Duck Hunting in the Morning

I am taking the week off. I have taken the week between Christmas and New Year's off for several years now. It is starting to feel like a tradition. This vacation started with a trip to Groesbeck to hunt with friends. The weather did not cooperate and was extremely windy the entire time. On the first night that the wind started to die down, I spent the entire evening watching a guy on a Cat. D9 clearing the land next door. Everyone else saw game; I saw the dozer. I had planned to take the end of the week and go out to the farm in Abilene, but then decided that duck hunting would be more fun. Plus it would be close to home.

I picked up my duck stamp today and headed out to the lake to do some scouting. I was disappointed to see that the lake was so low. It is down about three feet and there is much exposed shoreline where there once was water right up to the trees. I did find ducks, but it will be hard to get to them. A few flew over within shooting distance as I sat along the shore. I will probably set the decoys as close to the water's edge as possible and sit in the trees about 20 yards away. I think that is as close as I will be able to get to the water. An alternative will be to use my goose layout blind right at the water's edge. I'm not sure how that will work, but I will probably try anyway. We'll see how it goes. I've got the rest of the week to figure it out.

Christmas Morning

Merry Christmas. I so love to get up early on Christmas morning. We traditionally have an egg casserole for breakfast and I can smell it warming in the oven. So good! Last night we attended a Christmas Eve service to celebrate and be reminded of the reason we have this holiday. I am continually amazed each year when I stop and really contemplate the awesome act of God becoming man and being born the lowliest of the low in our world...just to redeem us as a people for himself. Amazing! So, as we exchange gifts that bring temporary joy, we will think of the permanent joy we have in Jesus Christ, the best gift ever.

Christmas Eve Eve

Driving into work this morning, I was thinking about several tragedies that occurred yesterday in Dallas. Three people lost their lives in senseless acts. A grandmother lost her life in a car accident because someone left a sprinkler system on and coated the road with ice. Two people were shot in their cars by a random gunman. Tragedies. My family is safe at home sleeping late. I am so thankful, praise the Lord! May he strengthen those who have suffered loss and bring justice to the criminal.

Professional Licensure

A friend of mine who has been an engineer for a long time, recently left academia for private practice. He also relocated and needed to be licensed in his new state. He has achieved that license and commented about it in his blog, remarking on a certain feeling of independence that accompanied the achievement. I have often felt like obtaining registration for architects, or engineers, is more a rite of passage than an acknowledgment of competence. However, even as a rite, the day I knew I had passed all nine tests for mine, I was ecstatic! So, here's to you, Dave...Merry Christmas!

BTW, it took me three hours of total incompetence with HTML to figure out there was a "space" missing in the code for the Last Fm widget. I figure it out, though...odd as that may be. Cool site.

New Orleans = Food

When I first came to N.O., I really didn't have many expectations. Of course, I thought of the potential damage I might see from the storms. And I thought of the images I had seen on TV both during the storms and Mardi Gras. But I don't know that either of those had formed an image in my mind about what things would be like here. After two trips, though, I have started to form some definite opinions.

I think that the most strongly held would be the N.O. is about food. Now, I'm not talking about food by price or the availability. Really, I'm talking quality. I have had the most wonderful experiences eating here. From Rocky & Carlos in Chalmette, to Commander's Palace, the food has been worth the trip. Please bear in mind that those comments come from a guy that usually dosen't care what he's eating, too.

The image is from the sidewalk outside Herbsaint on St. Charles Avenue. I had the best redfish I have ever eaten just inside...

Heading Home Tonight

I'm headed home tonight. It will be late, but I'm glad to be getting back. Unfortunately, I have to go to New Orleans for a meeting Thursday night. That's not all bad, though. We just might win the job. And that would be so good. I guess it's worth the extra travel day.

Being A Better Dad

I want to be a better dad. As I have watched my boys grow and mature, I realize that there are transitions I need to make. And while I am in the solace of the morning study, they seem so clear. However, when the heat of the day comes and fatigue sets in, the decisions are hard. I need to demonstrate the self discipline required to make the tough call and be a better dad.

