Ed on Vibe

I told Brad how much I liked this topic and how I related the "vibe" to something other than cities.  The exact same thing is true of organizations as well.  In my HR role I am tasked with improving the "vibe" of the company I work for, to make it a great place for all who are employed. 

When you have the "vibe" you know it, and when you don't you know that too.  Getting the vibe is hard, keeping it is harder, and losing it is way easier than you think.  And try as you may to describe it and clearly understand the ingredients, that's really hard too. 

Brad's company has the vibe in almost every way.  Brad has played a big part in getting it, keeping it, care and feeding it.  For that, he should be proud. 

I'm attempting to transform my team, help them get it.  And once they do it can be very contagious.  Anyone who gets a taste of vibe that aligns to their personal desires and interests is hooked, it is one of the most compelling loyalty creators.  People will continue to persevere and work with your company because it has it ... the vibe.  Retention, engagement, morale, culture.  These are all words we use when we attempt to describe a work environment in a positive way. 

But the vibe isn't universal.  Some people want certain vibe and others want something else entirely.  But there are common elements of all VIBE. 

How would each of us describe the vibe that appeals most to us, professionally?  A comparison and contrast of those qualities would be interesting. 

Here's my initial list:

• Meaningful impact 
• Respectful candor, authentic
• High performing
• Empowering
• Collaborative
• Positive
• Global

What are yours?

Ed on Grandma, and the Circle of Life

You both were very eloquent about Grandma Strempke and since I can't say it any better than either of you I won't even try.  But she was a great woman, incredible in so many ways.  We are all so blessed to have had Grandmas for as long as we have, and to be so close to them and them to us. 

The circle of life is more visible to me than ever.  Everyone (including myself) is getting older.  As the saying goes "getting old is better than the alternative" but aging is best served gracefully and with sound mind, body and soul.  I hope that I can live almost all of my life with all my faculties, good mind and good health.  And then I want it to all go caput at the same time - after a long and fruitful life leaving the world better than it was.  The way Grandma Strempke did. 

I suspect everyone else wants the same.  God Bless You Grandma.  I have so much to thank you for in my life. 

Ed

Vibe

I’ve been fortunate as each of us have to be able to travel extensively both professionally and personally. We’ve attempted to tally the total number of countries to which we have all been and due to Marc’s Navy career and Ed’s professional global reach the number and diversity is pretty impressive.

Travel is great for many reasons but two experiences recently have clarified for me one of the appealing aspects of going to other cities. The vibe. I realize that sounds really surfer-dudesque so allow me the opportunity to explain.

In talking with Ed last week, he had just made his first visit to Cleveland. He was excited to report that it was an unexpectedly nice city. When I asked why he liked it he was able to point out some items like nice people, cool restaurants but was fuzzy on other details. It is the other details, which you can feel when you are in a place but are hard to describe, that is the city’s vibe.

The second example was going for a run late last Sunday night in Iowa City. The students are filtering back into our community and there is this big pulse of energy in our city. It is nervousness, excitement and confusion all rolled into one big power plant of energy. This is Iowa City’s vibe. As much as many community members like to complain about the students I think it is pretty awesome to have the energy and vibe that comes along with classes starting this fall.

The problem with vibe, or perhaps better stated the problem with many of us, is that we don’t pay attention. We scurry through a new place with headphones on, PDAs blinking and buzzing, and don’t soak in the energy and vibe of the new place. We only go from the airport to the hotel to the meeting place and don’t wander with no destination to feel what the new place is trying to tell us. It truly is a missed opportunity and a great lesson for all of us seasoned travelers.

The best vibe: San Francisco and New York City. San Fran has this really intimate neighborhood feel. Decidedly California but not the entrapments of SoCal. I love San Francisco. New York City, the energy is crazy in that place. It is like a 24-hour a day can of Redbull.

What do you do to feel the vibe of a city? Do you take advantage of your travels? I’ve got a busy Fall that will take me to many familiar and new places, I’m looking forward to paying attention.

Grandma

Brad, excellent post.  No doubt she was a great woman.  The world that she left was so different from the one that she came into.  She saw an awful lot in her lifetime!

It's amazing to me that she lived in her own home until she was 99 years old.  Yes, Dad checked on her a couple of times a day and she had lots of help.  But she still worked around the house, pulled weeds in the flower bed, cooked, baked...  I hope that I still have that kind of life at 79, let alone 99.

