Next week I have several coworkers heading out to Searcy, Arkansas for a conference. This afternoon I was looking over the shoulder of one of the conference goers as he attempted to determine where he was going, and how he should get there. As he google mapped Searcy, I began to tell him what I remembered of Searcy. It's been over 25 years since I lived there, but looking over the map, I quickly began noting landmarks that I remembered. The house on Virgil street next to the old cemetery. Riding bikes in the parking lot of the Downtown church, which really wasn't downtown. Walking down Grand street with my dad on Saturday mornings from the apartments on Race street to the campus post office. The Kroger where we used to take glass soda bottles for the ten cent refund. The two screen movie theater on the main square where I saw Star Wars.
Despite the fact that I was less than ten years old, all these memories are so vivid. It is just amazing how clear the mind can hold onto and then play back. It may not be in high definition, and sometimes the memories can be jumbled, as if the frames have been placed out of sequence, for the most part it is accurate. I may forget the honey-doos that my bride has requested ten minutes ago, but tripping down memory lane seems to come so easily. It makes me scratch my head and marvel at how incredibly amazing is the technology that we struggle to artificially recreate with RAM and CPU power.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Living for tomorrow
This past Friday morning, I greeted a co-worker who returned the salutation with a desire for it to be Friday afternoon. I quickly pointed out that if it were Friday afternoon, we'd be that much closer to Monday morning. This morning, as I reached for the pot of coffee, this same co-worker greeted me with the information that we were five days away from the weekend.
One of the biggest struggles I face is procrastination. So often I subscribe to the philosophy, "why do today that which can be put off til tomorrow." Of course this outlook has the converse ability of bitting me in the butt. I've missed deadlines at the office, because I waited to the last minute to turn my attention to a pressing matter. I've had the humbling experience of utility services being cutoff, not because of lack of funding, but because I just hadn't gotten out to pay the bill. Nothing can be more frustrating to the misses than to come home with the water turned off or the power disconnected, knowing full well that the "disconnect" was solely my own.
I've yet again renewed my focus to be action oriented. I'm carrying a task list with me, with a full intention to close out my day with all the tasks crossed off. Rather than focusing on the bigger picture of a project or initiative, I'm in the mode to ask myself what action item needs to be done next. However, inevitably I face occasions when karma is against me. This evening, I went up to the office to complete two tasks on my list today. After spending ten minutes, I realized that I'd forgotten a piece of paper needed to complete one of the task. I was able to complete the other, but as I returned to my vehicle I found a parking ticket for leaving the van in a fire lane. So I'm 1 for 2 with a fine to boot. Faced with this knowledge, I'm ready to fill out tomorrow's list fully aware that tomorrow is another day. I guess the lesson to be learned, tomorrow is another opportunity to succeed, as long as we aren't neglecting the opportunities to be had today
One of the biggest struggles I face is procrastination. So often I subscribe to the philosophy, "why do today that which can be put off til tomorrow." Of course this outlook has the converse ability of bitting me in the butt. I've missed deadlines at the office, because I waited to the last minute to turn my attention to a pressing matter. I've had the humbling experience of utility services being cutoff, not because of lack of funding, but because I just hadn't gotten out to pay the bill. Nothing can be more frustrating to the misses than to come home with the water turned off or the power disconnected, knowing full well that the "disconnect" was solely my own.
I've yet again renewed my focus to be action oriented. I'm carrying a task list with me, with a full intention to close out my day with all the tasks crossed off. Rather than focusing on the bigger picture of a project or initiative, I'm in the mode to ask myself what action item needs to be done next. However, inevitably I face occasions when karma is against me. This evening, I went up to the office to complete two tasks on my list today. After spending ten minutes, I realized that I'd forgotten a piece of paper needed to complete one of the task. I was able to complete the other, but as I returned to my vehicle I found a parking ticket for leaving the van in a fire lane. So I'm 1 for 2 with a fine to boot. Faced with this knowledge, I'm ready to fill out tomorrow's list fully aware that tomorrow is another day. I guess the lesson to be learned, tomorrow is another opportunity to succeed, as long as we aren't neglecting the opportunities to be had today
Monday, February 5, 2007
Coping with Tragedy
For many of us, we've experience the loss of a grandparent, parent, or even friend. We've mourned the loss in various ways and managed through the grief that lingers, especially if the person was close to us. As we watch the evening news, we may experience sadness in learning about tragic deaths of parents, teenagers, and even children. For my family we attempt to shield our children from these news stories, partly because we are uncertain how our children will process the information and partly because we don't want to overexpose them to the cruel and tragic nature of this world (they'll get plenty exposure soon enough).
