As promised...here is my home office away from home. This is the world famous Home Office sign with the new brand tag line just newly added with the amount of money we have saved families this year to date ($123,973,370,370).
The Home Office is actually quite a large complex of buildings with elaborate mazes (and that is NOT an exaggeration) of cubicles. This is the building that I work in. It's called the "Old ISD building" because it used to host all the large super computers and servers. Consequently there are virtually NO windows, which will be fantastic if a tornado ever drops by, but not ideal for keeping tabs on the time of day (we've often joked it's like being inside a casino).
This is my actual nameplate and mini-bulletin board. (Looking at this picture makes me realize I need to add decorate it with more than just the free LEI Jeans/ Taylor Swift lanyard I got at the concert this week (more about this later).
And finally...my home from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm every day this summer. Yep. It's just a standard cubicle.
I also wanted to show off the official "Wal-Mart Brand Book" we received on day 2. It is fantastic! Recently Wal-Mart has been devoting substantial time and resources to creating a distinct brand in the mind of the consumer. All signs show these efforts are paying off!
And this book is where it all begins. Pantone colors, fonts, writing styles, preferred tones, targeted segments, and much more are all inside this little treasure (unfortunately I have to give it back when I leave). All of these very minor details add up to consistency of images, voice, ideas and messages which pay off in the consumer thinking about you the way you hope they do.
One of the opportunities I'm most enjoying this summer is to watch this brand being constructed from the ground up. It's an exciting time to be part of Wal-Mart marketing. They've crafted a brand strategy, studied their customer segments and decided the right ones to focus on. In addition, the talented people who have to come to Wal-Mart to work here is incredible. Many of the top marketing people in CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) and retail have jumped here because of the unique circumstances. It's like working in a marketing start-up with the resources of the largest company in the world. Pretty dang cool. I'm really lucky to be here.
One of the best things about being here in Northwest Arkansas is all the outdoor things to do. There is never a shortage of rivers to float, trails to hike, and courses to golf. 
We also decided to take a little trip up to the famous Branson, Missouri (mecca for midwest country music fans and traveling inclined retirees. 
And wow, look here we are with The Fab Four. If you ever make it to Branson, and want something without country music and no sequins, then check these guys out. The show was really good. They play all their own instruments (the Paul even plays left handed). They actually sing (no lip syching) and sounds just like the guys. 
After such an exciting afternoon, Geneva and I took advantage of the shopping. We found some great deals and although she didn't buy this shirt...we HAD to take a picture. Geneva is famous for calling out any and all trashiness.
Judith and I with Journey!
This is the band One Republic WITH Journey.
These are our new friends Brandon and Shaylee. They saved our front row seats while we were backstage. Thanks guys!
This is Patty, our other new friend working the show. She also helped watch our awesome seats while we were gone.
And I just included this picture because I think it is really awesome!
BYU Wal-Mart interns! Go Cougs!
BYU once again! Dave, Judith, me, Geneva
Lifehouse lead singer.
Taylor herself.
(Yep! I'm a dork and I stopped at the border to take a picture. ) Checking in on Friday afternoon was a breeze and then I spent the rest of the day getting settled into my apartment. 
(The matching outfit was unintentional)
Wow! It's huge! Can you tell how amazed we are!!
Our third and final day of visits in the Bay Area began at Cisco. They also brought in some great presenters for us. Our executive-level speakers covered the spectrum: from marketing to finance to hr. Here are some of the things that I took away from the discussion. Cisco is looking for people that have leadership capability. They emphasize three areas in their hiring decisions: process, results and relationships and value people who can work in cross-functional teams. Next, anytime you are interfacing with a company (be it for a group information session or a informal networking event, make sure you have done your homework. In addition, become a well-rounded person. While your forte may be in finance, for example, you should gain perspective along the way in other areas like hr and marketing so you can understand your own business better.
Our last and final visit was to the #1 tech company right now: Google. It was everything you've heard it is: fun, casual, colorful, free food, free gym, hip, cool etc. etc. etc. We did a little walking tour of the campus, they fed us a delicious lunch and then had a Q&A session with some BYU grads and a few others. It was incredible to hear about life as a "googler" working in the "googleplex." I see now why literally EVERYONE wants to work there.
So I'm not really sure why I having written about this yet, but I figured I probably finally should. 
(Yep those are our feet soaking in the bathtub).
