Blog

This morning I lay in bed watching the sun rise over the Pacific. A rising sun does not have the easy drama of an ocean sunset. But I can’t say a setting sun is better than a rising sun. This rising sun meant I had a full day ahead of me to potter around Hilo… Continue reading Tough Jobs and a Lascivious Senior

Tomorrow, Monday, I get on a plane. I’ve been getting on a plane several Mondays in January and February. A plane to take me to work in Portland, Oregon. This Monday is no exception, except this time I’m flying on a one-way ticket. I’ll work for my client for the last time, then cross the… Continue reading Long Hauls, Cheap Tix

A few books linger on my office bookshelves. I’ve tossed many of my business books into the recycling bin, including unread 1980’s editions of In Search of Excellence. Managers passed out copies, and it would have been impolite to decline. In the absence of competent leadership, it seemed futile to spend time reading a book… Continue reading Seeking Order in a Chaotic World

DV is usually taken to mean “Deo Volente, God willing.” It’s a great excuse to avoid personal responsibility, as in, “I’ll met you at 6:30, God willing.” Or, more precisely, “If the road is congested, it’s not my fault if I’m late.” I’ve been happy with Delta Airline’s MSP-PDX on-time performance while traveling that city… Continue reading DV: Delta (Airlines) Volente

On a train or plane, it’s good to have stuff immediately to hand. My solution is a mesh stuff sack that closes with a drawstring and toggle. It’s light and durable, it keeps things together, and I don’t leave random possessions behind when I disembark. My partner and I have been traveling with the same… Continue reading Travel Gear: Mesh Stuff Sack

I don’t know how road warriors do what they do, year in, year out. My temporary home, Portland, Oregon, is a wonderful place, but I’ve been experiencing an earworm filled with loss and longing as I walk to work. Wikipedia defines an earworm thus: An earworm, sometimes known as a brainworm, is a catchy piece of music… Continue reading Trains and Planes and Earworms

Tomorrow, I’ll be sitting in an airline club, tuning out the other road warriors. “Just checking in” phone calls to the home office shouldn’t last twenty minutes. Extreme road warriors cluster around departure gates. One may be begging for an upgrade, others are making sure they board ahead of the next-lower class. A common topic of… Continue reading Road Warriors

We have a simple rule in our kitchen: if we buy a new piece of equipment, something has to go. We go a long way with good knives and a couple decent pots, and we don’t use many gadgets. But I do like my immersion blender, and have been using it for over ten years.… Continue reading Immersion Blender