The Flop House

When I arrived at home after work yesterday I looked around my apartment and noticed it has become really messy. I admit that I don't like to clean. However, I also like to have a clean place. Normally I will let it get to a certain point and get fed up and clean it. It is well past that point and I wasn't sure how it got there.

A bit of reflection made me realize I have been using my home as a bit of a flop house.

I've been travelling quite a bit in the last month. From each trip I come home, sort through a bunch of mail and don't feel like doing much for a day or two. Through all this my place has accumulated a lot of mess. It just happened during the month of June that just flew by.

Right at the end of May I was in North Bay. A few days later I went on the great adventure known as Bonnaroo. Somehow I hurt my ankle and subsequently my foot so cleaning wasn't much of an option when standing for any period of time was nearly impossible. Just as the foot was getting usable I was off to Burlington Ontario and here we are. I'm home and its a mess.

I'm going to take some time over the next couple of nights to get things to an acceptable level. It just surprised me how it somehow spiralled out of control.

When I lived in Winnipeg my place would get messy over the summer while I didn't really live there. I would be home for a few minutes or a few hours about once a week. The mail would pile up and the dishes would get used without getting washed. So, after eleven weeks, it was a mess. It seems to have caught me again. I don't like it. I'm going to fix it. I guess my disdain for cleaning overpowered my desire for a clean home.

One of Those Moments

Tonight I had supper on the floor of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, Ontario. As I ate I had the privilege of admiring one of the two remaining fully serviceable Avro Lancasters. I was a bit in awe. It was not the first time I ever saw this aircraft but its something you don't see everyday. There were a lot of amazing warplanes in the hangar. I perused them after dinner. As I was travelling back to the hotel I realized how fortunate I was.  I enjoyed my dinner in the presence of amazing vintage aircraft.


The whole experience got me thinking. Was this pure luck? Was there more to it?


I have always been someone who wants his regrets to be things I did, not things I didn't do. So, I try to take advantage of opportunities. For the most part it has served me well. I have made some bad decisions but I have done a lot of things that only present themselves once in a while. Tonight was an example. I was a bit tired. I could have skipped the dinner but I didn't. I went and was in awe. This is only a small example but when things come up, you have to go. You don't know how many opportunities there are for amazing moments but if you turn them all down I can assure you there will not be much in the way of amazing memories.


I realize resources are limited and people have commitments preventing them from dropping everything on a whim and doing everything. I'm not saying that turning down a single opportunity is going to lead to an unfulfilled life but get out there and do everything you can. Many opportunities don't cost a lot. If you are a good person, people will offer to do things for you or provide opportunities for experiences. Go and do it. It really doesn't matter what it is, it may lead to more and better. I didn't get to where I was on a single decision. It was a chain of events where I was proactive and next thing you know, I'm sitting on a hangar floor eating dinner and gazing upon a WWII heavy bomber. I didn't know I was ever going to end up there when I went on my first glider flight but it was part of the sum of experiences that helped set it up.


Life if full of amazing moments. Some are expected and some are random. All of them can be great if you get out there and live them. 

Bad Foot

I tweaked my ankle at Bonnaroo. Don't ask me how, I'm not really sure. I think something just got a little tired after days of standing and having a lot of fun. The tweaked ankle led to a sore foot. I figure this is probably from walking around a lot with a bad ankle. It's almost better again. It still hurts a bit but overall I'm mobile again.


The whole thing made me realize how much I rely on my legs and feet for my lifestyle.


I normally walk to work. Yes, everyday, even when it's cold out. About the only thing that will stop me is freezing rain. That's just too slow and miserable to endure. I walk to the gym. I exercise to manage stress and stay balanced. I walk for most of my entertainment. I walk to take care of a lot of errands. I walk a lot. 


So, when I couldn't walk as I normally do, my life was flipped upside down. I had to drive to work. It takes about the same amount of time and about ten times the frustration to drive home. I took the bus. I like the idea of public transit but I hate taking the bus. I'll live within walking distance and walk. I had to skip a couple of workouts. It surly affected my mood. All of this because I had a foot that didn't want to work properly.


