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ryannamba.com http://ryannamba.com Seeking magic in the mundane. posterous.com ryannambahttp://feedburner.google.comSubscribe with My Yahoo!Subscribe with GoogleSubscribe with PlusmoSubscribe with The Free DictionarySubscribe with Bitty BrowserSubscribe with Live.comSubscribe with Excite MIXSubscribe with WebwagSubscribe with Podcast ReadySubscribe with WikioSubscribe with Daily RotationThanks for subscribing! I'd love to hear what you think. Ping me @ryannamba on Twitter! Mon, 20 Feb 2012 23:46:00 -0800 Projecting or reflecting? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/fbpwGxC7r8k/projecting-or-reflecting http://ryannamba.com/projecting-or-reflecting <p> <p> <p class="p1">Not for the first time, I find myself questioning the value of always-on connectivity and always-present digital devices. They're wonderful in many ways, but carry heavy costs. Phones out during meals and meetings; at hand in bed and in bathroom (seriously, why talk/text/tweet while otherwise "occupied"?).</p> <p class="p2">We preserve moments for the future with Instagrams and posts and tweets, but we sacrifice something of the present to do so. We devote so much energy to projecting ourselves on the world, when we could instead be reflecting on our place in it.</p> <p class="p2">Of course, it isn't simply all-or-nothing, one or the other. Still, I suspect our time might be better spent focusing on the latter. </p> </p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/projecting-or-reflecting">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/projecting-or-reflecting#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=fbpwGxC7r8k:snfjwazfirw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=fbpwGxC7r8k:snfjwazfirw:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=fbpwGxC7r8k:snfjwazfirw:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=fbpwGxC7r8k:snfjwazfirw:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/fbpwGxC7r8k" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/projecting-or-reflecting Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:47:00 -0800 The writer's responsibility. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/kRbi7zFbJ2Q/the-writers-responsibility http://ryannamba.com/the-writers-responsibility <p> <p>It seems to me that writers are nothing less than the custodians and curators of memory.</p> <p>For writing is how we preserve the past, but also how we present it anew; how we document what happened, but also how we come to understand what came before.</p> <p>Someone told me once that when you speak, your words echo through a room; when you write, your words echo through the ages.</p> <p>What a wonderful and terrible responsibility.</p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/the-writers-responsibility">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/the-writers-responsibility#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=kRbi7zFbJ2Q:hDV-grgX-lE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=kRbi7zFbJ2Q:hDV-grgX-lE:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=kRbi7zFbJ2Q:hDV-grgX-lE:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=kRbi7zFbJ2Q:hDV-grgX-lE:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/kRbi7zFbJ2Q" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/the-writers-responsibility Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:06:00 -0800 Raising food literacy: "The Bite is Right"? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/QJyfEz_H7xU/raising-food-literacy-the-bite-is-right http://ryannamba.com/raising-food-literacy-the-bite-is-right <p> <p>I happened to turn on the TV the other day and catch part of an episode of "The Price is Right." I didn't realize the show was still on the air, so that was a bit of a surprise, but it got me thinking.</p> <p>Success on the show depends in large part on a contestant's familiarity with consumer product pricing. Basically, consumer literacy. But outside of the game, how useful is that ability -- especially in a country that could stand to do a bit more saving and a bit less consuming?</p> <p>At the same time, we're plagued with rising levels of obesity and diet-influenced chronic diseases. Not to mention massive health care spending, without commensurate wellness outcomes.</p> <p>So why not try upping food literacy instead? Show contestants a Big Mac (or hell, something even more basic like a bagel), then have them "guess" calorie count, or grams of fat/protein/carbs/sugar. </p> <p>I'm not sure if something like this already exists, but I do know this: I'd suck pretty hard at this game -- and I work in a health-related field, too! (Not to mention having been a faithful, daily consumer of food products for the past few decades.)</p> <p>What do you think? How would you do?</p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/raising-food-literacy-the-bite-is-right">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/raising-food-literacy-the-bite-is-right#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=QJyfEz_H7xU:uwTN34EZh9U:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=QJyfEz_H7xU:uwTN34EZh9U:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=QJyfEz_H7xU:uwTN34EZh9U:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=QJyfEz_H7xU:uwTN34EZh9U:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/QJyfEz_H7xU" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/raising-food-literacy-the-bite-is-right Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:38:00 -0800 Returning home. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/-G3E3bzjZnM/returning-home http://ryannamba.com/returning-home <p> <p>While in LA, <a href="http://www.kellimiura.com">Kel</a> and I went to see a show at the <a href="http://www.griffithobs.org/">Griffith Observatory's</a> planetarium. It chronicled the evolution of theories of the universe's structure, from Earth-as-everything-there-is to Earth-as-center-of-all to our planet's modern, Sagan-esque <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale_Blue_Dot_(book)">"pale blue dot"</a> status.</p> <p>A line in the show's script marveled at the fact that we are all made of stardust. Because of this, it proposed, when we visit space -- whether in person or in our minds' flights of fantasy -- what we are really doing is returning home.</p> <p>What a beautiful thought!