My 500 Words

I like my iPad.  Once I added my bluetooth keyboard I became committed to my iPad.  It is often the best tool for the job I am trying to get done. I can type with it, write with it, turn pages like pages and I can even draw with it.  The introduction of a tablet tool to my arsenal of electronic toys has turned out to be a favorite of all of the additions I have.  I don’t see a future me without some type of tablet.   As a multi-platform user I am not married to Apple, we just have a significant relationship.  I have wanted a USB and better access to a window-based file management system.  My daughter is using a Nexus tablet through her school.  She uses our iPad at home and she loves them both.  I suspect another tablet will be in my future. In July 2010, I purchased my iPad because of an upcoming  trip.  I had offered to chauffeur my parents on a 12-14 hour drive to Canada for a reunion.  I had almost completely moved on from paper maps and thought this would be the perfect t

"Ain't ain't a word and you don't know how to spell it."    I remember that taunt from playground days.  I don't remember why I said it. I might have been demonstrating my superiority with the English language over or maybe just goofing off with friends.  I don't remember getting into any fights over the word, but I know that I would have insisted until just a few minutes ago that ain't ain't a word and no one can no how to spell it.  How can you spell a word that doesn't even exist? Several years ago (2005),  I watched a PBS report that discussed a heated debate between linguists.   If you believe that full contact mixed martial arts are brutal you should see what happens when grammarians get together to discuss the role of dictionaries in modern society.  What is left at the end of that debate is not pretty and the bruises linger for decades and sometimes centuries.  At least in MMA the bruises heal shortly after the fight. For the gramma

Bonsai Tree As individuals we grow and develop the nature of who we are by our experience.  There  are times when we should channel our choices and  we can guide our growth like carefully crafted bonsai trees.  Other occasions call for us to go with the flow and our lives more resemble a mountain field of flowers. Without some careful consideration our lives can resemble more of a weed  garden than a mountain meadow.  This is because we often take for  granted the work that is done to maintain a beautiful mountain meadow. In nature the effective relationship between different species creates the beauty and wonder of our open spaces.  These relationships include  simple and complex examples of symbiosis where a multitude of organisms work together in three types of relationships.  Mutualism Commensalism Parasitism In mutualism all of the parties to the relationship benefit from the association.  In commensalism one of the parties benefits while neither harm

In my teens and my early twenties I was a pretty active guy.  I regularly played tennis, did mountain biking, played pick-up basketball and hit the golf course semi-regularly.  Occasionally I would ride my bicycle to work and found enjoyment in the fresh air and exercise. But sometime in my 30s I took a job that was 30 miles away and required additional travel. With a growing family, distant job and a couple of knee surgeries my activity level  plummeted.  It should not come as a surprise to anyone but the high metabolism that I enjoyed in my youth was tied directly to my activity and exercise. The consequence was weight gain and the sedentary lifestyle was having a negative effect on my desire to be active.  I paid for a fitness center membership one year but I have never enjoyed going to a gym.  I am much happier getting exercise by engaging in an active lifestyle. During this time I had become a regular commuter on our public transit.  I enjoyed helping with the environmental

Today I thank my mother and father for their goodness, kindness and example that I hope to emulate through my years. I thank my brother Paul for his leadership. As the eldest of numerous siblings he has paved the way for us all to set goals and achieve them. My sister Kathy has always stood for that which is right.  Her virtuous living and stalwart life keeps us steady and grounded. Joanne has kept our family fun and imbued us with continued traditions.  Thank you Jody. Diane has blessed us all with the example of continual hope.  Her courage in the face of trials is a gift I remember on this Christmas Day. Elaine will give her support to anyone at any time and for any need.  I am not even sure she asks why.  Thank you for that unconditional love. Richard will get into the grind and solve any problem as quickly as it arises.  He shows me the value of not waiting and rueing but just getting in and doing it. My brother Robert, the second of the twins, keeps his youthful

