It appears I am one of the only – if not the only – member of the GT family who has not yet weighed in with an anniversary blog. Rest assured my procrastination is not due to an inability to come up with something to write. The fact is I have too much to write — and I’m a bit worried that once I begin, I may stray off on a ’round-about stroll down memory lane. So bear with me and give a holler if it appears I’ve gone off in some tangential direction. What does Global Traveler mean to me? I’ve just spent a few minutes perusing my associates’ anniversary blogs. I don’t know about you, but I’m struck by how many times they use the term “family” to describe the Global Traveler team. You see, we are a family. And together as a family, we’ve endured bumps and bruises, we’ve bickered and made up, we’ve reveled in one another’s successes and consoled each other following disappointments. And just like any other family, we’ve grown stronger because of our bond. Maybe that comes with the territory of being founding members of a start-up publication. When Fran and I were planning the first issue, we had a heart-to-heart talk about work styles and expectations. This was new ground for both of us. Fran had spent 16 years at the helm of a brick-and-mortar publication. I had spent 15 years as a freelance writer. Fran was used to being the boss and I wasn’t the kind of person who could have a boss. Fran knew little about telecommuting (although he quickly learned to boast about our “virtual” status), and I couldn’t imagine commuting to a cubicle when I could do the same — or better — job from my home office. We talked about creating a supportive environment in which everyone would feel comfortable promoting ideas and suggesting ways to grow the magazine. And we grew. We added staff, welcoming new members into the GT family. At a meeting during our recent GT Tested Awards gathering in Los Angeles, I glanced around the table to count a dozen members of our family. (And that’s not including the three who kept the home fires burning while we were on the road — all of whom will be at our upcoming anniversary bash.) I was pleased to realize that — whether we’ve been with Global Traveler for five years or five months — we’re all founding members. We all have a stake in the success of this magazine and we all take pride in our success and accomplishments. -Lisa Matte, editor in chief