Musings at Altitude

While I was in route home from Alaska yesterday, for some still unknown reason, the fire alarms in the house began to go off which really spooked our 14 year old.  Her 20 year old brother was home too, but that didn’t calm her anxieties any.  Her mother at the time was out shopping, but she called our builder and he walked her through some things to look for (and sniff for too I bet) and she passed these on to the kids and had them thoroughly search the house.  The alarms went away after awhile (thus the issue of “unknown reason”), but the anxieties for my 14 year old did not.

After a while, her brother wanted to go off to a movie, which she obviously did not want him to do, so they did what they always do to resolve the problem – called Mom.  Mom was only 10 minutes away, so she told our 14 year old not to worry and she’d be right home.

When Mom got home, the 14 year old was sitting out on the front porch in her Peter Budaj Avalanche jersey – the one thing in the house that she did not want to lose if there really was a fire.  My wife predicted she’d be out front and to anxious because of the alarms to be in the house alone.  But she was caught off guard with the jersey. 

It’s amazing what we view as precious when we feel at risk and collect a few things that we don’t want to lose.  We know what our 14 year old feels is precious – certainly not things that remind her of the family – nope, just things that remind her of the Avalanche.

PS.  I’d probably grab the blackberry and laptop!

Comments Off on Life with a 14 Year Old (5)

I mentioned in my earlier blogs that I found perspective and serenity in my trip North of the Arctic Circle this week.  I went to the village of Kiana, Alaska, with several of our team members, partners and clients, and as always, I’ve come back to the “lower 48” now with renewed purpose, a revived spirit, and a tremendous sense of awe for what I saw and who we met.  In regards to serenity, I can’t effectively describe how beautiful Kiana is…so the best way to share it is through a picture:

 

This picture was taken off the deck of the lodge we were visiting and it was very typical of the incredible beauty that we saw everywhere we went.  I believe this picture was taken by the owner of the lodge who used his camera to capture each moment in a way that only someone who respects the land and respects those who live off that land can.  We spent two days fishing the river you see under that rainbow, and three evenings in the lodge together staring at God’s wonderful creation as we shared stories, talked about our families, talked about our business passions, and learned about a region of this country and our world that very few people understand or get to visit.

Although the talk was wonderful and we have new friends for life, the competition was on the Kobuk River, where the aggressiveness of business turned into competitiveness of fishing.  We fished from the beach and in between catching fish we listened to stories as we learned about the region, those native to the region, and the vast difference between our time there in June and the bitter cold of the Arctic winters.  The target of the fishing was the Sheefish, and here’s a photo of the typical fish we were catching as I work to get the lure out of its mouth:

The fish ranged in size from about 9 pounds up to the biggest we caught at 34 pounds.  The 34 pounder brought great bragging rights as it was by far the biggest fish caught over the two days of fishing.  We kept only those fish we could eat, and we took great care (after some coaching and training from our guide) to remove the lure quickly and then get the fish back in the water for those that we released.  For such a beautiful and strong fish, the shock of being out of the water and being handled by humans sure seemed to take a toll on many of them; thus the special care and the extra coaching on how to handle this particular type of fish.

Our time in the region ended the same way it began with low clouds and fog, aircraft delays and cancellations, and plenty of time to talk about what we saw, what we did, and who we met.  The discussion at the beginning was filled with great anticipation of what was to come; the discussion at the end was filled with great respect for where we visited and who we met.

I can think of no better word to describe the peace that engulfs you in Kiana than serenity because it’s beyond beautiful and beyond tranquil…it truly is spectacular.  If you want to see more of the fishing that occurs on the Kobuk and also see more of the beauty of that region, you can visit Lorry and Nellie’s web site at www.alaskasheefishing.com.  Lorry and Nellie Schuerch own the lodge and they make each trip special as they put their own special touch on the time at the lodge and the time on the river.  Lorry is the guide and the host, and Nellie is the lodge manager and hostess.  What a special couple and what a great adventure.

Comments Off on Serenity

I’m visiting a part of the world right now where the air I breathe is pure, the land I walk on is unpolluted, and the view on the horizon is breathtaking.  I find myself staring constantly as I try to take it all in, and I find myself staggered by the magnificence of God’s marvelous creation.

