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Hi there – Martha Zink ( @mz123) here! I wanted to update everyone on what’s going on with the Suitcase Protocol. First, let me start with a little background...
...We were looking for a next thing. We want so badly to see people at our unconference: commiserating, learning, laughing. That’s just not the reality we’re in right now. So we came up with this pass-the-torch idea. Let’s get a suitcase traveling through our #FileMaker community
Why would we do this? Because we miss our friends. And we miss people. And we still want to be safe. But we’re a really awesome group of people. Can we build something with a little excitement? A little love? A little anticipation? A little something to look forward to?
No matter your lifestyle right now, something is missing. For us, we talked about Zoom & virtual fatigue. Everything is online. Mostly by ourselves. And with little to plan for. Limited or gone are the days of looking forward to a trip away. Even weekend planning isn’t the same.
So! We bought a suitcase. I mean a really cool vintage-sexy kind of suitcase. It has a monogram, a few imperfections, a lot of charm. We packed it up with a few things (a map, a journal, a tripod). Let’s pass it around and see what happens, we thought. So that’s what we did.
I (still Martha here) met with Lisette and it was heavenly. I had something to look forward to. I had PLANS. Like, “I need you to watch the kids, James, because I’m leaving the house BY MYSELF TO MEET SOMEONE” kind of real plans. It’s been a long time.
We met, we chatted, we did silly things (we dressed up as spies and made a whole video). And when we weren’t together, I was driving an hour and a half each way enjoying the road and the music. My volume, my speed (it wasn’t that fast, don’t worry), my rules.
And then, as I let go of it, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. I mean I sort of did. We had a short plan for the suitcase to move through a few people but then what?
The “then what” that happened is where the magic really is. People did the thing and with grace and a smile. Everyone has commented on getting to meet someone new or reconnect with someone in person. IN PERSON. And when these moments are rare, they feel that much more special.
And as people get the suitcase, they document it on the blog and we show it on the Travel log. And it’s so cool to just stare at this path being created by this traveling suitcase. Building stories as it goes.
In Slack, we have a "Behind The Scenes" channel that is absolutely my favorite. As the suitcase travels, before a blog post becomes real, people will post some little teaser of what’s happening.
When I see a notification about it, my heart skips a beat. I basically drop everything to go see what was posted. Sorry, kids. Mom’s busy.
When you join, the site has a map of everyone’s location. We wanted a visual way to facilitate hand-offs. Just that map brings me happiness. A nice, visual representation of where we all are. All of us with a common thread of a love of technology, problem-solving, a community.
This thing has traveled by car and plane. PLANE. It has been photographed in all kinds of places, and has crossed many state lines already.
Most recently, Mark Richman from Skeleton Key took the suitcase to The Last Resort in St. Louis (Queue my emotions). That’s where PauseOnError: St. Louis was supposed to be.
It was heartbreaking to have to postpone it because I wanted it to happen so badly. It’s not just the planning and time and effort. It’s the feel of Pause that is so special. I wanted it. And it was taken away.
Okay so back to Mark: He took pictures throughout the whole place. Commented on our breakfast in St. Louis weeks before stay-at-home orders and the excitement of having Pause there. And it brought this whole thing full circle for me.
We don’t know what’s going to happen with this suitcase. But it has stickers on it, it has stuff in it, and people are doing it because right now, we need a little change and fun.
Check out the travel log here: https://www.suitcaseprotocol.com/travel-log . Yes it’s a crazy, off the wall thing. It’s also super cool. I’m impressed by this community every day. We hope you join us. The more the merrier and my heart can’t wait to skip a beat at your Behind the Scenes Slack post.
