Feb/094
Set Phasers to Nebulize …
My family and I have been fighting some sort of bug … off and on … since our return from Puerto Rico about a month ago. Through last week, Kelly had the worst of it as she has been pretty much out of commission all month. Last Friday, Finn started in and by Monday, he had a rattle in his breathing which became more pronounced through the week. Yesterday, the Doc prescribed a nebulizer and Albuterol for the little man.
Poor guy. It breaks our hearts to give Finn the treatment. He does not like the sound of the compressor and screams bloody murder when he sees the mask. But, it is helping so what is a parent to do? Still it is amazing how resilient/elastic the mental state of children is. When the mask is on, you are 100% certain he will either kill me in my sleep or stick me with a huge therapy bill in twenty years. But, as soon as the mask is off, he is calm, smiling and even laughing. We are truly blessed to have such a trooper for a son.
Today, I finally succumbed to the infinitesimal demons that are this damn illness. The tickle in my throat started last night and was a full-blown rasp by mid-day. Conversations in our house sound like Kathleen Turner, Edward James Olmos and a tiny Sam Elliot arguing after a four day bender on meth and cheap cigars. It ain’t pretty … but it is my family! And, I love it!
Jan/095
WordCamp Vegas – Day 1
So, I was a bit distracted by Twitter issues and could not live blog like I ‘d hoped. Happlily, the Twitter issue was resolved towards the end of the day, more on that in later post. On to my highlights …
State of the Word :: Matt Mullenweg
Matt rocked it out and dropped a couple of interesting teasers. First, WP 2.8 will focus on Themes. Look for similar auto-install features for Themes that we saw for Plugins in 2.7. Next, Wordpress Handbook is coming.
Though the Codex will still live, WP Handbook will be built in Docbook XML allowing the WP documentation to be managed like software. Why is that a big deal? Well, it means the docs can be written to suit a particular release without destroying the historical record. And, edits/corrections to current and past docs can be submitted and managed like bugs.
This means, Plugin and Theme developers can commit docs in the same format. This is huge for folks who use Wordpress for consulting clients because WP installs inventory the installed Themes/Plugins then could poll the WP Handbook’s Docbook XML and build a completely custom set of docs for the WP you’ve installed for your customers.
During the Q&A, I asked about the status of bbPress. Matt said to look for 1.0 at some point of 2009. Interestingly, Matt said that he considers bbPress to be better written than WP because he wrote it after he had learned a lot about coding.
On a humorous note, someone is constantly pinging Matt about bbPress status. Apparently, Matt has a bbPress “stalker”, but I swear it isn’t me. ;^D
how to run a blog with a staff of contributors :: Geoff Kleinman
Geoff offered a lot of great insights on the role of the editor in the blogosphere. As part of my plan involves a great deal collaboration, Geoff’s pragmatic insights were powerful and should bear fruit for me down the road. His is one presentation I am sure to watch again on the uStream. If you work with or supervise other creatives, I strongly suggest you do the same.
Beyond Beer and Blog: How Social Media Lit Up the Portland Tech Scene :: Aaron Hockley
Aaron set off far too many lightbulbs in my head. I’ll never turn them all off. From Ignite to Beer and Blog, I now have a few more social media pools into which I plan to dip my toes. Most powerful of Aaron’s insights – online social media is most powerful when it serves to bring people together in the real world. The “Legion of Tech” video was classic internet nerdery … and I say that with much respect and affection. Oh, and I now want to visit Portland in the worst way!
10 Steps to Search Engine Optimize your Wordpress Blog :: Michael Dorausch
Michael had a great presentation regarding SEO and Wordpress. As SEO is a big part of what I do everyday, a lot of it was old hat for me. But, the audience was full of raw, new bloggers as well, so it was a perfect presentation for that crowd. And, I learned a couple of cool tricks along the way. Best of all, he got people in the crowd to sing “Hello Dolly”, including Lorelle, who can really belt out a tune!
