How do you manage stress?
That was a question asked of me yesterday. It came from someone who understandably must deal with stress. The organization for which he is responsible employs over 1100 people.
He commented, "there is just so much that has to happen at just the right time that I don't know how to keep from worrying about it constantly!"
I asked him if he had competent people in the key positions. He replied that he did -- with the exception of a couple of spots. I then asked him if those couple of spots created most of his worries. He hesitated and then said, "well, yeah, probably."
That is the key -- and the difficulty -- in managing large organizations. Getting competent people in the key spots that you can trust to do their job well. Not perfect -- well.
I then asked if he had a good accountability structure for his organization. "Are your key people accountable for the job that they do? Is there a clear monitoring process and consequences for poor behavior?"
He said, "Yes, but...."
That little word "but" spoke volumes. It contained excuses, past failures, personality issues and myriad other reasons why those employees weren't truly accountable.
The result was worry.
Ultimately, worry is our own failure -- not the expectation of someone else failing. If we do our part well, what is there to worry about?
Many worry about things that are out of their control. That kind of worry is just wasted energy. We should plan, prepare and create backup plans to deal with those things we can't control. But, why worry? They are out of our control.
The only answer to that kind of worry is faith. Faith can be in many things -- but, if they are humans or man made things, they will fail. The only faith that can truly alleviate fear is faith in the eternal. If we place it all in God's hands and trust that He has our best interest in mind, what is there to worry about?
Monday, August 18, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
August Storms
The golden grasses
Crackle under foot
As dusty odors
Rise from my passing.
Even the insects
Are silently waiting
As the tiny dot of promise
Builds on the horizon.
A gentle breeze stirs
The drooping leaves
Of plants not native
To the arid clime.
Hope springs
In the blossoming white puffs
That appear mysteriously
In the blueness of the sky.
Gathering,
The whiteness turns gray
And then the deepest blue
As it hangs curtains on the horizon.
The breeze strengthens
And even the hard stems
Of golden grasses
Begin to shiver with excitement.
As the curtain approaches
A brown smudge appears
Rising against the darkness,
Swelling to a rolling wall.
The odor of dust
Permeates the rising wind
And the first stinging particles
Assail upturned faces
As dollops of moisture
Splash muddy blotches
On greedy surfaces
That quickly absorb.
Brown gives way
To greens and whites
On the backdrop
Of deepest blue-black.
Whack!
Whack, whack!
Pingggggg!
Run!
Peas and marbles
Golf balls and baseballs,
The roar grows
And overwhelms.
The horizon moves nearer
As objects fade
Beneath the torrent
Rolling across the plains.
Prayers answered.
More prayers said.
Fear and thanksgiving
Together swell.
Renewal
Comes
With
Trial.
Crackle under foot
As dusty odors
Rise from my passing.
Even the insects
Are silently waiting
As the tiny dot of promise
Builds on the horizon.
A gentle breeze stirs
The drooping leaves
Of plants not native
To the arid clime.
Hope springs
In the blossoming white puffs
That appear mysteriously
In the blueness of the sky.
Gathering,
The whiteness turns gray
And then the deepest blue
As it hangs curtains on the horizon.
The breeze strengthens
And even the hard stems
Of golden grasses
Begin to shiver with excitement.
As the curtain approaches
A brown smudge appears
Rising against the darkness,
Swelling to a rolling wall.
The odor of dust
Permeates the rising wind
And the first stinging particles
Assail upturned faces
As dollops of moisture
Splash muddy blotches
On greedy surfaces
That quickly absorb.
Brown gives way
To greens and whites
On the backdrop
Of deepest blue-black.
Whack!
Whack, whack!
Pingggggg!
Run!
Peas and marbles
Golf balls and baseballs,
The roar grows
And overwhelms.
The horizon moves nearer
As objects fade
Beneath the torrent
Rolling across the plains.
Prayers answered.
More prayers said.
Fear and thanksgiving
Together swell.
