I spoke tonight at the Babson Entrepreneurs’ Boot Camp, which my friend Angelo Santinelli runs.

Frankly, it wasn’t ideal timing. Nearly all of my kids are down with a bad bug, and I had woken up today at 2.30 am to the sounds of many children coughing. I’m also still recovering from shingles.

But, I felt obligated to go: I believe in Babson and Angelo.

In the end, I was glad that I went. The program comprised of many entrepreneurs from ten countries, and it was a fun and engaging discussion. I got a huge charge from the interactions, and in the middle of it, I had one of those “cartoon bubble moments” where some thoughts came from my head.

So, there I am, yapping away, and in the middle of it, I was thinking concurrently about the following:

• Man, I really do love my job. No matter how long of a day I’ve had, connecting with entrepreneurs usually recharges me
• Wow, the U.S. is a great country. Others come from all over, pay good money, and travel far distances to hear and learn about the American entrepreneurial experience
• I really like open bars. No lie. Being able to break bread or have some beer with strangers is a great way to break the ice before the event. Speakers also appreciate a free drink!

So, nothing very insightful in this blog post, I reckon. But, I had a good time, and hopefully, contributed a bit to the start-up ecosystem.

Last, it’s about zero degrees in much of the country right now: I hope you’re all somewhere warm and safe.