Good Morning ControlTrends Community,“The show must go on.”
This expression was first used by a circus ringmaster in the late 1800s. It caught on. Circuses would say this when there was a problem, such as an animal getting loose, or a key performer getting sick. It took courage and effort to keep people calm, reassured, and moving forward.
In the 1900s, the phrase spread through all of show business. As a catchphrase, “The show must go on” means no excuses and to keep going no matter what the challenges. It is a rallying cry for resolve and leadership.
And now it is the mantra for event leaders in our industry, like Jim Young, Scott Cochrane and the team at AHR.
Next week the 2022 AHR Show opens. Because of Covid and travel constraints, many of the usual attendees will not be there. With global concerns about COVID, making people feel calm and reassured is pretty much impossible. So….
Big props to AHR for having the courage to go ahead with the show. Faced with uncertainty, and faced with enormous financial risk, we have great respect and esteem for the attendees and the vendors who push past fear, and push forward with the mindset, “the show must go on”.
ControlTrends has taken pride in attending the major industry events and bringing the knowledge and excitement of the shows back to our community through video interviews. If you could not make a show, we wanted to be the next best thing.
We missed AHR last year, and IBcon and Controls Con this year. Enough is enough!
Covid be dammed, I am coming to Vegas
This is a last-minute decision. A spontaneous choice, a feeling that I need to be at AHR, a wanting to get out and get back to normal. Remembering that in years past, Ken and I, stressed and happy , making last-minute preparations for the ControlTrends Awards, felt on point and purposeful. I miss the ControlTrends Awards; I miss our people, miss the energy, the vibe, feeling exhausted from carrying tripods, cameras, microphones and filming all day.
I miss doing interviews, taping Ken Sinclair’s breakout sessions, and staying up late editing the day’s footage so that when the ControlTrends Community woke up, they saw the video footage of yesterday’s action.
Most of all, I miss hanging out with the amazing people I know, like and respect, and the excitement of making new connections and learning new things.
As you read this, I am driving across this great country of ours to Las Vegas. As a photographer, I have wanted to do a road trip taking pictures and taking my time in a kind of modern day Jack Kerouac “On the Road” sort of way, but riding solo. I have always loved long drives. It gives me time to slow down and think, so I will leave you with a….
ControlTrends Tip: Always have a plan, and remember, everything is a game time decision.. As Napoleon Bonaparte said, “Most plans are useless, but planning is invaluable.”
Good things,
Eric
4 Responses
We all owe you a debt of gratitude buddy. Thank you for all you do and all you have done and while I am at it, all you will do in the future.
Love from Baltimore,
Pat
Well said Mr. Stromquist!
Thanks my good friend!!
Thanks Eric