Using Your Blog for Sales and Marketing :: Chris Brogan
Brogan is a freaking nut! Again, this is said with respect and affection. After Blogworld Expo 2008, I followed him on Twitter based solely on John Hawkins’ reccomendation. For 4 months, I found Chris’ tweets interesting and useful, but I did not get why John had such a bromance for the guy. Now, I get it.
While providing a lot of useful insights, Chris had the crowd laughing and eating out of his hand. He is a gifted and entertaining storyteller, who happens to be a skilled marketer that “gets” the power of online media. While it may sound trite, his through-line was “follow your passion”. If you blog about things that are meaningful to you, your audience will find you.
Another gem, “learn from the best and then copy them”. In particular, he bemoaned the lazy, stock list of interview questions he is always asked. When we have Larry King and Charlie Rose available on Youtube, Tivo and Boxee, why wouldn’t we watch and learn how to interview from them?
This was particularly interesting because I’ve been noodling doing an independent Master’s degree. Meaning, setting a curriculum for myself and learning everything I would get in an Online Media MFA on my own. Chris Brogan pointed me at an entirely new source for faculty! W00t!
Finally, if anything will stick with me from his presentation, it will be the definition of callback. Deftly used by Mr. Brogan in his presentation, I am working callbacks into my speaking arsenal from here out.
By the Numbers: a look at stats and what they mean to you :: Lorelle VanFossen
Lorelle spent the first half of her time deconstructing a wide range of popular web analytic metrics. Nothing escaped her intense scrutiny as she introduced us all to the concept of “distracting stats” and the power of horse sex. Frankly, she shook the foundations of my understanding of web analytics … in a good way. The second half of the presentation was an in-depth demo of the stat pr0n application that is Woopra. Thanks for the beta key!
You’ve failed? Learn Why! :: Jim Kukral
Jim Kukral is the biggest failure on the interwebs, or so he wants you all to believe. I won’t be able to do the presentation any real justice, so it it is best to catch the uStream for yourself. Suffice to say that Kukral does not deliver a simple rah-rah speech filled with platitudes. Like the Mike Rowe speech I posted earlier, Kukral preaches a “get off your ass and work” approach to success. He gave me a lot of serious food for thought, all of which will likely lead to future posts when I’ve had time to digest them more fully.
All this from a Browns fan. Go figure! Oh, he also introduced us all to the word “shmoosh-rags”. Good times!
Now, I would be remiss if I did not once again say CONGRATS! to my friend, buddy, pal John Hawkins who had the vision, the will and the drive to make WordCamp Las Vegas happen. Hawk … thanks for adding a stellar event to the Vegas Tech/Social Media calendar.
In addition to the great speakers, I reconnected with friends Carl Szeibert, Todd Huish and John’s lovely wife Chris. And, for the first time in five years, I finally made it on Todd’s photoblog!
Until tomorrow …
Jan/091
Mike Rowe and the real value of work.
If you have not seen Dirty Jobs, then you may not know of Mike Rowe. I’ve always enjoyed the show and thought that Rowe was the perfect host of the show. Smart, clever, and most importantly genuinely interested, Rowe brings respect and honor to jobs that many, if not most, of the people you know think are beneath them.
In this speech to FORA, Rowe begins with a funny tale of learning to castrate lambs. I am sure you are wondering how “funny” and “castration” fit together in a sentence, but trust me it does. In telling the tale of castration, Rowe adroitly spins a tale of the lost value of work and calls for us all to reconsider what it means to us as individuals and as a nation.
Be sure to watch the entire 20 minutes. It is perhaps the best 20 minutes you’ll spend in your career.
Aug/083
Ning, What Should You Do?
While I remain decidedly ticked off over Ning.com’s decision to boot Widget Laboratory, (WL) I thought it might be more productive to actually list some of the things I think Ning needs to do to resolve the problems and move forward. So, here are my top ten Ning fixes, in no particular order of priority.
01. Let me delete/merge users – On more than one network, I have duplicate users. To obtain accurate numbers for advertisers, I need to keep my user list clean. Sure, I could pad my numbers with duplicate and abandoned accounts, but I’d rather just merge dupes or simply remove inactive users altogether.