Of the things most needed from me by my boys, relationship seems to be at the top of the list. It is much easier to be the disciplinarian. I come home from work and get an ear full of the issues of the day that I need to deal with. This tends to set the tone for the evening and the chance to just develop relationships dwindles. The weekends are too short and everything on Saturday and Sunday is a rush. I think that is part of why I so enjoy the hunting and fishing weekends - no rush.

I cannot count how many times that one of my sons has asked me to play or to interact some way with clearly unfinished chores or duties. I think they also feel the need to capitalize on the time together, yet I most often choose to make them meet their responsibilities. This takes the time we had for relationship and so it is lost. Please, don't get me wrong, I am not about to advocate that they be allowed to abdicate responsibilities, but there must be change enough that we get to play as well.

I don't have the answers, but I am trying. As a part of the things that I must get in order in my life, this is one of them. Nathan is 11 and within a few months of being 12. Pierce and 9 and thinks he is 12. The time is short to resolve this issue. So, as I begin this day, 1500 miles away from home, I will spend this time in prayer that God will give me the wisdom and self discipline to make this change before it is too late.

Off To Boston

I'm off to Boston in the morning. We are designing a school for autistic children in the UAE. The school is operated by the Boston-based New England Children's Center. We are meeting over the next couple of days to complete the design development planning for the project. As usual, I am leading the planning meetings.

I have been keeping and eye on the ice storm in the North East. I don't think I will have any trouble with the trip, but if we do, it will be an adventure.

The economic downturn has affected the architectural industry here in North Texas. Just about everyone has had to downsize. We have several projects that are up in the air. I am faithful to continue praying that God will sustain us and the families that are directly affected by my actions. So far, he has blessed us deeply.

New TV

I caved this weekend and bought a new TV. I had resisted for a long time because i really don't think we watch enough to justify the cost. Spending $1500 to $2500 seemed ridicules to say the least. But, I allowed myself to go to Best Buy anyway.

I really didn't have any aspirations to buy, but the LG 50" plasma TV caught my eye. Beautiful picture clarity and a price tag of $999 got my attention. I quizzed the sales people for sometime. "I'm having a hard time seeing the difference between the picture on the 720P LG and the LCD set right next to it sporting 1080P, what's the deal," I asked. As it turned out, the signal sent to all the TV's was 720P...and it was beautiful. Good enough for them to sell the TV's at all price points. So I asked, "How do you get 1080P and why don't you display it?" Again, I was surprised at the answer. Brodcasts over cable/sat and air are 720P, with no intention of going to 1080P any time soon. The only way to enjoy 1080P is with a Blue-Ray DVD or On-Demand cable/sat. I have neither, so I started really warming up to the 720P.

"Are there other advantages to LCD over Plasma," I asked. "Well, the LCD's don't have any screen reflections, but the plasma's have glass that might give reflections. And the LCD's are brighter. The screens may last longer and there is no potential for burn-in." "Ok. So, does the extended warranty cover screen burn-in," I reply. "Yep." I'm in. I don't have a bright room to put the set in, and screen reflections have never been a problem in the past, so I didn't see the advantages being worth twice the price or more.

We coupled the TV with Bose 321 GS Series II sound system. Not the best acoustically, but I am the only one in the family that cares about that. A high end component audio system with 7.1 surround, etc. has a low WAF (Wife Approval Factor). The Bose sounds fine.

My only disappointment after installation was the lip-sync errors I was seeing on over the air broadcast. I was really disturbed until I researched the issue. Not only do I have the issue, a lot of others do as well. The problem does not seem to be related to the components I purchased, rather it seems to lie with the tv stations. I have tested this theory out by closely viewing several other HD setups of varying brand and the problem exists in them as well. I will concede that the problem might be in the signal processing of the audio unit. Most setups include an audio delay feature to correct for the large TVscreen refresh, but this problem is the opposite. The video is ahead of the audio. An audio delay feature won't solve the problem.

So, at the end of the day, with an investment equivalent to an upper end LCD and 36 moths no interest, we purchased the TV, sound system and new furniture stand. I think we're happy.

Merry Early Christmas

Better Day

Day 1 of getting things back to some state of balance went fairly well. I believe I am correct about rising early and getting home at a reasonable hour. I was able to be productive in the office and had time in the evening for family. We'll see how day 2 goes.

