Happy New Year!!!

May you have a New Year filled with joy, with love, with financial boon, with fine wine, with friendship, with chocolate ice cream, with warm and sunny weather, with good surfing, with health, with good days at the gym, with trips to Starbucks, with excitement, and most of all friends.

As we look back over the past year, as a good friend of mine pointed out, never forget the blessings we have. Our close family, as much as they sometimes drive us crazy they are our family. Or maybe as simple as your car has started without a problem everyday for the past year. :-) (speaking of cars, I am looking to get a new one, any recommendations from the peanut gallery?)

So New Year resolutions? (one that we make and hope to keep?) Going to the gym more often, well already doing that. Be a better brother? Well that I should definitely work on. Maybe a little less impatient driver (all those drivers can’t be bad, can they?) Or how about not doing as much work over the weekend and maybe reading a book instead (that might be harder than it seems)? And finally to give back a little more, shouldn’t we all hope to do that a little more?

So everyone be good out there, have fun, be safe. And may promises be forgotten, may all friends understand lost promises. Now I got to go, smile once for everyone else.

What is with Stupid people

I feel like I am in that movie and saying “I see stupid people everywhere”. Yes I know this sounds arrogant and ass hole like, and I am sure I do stupid things as well but try this on for size.

(me on the phone with vehicle repair shop: Tuesday) We have some work that needs to be done on the Emergency vehicle. We have a brake light out, a muffler that needs to be replaced. Oh and can you check the brakes.

(them) Sure bring it in on Thursday we will get everything done.

(me) I just want to confirm, only one day since this is a primary vehicle

(them) no problem

(me today in person when dropping it off at 8am) Again muffle, brake light and brakes.

(them) no problem, call us around 2 for a estimate on when you can pick it up

(me) thanks

(me at 2:00) So how is everything going

(them) well our muffler guy has been out all week on vacation so we couldn’t do that, we just started looking at the brakes and light so probably another couple of hours.

HELLO???You have had it since 8am and you are just starting to look at it. You exhaust guy is on vacation and you are too stupid to realize this? I mean I know this takes two neurons instead of one to figure out when booking an appointment, but come on. So now we need to take it out of service again for these idiots. So why is it most people don’t trust car mechanics. Some stereotypes make sense! G-d Bless these people, everyone of them!

Another day, another dollar

So said a very smart man. As the old year winds down, and for many of us work is exceedingly slow (how many people are even showing up to where you work!), we get time to catch up on cleaning our offices, washing the dog or basic reflection. I will do my own reflection later in the week as we get closer to New Years, but as I walk around work and chat with co-workers it is a little sad leaving a group that I have worked so closely with for 4 years. Sure that may not sound like 20 years to many of you old school employees, but I have traveled literally tens of thousands of miles with these friends, drinking in some of the best clubs and bars around the world (and some of the not-so nice establishments as well). These are the same co-workers whom I have stayed up all night preparing for a major launch. So although I am exceedingly excited about moving on, there is going to be that lingering remorse of lost friends.

Speaking of somber moments for a minute, I would like to take a second and acknowledge the loss from Southeast Asia. As if an earthquake, one of the largest in over 50 years, wasn’t enough, a tsunami to take away any infrastructure that was left along the coast line. No warning, no chance to save civilians. For all those families around the world waiting for a call, an email, or a telegram with news of loved ones or friends, we all wait with you, and pray with you!

Onto more cheerful topics, for it is too early in the day to be completely morose. I am studying for GMATs this past week (yes mom and dad, not as much as I should, Shesh!), and man I don’t see how remembering how to do solution and dilution chemistry problems will make me a more effective leader or manager. I mean this test is specifically designed to show future ability of Business Leaders. How does knowing that if a train leaves Chicago at 7:00 moving 40mph and one left LA at 9:00 traveling at 60mph, what time is lunch? I have seen people here at work who got Harvard (a hush and a bow of silence at the mere mention of the name) MBA and he is one of the Worst leaders and managers I have ever seen. (considering almost 8 people have quit on him in the past 6 months should probably tell you something). I am sure he did quite well on the train problem though. So once again we have to play the game, but I hereby lodge my protest (like that will mean anything). All of you studying along side me, let us raise our glasses this New Years to the stupidity and hopefully the abolishment of all standardized testing!