The current “Ban User” option has a harsh connotation and the consequences for both my network and the “banned” person seem … ominous. And besides, user management is web app 101. I know I cannot delete them from Ning, but let me “delete” them from my network(s).
02. Simple Page/Tab Creation – Why require that this be done procedurally (ie. via Javascript)? I understand if it is simplest to do this for the majority of non-technical Ning users, but there should be a simple override in the source code that allows static HTML pages to be loaded using a Controller. The same applies to tabs.
03. Simple to Find/Edit HTML & CSS Overrides – For that matter, xn_resources should have a folder called “overrides” where one can drop files which then get pulled in to the HTML doc as its formed. For example …
tabs.php, header.php, footer.php, custom.css …
Perhaps that is not possible in the Ning MVC schema, but at least drop in a README with clear paths to all of the files that actually form the wrapper. It would make customization SO much easier. Don’t force me to hunt through the Ning documentation for simple fixes.
Please, no RTFM comments … please. This is a design issue, not a documentation issue.
04. Allow direct edit of customXYZ.css from an IDE – It is sort of crazy that editing customXYZ.css in the source code doesn’t actually do anything. What is the point of code access if you cannot make live changes? If the issue is the Akamai cache, give me a simple command (from the shell or in the Admin UI) that I tap to refresh the cache. In any case, don’t make me cut-n-paste stuff into the “Advanced Customization” pane if I have source code access.
05. File Manager & Library – It would be cool to see a file library that lists all of the files uploaded to my network so I can cull the list as needed and perhaps (on static or simple PHP pages) invoke lists of photos, PDFs, etc. based on tags/keywords.
06. Let me change my network name – C’mon. Is this so hard? If I want to change the name, let me. If the desired name is taken, prompt me to choose another. Think of Gmail’s “Name Available?” feature. It won’t happen often, but when needed, it is important. And, because it is infrequent, the system overhead required to update internal references is not so dramatic. If overhead is significant, just tell me it will take 24 hours to do and schedule it during non-peak hours. I promise I’ll wait.
07. Provide a Sample Application – Download and install Wordpress. Every install comes with hello.php which illustrates the basic structure of a plug-in/module/app. Provide this and update it with a tested/vetted replacement for each new release and issues like those with WL are far less likely to happen.
08. Create a standard themes package – Again, reference Wordpress. Why are Ning themes so fragmented? Collect all of the components in one place. This will greatly increase customization and reskinning, particularly if you pair this common theme framework with an HTML wireframe that captures all of the common page types and the corresponding CSS.
Need an SAS example? Check out the way Shopify.com handles theme development with Vision. Ning may not be a Rails app, but Shopify.com is on to something and there must be a PHP analog.
09. Network Creator Email/SMS Notification – Tonight’s SFTP outage is a perfect example. That sort of thing merits an immediate notification of network owners. While some Network Creators will not care, many/most will. At the very least, give us this as an option to check in our profile.
10. Lose the long URLS used to activate “advanced” features – Really?!? In 2008, should I need to cut-n-paste an obfuscated URL and then append my network name at the end to activate “Add Pages”, “URL Mapping” and such? Is it so difficult to create an “Advanced” pane in the Admin UI for this stuff?
Show me a confirmation pop-up if you are worried I’ll break my site. Put a scary skull-n-crossbones on it if you must. But whatever you do, do not add unneccesary steps to the process with web dev techniques from 1996.
The list could go on, but these are the low-hanging fruit. To be clear, I love the idea of Ning and, up until last Thursday, I loved the application of Ning. Why, just last Saturday I was singing the praises of Ning to anyone who would listen at the New Media Expo. Those folks now have my heartfelt apologies.
To Widget Laboratory, I say “good on ya” for your plan to open source all of your apps under the Creative Commons License. It was a smart move for everyone involved even, in the long run, Ning.
To Ning, I say make this right and do it fast. I want to go back to building my business, not searching for alternatives. And, I want to go back to singing your praises. At the end of the day, I am all about the love. Truly, I am.