</p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/returning-home">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/returning-home#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=-G3E3bzjZnM:lWKfRosCiRI:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=-G3E3bzjZnM:lWKfRosCiRI:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=-G3E3bzjZnM:lWKfRosCiRI:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=-G3E3bzjZnM:lWKfRosCiRI:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/-G3E3bzjZnM" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/returning-home Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:43:00 -0800 Giving up the "pursuit of happiness" http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/L2JFc_1vtGA/giving-up-the-pursuit-of-happiness http://ryannamba.com/giving-up-the-pursuit-of-happiness <p> <p>It's taken me years to realize that I have this "pursuit of happiness" thing backwards. In fact, I suspect happiness isn't something you can "pursue" at all.</p> <p>We spend much of our lives chasing after it. We work long hours and sacrifice countless moments with family, friends, and who knows what else. We tell ourselves that it's worth it, that we will enjoy the fruits of our labor down the road. We overload the present with stress in service of some fuzzy concept of future satisfaction. We convince ourselves that "paying dues" now will pay off later.</p> <p>That one day we'll have the time to enjoy it all -- and <strong>then</strong>, we will be happy.</p> <p><em>(The idea that we'll somehow have more time in the future is wrong, of course. It is widely held, and perhaps seems more credible for being commonplace, but is incorrect nonetheless. The 24 hours we have today -- and had yesterday, and will have tomorrow -- are all we get.)</em></p> <p>I suspect that happiness is to be found not by pursing some vague future but by sitting still and finding contentment in the present. In a sense, I suppose it's less about chasing happiness than letting it catch up. To see joy in today instead of racing towards tomorrow.</p> <p>Paraphrasing Viktor Frankl: Happiness is something that ensues, rather than something to pursue.</p> <p>Happiness happens, when we let it.</p> <p> </p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/giving-up-the-pursuit-of-happiness">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/giving-up-the-pursuit-of-happiness#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=L2JFc_1vtGA:MgNrG3EjStY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=L2JFc_1vtGA:MgNrG3EjStY:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=L2JFc_1vtGA:MgNrG3EjStY:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=L2JFc_1vtGA:MgNrG3EjStY:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/L2JFc_1vtGA" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/giving-up-the-pursuit-of-happiness Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:45:00 -0800 Flowery rhetoric vs. plain speech. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/QmGgfyOAxoU/flowery-rhetoric-vs-plain-speech http://ryannamba.com/flowery-rhetoric-vs-plain-speech <p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;"><em>"Anybody can make the simple complicated. Creativity is making the complicated simple." - Charles Mingus</em></p> <p>It occurred to me recently: Somewhere along the way, I've started acting as if complexity conveys cleverness -- that is, the longer and more jargon- and acronym-filled my words, the smarter I must be.</p> <p>That isn't true, of course. Even worse, it misses the point of communicating. No longer am I helping to make meaning for the listener; instead, I'm just trying to make myself look good.</p> <p>Clarity is a virtue. Simplicity and brevity, too, if they get the point across. If my purpose is to inform and not to impress, then flowery rhetoric should take backseat to plain speech.</p> <p>It makes sense. Now, if only my ego would agree...</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;"><em>"There is always a way -- if I'm as much of an expert as I think I am -- to forge a path for anyone to follow into a subject or skill. If I can't make that path, I don't understand my topic as much as my ego thinks I do." - Scott Berkun, </em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1449301959/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=ryannambacom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1449301959">Confessions of a Public Speaker</a></p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/flowery-rhetoric-vs-plain-speech">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/flowery-rhetoric-vs-plain-speech#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=QmGgfyOAxoU:ldppV_AsfNU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=QmGgfyOAxoU:ldppV_AsfNU:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=QmGgfyOAxoU:ldppV_AsfNU:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=QmGgfyOAxoU:ldppV_AsfNU:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/QmGgfyOAxoU" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/flowery-rhetoric-vs-plain-speech Fri, 30 Dec 2011 13:31:00 -0800 Gift-giving and deadweight loss. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/UAkcSJWAwDU/gift-giving-and-deadweight-loss http://ryannamba.com/gift-giving-and-deadweight-loss <p> <p><em>I got a question from someone the other day asking for a summary of the <a href="http://ryannamba.com/pages/ryan-likes-this">link</a> I posted to <a href="https://www.amherst.edu/media/view/104699/original/christmas.pdf">Waldfogel's paper on deadweight loss and the holidays (PDF)</a>. If you haven't read the paper, it's well worth your time; if you're looking for the somewhat simpler, more <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=tl%3Bdr">TLDR</a>-er version, though, here you go.</em></p> <hr /> <p>Most of the time, you know what you want better than I do. Assuming that's the case, you'd get more value from my giving you a $20 bill (which you could spend however you like) than from a $20-priced t-shirt that I thought was funny, but which you value at far less than $20. That mismatch-y difference is what economists refer to as <strong>deadweight loss</strong>. </p> <p>There is a situation where this doesn't apply, though.