Renewal
Comes
With
Trial.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Food and Energy for Texas
The whirling blades turn
Restlessly
The cattle graze
Quietly
The horizon stretches
Endlessly
Energy Flows
Food Grows
Texas:
#1 Installed Wind Energy Capacity
#1 Beef Production
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Road Trips and Fellow Bloggers
I am finally back in the office for a day
After a good while on the road.
As usual after such lengthy trips
Accumulated items make quite a load.
I've spent the day just trying
To whittle down the pile
But finally reached a point
Where I needed a break for a while.
It was a very productive trip
These few days I was gone
I watched my son give a speech
And visited with the in-laws.
But also there was work
Which was one purpose of the trip.
A Trade Show and some meetings
That went by at quite a clip.
The highlight was a visit
From a fellow blogging friend
Who dropped by to say hello
And I'm truly glad he did.
He brought along his children
And introduced them as well.
That they are a solid kind of family
Was quite easy to tell.
If you have a little extra time
While browsing on the web
Stop by his blog and say hello
I think you will be glad you did.
After a good while on the road.
As usual after such lengthy trips
Accumulated items make quite a load.
I've spent the day just trying
To whittle down the pile
But finally reached a point
Where I needed a break for a while.
It was a very productive trip
These few days I was gone
I watched my son give a speech
And visited with the in-laws.
But also there was work
Which was one purpose of the trip.
A Trade Show and some meetings
That went by at quite a clip.
The highlight was a visit
From a fellow blogging friend
Who dropped by to say hello
And I'm truly glad he did.
He brought along his children
And introduced them as well.
That they are a solid kind of family
Was quite easy to tell.
If you have a little extra time
While browsing on the web
Stop by his blog and say hello
I think you will be glad you did.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Howdy, Y'all!
For those few of you who are continued loyal readers of Panhandle Poetry and Other Thoughts, I thought that I should let you know that I haven't fallen off the end of the earth, I've just been out of pocket for a few days. I've been to Houston and then to Bellville, Texas, and am now in College Station, Texas. For most of the time I haven't had Internet service.
Hopefully, I will have a chance to do some posting while I am here in College Station for the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short course. This afternoon I was able to get in and set up our Trade Show Booth. I will be manning in through the end of the Short course on Wednesday. If any of you happen to be in town, stop by the Gold Standard Labs booth at the Trade Show in G. Rollie White Coliseum. I'd certainly be interested in meeting you.
Hopefully, I will have a chance to do some posting while I am here in College Station for the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short course. This afternoon I was able to get in and set up our Trade Show Booth. I will be manning in through the end of the Short course on Wednesday. If any of you happen to be in town, stop by the Gold Standard Labs booth at the Trade Show in G. Rollie White Coliseum. I'd certainly be interested in meeting you.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Observation on a Lunch Break
Sometimes you see people that just make you wonder about their life's story.
I frequently carry my lunch to work and eat it in one of the parks in town. Occasionally it affords the opportunity to observe some interesting scenes and people. Today, there was a pickup parked in the shade of one of the trees which stands adjacent to a parking area. Inside that pickup slept an older Caucasian male that appeared to have experienced a life predominately in the outdoors if one can judge properly from the depth of lines and deep tan of his complexion. In the middle of the seat sat an old woman that appeared to be of native American decent. She was one of those deeply creased, timelessly aged individuals that might have been 60 or 120 years old. She appeared to be patiently waiting for a continued journey. On the passenger side of the seat sat 2 young black-skinned children -- one boy and one girl. I would guess them to be in the 8 to 10 year-old range. They were alert, quiet and apparently bored. They fidgeted, but silently.
I suspect they were travelers passing through. The license plate on the recent model Ford pickup was from Texas, but it's a big state. They could be a mile from home or 1,000 miles from home. There was no identifier of an automobile dealership that I could see. You can often at least tell in what city a vehicle has been purchased by such labels.
He rested. She waited. They fidgeted.
My lunch break ended and I returned to work. They were still there when I left.
It just makes you wonder who, what and why. Am I overly curious?