Peace,
Doug
PS: This post was inspired, in part, by Lisa Bettany’s Twitter, What Are You Doing?” commentary. 
Jun/081
The Apocalypse Grows Up
I have a thing for apocalyptic themes in fiction and film. Yes Virginia; I have a dark side and the midi-chlorians are not to blame. 
In most cases, I find these stories to be mindless fun. For example, Mad Max does not really provoke much critical thought, and that is OK. It is what it is. However, through luck or providence, I have stumbled across some real mind-benders of late.
The first of these is Plague Year by Jeff Carlson. If you’ve read Prey by Michael Crichton, Plague Year is it’s natural follow-up, yet darker and smarter. A relatively short, dense read; Plague Year picks up a few years after the accidental release of the “machine plague”, a manufactured nano-virus that disassembles the human body and uses it’s components to replicate itself. Smart and engaging, it will make you think twice about mixing biology and nanotechnology.
Next on the list is Germ by Robert Liparulo. While the author’s voice leans towards the formulaic, the story is anything but. The BBEG has manufactured Ebola that targets an individual’s DNA. The virus piggybacks on the common cold as it’s distribution mechanism.
The primary characters are well-conceived and well-executed. Our heroes are hunted by a very unique agent of the BBEG, which makes the chase interesting and intriguing to follow. Aside from the formulaic structure, the major drawback with the story is an unnecessary dip into a bit of trite conspiracy theory. Still, the core premise makes it worth the read.
Last, and anything but least, is The Swarm by Frank Schatzing. I haven’t finished reading it yet but, barring an implosion in the last 300 pages, I am fairly certain this is the best novel I’ve read in five years. Here is the setup:
Whales begin sinking ships. Toxic, eyeless crabs poison Long Island’s water supply. The North Sea shelf collapses, killing thousands in Europe. Around the world, countries are beginning to feel the effects of the ocean’s revenge as the seas and their inhabitants begin a violent revolution against mankind. At stake is the survival of the Earth’s fragile ecology — and ultimately, the survival of the human race itself.
I won’t say any more about the plot because I don’t want to ruin it for anyone. Instead, I’ll tell you that The Swarm is to our oceans what Snow Crash (Neal Stephenson) was to cyberspace. Yes. I just said that. Let it soak in.
The Swarm is a treatise on ocean ecology disguised as a thriller novel. Schatzing includes a three-page forward which cites all of the scientists who educated him and helped create the scientific firmament on which this outstanding novel is built. After reading this book, you will come away with a much better understanding of how dependent humanity is on our oceans. And, along the way you will be greatly entertained by an intense, well-crafted and well-paced story.
Peace,
Doug
Jun/080
Farewell Tim Russert
In journalistic world dominated by sound bytes and bombastic blowhards, Tim Russert stood out and stood above the rest of the pack. To my mind, he was the Walter Cronkite of our generation. Smart, honest and direct; Russert was always on point and respectful no matter who was across the table in his interviews.
But for all of his journalistic accomplishments, perhaps Russert’s greatest contributions were his books on fatherhood. Heartfelt and unflinching, Russert gave us a great example of how to be both tough and tender as a father. New fathers, young and old, without a Big Russ of their own, would do well to pick up Big Russ & Me and Wisdom of our Fathers. I am fortunate to have my own “Big Russ” in my father Richard, so much of Russert’s words echo with my own experience.
So on this Father’s Day Weekend, hug your fathers and sons. Then, as this election year unfolds, make it a point to be an informed, active citizen and vote. These actions would seem a most fitting tribute to Tim Russert; a national treasure taken from us far too soon.
Mar/081
Barack Obama – Man of Christian Conviction and Action
Folks,
I am an Obama supporter and I don’t consider myself to be “riding the wave” as some might suggest. I have done my homework and the man is a decent, thoughtful diplomat and true Christian who has a real, positive vision for the United States. With this in mind, I cannot let an email … entitled “The Obama Tidal Wave” (see below) … pass without comment. I will not address each bullet point in the email. Rather, I will speak to the overall tone of it.
