My blog needs to take a very brief detour today...it's father's day. Not that I wish to slight the women but this is our day. I'll speak to the girls at another time.
I woke up this morning thinking of my dad. He now has Alzheimer's disease and is 94 years old. I have always marveled at his easy going style and resiliency in all matters. His work ethic has only been overshadowed by his commitment to family. There was never any doubt about the fact that his job was to be the breadwinner and occasionally worked two jobs. I know he got his guidance from his dad who had a great sense of humor and commitment to family. I'm glad I had a chance to know him when I was young. I know I have wanted to emulate them in many ways...but I am my own person.
My dad had a serious impediment to having a normal life. As a youth he came through the barn door and caught an ice pick in the eye. He's been essentially blind in that eye for 80 years. I, on the other hand, developed asthma and have wrestled with that all my life. People don't visually see that I have a problem with living normally. So in a way he and I share hurdles to normal living...what ever that is. Now my son has a disability that gives him a bit of extra kinship with us. I know that has thrown a monkey wrench into his life. Because of these circumstances it has given us another thread of commonality...we don't give into the obstacles in life. We all persevere.
One thing different between me and my dad is that he is unable to show the affection and love that I know is in his heart. He shows it by what he has done for me and our family all our lives. Somehow the ability to show how we feel inside has developed well in me and my son and for that I am happy. We all love and support our great families and we all enjoy a good sense of humor that helps us through this passage through life.
There's so much I could say but in the spirit of brevity, suffice it to say that today I give thanks for my dad, my son and my other father..."God the Father". I love and appreciate 'em all.
Happy Father's Day to all dads out there!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Never Say Die
Looks like the first genuine effort on my mind since I started this little writing bit is to see my vision related to my new career to bear fruit so to speak. My last big effort was to develop a wetland nature park with environmental restoration and water quality improvement components. It took 7 years to bring it to reality. There's still more that could be done on that if opportunities present themselves.
But as for now, I'd like to see my community benefit more from the fabulous natural resources of the area...crystal clear water and scenic beauty. And I would like that to happen without destroying the beauty and quality of the area (this is the real goal). Tourism can destroy the environment ya know. What I did not expect was that in persuing the vision I would be met with such hostility from some small minded, non-visionary, persistent, air-headed citizenry. So now I have to preserve both the effort and my job in order to see the vision develop.
Now that I have ditched my old consulting business, I am in a position that could do some good. But there are crackpots that decided to scuttle the "guest-paid-tax" that helps promote their own business and which simultaneously provides support for my vision. I have a plan to solve some of the impediments to economic development but so far the opponents to environmental friendly economic development have managed to eliminate financial support and eliminate my staff. These crackpots' efforts to eliminate me personally failed last week and I have somewhat solid footing/support until the end of the year. Unfortunately no matter what choice I make I will have to continue to redevelop my consulting work to keep bread on the table in case I lose in the battle.
I have evaluated plans A-D for getting past this first hurdle of preserving the effort and my job. At this time I shouldn't get too detailed in explanation of options. Plan A was agressive and basically illegal (ha!...no further explanation please). Plan B was far too passive but would significantly help me financially...but possibly not the vision. Plan C requires a hell of a lot of work and coordination but would work. Unfortunately I think I really wouldn't have the energy and time to do that. Plan D will work, is supported by credible individuals, and the pieces of the puzzle are now in place. But it will take 6 months to fully develop. The next step for now will probably be completed this summer. But the crackpots are insufferably persistent. It's like playing chess with a 2-year old where the outcome is fairly predictable but the moves may defy intelligently planned action. Not that I am very smart, but if you haven't played games with small kids you won't really get what I mean. I do love playing with the kids...not the crackpots. And thank God for friends and right-thinking folks. I'll be posting more later as things develop and hopefully get on to some more positive sounding fun things.
But as for now, I'd like to see my community benefit more from the fabulous natural resources of the area...crystal clear water and scenic beauty. And I would like that to happen without destroying the beauty and quality of the area (this is the real goal). Tourism can destroy the environment ya know. What I did not expect was that in persuing the vision I would be met with such hostility from some small minded, non-visionary, persistent, air-headed citizenry. So now I have to preserve both the effort and my job in order to see the vision develop.
Now that I have ditched my old consulting business, I am in a position that could do some good. But there are crackpots that decided to scuttle the "guest-paid-tax" that helps promote their own business and which simultaneously provides support for my vision. I have a plan to solve some of the impediments to economic development but so far the opponents to environmental friendly economic development have managed to eliminate financial support and eliminate my staff. These crackpots' efforts to eliminate me personally failed last week and I have somewhat solid footing/support until the end of the year. Unfortunately no matter what choice I make I will have to continue to redevelop my consulting work to keep bread on the table in case I lose in the battle.
I have evaluated plans A-D for getting past this first hurdle of preserving the effort and my job. At this time I shouldn't get too detailed in explanation of options. Plan A was agressive and basically illegal (ha!...no further explanation please). Plan B was far too passive but would significantly help me financially...but possibly not the vision. Plan C requires a hell of a lot of work and coordination but would work. Unfortunately I think I really wouldn't have the energy and time to do that. Plan D will work, is supported by credible individuals, and the pieces of the puzzle are now in place. But it will take 6 months to fully develop. The next step for now will probably be completed this summer. But the crackpots are insufferably persistent. It's like playing chess with a 2-year old where the outcome is fairly predictable but the moves may defy intelligently planned action. Not that I am very smart, but if you haven't played games with small kids you won't really get what I mean. I do love playing with the kids...not the crackpots. And thank God for friends and right-thinking folks. I'll be posting more later as things develop and hopefully get on to some more positive sounding fun things.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Dream for Life
There are some people who make things happen, some who watch what happens and there are some who ask...what happened? I don't plan to waste my life just sitting around. We all need to dream and then act on our dreams! But never forgetting that "God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame". On this site I hope to chronicle some of my efforts in making dreams come to fruition. My blogs may also be about politics, religion, nature or just life in general.
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