The BAF Signal

Tiger Speaks: Can We Move On?

2010-02-20T13:12:00.003-07:00

I have wanted to write about Tiger Woods since early December 2009. At that time, the world was informed Tiger had violated his marriage vows, and committed adultery on a number of occasions. At the time, I felt so strongly none of this was any of our business; I couldn't bring myself to write about it. Today, I continue to strongly feel none of this is any of our business, and I'm writing about it.

Tiger Woods is a professional golfer. He could be the greatest golfer who ever lived. He is not a spokesperson for fidelity. He is a golfer. He should be judged on whether he wins or loses golf tournaments, not who he sleeps with. Who he sleeps with is an intensely personal matter between Tiger and his wife Elin. It is none of our business.

Bill Clinton, as President of the United States was accused of infidelity. In 1998 Articles of Impeachment were filed against President Clinton. The President was an elected official accused of perjury and obstruction of justice. He was accused of violating his constitutional oath to faithfully execute the office of President of the United States. One could argue this was our business. We elected him to represent the United States of America. In the end, he was not Impeached and served the remainder of his term as President. No long after his acquittal, President Clinton appeared in the White House Rose Garden and stated: ''Now that the Senate has fulfilled its constitutional responsibility, bringing this process to a conclusion, I want to say again to the American people how profoundly sorry I am for what I said and did to trigger these events and the great burden they have imposed on the Congress and on the American people."

In the last 15 years allegations of infidelity have been brought against Newt Gingrich (while he was trying to Impeach President Clinton), Eliot Spitzer (while Governor of New York), Mark Sanford (while Governor of South Carolina), and John Edwards (Elected official & Candidate for President of the United States). These men were elected officials. They were elected by Americans to represent them before the world. Their actions were a reflection of our collective character. Their infidelities might have been our business. Notice, I am not writing about Kobe Bryant, Alex Rodriguez, or David Letterman.

With a a prepared statement Tiger, stood before the cameras and apologized for his behavior, admitted he had let people and sponsors down, and asked us to one day find it within ourselves to forgive him. Personally, I think he went above and beyond what he had to do. Maybe his therapists insisted he do this as a first step. Maybe his handlers insisted he do this to begin his rehabilitation as a spokesperson. Maybe he owed this to Nike and EA Sports. He didn't owe me an apology, and I don't believe he owed you one either. (Photo, The Denver Post)

"Money and fame made access to temptations easy," he said. "I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled," he said. This is probably what the men I listed above were also thinking. This sense of entitlement seems to be a part of the American culture and the culture of American sports, but I don't recall the last American athlete who stood up before the American people, on national television, and admitted it. Remember, the three major television stations cut into scheduled broadcasting to televise Tiger's apology. As did Fox News and CNN. Did this apology have an effect on your life?

Following the apology, there was hours of analysis. Was he sincere? What did the clothes he was wearing portray? Why did he read from a script? Why didn't he cry? Why didn't his eyebrows move when he spoke? Why did he use a podium instead of a teleprompter? Where was Elin? What did his mother say to him after he spoke?

What I want to know is when is he returning to golf? Will he be at The Masters and continue to pursue the records he is paid to pursue? The PGA and professional golfers around the world are ready for Tiger to return to golf.

ESPN's Tom Rinaldi asserts we will all remember where we were when Tiger made his public confession. Like some people remember where they were when President of the United States John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Are you kidding me? Has the entire world lost its mind? I say, leave Tiger, Elin, and their children alone. Let them work through this on their own. But, most of all, I say, "Tiger, get in shape, get your head in the game, and get back on the course to do what we do have a right to judge you for. Play golf Tiger!"

Global Warming: I Can Be Skeptical But Not A Denier

2010-02-18T20:34:00.008-07:00

As you might expect, I have been reading, with great interest, everything I can about "Climategate." It is believed a hacker broke into the computers at the University of East Anglia’s Climate Research Unit ("CRU")and released 160 megabytes of confidential files onto the internet. 160 megabytes translated into about 1000 emails and 3000 other documents by some accounts. Assuming these emails are the real deal, it pretty clear why the CRU wanted to keep these emails confidential. The emails suggest some sort of a conspiracy or collusion amongst scientists who were exaggerating climate warming data and interfering with the peer review process. There is discussion they destroyed information, manipulated data, and disclosed to the public data they knew was incorrect. One of the emails even proclaimed some joy in the death of John L. Daly in 2004. Daly was an early skeptic of the global warming chatter, and the email proclaimed, “In an odd way this is cheering news.”

In this interview I saw on YouTube, Ed Begley Jr., a staunch global warming advocate, gives me permission to be skeptical about global warming, but not a denier. Have a look.

The CRU's Director is Professor Phil Jones. Since I'm allowed to be skeptical, but not a denier, here's an interview with Professor Jones from just a few days ago. Its a fairly long Q&A, but worth reading. Professor Jones comments on warming data taken from 1860-2009. He divided this span of years into four different time periods and says, "the warming rates for all 4 periods are similar and not statistically significantly different from each other." He still maintains there has been warming, and the warming is man made. He also agrees "Natural influences (from volcanoes and the Sun) over this period could have contributed to the change over this period. Volcanic influences from the two large eruptions (El Chichon in 1982 and Pinatubo in 1991) would exert a negative influence." As I said, this is a good read, especially toward the end of the Q&A where he explains what he "meant" in the emails he sent asking others to destroy evidence and "hide the decline." This is fascinating stuff. I'm guessing we haven't heard the end of this, and I'll have more to write about in the future.

I'm still a skeptic. What about you? Leave a comment and let me know what you think about all this.

The Photo above is from Getty

Don't Do Evil

2010-02-06T16:33:00.002-07:00

"Don't Do Evil." Google's corporate slogan, at first blush, appears lofty, or maybe naive. Some argue it is a smoke-screen for the true purpose behind the creation of Google which was to rule the world as a result of its control of information. Personally, I am somewhere in the middle. I, don't believe Google exists for purely altruistic reasons. Yet, I find it hard to believe Larry Page and Sergey Brin set out to rule the world. While I am impressed with the products Google has implemented, there is a voice inside me sending out warning signals. I many ways it is hard to articulate the content of those warning signals. When I try, I tend to ramble. So, I anticipate this being the first of several posts about Google and the issues raised by what they do. If nothing else, I hope what follow gives you something to think about.

WARNING! WARNING!
An early Google tag line exclaims "We deliver the world's information in one click." In order to do this, Google has to gather the world's information, and store it on servers located all over the world, so when we do click on a mouse, the information has only a short distance to travel to our computer monitor. Simply put, Google began as a search company. They are run by engineers who developed an algorithm enabling us to search for information we want and have it delivered to us in a matter of seconds. It appears to me Google does this by collecting every piece of data they can from the people using their products. When we perform a search, Google stores our query. When we click on an ad we see on a search results page, Google stores that information too. Google's business plan must be based in a large part on selling advertising. The data Google collects from our searches, including the amount of time we spend viewing an ad, reading something we click on, what we search for, where we go to next, what we appear to like and dislike, is invaluable to them, and more importantly, to the company paying for the advertisement. Though Google claims not to turn information over to the advertiser, they use the information themselves to help the advertiser target customers. By using Google for our search needs we are trusting them not to share our personal information with anyone. We are telling them, "Don't Do Evil."

Privacy Issues
I believe we must be aware of the possibilty that our personal information may be shared with others. Our privacy rights may be violated. But, have we "assumed the risk" by using Google search of our own free will. It's a dilemma.

I read, and enjoy movies. I enjoy a good conspiracy theory. The possibilities are interesting to me. For example, for many years I've felt, in a tiny space in the back of my brain, that Google was collaborating with the United States government, or one of its information gathering agencies. My theory is Google enticed millions of people to use its free gMail product so it could gather personal information and share that information with the United States government. How else did they make money on a free service? By selling advertising? I suppose it's possible, but not as sexy as my conspiracy theory. Have you ever noticed the advertisements that appear on your screen after you perform a search. More times than not, the advertisement relates to something in your search. Have you noticed the ads on my blog (generated by Google's AdSense) change as my posts change, and they generally relate in some way to the post itself. coincidence? Seems to me Google is on very thin ice. They need to gather information about us to be the best at what they do. We need to have a tremendous amount of trust that Google isn't sharing our information. Google risks their entire business by sharing our information and losing our trust. If Google doesn't share our information how will they entise advertisers to pay for ads that generte revenue so Google can operate? See, it all fits nicely in my imagined conspiracy theory.

Maybe Google should be required to share information, or at least some information with government agencies. If Google is in the business of gathering information and they come across information that has national security implications, should they be permitted or required to share that information with the appropriate government agency? If the government, arrests a suspected terrorist, should it be permitted to see the messages that person sent via gMail? If so, may they then see the messages received and sent by the recipients of the mail sent by the suspected terrorist? If so, where does it stop? Is someone from a government agency sitting in a room 24/7/365 scanning every message sent by the millions of gMail users. If so, my conspiracy theory gets more interesting doesn't it. Did you hear about the high school teacher who, as a class lesson, sent a phony message through gMail that hinted at possible terrorist activity? The very next day, the FBI showed up at his house. It could have happened.

Think for a minute about the privacy implications of the following stream of thought. Google has an incredible amount of power because they developed a device to gather and store information from all aspects of your life. The data it gathers from you grows much like a multi-level marketing campaign with Google at the very bottom of the pile. The more people that use it, the more data is collected. The more data collected, the more advertisers want to advertise because Google can maximize their advertising dollars through their ability to provide data that helps the advertisers target Google users. Every time we search we provide Google with data because we choose a result. And, every time we choose a result we give Google data that they learn something from. For just a minute, assume this theory is correct. What comes to mind when you think about these words: privacy, greed, competition? What happens when I toss in the fact that I've only mentioned two of Google's products; search and gMail? What happens when you add in the data gathered through You Tube, Google Docs, Google Calendar, gChat, AdSense, Adwords, Google Analytics, and the rest of the Google product line? What happens to my theory when we learn Google purchased Doubleclick? Doubleclick provides the digital platform for websites to sell online ads and advertisers and agencies to buy advertising. What happens when we learn Doubleclick uses its database to help advertisers target prospects. Does it appear to you Google's purchase of Doubleclick may have given it the opportunity to become the foundation of all advertising on the Internet. Is that too large a stretch of the imagination?

