From the Editor

One cold January afternoon, I was headed for Boston’s Logan Airport for an early evening flight to Houston feeling particularly upbeat — to the point that I was wondering just what it was that was putting me in such a good mood. Granted, it was at least 40 degrees warmer where I was going. But it wasn’t the destination that was pumping me up; it was the trip itself.

After two weeks of what seemed like constant meetings — scheduled and impromptu — I was looking forward to four hours of work without interruptions. I had piled enough documents into my “to do on plane” folder that I knew I’d be occupied for both legs of the trip. I was craving the opportunity to cross things off my to-do list; more than that, I was looking forward to the uncluttered thinking that flying affords. In the office — particularly if you work in a collaborative, open office environment — the challenge is often finding both the time and the mental space to focus. As we continue to cram more priorities into our already crammed lives, I find it’s not so much that I need simply to unplug and unwind. For me, the challenge is to be able to channel energy and give attention to those things in life that deserve it.

 For my money, there’s no better way to do that than on a flight. Even if there are meetings galore on the itinerary, the productivity of the trip itself always leaves me refreshed. And when the journey happens during a New England cold snap, so much the better.

Happy spring and productive travels.

Michael Buller, Editor

Contributors

Whenever we plan to run a sports story in these pages, our first call is usually to bob woods, who has owned the sports beat since 1992. He’s covered it all: football, tennis, baseball, basketball, and more. Bob has also written about business, health, music, motorcycles, technology, and personal finance, and his broad general knowledge comes in handy when speaking with someone like Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane Jr. “Besides baseball, I actually understand him when he talks about the grocery distribution business and leadership development,” Bob says. You can read his story about McLane, “Team Player,” here.

For more than 20 years, Houston-born Pam Francis has been known for her unconventional portraits. This month she shot our cover story on Drayton McLane Jr. But recently, Pam turned her attention to the animal world and formed Digital Animal Farm. So among her shots of celebrities, executives, and “real people” you will also find pigs, roosters, dogs, and yes, lions, tigers, and bears. (Oh my!) Pam’s work has appeared in such publications as People, Time, Houston Monthly, and Forbes.