Layoffs Done “Right”

The recent wave of layoffs within prosperous tech companies has been a wake-up call, especially for younger professionals who have not experienced previous economic downturns. However, those familiar with cyclical business trends or the relentless pursuit of “shareholder value” are neither shocked nor surprised. Why … “Layoffs Done “Right””

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Posted Under: work

People are More Important Than Things

I am forever thankful to my friend Craig and an unnamed roommate who helped me to understand that I had to choose whether I loved people or things more. I purchased my first car on a Thursday afternoon and proceeded to drive it to where … “People are More Important Than Things”

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Systems Thinking

I used systems thinking for most of my adult life. It was at the heart of the infrastructure and services I built, the organizations I participated in, a key tool to understand the world around me, and to identify the most leveraged way for me … “Systems Thinking”

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Your Company Isn’t Your Family

TL;DR – Read the title 🙂 The HBR Your Company Is Not a Family written by Reid Hoffman, Ben Casnocha, and Chris Yeh  has better prose than what follows here.  If I had found it earlier I wouldn’t have bothered writing this post. In the … “Your Company Isn’t Your Family”

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Posted Under: work

HR Isn’t Your Friend

A common misconception held by first time managers and many employees is that Human Resources, AKA HR, People Team, or whatever is the in-vogue term is these days, exists to support the employees.  Well informed optimists would say HR is called on to look after … “HR Isn’t Your Friend”

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Posted Under: work

Parable of the Prodigal Son

The story of the prodigal son is well know, even among people who haven’t read the Bible. The parable in found in the 15th chapter in the book of Luke. The conventional telling of the parable is about a young man who leaves home and … “Parable of the Prodigal Son”

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Lessons from the Camino

The following is a list of the lessons I learned, beliefs that were strengthen, and/or topics which frequently came up in discussions with other while walking the Camino. Walking the Camino provided a wonderful opportunity to consider what makes a meaningful life. TL;DR The “Big” … “Lessons from the Camino”

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Vagabond Review

I have carried the Vagabond Trail more than 1500 miles over last year for EDC, done in a day outdoor activities, and onebag travel which included walking 500 miles of the Camino Santiago Frances route from SJPP. I found the Vagabond provided nearly perfect functionality for … “Vagabond Review”

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Poncho System

I have had a love hate relationship with ponchos. Theoretically they make great sense, but I have tried rain ponchos five times for six month or longer. After each poncho experiment I switched back to a rain jacket. This post is about my current re-evaluation … “Poncho System”

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Men Are Generally Happy People, Why?

The following is one of the posts that makes the rounds a bit like a chain letter. No idea who the original author is and how it has changed from when it was first written. My wife received it from a friend as we were … “Men Are Generally Happy People, Why?”

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A Tale of Four Towels

TL;DR. If you are looking for a small, light, fast drying towel to use while backpacking or traveling, I recommend the PackTowel Ultralight. I found I can effectively dry my body with a 25″x35″ towel, but the body size lets me wrap the towel around … “A Tale of Four Towels”

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Photography

I would like to produce images which inspire to help others see the world in new ways like Ansel Adams, Mary Ellen Mark, Sebastiao Salgado (Salgado@NYT), Steve McCurry. Peter Turnley, David Turnley or Galen Rowell. After many years I realized I am more of a “snapshot” … “Photography”

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Gear 2023

I strive for simplicity using items that enable a healthy, impactful life, while removing unnecessary friction and decisions. Additional thoughts in my packing light post. The following is a complete list of everything I own. Making this list was inspired by zenhabit’s one bag lifestyle … “Gear 2023”

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Family Gear 2023

Several items on my personal gear list were used by the whole family, and thus, this page was born. I have excluded our furniture. We keep only those items that are useful and/or are enjoyed which allows our family to focus on doing things that … “Family Gear 2023”

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Traveling Begins

The next 2-3 years we will be renting our home out as we explore living other places. We are living out of 1-2 bags, and Jackie has some capsule wardrobes that are stored in a location we can periodically access. Traveling actually started a couple … “Traveling Begins”

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Remote College Classes are Painful

I retired this pasted summer so I would have more time to pursue my interests. I decided to sign up for psychology class at Foothill college for several reasons: I am interested in psychology, and thought having introduction class would ensure I had a broad … “Remote College Classes are Painful”

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VO2max

Athletes, especially those who engage in endurance activities are typically familiar with VO2max because it’s a useful predictor of their performance in races. As we age, VO2max is also a good predictor of what physical activities we will be able to engage in, so I … “VO2max”

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Protein!!

When I first started to learn about nutrition, I found a lot of conflicting information about protein. The USFDA recommendations were very low. Advise to body builders was extremely high. There seemed to be differing views about optimal timing, the minimum effective dose, maximum effective … “Protein!!”

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