One challenge we face is how to carry the Christmas spirit throughout the year.  We see so much goodness in others as we receive their gifts of kindness and as we reach out to others, some who we only see during this time of year.  The spirit that flows from those connections and acts of service is cause for great celebration.  While impractical, if not impossible, to maintain the Christmas celebration throughout the year we certainly can carry and share that same spirit all the year long.   But as with anything that goes on for a long time, it is easy to forget the Christmas spirit once the reminders of the decorations, parties and calendars are gone.  Out of sight and out of mind is not just a simple saying.  The stowing of the decorations and the removal of the tree send a strong message that Christmas is over.  And most of the time when things are done, they are done and we leave them aside until it is that time again.   Christmas Eve provides a perfect opportunity to refl

We spend a lot of time trying to figure out who is right and who is wrong.  Whether it is the right candidate, football team, school, job, or house; we expend tremendous energy in making sure that we are right.  Sometimes because of the effort that we have put in to reach these conclusions we arrive at a dangerous fallacy; we determine that our conclusion is mutually exclusive to other possibilities.      As we create our modern world of Truth and Error and truth and error are defined with capital letters it creates an atmosphere where contrary conclusions cannot coexist. Either I am right and you or wrong, or if you are right, I must be wrong.  Once those position lines are drawn the trajectory toward disagreement is set and the parties opportunity for resolution begins to disappear.   Law and politics evoke very strong desires to demonstrate what is right and what is wrong. Even when people agree that criminal acts were committed there often continues to exist disagreement a

National Public Radio runs a series called This I Believe . We can credit Edward R. Murrow as he sought out and obtained essays from individuals on their most deeply held beliefs.  Many of us have listened to these brief spoken essays that inspire, provoke and move us.  This resource can restore the power of humanity when the pressures of information overload can overwhelm and depress us.   As a rule I choose to be happy.  I find it easier to maintain a positive outlook that  leads to a state of happiness when I act consistent with my beliefs.  Of course, I state the obvious.  But if you seriously think about it, when was the last time you were unhappy when your personal behavior was consistent with your core and fundamental beliefs? I readily acknowledge that external factors trigger temporary emotional feelings of sadness, worry, anger, and despair.  Consider the moments and days following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.  There are few people who refer to that day a

We can fix the out of control costs of higher education.   First, it is impossible to put a value on education.  The richness and wonder that come from learning extend beyond the classroom and make our whole existence more meaningful.  I treasure the blessings, growth and insights that education brings and I hope that all can enjoy the opportunity to learn and teach continually.  However, education and learning are separate from tuition.   Historically, formal education was available to the elite and the few.  The more elevated on the social ladder the more likely that a higher education would be available.  It’s curious that, even as I write that sentence, the concept of “higher” education grates on my mind.  I am grateful that I experienced a university and graduate-level education, but other learning and trades should not sit on a lower threshold.  Nonetheless, there continues to be a steady demand for everyone to obtain a higher education.   With the increased deman

Today as I rode my bicycle to work I was listening to a radio station from Spain.  During one segment an animated and irritated young woman was speaking about perceived unfairness.  She explained that she is an educated woman, she holds two degrees, yet she knows people who earn twice as much as her with much less education.  In fact, she said, “They do not even know how to read." Last week I twice had occasion to share a part of my belief system that deals with the intrinsic value of others. This is a belief system that I have known for many years but it is one that I am sadly only beginning to live.   To be more fully honest I must disclose that I do not always treat others with the intrinsic value they possess.  I did not only judge myself by my accomplishments and profession but I esteemed others according to their achievements and deeds.   If I were to walk into a room and find a group of people of differing edu-socio-economic status, I would surely try to ingr

As a parent I ask myself whether I prefer my children to be leaders or followers.  As long as their choices are positive and allow them to develop and grow, I focus less on their hierarchical position.  It is fun to see them in positions of leadership and I admire the beneficial influence they exert on others.   Many qualities that I have defined as leadership might more accurately be categorized as intentional application of previously observed patterns.  This over-the-top designation comes from a mental reflection that has propelled me toward a richer meaning of being a disciple.   A leader must possess three critical characteristics and the true disciple must understand these qualities. Fundamental Principles Positive Purpose Commitment A leader must consistently act harmoniously with basic fundamental principles that achieve a positive purpose.  If a leader lacks the commitment to either the principles or the purpose there is no leadership.  But when a leader empl