Surprised and Shocked

I really surprised myself yesterday. After I posted, I went to my blog page just to see how long it had been since my previous post. I was shocked to find that the previous post was the same topic one month back. Nothing had changed. WOW. That discovery was the nexus of some serious prayer and introspection last night as I sought to identify causes and resolve change. I thought I might share a few of the highlights.

Things first started to get out of control heavily last July. That month marked the most travel I have ever had to do. I was away for most of the month without any quality time at home between trips. During that time, my family became very independent. That in its self is not a bad thing, it is just that I didn't seem to factor into their plans in the same way I had before. That started some serious stress for me because after I was around again, our schedules never seemed to sync. So, it was just like I wasn't there.

I attempted to make my work schedule fit into my family schedule by shifting my work time. For many years I have been an early riser. I would spend quality time with the Lord in the morning and get into work early. This would lead to my being able to get home early in the evening and to having time to spend with my family. But my boys got involved with all sorts of activities that take place in the late afternoon and early evening. So, when I did get home early, they were not there. Couple that with the tendency of people in my office to call meetings or want to discuss something starting at 5:00 and it just makes for a 9 or 10 hour day without benefit. Changing my schedule so that I came into work later and got home later seemed like a viable solution. I would get to see my family in the morning and get home in the evening when they did...right?

Wrong. I still didn't get to see my family. As it turned out, we ended up staying up later in the evenings and they slept later in the mornings. The later evenings just frustrated my wife and the time spent wasn't very good. At work, I had to hit the ground running and every day seemed like a sprint. Getting in later only caused me to rush around, cramped my early meetings and set a poor tone for the day. Additionally, the meetings late in the evening didn't stop, they just pushed out further. I guess that there are a lot of people that do nothing but work.

I don't want to be that guy, the guy that only works. I want balance. I want to be a part of my family as an active participant, not a spectator. So, I have resolved to get things back in order. That will require a great amount of commitment on my part and some risk as well. First, I am going to recognize that I need to rise early and have my quiet time. That sets the tone for my day. It is a must. I must also get into the office early. I need the time to prepare for and plan the day. If I don't have that time, every event seems to be handled in crisis management mode. That is unacceptable. I realize that I'll be getting home earlier and the boys will still be out, but that's OK. If I commit to leaving on time, I can be a more active participant in their world. I can get to soccer or MMA, late maybe, but I can still get there. That's where the risk comes in. I must commit to leaving on time, regardless.

I am going to attempt to put these measures into place starting today. I need serious prayer for the strength to do this and for protection from the risks. There are other things I have decided as well and I may share them at a later date. For now, let's see how today goes...

Running like Crazy

Do you ever have the feeling that you just can't catch up? With life, I mean. I do. Somewhere in my past there was a routine that gave me some peace. I don't know where that went, but it went away. For months, now, I seem to be just dealing with one event after another in crisis mode. I have been telling myself things like, "I need to clean up my desk," or "...maybe I need to schedule blocks of time during the day for groups of related events...and force myself to stick to them." I don't know...I am sure that I'll get it all worked out...eventually.

On a totally different note, an old friend had decided to take a break from blogging for a while. At least he had the courtesy to tell people that. I realize I have not told anyone I was going to quit for a while, but then again, I didn't make a formal decision to quit. But, he's back at it and I'm glad. We may not talk very much any more, but I do appreciate reading his blog. It is one of the few things from the old routine...

Regular Routines

I find it interesting that I seem to think about blogging more when I travel. Life has been so hectic for the last year...

I used to have a fairly regular schedule.

That flew out the window.

I need it back. My regular times of bible study and prayer have been replaced by time crisis management, "do it whenever I get a chance" and "usually at the last minute."

That needs to change. Lately God has really been prompting me to get things back under control and re-prioritize time. I think that the main reason is that when I am pursuing my relationship with Him in a haphazard manner, he is not the focus of my life. That is a problem. Don't get me wrong, I am deeply reliant on His strength and support, but there is more to a relationship than mere dependence.

