The Como Park Zoo & Conservatory.

We had another beautiful weather day today.  So we took full advantage of it by spending a great deal of time outdoors at the local zoo.  Here are a few images of the day...

North To Minnesota.

After two full days of driving, we finally arrived.  The first thing to hit us was the temperature change.  Down in Houston it may be in the 70s and 80s, but up here they're still finishing up winter.  The kids have really never seen snow before, so the first order of business was to try to find some.  It did not prove difficult, as there were many places where snow remains on the ground from the most recent snowfall.  We are here visiting dear friends and have several adventures planned for the week.  Stay tuned for more!

Early Spring.

When He Comes In The Clouds.

When I took this picture I immediately imagined that this is what it might look like when Christ comes in the clouds; or when the trumpet sounds from heaven.  In truth, they were both merely watching bubbles.  But I still enjoy the look of wonder on Ellie's face.

Declaration of Dependence.

Most of the anxiety in our lives (and I would argue all of it) is due to things that are completely beyond our control.  Think about it -- our health, our wealth, our job security, our personal security, our friends, our future, our kids' future, etc. You name it. There is nothing you can lose sleep over that cannot be ripped from you (or tremendously altered) at a moment's notice.

So what is our response? Pull the covers over our head in despair? For many, that's exactly the response -- or worse. But not for us. We have hope. I sleep better at night, even in the midst of turmoil and uncertainty, when I remember this truth.

What are you depending on?

New Vibram Bikila LS Review.

(Updated toward the end of this post)

They arrived in the mail yesterday.  I eagerly anticipated my morning run to see how they would feel.  I'm already a fan of the Vibram KSO and previous version of the Bikila, but was looking forward to the subtle improvements of the newest offering.  Namely, the Lacing System.

My first concern was the overall sizing.  Would this model be consistent with previous models (Vibram sizing is very precise; even the smallest mistake can make the shoe unwearable)?  But as suspected, the sizing was spot on.  With the lacing system, the shoe slips on much easier now, able to accommodate a wide variety of foot widths.  In addition, the snugness of the fit can be controlled by a simple tightening or loosening of the speed laces.

 

All in all, I'm very pleased.  My run was comfortable, as always.  And the shoes were not near as tight as with previous versions.  Very comfortable, and very slick. 

Updated 5/15/2011

I've been wearing the Bikila now for three months and continue to be extremely pleased with them.  They are as comfortable now as they were on day one, with very little sign of wear and tear (nothing more than what you might expect from the high impact areas on the shoe).  My primary use for these shoes is road running; very little trail work. Judging from the wear so far, I would estimate I have another four to six months in these Vibrams before needing to replace.  Compared to your average running shoe, that's a heck of a deal.  If you are looking to go minimal, the Vibram Bikila is an excellent choice for function and comfort. 

In Praise of Netbooks.

I love netbooks. 
Small. Portable. Lightweight. Inexpensive.

I've owned two netbooks over the past year. One I purchased for the sole use of taking overseas to China (I sold it when I returned to the states). The other, more recently, was to replace a home laptop that seems to be lumbering to a slow death, although it's only two years old.  I've grown weary of PCs that don't seem to last very long before initiating their breakdown sequence of stalls, crashes, lengthy responses and overall lackluster behavior (issues I don't seem to encounter with my Mac Mini ). 

Getting used to the smaller workspace and screen size is about the only adjustment I had to make, but once accustomed to it I had no complaints.  In fact, it's been downright fun to work on these undersized overachievers.  My particular model is the Toshiba NB505, although my original choice was the Acer Aspire 532h. Availability was the issue, as it's hard to find a decent selection of netbooks in retail outlets. Online is the way to go, if you don't mind buying without touching first.

Bottom line, I'm tired of plopping down $1000+ for a decent laptop or desktop, only to have it perform admirably for a couple of years and then quit.  Even if these netbooks prove to be no more reliable than their more expensive and larger brethren, at least it will only set be back a few hundred.

Budget concerns?  Give netbooks a try.

Embracing Uncertainty.