Recently a little girl was killed in our city by a drive by shooting. The little girl was asleep in her bed in the front of the house, which received the brunt of the spraying bullets. My children's bedroom faces the front of our house, and it was a matter of days before this event was the topic amongst my children's classmates. My oldest came home one day worried, about being killed in her sleep. So the last couple of weeks, my bride and I have tucked our children into bed, and prayed over them.
This morning I received a call that another little girl had been killed. This time it was a stabbing, but more importantly this time the child attended the same school as my children. Suddenly the tragic events across town were closure than ever. Its very probable that my middle child had played with this latest little girl, and so my wife and I are in the midst of preparing for the eventual questions my children will have.
I enter this preparation wanting to communicate to my kids that they are safe, loved, and that they shouldn't necessarily dwell on this recent event. At the same time I know that I can not completely protect them from everything. I don't want to fuel their anxiety or fears, but I also don't want to give them a false hope of security that "nothing bad will ever happen to them." I'm also unsure what questions they will have, and what information they have already processed.
Experts tell us that the first and most important thing we parents can do is tell and show our children that we love them. When talking about the subject, we should invite kids into our arms. There is reassurance in the clutches of a parent which will help when we don't have all the answers to the bewildering number of questions the children can submit. The second thing the experts tell us, is that we need to allow our children to ask the questions. It's not simply a process of answering the questions, but more about encouraging the children to share their concerns and questions. Finally the experts tell us to answer the questions we can with age appropriate responses. For younger children that view the world in concrete terms we answer them with concrete answers, being aware that every word is being held for future reference. For older children who have a sense of more abstract concepts, we can explain things in a more abstract manner. Of course the most difficult question to answer is that of WHY. Because this is more difficult, because this isn't always apparent in the news reports, because this is often the fuel for anxiety for my own children, this is what I'm most apprehensive about tackling with my kids.
When people told me that raising kids is difficult, I pretty certain they weren't talking about the schedules, homework, or diaper changing. The difficult part is guiding them through the maze of events in their life that often don't make sense or that we've taken for granted the significant impact they hold.
Recently a little girl was killed in our city by a drive by shooting. The little girl was asleep in her bed in the front of the house, which received the brunt of the spraying bullets. My children's bedroom faces the front of our house, and it was a matter of days before this event was the topic amongst my children's classmates. My oldest came home one day worried, about being killed in her sleep. So the last couple of weeks, my bride and I have tucked our children into bed, and prayed over them.
This morning I received a call that another little girl had been killed. This time it was a stabbing, but more importantly this time the child attended the same school as my children. Suddenly the tragic events across town were closure than ever. Its very probable that my middle child had played with this latest little girl, and so my wife and I are in the midst of preparing for the eventual questions my children will have.
I enter this preparation wanting to communicate to my kids that they are safe, loved, and that they shouldn't necessarily dwell on this recent event. At the same time I know that I can not completely protect them from everything. I don't want to fuel their anxiety or fears, but I also don't want to give them a false hope of security that "nothing bad will ever happen to them." I'm also unsure what questions they will have, and what information they have already processed.
Experts tell us that the first and most important thing we parents can do is tell and show our children that we love them. When talking about the subject, we should invite kids into our arms. There is reassurance in the clutches of a parent which will help when we don't have all the answers to the bewildering number of questions the children can submit. The second thing the experts tell us, is that we need to allow our children to ask the questions. It's not simply a process of answering the questions, but more about encouraging the children to share their concerns and questions. Finally the experts tell us to answer the questions we can with age appropriate responses. For younger children that view the world in concrete terms we answer them with concrete answers, being aware that every word is being held for future reference. For older children who have a sense of more abstract concepts, we can explain things in a more abstract manner. Of course the most difficult question to answer is that of WHY. Because this is more difficult, because this isn't always apparent in the news reports, because this is often the fuel for anxiety for my own children, this is what I'm most apprehensive about tackling with my kids.
When people told me that raising kids is difficult, I pretty certain they weren't talking about the schedules, homework, or diaper changing. The difficult part is guiding them through the maze of events in their life that often don't make sense or that we've taken for granted the significant impact they hold.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Old Friends
One of my college roommates called me yesterday and indicated that he was in town. So today we sat down for a cup of coffee to catch up. It always amazes me that despite the fact that I've not seen this roommate in three or so years, we immediately fall into our typical routine. During college we'd see each other around campus and I would bellow his name, followed by a return bellow from him of mine. As I walked into my office this morning, he was sitting at my desk, and my first inclination was to bellow his name.