"Conspiracy Theory" or "Reality"
Is my imagination creating a conspiracy theory worthy of a screenplay for a "B Movie" or is it reality? In the February 4, 2010 issue of "The Denver Post" newspaper I read an article about Google and the National Security Association (NSA), one of the United States government's largest information gathering agencies. The essence of the article was Google and the NSA were in conversations to see if the NSA could assist Google in determining how or who was responsible for hacking into the gMail system in China. It appears gMail accounts in China were hacked into, disabled, and plundered of their content. It also appears that the targeted accounts werre those of Chinese dissidents, people who oppose the Chinese government, and people who are proponents of the free flow of information in China. What happens to my "Conspiracy Theory" if Google consumates a deal with the NSA and opens up its databases to this information gathering organization? What if Google has been providing the NSA with this information all along, and this is just an excuse to get the relationship out into the open because people much smarter than me are thinking about my "Conspiracy theory?" Stay tuned.

While There is Tragedy in Haiti, Don't Forget Your Neighbors

2010-01-31T21:08:00.000-07:00

Up to 200,000 people may have died after a 7.0 earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010. Over 2 million people are still in need of food and medical attention. The disaster in Haiti is hard to fathom. My heart goes out to those injured, dead, and now those millions who are still in need of food and medical attention. I can't even imagine what it is going to take to rebuild Haiti after this terrible event.

USAID reports as of January 22, it has contributed $90 million to the U.N. appeal, including $22 million in non-food assistance and $68 million in food assistance. Additional contributions of nearly $90 million in assistance for search-and-rescue, health, and other support had also been committed as of January 22, bringing total USAID assistance to Haiti for the earthquake $180 million. Over the past several weeks I have seen television commercials imploring people to donate money, food, and clothing to Haiti. I have seen movie stars, professional athletes, musicians, rap stars and others announcing that they personally have donated money to Haiti and asking us to do the same. The outpouring of support for the people suffering from this tragedy is unbelievable. Especially in light of the number of Americans out of work or devastated by the economic downturn here in the United States. Americans have a lot to be proud of for the efforts being made to help the Haitian people, and it appears we have only just begun.

I was in San Francisco the day after the earthquake struck Haiti to celebrate my daughter's birthday. I had a wonderful three days celebrating with Lauren and her friends. We played and ate and generally just had a very fun time going places and doing things. During the day, it seemed everywhere we went someone was asking us for money to eat, drink, or get somewhere. At night, everywhere we went we saw people sleeping in doorways of stores and office buildings. There is poverty and homelessness in San Francisco, and, I would venture to guess, every big city in the United States, and probably small cities too.

About 3.5 million US residents (about 1% of the population), including 1.35 million children, have been homeless for a significant period of time. Over 37,000 homeless individuals (including 16,000 children) stay in shelters in New York every night. This information was gathered by the Urban Institute, but actual numbers might be higher.

A study conducted in 2001 by the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 27 major cities showed that homeless shelters turned down 37% of individuals due to overcrowding. This number has increased 11% compared to the previous year, while the number of places available in homeless shelters changed insignificantly. Statistics for homeless families are even graver -- 52% were turned down by homeless shelters, an increase of 22% since 2001. Experts believe that the number of homeless people is significantly higher than the number of places available in shelters. Furthermore, outside of major cities there are very few shelters, despite the high number of the homeless.

Some important information gleaned from Sermon’s video above:

• On a given night, an estimated 672,000 people experience homelessness. This means 22 out of every 10,000 people are homeless in America.

• 42% of those 672,000 are unsheltered (meaning they live on the streets or in other forms of shelter not meant for human habitation), while 58% are living in shelters or transitional housing.

• 37% of the homeless are people in family units, while 63% are individual adults.

• The most common makeup of a homeless family is a mother with one or two children. This certainly goes against the image of homelessness most perceive; we’ve noticed that people typically picture the homeless as a single male standing on the street corner, not a single mom with kids in tow.

• Those meeting the federal definition for chronic homelessness make up just 18% of the entire homeless population.

• Sermon explains that the chronically homeless, as defined by the federal government, include individuals with physical or mental disabilities who have experienced homelessness multiple times or have remained homeless for a significant amount of time.

• 8 out of 10 homeless persons are in urban or mostly urban areas.

• Overall, homelessness decreased 10% from 2005 to 2007. This does not show the influence of the current economic slump.

• In July 2009, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released a mix of 2007 and 2008 homeless count numbers, the first official attempt to reveal the affects the recession has had on the homeless. These preliminary numbers show that the number of homeless had not changed between 2007 and 2008. However, Sermons points out that this stalemate (after a period of significant decreases in homelessness) demonstrates a significant step backward in efforts to end homelessness.

The recession will force 1.5 million more people into homelessness over the next two years, according to estimates by The National Alliance to End Homelessness. In a 2008 report, the U.S. Conference of Mayors cited a major increase in the number of homeless in 19 out of the 25 cities surveyed. On average, cities reported a 12 percent increase of homelessness since 2007.

Although homelessness is a difficult number to measure definitively, it appears that more people—especially families—are sleeping in shelters, living in their cars, and taking up residence in tent communities. See also: "Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University: The State of the Nation's Housing 2009."

I could go on and on, but by now I sense you get the point. Things are not great right here in the United States of America. We may not be suffering from a tragic 7.0 earthquake, but there are homeless hungry people right here in America. There are people right here in America who need food, clothing, and medical attention. I can't help but wonder what that $180 million dollars could be doing right here in America.

Many different religions provide guidelines for giving charity. We've all heard "Charity begins at home." Religious teachings agree. After things are secured at home, we are told to look for those in need in our community, in our city, in our state, in our country, and then, and only then, to those throughout the rest of the world. I hope those who have given to those in need of assistance in Haiti have helped those in need right here in America. If not, it's not too late. There's a woman out on the street not two miles from my house holding a sign that says "Dreaming of Chicken."

A Simple Solution for Congress to Consider

2010-01-27T22:14:00.001-07:00

Tucker Hart Adams was the chief economist for US Bank. She was also once the chief economist for United Banks of Colorado. She is president of a prestigious economic consulting firm and she serves on several boards and is active with numerous professional and community organizations. I had an opportunity to hear Ms. Adams speak at a lunch I attended a few weeks ago. She is engaging, intelligent, and takes a no-nonsense approach to addressing the issues we are all facing.

Ms. Adams is retired so she indicated her remarks were just some thoughts she had. It was her "Non-Economic" forecast for 2010. When she was done, she answered questions. One of the first question asked for her views on the health care proposals currently before the Congress. I'm very interested in this topic, more so after tonight's State of the Union Address. A lot of what Ms. Adams said, rings true with me. A lot of what I've read and heard about this issue makes no sense. I believe the President said tonight that he will not raise taxes this year. I believe he said no one, rich or poor, will have their taxes raised. I also understand the current proposal before Congress provides for tax increases to start in 2010, although the actual plan won't start until 2013 or 2014. So we will be paying for services that we won't be getting for four years.

Since this debate began I've wondered if we are talking about reforming health care, or reforming the health insurance industry. I'm still not sure. I am sure that Congress is taking a very complex problem and trying hard to come up with a complex solution. Maybe something simple is in order. Maybe the final bill should focus on the problem and not address all the special interests of the Congressmen and Women voting on the proposals.

Citing a National Health Interview Survey, "USA Today" reported on December 17, 2009 there are more than 45.4 million Americans of all ages - or 15.1% of the population - with no health insurance. 58.4 million (19.4%) people of all ages had been uninsured for at least part of the year prior to the interview, and 31.9 million (10.6%) had been uninsured for more than a year at the time of the interview, according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. Ms. Adams stated that of the 45 million uninsured people, 15 million of them were uninsured because they had pre-existing conditions, and 30 million people were uninsured because they can't afford the insurance. Many of the 30 million uninsured people are in there 20's and 30's and can't afford the insurance because they live in expensive homes, drive expensive cars, and have big screen televisions in every room. They don't believe they will every get sick. Their children won't get sick or injure themselves. They prefer to have nice things instead of purchasing medical insurance. And when they do get sick or their child does break a bone, it is you and I who pay for the medical attention they receive.

The proposals before Congress to resolve this problem are thousands of pages long. Maybe there is a simple solution. First, let's agree we are trying to reform the health insurance industry, not health care. The health insurance lobby is just going to have to back off and face facts. Next, let's require every American to purchase health insurance, regardless of age or economic circumstances. We are already required to purchase car insurance and pay into Social Security and Medicare. Why not require everyone to purchase health insurance. Even if that means owning one less big screen television set or driving something other than a Mercedes.

This will eliminate those people who simply choose to be uninsured. There will still be some who simply can't pay the premium, and we'll have to provide subsidies just like we do for so many other things right now.

Next, this mandatory insurance will have to have a large deductible to keep the price down. I believe Americans must take responsibility for their own health care expenses, just like we are responsible for paying our mortgage, our credit card debt, and our car payments. Health insurance needs to be something every American puts in their personal budget. Some people still won't be able to do this and will need our help, but that number is significantly less than 45 million.

Finally, health insurance companies need to be regulated and required to provide a basic policy at a set price to anyone and everyone who applies for it. Even those with pre-existing conditions. The price of this insurance needs to be low enough for people to afford, while still providing a small profit for the insurance companies. In addition to this basic policy, insurance companies should then be permitted to offer additional bells and whistles to those who want to pay more for these benefits. They should be able to charge whatever the market will support. The wealthy will get the insurance they desire while everyone will at least have a basic policy.

This idea takes care of the 15 million people who have pre-existing conditions and are excluded from the market today. It also takes care of 20 million or so who can afford health insurance but have decided to spend their money on other "necessities" like cars and television sets. There will still have to be a pool of money available to assist the truly poor, but we will all have better health care for less money than we are spending today.