Frustrations

Yes there is more to life than honey and trees, birds and bees, and sometimes it is unpleasant and many times just plain frustrating. I am a planner, I know this I acknowledge this (sometimes even publicly), I am also the one always prepared. How many people do you know travel with a portable flashlight? Carry rubber gloves in case someone has a medical problem in public, or has half their trunk half filled with emergency supplies. Actually almost every medic and fireman in CA, but besides them very few. I don’t ask much in other people, I know I am a typical, not the norm. When friends and I plan to go out I am the one that tends to plan and make arrangements knowing full well things might change at the last minute and hey that’s just Jake. But what irks me, what really pulls my chain, is when people make plans for something and then don’t show up. Don’t call, don’t email, nothing. Twice this weekend I have had plans broken only one friend actually called. Now I know things come up, many times I am the one breaking engagements with others, it happens to all of us, but do your friends a favor. Call them, text message them, do something. Don’t leave them hanging. It is rude and damn right annoying. Is the frustration from Saturday still that apparent?

On a completely different note, do you know the etymology of the word Cardigan (as in the article of clothing)? It is actually from Lord Cardigan who lead the British in the Crimean wars. The public copied the outfit he wore as he lead his troops and called it a Cardigan. Ladies, don’t be too proud of it, history will reveal that Lord Cardigan was less than a stellar leader, rather he was mostly senile and was known to hurt more of his own troops through stupidity than from Russian defenses. Ahh such is the history of fashion.

Merry Christmas

Yes there I said it, the first time a non-pc holiday greeting has escaped my lips (or in this case my fingers). No Seasons Greetings (go to the mall and say that to some people, watch the looks you will get), no Happy Holidays, nope I said Merry Christmas. Even if you don’t celebrate this particular holiday the aspects of it that go along with it is good for all of us to remember. Any excuse to celebrate family, friendship, and charity regardless of religion should not be treated lightly, for what could be better than an excuse to drive, fly, or row yourself to family members you haven’t seen in months or years. When we many times need an excuse to give to charity with our time, our fiscal gains, or just simple used presents and toys, well here is an excuse. Go ahead use it to maybe turn the life around of someone you don’t know. Someone who is not having the success you are having. Don’t feel successful right now, look around, many others who are less fortunate. When we can get so wrapped up in our daily lives of work, bills and stress, a not to subtle season to turn our heart and soul to lighter things, is not something to be taken lightly.

So if you are with family tonight, or alone (don’t worry you are never really alone, we are with you in the ether-world), look around, take stock of what you have, and do something you might not have done for some time. Smile. Call a family member, call a friend, or hey send me an email and make a new friend. So Merry Christmas to all.

Shop till you drop!

So first, as a good Midwestern boy from WI I have to say it is challenging to get into the Holiday spirit when it is 65 degrees and bright sunny days all the time. Sunny CA just doesn’t make it feel like the holidays. Where is that 6 inches of snow, the fireplace, snow angels, hot apple cider and curling up on the couch with a good movie and good friends or family? Oh well I guess I will just have to deal as I walk around this weekend in shorts and a Hawaiian shirt.

Speaking of holidays, I had not completed my holiday shopping last weekend (a small cold, see earlier blog) so was forced, kicking and screaming to that soul searching place where more prayers are said than a Italian church the day before the Godfather showings. Yes I am referring to the mall 3 days before Christmas. Ahh, Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas…The kids are screaming, the mothers and running for gifts, the dads are loosing their cool, and grandparents just happy to make it to another season. It was not the busiest I have ever seen the mall, but it was crowded enough to make walking difficult, but there was a kind of camaraderie going around. Like all of us last minute shoppers there was a kind of group encouragement to help each other out in our time of need. There was an electricity in the air as people jumped over counters to get to the last remaining gifts on a shelf marked SALE, PRICED TO SELL! But you will be happy to know after five some hours, my shopping is complete! I am ready to wrap, mail and relax. Maybe a cup of fresh cider cooked in mulling spices anyone?

