very cute

These photos made me smile so I thought I'd share

Hungry little guy.

Do the baby's have the butt problem too?

Who would have thought a rhinceros could be so cute?

Kind of proud of myself

I was getting a little down today, because I didn't feel like I was doing quite as well I could in the bravery department.

Well, this afternoon I did a good job in facing up to something that had been bothering me for a while. There's this project I have going on at work that honestly has scared me, and I've kind of avoided it because it seemed really hard. I would write more about it, but as my company is fairly high profile that's probably all I should say.

The cool thing is, tonight, I just went for it on this project, brainstorming as best I could possible solutions to a really challenging problem. At first, it was stressful, and it was as hard as I'd imagined. But then, it got pretty exciting. Still have more work to do, but sometimes just going for it...really helps. I now have a fairly clear path forward whereas before I was feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Kind of sucks I ended up stuck at work this late, but I know this next week is going to be better, and I don't need to beat myself up for wimping out. Oh, and on the way home...I get to listen to this album:

Por dios...me encanta MUCHO este hombre...

To all those who suffer from headaches…

You would think that with all of the “opportunities” my job presents me, headaches would be a frequent occurrence for Zekers. But the truth is, for all the “headaches” I have to deal with, I very rarely suffer from actual headaches, and when I do they are usually pretty mild.

Such was not the case last night. I had the worst headache I’ve had in years. One of those headaches where you feel weak and nauseas in addition to dealing with the throbbing pain in your head. Not sure what triggered it, as I had a rather good day at work. But, around 1:00 p.m., I started feeling really tired. Driving home, my head was hurting a bit, and even though the gym wasn't sounding too appealing, I thought I felt up to at least getting the lawn mowed, but after running a couple of errands I realized that just wasn’t going to happen.

As I normally don’t go to bed at 6:00 p.m., I was lying there a long time hoping for sleep to take away the pain. It was fairly torturous, but at the same time not so bad. As I was prostrated focusing on my breathing, I couldn’t help but reflect on the fact that overall…I’m a pretty happy guy. Other than a recent experience of worrying a bit much about worrying, life has been good to Zekers. My life’s not perfect, but a lot of things I’ve wanted to change, have been changed…and it’s good. I also feel pretty good about getting to understand better about why I worry, and how to avoid it…and, I seem to be succeeding in the battle.

To anyone who suffers headaches on a regular basis, my heart goes out to you. Notwithstanding the episode of personal insight the experience provided, the truth is, the headache really did suck, and I doubt what I experienced was even a true migraine.

Fortunately, rest seems to have helped. I still had a bit of a headache when I got up at 3:00 a.m. for “dinner” but a couple hours of sleep later I was just fine, I am having a good day at work, and it looks like I will be healthy enough to go camping this weekend too:)

just a little feller

I planted a tree today in the hole from the stump. The cutest little apricot tree I've ever seen. He seemed quite large stuffed in the back of the Durango, but now he's in the ground, I've got to say he's really not that big, especially when compared to the remaining jumbo cherry tree (glad I didn't try to chop THAT one down by myself).

No apricots this year, but talking with the guy at the nursery, pretty good chance for next year. Apricots can be a little messy, but I think I found a good spot, and they taste SO good:)

Getting serious about being less serious…

I’ve posted before about some of the fear issues I’ve experienced, and the fact that they have caused me pain…and also about my dream of becoming the FEARMASTER.

Well, something happened at work yesterday that really got me frustrated with my fear issues. I found out my employee was being interviewed for a corporate promotion which I had declined (well, I was asked to apply and I said no) because I feared I wasn’t ready. It was rough.

Fortunately, today I had a good chat with my boss about the situation, and I feel quite a bit better about the decision I made a month or so ago. He was really cool about it, even said that when I did decide to go for that promotion…his strategy would be to make sure he paid me enough that I’d want to stay (I wish I could have recorded that statement). We also had a fairly frank talk about my fear issues, and about some of the things I was doing to overcome them. My eyes did water up a bit, but I wasn’t too embarrassed. We’ve known each other for 10 years now, so it was okay.

Honestly, I don’t know if I ever will be the FEARMASTER. But, I do think there is good reason to hope that things will get better. Dreaming just doesn’t make things happen. You’ve got to work for it.