Life = Uncertainty.  There are no two ways around it.  We may think we have things figured out; how the future will unfold; a firm grasp on all the plans we've made.  But in the end we know nothing.  We have no idea of what any day may bring forth, or what seemingly insignificant circumstance will arise to change our plans and goals forever.  This reality will either crush us and cause great anguish, or drive us to relinquish control. When such vagaries rise up and slap us in the face we have but two choices:  Run from them or embrace them.  Running works for a while, but ultimately there is no escaping the "fog" of life. There is no growth and no maturing without difficulty. We gain wisdom by walking through adversity, not seeking to avoid it -- even when we don't see the next step clearly. Each action we take will teach us and train us to move forward amidst doubt. 

I read a great book recently which challenged me to remember that life is a labyrinth of decisions and responses. We cannot idle, waiting for what we think might be the best answer. We simply need to make a decision and move forward.

Going Against the Grain. And the Pain.

I have been running in Vibram KSOs for a little over a year and a half now with excellent results.  No significant foot, ankle, knee, hip, or lower back pain.  Granted, I don't run very far and I limit myself to three or four days a week max.  My goal in this coming year, I hope, is to increase both my mileage and frequency.  Either of these goals have proven problematic in past years, primarily due to the various pains mentioned above.  But I have discovered that I can, in fact, run relatively pain free on a regular basis.

Just this morning I ventured out into a dark, cold 26-degree morning.  Now you northern folks may think 26 degrees is a spring day, but to this native Houstonian it's nothing less than an arctic blast. I've been eager to break in (although they don't need it) my newest pair of Vibram running shoes -- the Bikila.  A run under such conditions would normally cause me to stiffen or cramp up at the very least, or bring on a tightening of ligaments and muscles leading to shin splints or any number of joint pains.  But to my continued delight, I not only felt great but enjoyed my run.  The Bikila model performed flawlessly (as I suspected).  It's more than just the shoe, however.  It's the move to minimalist running that has transformed my running form this past year and caused my lower legs and feet to strengthen, enabling fewer pains and injuries. 

Tired of running in pain?  Look into minimalist or barefoot running.  You may find it odd at first, but it could very well be a solution to at least some of your running pains.  I'm excited to see a whole host of companies coming out with their own particular brands of minimalist running shoes in response to brisk demand, brought on most assuredly by happy runners. Did I just use the word "happy" and "runner" in the same sentence?   

Retrain your mind.  Think outside the running box.  Try something new.  And have fun.

Memories of Christmas 2010.

The Beach Ladies.

Ben's Christmas Recital

Amazing Grace 


What Child Is This?

The Flexibility Factor.

There's nothing new about being flexible. It really should be a way of life. For years, in the corporate world, those who remained the most flexible (open to change) usually survived most layoffs and restructurings. So long as you weren't overly "attached" to your current role there would always be a good chance to land somewhere in the organization.

But while layoffs and restructurings continue -- especially at large companies -- it is now more difficult to demonstrate your flexibility and openness to change, as most workforce reductions have completely removed the human element in the decision. I've even heard the sanitary explanation, "you're just in a bad cell on a spreadsheet" to explain "rightsizing" (another great PR word for layoff). In any case, whether by human evaluation or spreadsheet, becoming a new job seeker forces you to take on an entirely new attitude -- one of flexibility and creativity.

There is no telling how long your search might take, and in what directions you may go. Perhaps this is the perfect time to do something completely different, or to at least adjust your goals to allow you to get to where you want to be. At the very least, this is the time to consider all options; to dream a little. Who knows, perhaps you may find yourself doing something you never would have expected and having the time of your life.

Imagine that.

Giving Thanks.

I always enjoy Thanksgiving. It gives me a brief taste of the holiday spirit soon to arrive with the onset of Christmas. It gives me time to spend with family and friends and enjoy a laugh or two while eating some of my all-time favorite foods like stuffing and pumpkin pie. Most of all, it helps me reflect on all the ways my family and I have been blessed over the past year. Admittedly, I should remember to be thankful each and every day, but that is often not the case.

We have maintained a tradition within our family (thanks to my lovely wife), that on the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving day we go around the dinner table and fill out a piece of paper with 4 or 5 things we are thankful for. Then, one at a time, we read the myriad of ways God has watched over our family. Some revelations, we discover, have been forgotten over the past year. This tradition is a great way to count our many blessings, specifically, and for our children to be reminded of God's faithfulness to us, in both prosperous and more challenging times.

Spend a moment this week doing the same. Think about it. Be reminded. Be intentional. Most important, be thankful.

Goodbye To Old Friends.

