Got back to the office in Seattle yesterday after nearly a week in Chicago with the new 2022 IREM Board of Directors, the folks from IREM HQ and the IREM Leadership Team. Chicago was beautiful … and cold baby!! (just sayin’ …)

By any standards, we covered a lot of ground this last week, averaging about 15 hours per day. I arrived home from Chicago at 9:30 pm on Monday night, and my first meeting (poached eggs with George) began at 7:00 a.m.; I got home last night (Tuesday night) at 9:15.

Here’s the thing … it’s 4:47 a.m. on Wednesday as I write this, and I couldn’t feel more energized! I got to spend an amazing week in Chicago with incredible people that added to my emotional bank account.

I got back to my peeps at Blanton Turner yesterday; just hanging out at the BT bar and catching up with folks was like a triple espresso for me … y’all ROCK!

(Note to self: Maybe I’ve been spending too much time hanging out with Chip Watts; seem to be getting more fluent in Alabaman … “y’all”??! )

I’m reminded that we can do a whole lot if we are fortunate enough to be surrounded by people we love, trust and care about. It just doesn’t get any better than that.

Barry Blanton