At times like these you can’t help but let the mind wander, and in those wanderings (better characterized as meanderings) all sorts of things come to mind as the chaos of my mind gets nestled into the serenity of my surroundings.  My biggest challenges seem much more manageable here; my biggest frustrations seem just a bit less irritating here; and my biggest hopes and dreams seem just a bit more achievable here.  I’m not sure why.  But I am sure that something magical happens each time I head North for revival and rejuvenation (some business gets done too).

In my mental meanderings, I think about the enormous issues we face in our business today as we position and re-position for new growth and new value creation.  I also think about the distress that some of our team is feeling as they wonder (legitimately) about their future and whether or not our company is a secure job for them going forward.  I think about the strain caused to our families by the seemingly always increasing separations, and I wonder when that becomes too much.  And I wonder about our nation as we undergo some great change in our government and our politics and as we deal with what seems like a never ending string of natural disasters that are considered “historic events”.

When I’m in this state, I’m in no rush to get to closure and I’m in no hurry to plot my way ahead.  I am keenly interested though in properly characterizing the issues and thus prioritizing those issues for future thinking and resolution.   In that process of characterizing and prioritizing, when your mind is free of the clutter of what has unfortunately become an all too normal routine, then new ideas are introduced and new ways of overcoming the challenges and the burdens seem to come from the deepest recesses of the mind.

I have one more day of serenity and a day and a half of staring at God’s magnificent creation.  I plan on using every minute possible to mentally meander, and when my time in revival is passed, I plan to once again jump right back into making every single interaction I have something of meaning to every individual I come in contact with.

Comments Off on Mental Meanderings

Many of us are reeling from the rapidly rising gas prices, and some of us are already altering our behavior to try and recover the lost discretionary funds that are now going to fuel purchases.  Just recently, someone commented to me that we shouldn’t be too concerned about gas prices because we’re still way below what they pay in Europe – which was a bit surprising – because we’re still paying significantly higher than a year ago, and that’s hitting all of us hard in the pocketbook.

I must admit though that I am grateful that we’re not paying the same prices they are paying in Europe for our gas in Colorado, and if we were, I guarantee you my behavior would change substantially!   Although the price of gas in Colorado may not be as high as the price of gas in Europe, let’s put things in perspective for just a moment:

(1) there are parts of this great country where the price of gas is equivalent to Europe – in some of the villages of Alaska, the gas is already over $9 per gallon and projected to go substantially higher in the coming months

(2) there are parts of this great country where gas isn’t easily accessible – a gentleman I am staying with today had to boat over 80 miles each direction to get 55 gallon drums of fuel to run his boat, four wheelers and truck

(3) there are parts of this great country where the resources are plentiful, the respect for the land and for the wildlife on the land is enormous, and the costs for fuel are the highest, and yet we create enormous hurdles for those resources to be leveraged to ease the rapidly increasing cost of living in these environments

As I sit here North of the Arctic Circle in Alaska, I’m gaining perspective.  I’m sensing that great balance can be achieved between those who so passionately protect the wildlife and the environment and those who so desperately need more affordable fuel and a reduced cost of living today.  I’m sensing that the extreme positions we all may be taking one way or the other could be brought closer together if everyone in this country had the change to visit the parts of America where gas is today $9.57 per gallon.  And I’m sensing that the steps we take today won’t slow down the escalating prices till years into the future and by the time any new development does hit the market our behaviors as a country will have changed dramatically to offset the incredibly high per gallon cost of fuel…but those steps will eventually reduce our dependency on foreign oil supplies and that fact alone seems well worth partnering together (even if both views are extremist) to solve this problem for our nation and for our friends and family whever they may be.

Thanks for letting me vent for just a little bit…I need this pespective.

I certainly can’t whine anymore when I pump and pay $4.24 a gallon…I need to sit back and remember that in these villages that I am visiting they are paying more than twice that just to have fuel to live and provide for their families.  That’s perpsective.

Comments Off on Perspective

When I walked into my room to begin packing for this latest trip, my 14 year old daughter was sitting on the chair watching TV and our conversation went something like this:

Her:  Will you go get me some lunch?

Me:  No.  You can get it yourself.

Her:  But I can’t right now.

Me:  Why?

Her:  Because I have sunburn.  And, the dog is laying on me.  And, I only got seven hours of sleep last night and I’m tired.

Me:  Get up and get it yourself.