First and foremost, let us address Obama’s “murky religious convictions”, he is not and never was a Muslim. He is a devout, thoughtful Christian, always has been. In short, don’t believe the misinformation distributed by FOX News and the Clinton campaign. Our nation has been so fundamentally damaged by the Bush/Cheney administration that we need a special person to fix it. Barack Obama is that person.
Next, after 8 years of Bush & Cheney … with their illegal war, disregard for human life in the aftermath of Katrina and subversion of the United States Constitution with the Rendition & Carnivore programs, Guantanamo Bay and illegal, warrant-less wiretapping of innocent US Citizens … we need a person with integrity in the White House. Simply put, Hillary is not that person. She will change her “convictions” at a moment’s notice if it is politically expedient to do so.
While McCain has more integrity than Clinton, he has allied with some pretty scary political and religious figures … people he formerly denounced … in order to secure the Republican nomination. How is that “integrity”? If you believe in something, you do so even when it is unpopular. That is a fundamental tenet of Christ’s message.
Barack Obama opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning, though he was derided as unpatriotic for doing so. Now, time has proven him right. Sometimes, being a true patriot means standing up to blind, angry and misplaced nationalism, which has been deceitfully painted as patriotism. Barack Obama has made precisely this unpopular and difficult stand … to protect our nation and the freedoms for which it stands.
Does Obama support the division of church and state? Absolutely; so did the founding fathers of this country. Why? They understood that the only way to protect religious freedom was to ensure there was no state-sanctioned “official” religion. Recall Christ’s message … “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” The Catholics among us would do well to remember that, in addition to persecuting blacks and other people of color, the KKK also lynched and killed Catholics and Jews. Many of these crimes were ignored and largely unpunished because of the deeply entwined nature of religion and government in the Southern states back then. Still, things change and our nation is stronger for it.
Another fundamental Christian belief is “love thy neighbor as thyself”. This does not mean that one makes or maintains unjust war. Regrettably, war is sometimes a necessary evil. In the wake of 911, we needed to go into Afghanistan and bring to justice the people who attacked us. Moreover, we needed to stay there and finish the job.
Instead, our President led us into an illegal war based on lies and half-truths. Now that Iraq is broken, we certainly need to fix it, but that does not mean remaining on a war footing for the next 10-100 years. It means re-engaging the United Nations so the forces stabilizing Iraq are multi-national and Iraq understands that it is the will of the world that they get their house in order. This needs to happen so ALL troops can go home, the people of Iraq can know peace (and perhaps democracy) and the region might have a genuinely stabilizing influence
Now, some will argue that Christ’s anger at the moneylenders in the temple, as well as many Old Testament passages justify righteous and faithful wrath … and by extension that justifies our current President’s crusader approach to “diplomacy”. I say that Obama is the true example of “What Would Jesus Do?” How did Christ when, on the eve of his arrest, Simon Peter struck off the ear of the slave Malchus in his defense?
Christ said “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?” In short, he accepted that there were misguided and sometimes evil men in the world and rather than using silence, disregard and violence as his tools, he went to meet them and again spread a message of love, peace and tolerance. Think of this when you dismiss Obama for being willing to meet with Castro, Chavez and their ilk. It is precisely the act of man living Christ’s message in the world.
In the history of the USA, few presidential elections have been so important and historically significant as the one before us. Washington, Lincoln, FDR, Kennedy and now Obama … all set the USA on new course, which reinforced Christian principles, secured the interests of this great nation and made the USA a bright light in a dark world. The wrong choice in 2008 may cause irreparable harm to our nation of laws and freedom. So, every American needs to get the facts for themselves and not believe everything written in emails, which were expressly designed to spread misinformation and create division.
Am I dyed-in-the wool Democrat? No. I am an independent. Do I blindly agree with every position that Obama has taken? No. Like all men, including Christ (the man), he is subject to self-doubt and moments of weakness. But on balance, he is the man that most illustrates my understanding of Christ’s message for the world. And, that alone is worth my vote.
