2008 Reflections

1. Realized that we must all contribute to reducing carbon NOW. Supported industry efforts in this area and investigated what I could do personally. Ended up paying the carbon tax, unplugging equipment with transformers and waiting for new cars.


2. Found there is another side of Napa. First weekend in March provided incredibly warm spring days after winter rains. Napa was as green as Ireland. Took break with my teenage son and our dog and enjoyed un-wine activities including hike to top of Mount Helena, Geyser, petrified forest, etc.


3. Reaffirmed to make an effort to live authentically after attending two well done funerals where there was a huge turn-out, great music and heartfelt eulogies. Inspired me to live a life that deserves a great funeral. Rest in Peace: Don R, The Prince of EFT and Uncle Bob, The Gentle Giant.


4. Discovered affordable Massage Therapy for only $50 for full 60 minutes. Massage is a wonderful addition to a healthy lifestyle.


5. Vacationed in new California destination. Spent a week in Ojai in early June. Very artsy, great golf and other outdoor activities, music festival and near Santa Barbara. The wild flowers were still in bloom and the weather was very comfortable. And when the Valley heats up, the Pacific is only 15 miles away. I found that the mountains surrounding one side of the Valley reminded me of Hawaii and on the other side reminded me of Palm Springs.


6. Got a new job doing consulting. My previous job was a poor fit from Day 1 as far as culture - a bit like Alice in Wonderland. Although I miss many of my old colleagues, my new job is a needed break from the pressure cooker. New job: not an employee so no HR BS; not a manager so no personnel issues, not a delivery function so no pressure; no production support so no long hours. Sweet!               
7. Figured out what my skin needs with the Skin Type Book. Finally the right products --- my favorite is La Roche-Posay. On some days I actually look radiant. New job helps too.


8. Celebrated Obama election and Bush retirement and hopefully end to failed Republican approach of trying to kill government. Yes, Reagan was right that government is not always efficient, but we have proven again this year that the markets are not efficient either. As anyone who has worked for Corporate America knows, there is a great deal of waste and general goofing off. The challenge is to find the right measures for a particular sector, whether in industry or government, then monitor and take corrective action.


9. Acquired a rowing machine to supplement the dog walk/run; weight lifting, and yoga. Rowing exercises 84% of a person's muscles, which makes it the best overall form of exercise. I was lucky enough to score a floor model of a Water Rower at a deep discount. The WaterRower's rowing mechanism uses a patented WaterFlywheel which alters resistance according to the user's intensity. The Flywheel is actually housed in a container of water and the sound produced is that of a rowing on the water which is very cool and induces a wonderful relaxation. 


10. Watched economic meltdown from the sidelines. Yes, I will need to work several more years to recoup losses before retirement, but the meltdown provided affirmation. Those hotshots in my MBA class are not so hot anymore. I always suffered an inferiority complex as a quiet, studious engineer type while many of my classmates went into finance and Investment Banking making me wonder "Where did I go wrong..." Instead my MBA colleagues drove off the cliff.