I mentioned to someone on her funeral weekend that I don't recall her ever speaking a cross word to me.  I'm sure when we were young kids she probably did, because little kids need some parenting, even from the grandparents.  But I honestly cannot remember her or Grandpa John ever speaking crossly to us.  They were always nice to us.  They loved to make us smile, and they were good at it.

I will always remember Grandma's speeches about saving things.  As you mentioned, she was a child of the depression, and to the very end she was convinced that we'll all have to live through another depression.  Maybe she was right.  It's just one of the things I'll remember about her.

I'll also remember sitting in the window on the North side of the house watching for their van on Christmas morning.  We weren't allowed downstairs until they arrived, so we anxiously awaited their arrival.  We were lucky to have them as a part of every Christmas that we ever experienced at home.

In the end, I was amazed by her faith.  She prayed every day to the very end, listened to her pastor preach every single week, and read her bible faithfully.  It's comforting to know that she is now enjoying the fruits of her great faith.

As yet another indication that perhaps I am an adopted child and not a Baldwin by blood, I am perhaps the only person that never really enjoyed her signature item: the apple pie.  It was always too mushy for me, and I prefer my apple pie chunky and crisp.  That's sacrilege I know.  But for me, one of the best things about Grandma is how she always was happy to accommodate everyone's wishes... there were always cookies available for me!  :-)

Rest in peace Grandma... we will always love you and remember you fondly.  The dozens and dozens of family at your funeral is a testament to the impact that you had on all of us.

Grandma Strempke

We recently lost our Grandma Strempke after 99 incredible years with us. She had been on the decline so her passing wasn't completely unexpected. Unsure of how to manage my feelings about her passing, I sat down 2 days after she died and wrote this. I think it is accurate on the whole, although some details may be amiss.

I've been thinking about what to do with it, the purpose of me writing it, should I share it at all. I still don't have the best answer other than hopefully posting it on the blog can be a way of sharing how much Grandma meant to me and encouraging others to think about her life.

---

My Grandma was a pretty amazing woman. She has seen a lot in her 99 plus years. She lived through the Great Depression which shaped the rest of her life. She raised a family with little and created generations of so much. So many things changed. Society grew up and evolved. Grandma didn't. She was who she was, and that was a pretty special lady.

It take a good bit of stubbornness to live through the age of cars in the US and never get her drivers license. That stubbornness served her well as it has her children, grandchildren, and beyond.

She made amazing apple pie. Everybody thinks their Grandma's apple pie is the best, but my Grandma DID without a doubt make the best. I grew up on my Grandma's apple pie and I've been trying to find one that matched it for 2 decades without success.

She was married 25 years...twice. Most people can't say that one time! I never knew my biological Grandpa, but Grandpa John was Grandpa to me. They loved each other dearly, and they raised me in many ways when I was a young child.

But father time catches us all, and as amazing as Grandma Strempke was, she was no exception. It seems like yesterday Dad caught her painting her house on a sweltering July afternoon. Normally that wouldn't be a problem except she was on a ladder and well past her 80th birthday. Dad worried that she would outlive her ramshackle house, and she darn near proved his fear was right. When her vision and hearing began to abandon her, she once again proved that she was wise beyond her age, asking to go to a nursing home. She feared burdening her family, but as her faculties abandoned her, she still had her family, her children. She had all she needed.

My Grandma was an absolutely amazing woman. I am so happy that she has joined her Father in heaven. As she lived faithfully in God's image on earth, so she shall rest in peace in Heaven. I love you Grandma.

Esquire and Casio

Ed, there are a lot of ways that you and I are alike, but when I read your blogs, I realize that we are very different in a lot of respects.  Some of the things that make you tick, like watches (do you see what I did there?  Man, I'm a genius) just don't have much appeal to me.  

I was pretty excited about the Casio watch that I bought on Amazon for $25 to use while I'm at sea.  I loved it.  SUPER functional with dual time zones (so I knew what the local time was, but also what time it was here at home), backlight, stopwatch, and a timer, too.  Sweet!  I don't know a thing about watches beyond, "Yeah, that looks nice" or "That's ugly."  The watch that I wear every day is the one that I've been wearing for 10 years.  Jennifer gave it to me when I made Chief in 2004.  It's a Citizen Eco-drive (I had to go look at it to remember).  Just how many watches do you have?  I think everyone has something that they like enough that they would own tons of if money or space was no object.  Call me a girl, but I love shoes, bags, and jackets.  But there are other things too.  I was telling someone the other day that I love tents.  If I could justify it I would own 15-20 of them.  And bikes.  

