Sometimes validation takes time

Posted on by

I’ve been blogging for more than 10 years. My maiden blog launch occurred when I was sitting in a cubicle at a large insurance giant. At the time I was plotting my eventual escape and writing for a blog—or ranting as so much of my early blogging tended towards—offered me a venue to craft thoughts and ideas and set them down in a narrative for a growing assortment of readers. And yes, sometimes I just let it fly.

That first blog, one I recall with fondness, was developed by a co-worker named Chris. Chris was a great guy and someone with HTML and design skills. He recognized the budding writer/blogger in me—someone with a desire to communicate, especially communicate using words—so he designed my very first website and blog. Continue reading →

Finding rhythm; finding rest

Posted on by

The lives most of us lead in these waning days of 2012 are crammed full of activity. Ask anyone how they are and inevitably, almost as if on cue, they’ll tell you just how busy they are.

Busyness and minimal room for reflection of any kind, especially self-reflection, just might be one of the scourges of our time during the 21st century epoch we find ourselves living in. Continue reading →

Setting goals–hitting the mark

Posted on by

Success requires hitting some goals (and missing a few).

I keep notebooks. They’re scattered across shelves and tucked in cubbyholes in my office. Sometimes I like to take stock by taking a look back.

Yesterday, I found this notebook I was using in 2008. The date indicates I’d just started working on Moxietown, and WorkReady was still a fledgling program.

Some of you know the rest of the story.

Paul Bunyan’s gaze

Posted on by

Paul Bunyan, keeping watch over Bangor.

All of us have a special place, or maybe a couple of locales that hold a unique position in our personal geography. Often, hometowns hold both special memories, as well as memories clouded by family conflict and the struggles that go along with coming of age in that place where we’re born. Continue reading →

Getting the power back on

Posted on by

Linemen in New Jersey repairing damage from Hurricane Sandy and the Election Day Northeaster.

Electricity is a marvel of modern life. An argument could be made that having an available flow of electric current is one of several essential elements sustaining our 21st century lifestyles. It’s also something that you never think about until the availability of and access to the power supply is compromised and no longer available at the flip of a light switch, or the powering on of one of our multitudinous electronic devices.

Since last Tuesday, large swaths of the northeastern population corridor, mainly near New York City and sections of New Jersey, have been suffering without electricity. I use the term “suffering” because absence of electricity removes the ease and convenience of daily  life quicker than almost anything else, and sets those without power back into a time warp reminiscent of the 18th and 19th centuries. Of course, people back then were better prepared to survive without present day “essentials” requiring electricity. Continue reading →

The day after (the day after)

Posted on by

Jubilant first family after victory declared.

Phew! We managed to make it through another “silly season.” For the uninitiated, silly season is that period—one that occurs every four years—when a host of surrogates of the well-connected perform a kabuki dance called “running for president.”  

We begin with a crowded field initially, whittling it down to two front-running candidates and a host of others that are lucky to garner one percent of the total vote, combined. These would be the host of third parties, also known as a losing proposition in America without something like instant-runoff voting in place. Continue reading →

Framing things

Posted on by

Building things is not something I’m a natural at. It’s not an intuitive trait or ability of mine. On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d say I’m probably a three. I might be a bit harsh, but I’m certainly not a 6 or 7.

When I tackle a project, it always seems to take me longer than I planned; or longer than the length of time that a skilled craftsman would accomplish the task in. Continue reading →

Making trades

Posted on by

Governor Christie and President Obama meeting with New Jersey residents.

Compromise isn’t our natural inclination. Sometimes we’d rather dig our heels in and insist on our position. If those around us won’t play along with us, well, we’ll just take our ball and go home. Too often that’s the place we find ourselves in if we’re not willing to bend towards our foes, or even people we consider friends, including family members.

I love a pitched political battle as well as anyone. In sports, I was a fierce competitor. I hated to lose and sometimes, I let my competitive fires burn a little too hot. Some of that competitiveness unfortunately carried over into my personal life, singeing those around me. Continue reading →

It was a dark and stormy night…

Posted on by

Hurricane Sandy on a weather map

Nothing creates fear and even hysteria like weather-related news of impending disaster.  If there’s an approaching hurricane, especially with predictions of high winds and water aimed at the Northeastern population corridor, then you can be sure that the media will be in operation for days in advance, squeezing every opportunity to maximize viewership pre, during, and post weather event. Fear is an attractive tool to use. Sometimes fear is even used as an element of control. Continue reading →