This roommate has been a youth minister outside of DC for ten years now. Myself, I've been in my current job for nine. We shared insights of our current tenures. We both have struggled with feeling the need to move on, we have both assessed our effectivenesses (respectively), and we both have explored the ramifications of such decisions on our families. During college we'd often sit on the porch of our house and contemplate our futures. Would their be wives, children, success, failures, happiness, or sorrow? For the last couple of years, I've lingered on the thought of returning to those days when the most pressing demand on my time was the pages of reading due the next day. Don't get me wrong. I thoroughly appreciate and enjoy the family I'm blessed with today, and the opportunities that I've been presented with. However I don't get the opportunity to sit back and reflect, project, or simply enjoy a nice cigar or bowl of tobacco in my pipe.
Without question, I enjoyed the opportunity to share experiences of raising children, being loving husbands, and developing our skills as professionals. Despite the distance that separate us, I find it curious that our similarities out weigh the differences. Maybe this is what bonded us as roommates a decade ago.
I would encourage anyone and everyone to connect with an old friend. It's refreshing to celebrate our younger years, to take note of how the years have faired for each other, and offer blessings and prayers for those years to come. Raise your cup and salute the friendships that have continued to with little maintenance.
This roommate has been a youth minister outside of DC for ten years now. Myself, I've been in my current job for nine. We shared insights of our current tenures. We both have struggled with feeling the need to move on, we have both assessed our effectivenesses (respectively), and we both have explored the ramifications of such decisions on our families. During college we'd often sit on the porch of our house and contemplate our futures. Would their be wives, children, success, failures, happiness, or sorrow? For the last couple of years, I've lingered on the thought of returning to those days when the most pressing demand on my time was the pages of reading due the next day. Don't get me wrong. I thoroughly appreciate and enjoy the family I'm blessed with today, and the opportunities that I've been presented with. However I don't get the opportunity to sit back and reflect, project, or simply enjoy a nice cigar or bowl of tobacco in my pipe.
Without question, I enjoyed the opportunity to share experiences of raising children, being loving husbands, and developing our skills as professionals. Despite the distance that separate us, I find it curious that our similarities out weigh the differences. Maybe this is what bonded us as roommates a decade ago.
I would encourage anyone and everyone to connect with an old friend. It's refreshing to celebrate our younger years, to take note of how the years have faired for each other, and offer blessings and prayers for those years to come. Raise your cup and salute the friendships that have continued to with little maintenance.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
What do you listen to?
Each morning, I awake to the clock radio detailing the latest rantings of sports related topics from the national syndicate of ESPNRadio. As I take my children to school, I often continue to listen to the sport scores, latest coaching changes, and on-air jockeys discussing their opinions about anything and everything sports related. Once at the office, I point my web browser to espnradio.com and launch a streaming radio session that lingers for most of the day as background audio. After three in the afternoon, I discontinue the espnradio.com stream and open a streaming audio feed from the Dallas ESPNradio affiliate to listen to a DFW sports radio show hosted by a Fort Worth Star-Telegram sports writer. When I leave the office at 5:30pm, my media intake is mostly local television, except for the half hour I walk. During my walking ritual, I pull out my MP3 player and listen to a business podcast I've downloaded on the topic of effective management.
As one might gather from this diary of my listening habits, I don't listen to much music any more. The reality is that I have phases or fads, when my primary media intake is music versus sports talk. Since the NFL season is drawing to a close, and I'm not the biggest basketball fan (until March Madness begins), I'll start reverting back to actual music sources. Of course since my children are now at the age of developing their own musical tastes (although I'm not convinced bubblegum pop is an actual musical genre), and my wife isn't the biggest fan of sports talk, often times car rides have musical accompaniment.
This discussion about listening habits led me to question what do people listen to. Not so much musical styling, but what devices are preferred to deliver audio content. So after a handful of Google searches, I gathered the following numbers.
I'm curious if or when will podcasts become the preferred source for information distribution in a audio format? When will music CDs stop being manufactured because most folks will download the music rather than purchase a CD? Will personal music devices ever replace the traditional AM/FM radio in vehicles?