</p> <p>Consider a gift that falls outside your realm of knowledge -- say, a book or album from an author or band you've never heard of, or a meal at a restaurant you've never been to. You wouldn't have thought to spend that $20 bill on those things because you weren't aware of them; what's more, they might introduce you to a new genre/cuisine that you love, opening up future experiences worth far more than the gift's initial $20 sticker price.</p> <p>In other words, you know what you like and dislike, but there are plenty of things you haven't yet discovered (what economists refer to as <strong>imperfect information</strong>). Of course, a gift that falls into that undiscovered space is a bit of a gamble -- will it be something you love, or next year's white elephant candidate?</p> <p>The moral of the story: From an efficiency perspective, cash is king unless you can deliver that eye-opener of a gift. So be bold! (Or find a nice card to class up that Jackson.)</p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/gift-giving-and-deadweight-loss">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/gift-giving-and-deadweight-loss#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=UAkcSJWAwDU:KqLLjQIfwkg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=UAkcSJWAwDU:KqLLjQIfwkg:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=UAkcSJWAwDU:KqLLjQIfwkg:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=UAkcSJWAwDU:KqLLjQIfwkg:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/UAkcSJWAwDU" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/gift-giving-and-deadweight-loss Wed, 28 Dec 2011 12:47:00 -0800 Life: A three-act play. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/3oijWRJNAsY/life-a-three-act-play http://ryannamba.com/life-a-three-act-play <p> <p>My dad used to tell us that a life well-lived is divided into three acts, casting us progressively into the roles of <strong>student</strong>, <strong>doer</strong>, and <strong>teacher</strong>. We receive the knowledge of past generations, refract and refine it through our own experiences, then pass it on to the next generation, combined with our own insights.</p> <p>In essence: We <strong>learn</strong>, <strong>live</strong>, and then <strong>leave </strong>whatever wisdom we have to those who come after.</p> <p>Every year I give some thought to where I fall in those three acts. They aren't mutually exclusive roles, of course; this year, however, I'd cast myself almost entirely as the second (doer). I don't feel like I'm actively learning much, so I'm a little deficient there. And while I do miss the preaching-and-teaching elements of pastoral work sometimes, I was never very comfortable in the teacher role. So right now, I'm not doing much there.</p> <p>In the coming year, I'd like to refocus on the learning side of things. A bit of envy over my dad's March trip to Peru has rekindled my interest in languages, so I'll be dusting off my Spanish again (courtesy of <a href="http://www.mangolanguages.com/store/passport-spanish/">Mango</a>, my Christmas present from Kelli). And I'm hoping Kel's interest in school will prove contagious.</p> <p>So: Learning, living, leaving. Where are you at?</p> <p> </p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/life-a-three-act-play">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/life-a-three-act-play#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=3oijWRJNAsY:RUwdEh_6we4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=3oijWRJNAsY:RUwdEh_6we4:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=3oijWRJNAsY:RUwdEh_6we4:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=3oijWRJNAsY:RUwdEh_6we4:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/3oijWRJNAsY" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/life-a-three-act-play Sun, 25 Dec 2011 02:11:00 -0800 A paper-plane Christmas. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/a1mGBkcNtbQ/a-paper-plane-christmas http://ryannamba.com/a-paper-plane-christmas <p> <p>Earlier today, I made a paper airplane for the first time in probably 10+ years. It was at the request of Kelli's little cousin, who then spent a good chunk of the day hurling it around our living room. It reminded me of fun times spent doing exactly the same thing when I was a kid.</p> <p>As we get ready to unwrap those Christmas presents, I thought this was a nice reminder that gifts need not be shiny, expensive, or even properly aerodynamic (I'm a bit out of practice) to delight and uplift. Even a simple sheet of paper can do the trick, with a bit of TLC.</p> <p>Happy holidays to you and yours! May your Christmas be filled with good food and great fellowship -- and a paper airplane or two of your own.</p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/a-paper-plane-christmas">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/a-paper-plane-christmas#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=a1mGBkcNtbQ:jcGh6NG6T7E:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=a1mGBkcNtbQ:jcGh6NG6T7E:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=a1mGBkcNtbQ:jcGh6NG6T7E:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=a1mGBkcNtbQ:jcGh6NG6T7E:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/a1mGBkcNtbQ" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/a-paper-plane-christmas Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:43:00 -0800 Holding the horses. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/c6HOSSWg9cQ/holding-the-horses http://ryannamba.com/holding-the-horses <p> <p><em>I rather like this story, which I saw quoted in a <a href="http://www.kanuhawaii.org/story/?id=126758110115539">Kanu Hawaii journal</a>. It's worth considering: Where are we holding horses of our own? Where do yesterday's habits no longer fit today's demands?</em></p> <hr /> <p>As World War II approached, the British spent a lot of time on their coastal defenses under the certainty that the Germans would invade England by sea.</p> <p>One of the things they focused on was the way the artillery units operated -- how quickly they could be loaded, fired, reloaded and re-fired. They engaged time-and-motion and efficiency experts, they filmed the crews, and then in slow motion went over every movement of the crews and interviewed the crews at length to see what they could do to speed up the process and get more shells fired.