What's All This Then?
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What's All This Then?
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Life 2.0
by Rich Karlgaard
Field-Tested by Greg Storey
on a plane headed to Chicago, Illinois
For weeks my head had been working on which direction to flee Los Angeles in an effort to find the stage for the next phase in our lives. Around this time, a new book by Rich Karlgaard (publisher of Forbes) was making the rounds on top ten lists. Life 2.0 is the story of successful people who found that life in-between the coasts didn't match the stereotype (big surprise). I realize that buying a book that validates my plans for moving is like a Christian buying a Bible, but it seemed like the perfect coincidence. And, for an extra $10, I could have it shipped to my door the day before our departure.
During the flight north, I read through the success stories that followed the author's journey from the east to the west, with some zig-zagging north and south in between. My trip to a singular place turned into a multi-state adventure, and I finished the book before we landed. Having read about how other people had found success and prosperity in the heartland put my mind in the perfect frame, so when we made it downtown, I knew that Chicago was a place I would want to call home.
I can't give a book all the credit. A good friend, long-time resident, and Windy City fanboy hosted our stay and played the perfect guide. Our short trip was filled with a fantastic sampling of local food, architecture, art, theatre, and a zoo. It's a toss up as to which local experience had a more memorable impact: Portillos' meat-on-meat action or the Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind performance. Whichever it was, I was sorry we were only able to stay for three days.
Not wanting to begin a habit for “self-improvement” books, I finished another book on the way home. Assassination Vacation by Sara Vowel served a good and whimsical reminder that not everyone's personal story is one to emulate.
Greg Storey is principal of Airbag Industries, LLC where he produces and manages internet-related concerns for businesses of all shapes and sizes. He is better known for publishing a notorious weblog of the same name.
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