I frequently carry my lunch to work and eat it in one of the parks in town. Occasionally it affords the opportunity to observe some interesting scenes and people. Today, there was a pickup parked in the shade of one of the trees which stands adjacent to a parking area. Inside that pickup slept an older Caucasian male that appeared to have experienced a life predominately in the outdoors if one can judge properly from the depth of lines and deep tan of his complexion. In the middle of the seat sat an old woman that appeared to be of native American decent. She was one of those deeply creased, timelessly aged individuals that might have been 60 or 120 years old. She appeared to be patiently waiting for a continued journey. On the passenger side of the seat sat 2 young black-skinned children -- one boy and one girl. I would guess them to be in the 8 to 10 year-old range. They were alert, quiet and apparently bored. They fidgeted, but silently.
I suspect they were travelers passing through. The license plate on the recent model Ford pickup was from Texas, but it's a big state. They could be a mile from home or 1,000 miles from home. There was no identifier of an automobile dealership that I could see. You can often at least tell in what city a vehicle has been purchased by such labels.
He rested. She waited. They fidgeted.
My lunch break ended and I returned to work. They were still there when I left.
It just makes you wonder who, what and why. Am I overly curious?
Friday, July 25, 2008
We Can Do Better
We frequently see the debate between “environmentalists” and the rest of us as framed in an “us” vs. “them” manner. Business people feel that the environmental movement is nothing but a roadblock to progress. People in developing countries see environmental groups preventing them from experiencing the luxuries of the west because they hinder the utilization of the natural resources at hand.
Environmental groups often carry names like “Friends of the Earth” or “Save the Wildlife.” Those types of names carry with them a stigma that immediately sets on edge the typical businessman.
What if the debate became a completely economic one?
There is within the economic community the idea that when external costs are internalized into the price of a good or service, the decision to allocate resources to that good or service often changes. An example of internalizing these externalities would be the impact of a uranium mine on the Navajo Reservation. In order to avoid the potential complexities of the decision, let’s limit it to one possible issue – or, external cost -- the impact of the mining activity on the water supply of a community.
Suppose that the mine is located within the watershed of a Navajo community. To fully understand the cost to develop the mine, the potential pollution of the community’s water supply must be examined. Such examination would need to include preventative measures and possible remediation in the event of contamination. It also would need to look at long-term effects to wildlife residing in the watershed. Wildlife might provide hunting lease income to the reservation. It might also be of significant cultural value that would be difficult to price. It might affect tourist income from photography or viewing. It might impact local artisans who utilize specific clays located within the watershed.
With the exception of preventing and remediating potential contamination, none of the impacts mentioned are direct costs to the mine owner/operator. They are however, external costs to the community of locating the mine in their watershed.
How does one determine the value of natural resources? We can estimate the value of mineral deposits. We can value land based on the transactional market for similar properties. But, how do we value the less obvious things such as: filtering the water supply, tourism, hunting and fishing, recreation, moderating effects on climate, flood protection, erosion control and other items about which we don’t currently understand?
Hopefully in the near future, we will see attention paid to such values. Such things must be part of an overall land use plan before disruptive activities are begun. We need oil, natural gas, wind energy, solar energy, coal and we need minerals that can only be obtained through extractive activities. Surely we have learned enough of the complex interactions of the environment to begin to make sound evaluations of our activities in a broader sense. We must learn to utilize our resources without destroying our surroundings. Let’s drill – but let’s do so in an environmentally informed manner. Let’s build windmills for electrical generation – but let’s situate them in a manner that retains the benefits of our wild lands. Let’s learn from the unintended consequences of our past mistakes – such as ruined lakes and streams from coal mining or oil and gas extraction. We can do better.
Environmental groups often carry names like “Friends of the Earth” or “Save the Wildlife.” Those types of names carry with them a stigma that immediately sets on edge the typical businessman.
What if the debate became a completely economic one?
There is within the economic community the idea that when external costs are internalized into the price of a good or service, the decision to allocate resources to that good or service often changes. An example of internalizing these externalities would be the impact of a uranium mine on the Navajo Reservation. In order to avoid the potential complexities of the decision, let’s limit it to one possible issue – or, external cost -- the impact of the mining activity on the water supply of a community.
