Dan Antion

Who Knew? – #1LinerWeds

From above Great River Park

Monday night, I had dinner with an old friend. More than a friend, he has been a mentor to me and a supporter as I entered an area of Information Management, I had never considered part of my responsibility. Prior to meeting Ed, I had spent my career dealing with data – input screens to collect it, algorithms to manipulate it and reports upon reports to spit it back out. Documents were, as I used to say on my technical blog, just that pile of stuff on my desk.

That changed, almost twenty years ago, when my boss assigned me the responsibility for finding better ways to organize the paper in our office. I attended a meeting of the AIIM New England Chapter, at the National Heritage Museum in Lexington, Massachusetts. At breakfast, the group seemed a little cliquey, and I was searching for a table in the back. Ed, the Chapter President, came up to me and invited me to sit at his table. He introduced me to a few people, and he asked me why I had come to the meeting. I looked at him and said:

“I have no idea. My boss made me responsible for document management, and I thought this might be a good place to start.”

It was a good place to start, and what started was a journey that would take me to conferences (both as an attendee and a speaker), Chapter leadership roles and two stints on the Board of AIIM International. Recently, I joined Ed and a couple hundred others in the AIIM Company of Fellows. It has been a privilege to serve this association, and it’s an honor to be inducted into the Fellows. My experience with AIIM has allowed me to learn a lot about information management, to meet some very bright and wonderful people, to make friendships that will last throughout my retirement years and to find a part of myself that I didn’t know existed.

Thanks Ed!

This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s fun weekly series One-Liner Wednesday. If you have a one-liner, I’d encourage you to join in on the fun. You can follow this link to participate and to see the one-liners from the other participants.

Cut branch.
Picks up your spirit walking into the building,
Our lilacs are filling out nicely.
It’s getting harder to see the sunrise from our yard.
Lilacs, Dogwood and Crab apples.
White Lilac.
Our lilacs are brightening our days
MiMi is avoiding me (so I opted for the shot from above).
Lots of new stuff to sniff.
Trying the close-up option.
This is a great color.
Spring is well underway in New England.
It’s the work of a landscaping crew at the office building, but I took the picture, so…
Looking down the parking lot.
From above Great River Park
It’s not open yet, but I don’t think it will be long.
Almost back to normal
That’s how the parking lot is supposed to look.

63 comments

  2. Colour really has burst out in your world based on all the flowers everywhere. I can almost smell the lilacs.

    It’s interesting to look back on the unlikely path that led us to the point where we are now. When we look back, it’s clear that the relationships were the most important thing we developed.

    Congrats on your fellowship and the mutually beneficial time you spent together.

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    • Thanks Joanne. Most of the time, when I look back at the people who helped me along the way, they are gone. They’ve either moved on, or retired, or… This guy has remained a presence in my life/career since we met. He nudged me in the right direction a few times, and he gathered support for me when I needed recommendations, nominations and such. He’s been a true friend and a wonderful mentor.

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  5. How nice of you to write this post in thanks to your mentor. Too often people who help us don’t get a serious Thank You.
    Looks like your rains are doing wonders with the plants!

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    • Thanks GP. He clearly saw something in me that I didn’t know was there.

      We have had rain in the evening, but we’ve had a few sunny days. I think (hope) we’ve turned the corner on those April showers.

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  6. Morning, Dan. You are ahead of us in the garden department. I’m amazed your lilacs are flowering. Already? And cheers to new experiences that lead to lifelong friends. Ya never know what life holds around the next corner. How nice of you to make sure Ed is thanked!! Have a great day …. and again I enjoyed your gallery!

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    • Thanks Amy. The lilacs are ours. The other flowers are at work. The building owner has a service. they roll in with 10 trucks and 30 people and in about 4 hours, four buildings look bright and springy. I was very happy to be able to thanks this wonderful man.

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  8. Congratulations, Dan! Well done!! What an honor for you, and a lovely tribute to your mentor. I love seeing all the flower photos – thanks for sharing those as well.

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  10. “….find a part of myself that I didn’t know existed.” Ed should be most proud for this. Such a great tribute, Dan, and an honor for you! Oh, come on, MiMi. Dad did good–how about a little smile for the camera. So glad that spring has finally arrived in your part of the country. What a beautiful spring it is–lovely photos.

