention that I love what I am doing? I LOVE what I'm doing. I haven't had this much fun in years. My professional growth is bubbling over and it feels great.

Many have asked me if I have started my new job. I really don't know how to answer this question. There is a perception that I packed a box from Lutz and have now set up a new desk somewhere else in Omaha. Nope. That is not my new reality. No "About Schmidt" boxes of files. No family photos carefully unpacked on a neat new desk with IT set-ups awaiting me.

No doubt I am working, but it feels more like a revolution. A grass roots effort. Building relationships. Solidifying partnerships. Doing the right things for the right reasons. A perfect match to my DNA. And I am having a ball.

Two years ago over a glass of wine at Bonefish Grille, Garrett asked me what my perfect world would be in my professional life. My answer: "I want to do something big; something that positively impacts people's lives." Garrett looked at me as though I was one too deep in the wine. "Can you be more specific?" I didn't have an answer. Then the answer found me.

Now it's all about rolling up my sleeves and hard work. Hard work doesn't include a cushy office with a corporate phone number. It includes seeking out people with a similar value set who see the solutions while carefully analyzing the problems. Thus why I am in Rhode Island. Seeking out like-minded partners with solutions that positively impact the lives of others.

More to come in the months ahead. For now, think of it as a giant research project. We will roll it out to all when the time is right. In the meantime, there is much work to do. Collaboration is key. Rhode Island has been a good trip. Travel tip of the day: Dinner at the Italian quaint eatery, Lucia's, on Thames Street...fabulous. And the company was outstanding.