I've never really read GQ, but I've always really enjoyed Esquire.  Rather than try to explain it to you, I'll just paste a review of Esquire that I posted on Amazon back in 2006 that sums it up nicely.

"If you're like me - middle-aged, white, male, conservative, Christian, who buys most of my clothes at Old Navy - you will be the target of all the condescending ridicule in every article. And yet I find it very entertaining! Although I'll never be able to afford even one of their recommended outfits, and I'm usually a full 180 degrees opposite of their political views, I find their articles interesting, well-written, and insightful. I must admit, I should hate Esquire, because the editors and writers would find me disgusting. But somehow I look forward to seeing it in my mailbox every month. The writers, if nothing else, are intelligent, which is more than I can say for the writers in most guy magazines like FHM and Maxim."

Yes, I'm the dork that writes product reviews on Amazon.  We could talk about that another time.

Left Coast Baldwin Overseas Living Likelihood (LCBOLL) = 45%

There really isn't much of a chance for me to be stationed overseas again while I'm in the Navy.  We hoped to get back to Europe for our next tour, but there just wasn't anything open.  There was an opening in Japan, but it was at a location that was somewhat remote and after conferring with some mentors, they didn't think it would be good from a professional development standpoint.  If everything goes as planned, we'll move to Maryland for the last five years of my Navy career.  

The reason that I went with a LCBOLL rating of 45% is because of the opportunities in the civilian sector of my job field.  There are job openings overseas, and they usually have trouble filling them.  Most of my colleagues that I've asked about it don't want to uproot family, primarily kids, to go overseas somewhere.  I've even known a few people that have implied that it is somehow unpatriotic to want to live overseas.  Okay, whatever.

But with no kids to worry about putting through a potentially difficult transition, it would be fairly simple for us.  It depends a lot on the employment opportunities available when I retire from the Navy, but I can see us working and living, at least for a time, somewhere like Germany.  Jennifer is very comfortable living overseas, and so am I, so it's a possibility.

We've gone so far as to consider retiring overseas, or even doing missionary work - my military retirement would cover most of the monetary support that most missionaries have to raise before they make it overseas.  I don't have odds on that yet.

Has the World Cup made its way into your house?

I'm pretty hard on soccer, or futbol for the true disciples.  I like it about as much as I like baseball, and for pretty much the same reasons.  There seems to be a lot of time without much happening, and if you can settle the whole thing with penalty kicks at the end of a long match, why not just do that to begin with?

I realize it's a huge international event, so I've softened my stance a bit.  As of last week prior to the USA loss there were suddenly about 532 million fans of USA soccer.  It bugged me at first, but after some thinking on the subject, supporting the USA in a world-wide sporting event is okay with me.  I realized that in a lot of ways it is like the Olympics.  No one is following curling, badminton, beach volleyball, or speed skating at times other than the Olympics, but when the athletes are representing your country, you can get into it.  I was amazed last week when I walked into the gym on base and there was hardly anyone working out, but there was a huge crowd standing around the TVs with about 10 minutes left in the Belgium/USA match.

So how about you guys?  Did you watch any of the World Cup or have any interest in it?  I didn't watch any of it.  I was more interested the near win of another Grand Slam title for Federer and the start of the Tour de France.  Did someone say doping in sports??

Flying

I too am tiring of flying, but for completely different reasons. I do not find myself fearing any untimely demise on an aircraft. Rather, it is becoming very inconvenient to travel by air.

The inconvenience is amplified by the fact that I originate in a regional location. That means virtually no direct flights, and huge dependencies on the smooth operation of a couple key airports including Chicago O'Hare. And if anyone has flown to/through O'Hare with any consistency I don't think they would describe it as a smooth operating airport.

So more than not, or nearly so it seems, what is a 4-6 hour trip becomes a 12-15 hour odyssey. Or worse it become another night with too little sleep in an overpriced hotel room away from my family and in the same underwear I wore yesterday.

Overseas living - likelihood of IC Baldwins - < 1%

I think it is awesome for those that live overseas. I think there is less than a 1% chance that I ever live overseas for more than 3 months. I choose 3 months because I could see an adventure taking a couple months and I also could see Sheila and I traveling later in life for long stretches including internationally. But I think the chance we will uproot and live internationally is as close to none as it can be.

Will You Work Overseas?