I bought a couple of books last January. Read one of them cover to cover a couple of times. It was called “Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway.” It had some good ideas, but wasn’t the best. Too much “whenever this…do this.” Life isn’t a cookbook and we really need to write our own recipes. The other book I’ve found, which I am sad to say I have not yet finished is called “When Panic Attacks” by Dr. David Burns. I really like this book, though I must admit, it’s kind of a pain in the ass. Lot’s of writing assignments and exercises that force you to think through things for yourself, and that’s probably why I haven’t gotten very far into it. With work, buying a home (and getting accustomed to yardwork), and trying to make time for family and friends. Well, I had a lot of good excuses for putting it off.

But, the truth is, I need to sort through my thoughts. For some reason, I have beliefs that are inhibiting me from being as happy as I could be, and I really want to be happy.

So, it’s time to get to work…

Feelin' like a manly man...

So one of the joys (aka, hassles) of being a home owner, is getting to do things you never really saw yourself doing, and this weekend was no exception.

When I got home from Texas, I was pleasantly surprised to discover there was a geyser in my backyard. Apparently, turning on the sprinkler system just two days before heading out of town is not the wisest thing to do, even if you did spend half a Saturday playing in the sprinklers figuring out how the sucker works.

So this weekend, I finally finished the repair job (I hope). You’d think that dragging around a hose (for over two weeks) would be unpleasant enough I would have gotten the job done sooner, but, you see, Zekers isn’t always the bravest guy out there…and I avoided doing the job because I was worried I’d totally screw it up. Also, it looked to be a lot of work. It wasn’t just a simple broken pipe, but the crack occurred on an elbow joint in a rather inopportune location, and so instead of having just a couple of connections to make…I had eight.





Fortunately, it looks like I figured it out. I won’t know for sure until tonight when I turn the water back on (after the recommended 24 hours setting time), but I’m hopeful.

And, actually, I am a little nervous about something else.

On one of my vacation days (I think the only day I didn’t spend hanging out with my family) I chopped down a cherry tree. Okay, it was more like a chain saw a massacre. There’s something rather virile about operating a chain saw (first time I’d every used one…rented from Home Depot), and cutting down a tree definitely feels like an accomplishment. But the real accomplishment came last weekend, when I removed the stump. Removing the tree was actually pretty easy, as it had been dying for some time and was already about two-thirds cut down. The stump, on the other hand, was very much alive…and very, VERY big with about a billion pesky roots. So, I went back to Home Depot and rented a Sawzall (first time again too) and this big ass pry bar. Well, five hours and five Sawzall blades later, I finally got the stump out. I’ve got to admit, at four and a half hours I was very tired of digging, cutting, digging, cutting…and well, not a very happy camper…but eventually I could see the stump wiggle a bit when I jumped up and down on the pry bar, and after a bit more digging and a few more cuts...the job was done…and DAMN did that feel good.

So the other thing I’m nervous about. There is a possibility that in cutting blindly (and ferociously) at the tree roots I could have hit a sprinkler pipe. Unfortunately, the thought of such an outcome didn’t even occur to me until I was about half-way done removing the stump, but…fortunately…I never actually saw the saw make contact (or an actual pipe for that matter), so hopefully no damage done.

I guess I’ll find out about that tonight too:)

Wish me luck!

The Stump

¡Adiós a mis amigos!

Well, for everyone who has seen the forecast for next week and asked the question "what about spring?!?" I don't think you should complain too much. The first full week of this first month of summer...Zekers will be in TEXAS...




Actually, I was pleasantly surprised the temps were not going to be worse. And truthfully, I'm excited to be going! It's not a vacation, it's a business trip...but it is a much needed change. I've never been to Texas, except for one stop inside the Dallas airport a couple of years ago.

And, best of all, the week after that, I get to stay home for a few days to celebrate the arrival of beautiful.

Relax my boy...relax

I typed up a post today…that is totally different from what I am posting now. It was about how pleased I was to be getting a good handle on time management (I really have figured out a fairly kick ass task management system to deal with the “work problem”) and to be dealing successfully with some of my fear issues related to work.

Fortunately that's all very true. But, after writing that…I couldn’t help but realize that I’m still just a bit too uptight. The perfectionist in me still seems to be live and kicking…and unfortunately periodically comes back to kick my butt.