</p> <p>One thing that they were struggling with was that just before the artillery piece was fired, two members of the crew would step a few feet away and stand at attention. Most of the speculation was that they were there for insurance -- that if the equipment blew up, there would be someone to help. But no one was sure.</p> <p>Finally, they asked the oldest veteran they could find what he thought. As he watched the film, he started laughing and said, "They're holding the horses." </p> <p>In the old days, artillery was taken to the field by horse, and when the artillery fired, men needed to hold the horses so they wouldn't bolt.</p> <p>Over the years, the horses were gone, but the formation stayed.</p> <p> </p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/holding-the-horses">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/holding-the-horses#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=c6HOSSWg9cQ:y9Z1OiYUEJY:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=c6HOSSWg9cQ:y9Z1OiYUEJY:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=c6HOSSWg9cQ:y9Z1OiYUEJY:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=c6HOSSWg9cQ:y9Z1OiYUEJY:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/c6HOSSWg9cQ" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/holding-the-horses Mon, 19 Dec 2011 22:00:00 -0800 The best 2% investment I've ever made. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/CM6-z9R4W00/the-best-2-investment-ive-ever-made http://ryannamba.com/the-best-2-investment-ive-ever-made <p> <p>It's the single best thing you can do for your health. It takes just 30 minutes a day, leaving 23.5 hours for whatever else you'd like. And for a tiny investment -- <strong>just 2% of your time</strong> -- you'll enjoy real benefits.</p> <p>Take a look:</p> <p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/aUaInS6HIGo?wmode=transparent" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="417" width="500"></iframe></p> <p>I've seen this firsthand. Five years ago, I:</p> <ul> <li>Worked an office job;</li> <li>Spent way too much time in front of a computer; and </li> <li>Consumed far too much alcohol and caffeine. </li> </ul> <p>Today, I: </p> <ul> <li>Work an office job;</li> <li>Spend way too much time in front of a computer; and </li> <li>Still consume too much alcohol and caffeine.</li> </ul> <p>But despite that, my overall health is considerably better:</p> <ul> <li>My BMI and body fat percentage each dropped about 9 points, bringing me into the healthy range;</li> <li>My blood pressure went from pre-hypertensive down to normal, and my resting pulse dropped as well; and</li> <li>My total cholesterol dropped 40 points, even as my HDL went up 50. </li> </ul> <p>Those are substantial returns on a seriously small investment, due to exactly what the video talks about: <strong>Adding a little more movement to my day.</strong></p> <p>I take walking breaks during work. I take the stairs instead of the elevator, most of the time. And whenever feasible, I'll walk to get from Point A to Point B instead of driving. Nothing huge, really. No marathons or crazy diets; no major time commitment or financial expense.</p> <p>It is by far the best investment I've ever made -- and as a bonus, it's been good for my mental and emotional well-being in addition to my physical health.</p> <p>All in all, not a bad way to spend 2% of the day. And as anyone who works in health promotion (or change-making in general) can attest, this is the Holy Grail: a small, universally accessible, eminently doable shift in behavior that produces substantial results.</p> <p>If you're looking for a 2012 resolution, why not give this a shot?</p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/the-best-2-investment-ive-ever-made">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/the-best-2-investment-ive-ever-made#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=CM6-z9R4W00:lm8sa02TRV0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=CM6-z9R4W00:lm8sa02TRV0:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=CM6-z9R4W00:lm8sa02TRV0:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=CM6-z9R4W00:lm8sa02TRV0:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/CM6-z9R4W00" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/the-best-2-investment-ive-ever-made Sun, 18 Dec 2011 21:21:00 -0800 Why "I am here" http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/6CWHHb1F3jQ/why-i-am-here http://ryannamba.com/why-i-am-here <p> <p>Years ago, I had this pinned to my workspace wall as a reminder. I came across it again while cleaning and thought it was worth sharing.</p> <p>It's the speaker's (and teacher's) mantra, but good words to live by in general:</p> <blockquote class="posterous_short_quote"> <p><em>I am here to serve, not to show off.<br />I am here to inform, not to impress.<br />I am here to do good, not to look good.<br />I am here to make a difference, not a name.</em></p> </blockquote> <p>(via Sam Horn, <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/POP-Perfect-Tagline-Anything-ebook/dp/B000OCXFXS/">Pop!</a></em>)</p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/why-i-am-here">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/why-i-am-here#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=6CWHHb1F3jQ:U90mKNONCaU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=6CWHHb1F3jQ:U90mKNONCaU:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=6CWHHb1F3jQ:U90mKNONCaU:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=6CWHHb1F3jQ:U90mKNONCaU:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/6CWHHb1F3jQ" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/why-i-am-here Tue, 13 Dec 2011 01:04:00 -0800 To laugh often and much. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/5bPlM3YWs_E/to-laugh-often-and-much http://ryannamba.com/to-laugh-often-and-much <p> <p>A good chunk of my work responsibilities involve analysis and evaluation. If you believe the old adage that "you can't manage what you don't measure," you'll probably agree that identifying the right parameters and metrics are critical for overall success.</p> <p>This is as true for our personal lives as it is for enterprise-level initiatives. I was thinking about this earlier today as I read Clayton Christensen's 2010 HBR piece asking <a href="http://hbr.org/2010/07/how-will-you-measure-your-life/ar/1">"How Will You Measure Your Life?"</a>.