I'm Not So Sure About Global Warming

2010-01-17T14:53:00.001-07:00

I've been doing some thinking about global warming. I'm concerned about the environment. I'm concerned that people act like we have unlimited resources. I'm concerned about our frivolous use of water. I try to recycle as much as possible. I enjoy the outdoors a lot and do not litter. When I fish, I always do my best to leave the area like I found it. I am slowly replacing all the light bulbs in the house with energy-efficient bulbs. With all this in mind, I'm having some difficulty with what I'm hearing about global warming.

I consider myself a spiritual person. I wouldn't say I am "religious" or "ritually observant," but I am spiritual and somewhat knowledgeable about religion. I believe in God. I believe there is a higher being. I'm not totally convinced God created Earth, but, even if the Earth resulted from some "Big Bang" or other scientific event, when it was created, it was pure. It was clean. It had water and vegetation. It had a hot molten core and there was an atmosphere above the Earth.

Later, Earth was inhabited by animals that lived and procreated. The animals drank the water, ate the plants, some lived in the water, and some ate other animals. Later, Earth was populated by people. They ate the animals and plants, and drank the water. Later they used resources they found on Earth to build homes, and eventually they built roads, cities, and all the creature comforts we have grown used to.

During all this change, Earth itself went through changes. One of my favorite places on the planet is Rocky Mountain National Park. When visiting the park one can learn a lot about the history of Earth. At some point in time, the beautiful Earth we envision as The Garden of Eden, cooled and was in an Ice Age. Later, Earth warmed, and the ice melted. In Rocky Mountain National Park, there is evidence of this in places like Glacier Basin and Moraine Park. Both were formed when glaciers melted and moved down the mountain sides taking everything in sight with them. History seems to suggest Earth goes through periods where it cools and warms. Even if you believe there is a scientific reason for this, instead of God making this happen, I am not aware of any dispute over Earth's tendency to warm and cool over many many years.

If all this is true, even if most of this is true, it seems awfully arrogant to think humans now have the power to effect climate change because of the cars they drive and the factories they operate. The cooling and warming of Earth has occurred over hundreds of millions of years. To think that since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, humans have effected climate change, is almost unbelievable. On the other hand, why would educated people make all this up? Can you believe in the theory of global warming and believe in God?

I've been accused of being cynical. More than once. For example, I have a theory about sports teams. I believe sports teams re-design uniforms in order to generate revenue from the sale of jerseys and caps. I believe teams keep their uniforms until they believe they've saturated the market with the sale of the uniforms to fans. Once the market is saturated, they re-design the uniform and start all over again. Is it possible someone at General Electric believes they have saturated the light bulb market? Could this person have realized this and helped spread the word about global warming to generate revenue for energy efficient light bulbs. Could people support the theory of global warming because by doing so they are helping to create new businesses that are using wind and alternative clean energy to run our home and cities? Could the theory of global warming be used to stimulate a struggling economy?

I don't know the answer to any of these questions. Maybe it means something that I am asking the questions. Maybe I'm out of my mind and should just go-along-to-get-along. If you've read all this, I'd be interested to know what you think. Leave a comment.

Thanks to http://air2aircorp.net/cms/global-warming-policy-and-aviation-p-28.html for the photo.

A New Camera Surely Requires a New Tripod

2010-01-08T21:58:00.009-07:00

If you haven't read my post on the new Canon T1i SLR I recently purchased, scroll down to see what I think and what I've learned. As you would expect, I also found it necessary to purchase a tripod to use with my new camera. I used it this week to attempt to take some photos of a very cool looking moon. I failed miserably at this task and couldn't figure out how to photograph the moon properly. I kept gettting weird reflections and had problems getting the camera to focus. I'll figure this out eventually.

In spite of not having the necessary skills to photograph the moon, I must say I am very impressed with the Promaster T325P Carbon Fiber Tripod along with the Maglite 2 ball head. The T325P holds 13.25 pounds yet weighs 2.6 pounds. When folded, the T325P is 21.25" high. Its minimum working height is 8.25" and its maximum height is 63". Based upon my limited research, it appears the price of the T325P is fairly reasonable and there are online deals to be had.

The T325P is easy to use and has a built-in level and a compass (I'm not sure yet what I'll use the compass for). The level is a very handy feature to have. I was trying to photograph the moon and I was standing in the middle of the street in front of my house. Using the level was very easy and helpful on this uneven surface.

I am most impressed by the T325P's light weight. This tripod is easy to carry around, yet incredibly sturdy. I'm sure it will also fit in a carry-on bag when I travel. The tripod looks cool and has a nice finish. The twist locks are tight and are easy to use because of their size.

The T325P is equipped with leg spreader locks which must be pushed back to use (instead of being

spring loaded). Personally, I like this better than the spring loaded version as I seem to have more control and there is less to go wrong down the road.

The Maglite ball head are well-built but don't provide quick-release plates like a few of the other ball heads I looked at. The tension controls are easy to use but didn't always work well. It was a bit of a chore to secure my camera when it wasn't level. I had to apply some extra tension to the controls to keep my camera from sliding backwards.

Overall, I was very impressed with both the tripod and the Maglite head. The prices for both were reasonable and in my first test, they both performed admirably. I would recommend this setup to others.

My First Digital SLR Camera

2010-01-04T18:00:00.031-07:00

I bought my first Digital SLR Camera, the 15.1 megapixel Canon EOS Rebel T1i(a/k/a the 500D). This camera is at the top of the Rebel line and directly competes with the Nikon D90, while the XS and XSi compete with the Nikon D3000 and D5000. I did several years of research, mostly because I couldn't afford to buy until now. My problem was, the longer I waited, the more I changed my mind because the technology kept changing. I finally decided now was the time, and this was the best camera I could purchase in my price range. I purchased a two lense kit with 18-55mm IS and 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS lenses from Adorama. The camera arrived with a defective lens, but this situation was professional and quickly resolved by Sammy Santana. I thought I'd try to write about my new camera as a way of forcing myself to do some additional research to really try to understand how the camera works and the features available to me.

Having never used a camera as sophisticated as this one, I enlisted the help of professional photographer extraordinaire, Eric Stephenson who was kind enough to spend about three hours with me. Eric confirmed my research that the T1i was fast, would produce high quality photos and was capable of creating HD videos. Eric walked me through just about everything the camera could do, then I was off to Jamaica to test it out. The body is similar to the Canon XSi and weighs 1.2 pounds. Unlike the XSi, it has holes in the front for a microphone and a speaker on the back. The camera is comfortable to hold and offers a large 3-inc LCD with a 640X480 design with 920,000 dots, creating a very clear onscreen image.

All the buttons are positioned for use by my right hand, and every button feels different. Eventually, I should be able to do what i need to do without looking. There is a Live View button that also serves as the stop/start button when creating HD video.

Canon also included the Creative Auto mode that was originally found in its higher-end cameras. Eric explained this is a semi-automatic mode somewhere between the Auto mode and the Program mode.

He suggested this was the place to be when I wanted to experiment with shutter speed and aperture settings. The T1i accepts EF and EF-S lenses. It uses SD/SDHC cards, including Eye-Fi wireless cards. I learned the hard way it is a good idea to determine what type of cards your computer will read before purchasing. Or, you can do what I had to do, and purchase a card reader. If you want to take a look at all the features found in the T1i you could have a look at the manual.

I'd like to try explaining the T1i's basic shooting modes, mainly just to see if I really understand them:

Program: This function automatically sets the most appropriate shutter and aperture speed, while giving me some control over metering, exposure compensation, etc.

Shutter Priority: Lets me control shutter speed while aperture is automatically set; other functions can also be accessed in this mode.

Aperture Priority: Lets me control aperture while shutter speed is automatically set; most camera functions can be changed in this mode.

Manual: Allows me to control aperture and shutter speed, as well as all the camera's different settings for exposure.

A-DEP: Stands for automatic depth-of-field, which will automatically select the appropriate aperture to ensure that depth of field covers all focus points.

Auto: In this mode, everything is set automatically.

Creative Auto: Lets me change the brightness, depth of field, and color tone fairly easily.

Portrait: Automatically blurs the background in order to focus on the person I am shooting.

Landscape: Provides me with more depth of field to keep landscapes and wide-angle shots in focus.

Macro: For shooting small objects, this mode allows me to get in closer to the object I am shooting.

Sports: This puts into play the continuous burst mode so I can catch moving objects or sports, by giving me up to 3.4 frames per second. I used this mode at a Colorado College hockey game.

Night Portrait: A night portrait mode to take photos at night.

Flash Off: Turns off the flash.

I am no expert, but this camera seems wake and shoot fairly quickly. It also focuses and shoots much faster than any camera I've ever owned. I believe it is faster than the more expensive Nikon D90. One of the must-haves for me was continuous shooting speed. Something I didn't have before. The T1i seems very fast at 3.3 frames per second. This was fast enough for me to take some great photos at a Colorado College hockey game.

Canon worked to improve this camera's low-light capabilities, something my daughter, who owns an XSi was very jealous of. This, along with the higher resolution and video capture abilities where of great interest to me. Personally, I think this is a great entry-level camera for this price range, and it competes admirably with any other camera I looked at. I'd be interested to know what you think.

Getting Ready for 2010

2009-12-28T17:54:00.005-07:00

I'm back from a week in Jamaica where I made some time to sit in a swing outside my room and give some thought to 2010. I read a great book while away: The Art of Racing in the Rain and highly recommend it to you. The back cover of the book contains a wonderful description. "A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love loyalty, and hope - a captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life ... as only a dog could tell it. Having recently put down our 16 year-old Golden Retriever Dusty, I wasn't sure about reading this book, but I'm so glad I did.

I haven't completed the obligatory list of my resolutions, but I am committed to making more time to write in 2010. I haven't figured out how to do this yet, but I am committed. I even went so far as to start a list of topics I'd like to write about in the coming weeks. I'm sure my list will include the annual resolutions to eat more healthily, exercise regularly, treat my wife and kids well, work hard, and give to the charities that are important to me. I got a Kindle for my birthday last week and hope to make more time to read in 2010. I hope to learn new things, travel, and spend time with my family and friends. More on all this later. For now, I'm trying to adjust to the 60 degree difference in temperature (90 to 30).