Being overseas for the first time in a while last week I found myself contemplating whether I would consider living overseas again in our future.  I say “our” future because I don’t feel this decision is limited to my desire or interest and Holly would surely have a big say in that decision. 

So when I got home I asked her, “Do you think we will live overseas again?”  Her immediate response with no hesitation was “yes”. That surprised me so I dug a little deeper.  She told me that I was still young, that I get bored easily, and that she saw me excited by the challenge of a new operating environment when we were living in England.  So she just figured that once the kids left the house that we would likely have at least one more stint overseas.  Wow, I thought to myself.  I know why I love her so much!

My personal view on the same is a bit different.  As I get older I am becoming more set in my ways.  I enjoy luxury and privilege more, struggle and sacrifice less.  America is the greatest country in the world.  The quality of life one can lead (dollar for dollar) in the US is unmatched – in my opinion.  So the prospect of going abroad again continues to diminish in that respect.

But at the same time, Holly was right.  I do get bored easily and I love the excitement and challenge that comes from working abroad and facing the challenges that doing so presents.  Living and working in another country different from your own can be contagious. Even more so if you have responsibility for multiple countries on multiple continents with drastically different economic and cultural differences.  So that’s a big pro for going abroad again if the opportunity presents itself.  Working for a global company today increases my chances and opportunities greatly. 

I’m wondering … Marc or Brad what do you see as the probability that you will work outside the US at some point in your career before retiring?  I would guess Marc’s probability is higher than Brad’s since Marc has worked overseas and even found his life partner in another country.  But Brad’s adventuresome spirit is the wild card.  So Marc, Brad, if you wouldn’t mind please reply and advise (with or without consultation from your wives) what you believe to be the probability that you will work outside of the US at some point in the future.  I’m very interested. 

My probability is somewhat better than a coin flip.  Say 75% or so?  But it will depend largely on opportunity and where that opportunity is, because as I get older I’m becoming more select for many of the reasons stated above. 

P.S. Here’s an excerpt from a Washington Post article on Americans working abroad:

“According to State Department estimates, 6.3 million Americans are studying or working abroad, the highest number ever recorded. What’s more, the percentage of Americans ages 25 to 34 who are planning to move overseas has quintupled in two years, from less than 1 percent to 5.1 percent. Among 18- to 24-year-olds, 40 percent are interested in moving abroad, up from 12 percent in 2007.”

My Affinity for Watches, and GQ Magazine

 

Recently I was flying from Frankfurt to Denver (a long flight) and was seeking a means of passing time when I came across a German GQ magazine in the front seat pocket.  Now I couldn’t read a word of it but since GQ magazine is about 75% advertisements I could still get some presumed value from flipping through the pages.  I was interested in seeing how similar or different the German version of GQ is from the US and British versions, both of whom I have purchased and read in the past – yes, this is a bit of a confession.

 

Well, much to my satisfaction I almost immediately stumbled upon ad after ad for watches!  Sure, there was the Rolex ad followed by the Omega ad and yes even a Bell & Ross ad which is what timepiece I happened to have on my wrist while perusing.  So after about 15 pages and 7 watch ads I figured I would count just exactly how many watch ads were in the 190 pages of the magazine. 

Venture a guess?  Now these are full page watch ads, partial pages consumed by watch ads not included.  Ok, got your guess? 

Thirty Nine!  The number surprised even me.  20.53% of ALL the pages (not advertising pages) were dedicated solely to advertising only one type of product – watches.  Now I know that globally there is almost no men’s jewelry that is universally accepted.  Gold chains, nope. Rings (regardless of which finger they occupy) no again.  Ankle or wrist bracelets, earrings, naval pierces?  Again, all NO. 

But watches?  YES!!!

Yet still, it is only acceptable to wear one watch at a time so that thought of having that much ink in a men’s fashion magazine dedicated to watches was both surprising and impressive.  Impressive because I quite fancy watches, all kinds.  Even German ones.  I don’t have one but I’m not going to rule out buying one in the future. 

A small observation that I thought the extensive followership of this blog might appreciate – all three or four of you!

My Growing Dislike of Flying

I’m not sure why, but as I get older I’ve become more fearful of flying.  During flights my mind wanders to the negative, and any turbulence accelerates those thoughts in my mind.  Why, I wonder.  There wasn’t a defining moment when it got worse for me, it just happened.  I’m on a flight right now from Denver to Frankfurt, then on to Amsterdam.  My long term professional goal is to become a CHRO for a large global company.  Again, I can’t really understand why. 