These are some of my best and most cherished long-term friends. Saying goodbye will be hard, as we've spent much of my adult life together. For the most part, it's been a stable and peaceful relationship. I've had little to complain about (other than a couple of extra pounds now and again).

I've seen the movie, Food Inc.
I've read the best seller, Fast Food Nation.

Yet in spite of the hard (as in arteries) facts presented, I have continued to indulge in a regular diet of fast "food".

It's time for a clean break. A dramatic detachment.

I can no longer continue eating a "heart attack in a sack", or a "double coronary with cheese". For the love of my family, and for the improvement of my inner and outer man, I must take immediate steps.

So...goodbye, golden arches. No more Jack. Adios', your majesty.

Those days are over.

The Happy Gardener.

Developing Great Relationships.

Crucial to any goal (job search in particular) is making great contacts along the way. "Great" contacts being defined as those who can provide significant forward momentum to your search. It's a big plus if they know you personally.  Better, if they know your industry and are well connected themselves.

But there's more. Much more. The key to forging great connections is being a great listener. That may sound elementary, and it is. But it's not natural. In fact, it's hard work. Building solid, long-term relationships (both personal and professional) takes time and commitment, and an ongoing effort to keep quiet.

We must continually find ways to step away from ourselves and into the shoes of those we meet, asking great questions and waiting for the response. In turn, others will have more of an interest in what we are saying. It's simple. But it's not easy.

Practice. Ask great questions.
Then remain silent.

Watching. Waiting. Working.

Much of our lives is spent simply...waiting. Waiting in line, waiting in traffic, waiting for a phone call, waiting for the mail, waiting for the weekend, waiting to get married, waiting to have children, waiting for retirement, waiting for the lottery, (fill in your favorite here). I remember a song from decades back called, "Waiting on Someday". It always saddened me as I was, in fact, waiting on so many things back then.

Truth be told, I'm still waiting today...some 20 years later. Oh, perhaps what I'm waiting for has changed to some degree, but I'm waiting still the same. In some cases that can be a practical and perfectly harmless endeavor, but the downside to all this waiting is that we can linger in mediocrity or languish in laziness. Not good.

What to do?

For starters, we watch. For opportunities. For changes in circumstances. For any light at the end of the tunnel; anything to provide an incentive to keep moving forward. All the while making ready to take advantage of any particular situation to turn it to our advantage. The key is that while all this watching and waiting is going on, we're not idle. We're not mulling around, lounging our lives away.

We're doing something. We're active. We're engaged. We're working.

Today is our "someday". Now let's get to work.

The Ideal Job, revisited.

A little over a year ago I posed the question whether or not there was an ideal job for each one of us; a role that could match both our desires and passions with the appropriate skill set, resulting in a productive -- if not downright joyful -- work experience.

Considering that same question some 15 months later, I'm nowhere closer to the answer. On the one hand, I know many who indeed enjoy their work, primarily due to a good match of skills and passion. On the other hand, I encounter countless souls plagued by work that is mundane and meaningless (at least to them).

Where do you fall? What has been your experience with your job? A triumph? A tragedy? Or something in between?

Although the pundits tell us the dark clouds of recession are behind us (at least according to economic data), I fear we still have some ways to go before we are back at full capacity on the job front. Solid, meaningful work can and will be found by many. Some will land great opportunities through no outright effort of their own. Others only by extreme diligence, sweat and prayer (oh yes, prayer). And still others will toil in vain to find a good match.

Just keep moving forward, confident that there are opportunities out there that provide a good living while offering fulfillment and satisfaction. And maybe even a reason to smile.

Don't give up.

Garden Helper.

Ellie's first Texas BBQ.

Courtesy of The County Line in Houston.

Companions.

Citizenship Certificate.

How fitting that Eliana's certificate of US Citizenship should arrive on 4th of July weekend. She was actually a citizen of the US the moment we landed in the US back at the end of May, but we received the official document today. God Bless America, and Happy Independence Day!

Together At Last.

Heading Home.

We are packing for our short flight to Hong Kong before leaving in the morning for San Francisco. We will arrive in Houston via United Airlines flight # 7602 from Denver at approximately 8:35pm on Friday, May 28th (George Bush, Terminal A). We would especially appreciate your prayers for the 12-hour flight to San Francisco.

See you all soon!

chris & amy