Suppose that the mine is located within the watershed of a Navajo community. To fully understand the cost to develop the mine, the potential pollution of the community’s water supply must be examined. Such examination would need to include preventative measures and possible remediation in the event of contamination. It also would need to look at long-term effects to wildlife residing in the watershed. Wildlife might provide hunting lease income to the reservation. It might also be of significant cultural value that would be difficult to price. It might affect tourist income from photography or viewing. It might impact local artisans who utilize specific clays located within the watershed.
With the exception of preventing and remediating potential contamination, none of the impacts mentioned are direct costs to the mine owner/operator. They are however, external costs to the community of locating the mine in their watershed.
How does one determine the value of natural resources? We can estimate the value of mineral deposits. We can value land based on the transactional market for similar properties. But, how do we value the less obvious things such as: filtering the water supply, tourism, hunting and fishing, recreation, moderating effects on climate, flood protection, erosion control and other items about which we don’t currently understand?
Hopefully in the near future, we will see attention paid to such values. Such things must be part of an overall land use plan before disruptive activities are begun. We need oil, natural gas, wind energy, solar energy, coal and we need minerals that can only be obtained through extractive activities. Surely we have learned enough of the complex interactions of the environment to begin to make sound evaluations of our activities in a broader sense. We must learn to utilize our resources without destroying our surroundings. Let’s drill – but let’s do so in an environmentally informed manner. Let’s build windmills for electrical generation – but let’s situate them in a manner that retains the benefits of our wild lands. Let’s learn from the unintended consequences of our past mistakes – such as ruined lakes and streams from coal mining or oil and gas extraction. We can do better.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Family Reunion After-thoughts
We survived the family reunion! It was great. Some started arriving as early as Monday evening of last week -- and they kept arriving throughout the week. We had 68 members of my mother's family at my house. All of her brothers and sisters were there (8 siblings total) along with some of their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces nephews and cousins. We hope that in the future, more of the second and third generation will be able to attend. Only a handful of the first-cousins were there.
The memories of course were stimulated. The stories of growing up on the farm was a common thread. My mother and her siblings told of milking cows, feeding chickens, hoeing cotton, rattlesnakes, tornadoes, family and neighbors. It seemed that most of the memories were good. A common theme was that they seemed to be happy growing up as they did. More than once I heard something along the lines of "we didn't have much but there was always plenty." Kids today don't usually see things that way. They feel abused if they don't have the latest computer game. My aunts and uncles were referring to food on the table and clothes to wear -- for the older sisters (the 4 girls came first) it might be dresses made from chicken feed sacks.
Today the kids want $100 tennis shoes (or higher) and my aunts were thrilled to have new dresses made from feed sacks. Hmmm -- do you think we might ever go back to that? There are parts of the world that would love to have feed sacks from which to make dresses. You never know.
It is a good reminder that we need to cherish the moments that we have. We especially need to be thankful for family. It is important to keep the connections alive.
The memories of course were stimulated. The stories of growing up on the farm was a common thread. My mother and her siblings told of milking cows, feeding chickens, hoeing cotton, rattlesnakes, tornadoes, family and neighbors. It seemed that most of the memories were good. A common theme was that they seemed to be happy growing up as they did. More than once I heard something along the lines of "we didn't have much but there was always plenty." Kids today don't usually see things that way. They feel abused if they don't have the latest computer game. My aunts and uncles were referring to food on the table and clothes to wear -- for the older sisters (the 4 girls came first) it might be dresses made from chicken feed sacks.
Today the kids want $100 tennis shoes (or higher) and my aunts were thrilled to have new dresses made from feed sacks. Hmmm -- do you think we might ever go back to that? There are parts of the world that would love to have feed sacks from which to make dresses. You never know.
It is a good reminder that we need to cherish the moments that we have. We especially need to be thankful for family. It is important to keep the connections alive.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Family Reunion Week
This week is family reunion week at our house. My mother's family is coming in from all over the country. Since my parents live in the same community as we do, we are both pitching in to provide accommodations for everyone. The events will culminate on Saturday with a big cookout and get together in our back yard. Let's hope it isn't raining. We are expecting 50 to 60 or possibly more for Saturday.