Drill Drill Drill

For all the pre-pubescent boys reading this, I am not talking about sexual related acts, rather I am talking about those wonderful things that all emergency workers go through. Yes it is drill season. You have heard of the days of Christmas. Well for my crew we are going through 20 drills in 20 days. At all times of day and night to test both our skills but also our response time. If people ever need a humbling experience volunteer to work at drills. Nothing like having observers picking apart every action, word and thought performed on a scene. Of course this is all for the better improvement of the group, but sometimes it is hard to keep that in mind. For all the proctors out there, give a little break to the new guys out there, its kinda tough.

Other than that I am preparing like hundreds of others for the holiday season. I am planning on going shopping tomorrow for final gifts at the mall. No I am crazy or stupid, just close way too close to deadline and lack of prior planning. Parents, you may not be getting your gifts on time, it might take a little while to mail. Why this unusual stress about being on-time? I hate it! Well I guess that is why I go to the mall tomorrow. Lets see if the holiday cheer lasts through a final shopping day.

What do women want?

Yeah besides the title of a popular movie, seriously what do those crazy girls want. See men it’s pretty easy, our lives don’t change that often and our desires don’t change either. But women, well they are different.

Now keep in mind this is exclusively based on my observations and conversations with friends, and is limited to my 25 years of experiences.

It seems girls from 18-21 are looking for the cool guy. You know quarterback of the football team, president of the coolest kid in school club. The guy that will make her look super cool to all of her friends and everyone else in school.

From 21-28 they are looking for the bad guy. You know the guy who loves to have a great time, just looking to go out party, maybe some freaky sex. The guy that is no good but is oh so much fun.

Then there is the 29+ year old women. They are looking for the good relationship, the good father material, the long term thing.

Now this would be so much easier if all girls were the same and the ages parallel and you could predict this. But there are still so many that are in different categories not per their age and it is oh so hard to read this into someone.

So woman I put this plea out to each and everyone of you. Be patient with a new guy, they are just trying to figure you out, and yet still be themselves. Not as easy as it sounds!

Why are men so bad at being sick?

Well if you couldn’t tell I have been afflicted with the same pox that is plaguing many in our fair city. No it is not some life debilitating disease, in fact it is one of the most harmless of viruses. The common cold. It saps your energy, your will to cook or clean or do just about anything.

But it is no surprise to any wife, mother, or sister than men are just lousy when they are sick? Is it just because we like to bitch and moan more? Or is it as one of my close friends things that it is our loss of being in control that we can’t stand. Or is it maybe that we finally have something we can complain about without looking wimpy or wussy (unlike football or home improvement injuries). Either way I am sick and I hate it. On the positive side I have been able to stay inside all day watching sappy movies and eating the most gourmet food Campbell’s has to offer.

So a funny thing happened at work yesterday. We had our monthly happy hour where everyone in our group pretends to like each other and spend free time together. We were schmoozing, playing cars, drinking some wine when our director walks in and goes to the white board and starts to draw.

He creates a tree with an X at the top. Down the left side he write God, down the right side he writes no god. For each of those he creates two more lives either believe or don’t believe. Under believe for god was a happy face, under both don’t believes was a frowning face and under believe no god was a neutral face. He then proceeded to go around the room and ask each person that works for him to place themselves on this tree. One person said they weren’t sure (which to anyone intelligent enough meant they didn’t want to answer), but he couldn’t let it go, so he pushed and pushed until that person finally gave an answer. Most of you reading this should be shuddering at the very thought of a manager asking his group to do this at work. Can we say lawsuit? But I thought about this. I know exactly where I stand on that tree, why did this make me upset? All day (while lumped on this couch) I have thought about it.