It’s interesting how many of the challenging parts of life…are challenges of our own making.

So tonight…I’m going to remind myself that often (not always, but often) life is only as hard as I make it….and I’m really not in the mood for life to be all that tough.

Stole another one...

I came across this photo of my sister Lani on Apryl's picasa web album. I'm kind of prone to getting excited sometimes, and seeing this shot of Lani really got me going. I haven't seen her since last August, and she'll be out to visit next month. Umm...that's where I'm already almost giddy. Oh, and she's bringing baby too!

BTW...isn't she beatiful!

I totally stole this one

My sister in-law posted this, and I think it's worth sharing. I don't know if I believe in God. In some respects I think I do, but rest assured there is no organized religion in my future. I fundamentally do not have faith in people who say god has spoken to them (for me).

However, as I've gotten older, and hopefully a bit wiser, I've come to realize that being bitter or upset about humanities proclivity toward religious belief (and it's inherent injustices) is a waste of time. The fact is, life is tough. (So we're clear Jenna, this message is not for you...just me reflecting). Anyways, things that remind us that love trumps hate, that sharing is better than selfishness...they're not so bad. And when people work together to make life better...

Anyways, here's what I stole (and my comments):

1. God won't ask what kind of car u drove. He'll ask how many people u drove who didn't have transportation. (Good thing...cause old blue is falling apart)

2. God won't ask the square footage of your house, He'll ask how many people u welcomed in your home. (So far 17. Well that was the most at one time.)

3. God won't ask about the clothes u had in your closet, He'll ask how many u helped clothe. (Hmmm...maybe I shouldn't show God my closet)

4. God won't ask what your highest salary was. He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it. (Hope I haven't)

5. God won't ask how many friends u had. He'll ask how many people to whom u were a friend. (Working on it)

6. God won't ask what neighborhood you lived in, He will ask how u treated your neighbors. (Haven't met them all yet, but I try to be nice)

7. God won't ask what your job title was. He will ask if u performed your job to the best of your ability. (To the best of my ability...within reason)

8. God won't ask about the color of your skin, He'll ask about the content of your character. (I really would prefer blue)

9. God won't ask why it took you so long to seek salvation. He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven and not to the gates of hell. (I actually like this one even though I prefer to think of the afterlife as one of the great mysteries of existence. I do think it is really foolish to live life in fear of hell and frankly, I see this as one of the great tragedies of religious thought over the centuries. This punishment mentality is just WAY too much fear. Live life to be happy...deep down. If there is a god, I'm willing to bet everything on this: God knows how hard all these decisions were...and God plays fair.)

10.God won't have to ask how many people u forwarded this to. He already knows your decision. (sorry, but this one just bugged)

As promised...

Mom...I hope you enjoy these photos. Thanks again for a wonderful mother's day and for being a wonderful mom!

Help Wanted-aka Zeke’s Goals Revisited

After my fairly bold post last week, I’ve been reflecting quite a bit on this job problem and how I’m dealing with it. So we’re clear, it’s not like I just threatened to quit. The truth is, opportunity-wise at least, I have a fairly sweet arrangement with my existing job. But will getting additional help really help? Yes and no. Sometimes in life, if you can solve one problem, others can become a lot more manageable.

So, now that I’ve completed Goal #1, I think I need to add another goal to the list to be the new number one for this year, and it’s a goal I believe I may achieve more easily if I take advantage of social commitment (hence this post):

Goal #1. Master the art of managing my time so that work time is work time, and play time is play time.

It’s not that I totally suck at time management, and I’ve certainly made various efforts over the years, but planning one’s time is a lot like exercising. You always feel better when you do it well (often the benefits to overall health-both mental and physical-are tremendous), but doing it (at least initially) kind of sucks. And keeping at it...isn’t always that easy.

Not that I want my whole life planned out. Far from it. But when it comes to certain aspects of my life…aka work…I think I would be a lot happier if I planned my time better.

I think a big challenge I’ve had is that I’ve been too much of a perfectionist with this issue, and when I fail, I get discouraged and more or less give up for a while. It's also true that my job is challenging in that it demands planning, but I also have to be ready to respond in an emergency, which I guess is all the more reason to plan when I can. I don’t need to always accomplish what I had in mind…I just need to plan well enough so that the person driving my life is ME. So that I’m in the habit of saying yes to the things that really matter (friends, family, well deserved recreation…you know…the good stuff in life)… and NO to the things that don’t.