Flying is safer than getting in a car, by a long shot.  It’s efficient and becoming a more prevalent part of most everyone’s lives.  Airlines are busier, airports are busier, and planes are more full.  Presumably the FAA has kept up with all this.  I’m certain the technology that goes into an airplane has improved dramatically.  And I suspect that aviation disasters are down based on it.  Again, so why the increased fear and anxiety for me? 

I’m not going to document the things that go through my mind, especially not now.  I’m on a flight right now!  But suffice to say, my anxiety is increasing and I will need to get a handle on it or charge my long term career plans.  Because being a CHRO for a large global company will have me on a plane a lot more, not a lot less in the future. 

Need to get some sleep right now because it seems everyone on the plane is sleeping except me – and the pilots I hope.  Five more hours to Frankfurt.

Praying for safe travel, for you and for me.   

Ed

Noooooooooooo!!!

The picture says it all - I don't even need to write a blog.  Yes, one of my fears this summer has become a reality.  LeBron James is entering free agency.

I couldn't care less where he ends up.  Cleveland, Brooklyn, L.A., Minnesota... I have no issues with any of them.  Personally, I think he'd be a good fit in Oklahoma.

No, the problem is the media circus that is already underway.  Yahoo Sports made a noble effort and put a World Cup score above the LeBron James free agency headline, but that won't last long.  Finally all the poser soccer fans can quit feigning interest in the World Cup, because who really cares if Uruguay or Algeria advances.  It's far more fun to speculate about the 10K possibilities for LeBron James.  I wonder if he's lined up a prime time spot with ESPN for the announcement yet.  I kid you not, I've already seen an article titled, "Here are the seven most likely destinations for LeBron James."  Wow, that's cutting edge journalism.  Don't put yourself out there!

The whole thing might send me back to a psychiatrist... the Brett Favre retire/not retire flashbacks are already kicking my ass.

Four Phrases that I Don't Like

I'm not saying that I have not been known to use these phrases myself.  Sometimes they just roll off the tongue so naturally that we're not even conscious of it.  But as I think about what they really mean, I wish that I didn't ever use them.

1.  IT IS WHAT IT IS.  I'm not even sure what the best translation is for this one.  It seems to be something along the lines of "It's irritating but there's nothing I can do about it" or "I'm not willing to do anything about it."  I think I hear this one so much because you can use it in basically ANY situation.  Because it's true: it is what it is!

2.  I'M JUST SAYING.  It's kind of a punctuation point at the end of a given opinion, and it adds a sprinkle of "You might not want to hear it but…"  So when you want to say something contradictory, offensive, or ridiculous, if you close it out with this one you'll be fine.  Ignorant people use this one A LOT.  I'm just saying.

3.  I DON'T MEAN TO BE A (fill in the blank), BUT…  The translation of that phrase is fairly obvious and funny when you think about it.  If you fill in the blank with "an asshole" for example, you are stating that what follows WILL make you an asshole.  So it literally means that you ARE meaning to be whatever you say you don't mean to be.  

4.  AT LEAST I'M HONEST.  Ah, probably my favorite.  This is the cop-out phrase of the decade, or perhaps the century.  It means, "I'm an asshole and I know it, and I have no filter, or I'm too lazy to consider my words before I open my trap, but I'm saying what's on my mind, and I'm trying to convince myself and you that that makes it okay."  An "uppity" version of this phrase is this one: "I'm just saying what we're all thinking."  When I see an ugly baby, I don't tell the parents, "Your baby is ugly as shit."  But I guess I could, as long as I followed it with, "At least I'm honest."

Maybe I'll have to write a follow-on blog of the hottest and most irritating catch phrases that I hear floating around the military work place these days.  I'm sure you guys have some sayings that get under your skin too.  It's not just me is it?

Nostalgia and the Architecture of a Mid-life Crisis

Holy Nostalgia!

The string of posts from Ed and Marc is interesting on multiple accounts, and holy cow has the nostalgia set in for our family! I’m condensing topics here for the sake of blog ease, so bear with me. There are a few angles here:

1. Are we getting old? The commentary veers towards two paths that both lead me to the conclusion that we definitely are getting old. First, there was no shortage of commentary about the amazing changes and similarities to when we grew up. Does that sound like our Father…yes! Recognizing and pointing out similarities and differences of a place (The 101) that we haven’t lived in for decades is a sure sign of aging. Second, there was this concept and embrace of the good ‘ol days. Once again, harkening back to a time long passed. Which brings me to…

2. Watching the aging process of our parents and grandparents has brought into focus for each of us (albeit in different ways) the vulnerability of our lives. There have been questions posed on the blog or conversations that somehow lead to what will happen when:
a. Mom and Dad grow older.
b. our Grandmas pass away.
c. our kids leave us behind.
d. we reach the final chapters of our lives.