As the foot was starting to get better and I was walking more, albeit much slower than I would have liked, I found I was still going the same speed as a lot of people. First it made wonder why people couldn't walk any faster. Here I was injured and I was keeping up to them. Then it made my understand why so may people don't want to walk. If you walk really slowly, it takes forever to get anywhere. I'm not talking about very old people or people with injuries that have to use a walker to be mobile. I'm not talking about people pushing strollers or have small children with them. I'm talking about people younger than me. Walking so slowly it would take an hour to get from my office to my home. 


If these people walked with some purpose, they would get places much quicker, into better shape, fell better about themselves, and have more time. And as an added bonus for me, they wouldn't always be in my way when i'm trying to get somewhere.


I admit I walk fairly fast. I'm not the fasted but for a dude with a 27" inseam, I make tracks really quickly. There is so much benefit to walking a lot. I admit, its not going to turn you into a supermodel but if you were spending the same amount of time sitting in your car or on a bus you are a lot less active and do not see the physical benefits from activity. There is also the financial benefits. It is cheap to walk. No fuel, parking, bus fare, or cab fare. Possibly the best benefit is the entertainment. I see so much while walking. It is the best way to experience a city. You hear things, see things, smell things, and read things that would never be noticed if you were driving. You can zip into a store with no worry about a parking spot. If you run into someone you know, you can chat for a minute, just to catch up. All this is great.


I realize some people choose to live beyond walking distance from their workplace, but I'm sure their life would be enhanced if they could walk everyday. To do that, you can't hurt your foot.

Makes a Great Dad

I've been thinking about this all day. What I know is a great dad is someone who makes you strong and patient at the same time. My Dad did.


I was very fortunate to see him at work. It was impressive. He appeased customers and took care of his staff with short  concise sentences, often to one person. I remember the last day of the week-end when we took over the store, he said, "Did you check the door? We own it now, nobody is going to do it for us." That changed me forever.


However, that was not the most prolific thing my father ever said. Unfortunately I can't remember where we were or what we were trying to do but he said, "If we are going to do this, we are going to do this properly."


That has stayed with me forever, and it always will. It has become a guiding principle in how I do my daily duties. It has made me stop things from happening. It has made me go forward. It may be the best thing I can guide a decision on. It came from my dad.


I don't speak to my parents as much as I would like. They are very active. They are usually away when I have time to call. I'm happy about this. They are not sitting and waiting for their son who moved to Ottawa to call. They are out there living life.


I miss my dad. He always knows what to say. He does things to make it better, especially when life isn't so great. He bought tickets so I could see The Tragically Hip. Though a series of coincidences, I leaned on the stage in front of the front row watching a great Canadian band. 


When I told my parents I was moving east, all they were was supportive. They knew it was the right thing and it made it much easier not having to debate the point with them. I know my mom was on board but I know my dad was really happy.


My mom wasn't so keen on me learning to fly. (sorry mom, dad told me years ago) but dad smoothed it over.


I have too may stories to tell about how my dad was great. He taught me to drive a standard and a forklift. He trusted me to make deliveries. He didn't even get mad when I drove the truck into the front yard saw shop. (I wasn't the first)


Dad, I know you read my blog, and I never really express how you have made me so successful but, you are at the core of every decision I make because someday, I hope to be as good as you.


Happy Fathers Day!

C'est Bonnaroo

Last weekend I tweaked my ankle at some point during the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester Tennessee.

Bonnaroo is a New Orleans term derived from the French phras,e "Bon à rue" which literally means, "good on the street." it was used to describe the quality of the music that night. I can say in no uncertain terms that the music at Bonnaroo was amazing but, that is only part of the fun.

The festival consists of about 80,000 people and a lot of music. It's hot. The people are amazingly friendly. There are a bunch of choices for food. You will lose your friends at least once. You will make new friends, even if just for the week-end.

The vibe at this event is amazing. You can pretty much walk up to anyone and start a conversation. They want to hear about you and where you are from. You share a common interest in the music and it seems so natural.

You can eat almost anything. I had a pulled pork sandwich, a Crifdog, funnel cake, and burritos. It was great.