Diez años

Well, this week is kind of an unusual milestone in my life. It is now ten years since I graduated from college, and as of Wednesday it will be 10 years that I’ve been working as a safety geek.

Can’t help but ask the question…have my endeavors over the past 10 years really been worthwhile?

I think my answer is both yes and no. Career wise…I’ve progressed as well as I ever expected. I’ve learned so much about “the real world” and a lot about me as well. I’ve found I’m capable of a lot more than I imagined. The shy kid who was scared to death to run a cash register at Arby’s now directly manages 4 people and indirectly manages about 200. I have a job that is much more challenging…and at least some of the time…even more fulfilling than expected. And the fact is…sorry if this is a bit boastful…I’m really good at what I do.

I’m also pretty happy with where I’m at financially. I have the American dream…a beautiful home…two vehicles in the garage…a stable income and money in the bank…with my only significant debt…a fairly reasonable mortgage.

Not bad. But far from perfect. It took me a LONG time to get here…and I made some really dumb moves along the way. The biggest one…I chose to learn the hard way that just because you CAN afford a certain lifestyle…doesn’t mean you really WANT to. Let’s face it, getting myself stuck in a condo in Tooele with two rather sizeable car payments. Not smart. And then, after I get the cars paid off to have the condo association turn around and bar any new rentals…when I was finally ready to move. Uggh!

I also think I need to face the fact that I’ve been a bit too focused on my career…and it’s basically backfired on me. The more you prove you can do…the more they ask of you. Well, it’s not just that. As I’ve gotten better at what I do I now recognize so many different things I “should” do…that before…never really hit the radar. The fact is, this past month…has been one of the most challenging of the past decade. Work-wise at least.

Fortunately, there are solutions. The fact is…I really am at a spot in my life where I can say…this job thing…it’s going to be win-win…or it’s no deal. There are greener pastures…and if necessary…I can and will graze elsewhere. I’m very grateful I didn’t overspend on my home. Kind of cool…as I’ve reached this new spot in my life (thank God I’m no longer trapped in Tooele) both myself and my boss have come to recognize that old Zekers really is overworked…and that can only be tolerated for so long. I got authorization this past week to hire (contract out) whatever additional help I need. I’m a little nervous about hiring strangers who may show me I don’t know quite as much as I think I do…and having even more people to supervise…but I think I’m up to the challenge…

I hope I am:)

me gusto much tambien

For some reason, I absolutely loved reading this story:)

¡Me gusta mucho la primavera!

It’s definitely true. Every bit as much as I hate cold weather…I LOVE SPRING!

I realize this warm weather the past few days may be a bit of an aberration…but it was definitely worth enjoying, and I am ever so glad I had the day off work today.

I’m also really getting to like this new T-town. The river is awesome. A three-city bike tour on Saturday afternoon (okay, Murray and West Jordan aren’t really all that far), and then roller-blading today. It was fun!

Being in a new home (for me) has also made this spring special. I admit, buying the lawn mower was a lot more fun than actually using it, and I’m sure it will eventually seem like much more of a chore than an adventure, but is so nice to have “my space” outside. On Saturday morning, after pruning the trees a bit more (I cut down a dead branch almost 5 inches in diameter all by myself) I decided to just lay down on the grass and take it all in. I think I spent about 20 minutes listening to and watching the birds that have chosen to share my home.

Hmmm…I think I may be a little high on this spring thing right now…but ah well.

I guess I’ll end this with some photos…of the flowers…in my yard…the ones I didn’t have to plant at all…

What a week…aka…ready or not here they come!

This week has been a bit unusual in a few different ways. First of all, my ties to Tooele are officially severed. Perhaps another manifestation of my worry problem…but I can’t deny it feels pretty damn good to have the “what if the buyer blows off the contract” concern behind me.

My ties with the west desert are far from severed, however, and even though amazing freeway access and a concomitant minimal bump to my drive time while still being essentially in the middle of everything were…well...HUGE…factors in choosing my new home, I ended up being stuck in traffic the longest of my entire life this past week.

