Plugging along one encounter and experience at a time.

Photo credit Matthew Paulsen

Thanks to the warm hospitality by the Helena, MT airport staff-member whom I encountered in the elevator, I was able to secure a Sunshine Taxi operator who safely and efficiently took me to where I am staying and will take me back to the airport at the end of my stay. With a population of 35,000+, Helena isn't large enough to support a robust Uber/Lyft network that I have come to take for granted back home.

I feel a little lucky to be alive. A couple of days into my trip, I was driving down the street near where I am staying and there was neither a stop light, nor a stop sign so I proceeded. As I entered the intersection, I observed that the cross street did not have stop signs either. What?? I made an inquiry of a local resident who informed me that they are called uncontrolled intersections. Maybe this is what people mean by the wild wild West!

I have had two terrific meals since my arrival. My first dinner out was at The Union in downtown Helena. The Union provides a delicious high-quality meal in a casual atmosphere. They also have a butcher shop if you prefer to pick up some steaks, sausage or ground meat to grill at home. Wednesday's lunch was at a sister entity to The Union, Old Salt Outpost,  a casual burger joint that shares space with a local bar, The Gold Bar. Both dining establishments are part of the Old Salt ranch co-op made up of vertically integrated entities that promote land stewardship and encourage Montana residents to buy their meat from the land they know, Montana ranches. 

I love being exposed to new ideas, new experiences and new people. It makes the trip not only engaging and fun, but also productive as I heavily rely on networking to get my job done. Every encounter is an opportunity to make human connections that make my days enjoyable, but also support my efforts to accomplish what I need to in order to succeed in my professional role as an assistant and estate manager.

This blog post is part of a series documenting my trip to Montana where I am performing non-traditional executive and personal assistant services with creativity, humor and through strategic relationship-building.  Please contact me to discuss how I can help you expand your bandwidth with fractional lifestyle management.