Just Shoot Me When I Turn 50!

2009-11-29T21:06:00.004-07:00

When I was a teenager I remember telling my Mother to "Just shoot me when I turn 50." I don't recall what was happening at the time, but I recall telling her to shoot me. At that age I thought people 50 and older were OLD! They couldn't see. They couldn't hear. They couldn't drive. They were old, and had no quality of life.

In less than a month I will turn 50. Maybe it's because of all the advances that have been made in medicine, but I'm feeling pretty good. My health is pretty good. I hear just fine. I wear contact lenses and seem to see quite well. I work out pretty hard 5 to 7 times a week, lifting weights and working on the Elliptical Cross Trainer.

About a month ago I had breakfast with a friend of mine. We went up to the cashier who was a teenager. She looked at me and gave us the "Senior Discount" on our breakfast. I think we saved about $3, and I was devastated for days. It was beyond my comprehension that this young lady could believe I was a "Senior Citizen!" What could she have been thinking? Then it occurred to me she was thinking the same thing I was when I was her age.

Now I have it pretty good. I have my health, I am employed, and I am happily married to a wonderful woman. My two children, in spite of me, have grown into incredible young adults. My oldest graduated from college last spring, found her dream job and moved to San Francisco. She couldn't be happier. My son was one of very few people admitted to the Business School his freshman year at college. He is doing great, making lots of friends and thoroughly enjoying college.

I suppose if I were to be able to convince my mother to fulfill my childhood wish, I would go with no regrets, but, in all honesty, I'm not ready yet. 50 doesn't seem like such a big deal to me. I'm probably reaching the pinnacle of my lifespan and about to start the downward trek, but I'm not really concerned about it. There are still many things I'd like to do. I'd like to travel a bit with my wife. I'd like to attend my son's graduation from college. I'd like to attend both my kids' weddings. I'd like to hold my grandchildren, babysit them, and spoil them rotten. I'd like to go to a Super Bowl Game. I'd like to retire and spend my days fishing or playing golf.

Lots of people get freaked out about turning 50. My wife did not handle it well. Some of my friends appear to be dreading it. Remember the Doris Day song "Que Sara Sara" which meant "What will be, will be." I thought the phrase was Spanish. Today I was told it was Italian and the complete phrase is "Quel che sarà, sarà" (pronounced approximately "kwel ke sará sará") and means precisely "Whatever will be, will be" and that in Italy it is a popular saying that means one should not worry overmuch about the future, because it's unknown. Whether its Spanish or Italian, for better or worse, its how I feel. So, now that I'm about to turn 50, and I'm older and wiser than when I was a teenager, I take it back. Don't shoot me when I turn 50.

Nostalgic at Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T13:59:00.001-07:00

I'm feeling nostalgic this Thanksgiving. Maybe it's because so many things have changed over the years and I'm just plain longing for "The Good Old Days." I find myself thinking about the telephone. Yes, the telephone. No, I haven't lost my mind. At least not entirely. I keep thinking about how the world has become so impersonal. Rarely do we use the telephone to talk to people anymore. Instead, we rely on e-mail and text messages, often going through an entire day communicating with someone and never hearing their voice.

In 1876 Alexander Graham Bell was the first to patent the telephone in order to transmit voices telegraphically. Antonio Meucci, Philip Reis, and Elisha Gray were other inventors credited with inventing the telephone, but Alexander Graham Bell seems to get the credit most often when the story is told about the first complete sentence being transmitted to his assistant in another room, "Come here, Watson, I want you." This transmission was followed in 1877 by the formation of Bell Telephone Company and in 1885 with the formation of American Telephone and Telegraph Company. And, as they say, "The rest is history."

We saw the invention of the rotary dial phone which had many looks over the years, followed by the push button phone, and later the first cell phone that looked like a brick. I actually owned one of those. And now, of course, we live in the world of the iPhone, the Blackberry, and other "Smart Phones." Phones were meant to transmit the human voice from one location to another. It just doesn't seem like we use the phone for that purpose anymore. Instead, we use our phone to text and e-mail. Or we use it to play games, post tweets and status updates. Some even download hundreds of applications meant to make our lives easier or more fun. But, none of these things have advanced or enhanced human voice communication. More likely than not, these "advances" have just created better and easier ways to avoid human contact.

Do you worry that our youth will not be able to stand in front of a classroom and make a verbal presentation? What is going to happen to political debates or our legal system that depends upon "oral arguments" before a judge? Don't get me wrong. I enjoy a new technological breakthrough as much as the next person. I'm usually right there in line to buy it too. I've always felt that to successfully function in the world, we have to know how to read, to write, and to speak. Many of the young people I meet dislike reading, write incomplete sentences with abbreviations like "lol" and "btw," and rarely have to speak to each other, or anyone else for that matter. Maybe I'm making a big deal about nothing. Maybe I should try harder to give up my apparent need for human contact, and embrace this new technology. I think I'll try it out on my wife. Over the next couple of days we won't verbally communicate. We'll only talk via text messaging. Maybe that would be good for our relationship. Maybe it will catch on. Maybe this method of communication will be used to cut the divorce rate. I'm certain it would cut the rate of child birth. Or, maybe I'm just one of those rare people who need some human contact, and to hear the human voice,every now and then.

To-Do Lists - Keep Them Separate!

2009-10-07T19:07:00.008-06:00

I want to share an article with you written by Lisa Montanaro.

To-do lists. Just the name of them sounds exhausting. They have become the thorn in many of my client's side. Whether they are written in long form on paper, or maintained electronically on a computer or handheld device, they cause much stress.

And here's one reason why. Most people unknowingly combine their master to-do list and daily to-do list together. This one act causes the list to become lengthy and overwhelming, which in turn almost guarantees failure. The person with this massive all-in-one to-do list will either abort the list altogether, or try desperately to get tasks done, all the while feeling inadequate and like a failure due to his or her inability to accomplish the items on the list.

What to do (yes, pun intended!)? Keep 'em separated!

Create a master to-do list and a separate daily to-do list. The master list includes tasks you plan to and want to get to, but cannot accomplish in one day, similar to a project list. Your daily list is only made up of the tasks you intend to, and can realistically accomplish, in one day, which is usually only about 3-5 items. The daily list puts your master list into action on a daily basis. That way, you get the satisfaction of actually crossing off your daily to-do's, but have a more comprehensive list so you don't forget tasks you need to tend to at some point later on.

Here's an example. You need to do a home renovation project like paint your basement. Your master to-do list reads: paint basement. But the daily to-do list will break down that master item into several separate entries over a longer period of time.

Monday: choose paint color
Tuesday: call 3 painters for estimates (this is called delegating, but let's save that for a future blog post!)
Wednesday: clear furniture from area to be painted
Thursday: buy paint.

Get the picture? The master to-do list names the project and the daily to-do list breaks out the action steps in a manageable, reasonable and realistic manner in order to accomplish that project. That way, the items actually get done. And isn't that what a to-do list is supposed to be for anyway?

Copyright 2009. Lisa Montanaro, "The Solutions Expert," is Principal of LM Organizing Solutions, LLC, a professional services firm created in 2002 that offers professional organizing, business and life coaching, and motivational speaking to individuals and organizations. Lisa publishes the monthly "DECIDE to be Organized" e-zine for the general public, and "Next Level Business Success" e-zine for professional organizers and entrepreneurs. Subscribe today at http://www.LMOrganizingSolutions.com Lisa also publishes the DECIDE to be Organized blog at http://www.DecideToBeOrganized.com Through LMOS, Lisa helps people deal with the issues that block personal and professional change and growth. To explore how LMOS can improve your home or work environment, or help take your business to the next level, contact Lisa at (845) 988-0183 or by e-mail at Lisa@LMOrganizingSolutions.com.

Complete Multiple High Priority Projects on Time

2009-09-13T18:20:00.005-06:00

KirAsh4 commented on my January 11, 2009 post and described a situation many of us find ourselves in more times than we would like to admit. How you handle the situation where you have multiple critical projects due at the same time, can determine how you are viewed by your superiors and associates at work. More importantly, it will determine how the people expecting you to deliver quality work, on time, will view you.

Let's say you have three or four very important projects pending, and they all must be completed on the same day. What do you do? Are you overwhelmed at the thought of having to do all this work? Are you the type who just doesn't know where to start first? Do you procrastinate or panic which simply causes you to freeze? Can you confidently focus on what's critical, or are you uncertain as to what task to perform first? Are you able to methodically complete one task at a time, or are you so frazzled that you do bits and pieces of each project and can't bring closure to any one of them?

The people I admire most in the workplace are those who can consistently "cut to the chase," and easily determine which tasks have priority when they are under the gun, and crunched for time. These people "never let 'em see you sweat," stay calm, and are generally prized by their employers, colleagues, and clients or customers. Let's talk about some ways to choose and prioritize your tasks, and how to handle conflicting priorities.

The first thing I always do when feeling overwhelmed by the tasks ahead of me is ask, "Will each of these tasks generate revenue for my business?" This is the first line in prioritizing my work. If it isn't going to generate revenue, or save costs (which also effects the bottom line) then the task moves down on my list of priorities.

Next, instead of being paralyzed by the mound of work, take several minutes to look closer at each individual project. We already know you have several projects that must be completed at the same time. Look at each project as if its the only thing on your plate. Just for a few minutes. See if you can break each project down into smaller tasks. Tasks that when completed will result in the project itself being completed. This will enable you to tackle each project in smaller chunks while having a feeling of accomplishment as each task is completed. This feeling of accomplishment will motivate you to continue with your work instead of being paralyzed by the amount of work remaining. Complete this exercise for each of your pending projects. Then you should prioritize the projects choosing the most important project. Not the one you will complete the fastest. Choose the most difficult project over the easiest project. Many times you will find, once you get deep into the project, it wasn't as tough as you perceived it to be when you were making your list of tasks needed to complete the project.

The next step is the most intuitive, and sometimes the hardest. GET TO WORK! You have determined the tasks you must complete in order to complete the project. You have prioritized the projects. You know how long each project will take and you know you can complete all the projects on time. NOW GET TO WORK!