Fortunately, that only meant being parked on the freeway for just over an hour in addition to my normal lengthy commute time (I think anyone from California would state I have no right to complain). It actually was kind of interesting. Wondering if the Saltair fires would reach my car, trying to get some work done from the driver’s seat of old blue…struggling to view the screen on my laptop through the layer of accumulating ash.

When traffic finally did start moving, I saw something I was very glad didn’t happen to me. Let’s face it…I drink lots of caffeinated beverages…and the “do I expose myself in public?” question was fairly pressing on my mind (and on other body parts). No, I didn’t see somebody yanking it out, but I did see a guy who apparently had gotten out to do so and had clearly locked himself out of his vehicle. I bet that highway patrolman trying to pry his door open was pretty tempted to just smash the window as surrounding traffic approached NORMAL freeway speeds.

Maybe these traffic stories aren’t as interesting as I think they are, but to me it did seem ironic to drive past over 5 miles of parked vehicles all on their way home to the place I had been so anxious to leave. What was even more interesting (for me), was seeing almost the same sight the very next day (less than one hour after I found out the condo sale had funded) due to slipping and sliding from the winter storm…while I zipped right on to my new home:)

I’m glad I’m finally taking some time to write. Work has been a bit unusual too and proved to make for one heck of a week…a week that just happens to be the week before our biggest audit of the year. There were plenty of unexpected twists (considering I have no idea who might read this blog that’s about all I can say). Well, I will say this. As much as I love helping people…sometimes it’s draining when you feel you are expected too often to be the hero…and as much as I wish I didn’t feel this way…I’m kind of pissed I have to work an extra long shift on a Saturday through what seems to me to be no fault of my own. I’m freaking tired!

But, fortunately, I know this too shall pass…

Thank-you so much!

I know I said thank-you earlier, but sometimes a repeat is deserved. THANK YOU to all those who helped me with the move!

I will admit, I didn’t fully anticipate how much would be involved in “post-moving.” At least my kitchen stuff is put away. I guess it’s just as well I will be without home internet for a little while longer.

Oh, I do have some more exciting news. I shared with most of my family my disappointment to find out the Great Harvest Bread that was going to be 2 blocks from my house had gone out of business. Well, I discovered last Sunday I was wrong. They didn’t go out of business. They just moved. In exploring my new turf, I found that they are now just about a mile from my house. A little further out than anticipated…but probably also just as well…as I don’t need to be stuffing my face with free bread EVERY day:)

Well…time to get back to work...

Past the point of no return...

Well, I found out yesterday afternoon that I am now a property tax paying citizen of the Great Salt Lake Valley. Man does it take a long time to buy a house. It was about 5 weeks from the time I found the place I wanted to call home before I actually got the opportunity to live there. There is no such thing as a perfect home…but there is this: A VERY COOL HOME! I get the keys today:)

There is something else new I would like to share.

Next week…brace yourselvses…Andrew Lloyd Webber is releasing a new musical. It’s the sequel to...yes…really…the Phantom of the Opera. Andrew seems pretty confident the story line will be good. Admittedly, probably not especially difficult to come up with a better story than the original. Music-wise…I’m not holding my breath. However, I am VERY excited!

Zeke's Goals

Oh man, I've been meaning to blog about my goals for quite some time. Yes, I did set some for 2010, and I think they are pretty good ones. I kind of wanted to wait until I felt I'd made at least a little bit of progress on each before posting anything...and I've definitely made progress...well at least on some of them:)

#1 GET THE HELL OUT OF TOOELE!
#2 Make people more of a priority
#3 Achieve better control of my worrying
#4 Keep sharpening the saw
#5 Be creative

Okay, for those who are in the loop, yes...I have been a bit obsessive about goal #1. It's a little scary, but also very exciting. More to come on that.

Goal #2, I think goal #1 may help a bit, but it's more than just a social networking thing. It's also about enhancing existing relationships...and learning to be less wrapped up in me.

Goal #3. Since I've been so caught up with goal #1, been reasonably asymptomatic. Well, definitely not worrying about the same old things. But, a little therapy with myself now and then is not a bad thing. Really did find some cool books on this one.

Goal #4, regarding sharpening the saw. The phrase "keep at it" only works when your habits are essentially already where you would like them to be. Fortunately, that's pretty much where I'm at with the exercise thing and all...and it feels pretty darn good. Developing my mind etc., been a little distracted by that darn goal #1, but still keeping at it.