As one might gather from this diary of my listening habits, I don't listen to much music any more. The reality is that I have phases or fads, when my primary media intake is music versus sports talk. Since the NFL season is drawing to a close, and I'm not the biggest basketball fan (until March Madness begins), I'll start reverting back to actual music sources. Of course since my children are now at the age of developing their own musical tastes (although I'm not convinced bubblegum pop is an actual musical genre), and my wife isn't the biggest fan of sports talk, often times car rides have musical accompaniment.
This discussion about listening habits led me to question what do people listen to. Not so much musical styling, but what devices are preferred to deliver audio content. So after a handful of Google searches, I gathered the following numbers.
- 97% of US Consumers own and listen to traditional AM/FM radios in their vehicles
- 25% of US Consumers own MP3 player equipment for their automobiles
- 1 in 5 Americans over the age of 12 now own a portable MP3 player
- It's estimated that in 2006 13.6 million MP3 units were purchased by Americans
- The average person who downloads music to their MP3 player listens to 12 hours a week
- Forbes Magazine projected that 9 million people would listen to a podcast in 2006
- In March 2006, satellite radio services had an estimated 15 million subscribers
- In January 2007, Steve Jobs said that iTunes sells 5 million songs a day
- In 2002, a third of Americans indicated they'd listen to radio over the Internet, but only 5% said they'd listen within the last week
- Of music stored on the average person's MP3 player, 44% is ripped from the owner's personal CD collection and 25% is from a fee-based music source like iTunes
I'm curious if or when will podcasts become the preferred source for information distribution in a audio format? When will music CDs stop being manufactured because most folks will download the music rather than purchase a CD? Will personal music devices ever replace the traditional AM/FM radio in vehicles?
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Cell Phones
In 1997 I joined an estimated 34 million Americans as a cell phone user. I don't remember the specific model but is was a Motorola analog cell phone that predated the StarTac phone that Motorola touted as the first "wearable" cell phone. The phone had the dimensions of a Windows CE PDA (another reference to an outdated technology). I used the phone occasionally, and when my contract expired I packed it away in drawer.
Today cell phones are no longer just "phones". A quick glance through a cellular provider's website details that you have choices of phones in categories such as "camera phones", "music phones", and "smartphones". Some cellular providers are also touting that users can watch videos on their cell phones. In the February 2007 edition of the magazine FastCompany, it was estimated that in 5 to 10 years cell phones that remote control home lights, garage doors, or the thermostat will be as common as camera phones. The same article speculated that in 4 to 7 years cell phones that work like MasterCard's paypass system will be as prevalent as camera phones.
Over the last year, I've uncovered the convenience of SMS messaging with my cell phone. My little sister has been texting with her phone for several years, and today this is probably the best method to touch base with her. My wife is also uncovered the world of texting. My own experience with texting is only palatable simply because I have an actual keyboard on my Treo. If I had to use the key pad, I'm certain that I would not use SMS messaging to the extent I do today.
Recently my wife decided she wanted a new cell phone and one that was pink. So I began the search for an appropriate replacement for her current phone. With all the options available, I've found that choice of color is less likely than getting one with a camera and MP3 player. The other thing is that best option is to get one in conjunction with a 2 year service plan. Other wise you're forking over $150+ for a phone. Talk about a scam. It's almost as bad as the fact that the cell phones available today will not be available in a year from now.
Today cell phones are no longer just "phones". A quick glance through a cellular provider's website details that you have choices of phones in categories such as "camera phones", "music phones", and "smartphones". Some cellular providers are also touting that users can watch videos on their cell phones. In the February 2007 edition of the magazine FastCompany, it was estimated that in 5 to 10 years cell phones that remote control home lights, garage doors, or the thermostat will be as common as camera phones. The same article speculated that in 4 to 7 years cell phones that work like MasterCard's paypass system will be as prevalent as camera phones.
Over the last year, I've uncovered the convenience of SMS messaging with my cell phone. My little sister has been texting with her phone for several years, and today this is probably the best method to touch base with her. My wife is also uncovered the world of texting. My own experience with texting is only palatable simply because I have an actual keyboard on my Treo. If I had to use the key pad, I'm certain that I would not use SMS messaging to the extent I do today.
Recently my wife decided she wanted a new cell phone and one that was pink. So I began the search for an appropriate replacement for her current phone. With all the options available, I've found that choice of color is less likely than getting one with a camera and MP3 player. The other thing is that best option is to get one in conjunction with a 2 year service plan. Other wise you're forking over $150+ for a phone. Talk about a scam. It's almost as bad as the fact that the cell phones available today will not be available in a year from now.
