Various Mutterings

It's time to update the blog. Thanks for tuning in.

• I just bought a cell phone. Actually, I bought two cell phones. We went with Sprint because my whole family is on the sprint network, as well as Eric H and David B. Janet and I will share the minutes. Happy to give you the number--just let me know that you'd like it.
• The person the Indians will miss the most next year will not be Coco Crisp--it will be Bob Howery.
  
• For the first time Wednesday morning, I had to scrape a thin layer of ice/frost off my window before leaving for the Y. By mid-day, it was in the 60s.
• I got my NC driver's license yesterday. I decided to go in and wing the "written" test. The test was administered on a touch screen computer. There were twenty-five questions of which I had to answer 20 correctly. I JUST squeaked by. I answered twenty correctly. The things I didn't know were questions about what would happen to me if I got 7 points, what would happen if I refused a substance abuse test, etc. Next step is to help Janet pass the test then get the NC state plates. In NC, only one plate for vehicle is issued--no one has plates on the front.
• I am currently reading a biography of Benjamin Franklin while I walk on the treadmill at the Y each day. I read about 25 minutes a day. It's going to take me a year to get through the book--unless, of course, I read it at other times!
• I walked into the steam room at the Y for the first time Thursday. It was hot in there. Kinda hard to breathe too. I don't think I'll be spending much time in there--I like to earn my sweat the old fashioned way.
• I don't think it's a good idea to have Steve Wozniak on This Week in Tech podcasts. He may have helped get the home computer industry going in the late 70s with Steve Jobs, but he monopolizes the podcast with uninteresting anticdotes and comments that bog it down. I think Dvorak is annoyed by him too.
• I have a 20 Gb 3rd generation iPod that I'm using now. I like it better than the one I used before--it has a dock and it holds twice as much. I prefer the original interface, however.
• I think I'll need to get the starter on my Mazda replaced soon. It's being temperamental.
• I've opted for punctuation on this post, Rob.
• I've run out of USB inputs on my G5 at work. Here are the devices that require them: iPod, Palm, MIDI interface, keyboard, external HD, and mouse (it's a long story). I had to get a USB hub from the IT guy. Some things, however only work if they're plugged directly into the computer (for some reason). The MIDI interface, I think needs to be powered directly by the computer, as well as the mouse receiver. I've finally got it figured out. I think.
• I am also reading a great little book as a devotional that I got as a freebe at the Saddleback Worship Conference last summer. It's written by Buddy Owens and it's called The Way of the Worshiper. Starts with Romans 12: "In view of God's mercy..." I'm sure I'll comment on it further as I get into it--as well as the biography I'm working on.
• I take an elevator to my office every day. It's on the 4th floor. Sometimes, if I really feel ambitious, I take the stairs. Never on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, however, which are the days of and after my leg day at the Y.
• The church building requires no keys. That's kinda nice. My key chain has never been so light! Access to various floors and sections of the building is granted by a keycode that you punch into a pad by doors and in elevators and stair wells all over the building. You only have to know your one code, and with your code, the system gives you access to areas you should be able to access and blocks you out of areas you should not have access to. I mean to which you should not have access.
• It's been a bit of a rainy day here, but the rain has stopped and it's 65 degrees out so I'm going to go for a walk while the kids are napping. It's supposed to turn cold here this week. Highs only in the upper 40s and low 50s. Some apologies to my Ohio friends.

Baseball Vote

Coco Crisp to Boston--Good trade or bad trade?

Reflections on my first Sunday

This last Sunday was not actually my first Sunday, but it felt like it--it was the first Sunday that I was at the piano. This was an unusual service. It was led by a former college worship team band, with a mixture of some of their regular morning players, and, oh, they invited me to be a part of their little group.

It was a lot of fun once I learned how they did their songs. Most of the songs I knew, but not exactly in the style or form (or key) they did them in. It was a lot of fun!

One thing I was not mentally prepared for was playing three services. In "the old days" in Akron, we used to play four morning services. That made for a long morning and I learned how to pace myself mentally and emotionally. For the last couple years in Green, however, we have only needed to lead two services. Coming from that mentality, I kind of "burned up" in the first two services and didn't budget my concentration very well for the third (and fullest) service. There were not train wrecks, it was just an adjustment for which I was ill-prepared.