Goal #5. Hmmm...not a whole lot of progress. Well, I'm sure I'll have plenty of opportunities to be creative when I'm a little further along with goal #1.

:)

Way to go Joe!

I came across an article about this guy a couple of weeks ago, but somehow I didn’t get around to blogging about it. His name is Joe Rollino and I have a bit to say about him.

I’m not sure exactly why I have such a fascination regarding exercise and old people, but I do. I guess it has to do with the fact that exercise is something you can never give up on. Well, there are a lot of benefits to never giving up on it. Doesn’t mean we need to go to the gym every day…but we do have to be fairly consistent to enjoy the benefits.

Anyways, when I first heard news blurbs of how this guy died I thought, “what irony!” 104 years old…and hit by a minivan. Well, I found an even more informative article here, and I think it makes the story all that much more interesting. So here are some of the facts:

• This guy was very famous for his strength (in his day) but was only 5’5” and about 150 pounds.
• He was a vegetarian.
• He swam every day for 8 years straight.
• He could bend quarters with his fingers even in his old age (apparently he could do dimes when he was younger-thinner, but smaller makes it tougher).
• He was about 2 months shy of his 105th birthday.
• When he got struck by the mini-van, he was on his daily 5-mile walk.

So I guess he did slow down a bit as the years went by (not quite doing his polar bear swims in the atlantic every day at 104), but a 5-mile walk for a centenarian is pretty darn good. I consider my grandpa to get around pretty well for his age (90, going on 91), but frankly, there aren’t enough hours in the day for my grandpa to be able to walk 5 miles.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more and more indifferent to how long I live (within reason). 70, 80, 90, it would all be good—provided I have a good quality of life. I think it would be pretty awesome to be able to walk 5 miles a day until the day I die. And if I get killed while trying to get some honest exercise…so be it. Dying while still living is the best way to go.

Oh, and fortunately, he was reported to have lost consciousness immediately upon getting struck. The story is not without sadness…but kind of cool at the same time.

I love this movie! aka-getting there

I decided one of the things I wanted for my birthday was to take my parents to go see Avatar in 3D. As I’ve gotten older, getting “stuff” just doesn’t hit the spot like it used to. Well, thanks mom for making me that cool Beatles blanket, and thanks again for the angel food cake. Anyway, taking the parents to see a cool movie was up my alley. Fortunately, Randy, Jared and Liz came along too (Jenna took baby Caleb for his first trip shopping with the ladies).

After having seen 3 rather disappointing sequels (okay, prequels) to Star Wars I didn’t expect to be blown over by technology. But, the special effects in this movie are damn near SEEMLESS, and the plot is really cool too. That, and I absolutely LOVE the color blue:)

Something interesting happened in the theater that lined up pretty well with some recent thoughts. I’ve been reflecting quite a bit lately regarding where I’m at with my “fear issues,” and the truth is, I’m not all that happy with where things are at, or at least where they’ve been at. Really frustrating too, because for much of my adult life I’ve put a lot of effort into fighting fear. Granted, it is easy for anxiety to generalize, and watching a close loved one self-destruct, and then, whether intentional or not, ultimately succeed in that destruction is a bit much for anyone to handle. But, I also realize that my fears have brought me a lot of unnecessary stress, and well…pain. Sometimes fear can work to one’s advantage (e.g. totally kicking ass on my CIH exam) but usually that’s not the case. Usually we end up worrying about things for which worrying provides us no advantage, and we unnecessarily endure a very large amount of discomfort.

So what happened in the theater? Well, on my way back from using the restroom, as I was meandering past several enraptured theater-goers, I tripped. Not just a little trip, but one of those almost do a face plant types of trips. In catching myself (fortunately I did), I kind of pulled this girl’s hair, and then pulled back this other person’s seat about half-way down, and I may have even kicked somebody. Of course, I apologized profusely, but the main reason I’m sharing this story is because of what happened afterward. If something like that had happened when I was younger (actually, maybe even up until just a few years ago) I would have been MORTIFIED. Instead, I went back to my seat and enjoyed the rest of the show, with a big smile on my face. Now it is true that if I had needed to use the restroom again I would have gone the OTHER direction, but I think what happened says a lot about how far I’ve come with this fear thing. I even had a good laugh telling the story to my family as we left the theater, and of course they all laughed too.

