Balance

The dirty secret of youth sports

The New York Times airs the dirty secret of high school sports. There's the old coach's tale that high school coaches far and wide trumpet how their athletes are learning how to be fit for life. Then there's the reality where most of them aren't learning life skills but are instead engaged in something which they cannot sustain and aren't learning much useful in the process. That does not mean, however, that school districts strapped for money will consider cutting athletic budgets anytime soon.

A new year....

New Year's resolutions have never been high on my list of priorities. In part it is because I always have a plan. The next few years mapped out, the next goals and important things to work on in life. These aren't things that wait nicely until December and then organize themselves into a great list ready to get a jump on January 1.

None the less, here are some things I aim to do this year:

  1. Stop reading meaningless blogs - There are blogs I read just because I can. The best way to make sure I read your blog is to tell me not to google you. I've been reading some blogs whose authors wish to be anonymous for the last couple of years, not because they are good, just because I can and I know who the authors are. I'll get precious time back by taking them off my list. Same goes for technology pundits who spend more time spreading flame wars than doing productive things. Sure there are occasional gems in the midst of such mud-slinging, but the cream will rise up and be picked up by others who have a stronger stomach for tolerating the junk.
  2. Exercise more - Is there a list this isn't on? Somewhere between the hours of work and darkness I need to find more time to have a life!
  3. Use less energy - The goal will be a 50% reduction in the energy that I consume. It will be a challenge as I've never been one to leave lights on needlessly or be wasteful, but there is always room to improve. In a few years the goal will be to be a net producer of energy instead of a consumer, but that's a ways out yet. A few simple changes to my driving and car-maintainence have already netted a 33% reduction in the energy I use in the car. Getting more conservative will help and there is likely a hybrid in the future, if not this year then next. Anyone interested in reducing energy consumption will find some great tips at the Rocky Mountain Institute website.

Coming to an end

The week of R&R is gradually coming to an end. Tomorrow I'll have to reenter the corporate world in all its glory. I've been doing a lot of thinking and work lately on the nature of a startup. How to build, in an economically feasible manner, a company that serves its employees from day 1. It is easy to come up with many reasons to scrimp and cut in the beginning. Venture capital is one of the culprits as far as I can see here. While I've not gone after venture capital there seems to be an inherent conflict with startups wanting to spend a significant portion of money on people.

Spring, Wonderful Spring

Good morning from the deck. In the background you can hear the evidence of rush hour getting started. In the foreground the birds are flitting about and sharing their songs while the squirrels chatter away at one another. A little Bongo Billy's Coffee and fresh banana bread make the morning complete. The deck was the selling point of this place. It was a correct decision as I sit here, reading the news and watching the sunrise.

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