Turn off your phone close your e-mail program and your web browser and get to work. Plan to take regular short breaks to clear your head, use the restroom, or eat something. Don't get distracted by opening your e-mail program or your web browser. Be efficient with your breaks. Take a break, but don't let it derail you from the tasks at hand.

Unfortunately, there is no substitute for hard work. Remember, you put yourself in this position to begin with. You accepted the work and agreed to the completion date. You did this to yourself. Next time, don't make promises you may not be able to keep. Under promise and over produce. Always deliver the highest quality work you are capable of, and understand that by taking a step back in the beginning, breaking each project into smaller tasks, and GETTING TO WORK, you will be able to accomplish your goals and WOW you superiors, colleagues, and clients/customers.

Time for the Empty Nest

2009-08-20T20:31:00.008-06:00

Today we took Brandon to the University of Colorado. He and I agree that though CU is about 40 minutes away, it can be as far away as Brandon wants it to be. It's important to me that Brandon take advantage of this time in his life. He needs to meet people and have FUN! He needs to get a job that will allow him to work about 15 hours a week so he can pay for his cell phone and car insurance. Other than these two things, his number one job is to get good grades, and grow into the man we both know he can be.

The move today went better than expected. It didn't take long to get all his stuff up to his dorm room. He and I moved all the furniture around so the room was more open. Everything he brought fit in the drawers and closet provided by the school. His roommate seemed very cool and his parents were very nice. The other kids on his floor and in the dorm also appeared to be very nice as they stopped by and introduced themselves. Many of the girls we saw, in Brandon's words were very "HOT." There is certainly some potential for him having an incredible experience this year. I really hope so!

I'm going to miss Brandon. A lot. I'm going to miss him sitting next to me at Colorado College Hockey games, Nuggets games, Rockies games, and Avalanche games. I'm going to miss him ridiculing me on the golf course and at the bowling alley. I'm going to miss playing ping pong with him at night and watching his face light up every time he wins a point. I'm going to miss playing Tiger Woods golf and Madden Football on the PS3. I might even miss the poking, punching and bruising caused by a growing teenager who enjoys poking, punching, and bruising his father.

Most of all I'm going to miss Brandon. I'm going to miss his smile, his laugh, and the way his eyes still light up when I come home from work. I'm just plain going to miss Brandon. With both kids out of the house now, I think what I'm going to miss most of all is being a father. I know, I'll always be Lauren and Brandon's father. But it will never be the same. Much of my identity for the past 22 years has been as a Father. For the past twenty-two years I've been Lauren's and Brandon's father. Now, I'm an "Empty-Nester."

In the world of time management one would say I should take advantage of the beginning of the next chapter in my life. Take advantage of the time I won't be spending with the kids. Maybe even, God forbid, do something for myself. With that in mind, I must say I'm looking forward to the opportunity to get to know my wife again. Not that I don't know Laurie, but, I'm looking forward to getting to know her all over again. I'm looking forward to seeing if she can sit through an entire sporting event without falling asleep. We're going to bowl together in a league this fall. Tiger Woods golf and Madden football will be a solo activity. Ping pong is probably not going to happen, but pool is a possibility. I'm looking forward to quiet nights sitting on the deck talking, and going to the movies together. I'm looking forward to my time on the computer while she's watching Dancing With The Stars, CSI Every City, and whatever Reality Television show is in fashion this week. I'm looking forward to the unknown, the getaway weekends, the new experiences I can't even imagine right now. I'm looking forward to whatever comes next. And, most of all, I'm looking forward to all this helping me forget how much I miss my kids, and how much I am going to miss being a father on a day-to-day basis.

College Bound Time Management Tip #1

2009-08-13T21:48:00.006-06:00

My son Brandon leaves for college on the 20th. He will be attending the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. The other day he said, "Ya know Dude, I might need to read your blog. I'm not sure how I am going to find time to do the studying I need to do. Might need some of your time management tips." Duh!

I suggested he do what organized professionals everywhere do. SCHEDULE IT! Do what I do. Every Sunday night I set aside several minutes to look at my schedule for the coming week. I see where I have calls to make, meetings to attend in the office, people I need to meet with outside of the the office. I take a look at my Task List and determine some of the pending matters that require some work. What projects do I want to complete this week?

Once I have completed this review I SCHEDULE IT! Schedule time for the most important things you want to accomplish this week. Block off time on your calendar to exercise, even if it is at 5:00am like it is for me most days. Block off a few hours for homework in the afternoon on Thursday because you know that Thursday night is party night on campus. SCHEDULE IT! Keep to your schedule and you will get the important things done.

Try it for a month, then let me know how it works.

My How Time Flies When You Are Having Fun, Part 4

2009-07-26T15:25:00.019-06:00

It's the 7th and I'm up at 7:00 to workout before another day of shopping and box emptying. After breakfast we were off to Union square. While we were out-and-about I was shown, from a distance, Lauren's office building. Being the youngest in the office, Lauren didn't want to go up and introduce me around. She hadn't started work yet and didn't want it to look like Daddy was checking up on her new workplace. The building is in an absolutely fabulous location at Market and New Montgomery. You have the hustle and bustle of big city life all around. The youth and energy in the area is easily noticeable. Within a few blocks we found her bank, a drugstore and enough restaurants to keep her fed at lunchtime for quite a while.

From there we went to buy some pillows, a rack to hang in the closet, hanging drawers for the closet, shelves for the bathroom, storage for makeup, a table for the television, a table with three drawers for the cable box, DVD player and all Lauren's movies. Needless to say, we had to take a cab back as there was way too much to carry. Unloading the cab made us both cringe at the amount of work left to do in the short time we had remaining in my visit.

The apartment was really starting to come together. Lauren continued her work in the all-important closet while I hung the shelves in the bathroom, hung the hooks in the closet along with the 5-drawer hanging device. Then, after a quick break for lunch which Lauren ran out to get so we wouldn't waste any time, I put together the table for the television and the three-drawer table that went underneath the television table. Once that was done I got a real break and we went back to Crate & Barrel for a salt & pepper shaker, decorative "O's" for the bathroom and a clock for the wall. From there we went to CB2 for a very cool coat rack. All this got dropped off at the apartment before we headed out to dinner.

Dinner at Saha was incredible. Arab Fusion. Spices and flavors that tested the taste buds. We had Kafta, lamb and Fatoush unlike any we had tasted before. Another delicious suggestion from my Aunt Linda. After dinner we had to put the coat rack together, take out a huge load of trash and hang the clock. It was 10:00 and we decided to turn in early tonight. We had to get an early start so we could get everything finished and we had to return to CB2 to get a piece for the coat rack that was broken.

It was the 8th and a pall hung over both of us. I woke early to get in a good workout. After breakfast we got the piece for the coat rack, canisters for sugar and flour, a Dust Buster, groceries and a new litter box. We were back at the apartment at 2:30 ready to do as much as we could in the three remaining hours we had before we had to eat dinner and head for the airport. I had a very productive day putting away the groceries, hanging a calendar and unpacking boxes in the kitchen. Lauren continued her work in the closet. By the time 5:30 rolled around the apartment had really taken shape. Lauren still had several boxes to unpack, but we were at least 90% finished setting everything up. It looked great! I said goodbye to Tom and Connie, and Izzy of course as we headed to dinner at Colibri an upscale Mexican Bistro. The food here was fabulous. Not your typical tacos and burritos. There's no doubt that the food in San Francisco is good and the choices of good places to eat is endless.

After dinner we walked to the Bart and Lauren came with me to the airport. It had been a great six days. A lot of hard work that had really paid off. Lauren was on her way to settling in to her new life "in the Big City." My flight was 30 minutes late, so we had a little extra time together in the airport. Never have I had a more difficult time saying goodbye and getting on a plane. As I neared the plane's entrance it was as if I were in a fog. My heart was heavy and I had this overwhelming empty feeling inside. I had to will myself to keep moving forward, and I almost turned back. But I didn't. I had to get home, get some sleep, and then get in the car for a five hour drive to Crested Butte to spend the weekend with my son Brandon.

Lauren and I had a great six days together. It was an excellent example of time management in action as we accomplished task after task, trying to get as much done as possible in the short amount of time we had. I felt so lucky to be able to spend all this time together, working and talking, and that was more important than what we were trying to accomplish. Though I will miss her terribly, I can't wait to visit, and hope I can do so often. My little girl has grown into an impressive young woman. A young woman with hopes and dreams she shared with me. Hopes and dreams I know she will see come true. There is no doubt in mind she will take San Francisco by storm. As for me, I'm thinking it might be time to face the fact that I am getting older. Nah. This is all just part of the "Circle of Life."

My How Time Flies When You Are Having Fun, Part 3

2009-07-19T21:17:00.015-06:00

It's Sunday July 5 and the drive today was much longer than we anticipated. We left Reno early, with the hope of arriving in San Francisco around lunch time. We did take a detour to check out Lake Tahoe. What a beautiful place. We didn't stay long. Took a few photos and hit the road. Tahoe is a place I'd like to visit again.

There was a lot of traffic on the highway. We took several photos of the city as we arrived. We were finally here. As we crossed a toll bridge into the city it looked like San Francisco was opening its arms to welcome Lauren. It was a beautiful day, and the view in both directions from the bridge was amazing. We could sense the excitement of big city life.

Checked into my hotel at 2:30 and went to lunch. Next stop, Lauren's apartment. Lauren and her Mom did a great job choosing this place. The location was great. Two blocks from the hotel I was staying at, but more importantly, just a fifteen minute walk to work, and less than that to some of the greatest shopping in the world! Union Square was impressive. The apartment was perfect. Wood floors, lots of windows, great view of the city, and very friendly apartment managers, made this place a keeper. Several hours later the truck was empty, the apartment was overflowing with boxes and we needed to find a place to park a slightly large truck overnight. The hotel wanted $125 a night. We found a lot that took $40. At any price, I was glad to be out of the truck for the night.