I consider myself a very kind, caring, considerate, and serving father, and if she had relentlessly kept asking me to get her some food, I would have caved.  Fortunately my wife walked in just before that point and took over the response to the excuse making and allowed me to focus on my job at hand of packing.

But quickly, here is the rest of the story.  She’s sunburned because 3 of her good friends and her went to the pool for a few hours yesterday.  She’s tired (how in the world can you be tired with 7 hours of sleep) because she went to a sleepover with another friend last night.  She had the dog on her for no more than a few seconds before she used that as an excuse as to why she couldn’t get up.  And the kicker – she was in the kitchen while my wife and I ate lunch right before she wandered into the bedroom and begged us to get lunch for her.  It would have been fairly easy to ask then when it was convenient for us, but that would violate one of the primary rules of the 14 year old – wait till things are inconvenient and then pressure dad to death to give in and get you something.

I must admit that I am just a bit “wrapped around the little finger” by the 14 year old.  But I’d argue that it’s no more so than with her older sister, and even with her older brother though he’d argue profusely with me.   Each of my kids have me wrapped in their own ways, and isn’t that what a father is for?  Even more so with a father that is traveling as much as I am?  Just seems natural to me!  But even I have limits – like today – even with a sunburn, and only 7 hours of sleep and a dog on her lap!

Comments Off on Life with a 14 Year Old (4)

About 4 years ago I spent a few months tracking those I stayed in touch with, and I specifically wanted to track those contacts based on the period of my life when I first met each of them (something I read triggered me to do it at the time).  Here were the periods I started with:

(1) Up to 1978 – Childhood – School and Church (includes family)

(2) 1978 – 1982 – Academy

(3) 1983 – 1985 – First Military Assignment – Wright Patterson AFB

(4) 1985 – 1988 – Second Military Assignment – Pentagon

(5) 1988 – 1993 – Third Military Assignment – Los Angeles AFB

(6) 1993 – 1994 – Fourth Military Assignment – Maxwell AFB

(7) 1994 – 1997 – Fifth Military Assignemnt – Washington DC

(8) 1997 – 1998 – First Civilian Job – Colorado Springs

(9) 1999 – 2001 – Second Civilian Job – Lakewood, CO

(10) 1998 – 2004 – Final Military Assignment – Los Angeles AFB, USAF Reserves

(11) 2001 – 2003 – Third Civilian Job – Sunnyvale, CA

(12) 2003 – Present – Current Job

As a key part of the exercise, I forced myself to consider the difference between a random contact with no real meaning and more formal contacts that led to much deeper conversations not limited solely to business issues.  I wanted to track the latter, and didn’t care as much about the former.

What started out as just an experiment became so much more as I began to analyze who I stayed in contact with and why I continued that contact.  Equally as important, I started looking back and assessing who I no longer stayed in contact with and I began wondering why, especially those who for some brief period of time became a close confidant or friend. 

During that 4 month period in 2004, I stayed in contact with about 100 people, and they mapped into the phases as shown below:

(1) Up to 1978 – 5

(2) 1978 – 1982 – 3

(3) 1982 – 1985 – 2

(4) 1985 – 1988 – 2

(5) 1988 – 1993 – 15

(6) 1993 – 1994 – 1

(7) 1994 – 1997 – 12

(8) 1997 – 1998 – 10

(9) 1999 – 2001 – 14

(10) 1998 – 2004 – 4

(11) 2001 – 2003 – 6

(12) 2003 – Present – 26

As I looked at my data after several months of tracking, one thing stood out clearly – in times of great challenge, great adversity, or great pain, the bonds were deeper and the relationships enduring; in times of ease or relative relaxation, the bonds and the relationships were mostly temporary.

I’m reminded of the scripture in the Bible from Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”  In times of great intensity and challenge, friends challenge each other, pick each other up, and sharpen each other.  I think that’s what is reflected in the numbers shown above specific to 4 years ago, and my guess is nothing will be different today.

I’m starting that process of tracking my contacts and interactions again to see if anything has noticeably changed since 2004.  I bet many of those that were on the list then are still on the list now.  Because of the intensity of business challenge these last 4 years, I know I’ve added quite a few more that I stay in touch with.  But I’ll also be looking for those that I don’t stay in touch with now and wonder why.