We are all thinking in different ways about our legacy, how we have lived and will live out the middle and late chapters of our lives, and the role of others including God in those chapters. That is really heavy, heady stuff. It makes us feel older than the late 30’s – mid 40’s. Perhaps induced by a particular set of circumstances with the Grandmas, but it feels chronologically out of place to me. Mid-life crisis-ish?

3. I think my perspective on this broad set of topics is quite different from you guys because I experience them with greater frequency than you both. I am here so I see Mom and Dad, I see the Grandmas, and I hear more details of the mundane. To be clear I’m not judging, but the periods of time between visits likely amplify the changes to you as well as your reactions to them. Originally when discussing these topics with each of you I felt a shallowness in my thoughtfulness around these issues. But as I’ve thought more about the topics, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’ve had more ample opportunity to digest these topics in small bites than either of you, which serves to dampen the strength of my response and in a relative sense amplify yours. Perhaps that explanation serves only to make me feel better about myself. But I think there is a difference there.

What does it all mean? When you figure it out let me know.

And Then Mortality Punched Me Right in the Mouth

Ed, you beat me to it on your post.  I was actually considering writing an article on the very subject, but I wasn't sure if it would be too sensitive.  But now that it's on the table, I'll throw out some thoughts.

As I put it to Jennifer when we got back from Iowa, I felt like our trip this summer had me run smack-dab into mortality.  At our ages, I don't think many of us spend a ton of time thinking about death.  Our friends would call us morbid and weird.  It's not something that you bring up at B-Dubs over some spicy garlic chicken wings and a Shiner Bock.  "Ain't nobody got time for that!"

It was tough seeing the Grandmas, and it always is.  Grandmas Strempke was saying the same kind of things when we were there.  Jennifer told Grandma she needed to quit saying that stuff because it upsets Dad (understandably so).  But she's 99, and what does she have left?  She can't hear well, and she can't see well either.  Her body is worn out, and she can't do anything that she enjoys anymore.  When you're 99 I guess there isn't much prospect of "getting better" either.  As much as I intellectually understand her saying that, nobody is comfortable hearing someone that they love so much say that they want to die.  It just feels wrong.

Our sweet Grandma Birchard is healthy as a horse, but she's mentally gone.  That's different from Grandma Strempke, but equally difficult.  It pains me, and I'm sure it does the rest of the family.  We don't want to lose Grandma, but in some sense we've already lost her.  To say that you hope somebody will die sounds incredibly cruel, but as is the case with people who suffer in a long battle with terminal illness, sometimes when the passing comes it's sad, but at the same time somewhat of a relief.  Does any of this make any sense?  

Jennifer and I have said for a long time that we hope that we go together before we get too old.  Maybe there will be a carbon monoxide leak and we'll just go to sleep and never wake up.  Maybe it will be a plane crash.  I don't know.  But I'm not going to lie - I don't like the prospect of growing old.  I'm okay will passing in the night when I'm 75.  The aging process scares me to death.  We don't have any kids that are going to take care of us when we're old.  We're trying to plan for that now, as crazy as it sounds.  

Our Mom and Dad are absolute angels for the way that they've taken care of their mothers through the years, and the way they continue to do so.  I don't know how they do it.  I can hardly walk out of the nursing home without tears in my eyes.  It's an emotional train wreck every time that I visit.  I can't imagine the emotional toll that it is taking on them.  And that's the next step in my thinking on our mortality, thoughts about our parents and their care.  That's a conversation that isn't appropriate for a blog.  Where did the years go?

A Response of Everest Proportion (not really)

I enjoyed your post Brad.  You understand far more about mountaineering than I ever will.  I know you've read a good deal about it, and you've done a bit of it too.  Most of my comments are made with little or no substantiation, so let's get that out of the way right away!

