Monthly Archives: March 2008

A favorite ccKorea photo, by ph1337 at Flickr

Just returning (actually, late for the plane) from ccKorea’s “1st International Conference.” The trip was an extraordinary rush of the happiest and saddest thoughts.
Happiest: to see how this local organization has grown. This conference was 100% locally funded and organized. There were hundreds who showed up to listen to talks about local CC artists, and talk about CC in education and in business. The key organizing of the event came from an army of CC volunteers — ranging from high schoolers to professors in local universities. And the organization has been led and inspired by key members of the Korean bar, as well as a Korean judge. Korea is the perfect example of how CC can flourish on its own internationally. And it is rare that I get so inspired that I agree to go embarrass myself at karaoke, but that’s in fact what the ccKorea team did (and no, there are no recordings).
Saddest: It finally hit me last night as Karaoke was winding down that I was in fact moving on from all this. I’ve spent much of the last 5 years flinging myself to over 40 countries to celebrate the launch of CC locally, and to other CC International events. My new work will mean I can’t do this as much. My new focus is right for me, and for CC. But not having the chance to watch this kid grow as closely as I have so far is a big and sad loss.
Thank you, ccKorea, for making this sad recognition as happy as it could be. (And thank you for sparing the world a recording of the karaoke). Continue reading →