For those of you who have never mapped your interactions in this way, I encourage you to do it.  As you look at the numbers, look at the names, and then reach back and remember those who fought in the battles with you during certain phases of your life, I’d be interested to know what you learn and what actions you take when you have that data.

Comments Off on Staying Connected

I received feedback from several people that I don’t know what I’m missing and that I really should try staying in my jammies all day and see how much work I do get done.  I can’t imagine ever having the urge to do that, but let me give you some serious considerations just in case I ever did:

(1) upon waking up, it takes me at least 45 minutes and more like an hour to actually know who I am, which room I’m waking up in, who I work for, and even who that woman in the bed next to me is (my beautiful wife can give you some really freaky stories about me in the middle of the night and the horrors of me trying to wake up)

(2) when I wake up, everything stays exactly in the spot it was in while I was sleeping – everything; I got off the plane on Thursday morning last week and the hair on the right side of my head was sticking straight out because somehow I slept against the window with my hair in that position; I felt sorry for the Red Carpet Club attendant who welcomed me in as she stared at the side of my head; I was proud of her for not laughing; the issue is much, much worse with a full night of sleep on a bed, so unless I want those stares and those laughs all day from my family (and they would be ruthless), I’d have to douse my head in a shower like fashion anyway just to allow me to focus on work

(3) my home office is at the very front of the house with big windows toward the street and glass doors; I wouldn’t have privacy as I sat in my jammies, but I would have gawkers wondering what in the world I was thinking; if I was bold enough to actually sit there in my jammies, I’m pretty sure I would have lots of “splaining” to do which would deny me the privacy to work and prevent me from any meaningful duration of focus

So, I’ll stick with my routine and prevent the stares, the caustic comments, the laughter, and disruption.  Maybe that’s why I don’t like camping either.

 

Comments Off on Jammies (2)

I had the fortunate opportunity to spend a couple of days at home this week, and on Wednesday, both my 14 year old daughter and my 20 year old son stayed in their jammies all day (for those of you who have sons, you probably realize he doesn’t own jammies – so he was in the same clothes he wore on Tuesday when he went to bed), and neither showered, though my son did at one point put on a shirt for a few minutes.  Late that day, I looked at my wife and said, “I don’t understand how they could stay in their jammies all day and not shower.”  She quickly popped back, “oh, I fully understand.”

I must admit that I have a routine, and that routine can only be violated if I go to a workout facility first thing in the morning.  My routine is simple – get up, brush my teeth, use the facilities, get a shower, get dressed, get coffee, do my Bible reading and get to work.  That pretty much defines most of my days.  When I go to the gym, I insert that between use the facilities and get a shower.  But I honestly can’t imagine me ever staying in my jammies (I don’t have jammies either, just clothes that I sleep in) all day if I’m not sick and incapable of getting out of bed.

After hearing my wife’s response, it’s obvious that I’m the odd ball here and in this case somewhat of a loner.  Evidently, she too would love the chance and probably takes the chance to totally ignore routine and stay in her jammies all day.  I guess the real question may be, how often does she do that?  She certainly doesn’t do it when I’m home, so maybe that’s a family thing only when I’m away and my wife adapts to my routine when I’m home but chills out with the kids when I’m away.

I’m constantly told that I don’t know how to relax and I don’t know how to disconnect from business.  I can’t argue with that.  But even if I did disconnect and find that magical state of relaxation, it would only come in the morning after a shower and getting dressed.  I can’t relax otherwise.  I can’t do business otherwise.  I can’t sit on the porch or the deck otherwise.  I can’t function otherwise.

It’s amazing what you learn when you stay at home for a couple of days.  I’m not sure I need to know what else they do when they want to violate routine. 

1 Comment »

I’m a voracious reader, and I truly enjoy non-fiction, and most enjoy those books of real people with real struggles and real heroes.  I was really touched by the book “Chasing Daylight” by Gene O’Kelly, the past CEO of KPMG who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and given 6 months to live.  In those six months he shared with us his emotions, feelings, and actions as he reviewed his life and in some cases brought closure to things in his past.  Gene impacted thousands of people in his life, and yet in the end, he was confronted with his mortality. 

On my last trip, I finished a new book out called “The Last Lecture” by Randy Pausch.  Randy too has written his book after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer.  Randy is still with us, still impacting lives, and still setting such an incredible example of love and purpose.  If you get the chance, go to this site and view his short charge to the graduates at Carnegie Mellon:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcYv5x6gZTA

One thing Randy says really hits home – passion is grounded in people and not in things.