The concept of risk in life is a little murkier than I think you make it out to be, but it's a discussion worth having.  We've all heard the stories about things like a fear of flying, although statistically there is a much higher likelihood of dying in an automobile accident than a plane crash.  But I think things that are high frequency seem like less of a risk, because the risk is due to a long-term engagement.  Climbing Mount Everest is a high amount of risk squeezed into a short time frame.  That makes it easier for the general public to point a finger at and say, "Why would you do that?"  I'm not disagreeing with the amount of risk associated with the other things you mention (like obesity), but no one is going to die within a few days of eating a donut.  I guess a better way to put it is immediate risk vs. cumulative risk.  Cumulative risk, although equally dangerous in the long run, doesn't look as ugly as the immediate risk of dying in a snowstorm in the next seven days.  Everyone is praising Tony Gwynn today, but no one is talking about the fact that he died of salivary cancer associated with chewing tobacco use.  The cumulative risk caught up to him.

Although I understand your point about the revenue stream provided to Sherpas, it's not air tight.  There are people groups all over the world that do things to make money because of the need for revenue.  It doesn't mean that they would choose to do it otherwise.  Migrant farm workers, prostitution, sweat shops… do they provide money that the workers wouldn't otherwise have?  Of course.  Does it happen in countries with corrupt governments?  Of course.  But I don't think that it necessarily makes it okay.  I'm not saying the Sherpas are like unwilling prostitutes.  I'd like to think that's not the case, but I don't think the revenue argument is necessarily the best.

In the end, tragedy is tragedy.  Whether or not climbing Mount Everest involves a great deal of risk, I don't think anyone should turn an uncaring shoulder to the victims and their families.

The Circle of Life

This blog post was also prompted by my recent trip home.  During our brief stay in Oelwein we were able to see both Grandmas.  It was both satisfying and depressing, all at the same time. 

Satisfying because it was great to see both Grandmas since we hadn't seen them in quite a while.  Grandma Birchard looked intensely at us, smiled occasionally, and while she has been mentally gone for a number of years her visual appearance hadn't changed much since our last visit.  Grandma Strempke, by contrast, had changed physically quite a bit.  She appeared much older, less mobile, and is losing her senses, bit by bit.  But when I sat close to her good ear and good eye I could have a conversation with her that I would have been able to have 10 or more years ago.  Very good head.

Depressing because they are both in a place that this a staging area that is the precursor to death.  And in Grandma Strempke's case, she has stated openly that she is ready to die.  Hard to imagine that due to the marvels of today's medical capabilities that someone can outlive a desire to do so. 

Which left me with one very big question. Is timely death one of the greatest gifts that God can provide? 

Going back to my conversation with Grandma Strempke she said she didn't understand why she was still here.  My response was that God has a plan, and that it wasn't her choice.  Her response was that she knew that but if she knew what the reason was for her still being here that she would do all she could to remove it.  Crazy huh?

It reminded me of a scene in one of the Grumpy Old Men movies where Jack Lemmon's father says "I sometimes think that God forgot about me".  In the end, he dies peacefully and much as he would have wanted his life to end. 

I sure hope the same will be true for both our Grandmas.  Right now, the staging area for death where they are currently living their lives doesn't seem very fulfilling, and yet, may very well be the best alternative that this life has to offer. 

Would be interested in comments from my brothers in this regard.  If we are lucky enough (or unlucky enough) to live as long as our Grandmothers is this the best we can hope for?

Back to my answer to Grandma Strempke, you have to believe God has a plan. 

The House Where We Grew Up

When I was back at Mom and Dad's house a couple of weeks ago, I decided to walk around the house a little bit and take pics of things.  I'll try to explain why things spurred me to snap a pic of them.

What can I say.  I apparently don't have a creative bone in my body, because my entire "industrial arts" career revolved

  
around me recreating things that Ed already made.  The spiral lamps were relegated to the basement long ago.  Ed's is on the right, and mine is on the left.  I think mine is shinier Ed.  I win!  I'm not really sure whether this stand is the one that Ed made or the one I made.  I couldn't find a second one, so I'm not sure what happened to it, but I'm 99% sure that it was another copy-cat job. 

Some of Ed's handiwork is still lingering AND functional on the main floor!  If I'm not mistaken, the knife holder was your

 work, I'm guessing circa 1980.  And how about that awesome shelf, cleverly constructed in the shape of a grandfather clock?  Artistic genius!

I took this picture because to this day when I look up and see it, all that I think of is nerf basketball.  It may have been a wall at one point, but whenever it was knocked down, I'm so thankful that they left a backboard for us!

The energy that it takes to run this freezer every day could probably power the entire city of Parker, Colorado.

Parkside Elementary.  Need I say more?  Somebody wore that shirt 35 years ago!