Family. I am privileged to be part of both an immediate family and an extended family that believes in the importance of family. Family is a place of safety and nurture. It is a network of support. It is a tie to values that run more deeply than the history of our country. I am thankful to have family. My heart and prayers go out to those who do not.
Family. I am privileged to be part of both an immediate family and an extended family that believes in the importance of family. Family is a place of safety and nurture. It is a network of support. It is a tie to values that run more deeply than the history of our country. I am thankful to have family. My heart and prayers go out to those who do not.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Energy Independence Days
U.S. Senator John Cornyn has declared war on our dependence on foreign oil. He has created a special emphasis on his website called “Energy Independence Days” in which there will be a series of posts including videos from Senator Cornyn on the subject of how we might achieve our Energy Independence.
I am thankful that the Senator has taken the best interests of the American people to heart and created this opportunity for the people of this state and nation to have input, as he helps through his leadership, to set our lawmakers on course to address this critical issue. I pray that solutions can be developed through the private and public initiatives that are a hallmark of this great nation. I am humbled to have the opportunity to provide a guest post to the Senator’s website. Thank you Senator Cornyn for all that you do for our state and our country.
I am thankful that the Senator has taken the best interests of the American people to heart and created this opportunity for the people of this state and nation to have input, as he helps through his leadership, to set our lawmakers on course to address this critical issue. I pray that solutions can be developed through the private and public initiatives that are a hallmark of this great nation. I am humbled to have the opportunity to provide a guest post to the Senator’s website. Thank you Senator Cornyn for all that you do for our state and our country.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
TEXAS: Y'all Come!
Sunday evening we went out to Palo Duro Canyon to the amphitheater to view "TEXAS." It was great. It has been several years since I was out to the canyon for the play. The last time it was a different script. This year, they are back to the original.
The performance is about the earliest settlers in the Texas Panhandle. It is a musical that portrays the end of the "cattle empire" era and the beginning of the influx of farmers. "TEXAS" is in its 43rd Anniversary season.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
An Independence Day of Prayer and Reflection
The day after tomorrow is the 4th of July. Where has the summer gone?
The 4th is honored in celebration of our independence from England. It has been so long ago that we don't truly understand what that independence means. Today, it is a rare individual that even stops to think that the liberties we enjoy arose from that period in the 1770's when previously loyal subjects finally had a belly-full of the capricious actions of the British Parliament designed to extract payment from the colonies for their many wars. It wasn't so much that the colonists didn't want to pay their fair share of the defense of their country (England) it was that they were being taxed without the opportunity of representation in making the decisions. They were treated as less than full citizens of their country.
That desire to have the opportunity to have a voice in the decisions of government is one that in many ways has died among a large portion of our citizenry. Voter apathy is high. Dissatisfaction with the government and leading political figures is extremely low. It is as though a large percentage of the American people have allowed themselves to become less than true citizens. They have been lulled by the relative prosperity that they enjoy and by their feelings of impotence, to merely endure the burdens of the government that they allow to continue on its merry way by their apathy.
It is much like the frog in the kettle illustration with which we are all familiar. If you try to put a frog into hot water he will jump out. If you put him in cold water and slowly add heat, he will boil to death. I believe that a large number of people in this country are allowing themselves to be boiled to death through the gradual creep of economic subjugation through the policies of our government.
This 4th of July is one that I believe should be spent in reflection on where we have been, what we have become and where we are going as a country. It is a time to examine the burden of government on our lives and our livelihood. It is a time to consider the role of each and every elected official and the part that they have played in adding to that burden. Are our lives truly better than they were ten or twenty or even longer years ago? If not, what has changed?
We must get out of the pot and get active. If the heat is building we need to put out the fire. It is time to get involve -- get energized. The election this fall could be a turning point if we will let our voices be heard. I believe in our system of government and I believe there are good men and women both in office and seeking office. I also know that there are those in office and seeking office that have nothing on their mind but their own self aggrandizement, power and wealth. We must seek wisdom in our choices. The only true source of wisdom that I know of is the God that created us. We all should hit our knees in prayer for the future of this great nation. The 4th of July is a great time to start.