So, am I where I’d like to be with my fear issues? No, not quite yet. But, even if I still struggle (quite a bit) in some areas, the fact is I have come a long way. And…I think I’ve found some good resources to help me become the FEARMASTER it is my dream to become. On my birthday, I told my family that one thing was for certain. The next thirty “something” years of my life are going to be a lot more relaxed than the first.

Reflections on the book of wisdom...

So this weekend I finished reading the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. Well, technically I read Los 7 hábitos de la gente altamente efectiva, with the English version as an occasional (okay, pretty much at least one word or phrase every page) reference.

It was the second “big book” I’d read all the way through in Spanish, and I must say, it does feel like quite an accomplishment. I wish it hadn’t taken me an entire year to complete, but that’s mostly because there were more than a few distractions along the way.

I had read the book before (in English) about 12 years ago, but this time it meant so much more. Well, I feel like (at least recently) I’ve been able to see the ideas in a less perfectionistic light, and they seem to be a lot more user friendly that way. Now, rather than “rules to be obeyed” I see them more as observations and tools that present opportunities for a happier life.

A caution I have regarding the seven habits (mostly for myself but also for others) is to remember that we are not gods and we never will be. There can only be one all powerful being…and that being is NOT me. We are capable of many great things, but achievement is only a small part of living…acceptance of our very human limitations…and allowing ourselves to take the time to relax and enjoy life…is just as important.

Okay, I’ll get off my soap box and say a bit about the habits. I sincerely do believe they are incredibly profound ideas, and yeah, I want to share them:

1) Be Proactive-Sea proactivo. This habit is about accepting responsibility for our own lives and recognizing that whatever happens in life, an element of choice ALWAYS remains. A huge responsibility, to think that whether or not I’m happy or sad is under no one's control but my own…but also an incredible opportunity and reason to hope.
2) Begin with the End in Mind-Empiece con un fin en mente. If we don’t know where we want to go, the odds of getting there are pretty slim. This one also has a lot to do with values, and answering the question for ourselves…who do I really want to be?...and what would I really like to do with the time I have for living?
3) Put First Things First-Ponerlo primero primero. This habit is about organizing our lives so that we are living according to our values. Doing the things we need to do to not only get by, but also to make our dreams a reality.
4) Think Win/Win-Piense en ganar/ganar. Too often in life we go for win/lose, or lose/win. Selfishness vs. self-sacrifice. We all have needs, as Covey states, the needs to live, to love, to learn, and to leave a legacy. In pursing fulfillment of those needs, it is very worthwhile to strive to meet the needs of others along the way. If win/win is not an option, “no deal” is often better than lose/win…and rarely means lose/lose.
5) Seek first to understand, then to be understood-Procure primero comprender-y depsués ser comprendido. In the epilogue to recent editions of the book, Stephen admits that this is the most difficult habit for him to live. It is perhaps the most difficult habit for me to live too. How many times in life have I said to myself “wow, I really misunderstood?” How much confusion and stress could be avoided if we took the time to truly listen to one another. We can be fast with things…but with people…we must be slow.
6) Sinergy. Sinérgia. I struggle with this one a bit too. I remember 12 years ago reading this section, and perhaps mostly because I was so incredibly shy thinking “fat chance.” The idea here is that working together, by appreciating and valuing each others differences, we can accomplish not only more…but much more.
7) Sharpen the Saw. Afile la sierra. This habit is about continually maintaining (and inevitably growing) ourselves. Getting regular exercise and eating appropriately to have a healthy body…which in turn contributes to a healthy mind. Reading regularly to benefit from the ideas of others. Building relationships by continually making deposits into each others emotional bank accounts. Gaining a broad perspective on life…and figuring out what it is one should truly value.

Okay, I spent a bit longer on this project than I anticipated. Have a fairly busy day ahead of me at work and should probably head to bed. Great ideas…that in the proper context…can bring about great things…and make life just that much better.

Me gusta mucho...

So this afternoon I’ve been studying about what is called Human Performance Improvement, or a philosophy that attempts to understand all safety incidents in the context of the culture that created the problem (rather than blame the individual). In the section on communication, they ask what these headlines REALLY mean to say. I like numbers 3 and 8. Sorry, no spanish translations available.