We had dinner at a place my Aunt Linda suggested. Le Colonial, was very good, but we didn't linger. Even though we were exhausted, we both wanted to get back to the apartment and get something accomplished tonight. Lauren started loading clothes into the closet and I put together the bed frame, piled on the box springs and mattress, and did my best to cover it up so that over-achieving Izzy would not claw it to death. It was midnight and we were ready to sleep!

On Monday I woke up early to get some exercise. Lauren was tired so I let her sleep and we didn't get out of the hotel for breakfast until after 9:00. After breakfast we retrieved the truck and began maneuvering the streets of San Francisco. Not an easy task I might add. Lauren's iPhone with GPS got us everywhere we wanted to go. First stop was a store Lauren found online. We were looking for a kitchen table and chairs and we found just what she wanted on our first stop. Must have been fate. The table and chairs were black and fit perfectly into Lauren's black, white and red motif.

Four hours and three grocery baskets later, we left Target. Good thing we still had the truck. She needed a lot of stuff. We got a microwave, a bookcase (for me to put together), sheets, a comforter, a rug, and many many other items. It was kind of embarrassing when American Express got nervous about the out of state charge and declined the purchase. A quick phone call and we high-tailed it out of there. Next stop was to drop this stuff off at the apartment and then unload the truck! I couldn't wait to get rid of that thing. 1328 miles later, I couldn't have been happier to not have to park that baby one more time.

After we returned the truck we hopped on the Muni, went back to the hotel to get cleaned up and headed out for a seafood dinner. The hotel recommended this place. Lauren and I were the youngest people in the place by about 30 years and the food was very average. Oh well, we found a place we didn't have to return to. It was a good lesson!

After dinner, Lauren continued her work in the closet and washed the sheets so I could make the bed after I put the bookcase together. Once the bed was made we finally felt like we had fully completed one of the several hundred tasks still left to do. It was after 11:00 and we were both very tired. We called it a night, thinking there was still much to be done tomorrow. Two more days then I had to leave.

My How Time Flies When You Are Having Fun, Part 2

2009-07-15T21:02:00.025-06:00

Our journey to San Francisco begins on July 3, 2009. After renting the smallest truck Penske has, Lauren, with the help of me, Laurie, Justin, and Alexis loaded up all her belongings. Fortunately, we didn't fill the truck, top to bottom, but we did a good job of filling it front to back. The door barely closed, which was a good thing as nothing moved or rattled around during the drive. About 4:00 we loaded up the Izzy the cat and the cooler filled with snacks and liquid refreshments. We were off. The goal was to get from Boulder, as far into Wyoming as we could.

The camera was up front with us. We decided to do our best to memorialize the trip in photographs. We did a good job as I arrived home with 153 photos. As we approached the Colorado/Wyoming border we were looking for the "Welcome to Wyoming" sign, so we could take a picture of it. To our surprise, there was no "Welcome to Wyoming" sign, so we turned around and photographed the "Welcome to Colorado" sign to memorialize our border crossing.

Next stop: Laramie Wyoming, where we were fortunate enough to find a parking place I didn't have to parallel park in. Dinner at was at Tommy Jacks, a place I had eaten at before while on a fishing trip. After dinner we headed to Rawlings for some gas. Even though it was late, we pressed on to Rock Springs where we found a Holiday Inn willing to let us bring Izzy in. At that point Izzy had been whining for seven solid hours even though she was sedated, and, frankly, I really didn't care if she had to spend the night in the truck. Needless to say, Izzy and Lauren overruled me and the three of us settled in for a few short hours of sleep. It was 12:15am. Our plan was to be on the road no later than 8:00am.

At 5:00am, after about three hours of sleep (Izzy was a tad bit hyper) I got up to spend thirty minutes on the cross trainer, thinking that some exercise would be a good way to start every day of this journey. Breakfast was at Village Inn and then at 8:04am, only four minutes behind schedule, we were on the road headed for Salt Lake City.

Lots of stops today. Plenty of photo opportunities.

We decided to spend a little time in Salt Lake City, a place neither of us had been to before. We visited the Church of Jesus Christ of the Later-Day Saints and the Mormon Tabernacle. And we drove by the Great Salt Lake. Just outside of Salt Lake City I was able to convince Lauren to drive so I could take a nap. She drove for about an hour. I napped for about thirty minutes. It was too stressful for her!

For the fourteen hours or so that we were on the road, we listened to rap music, made plans for our arrival, unpacking and setting up her apartment, and we talked about her dreams for the future. San Francisco was where she wanted to be. She felt so fortunate to have found a job in San Francisco. And she didn't find just any job. She found a job where she could get paid to do what she loves to do: blog, tweet, and post Facebook status updates. What could be better than doing what you love, for money, in the City by the Bay?

Since I couldn't get Lauren to drive, I decided she could help out at the gas stops. Next stop, her job was to clean the windshield. This task led to one of the funniest moments of the journey as my five foot tall daughter attempted to clean the windshield of this rather large truck. The result was an upside down triangle with the windshield being clean near the edges and toward the middle at the bottom of the window. It was hilarious.

On to Reno, where we watched the Fourth of July fireworks from the stairwell of our Day's Inn hotel located adjacent to the highway. Of course, our room was on the highway side of the building. That night Izzy slept great, having finally adjusted to the herbal sedative. It was the truckers and other motorists who decided not to sleep that night, along with me. Tomorrow we would arrive in San Francisco. And the journey continues......

My How Time Flies When You Are Having Fun, Part 1

2009-07-11T16:50:00.006-06:00

We've all heard many times how important it is to "Cherish every minute you have with your children when they are young." We've been told, "They grow up so fast." We've heard about all those people who spend so much time at work they miss seeing their children grow up. CEOs have written about how work damaged relationships with their spouse and their children. They write about missing soccer games, little league baseball games, dance recitals and band concerts. Everything I've heard and read indicates this is bad. It's bad to miss out on seeing your children grow up.

I'm here to tell you I'm not so sure all the people who write and speak about this topic are correct. I am one of those fathers who believed what I read and what I heard. I very rarely missed a band concert or a soccer game. I made decisions about my job based on my kids and their schedules. I spent every free minute I had with them. Every summer from about age 5 we took separate vacations. One with each kid. Looking back, I think I made a lot of life's decisions based on my kids. To be honest, I don't regret it at all, and if I may say so myself, they turned out pretty darn good. Which brings me back to my point about the message we heard from all the pundits. The reason I think they are wrong is because when they grow up, if you have followed all the advice, it's very hard to let them go.

Next month, my son Brandon, goes to college. He'll only be 45 minutes away from home, but it might as well be 1000 miles. I am dreading the day I have to take him up there, help him unpack, and then leave him there. In earlier posts, I have described our relationship. He is my buddy. He is my companion at basketball and college hockey games. He and I just got home from bowling in a league we've bowled in every summer for the past several years. He golfs with me, shoots hoops with me, and torments me every chance he gets. We just got back from 4 days together in Crested Butte, this year's summer vacation. Because I believed what I read and heard, taking him to college is going to be very difficult.

On July 3rd, I traveled to Boulder Colorado. My daughter Lauren graduated from the University of Colorado in May. She continued to live in Boulder this summer. She is one of those fortunate college graduates who actually got a job immediately after graduation. She got her dream job. Lauren is a talented writer with a degree in Journalism. Check out her blog at http://theoffbeatreport.com/wordpress/. Lauren was the Editor-in-Chief of the CU online newspaper and spends her days on the internet, blogging, tweeting, Facebook status updating, etc. etc. Lauren got her dream job at Context Optional http://www.contextoptional.com where she is required to work on websites, tweet, blog, and do all the things she loves doing, for a salary. Context Optional is located in San Francisco, coincidentally, the city Lauren dreamed of living in. So on July 3rd, I was traveling to Boulder to rent a Penske truck, load it up with all Lauren's belongings, and drive her out to San Francisco to live and work 1268 miles away.

And because I believed all the things I read and heard, this trip was one of the most difficult things I have ever done. The thought of her being 1268 miles away.... The thought of her meeting a boy, getting married and my grandchildren living 1268 miles away.... The fact that we are so close and her being 1268 miles away... This was a very hard drive. I think this was so hard because I believed what I read and heard. We left from Boulder on Friday and I flew home the following Wednesday. Its taken me since then to even be able to start writing about it. In future posts I'll share some thoughts, some photos, and the story of our journey to San Francisco. Stay tuned.

Taking care of ourselves is a novel concept

2009-06-25T15:26:00.004-06:00

I have written before about life balance. This is a topic of great interest to me. A topic I am continually trying to get my head around. I look around me and see my friends and colleagues running around like chickens with their heads cut off. I see them taking work home at night and over the weekend. I see them continually updating the never ending "Task List." And I see them never taking any time for themselves. Some have developed health issues. Some have put on weight or find that they are ill all the time.

The one thing all these people have in common is that feeling that if they are behind at work,they need to focus on that and work even harder. They figure that if they get their act together at the office, they will be able to go to their boss and ask for some time off to focus on their life balance goals.

Seems to me we have it all wrong. Seems to me we have it backwards. Seems to me that in this situation the first thing we give up, the first thing we sacrifice is our personal life, our personal well-being. Seems to me that when we sacrifice our personal well-being we actually make it harder to succeed in our work. Personally, I find that I am more productive on the days I get to exercise. I am more productive on the days following a good night's sleep. I am more productive when I am happy and just spent the evening with my family at the movies or bowling.

Seems to me if you are feeling stressed at work, tired, unhappy, lacking energy, you ought to take a step back from work and focus on yourself. Even if all you do is catch up on your sleep for one night, it's going to help. Darren Rowse is a blogger I have a lot of respect for. Check out his Activity/Rest Matrix to get another look at what I'm writing about here http://bit.ly/gH0T3

Most of us think if we take that step back and divert our focus from work to ourselves, our job will be in jeopardy. I believe it is really quite the opposite. Taking that step back and focusing on balancing your life, feeling better, increasing your stamina, putting a smile back on your face, will increase your performance on the job and make you happier in all aspects of your life.

Top 10 things a Realtor should do on Twitter

2009-06-16T21:46:00.006-06:00

Here's an article written by my daughter Lauren Friedman that I found particularly interesting and wanted to share. Follow her on Twitter @Lauren_Hannah.

