This morning I'm in a hotel room in Seattle -- the backyard of the Beast, as it were -- Micro$oft territory.  We came here with the Sun Technology Days Tours not because Bill Gates is here, but rather because there are software developers here.  And where ever there are developers, we're there.  Preaching in Gates' home town is especially satisfying, however.  And not unexpectedly, developers here are not that different from developers all over the world.  There seems to be no particular allegiance to the Redmond giant with the developers we have been communing with over the past 24 hours -- some 750 of them -- but rather a keen interest in doing the right thing as far as software design and engineering is concerned.  Seattle is inspiring to that end.  Developers are pretty hip when it comes to Micro$oft FUD.

Yesterday AOL and Time Warner announced their merger, rocking markets worldwide and creating one hell of a buzz in this infant century.  Not even profitable until 3 or 4 years ago, AOL today enjoys a market capitalization such as to be the senior partner in this amazing merger.  The move is a validation of the internet economy and very likely a harbinger of things to come.  Imagine Yahoo! buying Disney.  Or amazon.com acquiring Sears.  In only a few short years, fledgling internet companies have achieved staggering market captitalizations based on earnings projections 5 to 10 years down the road.  This kind of speculation -- betting on the inevitability of the internet -- is what is driving these amazing changes.  And I have a feeling we ain't seen nothin' yet.

This is my first trip away from home since my marriage -- and I must admit, things are different now.  While I have always enjoyed going home, I've never missed home quite as much as I have the past two nights.   Travel is a big part of my work as an evangelist, and as such I'll be missing my bride a lot in the months to come.  I like it though -- missing her.  And I can't wait to fly home.

Today I'm speaking at a local university.  I think the thing I enjoy the most as an evangelist is the opportunity to speak to college students.  They are still idealistic and their energy is fantastic.  I always learn something when I have such opportunities.