Work Bench

I got a wild hair the other day and decided I needed a new work bench. After demolishing the old, which didn't amount to anything other than a shelf, and spending $155.00, the result is in the image. It turned out alright. I didn't really have a plan. I just designed it as I went. The hardboard top is replaceable if it becomes marred. So, after a day and a half of work, I am much happier. I have shelves and a nice top. It should make a good place to do projects. The reloader is not attached yet, but it will be soon.

Not bad, for a wild hair...

Awake Late

I spent way too much time with AT&T last night. I also learned the hard way that the phone doesn't keep the greatest time when it is not connected to the network...and it thinks it is supposed to be getting time updates from the network. So, this morning it was two hours slow. The good news is that I woke up anyway. I still can't seem to sleep more than five hours at a time. I hope that changes when I get home.

Would you like to live in Abu Dhabi? You better get a good job. These Villas are about 8000 s.f., three story and connected to three others by a small courtyard. They rent for USD 100,000.00 per year. Yep, I said $100K a year. In comparison, a two bedroom flat is going for about USD 20,000.00 a year. YIKES! To own one of these residential units runs about USD 4,000,000.00 or more. Oh, and you have to be a native of UAE to own property. Foreigners are not allowed to own. This picture is from the outside of two connected villas. There are four in the complex. It is typical of the residential development all over Abu Dhabi. This one is also being used by the Autism School until they can get a proper building constructed. It is in what one might call a neighborhood, loosely.

Super Suck

And I mean SUPER SUCK! The sim card in my phone has gone bad. AT&T doesn't know how to fix it while I am here in UAE. All they can do is tell me to wait until I get home and get a new sim because they don't ship internationally. So, I am stuck without communication...

Yes, BG, I am getting my fix of DC, only here it is Coke light. Cool pull tab, I haven't seen one of those since I was a kid.

Do I Have a Square Butt?

Someone obviously thought so when they designed the toilet in my room. I have seen quite a few toilets in my 39 years here, but never one with a square seat. I have gotten somewhat used to it by now, but I just had to share.

I got out today and went to one of the premier malls here in Abu Dhabi, the Marina Mall. It features a skyviewing tower, similar to Reunion Tower in Dallas, but taller and larger. The mall itself is the largest in Abu Dhabi. I was most impressed, however, with the cleanliness of the place. The entire mall, maybe twice the size of the Parks at Arlington, was spotless...and I mean spotless. You could have eaten off the floor. The floor, by the way, was all polished tile with very close joints, perfect for kids on Heelys. And there were plenty of kids willing to try it out.

This city is so international. The mall had all of the things one might expect in an American mall. Eateries like Fuddruckers, Subway, Pizza Hut, Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, Fridays and others populate the entire mall and city. If one were so inclined to eat only American food, there would be no problem. There are a plethora of American stores as well. In addition, there are many Arabic stores and European stores as well.

The city has may Europeans such as Germans, Swedes and Britians. Also, there are many from Eqypt and the other Middle Eastern countries. The labor force seem to be populated with Indians and Indonesians, however, there are many Asian professionals here as well. BG asked if I would live here. My response, if I were living in New York and I had the opportunity to come here, I would in a second. This is a great place for urban living.

Time for bed...meetings in the morning. The work week starts on Sunday here and we have a meeting with SEHA at 1000.

Mega Church

I think this qualifies as a mega church. I snapped this pic on my way back from Al Ain. It is a mosque that was being constructed for the late Sheikh Zayed. Unfortunately, he passed away before its completion. They are still completing the work and it is massive. As a side note, they are on their fourth architect...

The religious environment here is very interesting and not like we hear from the US media. In UAE, there is a "freedom" of religion based on the ruler's tolerance, not law. Abu Dhabi is a very international city and has a lot of religious diversity. No one seems to be particularly militant, no signs, protests or anything of that sort. However, the official religion is Islam. That equates to the government giving a single building for worship to all other religions than Islam. They all share and schedule the services accordingly. That's why we had the Christian service on a Thursday evening.

That tolerance is interesting. It turns out that the Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohammed, was born in a little hospital in Al Ain called Oasis Hospital. It was founded by Christian missionaries in 1960. It is still in operation and the town of Al Ain simply grew up around the mission. There is still a church on the campus and Christian worship takes place there each week. I may have the privilege to work on the replacement facility for the Oasis Hospital . I am in the process of reviewing the plans this week. So, the ruling family has a certain tie to Christianity and thus the tolerance.