Twitter is becoming an essential tool used to market a business. Essentially, Twitter is a very concise blogging tool. Originally, Twitter was used by people to let their friends know what they were doing in quick, short updates. Now, it has evolved into a huge marketing tool where people and companies can easily market their services for free.

Today’s buyers and sellers have changed the way they locate, then contact real estate agents. Additionally, as information has become plentiful as so easily obtained, buyers and sellers are in need of easy ways to access the information they need to make intelligent decisions. By using Twitter, you can have all this information projected to thousands of people instantly, with your specific brand attached.

Here are the first ten things you should do to use Twitter to your advantage:

1.Complete your Account Information carefully. Choose an appropriate username, preferably your first and last name if it is available. In this industry, credibility is crucial and your username is the first thing people see. You only have one chance to make a first impression. Next, use the “More Info URL.” Here, you should direct Twitter Followers to your company’s website. Finally, and most importantly, fill out your “One Line Bio.” This is a quick, concise way to introduce yourself to your followers. Choose this description wisely. Include real estate, but also include something personal about yourself. For example, your bio could read, “Realtor in the Bay Area, avid golfer, mother of four, and one-time tri-athlete.” This way people can relate to you on different levels.

2.Choose a background and a picture. I know these seem like unimportant, meaningless tasks, but in this day and age, people are visual learners. If you have a boring brown background, we will associate that with you. I would suggest putting an actual picture of yourself as your picture, and choosing your logo as your background. It’s important to create a brand for yourself and use that same brand throughout all aspects of marketing and social media.

3.Follow local people or people in the area where you’re selling real estate. It’s important to know your audience and build a name and a reputation in your area. That way, you’re more likely to generate a local buzz and get people talking about you.

4.Use the auto-follow tool on a third party Web site (such as TweetLater and Hootsuite .This means when someone follows you, you automatically follow them back and send them a Direct Message giving them a call to action like “Thank you for following! For more information, visit my website at….” This way, you’re instantly getting in touch with everyone that reaches out to you.

5.Tell your followers to keep you on their “Device Updates.” This way, when you tweet an opportunity, they receive it directly to their cell phone. Text message updates are all about speed and personal contact. When a follower/potential client gets a text message it feels more personal than email which can easily get ignored or instantly deleted.

6.If you are a buyer’s agent and you have a list of buyers, direct them to follow you on Twitter. When a new property becomes available that matches their needs, you can update them from Twitter. And, if they have kept you on their device updates, then you are sending an opportunity to all of your followers directly via text message!

7.Use Twitpics When people are looking to buy a home, they want to see pictures. Sending an e-mail indicating the house has a brand new, updated kitchen with granite counter tops isn’t enough anymore. Show them the luxurious granite counter tops and how great they look with the new stainless steel appliances. And, if you download an application to your phone (like TwitterFon for the iPhone or TwitterBerry for the Blackberry) you can upload photos to your Twitter updates straight from your cell phone!

8.If you haven’t already, start a blog. A blog is a way to put a personal spin on what you’re trying to sell. Also, you can showcase your in-depth knowledge and expertise through your blog and then you can use Twitter to drive people to visit your blog. Put a “follow me on Twitter” badge from a site like TwitterButtons on your blog and you can drive traffic both ways. By doing this, you become credible and potential clients can obtain their information and make a judgment faster.

9.Update wisely. It’s important to keep your updates personal yet professional. No one cares what you had for dinner. Your followers want to read tweets that show you are an expert in your field. Tell them what you specialize in. Demonstrate your knowledge in your tweets and provide links to intelligent sources/articles/websites etc. that support your premise. Establish yourself as an expert in your area.

10.The last tip may be the most important – DO NOT HARD SELL. That is a surefire way to get blocked and destroy the relationships you have been building with your community. Market yourself, but don’t sell yourself too much. Don’t overload people with many tweets all at once – spread them out and you will reach a wider audience and persuade more people to trust and use you to represent them!

The fast-paced world of real estate is changing, and especially in today's down market, you must aggressively change along with it. Twitter is a great marketing tool to have as a piece of your total marketing plan because it enables you to easily reach a large audience, establish your credibility and showcase your expertise. There are millions of people on Twitter. Many of them are trying to buy or sell real estate. Tweet, and show them you are the person they want to represent them in their next transaction.

What makes work work?

2009-06-10T20:59:00.006-06:00

The economic climate right now is terrible. There are signs of improvement, but I'm one who thinks we are quite a ways off from a full recovery. Its tough to succeed in today's climate regardless of what you do. Technology seems to be changing every day and if you don't keep up, you are behind. Everyone is moving at the speed of light and if you don't keep up you are behind. In the past year my office has cut about 30% of our staff and other businesses are becoming leaner and meaner to survive in this competitive marketplace. When you cut staff, the work doesn't go away, those who remain in the company must pick it up. Some people in my office are now performing tasks they weren't hired to perform but they are doing what needs to be done. Long days are taking people away from their families, their hobbies, their exercise routines, and their free time.

So, in today's climate, what is it that makes work work for you. For me, I've always felt that I need to be in an environment where I like the people I am working with and for. I like to feel needed and appreciated. Most of all, I am a fan of having "Life Balance." This means something different to everyone. To me, it means finishing my day with the feeling that I accomplished something significant. I've returned all my phone messages. I've reviewed my schedule for tomorrow and feel confident that I am ready for the day. I am going to be able to start my day tomorrow with some form of exercise. I am leaving my office at a time that allows me to have dinner with my family and still have some time to spend with my kids.

Are you wondering if this is really possible? Of course it is. Is it easy to achieve? Yes and no. Can everyone do it? Absolutely. How? Well, much of this blog is dedicated to tips and tricks that will enable you to achieve the Life Balance you are seeking. There are many other blogs out there to help too. For example, take a look at ceo blog - time leadership written by Jim Estill www.jimstill.com. Jim has some excellent thoughts about time management and other things too. The resources are all around us. We also have many of the answers inside us.

What I really want to know is what type of information can I provide to help you? When I first started writing this blog my hope was it would become an interactive forum where people all over the world shared their thoughts, tips and experiences. I haven't accomplished that yet. Can you help me? Can you leave a comment, ask a question, tell your friends to do the same? I'm going to keep writing, posting tips I think you will find helpful, but a little feedback would be nice. Let's conquer this together. Leave a comment. Tell your friends to visit this blog and leave a comment. Let's work together to get through this crazy thing called work and come out on the other side a better person.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Take Time To Reflect On Your Habits

2009-06-03T21:18:00.003-06:00

Seems to me that most of what I did today is pretty much the same as yesterday. Which would me that what I do tomorrow will be the same as today, and so on and so forth. I think that's because most of what we do is the result of habits we have formed. Don't you have the same routine every morning? Do you brush your teeth at the same time, eat the same breakfast, read the morning paper? All this is because, like me, you've formed habits.

Its a little scary to think that your future is going to be determined by what it is that you do today. For example, your habit or lack of habit to save money today will effect your retirement. The problem is that we don't usually set out to form these habits, they develop when we are young, or we pick them up from our friends, family, classmates, etc.

If you are trying to take control of your day and manage your time better, chances are you will fail unless you take a close look at your habits and determine whether they are good habits or bad ones. Get rid of your unproductive habits and focus on your productive ones. Develop new habits to get organized and you'll find your day runs more smoothly and you, all of the sudden, feel like you have more time to do the things you really enjoy.

Last year, I decided it was time to lose some weight. I've written about this before so I won't spend time re-hashing the details. In any event, I did manage to lose some weight and, so far, with daily thought, I've managed to keep that weight off. Much of the reason for my success was that I changed my habits. Years and years went into forming those habits, and it wasn't easy to change them, but I did. And today I am much happier.

The same goes for the "Time Management" habits you have spent years forming. To take control of your day let me suggest that you first need to take a close look at what it actually is that you do during any given day. I've created a form I call "Work On What Counts." You can do the same with any spreadsheet program you use, like Microsoft Excel for example. My form has a column for the time, and a column for a description, and a column for how long. Once or twice a year I fill out the form from the moment I wake up until the moment I go to sleep. I do this for a full week and then analyze it.

If you are meticulous and include absolutely everything you will really be able to see how you spend your time. You will see the time you waste chatting with colleagues. You will see the time you waste interrupting your work on a project to reply to an e-mail or answer the phone. You will see that a two hour lunch is detrimental to you getting home to be with your family for dinner. You will see when you are most productive, when you are hungry, when you go to the bathroom, when you sleep, and when you are unproductive. You will see what habits you have formed and what habits are causing you to waste time during your day. From there, all you need to do is decide to change the habits that are inhibiting your success and form new habits that will make you more productive, happy, healthy, or whatever you need to do to accomplish a particular goal.

It won't be easy to change those habits, but knowing that you have them in the first place is a great first step. From there, resolve to change those habits. Focus on them for a month and I guarantee you'll see progress. Before you know it you'll have developed new habits and you will be on your way to accomplishing the goals you have set for yourself.

Try this for one week and then let me know what you learned about yourself. You won't regret it!

Time Goes On - Another Graduation

2009-05-20T22:02:00.007-06:00

Just two weeks after my daughter graduated from college, my son, Brandon, will graduate from high school tomorrow. It's hard to believe he will be 18 in July and a freshman in college in August. The thought of being an empty nester is a little scary. I have been very fortunate to have a close relationship with both my kids. With Brandon going off to school, no one will be around to punch me in the arm, tickle me, blow on the back of my neck, wrestle with me, bowl with me, shoot hoops in the driveway, travel to Colorado College hockey games, and go to Nuggets and Avalanche games with me.

The time has certainly flown by. No longer am I looking at a curly-haired chubby faced little boy. Today Brandon towers over me and is built like a beast. Though the cuddling days are long gone I am fortunate to get a good hug every now and then. Not the most open about what's going on in his life, Brandon does occasionally share some personal information, and in time, I'm certain he will realize I can be a resource to him. In this respect he and his sister are total opposites. Lauren is "My life is an open book" whereas Brandon is "My life is a sealed vault." They tell me that is one of the differences between boys and girls. All this time I thought the only differences were anatomical.