The 4th is honored in celebration of our independence from England. It has been so long ago that we don't truly understand what that independence means. Today, it is a rare individual that even stops to think that the liberties we enjoy arose from that period in the 1770's when previously loyal subjects finally had a belly-full of the capricious actions of the British Parliament designed to extract payment from the colonies for their many wars. It wasn't so much that the colonists didn't want to pay their fair share of the defense of their country (England) it was that they were being taxed without the opportunity of representation in making the decisions. They were treated as less than full citizens of their country.
That desire to have the opportunity to have a voice in the decisions of government is one that in many ways has died among a large portion of our citizenry. Voter apathy is high. Dissatisfaction with the government and leading political figures is extremely low. It is as though a large percentage of the American people have allowed themselves to become less than true citizens. They have been lulled by the relative prosperity that they enjoy and by their feelings of impotence, to merely endure the burdens of the government that they allow to continue on its merry way by their apathy.
It is much like the frog in the kettle illustration with which we are all familiar. If you try to put a frog into hot water he will jump out. If you put him in cold water and slowly add heat, he will boil to death. I believe that a large number of people in this country are allowing themselves to be boiled to death through the gradual creep of economic subjugation through the policies of our government.
This 4th of July is one that I believe should be spent in reflection on where we have been, what we have become and where we are going as a country. It is a time to examine the burden of government on our lives and our livelihood. It is a time to consider the role of each and every elected official and the part that they have played in adding to that burden. Are our lives truly better than they were ten or twenty or even longer years ago? If not, what has changed?
We must get out of the pot and get active. If the heat is building we need to put out the fire. It is time to get involve -- get energized. The election this fall could be a turning point if we will let our voices be heard. I believe in our system of government and I believe there are good men and women both in office and seeking office. I also know that there are those in office and seeking office that have nothing on their mind but their own self aggrandizement, power and wealth. We must seek wisdom in our choices. The only true source of wisdom that I know of is the God that created us. We all should hit our knees in prayer for the future of this great nation. The 4th of July is a great time to start.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Walls.
Walls.
In our minds.
In our hearts.
In our lives.
Walls.
In friendships.
In marriages.
In families.
Walls.
Physical.
Mental.
Emotional.
Walls.
Barriers.
Boundaries.
Barricades.
Walls.
Fences.
Bars.
Bricks.
Somebody hand me a sledgehammer!
In our minds.
In our hearts.
In our lives.
Walls.
In friendships.
In marriages.
In families.
Walls.
Physical.
Mental.
Emotional.
Walls.
Barriers.
Boundaries.
Barricades.
Walls.
Fences.
Bars.
Bricks.
Somebody hand me a sledgehammer!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Road Time
I learned from a good friend of mine this week some facts that have convinced me that Global Warming is real. He revealed these things to me as we traveled in search of new customers. We were prospecting in some "sparse" country and there was lots of road time between stops. Let me see if I can remember:
- My friend said that he believes that Global Warming is responsible for warping the lenses in his glasses. It seemed to him that with each passing day the distortion became worse and worse. It was getting so that he was going to need new glasses because of the distortion. Upon reflection, I realized that I had been experiencing similar problems.
- My friend also said that it seemed to him that Global Warming had caused his arms to shrink. It was getting so that they were hardly long enough to hold reading material at the proper distance for clear viewing. I knew without a doubt that he was correct because I had been noticing the same thing for several years now.
- We both noted that the heat caused drowsiness as well -- particularly about 2:00 in the afternoon. We determined to call this the "siesta effect" of Global Warming. It seemed that the "siesta effect," although normally confined to environs south of our location, had moved northward and was affecting us on a regular basis.
We began to discuss some of the pro's and con's of the obviously real effects of Global Warming. Following are some of our observations -- not necessarily grouped in any special order.
- Because of a warmer climate due to Global Warming, we should experience longer lives. This is because the Greenhouse gases have replaced significant quantities of oxygen in the atmosphere (the reason for the "siesta effect"). Therefore oxidation should be slowed and our lives therefore extended.
- Global Warming also should extend the hotpant/haltertop/bikini season. We determined that in spite of the visual pleasures it could have detrimental effects on our longevity since both of us are married.