Over the last few days, I had the chance to go visit some of our team members on a job site in Wyoming.  I was truly touched to be of service to them as they provided service to our client.  More importantly though, I was moved by their stories, by their humility, and by their clear examples of what is so important to them in their lives.  Randy is right – passion is grounded in people, not in things.

After reading these two books, I often think of the impact that I am having on others and the thoughts that others will have of me when I leave this earth.  I typically spend time at altitude thinking back on conversations, on chance meetings, on formal gatherings and try and remember who I talked with, what we talked about, and what if anything meaningful came of it.  I also spend time thinking about the blessings that have come my way and whether or not I’m giving back something meaningful to others because others have given so meaningfully to me.  I have often thought back on the challenges I’ve faced in life, and I remember with a smile those who helped me or us overcome, and I wonder at times if I’ve been responsive enough to others who faced their own challenges or demons and in my responsiveness provided that hope or that light to overcome.

I strongly believe that our purpose here on this earth is to serve, and I am (but I shouldn’t be) surprised at how often I let things get in the way of that service and make excuses to ease my mind when I look away rather than serve.  My heart tells me to make very single interaction with others something of meaning and thus something that positively impacts our lives.  My mind then tells me that I need to focus on other things and that someone else may help that person in despair – which you and I all know rarely happens and thus that moment to make an impact is gone.

I’m going to spend some time now on my back deck taking in the magnificence of a Rocky Mountain evening and pondering how I can focus more on others and focus less on myself.  I’m also going to think about all those who have so positively impacted me and say a prayer of thanks for each one of them.  I hope that when my time on this earth is done, that others will think as fondly about the things I did for them as I remember so fondly those who so greatly impacted me.

Comments Off on Impact

Even though I’ve been desperately seeking nirvana for as long as I can remember, I’m not sure I’m any closer today to finding it than I was when I first began my search.  It’s an incredibly elusive target, but I’m not going to give up…if I find it just for moments at a time, it’s worth every minute spent in the search.

For those who don’t know nirvana, dictionary.com defines it as “an ideal condition of rest, harmony, stability, or joy”.  I think it’s key that the definition uses an “or” instead of an “and”, because I’m not sure the totality of rest, harmony, stability and joy could ever be achieved, but I’m pretty sure that the individual state of rest, harmony, stability or joy could at some moment, or for some short period of time, be a very special event – I think that’s what I’m seeking!

So, if that’s what I’m seeking, let me real quickly define a specific scenario that would get about as close to nirvana as I could ever imagine - sitting on the back deck looking at the perfect sunset at the perfect temperature with the perfect breeze and the perfect bottle of wine, with the perfect silence from business activities, sharing the beauty of creation and the perfection of that moment with the perfect match for me on this journey of life.  That sure isn’t asking for much and yet it’s been so incredibly elusive.

I’ve been so close to nirvana at times, and in fact probably achieved nirvana in very short moments when the challenges of life seemed momentarily in check.  But something always seems to break that momentary bliss with something dramatic that creates stress and drives concern.  It’s that “perfect silence from business activities” that is so elusive, but the only way to really achieve silence in business may mean to not be in business at all…and that certainly would not be nirvana.  At other times, though, the bliss is broken by challenges with the family or disruptions in my personal activities that create undo stress and unneeded irritation.  Those seem to be overcome much more quickly than the challenges in business which could go days, weeks, months or even years.

So I keep seeking that bliss that passes by so quickly, and I yearn to capture it, package it, embrace it and employ it at moments of my chosing.  i wouldn’t mind at all being able to pull out a global DVD called “Niravana”, put it in a worldwide player, and sit back and stare in awe at God’s creation knowing that all interruptions have been put on hold and true rest, harmony, stability AND joy have been achieved.  That would be cool.  That would revive me. 

But then why would I ever take out that DVD?  Maybe because the challenge, the disruption, and the interruption in some way creates that appreciation and desire for nirvana, and without the chaos, even nirvana wouldn’t be nirvana.  I think I’ll just keep seeking nirvana and maybe seeking itself will get me close enough to experience some peace if not necessarily the rest, harmony, stability and joy. 

Comments Off on Nirvana