I am so excited for Brandon. Yes, the tears I have been shedding for the past several months are tears of happiness. My four years at Colorado College were four of the best years of my life. I am so hopeful that Brandon is about to embark on four of the best years of his life. This is a kid with great potential. Brandon is fortunate to have been blessed with the ability to work with numbers. He is entering the business school at Colorado University, something few Freshmen are able to do. He is going to explore a degree in accounting and is then likely to graduate and go into some sort of business. These are his plans, at least as of today. What I know for sure is that whatever he decides to do he will be a huge success. Brandon is a good kid. He has a big heart. He cares for other people even though he's far to cool to admit it. He is very conscientious at his job. He is a fine young man, and I am very proud of him.

As I think about the graduation ceremony and Brandon's future, I can't help but think about the song written by Cat Stevens (now known as Yusuf Islam) called Father and Son. This is the message I would like to send to Brandon:

Go to College, take advantage of this time
Just relax, take it easy
Don't put too much pressure on yourself
You're still young, that's your fault
There's so much you have to know
Make some friends
Go to parties
Study hard and get good grades
Meet a girl
Open up
Share something about your life
There's so much you have to go through
I know it's hard, but remember
I was once like you are now
And I know that it's not easy
To be calm when you've found
Something going on
But take your time, think a lot
Well think of everything you've got
For you will still be here tomorrow
But your dreams may not
And no matter what you may do
Always remember that I love you

Time and Another Milestone

2009-05-07T10:08:00.013-06:00

I know a girl
She puts the color inside of my world
She's just like a maze
Where all of the walls continually change
I've done all I can. I’ve done the best I can.
Now it’s up to her – (John Mayer wrote some of this!)

My daughter Lauren graduates from college today. Her degree comes from the journalism school. From the time she could write, she’s pretty much done nothing but write. Filling journal after journal with messages of hope, life, love, despair, boys, girls, and, of course, fashion. Lauren is famous for her two-page notes on Birthday cards, and her “My life is an open book, read my Blog,” attitude.

On the occasion of her graduation from College, it occurred to me I ought to write her something. And it ought to be lengthy. After all, I’ve also taught her “What goes around comes around.”

Lauren is my oldest child, so she is the first to graduate from college. The first to officially “leave the nest.” The first to “spread her wings and fly.” The first to…… How corny all this stuff sounds now. What I really want to do is take some time to express some of the feelings I have on this auspicious occasion. Maybe this post is really for me. As I start to type it feels a bit cathartic.

To my core, I believe the words sung by Whitney Houston and others reminding us "the children are our future teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they posses inside. Give them a sense of pride to make it easier." I've tried to do this. This is a message I have given to Lauren all her life. I told her "never to walk in anyone's shadow. If she fails, if she succeeds, at least she'll live as she believed." I've told her "no matter what the world may take from her it can't take away her dignity." most importantly I told her to learn to love herself as that's the greatest love of all. To be perfectly honest, from a fatherly non-biased objective point of view,I’ve got to say this: She listened to what I said, even if I said it many many times, and she became exactly the young woman I knew she could become. My pride for her today, and always, is balanced by my tremendous love for her, and my awe and respect for the young woman she has become.

As a young child I could tell what kind of person Lauren would become. When she reached the age of the “Allowance” we had a deal. She was given three envelopes. Envelope number one was for Lauren. Envelope number two was for savings. Envelope number three was for charity. Yes, we negotiated a bit over what percentage of her allowance would be placed in each envelope, but once it was decided, that was it. Then, each envelope had to be decorated with hearts and flowers, shapes and colors.

Every week the envelopes would come out and the allowance would be divided up into each of the three envelopes. Every couple of months we would take a trip to the bank to make a deposit. A couple times a year, we would sit down and I’d ask where her charity money would go. She gave money to the summer camp she attended and to the Dumb Friends League. But I’ll never forget the day when she said she wanted to send $125 to an organization she had learned of that helped women who had been in abusive relationships. And, I’ll never forget the day she called to tell me the president of the organization called to thank her. She couldn’t have been happier to have helped someone else.

Then there was the time, and this was recently, she gave money to an organization and then asked them if she could volunteer some of her precious time working at their office. She used the Spanish she had studied for eight years, to help others and to help the charity be more effective with its clientele. She had become the person I knew she would become. Charity, in its truest sense, had become a part of her life and that made me very proud.

I grew up with a brother. As Lauren entered her teenage years I heard on many an occasion, from many different people, that I had no idea what was about to happen. “You are not prepared for the transformation about to occur,” they would say. Everyone also told me in the end, on the other side of it all; she would come out of “this” just like all the women before her. “Eventually,” they said, “She will return to this planet.”

Those years were exactly as I expected them to be. During her middle school years Lauren dealt with the competitive girl friend situations I expected and the boyfriend issues too. She was as fickle as they come. There was a different boy every couple weeks or sometimes every couple months. Every single one of them was the one “who treated me better than anyone else ever did.” At least for that week or two. She dealt with most of the teenage anxiety with grace, and lots of tears, always living up to her title “The Drama Queen.”

In high school, the girl friend issues subsided a bit, but the boyfriend issues magnified, just as I expected. In high school though, the young woman I knew was inside her began to emerge. Lauren began to develop her work ethic. When she got her first job, she threw herself into it. She was the model employee. She was dedicated, and she truly loved what she did. When I watched her work birthday parties at Chuck E Cheese’s I marveled at her poise as well as her ability to handle the noise, the music, and the chaos around her. She was so successful at her next job; they transferred her to a restaurant near her college so they wouldn’t lose her. Everywhere she worked, she left her mark, and it was a mark others were compelled to live up to.

While juggling the complexities of being a teenager, and holding down a job, Lauren also developed her heart. Whether it was doing something for someone else, or just hanging with her family, Lauren constantly showed what a loving person and daughter she had become. She always made time for me. There was always time to share with me what was going on in her life. She easily shared the “dramas” she was dealing with, as well as the happy times. People always told me how lucky I was to have such a close loving relationship with Lauren. From our annual fishing trips, to our shopping for bras, to our walk through the condom aisle in Walgreen's before she went off to college, she always made time for me and made me feel like I had a special place in her life. I will always treasure those times. Especially the talks at night while cuddling on her bed, and the fishing trips where we would have three or four days to ourselves and she would always, and I mean always, catch three or four times the number of fish I would catch. She was, and is, a natural when it comes to fly fishing.

Now we are at another milestone in her life. I milestone I haven’t stopped crying about for about the last three months. Maybe longer. Now it’s time to see what’s next. Where will she go from here? What will she do? The only thing I know for sure is that she will be fine. She will be a success at whatever she does. She will be confident in herself and her abilities. She will continue to love herself and the people around her. She will be LAUREN, and that’s all I ever wanted for her.

While I have the floor, and even though it is redundant, I want to tell her the following:

Keep on sending Tweets, writing your blog, keeping your journals. You have an incredible talent that is sure to take you places neither of us have ever dreamed of.

Today you will graduate from college and a part of your life will be over. Up until now, I have guided you and protected you. I held your hand while you learned to walk and jogged beside you when you learned to ride a bike. I watched while you test your wings with a car of your own and a job. As you step out into the world, there are things I’m sure I have told you more than once, but I wouldn’t be doing my fatherly duty if I didn’t tell you again. Follow your dreams, especially now while you are young and you can. Life has a tendency to get in the way of our dreams so you need to take advantage of every moment.

Always pay yourself first. Put as much money into savings as you can and leave it there until you have enough to live on for 6 months or so. You will never be sorry Thank your grandmother for starting your retirement fund early, and don’t touch it except to add to it. If you go to work for a company that matches your contributions, take advantage of it, even if your paycheck seems smaller.

Be wary of credit cards. They are too easy to get and too hard to pay off. If you have to buy it on credit, you probably can’t afford it anyway and most likely don’t need it. If you use credit cards regularly, you will pay many times for the same item. Save buying on credit for two major purchases, a car and a house.

Invest your money in things you understand, not things people tell you to invest in. If you don’t understand it, then either educate yourself or find something you do understand. This understanding will help you decide when to invest, when to hold and when to sell.

Find a job doing something you love to do. You spend most of your life at work; it helps to enjoy what you are doing. While making a lot of money is great, doing something you enjoy and are good at will bring you more satisfaction in the long run so try to find a balance between being a starving writer and an overstressed CEO.

Keep an emergency savings account. In a perfect world, this would be enough to support you for 6 months but it can be as little as the $1000 I’ve asked you to keep on hand for the past several years. The emergency fund’s purpose is to pay for emergencies. I know you are saying “duh, Dad” but you have to understand an emergency is not the concert tickets you can get at the last minute or for those cute shoes you just have to have to go with your new dress. It is for things like when the car breaks down and you can’t get to work without it.

When you find that special person, make sure they are someone who will support and respect you. Hopefully, you will find someone with similar goals to yours, both financial and life goals. While love is grand, if the support, respect and common goals aren’t there, love loses out at worst, and at best your life will be a struggle.

Whatever you do, do it with all your heart. You are smart enough to do anything you want to do; you just have to make up your mind you are going to do it. Don’t let anyone beat you down. Don’t settle for second best, you deserve the best of the best. And remember always that I love you and you always have a place to come home to.

Like I said, all this is redundant. It’s the same stuff I’ve been saying since she was old enough to understand.

I find it amusing that a graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that "individuality" is the key to success. This is a lesson Lauren has learned well. There is a good reason they call these ceremonies "commencement exercises." Graduation is not the end; it's the beginning. I think she knows this to, though it all seems a bit scary right now. Most importantly, as I found out just in the last week, Lauren is aware her family is extremely proud of her. She understands the sense of relief we are experiencing, and now is an opportune time to ask for money.

Okay, so there’s the attempt at humor to mask my true feelings and the tears that don’t seem to be subsiding. Really, all I need to say to Lauren is “I LOVE YOU, and I’m so very PROUD of you.” But I say this to her all the time and saying it isn’t nearly as cathartic as writing all this was.