The "man on the street" doesn't seem to care about how one worships. It was explained to me by an Egyptian Christian that before the 911 attacks and such, no one asked if you were a Christian, no one cared that you were Muslim. Still, here in the UAE, there does not seem to be much debate. I get a paper everyday in the morning here in my room. It is in English, as are most things here (it is a bi-lingual society), and there is hardly any mention of religion. Generally, the atmosphere is very similar to the US, have a religion, just don't shout it from the roof top, that's the right of Islam only. However, if you want to sit in the lobby and read the Bible, ok.

You Don't See That Every Day

I was on my way back to Abu Dhabi yesterday after spending a couple of hours meeting with the client in Al Ain when I snapped this (click for the full size view). The guy cut in front of us on a round about. Al Ain has no stop lights, just round abouts, so driving is rather interesting. Let's leave it that the lines in the street are decoration...Oh and so are the stop signs.

So far, meetings have gone well. The client seems pleased with the direction of the effort. We have to figure out how to continue to accommodate the needs from the US. They want us to open an office in UAE, but I think that would be difficult right now. Later today we will sit and try to agree on a game plan for expanded scope and deliverables. I hope that all goes well.

It is the weekend here. They take Friday and Saturday. Sunday is the first day of the work week. I have had an invitation to go off-roading in the desert...we'll see. I also need to spend the day working on projects I left in the states. I can't figure out how to sketch and get the drawings back, so I think I'll just draw them myself today. I'll need some energy.

Last night I attended an evangelical Christian church service. It was great. It was really just like the church services we have at home, just in Arabic. It was really inspiring to hear them sing God's praises in Arabic, while I sung the songs in English...too cool. I got a set of headphones and had a translator. Attending a worship service like that really gives one a sense of the universal church. After the service, people hung out just like in the US. Eventually, we went to a birthday party for a 4 year old. It was more than a kid event, it was a real party for adults too. Everyone was so inviting and friendly. I could not imagine how nice they would be to a total stranger attending. We had a great time of food, drinks and birthday cake. I finally fot to sample some of the local fare and it was great. As for the birthday boy, I want you to know that Spiderman is global! We stayed until after midnight!

Well, I need some breakfast, so more later...

Arrival

I made it! That was the longest plane trip I have ever taken. The people at British Air are not nearly as uptight as the AA folks. The experience was pleasant. Maybe that was a product of flying business class, but I got the impression that it was not. To my amazement, both takeoff and landings in the 777 were the smoothest I have had. It seems like the MD80 likes to sit down hard on the runway. The 777 must have enough lift to let it glide in easy. Amazing for such a large airplane.

I was not sure what to expect when I got to Abu Dhabi. I followed the signs to the "Passport Control" area. There were some long lines. After my line seemed to be going the slowest, I was starting to wonder if I had picked the wrong place. I really started to worry when three of the people in front of me were escorted into a private office with guys in uniforms - not good. So, I was a bit nervous when I presented my passport. "Visit?" was all the guy checking said as I approached the counter. "Yes, visit," was my reply. He looked carefully through my papers..."First time?" "Yes..." "You need to go here." Luckily, he passed my papers to a nice lady who promptly processed the visa. No, I didn't have to go to the office. Whew!

Well, I have a breakfast meeting at 0900. That's 2400 Texas time. I hope I am awake. I'm making some tea.

More adventures later and maybe some pictures.

Abu Dhabi

I have written about travel several times in this blog. Always, it seems, in context of being tired and being on the road for work. well, the road just got a lot longer. For the first time as a professional, I will travel out of the country. We have several projects that need attention in the UAE and I am going. The nice part of the trip is that the client purchased business class travel round trip. So, I won't have to endure 17 hours in economy. However, leaving the office for two weeks presents its challenges. I have done my best, though, purchasing international calling and data packages, lining out work load and resources. I should be available if needed.

It is always hard to leave family too. I have made lots of week long and sometimes two week long trips, but there have been too many in a row lately. BG is doing well, though and so are the boys. We are hoping and praying that the effort will be rewarded and our family will benefit from the experience.