Thanks,
Doug Daulton
PS: You are receiving this response because you were part of the group that sent this email on it’s way to me.
*******************************************
ORIGINAL MESSAGE SENT TO ME
*******************************************
Email and sender info removed because the point of my reply is to address the issues therein, not to be disrespectful of the folks who sent it in the first place.
*******************************************Subject: The Obama Tidal Wave
We are witnessing a political phenomenon with Barack Obama of rare magnitude. His speeches have inspired millions and yet most of his followers have no idea of what he stands for except platitudes of ‘Change’ or that he says he will be a ‘Uniter’.
The power of speech from a charismatic person truly can be a powerful thing. Certainly Billy Graham had charisma and both his manner of speech and particularly the content changed millions. On the extreme other hand, the charisma of Adolph Hitler inspired millions and the results were catastrophic.
Barack Obama certainly is no Hitler or a Billy Graham, but for many Americans out there feeling just like a surfer who might be ecstatic and euphoric while riding a tidal wave, the real story is what happens when it hits shore.
Just Some of What Defines Barack Obama:
• He voted against banning partial birth abortion.
• He voted no on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions.
• Supports affirmative action in Colleges and Government.
• In 2001 he questioned harsh penalties for drug dealing.
• Says he will deal with street level drug dealing as a minimum wage affair.
• Admitted marijuana and cocaine use in high school and in college.
• His religious convictions are very murky.
• He is willing to meet with Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, Kim Jung Il and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
• H as said that on e of his first goals after being elected would be to have a conference with all Muslim nations.
• Opposed the Patriot Act.
• First bill he signed that was passed was campaign finance reform.
• Voted No on prohibiting law suits against gun manufacturers.
• Supports universal health-care.
• Voted yes on providing habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees.
• Supports granting driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.
• Supports extending welfare to illegal immigrants.
• Voted NO to making English the official language of the USA.
• Voted yes on comprehensive immigration reform.
• Voted yes on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security.
• Wants to make the minimum wage a ‘living wage’.
• Voted with Democratic Party 96 percent of 251 votes.
• Is a big believer in the separation of church and state.
• Opposed to any efforts to Privatize Social Security and instead supports increasing the amount of tax paid.
• He voted No on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax.
• He voted No on repealing the ‘Death’ Tax
• He wants to raise the Capital Gains Tax.
• Has repeatedly said the surge in Iraq has not succeeded.
• He is ranked as the most liberal Senator in the Senate today and that takes some doing.
If your political choices are consistent with Barack Obama’s and you think that his positions will bring America together or make it a better place, then you will probably enjoy the ride and not forward this Email.
If you are like most Americans that after examining what he stands for, are truly not in line with his record, it would be prudent to get off the wave or better yet, never get on, before it comes on shore and undermines the very foundations of this great Country.
We have limited time to save America or the Supreme Court as we know it.Inaction is action.
If you agree this is important,please pass it on. The mainstream media will not do it for you!?
Mar/080
Obama Speaks About Race in America
Jan/105
2009 – The year I became a father and not just a parent.
2009 was a good year; full of change, growth and opportunity — most of which began and ended with family. While Kelly and I welcomed our son Finn the year before, 2009 was when he moved from being a cute, new baby into being a little person with a big personality and stubbornly independent streak. When he began walking, everything changed. Biologically, we became parents when he was born. I think that we began parenting, with a capital P, when he began to walk. Everything moved from spit-up and poopy diapers to the hard, but infinitely rewarding, work of teaching our little man the lessons he would need to one day take his place in the world.
As one might imagine, this raises all sorts of questions in one’s mind, not the least of which is “How do I want my son to view me?” Equally important is the dual realization that “I don’t know everything.” and “I will probably fail more often than I would like.” Put it all together and you have all the makings of a cocktail of self-doubt chased by an antacid shooter.