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    • Thanks Lois. I think Ed is most satisfied with his effort. MiMi might get a little more civil not that the sun is out and she can bake in a window for the afternoon.

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  11. Kudos to Ed who was willing and clearly able to mentor you along the way. Kudos to you for not forgetting the helping hand(s) you had to get from there to here. Best of all, you’re lifelong friends! Here’s a 👍 on your fellowship.

    All the flowers are gorgeous. What a welcome sight. Color popping up all around here too. Yaaayyyyy!

    MiMi looks like she can’t believe you found yet another angle to photograph her from. And Maddie seems quite immersed in all the new spring scents.

    Love the tree branch. Good grief, how big must the trunk be!!

    Happy Hump Day!
    🐾Ginger 🐾

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    • Thanks Ginger. MiMi has had a couple days of sunshine on her window perches. I’m hoping that eases the edge of her disposition. Maddie sniffs EVERYTHING a billion times. We have to remind her why we brought her outside.

      Ed has been a constant source of encouragement and support for about 20 years. He’s still giving me advice!

      Enjoy the colors of spring and (hopefully) the warm sunshine!

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  15. Man, that cliquey thing is just about everywhere. After I left my long-term job, I joined ASTD (American Society for Training and Development, now the Association for Talent Development) to make some connections. The first meeting I went to was like that, but it got better.

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    • Isn’t it funny, John. The thing associations need most is new members, yet so many are stand-offish when it comes to making people feel welcome. That was one of the most important lessons I learned form Ed. Get out there and make new people glad they came.

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  17. Hi Dan – how lovely to meet someone who was humble enough to be able to be there for you … it’s rare we find leaders ‘for us’ … lucky you – and excellent you had that opportunity. The gardens do look good – while the lilac is gorgeous. Glad the week is looking up … cheers Hilary

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    • Thanks Hilary. Meeting Ed was one of the bets things that happened to me during my career. We’ve had sun three days in a row (rain one evening, but still…)

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      • Ha … we’re in a very cold wet spell … and I have to go out to a meeting – so hope it stays dry!! I think summer is coming … they tell us the jet stream is moving around … so I live in hope! Enjoy your sun …

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  18. Congratulations on receiving the fellowship, Dan. A well deserved honor. This post is also a marvelous tribute to Ed. Your sense of gratitude shines. Mentors are wonderful.
    Spring has sprung there, now if the river will just get to normal. The photos are all beautiful. The cut limb really speaks to me. It might find its way into our story.
    Hugs on the wing.

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    • Thanks Teagan. I dismissed that cut limb, walked by and then turned around to go back. There is something about that pattern. I am truly honored to join Ed and the other Fellows. They represent the best in this industry and they have given so much to the “new kids” like me (well, 20 years ago me).

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    • Thanks Ally. He was good to me 20 years ago and he’s been good to me so many times since then. Now, he’s a good friend (although he was giving me some advice on Monday – it never ends.

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  20. “More than a friend, he has been a mentor to me and a supporter as I entered an area of Information Management”

    Everyone lucky enough to be able to say that about someone, should make it a point to have someone say that about them.

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  21. You are at an enviable place! Everyone needs a friend/mentor like you have. I had one too, before I did my grad work, and I gained much wisdom as well as courage from her.
    Great you captured so many spring blooms and scenes – it makes your post inviting and friendly (especially among the females commentators:):))

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  23. That’s great! I’m glad you stumbled into AIIM and it enriched your life. (Of course, I believe it was destiny.) The value of a mentor. Oof.
    It’s hard to resist the pull to photograph the center of Emperor tulips. We’re not much different than bees that way ;)
    Our lilacs are not splendid this year. It’s not warm here. We had some warm days, but it’s not the norm yet. Running the heat tonight, Dan.

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  24. Dan…what a cool story on how you met your friend and mentor…thanks for sharing! Love the pictures…love to see the leaves back out on the trees. You guys are getting pummeled today as I write this….more coming I’m sure as we now have potential flooding for Thursday in our forecast…go figure……more rain for Southern California….and it just keeps moving east :)

    Liked by 1 person

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