For a while I've had ongoing conversations within my group of business friends about core businesses.  The conversation goes like this:  companies say they do Y but act like a company that does Z.  It's a discrepancy in perception (or public relations) and actuality (which usually isn't so public).  I was reminded of this topic this morning when I read a message from Hugh MacLeod, who said that Wal-Mart is a tech company.  Very true.

I replied to him with my two favorite examples: Amazon.com is a tech company and Fandango.com is a research company (try it... http://fandangoresearch.com).  I have more... AAA is a research company, NASCAR is a marketing platform not a sport, etc.

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This week I've been attending Microsoft's Tech-Ed 2007 conference here in Orlando at the gigantic Orange County Convention Center.  A group of us from work ascended upon Orlando on Sunday and Monday to check out new Microsoft technologies, do some recon on products we've recently brought into our "enterprise" and to get out of the office fray for a bit and communicate the with the people that design the tools we use on a daily basis.

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I'm excited and yet depressed about being at the VSLive! conference in Orlando, FL. I like going to conferences. I enjoy the experience of the hotels, the routines and the knowledge sharing. But it's also very depressing and frustrating because it revolves around Microsoft.

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So I'm back at work today after being on vacation for a week. I guess you never get used to the first day back at work. Any time I have more than a two-day weekend, I question why I'm working in Sarasota. Once I come to the conclusion that I'm here for a paycheck, you sink right into clock watching. T-minus six hours and I can go home. I'm still on West Coast time, so I'm a bit groggy today which doesn't make it any better.

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Well, it's been a long long time since I've had a proper vacation.  Sure, I've taken days off from work, visited relatives and such, but I've not taken five or more days, packed a suitcase and been somewhere with no other reason than to get away, relax and have fun in about 7-8 years.  After a very stressful four months at work, I decided as soon as my new boss started and had a few weeks to get acclimated, I was out of there.

For proper vacations, I want to go to places that don't resemble my reality.  Living in Sarasota, an international tourist destination for reasons I don't know, I just find it hard to believe that people spend their hard-earned dollars to visit such a normal place.  Sure we have fine quartz sand on Siesta Key, but you're essentially in... well, Florida (not that there's anything wrong with that).  I like to know I'm on vacation, but putting myself in a place that doesn't come close to resembling reality and Las Vegas certainly fits that bill.

So my girl and me will be boarding  a plane in less than 4 hours to spend 5 days in Vegas with no agenda other than seeing my pal from high school play with his band tomorrow night and then dinner at Emeril's restaurant and the Cirque du Soleil "Love" show based on the Beatles' music on Saturday night.  The rest of the time we'll be gambling, shopping and relaxing by the pool.