Mike, who led the group, plays great acoustic guitar and sings. (He also is a great drummer). Shelly and Eric led vocally, and Eric improvised some on the violin. Jeff played a mandolin, and Chris played bass and Jason suffered through the acoustic drum/IEM issues (yes, we have those issues here at Providence too!)

It was a nice acoustic band, a little folky in style and a lot of fun to play. The congregation seemed to enjoy it too, engaging pretty well and responding to the understated styling of the morning in a real healthy way.

This week, I'll play all three again, but completely different arrangements than what I'm used to, and songs I'm less familiar with. Patty has kept me up to speed nicely though, and supplied me with everything I need in order to prepare.

This Sunday, they happened to schedule "O God of Mine," which I charted for Maureen and Emily just a few weeks ago! It was nice to pull out my rhythm chart and use that one for this week. I haven't met the person singing it yet, but I know for me it won't be the same as "Mo" and "Em..." Miss you guys!

ATMs

I was surprised to find out something that I guess everyone else knew but me. I had all along been planning on taking my time to set up our banking here in Raleigh. I figured that almost all of my transactions took place online anyway, what was the big deal in having the brick and mortar 500 miles away?

My bank was Falls Savings. That bank doesn't exist anymore, it was bought out by Fifth Third Bank (don't ask me about the name) around 1996 and so it became our bank by default. We just left it the way it was and things were fine.

I knew before we moved that 5/3 didn't have a bank branch anywhere in NC. That was ok, I thought, I'll just conduct all of my business through the ATM and the internet. I even discussed it with a teller at the Arlington St. branch and she agreed that ATM or USPS would be a great way to handle my transactions. (I later reflected that sending a signed check through the mail may not be a great idea after all).

So, one day last week I needed to deposit a couple of checks. I went to the Wachovia ATM next door and put in my card. My options were 1) Check Balance 2) Fast Cash $50 withdrawal 3) Cash withdrawal 4) Cancel. Where's the deposit button? I had filled out the envelope and everything, signed the checks, did the math, I was ready to go!

So the deal is that if you want to take money out, you can access your account from just about any ATM in the world, and of course, along with that, they're happy to charge you a little fee for their trouble. My logic was that if they can make a withdrawal, they oughta be able to do the opposite. Right? I was even prepared to pay a small fee. Didn't happen.

So I decided to go into the branch and ask what was wrong with their ATM! OK, I didn't know that....sorry. So, I opened a checking account right there on the spot.

Fortunately, the little research I had already done led me to the conclusion that Wachovia was the bank I wanted to use anyway. I just wasn't ready to start using it this soon. I spent last weekend going to all my linked accounts online (because I'm such a day trader) and changing or adding the new routing and account number.

So, for future reference, I guess one can only make ATM deposits at the bank associated with the ATM. Otherwise, you're stuck.

Random Thoughts and Mutterings

This idea was stolen from Gary U. I'm feeling guilty about neglecting this for so long so it's time for another bulletpoint list of stuff.

• North Raleigh is a busy place
• It is generally warmer in Raleigh than Akron
• Rhythm sections still rush in Raleigh
• Brass players are still too loud in Raleigh
• YMCAs cost about twice here what they do in Akron
• They are also three or four times the size
• Weights seem heavier here
• We've just experienced our first pounding (that's a good thing)
• There is a GREAT full time jazz radio station in Raleigh
• There is a GREAT full time classical radio station in Raleigh
• There is no Mike Trivisonno in Raleigh
• There is no Major League Baseball team in Raleigh
• People are generally more friendly in NC--at least they're happy to talk with you for a while
• There are a lot of trees in NC--especially the evergreen variety
• My office has a window
• You only have to have one license plate on the back of your vehicle
• We have to take a written driver's test before we can get our NC driver's license
• Most left turns have their own signal, which means that even if there's no oncoming traffic, you still have to wait until you get the arrow
• We get paid only once a month
• DSL is available everywhere down here
• Providence has three packed out services and the over flow building is overflowing
• I have to think of a birthday present for my wife
• Austin wonders if people who speak with a southern accent (which is just about everybody) are speaking a different language
• The Island wasn't that great of a movie
• Hotel Rwanda was excellent
• I have a hard time knowing whether or not bullet statements should get periods. Maybe Rob can help.
  

