Looking back on 2017

Photo by Patrick Jones. Shepard Fairey's Damaged exhibition in LA, 6 Dec 2017.

This is my annual blog recap on the year. Like last year's post, and previous years, I write this to reflect back on things that stick out and places I traveled. Now that I have done this for five years, looking at prior posts brings back memories for me and hopefully for my kids at some point. 2017 has been a mixed year, one of many adventures and new places, great professional and personal growth. It has also been a stressful, difficult year for many, and I can only hope 2018 brings some positive change and a shift back to a more respectful, positive time.

In January I started the year in LA, followed by Istanbul. In February I returned to Istanbul and spoke at an event in Dubai. In March I went to Copenhagen, Denmark and had a wonderful birthday weekend in Amsterdam. I have posted photos from these trips (I am currently typing this on my phone, so linking will need to wait).

April was Spring Break for the kids, and we stayed at home, catching early baseball and starting off the Spring season for our little guy. May took us to Madrid and Ribera del Duero. We have great memories from that trip, driving through wine country and sampling Spanish culinary delights. June took me to Johannesburg, South Africa. On my way back I stopped in Dubai and Milan, where I was able to catch the closing of eL Seed’s art exhibition.

In July, I went to Tanzania to speak at an African Internet event. After I spent 24 hours on Mafia Island, a small, sparsely populated place a short flight from Dar es Salaam. This is one of my favorite experiences of the year, along with my birthday in Amsterdam and my November trip to the Pacific. Tanzania is a cool place, one that I hope to see again in the future.

August took me to New York, and meetings at the United Nations. I was able to go to the Met Museum and Guggenheim, and also see amazing street art in Bushwick, Brooklyn. I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan, walking by land previously owned by my ancestor Philippe du Trieux. September took me on a one day stopover in Iceland and then to Brussels. In Iceland I drove along the southern coast to Vík, saw sheep and the Icewear wool factory, and picked up Christmas presents.

November took me to Fiji and Tonga in the South Pacific vis Los Angeles. This was my first visit to the Pacific Islands. It was a relaxing couple of days before supporting a training event in Tonga. It was an eye opening trip, reinforcing the value of travel. We also closed a chapter in our personal history, selling our condo in Santa Monica at the end of November.

2017 took me to new places, some old favorites and reunions with great friends and colleagues around the world. I have some new places lined up for early 2018 and look forward to new experiences next year. We look forward to saying goodbye to 2017 and welcome 2018.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Shepard Fairey's Damaged exhibition in LA.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Shepard Fairey's Damaged exhibition in LA.

Photo by Patrick Jones. Shepard Fairey's Damaged exhibition.