If you need to get around, simply hop on a golf cart taxi. For five dollars they will take you anywhere in Bonnaroo. If you're not in a hurry, still along and chat with folks as you go.

I had an amazing time at Bonnaroo. I will go back. Everything about it was awesome and how can you not love a Sunday afternoon where you are listening to the Beach Boys.

If you are looking for an amazing music festival, c'est Bonnaroo!

Working Women

There seems to be a lot of press lately about how women are under-represented in the higher levels of organizations. As a white man (maybe too white, I'm rather pasty, especially in the winter) I am the majority. Through no fault of mine or anybody else, I am part of the group that all minorities are compared to. I am definitely not an expert on being discriminated against. That being said, I believe that improving diversity in the workplace is the responsibility of the people who lead organizations and the members of minority groups.


As far as I know, white men do not sit in some secret room drinking scotch and smoking cigars while trying to figure out how to keep minorities, including women, from progressing in their respective organizations. However there are a few truths out there that everyone needs to recognize about organizations.


Women can do pretty much anything men can do. There are a couple of jobs that women should not be doing, cleaning the men's locker room at the gym while the facility is open comes to mind. Beyond that, I can't think of anything. Most men may find some jobs that require a lot of physical strength easier than most women bu that doesn't mean that women can do it.


To move forward in an organization you have to make a positive difference. To do this anyone has to make tough decisions, take ownership of your area of responsibility, and be consistent. It's not easy. It means you have to put in the time and do what's right for the organization not for you or the people around you.


Make sure you want the job you seek for the right reasons. If you want a job for the prestige or money, chances are you will not do a great job. You may be adequate but if you want to move ahead you need to excel. Pick a job or path that means something to you. You need to be in a position where the job is the reward, that will help lead to success.


You have to look the part. It matters no matter who you are but really matters if you are a woman. I'll admit its easier for men, when in doubt wear a suit. Women should also be sharply dressed. I'm not suggesting that you should be wearing short skirts and plunging necklines. However, I see a lot of women wearing the wrong clothes for their environment. you should dress in clothes that reflect your personality while projecting a professional image. Don't be afraid to look good but remember you can look good and look the part at the same time.


You have to sound like the part. This is crucial. There is an old saying that it is better to remain quiet and have people think you are dumb than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. Since you have to communicate to make a difference and excel then you better be communicating and you better be intelligent when you speak. Personally when someone sounds dumb in a meeting and doesn't get the point it doesn't matter if they are a man or a woman, they are simply not making the grade. You need to be prepared when you may be called upon for input. You need to choose the right words. It's hard. both men and women fall down all the time at this. If you do not perform to the expected level, you need to use that as a learning experience and be better next time.


I know some very successful women. One quality that they all share is they are strong. They all have physical strength and mental strength. I think for most people, physical strength helps with mental strength. Ultimately, you have to be strong to be successful. You have to be able to deal with difficult situations. You have to be able to manage stress, and you have to make difficult decisions in a timely manner. It doesn't matter if you are a man or a woman, if you don't do this, you can't be successful.


So, why are there not more women in the highest levels of organizations?


I'm not sure. I'm sure there is some self-selection. Women still often take the traditional role of caregiver and take the maternity leave and leave work early to deal with sick children. This admirable but if anyone is often away from the organization, they are not contributing as much as they could. This will count against you. Some women may reach a certain level of success and choose to remain there so they can fulfill the caregiver role. There is nothing wrong with that but it does limit how many women will rise to the top.


To reach the highest levels of an organization you have to sacrifice a lot away from work. It doesn't matter if you are a man or a woman. It may be as simple that more men are willing to make those sacrifices. It's filled with long days, work travel, the dreaded work BlackBerry, and a perpetually unbalanced life. There are a lot of people who are not willing to live that life. There seems to be more men than women who will take it on but there are not a lot of men either. It's hard.


There are a lot of reasons that more men rise to the top ranks of organizations. Some of them may not be the right reasons. It's lonely at the top and maybe more men are willing to be lonely. I really don't know. What I do know is if you have the ability to do the job and are willing to make the sacrifices, I think anyone can make it, but it won't be easy.