I think it is less about knowing what I believe in and having to tell a large group of people and then having to defend ones belief. It is one thing to do it with friends, but not my manager. Oh well, I am leaving the group anyway, but for any of you out there that are managers, please never do this to co-workers. Its just in really bad taste.

Congrats!!! My cuz going to the big BU

Take a second to give a shout out, a way to go, an atta boy (depending which generation you are coming from) to my cousin D. who got accepted early admission to Boston University. I have it on good authority that the president of the University himself called D up to welcome him to their prestigous institution. D. plans on studying Aeornautical engineering or some other easy field of study. D--WAY TO GO!!!

Today is friday (if you don't know this, seek help), a day of calm reflection of the past week, of palnning weekend activities and planning for future endeavers for the following week. Bahh! Who are we kidding, its the day to let your hair down. All of you who dress up, wear your Hawain shirts and jeans, and get ready because the weekend is almost here!

My good friend and fellow medic A has her birthday today!! The big 21 (again and again and again). Time for a new year (both for her and soon for the rest of us), time to turn over new leafs, make promises to ourselves, and let things in the past go. So happy birthday and congrats for surviving another year!!

Bush Sandwich

The truth will set you free. Although a commonly used phrase something I really understood this past week. No I am not some narcoleptic liar, or a paranoid fib teller, rather I had been stressing for the better part of the week to have a conversation with a very close and personal friend. Be it a friend, a family member or a significant other we have all been in that position of knowing we need to have a conversation and really not knowing what to say or how to say it. Come on you all know that time. You run through the conversation in the shower (that or bad karaoke). You argue with yourself in the car and drivers in passing cars think you are either insane (which might by partially accurate) or talking on your cell phone (can we say LA). You take long walks as you prepare your delivery and inflections. Finally you take the big plunge.

Dear we need to talk?

About what?

Ummm, this wasn’t in the script. Damn it. About our vacation, that’s right our holiday vacation.

And so the American tradition of postponement and procrastination is continued from generation to generation. But then you finally broach the subject. Amidst coffee and cake, or vodka shots and bad peanuts. You spit it out. All rehearsals of suave and debonair delivery gone right out the window. But somehow it comes from the heart and they see right in, and understand exactly what you are trying to say as the stutters and shakes overcome your poor neglected body. You say your peace and then there is the silence. You know that silence from every western movie when the good guy enters the bad guy’s bar. A silence when you can hear a pin drop or the voice from the back of the room going (more beer!). Sweat begins to form inside the seat of your pants and you begin to think, if those goes badly this will hinder my efforts to run my ass out of here. And then finally like Manna from heaven those sweet words.

Thank you for being honest. I appreciate it.

And you realize it was indeed a good decision to get that terrible awful smelling laundry out of the closet and air it out on the balcony (downwind from your apartment and upwind to your damn neighbors). That friendship can continue down the harmonious path otherwise known as the yellow brick road, only to be tested another day.

As for Bush sandwich. Grab your son’s or daughter’s history book. Look under president. It will say Bush, Clinton, Bush. Think, smile, and keep your mouth shut!

careful what you wish for

Be careful what you wish for. I was just commenting to someone how quiet and almost calming today was. No big emergencies, just a couple of presentations with customers and a couple of usual boring marketing meetings. Just as I settle down in my comfy chair with a nice cold bottle of water and the classifieds (for a car not a personal), you guessed it.

Klaxons, alarms and the disembodied voice, “Attention all units, we have an AP with chest pain at ** location, please dispatch, code 3”. How we love and hate the sound of those tones. The adrenalin races, the heart pounds and your legs quiver in anticipation. It is the sound of excitement and also fear. Fear of a mistake costing a life. Oh sure probably being overly dramatic, but is it? Try telling your mind that as you drive furiously, but safely, to whichever location. Run in, try failingly to find the location knowing depending on the call time does matter, and of course the whole time carrying 40+ lbs of equipment. Next time you see a medic at a coffee shop drinking an extra strength triple cappuccino, its probably them just trying to work off a call.

