Recovering from CES

(Photo by Rebecca Lindland)

I’m talking to a group about very recent changes in AI interactions and the moment in history.

I’m still recovering from CES back here at Moose Lodge. I was in Las Vegas for eight days, and in those days I never had enough sleep. There was always way too much to do. When I wasn’t on the show floor, I was in meetings with someone or a group somewhere, with only about three hours in the entire week of fun time when a few of us went to see some cars.

The whole week is always exhausting. I returned back to Moose Lodge to a full schedule this week, and now that it’s Friday, almost a week after my return, I’m finally getting caught up on my routine.

There is so much I want to write about, and as I sit here thinking about this post, I can write something in almost any direction. To begin with, we had over 100 percent attendance for our talk about AI, Hudson Cloud, and where we now see it going, at least for the next year. In the room were several people who had been with me the day the iPhone was finally announced after several years of work. Also in the room were early Bluetooth colleagues. More than anything, it felt great to be talking and predicting a short-term direction again. I was in my element.

When I first had this crazy idea to move away from Kirkland into this tranquil wooded environment, I was thinking that this could spell the end of my constant determination to know where it’s all going and why. I was afraid I’d fall behind and never catch up. The long, quiet days out here had the exact opposite effect, and it was that long continuity of thought, something we champion heavily at Hudson Cloud, that made the difference.

As a side observation, it made me realize just what a farce an open office environment is to non-collaborative work environments. I always knew the reason companies got behind it was because it was far cheaper to build per square foot. It’s just fine for a group project with people sitting around a big table working, but it otherwise destroys all continuity of thought for someone who is on a mental journey to solve a problem.

Between the environment here and recent changes in AI, I feel almost unstoppable. I need it to translate into company growth at Hudson Cloud, and so far, so good. The seeds are all planted. I’m still thinking about what I saw at the show and why any of it matters. I’m not sure I see CES surviving. I think they are in real trouble, and I think they earned this one. The CTA made some big mistakes, one of which was pushing out all the small members by dramatically raising membership fees. I also think hardware has become too risky. More on that topic some other time.

I’m still chewing on CES. I’m just glad to be home with my dog.