News Flash II

We just got a call from the carrier (we've been using a broker) and the carrier said that they would be coming on the 10th. Confusion ensues.

Our days go like this:

1. Wake Up
2. Feed the kids breakfast
3. Feed ourselves breakfast
4. Pack some stuff
5. Check e-mail
   
6. Get Reece a drink of water
7. Pack some more stuff
8. Break up a fight between the kids
9. Pack some more stuff
10. Check E-mail
11. Move some boxes around
12. Worry about forgetting to do something
    
13. Get some more boxes
    
14. Meet some one for lunch
15. Pack some more stuff
16. Remember to make an important phone call
17. Pack some more stuff
18. Check e-mail
19. Throw more stuff out
    
20. Meet some one for dinner
21. Put the kids to bed
22. Pack some more stuff
23. Watch some news
24. Go to bed

Wash, Rinse, Repeat

New News

News Flash--We've just been informed that the truck will arrive on the 9th. Not the 10th. Panic ensues.

New Post --but no time!

The other day Guy complained that I haven't added a post to my blog in a while. (Thanks for checking). Well, I've been a LITTLE busy. Truck comes on Tuesday (10th) !! My final goodbyes to great friends happened this week--Kenton, Emily, Jim, several friends on an individual basis, the "Y gang," etc. That was hard. The stress is building. The tension knot on the back of my neck is getting tighter!

It's so weird that we're really doing this. North Carolina will never be the same! [insert smiley face here].

Staff Christmas Party

Kenton is "red-eye-man!"

We had a great time at the Mitchell's at our Chapel music staff Christmas party. (We missed you, Mary!) It was also a little gift exchange and a farewell to our family. I think it was Jim who suggested the menu oughta be chili and wings in honor of my favorite foods. Yikes! As I told my friends, I like both menu items, but I've never had them together!

A good time was had by all, except for possibly the hamster that got loose from his cage in a room full of little kids. Lindsey enjoyed holding it. She seems to like little creatures.

A Nice Gift

This huge picture set in a large frame was give to me from the Green WT and rhythm players at our Christmas party. This is awesome! As Jason said, it will go in my new office where I'll always be reminded of these great friends. Thanks to Lisa and Scott for hosting this party at their house! It was a lot of fun to be all together one more time. I took far more pictures than I've posted here, but since most of the ones I took have me in them, I decided not to put them on the web. The internet already has enough pollution!

I have so many great memories that include the people at this gathering. Far too many to count. As I said in a more public fashion. Whatever alleged influence or impact I may have had in the lives of these dear people, their impact on me and my life is exponentially greater! I'm only one person and there are so many of them!

To any of you WT folks who may be reading this, thank you for this picture, which I'll proudly take with me, and hang on my new office wall, and thank you for all that you are, and all that you've meant to me and my family in the 8 plus years we've been at The Chapel! We love you and we'll miss you!

Christmas Concerts

The next few posts will feature lots of pictures. You'll be linked to more pictures like these at flickr. For those of you who are the subject of these pictures, thanks for enduring the spontaneity of the sudden camera in your face and the flash going off shortly thereafter. I wanted to take pictures of as many friends as possible. I don't want to forget any of you! Click here to see a small album of concert pictures.

Things I'll Miss

After living in the NE Ohio area for the last eleven and a half years, and after being at The Chapel for the last 8 and a half, there are plenty of memories and plenty of things I'm going to miss. I know I'm going to leave people out, but here are some stream-of-consciousness, random thoughts kind of things I know I'm going to miss as well as some fond memories.

