Vantastic For our family western extravaganza over the next ten days I have rented a 15-passenger Transit van from Enterprise Rentals. There are only six of us, but we have not only baggage, but also all sorts of paraphernalia for the family outing ranging from costumes and implements for the last day Utah Games we have planned to create a grand finale “field day” sporting event. There are hoola hoops, pool noodles, cowboy hats purchased…
Anthropocene Independence Day Today is July 4th and we now have 32 people confirmed to attend our little Independence Day Barbecue. I’ve already bought 60 pounds of ice that is sitting in the garage in coolers, trying not to all melt before the festivities begin. I imagine this is a big ice buying day and that the ice merchants will be out of stock in a few hours. Despite refrigeration being around since 1834 and…
When You’re Hot You’re Hot This morning I went out for bagels like I normally do on Sundays. My routine is to get to the bagel deli a little after 7am, when it opens, to insure that I both beat the crowd and make sure that they have not run out of everything bagels, which have become the family go-to selection. I have refined the ordering process and now get toasted everything bagels for me…
What I Stand For Years ago I worked with a guy named Josh, who was my deputy in several roles and at several organizations over some eight years. That is a long time to mentor someone and perhaps an even longer time to be mentored. While he was, technically, a subordinate and was younger than me by a dozen years, I came to think of him more as a peer than a subordinate. Such was…
Having a Catch When you were a kid, did your Dad take you out in the backyard with your baseball glove to play catch or to have a catch? Here’s the thing, I didn’t have either because my father was busy living his best life without us. He and my mother met in Venezuela when she was a well-paid big shot with the Rockefeller Foundation, doing development work in the backwater parts of Venezuela while…
Relitigating the Wheel The moment I knew I would have to encounter is coming tomorrow. The litigation between the The New York Wheel and its primary contractor, called the Design/Build Team (DBT) has gotten to the point where I am being deposed tomorrow. Due to some quirk, the deposition will be held here in San Diego, so it will be relatively easy to get to, but it will be the standard “up to 7 hours”…
Blackhawk Down and Out I am watching Merrick Garland make a DOJ announcement about their investigation into the events surrounding the George Floyd killing and has concluded that the Minneapolis PD committed civil rights violations on a rather routine basis. His listing of the evidence of violations of those civil rights, the First Amendment, the American Disabilities Act and various other cultural guardrails is really quite eye opening. The one that jumps out at me…
Be Useful I have just watched the three-part Netflix series called Arnold about the life of Arnold Schwarzenegger. It was recommended to me by my oldest son Roger, who has always had a thing about pro wrestlers, and, I guess, guys like Arnold that build themselves up physically. I found it a very interesting biopic. There were three episodes, one for his early life and bodybuilding career (he was Mr. Universe four times and Mr.…
How the West Was Won Let me start by relieving everyone by saying that the last three days of riding have now turned a corner with my body. What I mean is that I was much less sore today from the ride than I had been any of the last three days. I don’t know if that means it now takes three days of pain to get two days of pleasure, but today was, indeed,…
Creatures of Comfort This is the third day of a five day motorcycle ride we are taking through Arizona and New Mexico. I know what you are thinking, that it might be too hot in the American Southwest for that sort of thing. I would like to expand the term of art to “Mad dogs, Englishmen and Motorcyclists go out in the noonday sun.” I am sitting in the lobby of the Hotel Encanto in…