NEXT!

The New York Times has an article today talking about blogs that are being made into books because of the following they have. One of their prime examples are from the blog from a woman who follows the pseudonym of Bella De Jour (http://belledejour-uk.blogspot.com/) and it discussing the elaborate life of a woman who is professional successful, happy in life, and well happens to make her living by being a call-girl. TO me this is great, not just a view into a lifestyle that most people are ashamed to admit or not permissible to talk about in mixed company, but also showing the true intelligence of people in all walks of life. First this is a young lady who makes no apologies for her actions or career decisions (was raised in a good household, still close to her parents and even went to college). This just goes to show that everyone has a story to tell. Be it for voyeuristic or just plain curiosity we love reading them.

So back to a more fun subject…me. :-) So it has now spread like wildfire around the office (probably only partially assisted by yesterday’s entry) that I am leaving the group. I am being treated with a whole range of emotions ranging from a man going to war never to be seen again, to a Judas never to be trusted or welcomed on our doorstep. It does kinda hurt. Although I know that this should be a great move for me, it is with a certain amount of trepidation that I walk out the door. Will I be able to walk out and never look back? Don’t think so, but I will give it my darndest.

So the craziest thing happened to me last night. (calm down all you sex encouraging friends, it had almost nothing to do with sex). I had met a very cool girl on-line a couple of months ago (don’t worry I will go into this whole on-line dating thing at a different time). We had gone out a couple of times and things seemed to pretty cool. No massive bonfire being lit in either of us, but maybe a little kindling? Well she had finals and some other exams and so for the past number of weeks our encounters and emails dwindled to none. Randomly I receive an email back from her a couple of days back informing me of the excitement of passing her exams and starting to come back into life. Oh yeah and now she has a boy friend. Ok no jealousy (I am not that crazy ax-murdering stalker, I am missing the ax), but maybe a little hurt, I think it might have been fun to date. Well we were talking on IM last night and she says that she wanted to tell me about the bf because I know him. Hmmm, who from work is doing on-line dating. This might be fun. It turns out she is now seeing my downstairs neighbor, the dude that lives below my living room? She wanted me to know in case I saw her leaving in the morning. Shock, shocked I say! It might be slightly awkward if we run into each other. But the stereotypical new Yorker in the office tells me this is a great thing. Time to brush her off and say in a loud booming voice, “NEXT”. This would work much better if not in a cavernous room that is empty save the dust and the occasional spider. But still I yell it, NEXT!

Ms. Purple

So for those you waiting in earnest patience for what is life altering and changing my life, it has to do with work. For a number of months I have had frustrations with the job, well don’t we all have frustrations? No these were deeper, stemming from actual lack of vision in management and lack of challenge placed onto its employees. So for quite some time I was interviewing at other positions that might relieve me of some of those frustrations yet also be a good career move. How did it go? Well I am happy to say I have accepted a position in what I believe to be a much better group in a much better position. It will no longer be technical by its very nature, more fluffy marketing (looks like I will need to get the brain lobotomy for real now), but it might be nice to see how the other half lives. So I am excited (and yes admittedly a little nervous), but definitely stoked to try something new.

On a side note I have been told by, well lets call her Ms. Purple, that my dancing is spirited. When you hear this you might think Steve Erkle, or perhaps some other tv stereotypical nerd. Now although admittedly I know I am no Gene Kelly, I believe my dancing rates slightly higher than the level of ‘spirited’. I know of other things that yes I should be accused of such things, but oh well. So all you ladies out there, I am the perfect companion on everything camping to comedy clubs to a weekend trip to Vegas, but maybe not so much for a night out dancing. I have found my Achilles heal. Somehow I think I will be able to survive the hero’s life for now.