</p> <p>Back when I was actively preaching, someone shared with me the following, often (perhaps <a href="http://www.transcendentalists.com/success.htm">erroneously</a>) attributed to Emerson. It is probably the best <strong>definition of success</strong> I've come across so far:</p> <blockquote class="posterous_medium_quote"> <p><em>To laugh often and much; <br />To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; <br />To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; <br />To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; <br />To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; <br />To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. <br />This is to have succeeded.</em></p> </blockquote> <p>It's as noteworthy for what it omits as what it actually contains: No mention of belongings (many or few), or trappings (fine or coarse). No mention of wealth or poverty, either -- only of people and planet.</p> <p>Just as self-worth is about more than net worth, success is cultivating people more than accumulating possessions. Owning more and nicer things lightens the wallet, not the heart (a lesson <a href="http://ryannamba.com/consumerism-the-kindle-fire-and-white-whales">I struggle with</a>).</p> <p><em>"To laugh often and much..."</em></p> <p>Not a bad way to measure a life, don't you think?</p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/to-laugh-often-and-much">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/to-laugh-often-and-much#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=5bPlM3YWs_E:x4-ghpGb4t0:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=5bPlM3YWs_E:x4-ghpGb4t0:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=5bPlM3YWs_E:x4-ghpGb4t0:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=5bPlM3YWs_E:x4-ghpGb4t0:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/5bPlM3YWs_E" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/to-laugh-often-and-much Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:17:00 -0800 Consumerism, the Kindle Fire, and white whales. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/2mVEYWXJuyk/consumerism-the-kindle-fire-and-white-whales http://ryannamba.com/consumerism-the-kindle-fire-and-white-whales <p> <p> <p>Lately I've been drooling over the Kindle Fire. This hasn't been helped by <a href="http://www.aaronnamba.com">my brother</a> getting one of his own.</p> <p>Now, I know that it would be a completely unnecessary, impractical purchase for me -- I already have an iPad -- but that hasn't stopped me from eyeing the product page at least daily. At $200, it certainly wouldn't break the bank, and I'm sure I could justify it as a late birthday/early Christmas present to myself.</p> <p>But here's the thing: It does me more good as a shiny, add-to-wishlist "white whale" -- something to chase, but never obtain. Put another way, it serves me better in principle than as possession.</p> <p>I have a weakness for tech toys -- and the moment I get one, I'll move on to drooling over something else. Given how quickly technology changes, there's always something to catch the eye.</p> <p>But as long as I have a focus for my little obsession -- like the Fire -- I'm all set. I'll happily read reviews, watch videos, and otherwise geek out over it. As long as I keep myself from hitting the "Buy It Now" button, it's harmless.</p> <p>Assuming that I'll never rid myself of wants completely, having white whales like the Fire -- <strong>especially</strong> the Fire, which I already know to be a bad fit for my use case -- helps keep me in check. As long as it occupies that spot on my wishlist, it staves off desire for other shinies. </p> <p>By saying no to a single $200 product, it's probably saving me thousands in unnecessary clutter and unused purchases. Thanks, Amazon!</p> </p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/consumerism-the-kindle-fire-and-white-whales">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/consumerism-the-kindle-fire-and-white-whales#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=2mVEYWXJuyk:edLe94hLkNs:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=2mVEYWXJuyk:edLe94hLkNs:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=2mVEYWXJuyk:edLe94hLkNs:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=2mVEYWXJuyk:edLe94hLkNs:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/2mVEYWXJuyk" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/consumerism-the-kindle-fire-and-white-whales Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:02:00 -0800 Coffee for a morning, or meals for a week? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/1DLfuVm9Ors/coffee-for-a-morning-vs-meals-for-a-month http://ryannamba.com/coffee-for-a-morning-vs-meals-for-a-month <p> <p>'Tis the season for giving back, and here's a great option in case you're in the mood. <a href="http://kellimiura.com/2011/11/a-different-kind-of-christmas/">Kelli blogged last month</a> about our decision to "adopt" a local family for the holidays; here, I'll share about a community a bit farther from home.</p> <p>This is a long-ish post, but please bear with me.</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;"><em>(For context: I'm a member of <a href="http://www.somethingawful.com/">Something Awful</a>, which is focusing on the following cause for this year's holiday charity drive. SA is probably best known for spawning many of the groan-worthy memes that end up polluting the internet, but it's also been responsible for some of the most jaw-dropping-ly generous acts of charity I've ever seen. Something of a mixed bag, really. <a href="http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3453251">Here's the thread in GBS</a>, for reference -- I'm borrowing liberally from the excellent original post.)</em></p> <p>Welcome to Matenwa, a small village on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gon%C3%A2ve_Island">Gonave Island</a> in Haiti. Remember the Haiti earthquake back in 2010? The international outpouring of support for Haitians was exceptional at the time, and rebuilding efforts continue today.</p> <p>Unfortunately, most of the attention (and relief monies) focused on the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, leaving hard-hit areas like Gonave Island to fend for themselves. Not that life was particularly easy to begin with on the dry, barren island.