Friday, January 5, 2007
Employee Tenure
Two weeks ago, my dad announce that he was leaving his current job for a new one. This was a little bite of a shock for me, because my dad has only been in his current position four months shy of two years. Dad historically stays in a position for six to seven years, so less than two is somewhat abnormal. My father-in-law on the other worked for over 30 years for the same employer before he retired.
This change has prompted me to think about my own tenure. In August I will have completed ten years with my current employer. This is a drastic difference from the nine months I spent in my first full-time job. Honestly I figured I'd spend two to three years with this employer, before I would have moved so that my bride could pursue a Master's degree. Ten years later, I'm in my third position with this employer, and my bride hasn't made any noise about wanting t pursue a Master's degree.
According to the Department of Labor, the average wage and salary worker has been with their current employer for 4 years. The same report indicates that older workers (defined as 55 to 64 year olds) have been with their current employer for 9.3 years while younger workers (defined as 25 to 34 year olds) have been with their current employer 2.9 years.
So why all this talk about employment tenure? For me it is an opportunity to stop and take stock in what I have vs what I don't have. About a year ago I realized that I was eleven years away from my oldest attending college. Obviously a lot can happen (or not) in eleven years, but I started contemplating how I might be able to assist my kids in paying for their college. Since I work for a university, I receive a significant discount for my kids to go to college. Now this benefit isn't realized until my kids enroll, however without this discount I'm unsure how I will be able to assist my kids to attend college.
Another thought that comes to mind is that I've become quite accustom to the lifestyle that has developed around my current employment. To change jobs, would mean a significant change to this lifestyle, especially if I have to move to another city. I don't think we could stay a single car family. I'm confident I wouldn't have the luxury of coming home in the middle of the day to stay with my sleeping son so that my wife can take my other kids to speech, and I'm not eager to uproot the family from their friends. About five years ago, I was talking with an organization in another state about a position. In the midst of this conversation, more specifically talking with my wife about the opportunity, my bride made it abundantly clear that she was not in favor of a drastic change like that.
As a father and a husband, I'm committed to ensure that my family is cared for. I'm also in need of being challenged and rewarded in my vocation. When these two statements are mutually exclusive, something will have to changed. For the most part, today I'm fulfilling both in my current employment. I do not look forward to the upheaval that would accompany an employer change. Of course it needs to happen, I'll confront my own apprehension for the betterment of the family and my own career.
This change has prompted me to think about my own tenure. In August I will have completed ten years with my current employer. This is a drastic difference from the nine months I spent in my first full-time job. Honestly I figured I'd spend two to three years with this employer, before I would have moved so that my bride could pursue a Master's degree. Ten years later, I'm in my third position with this employer, and my bride hasn't made any noise about wanting t pursue a Master's degree.
According to the Department of Labor, the average wage and salary worker has been with their current employer for 4 years. The same report indicates that older workers (defined as 55 to 64 year olds) have been with their current employer for 9.3 years while younger workers (defined as 25 to 34 year olds) have been with their current employer 2.9 years.
So why all this talk about employment tenure? For me it is an opportunity to stop and take stock in what I have vs what I don't have. About a year ago I realized that I was eleven years away from my oldest attending college. Obviously a lot can happen (or not) in eleven years, but I started contemplating how I might be able to assist my kids in paying for their college. Since I work for a university, I receive a significant discount for my kids to go to college. Now this benefit isn't realized until my kids enroll, however without this discount I'm unsure how I will be able to assist my kids to attend college.
Another thought that comes to mind is that I've become quite accustom to the lifestyle that has developed around my current employment. To change jobs, would mean a significant change to this lifestyle, especially if I have to move to another city. I don't think we could stay a single car family. I'm confident I wouldn't have the luxury of coming home in the middle of the day to stay with my sleeping son so that my wife can take my other kids to speech, and I'm not eager to uproot the family from their friends. About five years ago, I was talking with an organization in another state about a position. In the midst of this conversation, more specifically talking with my wife about the opportunity, my bride made it abundantly clear that she was not in favor of a drastic change like that.
As a father and a husband, I'm committed to ensure that my family is cared for. I'm also in need of being challenged and rewarded in my vocation. When these two statements are mutually exclusive, something will have to changed. For the most part, today I'm fulfilling both in my current employment. I do not look forward to the upheaval that would accompany an employer change. Of course it needs to happen, I'll confront my own apprehension for the betterment of the family and my own career.
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