And as the holidays grow closer we must ask ourselves one very important question. Have I finished my shopping? Yes the ever looming deadline that faces all procrastinating Americans. Do I know my friends well enough to get them a gift, and if not how do I get something I think they will like? nothing like leaving it to the last minute, as usual.

Your craziness is now common sense

Movies are made to do more than entertain, many are used to give a view, for however brief period of time, into another world. From flying in space to living in Renaissance England, but rare it is for a movie to tackle as monumental a task as to try to present into three different lives.

We start on the most basic level, the fear that every immigrant must feel when coming to a country with foreign customs, language, money, and their very way of living. Every corner yields something new and scary. How can one not retreat into the protection of themselves when faced with everything alien? To retreat into what they know and crave the company, the surroundings of what they know and are comfortable with. Is this not why Americans visit McDonalds and Starbucks around the world?

This then leads to the follow-up fear. For we humans adapt and change and grow almost on instinct. But how to maintain ones identity in the raging storm of wanting to conform? We as people fill countless pages and electronic bytes on our quest to answer the question of who we are, but can we figure it out before we lose it? We are taught from an early age, through insults and physical injury, to not be the odd one, to fit in. But at what price? Is it ok to be proud of ones heritage even if its not cool and makes you vulnerable? Can you dress differently but talk the same? Can you dress differently, talk differently, but eat the same food? Can you do all three differently and still expect to be accepted? How much are we willing to give up to blend, to fit in, to be comfortable?

But if that wasn’t enough, they then tackled the fear that every parent, regardless of single, couple or ménage, must feel trying to raise a child. Facing a crossroad everyday fearing decisions you make will not just affect your life but have far reaching consequences in your child’s. Is there anything that compares to the fear that every parent must feel, when faced with the possibility of failure? Failure in the most important thing they will ever do in their life, to raise, shape, mold another life. You do live your life for them.

All of this was shown in stark openness in “Spenglish.” May I start with an apology, an apology for every cavalier comment or attitude taken toward someone different for not driving well, or not knowing the language, or just not fitting in with what can be a narrow view of normal. I am not arrogant enough to say I understand what someone feels like to struggle with their own customer, their children, and their life in a foreign place, but I will say I respect it. In so many ways have I seen and experienced so little, to barely be able to appreciate others’. May we all not just tolerate but celebrate our customs and culture as well as our family and heritage.

I find myself awed by the randomness of this evening, for I never intended, nor barely heard of this movie. In fact I even bought a ticket to a very different movie (Finding Neverland). As random chance would have it, I ended up following a small bird into this very well made and different movie. Who knows how this fate works out, but it does. It made for not only an enjoyable evening but indeed a thought provoking one as well.

I highly endorse the movie Spenglish and encourage all to see it with an open mind, a sense of humor, and a willingness to see maybe just a little life through someone else’s eyes.

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On a personal note: I hope I may never lose my wonderment for movies, my perpetual optimism towards life, and the ability to laugh at the absolute worse possible times.

Change is a comming!

So I can't reveal everything, but to all who read exciting news is coming down the line. Yes something life changing is happening in my life right now. (no I am not married, no friends of mine are pregnant--you have to have sex for that to happen). Am I excited? You becha! So watch this space for a life shattering news.

As for what else is going on. Work had a holiday potluck, which means every woman slaves for hours to make the best possible dish to prove their cooking prowess. Every married man has his wife or mother-in-law cook so they can boast about the cooking prowess of their respective. Every bachelor stops off at the grocery store ten minutes before coming to work and looks for whatever is on sale. As for me, I actually did cook last night, crab dip, and to the best of my knowledge no one got sick from it. Yea!

Time for the weekend, final shopping (or in my case, time to start shopping) and to spread some holiday cheer. May all promises be forgotten of gifts not received :-)

Celebrate, Celebrate, Dance to the Music!

