Flood on the Hilltop By definition, it would be pretty hard to flood me out on this hilltop. We are literally on higher ground than either our neighbor to the north or the neighbor to the south by at least 30 feet each. To the east and down the front slope it is perhaps 50 feet down to the road. And my back hillside is probably the steepest grade and it goes down perhaps 75…
Healing the Divide We all understand that we live in what seems to be an increasingly divided world. I doubt that many of us like that situation and I know most of us scratch our heads and wonder why it has to be that way. Today’s Washington Post had a lead article that seems to offer some explanation. The problem is thought to be rooted in the age old cultural phenomenon of tribalism. Tribalism is…
Networking In the business world, there are those who spend their energy being part of the “who you know” universe, and there are others who stay comfortably within the “what you know” world. In my day, I liked to think I was a top-notch content manager who spent a lot of time focused on what I needed to know to do the job best. I always figured that if I did that well, I would…
A Tarzan Moment Today is the second of what looks to be a three-day rainy spell here on the hilltop. Everything in the garden is benefiting, but I can’t really say the same for myself. One gets used to the nice weather of San Diego and I find myself at a loss for things to do when I am forced to stay indoors. I am not backlogged with work at the moment and have recently…
Demon Dog Let’s be clear about one thing right from the start, Kim and I both love Buddy and think that he is an incredibly cute pup that we are thrilled to have as part of our lives for a long time. That all said, Buddy has more than a little of the Devil possessing him at certain times. I’m actually quite serious about this and while I am not a particularly religious person nor…
Columns & Rows I have started a new spreadsheet. I love spreadsheets. Ever since I first met a VisiCalc spreadsheet back in about 1979, I have been in love with spreadsheets and what they can do. I actually think that spreadsheets may be the most impactful invention of my time. I know people will scoff at that in light of everything from EVs to Smartphones, but my logic is quite simple. Spreadsheets enabled all innovations…
Step By Step Most exercise measurement programs today seem to focus on walking steps and counting them. I get it. Walking is good for you. It is relatively low impact and almost everyone can do it. But not everyone enjoys it. I am one of those people who does not like walking. My size and weight makes walking a pain in my lower back. I have tried using walking sticks, which help, but not completely.…
So God Made a Dictator The latest Lincoln Project advertisement is a real eye-opener. Its a play off of Donald Trump’s allusions to the notion that God made Trump and that this evangelically appealing narrative is that Trump is doing God’s work by standing up for issues like tighter abortion standards and tighter immigration standards. Of course, as one might expect, Trump is simply too much of a pragmatist and transactional operator to stand by…
Economic Optimism I watch so many movies about the wars of the 20th Century that I find myself wondering what it must be like to be facing the world with nothing in your pocket and no particular prospects for things getting better soon. The two movies I watched yesterday were of this sort. The first was a real D-list movie called Air Strike. This was a 2018 film that was made in China and represents…
A Life Well-Lived I grew up in a single parent household. My mother was 100% of my parental influence, which is, sadly, more often the case in life. I have great admiration for my mother, both for what she achieved professionally in her life and how she went about her role as parent to me and my sisters. The things I have mentioned previously that I liked about her parenting included that she was a…