Instead of starting my work day at my laptop yesterday, I attended the CEO Breakfast at St. Anselm College, my alma mater.  Like most business functions, we had time to mingle before heading to the breakfast.  I used this time to meet a handful of people, all with different careers and interests.  I learned about new architectural projects, city planning, graduation requirements, and more.  In this mere half hour I gained a library of facts that were quite interesting.

From there I headed to breakfast and specifically chose a table with a new group of people.  With more time to converse, why not meet more people and continue gaining knowledge?  After speaking with my dining partners, the morning’s program began.  The keynote speaker was Robert Brown, President of the Money Market Group at Fidelity Investments.  While we finished our breakfast, he discussed the current state of the economy in the US and abroad.

I have to confess; while I understand the economy and finances, neither is a favorite topic of mine.  However, sitting in the dining hall, I felt inspired to absorb as much information as possible.  Sure, it would have been easy to work on my BlackBerry or nod appropriately while not listening, but what a waste of time those choices would be.  Instead, I listened intently and again learned a few new facts.

Driving from breakfast to the office, I was glad that I made the most of this breakfast.  Not only did it serve as a fabulous way to network with local businesspeople, it also provided the opportunity to expand my mind.  If you are seeking a way to expand your mind, listen attentively when speaking with others, choose a talk radio station in your car, or find an article at WMG.  Here are three recently published options:

• Have you been to a ryokan? If not, you should learn about this interesting type of lodging.
• How can you maximize your garden when you only have a 4’x4′ plot?
• Did you know that dogs, like humans, have different blood types?