The Region

• Snow from Dec-April (no, really)
• Jacob's Field
• Hartville Hardware
• Our house
• Our yard
• The Summit County Library
• The Akron Zoo
• Bike riding and kite flying at the Hartville Marketplace parking lot
  

The Chapel

• The privilege of playing on a Steinway D every week
• A cell phone
• The "Commander"
  
• The Green Campus
• The walking trail at the Green Campus
• Tuesday lunch-- Not necessarily the meetings that follow
• My E-5's
• Macs everywhere
• A do-do
• Services at Blossom
• Services at Canal Park
• The "tape guys"
  

Worship Team-Green

• Hearing the refrain of my arrangement of "Blessed Assurance"
• Hanchey's free pre-releases
• Leading with all their heart(s)
  
• Becky's baby's birth
• The next Hufstetler duet
• Maureen's passionate prayers
• The full recovery of Kimmy
  
• The return of Kimmy
• Feeling safe around Deb L
  
• Hanchey's passing 7ths
• Another movie with Jason
• Another party with Jason
• The generosity shown towad Paul and Dena
• The generosity shown toward Daniel and Kim
• A long e-mail from Lebo
• A short e-mail from Lebo
  

Worship Team-Akron

• Crashing breakfast with Carol, Nancy, Vicki, and Elisa
• Trying to be the first to address the other as "dude" with Dave and Kirsten
• Vicki: "I hate that Dr. Beat thing."
  
• Vicki: "I Love Dr. Beat."
• Vicki: "But that's not what they do on the recording..."
• Vicki's teeth
• Three words: Gospel Talent Show
  
• White elephant exchanges
• Vicki: "are your nuts frozen?"
  
• My surprise 30th birthday party at Guy and Julie's
  
• The generosity shown toward Jeff Yang
• The generosity shown toward the Gibsons
  

Rhythm Section-Green

• Any lick Gibson plays on any instrument
• The faces Raybould makes when he solos
• A ripping B-3 gliss from Keel
• Andrea on the triangle: "My lips will praise you...[ding]"
• Glen's empassioned drum fills
• Rob singing away as he plays
  
• Andrea's careful placement of the toys
• Andrea's careful placement of the kick
  
• Dave shouting on the platform because he has his headphones on
  

Rhythm Section-Akron

• Tritone subs with Fred on bass
• Frank's "a-one, two, three, hike...."
• Tommy's Mexican joke in Azteca
• Jeff Johnson singing girl notes
  
• Tommy: "Mexican food is all the same, it's just folded different..."
  

Coworkers

• Finishing Kenton's sentences and vers-visa
• Emily's Powerpoint productions
• Zuercher's approach to singing
• Zuercher's approach to mixing
• Zuercher's approach to people
• Donna and Karan being a "button-push" away
• Jim's association of any present-day song to an 80's song
• Karan: "K-O"
• The slightly offset streaming of Rush or Indian's radio between Kober's computer and mine
• Kober's "lyrics-on-the-spot"
• Donna's chickens
• Jim and Kenton: Ideation--conflict ensues
• Businessman's specials at the Jake with Kober
• Kober: "I can't find the handles..."
  

Chapel People

• Chinese with Tuck
• Erica & Elissa and a bag of Doritos
  
• The fabulous kid's staff and programming
• Wings with Guy and Daniel
• Wings with Paul followed by Lord of the Rings or Star Wars
• Dennis and "Live bait"
  
• Home opener with Kober, Stankiewicz, Keel, Zuercher
• Playmates of our kids: Logan, Emma, Abbey, Ben, Olivia
• Bible studies with Guthrie, Nime, Salmons
• Russ Tinkham's humor
• Russ Tinkham's tuba playing
• Russ Tinkham's bass playing
  

Chapel Staff

• Smitty's persona, especially in a staff meeting
• Any conversation with Castelli
• Staff Christmas lunches
• KL's passion for the cross
• KL's passion for the lost
• Larry's awesome prayers
• The master of segues, Todd McKenney
• Barrett's way-bigger-than-he-needs office
• KL's VM greeting: "Knute Larsonnnnn, leave a message."
• Barb: "pastor...."
• The intern video(s) "If I had 25 million dollars...."
• CJ and Jen's baby's birth
  

The Y

• The great home school gym programs
• Working out with Dave, Marty, Robert, Cliff, John...
• Walking on a treadmill next to Shari
• Watching the kids learn to swim
• The zero-depth pool
  

Area People

• Stu Freedman--Our pianos were always so well taken care of
• John and Darla English--Darla frantically helping me find the next chart
• Dave Spondike-The most educated bass player I've ever known
• Tim Coyne-learning standards and my first real jazz gigs
• Larry Dickerhoff--Nixon conspiracy theroist and Kent State shooting stories
• Don and Brenda Wise--our GREAT neighbors
  
• Chuck M's wit
• Carla's vocal improv
• Tom Hamilton "a swing and a drive...."
  