- We noted as well that Global Warming should extend the growing season throughout the world and therefore alleviate the hunger problems that we have been hearing so much about.
- Global warming also should reduce heating bills in the winter. This would provide a significant savings during those months. On the downside though, the summers would be extended and it is likely that the increase in the cooling bills for those months would more than offset the savings in the winter.
- An additional advantage of Global Warming might be the extension of football season until February or even March. Well, by that time it's almost spring so why don't we just make football season year-round. We could do the same for baseball as well. That would give us many more choices of sporting events to view throughout the year. Golf also would be a year-round sport. There won't be concerns of losing that little white ball in the cowpasture during a snow storm. There won't be any.
I am sure there are other observations that some of you have made that support this theory of Global Warming. Please feel free to share them in the comments.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Shaping the Grand Canyon
This week, work has taken me on travels into some old stomping grounds. It is interesting to renew old acquaintances and see old faces. That's the problem though. They remind me that it has been 15 years since I last saw some of them. A lot can change in 15 years.
Time has a way of getting away from us. We are so focused on daily activity -- of pursuing our lives -- that we lose track of the passage of time. It's like going to a High School class reunion and wondering why everyone else has aged so much. You still feel the same and don't notice that you've aged along with them. We see the gradual change in our own lives and accept it easily. Absence for extended periods makes that change seem dramatic when we reconnect.
Our lives move inexorably forward. If we weren't such ephemeral beings in our earthly time it would be as though the Grand Canyon was being carved upon our very substance. Slowly, unceasingly, we would be re-shaped into something unrecognizable to our previous self. I wonder if the process continues into eternity?
Time has a way of getting away from us. We are so focused on daily activity -- of pursuing our lives -- that we lose track of the passage of time. It's like going to a High School class reunion and wondering why everyone else has aged so much. You still feel the same and don't notice that you've aged along with them. We see the gradual change in our own lives and accept it easily. Absence for extended periods makes that change seem dramatic when we reconnect.
Our lives move inexorably forward. If we weren't such ephemeral beings in our earthly time it would be as though the Grand Canyon was being carved upon our very substance. Slowly, unceasingly, we would be re-shaped into something unrecognizable to our previous self. I wonder if the process continues into eternity?
Friday, June 20, 2008
The Call of the Day
As I drove to work this morning I had the overwhelming sense that I needed to spend some time outdoors today. After the storms which passed through last night, the air had a special quality. The richness and depth of the blue sky was highlighted by the few remnant clouds on the horizon. It called to me.
It was a call -- not for working out in the sun -- for hiking, exploring, soaking in the vibrancy of the day. It has been a long time since I went hiking. Maybe I should head to Palo Duro Canyon and spend some time. I could go out to Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
The problem is that my task list is long. It seems that I have allowed the "little things that need done" to accumulate into a lengthy ordeal. If I was to take the afternoon off I would feel guilty if I didn't spend it "checking a few items off" from my list. It would detract from the enjoyment of the day. Or would it? Maybe I should find out.
Instead, I go to the office. I enter into another day of work. Opportunity lost?
It was a call -- not for working out in the sun -- for hiking, exploring, soaking in the vibrancy of the day. It has been a long time since I went hiking. Maybe I should head to Palo Duro Canyon and spend some time. I could go out to Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
The problem is that my task list is long. It seems that I have allowed the "little things that need done" to accumulate into a lengthy ordeal. If I was to take the afternoon off I would feel guilty if I didn't spend it "checking a few items off" from my list. It would detract from the enjoyment of the day. Or would it? Maybe I should find out.
Instead, I go to the office. I enter into another day of work. Opportunity lost?
Monday, June 16, 2008
Somewhat Rare
Your Personality is Somewhat Rare (ISTP) |
 Your personality type is reserved, methodical, spirited, and intense. Only about 6% of all people have your personality, including 3% of all women and 8% of all men You are Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, and Perceiving. |
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Father's Day
I'm a little late in the day posting about Father's Day, but better late than never -- right?
Some things that I learned from my Father:
The difference between a weed and cotton (or corn, or okra, or beans, or....).
It's time for supper when the work is finished -- not necessarily when you are hungry.