I'll post some pics as I get them. BTW, I'm not tired...yet!

On the Road Again,

I just can't wait to get on the road again...I wonder if Willie was as tired as I am when I travel. This week marks the start of a long three week stint that will see me in New Hampshire for four days and Abu Dhabi for two weeks. Since obtaining a leadership position in our architectural firm, my family and I have been praying for work. The Lord has indeed blessed and right now...our cup runneth over. Praise! We are working on a large new tower in Dover, NH, three, 100K square foot projects in Abu Dhabi and a new masterplan for the VA in Dallas. Whew!

I need to start praying for energy!

Obama - Really...

I haven't published a lot about politics here, but this struck me. Check it out.

Wild Pigs

From a friend…

There was a chemistry professor in a large college that had some exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab, the Prof noticed one young man, an exchange student, who kept rubbing his back and stretching as if his back hurt.

The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country’s government and install a new communist regime.

In the midst of his story, he looked at the professor and asked a strange question. He asked:

“Do you know how to catch wild pigs?”

The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The young man said that it was no joke.

“You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming.

“When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in the last side. The pigs, which are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat that free corn again.

“You then slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd. Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught.

“Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity.

The young man then told the professor that is exactly what he sees happening in America The government keeps pushing us toward Communism/Socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, tax cuts, tax exemptions, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP), welfare, medicine, drugs, etc. while we continually lose our freedoms, just a little at a time.

One should always remember two truths:

1. There is no such thing as a free lunch
2. and you can never hire someone to provide a service for you cheaper than you can do it yourself.

If you see that all of this wonderful government ‘help’ is a problem confronting the future of democracy in America, you might want to send this on to your friends.

If you think the free ride is essential to your way of life, then you will probably delete this email.

But God help you when the gate slams shut! It’s coming soon. We will be the wild pig’s. We are losing America, as we see it today, a little at a time.

I see the erosion of individual liberties. It’s something that’s been creeping in over my lifetime. I started noticing it especially with legislation like “The Patriot Act.” This is not acceptable. It’s going to require work to fix it.

Turkey Time

Last weekend a friend and I went out to the farm for a weekend turkey hunt. We've been doing this for sometime, however, last year we decided to switch from guns to bows. I think it was a good change and it certainly upped the difficulty level. I purchased a blind this year in an attempt to even the odds a little. I think it worked well.

Obviously, the picture is not a turkey. We had decided to drive the property on the afternoon we arrived. Spotting a very active hog trail, a plan was hatched to hunt it later that night. We set up on the trail a little before dark and waited. The moon rose bright and full. It was so bright I could still see the color in my sight pins fifteen minutes after dark.

Twenty minutes after dark the hogs rolled out of the hole in the fence 22 yards in front of us. The never knew we were there. The Double Bull Matrix 360 worked perfectly. I drew on the lead pig. It was moving, quartering toward me. As I let the arrow fly, the hog turned to look at me. That made the shot less than perfect, and I struck the animal high in the shoulder. The arrow penetrated deeply and proved to be fatal. (Let me add that I recently installed Luminocks on my arrows...TOO COOL! It looked like I shot a tracer! Awesome!)

We waited until about 2230 to get out of the blind. Things had quieted down again and we were able to find a blood trail quickly. As the temperature fell, we decided to look for the hog in the morning. We really weren't up for crawling around in the woods with the other pigs in the dark.

The next morning, we were out early to set up for turkey. There were no takers at daylight and the sun was warming things rapidly. We were off to find the hog. I left my bow in the blind and the decoys set up.

2 hours later, we found the pig. It had circled and doubled back on its self. That made the tracking rather interesting. After we located the animal, we decided that the tools we needed were in the truck, so we left to get them. As I crested a hill near the blind set up from earlier, 3 turkeys were inspecting my decoys...dang! Oh well, that's the way it goes.

Great time!

Conferencing

Attending industry conferences is a must these days. The educational aspect of the events is a perk, but its the business development and networking that makes it worthwhile. Last week, I had to go to Orlando, FL for the ASHE PDC. I had a good time, but man was I tired when I got home. Being "on stage" for days at a time is rather tiring.