1) Delinquent Teen gets Nine Months in Violin Case
2) Iraqi Head Seeks Arms
3) Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
4) New Vaccine May Contain Rabies
5) New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group
6) Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
7) Red Tape Holds Up New Bridge
8) Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half

Adventures in the Great White North

So I spent New Year’s weekend in Idaho Falls at my little bro’s place. It was a fun trip. With all the “end of year push” stuff going on at work this past week, it was a good break too. Wish I could say I was coming back to a more relaxing week at work but now we have the “beginning of the year push” stuff to deal with which usually ends up being even more demanding of me. Ah well.

Let’s see, highlights from the trip. New Year’s Eve was fun. Nick took me to a party at the Shiloh Inn where we met up with Megan. Couldn’t really hear anything anybody said over the music, so since I didn’t know anybody, just mostly sat around drinking beer (I only drank one) and smiling at the drunk people. I did have an interesting experience with my baby sister. Megan was pretty well wasted when I got there, and after telling me how much she loved me (about a million times) decided she wanted to teach me to dance. Well, after we started dancing I realized she had “dirty dancing” in mind. I was game for a bit, but eventually it did get just “way too weird” and with a bright red face and a grin from ear to ear I told Megan that was probably enough. Nick had a good time watching us and laughing. I mostly just recognized that one beer was nowhere near drunk enough…

The following morning, after meeting up with Megan for breakfast at Smitty's, we picked up Talon and hung out at Terri’s house for a while. Talon is definitely getting bigger and talks really well now. Didn’t give him any shoulder rides or anything though cause he’s pretty much exclusively a grandma’s boy.

Nick, Megan and I saw two movies at Edward’s Theatre. Nick had wanted to see Sherlock Holmes, but since I’d seen it the week before we decided on Avatar instead. Well, since the earlier showing of Avatar was sold out, we saw Invictus while waiting for Avatar. Both movies were great. The special effects on Avatar were pretty mind-blowing. I was a bit disappointed we opted against the 3D version (Nick was worried he’d get a headache), so I think I’ll have to see Avatar again.

On Saturday, went to the local gym (cost me 10 bucks, but I’m still sore in my chest and shoulders) and then did some studying about developing safety goals (for work) while Nick played video games with his roommate. Later that night Terri treated us to dinner at this great Italian restaurant. Sad to say, but first time I’d ever had gorgonzola sauce. Definitely a fan!

Later that evening Nick, his roommate and I all sat in Nick’s bed (he doesn’t yet own a couch) and drank beer while watching the blu-ray version of the latest Star Trek movie on John’s plasma TV. John (who spent the holiday in Vegas) was kind enough to lend Nick the TV while he has been stuck at home recuperating from the surgery.

I had some problems with my cooling system on the Durango on the trip, but Nick was more than helpful with that, and I’m very glad I brought it. They had like 8 inches of snow! I discovered that in Idaho Falls they don’t mess around with snow plows too much either. They pull out the heavy duty construction equipment (graders, front-end loaders, this machine that picks up snow from the middle of the road and deposits it in one of several lined up dump trucks, etc.).

Nick is doing pretty well, though he still has quite a bit of back pain. The area that bothered him before the surgery no longer hurts at all, but now he has new pain that’s even worse in his lower back. He pretty much limps wherever he goes, but he seems pretty optimistic things will get better soon. He also seems to be getting by okay financially too. I was a little worried since he just bought his house last August and what not. It will likely turn out as a really nice place, though I can understand why he’s been so busy doing repairs. As far as covering the bills, he’s got really great insurance (provided he doesn’t start smoking again). Before this surgery, I had no idea nicotine was so damaging to bone growth. Nick and I had some really good talks about the situation with Dad and the estate and what not as well, and I did get the impression those were talks Nick and I needed to have, but definitely a lot more relaxed Idaho visit than those earlier this year. I know they say that when people grow together they grow together, but kind of glad there wasn’t a whole lot of growing to be done this time around. We mostly just had a good time chilling.

Oh, of course, as on the way up, I stopped at Mom and John’s on the way home for free dinner. Randy and Jenna were there for the free meal too.

Definitely a people filled weekend, and definitely a very good change of pace.

Hopefully that about covers it. Apryl, do you have any remaining questions?

:)