</p> <p>So why focus here, of all places? Because it's the home of the <a href="http://matenwaclc.org/">Matenwa Community Learning Center</a>, which has been quietly working to chart a new path for Haitian youth ill-served by a broken educational system.</p> <p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KSuM1HR9OSA?wmode=transparent" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="417" width="500"></iframe></p> <p><em><strong>"...IT'S REALLY APARTHEID THROUGH LANGUAGE."</strong></em></p> <p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-14534703">As the BBC reports</a>, most of Haitian schooling is conducted in French. This wouldn't be a problem, except that just an elite fraction of the population actually speaks French fluently. The almost-universally understood Creole has been unfairly denigrated as an inferior, primitive language, creating a system in which most students are essentially being educated in a foreign tongue.</p> <p>Small wonder that a <a href="http://www.oxfam.org/sites/www.oxfam.org/files/1goal-back-to-school-sept-2010.pdf">recent Oxfam report</a> (pdf) ranked Haiti third-worst in the world for educational performance.</p> <p><em><strong>A NEW MODEL.</strong></em></p> <p>That's why the Matenwa Community Learning Center is turning heads -- and why I think it's worth consideration during the holidays.</p> <p>Breaking with tradition, the Center conducts all of its classes in Creole. Teachers do not use corporal punishment, and emphasize critical understanding over rote memorization -- further deviations from established schooling methods.</p> <p>But that's not the only reason for the Matenwa experiment's success. Perhaps just as important -- if decidedly more mundane -- is the simple fact that the Center feeds its students. Most schools do not offer free food to pupils, leaving that responsibility to parents instead; however, with money tight (especially following the earthquake) and many families already food-insecure, children often go to school hungry -- to the detriment of their education. The Center's breakfast program addresses a core need that I remember learning for myself back at school: A growling stomach drowns out even the most gifted of teachers.</p> <p><em><strong>CAN YOU SPARE A CUP OF COFFEE?</strong></em></p> <p>So here's the deal: For the price of a tasty, tasty holiday drink at Starbucks (just $5, which most of us would drop without another thought) you can provide <strong>an entire week's worth of meals</strong> for one lucky kid.</p> <p>Pony up twice that ($10, which most of us will blithely drop on lunch today), and you cover the cost of translating a book into Creole.</p> <p>Feeling even more generous? $200 pays the entire monthly salary of a teacher. (And as I'm sure you'd agree, a good teacher can make all the difference to a struggling kid.)</p> <p>Oh, and <a href="http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=6071">according to Charity Navigator</a>, some 96.3% of monies received by Beyond Borders (the Center's fiscal agent and partner in Haiti) are spent on direct program expenses. That's impressive.</p> <p><strong><em>SOMETHING AWESOME.</em></strong></p> <p>I'm drafting this blog post a day and a half or so after SA kicked off its holiday drive. At time of writing, it has raised some $12k in donations so far -- close to the $15k annual food budget for the breakfast program, and a substantial addition to the $75k <strong>total</strong> budget for the Center itself. Not bad at all -- and I expect it to skyrocket in the next few weeks.</p> <p><strong>If you feel like contributing:</strong> Here's the link to <a href="https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/BeyondBorders/OnlineDonation.html">Beyond Borders</a>. Be sure to select "Matenwa Community Learning Center" from the dropdown.</p> <p><strong>If you don't feel like donating:</strong> That's totally cool, too. I appreciate your taking the time to read this and giving some thought to what the Center is doing.</p> <p>And <strong>if you're already supporting another cause</strong> (perhaps one closer to home?): Good for you! Feel free to add a comment and plug your cause. This time of year, there's a lot of goodwill going around -- let's try and convert that into good work.</p> <p> </p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/coffee-for-a-morning-vs-meals-for-a-month">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/coffee-for-a-morning-vs-meals-for-a-month#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=1DLfuVm9Ors:yEJGM0XfaSg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=1DLfuVm9Ors:yEJGM0XfaSg:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=1DLfuVm9Ors:yEJGM0XfaSg:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=1DLfuVm9Ors:yEJGM0XfaSg:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/1DLfuVm9Ors" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/coffee-for-a-morning-vs-meals-for-a-month Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:39:00 -0800 We are not twins. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/qXcSq_q5qIk/we-are-not-twins http://ryannamba.com/we-are-not-twins <p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><em><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <img alt="Halloween_small" height="367" src="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-12-06/GGJDmvEBnjJGFileHvAkzbiqoIohcrojmfzhpEBBDoGiHsFAgyqEvxtuyBae/halloween_small.jpg.scaled699.jpg" width="262" /> </div> (My sister on the left; me on the right. Not twins.)</em></span></p> <p>Random memory time.</p> <p>My sister and I shared emcee duties for my older brother's wedding reception several years ago. As it turned out, I was too <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">lazy</span> busy to supply a short bio for the wedding reception program, so it was tasked to my sister.</p> <p>This proved entertainingly unwise, since it became less biography than creative fiction. Which I didn't see until the day of the reception, like everyone else.</p> <p>Among the highlights were the claim that she and I are twins (we're born two years apart) and that I work at Hallmark as a greeting card copywriter (I think I was in seminary at the time, training to be a pastor).</p> <p>A disturbing number of attendees completely believed the bio, sparking some pretty entertaining "Did I not get the memo...?"-style conversations about our newly-revealed twin-ness. This included blood relatives, mind you.