This was my first conference to attend as an employee of Leo A Daly. There were a few things about the travel arrangements and such that were a little different. For instance, the car rental is handled through the corporate office. Imagine my surprise when I was handed the keys to a Shelby Mustang GT-H convertible. Yeah, that one in the photo. Needless to say, I drove it around a little - top down. I got a few looks and a nice sunburn.

But, now it is back to work. There are follow up letters to write, phone calls to make, etc., etc. I am looking forward to the end of the month. March 29 will mark the opening of Spring Turkey season in Texas. My two boys and I will be in a blind that morning with thoughts of fried turkey and wall mounts in our heads. My youngest will be operating the video camera, a first for us on a hunt.

Garden

The gardening bug has struck again. It has been about four years since we last set out a garden. I really don't know why. I've professed various excuses like, "I don't have a rototiller," or "don't we need to have the soil tested... no I don't know where to get a kit...what does it cost?" Anyway, four years went buy. This year, however, I laid out a nice 200 square foot plot. The neighbor had a tiller and was willing to let us borrow it. I scraped off the top layer of grass and then tilled. Nathan and I went up to the local Home Depot and purchased some peat and hummus. When we got back home, we tilled in the amendments. It looked good. A few days later, BG picked up a couple sets of onions and we got them out. We are in business. Toward the end of March, we'll set out some other things.

Keeping Up

The world is fast paced. The older I get, the less I seem to keep up with the pace. There are so many things that vie for my attention that I must keep a list of tasks or I inevitably let things slip. It seems that I can keep only a few of the things that are really important to me in my mind. Unfortunately, there are a ton of things that are unimportant to me individually that are very important collectively. So, I keep a list. I used to keep the task list up to date on my Treo. When I hotsynced my calendar and task lists updated. But, now with this new job/system, things don't work as well as they did. Consequently, I can't see the task list on my desktop, I must use the phone. Somehow, there must be a work around.

Reprise: After searching the PalmOne website, an update to the Outlook conduits was available. I downloaded the update and installed. Tasks are syncing to Outlook. All is well once again!

Update

So much has taken place since the last entry. So, I thought I'd take the opportunity to catch everyone up on the highlights. I guess the first thing that was big was the purchase of a new auto. Yes, I finally traded off the big truck. There were several reasons, not to mention the amount of money we were spending on repairs.

I had been seeing this cool new jeep-like vehicle on the roads and thought it might make a good substitute. I really struggled over whether to get an SUV or a truck last time. This time, I thought I really wanted to go with a vehicle I could lock up. Of course, it still had to tow the boat and the utility trailer. That cool looking jeep-like thing started looking more and more like it would fit the bill. So, I got one.

This first weekend we had the new FJ, we took it out to the farm and tested the 4WD capabilities in the snow and mud. It was great. As far as I can tell, all the advertising on the Toyota website touting the FJ's abilities are true. It really is a blast to drive. It is significantly shorter than the truck was and so it fit more easily into the Dallas traffic and parking garage.

I guess that brings me to the next major event, I moved on from Sterling Barnett Little. I had pretty much made up my mind that the future lay elsewhere, but the timing was totally different than I imagined. As it turned out, I was offered a position as a healthcare architect / planner with a firm that was expanding into the Dallas market. I thought I was up for the challenge participating in a start-up group. The surprises that lay ahead were completely unanticipated.

A couple of weeks after my arrival, the Director of the group decided to leave the organization. Wow. That left us back at square one and without a leader. To say that that had me a little concerned would be an understatement. However, no crisis is without opportunity. After praying, I decided that it would be prudent to see if the company was going to support the venture and continue to move forward.

After about a week, I felt compelled to move the effort forward and so I started calling all my contacts. That weekend, I wrote a preliminary business plan and submitted it to the company. Shortly, I was the unofficial Interim Director of Healthcare. Wow.

The road has been bumpy and full of curves as we have tried to move forward. But, we have gone from nothing, to having support work for the team and receiving two RFQ's for new work. It seems like it has been a long time, but it really has only been about a month. If God is willing, maybe I'll have the opportunity to continue to lead this group.

More later...