But a funny thing happened on the way to insanity, the world slowed down and a Zen-like calm descended. Accepting that I would not bat 1.000 as a parent removed that unattainable goal from my list and allowed me to focus my efforts on batting .333 and peppering it with doubles, triples and the occasional home run. Any baseball fan will tell you that .333 is pretty darn good. Actually, a real baseball fan will tell you that .333 is still a pretty lofty goal, but it is attainable, with the right combination of discipline and hard work; mixed with a little luck and talent.
From within my new found Zen state, I took time for a little reflection and introspection. Being a parent will do that to you. Coming down from my intellectual mountain, I came to a couple of realizations which were meaningful, at least to me.
1. I won’t live forever.
Most of us realize this in our early thirties. I’ve known this in a more or less concrete way since I was in my early twenties and had a gun in play during a home visit back in my days as investigator for Children’s Services. Ever since, I’ve lived my life with measured … not reckless … abandon. I’ve dreamed big and achieved critical, if not commercial, success in several business and personal endeavors. I’ve taken chances with my career that friends have considered unreasonably risky. And, on a couple of occasions, I’ve done some things that were flat buck wild and I am fortunate to live to tell the tale.
I regret little to none of this. As the saying goes, it made me who I am today and independent reports tell me that I am a decent guy with an interesting life. So, I’ll own my mistakes if the result is where I am today. But, I now understand why parents may choose to edit the stories of their life when conveying it to their children. My mistakes are mine, but I’d really rather they don’t become my son’s. And, now that I know firmly that life is finite, it makes me rethink my old decision-making process and retool it with my wife and current and future children firmly in mind. Every other realization that follows is derived from the fact that I am not immortal, at least not in body.
2. I am what I eat.
We all heard this in health class in grade school. And, back when I was a college athlete and martial arts instructor, I practiced it with relatively serious discipline. But in 2001, that all changed when I shut down my dojo and turned my attention to a new career in the sparkly wonderland that was the dotcom boom. Regular workouts and dietary discipline were soon replaced with 90 hour weeks and greasy diner and pizza joint fare. You don’t need to be a mentalist to guess where that took me. Put it together with a body long abused by contact sports and you have perfect storm for serious health risks when crossing the Rubicon into my 40s; just as I became a father for the first time.
So, this is where my son has probably saved my life. It took me the first 18 months of his life to get it through my thick skull that I had bad habits that needed to change. It took another 4 months for me to start to take serious action to correct the problem. Now, when I stumble (and I surely will) I think about seeing him graduate from college when I am 62. My dad did it when he was 46. So, 2010 is the year of exercise and eating right … not eating well.
3. Life is too dang short for drama. (See realization #1).
I have always been the guy with two or three active projects and two or three more in the pipeline. That all adds up to a lot of work. Most importantly, it adds up to a lot of time and that is time away from my family. This is made worse when the work is not something about which I am passionate and fully engaged. This realization actually happened in 2008, shortly before Finn’s arrival, but the positive pressure of parenthood turned that lump of coal into a shining diamond in 2009.
What I discovered is that I procrastinate more, and therefore use my time less efficiently, when working with skills I do not cherish on projects that light no fires in me. As a parent, there is no greater gift I can give my family than that of my time and full attention. Work that fulfills me is done with full attention and efficiency. Work that bores me is a time & energy vampire. So, 2010 is also the year I focus on the skills & abilities that make me jump out of bed itching to get to work. In theory, I’ll use my work day more efficiently and see less late nights and long weekends of work.
Almost as if on cue, early 2010 has put one or two really cool opportunities in my lap very early in the game. I cannot elaborate at the moment, but I’ll do so as plans firm up and the year progresses. I’ll tease you with this … 2009 is the year I embraced my role/nature as a storyteller. Funny how kids make you see your true nature — complete with warts and insecurities revealed. The beautiful thing is a child’s sense of wonder is a great salve for healing old wounds, forgetting old insecurities and embracing the promise that is life.
To close, I’ll let you know that blogging here (and elsewhere) is a major 2010 goal. By sharing a bit about my growth as a parent, person and professional (more or less in that order) , I hope to connect with others on a similar journey and share what wisdom we each have along the way.
Make 2010 Great!
Doug