Well in true corporate fashion, to celebrate an outstanding 20 years of being in business my company pulled out all the stops. Starting with renting the HP Pavilion, handing every man, woman and child that walked in a fiberoptic glow light, and then inundating everyone with more food than could possible be eaten. Ever restaurant at the shark tank was open and ready for business, all free of charge of course. The possibilities and choices …. staggering, the spread … lavish. Lets not of course forget those drinks with a little kick to make the evening all the more enjoyable, those were just the icing on the cake. When we have eaten our fill and were rubbing our Buddah bellies in delight, we waddled our way to our seats.

Almost as if on command, the lights dim and onto the stage enters Five for Fighting. A nice opening bit, some lively music to help clear the food and wake up the crowd after a post buffet doldrums. In front of over 20,000 people, they even dedicated a song to a young lady who was on a third date, as previously arranged by her date. (insert, awwwwwww). After a light set, they depart the stage leaving an opportunity for last minute bathroom and drink runs (amazing how the colors seem to coincide), and ready for the main event (do I hear horns and drums in the background?). Yes Santana has entered the theater. This post retirement age musician can really play up a storm. Now as I was told frequently and strenuously from the ladies around me, the entire Latin band was simply ‘FINE’. From my perspective the music was enough to get even the nerdiest of nerds onto their feet and shaking to the groove. Although not normally my taste in music, it made for a great evening.

What a way to celebrate 20, can’t wait to see what they do for luck 21!!

Ahh, the wonders of youth!

Well I just got back from sunny Arizona for my grandmother’s 85th birthday. Except for one small thing, it rained the entire time. So much for the desert. Regardless, it was a time of celebration for long life, family, and friends. After harrowing 50 minute flights to LA and then to Arizona due to some unusually heavy turbulence, my parents and I met up with my aunt, uncle, cousin and grandmother. It was an opportunity to catch up on other relatives, what everyone has been up to, and of course a little cake, for what kind of occasion would be complete without some cake? Saturday was of course also spent with grandma in the assisted living. Now I have been there so many times, but a couple of new observations after spending a couple of hours talking to the other residents.

First, every time you meet someone new they tell you their name and then their age. I guess once you get above 90 it is a source of pride how old you are. I do give many of them credit, they look great and are still active for their age. But its also sad. So many of them spend their whole day just sitting in the lobby watching other people walk by, not talking to them besides maybe just an occasional greeting. What must it be like to look forward to each meal as the excitement of the day? Not able to read due to decreased vision, not able to get around due to arthritis and other skeletal problems, and having moved far enough from family there is few people to spend time with. It makes you much more thankful for both youth and family. So next time you need to call your grandparents, yes I know sometimes it may be a chore, but they do need us. The whole circle of life and all of that :-)

Ahh, the wonders of youth!

Well I just got back from sunny Arizona for my grandmother’s 85th birthday. Except for one small thing, it rained the entire time. So much for the desert. Regardless, it was a time of celebration for long life, family, and friends. After harrowing 50 minute flights to LA and then to Arizona due to some unusually heavy turbulence, my parents and I met up with my aunt, uncle, cousin and grandmother. It was an opportunity to catch up on other relatives, what everyone has been up to, and of course a little cake, for what kind of occasion would be complete without some cake? Saturday was of course also spent with grandma in the assisted living. Now I have been there so many times, but a couple of new observations after spending a couple of hours talking to the other residents.

First, every time you meet someone new they tell you their name and then their age. I guess once you get above 90 it is a source of pride how old you are. I do give many of them credit, they look great and are still active for their age. But its also sad. So many of them spend their whole day just sitting in the lobby watching other people walk by, not talking to them besides maybe just an occasional greeting. What must it be like to look forward to each meal as the excitement of the day? Not able to read due to decreased vision, not able to get around due to arthritis and other skeletal problems, and having moved far enough from family there is few people to spend time with. It makes you much more thankful for both youth and family. So next time you need to call your grandparents, yes I know sometimes it may be a chore, but they do need us. The whole circle of life and all of that :-)

Tulips, rain, and change

Who knows what tomorrow will bring. An overused phrase which so many of us ignore until we can not ignore it any longer. Most of us crave the known and standard, we crave doing the same thing everyday and knowing that tomorrow will be just like today. When faced with something new, we recoil in fear which sometimes manifests itself in anger or sadness. Take the case of a car dying, and needing to procure a new one. Sure we might be a little sad if we really liked our old car or it had sentimental value, but more likely we are upset by the fact that we need to get something new which might be worse or cause more adventure that we really want on a daily basis.