 

Is this a load-bearing chimney?  One whack with a sledgehammer and that entire thing would come crumbling down.  And yet, there it stands.  How did Santa fit through there?

Any guesses on how many times each of these pieces of wood have been stepped on?

I'm pretty sure this hamper held multiple pairs of nightcrawler-smelling double-kneed jeans.

Where did this block come from?  HOW has it survived in the house all these years?  And WITH that hideous linoleum on the top.  Was that in the bathroom at one point?  God bless the 70s.

Do you think ANY of these games actually have all the pieces required to play them?  I doubt it.  If we played that Life game, I know I'd end up being a poor teacher again anyway.  Suckers.

If it's important, it's in this cabinet.  Change, tweezers, eye glasses repair kit, medication, vitamins, tooth picks… oh yeah, and vanilla extract.

I bet both of you guys can name at least two things in the right hand drawer!

I hope you enjoyed this… next time your home, take a spin around the house and snap some pictures!

San Antonio Spurs

It's been too long, I know.  Time to get back in the saddle.

I think everyone in the world - yes, the world (the Spurs are about as international of a team as you can get) - is happy that the Spurs closed out the NBA championship tonight.  Okay, everyone with the exception of dedicated Miami Heat fans.  I was happy to see them win, since I'm not a Heat fan.  I don't hate the Heat like I hated Boston's "Big 3", but it's very hard to root against the Spurs.

I'm no expert on excellence - Brad, you can fill us in on those books - but who can argue with the success of the Spurs organization?  I'll just plagiarize from Wikipedia:

"In their 38 NBA seasons since 1976–1977, the Spurs have captured 20 division titles. They have made the playoffs in 24 of the last 25 seasons (since 1989–1990) and have not missed the playoffs in the 17 seasons since Tim Duncan was drafted by the Spurs in 1997. With their 50th win in the 2013–2014 season, the Spurs extended their record for most consecutive 50+ win seasons to 15 (the 1998/1999 season was shortened to 50 games because of a lockout and based on their win percentage of .740, would have easily surpassed 50 wins in an 82-game season, and thus extend the record by 2 more seasons)."

That's just ridiculous.  They've only missed the playoffs FOUR times since becoming an NBA team, and in their 38 NBA seasons, they've won the division title 20 times.  Ridiculous.

I like them because of their style, or should I say, lack of style.  That's unusual because for a long time I've been a person who has said that I like watching the NBA because of the crazy offenses, dunks, 3-pointers, etc.  I don't watch the NBA for defense.  But I appreciate a team that can just play, and I mean the entire team.  I recently read an article in Sports Illustrated about the Spurs, and it addressed the fact that the Spurs offensive set doesn't change when the stars sit down.  They run the same offenses, regardless of who is on the floor.  They run the pick and roll the same whether it's Duncan and Parker or Splitter and Mills.  If you step on the floor, whether you're a starter or the seventh guy off the bench, the expectation is the same. 

I like that the Spurs have done things differently.  They don't make splashy trades.  They BUILD - not buy - but build.  They rest their starters.  They don't care about whether or not they are playing the Thunder on prime time television on a Friday night, or the Bobcats on a Wednesday night on ESPN the Ocho.  If the starters need rest, Pop gives them a rest.  When everyone else is trying to figure out a rotation in November, Pop is thinking about May and June.  

I watched the end of the game tonight to see how the Spurs team would react, and I wasn't disappointed.  They are a class act.  They didn't go crazy in the middle of the floor.  They hugged and congratulated the Heat.  I like watching Tim Duncan, because he SPEAKS to almost every opposing player.  I don't know what he's saying, but I'm pretty sure that it's not as simple as, "Nice game."  Then he bear hugged David Robinson and found his kids to hold.  Manu Ginobili hugged his wife.  Tony Parker hugged Avery Johnson.  Pop sat on the bench and tried to compose himself, then spent some time talking with Pat Riley.  During the trophy presentation, I wondered if Parker, Ginobili, and Duncan were even there.  They were in the back, letting the younger guys revel in the moment.  The Spurs owner sounded like a normal guy, was gracious, thanked the players, the coach, and his wife.  Man, that team is like a big family!

So yeah, it's good to see the Spurs win.  You hardly see them in the headlines, because usually headlines don't talk about good things, only the bad.  They were so close last year, and that kind of loss would have devastated most teams.  But it motivated the Spurs.  Is that a good sign of excellence Brad?  If you're betting on the Raiders this year, I'll take your money!