</p> <p>A good many folks congratulated me on my work on those ever-popular Hallmark cards, too. I stopped bothering to correct people after a while, and even doled out a little career advice for would-be copy contributors. (I suggested that they email me with ideas; sadly, I never received a thing. My faux career suffered.)</p> <p>Lessons learned: It's amazing what people will believe if they see it in print, and I'm evidently in the wrong line of work.</p> <p>Also, there are some things you just shouldn't outsource, unless you want to turn a family function into an improv session. </p> <p>Good times.</p> <p> </p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/we-are-not-twins">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/we-are-not-twins#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=qXcSq_q5qIk:yEsmJVhTdAM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=qXcSq_q5qIk:yEsmJVhTdAM:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=qXcSq_q5qIk:yEsmJVhTdAM:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=qXcSq_q5qIk:yEsmJVhTdAM:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/qXcSq_q5qIk" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/we-are-not-twins Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:20:00 -0800 First world problems. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/caA-1-ThAbg/first-world-problems http://ryannamba.com/first-world-problems <p> <p>I spent most of this past weekend laid out with a nasty bug. Loads of coughing, a sore throat/head/everything, and way too much mucus than one person should ever produce. Not a pretty sight.</p> <p>But on the bright side, being stuck in bed for days provided considerable time for reflection (most of mine was devoted to thinking <em>"I hate being sick. I hate being sick. I'm kind of hungry. I hate being sick."</em> on a loop). </p> <p>Here's what I came to: I am blessed. Seriously. On the whole, I live a downright charmed life. </p> <p>I'm not rich (and probably never will be), but I have enough. I don't drive a fancy car, but I get from points A to B without problem (thanks, Bus!). I don't own a big house, but I've got a warm home in a convenient place (with a rather lovely <a href="http://www.kellimiura.com">roommate</a>, no less).</p> <p>And other than the occasional cold, I enjoy generally good health and have access to any needed care. In fact, my decision about whether to seek care is mostly a convenience factor (<em>"Am I really that sick? Maybe it just needs time. Oh hey, 'Harry Potter' is on again."</em>) instead of being driven by cost or other considerations. That's a happy situation to be in.</p> <p>I complain about a lot, and that's unlikely to change. Still, I have much to be thankful for, and little speed bumps on the road of life (like this bug) help to remind me of that. </p> <p>As it turns out, gratitude really does make everything seem a little brighter. Even through the cough syrup-induced haze of a minor head cold.</p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/first-world-problems">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/first-world-problems#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=caA-1-ThAbg:38kgum4O2zE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=caA-1-ThAbg:38kgum4O2zE:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=caA-1-ThAbg:38kgum4O2zE:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=caA-1-ThAbg:38kgum4O2zE:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/caA-1-ThAbg" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/first-world-problems Sun, 13 Nov 2011 14:53:00 -0800 The return to cubicle nation. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/hlvEaLdhKIs/the-return-to-cubicle-nation http://ryannamba.com/the-return-to-cubicle-nation <p> <p>A few weeks ago, I rejoined the ranks of the office-bound after a year and a half-ish of <a href="http://www.thecoffice.biz">coffice</a> life. The reasons for the move back are many (and the subject for another time), so for now, just a few observations:</p> <ul> <li>No one looks forward to Fridays -- especially casual-dress Fridays -- like the office worker. Seriously. No one.</li> <li>Large companies are a mixed bag of blessings and burdens. On the plus side, it's fantastic to have knowledgeable personnel whose job it is to help me figure out employment benefits or troubleshoot my computer woes. On the other hand, it took me the better part of a week to get proper authorization and configuration to make copies. (I'm not kidding.)</li> <li>I loved the flexibility that I had to work from anywhere, at any time. Unfortunately, unless you're phenomenally disciplined, this means you will actually work from <strong>every</strong>where and at all hours of the day/night/weekend. It's a nice feeling to leave work when I leave the office.</li> <li>Working remotely definitely had some unique perks, like flexible hours and lack of dress code (seriously, everyone should enjoy pants-optional employment at some point in their life). I'll also miss the ability to unilaterally declare "beer o'clock" or "nap time" when I felt so moved. Ah well.</li> <li>Working in an office affords different benefits, though, which I'm appreciating more this time around. Just being around people can be a very healthy thing. While on my own, I might think nothing of grabbing some fast food or polishing off a bag of chips (or yes, declaring "beer o'clock" multiple times in an afternoon). Watching others opt for healthier options, or even just knowing that they can see what I do, though, nudges me in the right direction. Socialization is key for well-being.</li> </ul> <p>More thoughts later. For now, I'm going to enjoy my work-free weekend -- and the fast-closing window of time before I head back to the office. Happy Sunday!</p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/the-return-to-cubicle-nation">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/the-return-to-cubicle-nation#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=hlvEaLdhKIs:HkrbmFkPdVE:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=hlvEaLdhKIs:HkrbmFkPdVE:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=hlvEaLdhKIs:HkrbmFkPdVE:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=hlvEaLdhKIs:HkrbmFkPdVE:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/hlvEaLdhKIs" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/the-return-to-cubicle-nation Mon, 03 Oct 2011 05:13:00 -0700 It's 2 am, and I can't sleep. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/zkKPNt3Ni6U/its-2-am-and-i-cant-sleep http://ryannamba.com/its-2-am-and-i-cant-sleep <p> <p>It's 2 am, and I can't sleep.</p> <p>Not that that's particularly unusual. I've had bouts of insomnia stretching back to my time in Vancouver. I'd walk the misty streets of the city, soaking in the chilly quiet.</p> <p>I fell in love with a 24-hour pub/cafe/bakery on Broadway called Calhoun's during those moments of sleeplessness. It was interesting to observe my fellow patrons in the wee hours, to see who else made their way through the heavy wooden doors.</p> <p>On weekends, the crowd was younger -- folks grabbing a drink or bite to eat while recovering from their last outing or recharging for the next. </p> <p>But on weekdays, it was a much different crew. The homeless seeking warmth. The police officers taking a caffeine break while on their beats. And the odd person or two like me, soaking it all in. </p> <p>These were my people. My flock.</p> <p>The world is a different place whene everyone else slumbers. Quiet and peaceful, sure, but in an unusual way. An in-between way. It feels like pulling apart the curtains and peeking behind the scenes -- it is the world between set changes.</p> <p>It is wonderful, for it is full of promise and quiet hope. For who knows what tomorrow will bring; who can say what the next set will look like? The stage is dark yet, and the time to draw back the curtains draws near. </p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/its-2-am-and-i-cant-sleep">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/its-2-am-and-i-cant-sleep#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=zkKPNt3Ni6U:ANG9REHSlfg:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=zkKPNt3Ni6U:ANG9REHSlfg:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=zkKPNt3Ni6U:ANG9REHSlfg:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=zkKPNt3Ni6U:ANG9REHSlfg:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/zkKPNt3Ni6U" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/its-2-am-and-i-cant-sleep Wed, 28 Sep 2011 20:03:00 -0700 Digital detritus: Recovered thoughts on restorative waters. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ryannamba/~3/1sgaKuKMWAY/digital-detritus-recovered-thoughts-on-restor http://ryannamba.com/digital-detritus-recovered-thoughts-on-restor <p> <p><em>While salvaging an old (and mostly dead) hard drive, I found a cache of documents dating back from my time in seminary and until 2008 or so. Among dusty classwork and rusty sermons was a number of plaintext documents, back from those pre-blog days when I journaled privately rather than subjecting the world to my rambling.</em></p> <p><em>This particular entry from 2008 piqued my interest; perhaps it will have broader appeal as well. At the very least, I'd rather preserve the words here than consign them to death by failing hard drive. So here they are, in revision-less rough-draft form.</em></p> <hr /> <p>I wish I could find the cause that is right for me. What am I supposed to do here? I know of several things that interest me, but I haven't found the unifying thread between them all.</p> <p>I am interested in the environment. But I do not know if this is simply because people I love are interested too, or if there is something in particular that resonates with me. I have never been a very outdoorsy person.</p> <p>And yet there is something I love about being outside. One of my favorite days of the week is Saturday. I spend each Saturday morning/early afternoon just walking around outside. No agenda, no specific direction -- just walking. The only real constant is that I almost always end up walking along the beach. I love the smell, the sun, the sight of people enjoying it.</p> <p>I think there is something primal about the water. We celebrate by it, we anoint our newborn with it, some cultures release the dead to it. We play in it, we heal in it. It feeds our bodies, it refreshes our souls. I believe that no matter how stressed I am, the smell of the salt air -- the cleansing brine? -- clears my mind. No matter how down I am, the sight of the sunset (or sunrise, when I am lucky enough to catch it) rights me again. It doesn't make me feel 100% better all of a sudden, mind; instead, I think it just re-centers me. Helps everything fall back into perspective, into proportion.</p> <p>When I was at seminary in Vancouver, I went through a lot. Broken relationships, breaks of faith, and the re-surfacing of some long repressed emotions tied to old scars. Friends and family were a comfort, of course, but nothing beats time alone to process. To let thoughts and emotions run wild and see where things fall together.</p> <p>I did much of my thinking on the windy shorefront of Jericho Beach. It was within busing/walking distance of where I lived, which was a plus. But more than that, I think there was a distinct sense of relief to me that I was touching the Pacific. That for all its differences, the cold Jericho waters were the same as the warm ones back home. That the water I grew up in, learned to swim in, played with my family in -- this was the same water that now lapped at my feet in the Vancouver chill.</p> <p>There was something unspeakably comforting in that knowledge, that certainty of a blue continuity.</p> <p>Of unbroken connections in a period of fractured relationships.</p> <p>Of beachfront stability in a time of turbulent winds.</p> </p> <p><a href="http://ryannamba.com/digital-detritus-recovered-thoughts-on-restor">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://ryannamba.com/digital-detritus-recovered-thoughts-on-restor#comment">Leave a comment  »</a> </p><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=1sgaKuKMWAY:7yPLNn_4wQU:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=1sgaKuKMWAY:7yPLNn_4wQU:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?a=1sgaKuKMWAY:7yPLNn_4wQU:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/ryannamba?i=1sgaKuKMWAY:7yPLNn_4wQU:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ryannamba/~4/1sgaKuKMWAY" height="1" width="1"/> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1675535/ryan_kitchen.jpg http://posterous.com/users/4bhsYp7bdMvT Ryan Namba ryannamba Ryan Namba http://ryannamba.com/digital-detritus-recovered-thoughts-on-restor