What happens when our personal life, our professional life, our family life all begin to change at once? If we see people get upset with such simple things as having to move offices while keeping the exact same job, what effect can be expected when they get bombarded with change as a hard rain on a fresh tulip? It will begin to bend with the weight of each drop. Being battered by the wind first to the left, then to the right, not in control at all just trying to face up for that is where the sun will once more appear. Eventually if there is enough water that falls into the face of the tulip, it will bend to face down and possibly break. Sometimes the tulip is smart and will face down to protect itself, turning its bell to look at its very roots. Alas many of these flowers keep their face pointed down for so long, they forget to turn to the sun when the storm has passed. Days, weeks, months may go by, and they will eventually starve to the point of exhaustion and death because they are so busy protecting themselves, they don’t take the chance to put their neck out to catch the sun so critical for life. So which is better? To keep our bell upwards, risk catching all the rain drops which will force us to stagger under their weight and risk breaking, or to bend our face down to the ground protected from the rain and hoping to catch just enough sun to scratch through life? (and you think at 25 I have this answer???)

The tulip faces great rewards or great pain with both choices. There is a time to protect, and there is a time to be open. But when there are two tulips, or better yet three, that can help support each other in the rain, then we have a fighting chance. Then we can face that rain storm knowing if one shall bend, the others can support it until the water has drained.

So E, it is understandable to protect oneself when the rain hits. To put on that rain slicker and try to take cover. We have all felt the cutting pain of those cold drops on bare skin at some point. We want nothing more than to curl up and protect what we have left. How you have survived the constant onslaught on rain storms for so long, is a testament to the power of your inner soul. But like Florida who thought they would never survive the onslaught on countless hurricanes, so will you survive and come out stronger, with a new house, a better job, closer friends, and a new outlook on life. So don’t move to Montana to escape the hurricane (there is nothing to do there anyway), but trust in yourself, look toward the sky and the sun and grow stronger everyday!

Wait, we have an Aquarium??

Last night I was invited to a black-tie holiday party from one of our vendors at the Aquarium in San Francisco. For those of you who live in or near San Francisco let me educate you on a little know fact. There is an aquarium in San Francisco, I know this comes as a surprise to many of us as we are usually spell bound by the aquarium in Monterey, but there is quite a nice one on pier 39. There is plenty of opportunities for budding marine biologists (usually under the age of 12) to become mesmerized with awe and wonder as they can pet actually sting rays, and tiger sharks (when was the last time you pet a shark?). Part of your ticket price actually goes to protect a very fragile ecosystem off the bay of SF which has among other animals a large Sea Lion population and even a few Great White sharks. Take your kids, and then afterwards stroll over to Bubba Gump shrimp and truly show them how ecosystems work. :-)

The holiday season is always fun. No matter what religion you might be, or even none at all. It is a time of year when people tend to be a little more forgiving. You always have a wonderful way of greeting or bidding farewell to people “Happy Holidays” (try it with a stranger and watch a smile appear). Malls may get a little crazy, but in that fun kind of energized way. (Anyone have any crazy shopping stories? Inquiring minds want to know.) As for me I am not sure I am going to be able to get all my gifts in time, but boy is it fun trying.

First of all this is from www.ucomics.com/foxtrot, Bill Amend receives full credit for this witty and humerous strip. If you understand what is being said here than you are as nerdy as I have been accused of being!