When my daughter was about 7 years old I told her something along the lines, “You don’t need to grow up too fast, okay?”
After she turned 10 I found out she wasn’t enjoying her birthdays. She had it in her mind that as she grew older I might start loving her less, either Continue reading “Careful What You Say”
Does it ever feel like the universe is speaking to you? Tomorrow I have a stressful all-day meeting. Due to circumstances I’m less prepared than I would normally be; for sure less prepared than I want to be. I’ll have to think on the fly among a group of peers and superiors who will see through bullshit. So it’s just what I have in my brain.
Is what’s in my brain enough? Do I know the material as well as I should? If Continue reading “Better Than You Think”
I have a love-hate relationship with my dog. We adopted Max about a year and a half ago through Summit Dog Rescue. (A great organization, very thorough, laser focused on making great matches.) Max came to us all the way from central America – he was a street dog in Cancun, Mexico. At 2 or 3 years of age before he was rescued by some ex-pats, he developed several deeply-ingrained street survival Continue reading “Accepting Max”
My former boss, mentor, and friend, Keith Dietzen, once shared with me a nugget he learned from his mentor, Tom Fitzmyers, now-retired CEO of the profitable publicly traded company Simpson Strong-tie. “What’s your secret to running such a successful business for so long, Tom?” Keith asked. Tom’s response: “Do business with nice people.”
My father is a master carpenter and he raised a family of hands-on kids. Some of us, like both my brothers, actively use their hands-on problem solving skills every single day in their chosen professions. They are awesome to watch. Others of us, like me, enjoy working with tools and Continue reading “There’s Heat In That Wood”
When debating, there is constant back-and-forth. The robust exchange of ideas naturally triggers our passions. Emotional responses are expected and perhaps are even required for highly productive debate. However, there is a point when debate devolves into bickering or arguing – there is an element Continue reading “When Debating, Choose Kindness”
Here’s one of the delights of parenthood. It’s late on a Sunday evening with my son and my daughter. Showers are being taken, lunches packed, teeth brushed. I’ve been nursing anxious feelings about the work week ahead for much of the afternoon – mostly successfully holding them at bay to stay Continue reading “One Breath Around The World”
A boy in a dragon costume is sitting at the top of the children’s slide. Another child in kangaroo pajamas is carefully traversing the rope bridge, while nearby a girl with cat ears is being chased around the rocks by her father. I’m at the Boulder Public Library looking out a window and taking in Continue reading “Who Will Pick Up The Garbage?”
Today is my youngest brother’s 40th birthday.
He’s a person who puts words into action. He’s one of the strongest people I know, a devoted father and reliable friend. He earns trust wherever he goes in part because he operates with such calm competence. Yet he carries Continue reading “Dude. Be Nice”
I’ve come to learn just a small amount about cooking in the past few years. Still an absolute novice, I stick with simple recipes and a small number of ingredients. Nonetheless I’ve discovered a new appreciation for this transformative work in the kitchen. Long ago, I was presented with the gift of a cutting board from Continue reading “The Cutting Board”
I was about 10 years old eating a piece of pie – I think it was cherry pie – at my grandparent’s house. Maybe it was Memorial Day and the Cubs were on TV in the other room while I devoured bite after bite. The other grand-kids were gathered around the kitchen table and my grandpa, Val Mehler, was Continue reading “Tastes Like More”
One reason I started cataloging my thoughts in this blog is because I’m afraid of losing them. Especially thoughts or insights derived from experiences. My mind seems to forget the details, and I’m afraid I’ll lose the specific memory into an abyss of impressions and vague recollections. Continue reading “Memory Triggers”
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