The animals get fed first.
You "fess up" when it was you that threw the baseball through the window.
"Licks" at school meant more at home.
Profanity was a sign of a weak vocabulary.
If you don't form an opinion, someone will form it for you.
If you get in a fight you had better not be the one that started it.
You ate what was on your plate whether you liked it or not.
Honesty is a given.
If you agree to do something you do it.
You bait your own hook and help any women that won't bait theirs.
You open the door for a lady.
You take your hat off in the house.
You shovel the sidewalk for the old couple across the street and you don't take any pay for it.
If you shoot it you eat it -- unless it's rabbits and then it's self defence. Five rabbits eat as much as a cow.
You don't quit.
You put in an honest day's work for your pay.
If you can read you can figure out how to do just about anything.
Spend time with your kids.
Family comes first.
It doesn't matter how much you make, it's how much you spend.
Don't talk back to your mother.
Some things you have to learn the hard way.
Keep what you own in good repair.
Kids need to know they're loved.
If you see a snotty nose, wipe it.
You're expected in church on Sunday morning.
Sometimes you seem a lot smarter if you keep your mouth shut.
Live your calling -- whatever it happens to be.
Give your time to your church, your community and your family.
The list goes on and on but I think you get the picture. That's what it was and is -- a picture of how to live your life through the example of his. Thanks, Dad.
Some things that I learned from my Father:
The difference between a weed and cotton (or corn, or okra, or beans, or....).
It's time for supper when the work is finished -- not necessarily when you are hungry.
The animals get fed first.
You "fess up" when it was you that threw the baseball through the window.
"Licks" at school meant more at home.
Profanity was a sign of a weak vocabulary.
If you don't form an opinion, someone will form it for you.
If you get in a fight you had better not be the one that started it.
You ate what was on your plate whether you liked it or not.
Honesty is a given.
If you agree to do something you do it.
You bait your own hook and help any women that won't bait theirs.
You open the door for a lady.
You take your hat off in the house.
You shovel the sidewalk for the old couple across the street and you don't take any pay for it.
If you shoot it you eat it -- unless it's rabbits and then it's self defence. Five rabbits eat as much as a cow.
You don't quit.
You put in an honest day's work for your pay.
If you can read you can figure out how to do just about anything.
Spend time with your kids.
Family comes first.
It doesn't matter how much you make, it's how much you spend.
Don't talk back to your mother.
Some things you have to learn the hard way.
Keep what you own in good repair.
Kids need to know they're loved.
If you see a snotty nose, wipe it.
You're expected in church on Sunday morning.
Sometimes you seem a lot smarter if you keep your mouth shut.
Live your calling -- whatever it happens to be.
Give your time to your church, your community and your family.
The list goes on and on but I think you get the picture. That's what it was and is -- a picture of how to live your life through the example of his. Thanks, Dad.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Gone Political
I have been a bit slow posting for quite some time now. I appreciate those of you who do continue to stop by on a regular basis.
It seems sometimes that I go through "dry" spells. It is hard to come up with something to post. Also, I have been busy. However, I also have started a new blog which is taking a good part of my blogging energy. It is called "Panhandle's Perspective." It is oriented to politics and the issues of the day.
I have always been interested in politics. I have attempted however, to steer clear of them for the most part on this blog. I finally gave in to the impulse.
Why now? Probably because I fear for the direction that our country is heading. Bill Clinton worried me. Barack Obama scares me. His Marxist/socialist agenda will destroy this country.
Drop by "Panhandle's Perspective" and see what I think about it.
It seems sometimes that I go through "dry" spells. It is hard to come up with something to post. Also, I have been busy. However, I also have started a new blog which is taking a good part of my blogging energy. It is called "Panhandle's Perspective." It is oriented to politics and the issues of the day.
I have always been interested in politics. I have attempted however, to steer clear of them for the most part on this blog. I finally gave in to the impulse.
Why now? Probably because I fear for the direction that our country is heading. Bill Clinton worried me. Barack Obama scares me. His Marxist/socialist agenda will destroy this country.
Drop by "Panhandle's Perspective" and see what I think about it.
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