• Paul Braden
  

A New Chapter

Many of you reading this already know of our decision to join a ministry at Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC. Those of you who go to The Chapel and especially those of you who serve along side me have probably been blindsided. I understand the shock--we wanted to keep it quiet for as long as possible.

I want to say to all of you that this was by far the most difficult, heart-wrenching, gut-wrenching decision we've ever had to make. We've been at The Chapel since May of 1997 and really have loved it here. I've grown so much because of all of the staff I've worked with over the years and also because of the great volunteers who have become such dear friends. Only the Lord's leading could possibly convince us to uproot our family, sever our ties with so many, leave everything we know and everything we're comfortable with to go to a "great unknown." Just the other day Janet and I sat in our family room and asked each other "Why are we doing this again?"

I think people who work together in music have it harder. I think people who work together in church music have it harder yet. There's something transcending about putting a bunch of people in a room and making sweet music together. It's invigorating! I love it! It's been so much fun to create with my friends at The Chapel over the years, and I'm going to miss that tie. But larger than that is the worship leading aspect of what we do. This sweet community that is so strong because of the music is drawn even closer because of the unity found in Christ. When we're of one musical mind and one mind in purpose and vision--to lead in worship, the depth grows even greater--and this is what we get week after week, year after year. The layers are great-- but they're very hard to willingly divorce oneself from. A significant byproduct of all this is the rich friendship that develops. When I was in college, I remember how the music people did everything together. I think part of the reason for that were the connections that we all shared musically in all our required ensemble work. We connected on many levels, and musicians who are reading this understand exactly what I'm writing about.

That which seems so abstract as I write this is so tangible in the moment. It was so real at our concert last night when we hit some nice musical grooves. (This is our God, espeically, Rick!) It was great this morning as well as we connected with the congregation and led together. Good musicians can make music anywhere, but making music and leading with all of The Chapel volunteers is what I will miss so much.

The staff is another very important aspect of my Chapel experience. Emily and Kenton are so great to work with and we have been recently hitting our stride together as a team, each functioning well in our own roll. The whole music staff is great at The Chapel. Anyone coming in to fill my spot will be so spoiled with such great talent and competence, such great creativity and passion for what they do. Just as Derrak now knows, it is hard to replace that camaraderie. It's been such a privilege to go "into battle" with you guys! I'll miss you all so much.

I have so many great things I'll take with me. Of course, just having had the privilege to work with each of you, volunteer and staff, has left it's mark on my life. I know that the Lord used each one of you to prepare me for my "new assignment," as Rich called it. I have improved as a musician, church staff member, and person because of the impact each of you dear friends have had on my life and you are all cherished and will be sorely missed.

TV Themes

For years the trivia question went something like this: "What is the onlyTV show with no theme song?" The answer: 60 Minutes. OK, so what about Lost? What consitutes a song? The theme for Lost is the logo, with a key pad sweep. Is that a song? Alan Silvestri might say no. John Cage might say "sure!" In fact, Cage would probably say the tick-tock of 60 minutes is a theme song. So back to Lost. Is it a "song?"

The most wonderful time of the year

Christmas is coming. I can smell it. "It's the hap- happiest time of the year...." Right? It feels like it's "The bus- busiest time of the year...."

Is that ok? Is that the way it's supposed to be? This time of year consumes me and the music staff at the church. Takes us all away from the home--no matter how well we try to manage it. Is that ok? Is that healthy?

Snow White

Last week I took my kids to a little play put on by a local troupe of three actors. It was the play of Snow White. It was geared for little kids. The audience participation of the show included the kids chirping like birds to awaken Snow White, standing tall and stretching out their arms to emulate trees the trees of a forest in which Snow took shelter, and of course, six dwarfs were recruited from among the kids. (The seventh was one of the actors.)

As the story unfolded, I began to listen for something redeeming. I couldn't find much. Let me see if I can distill this story into a quasi- Movie-A-Minute format.

• The Queen, who is really a wicked witch, deceives the king and marries him, becoming SW's stepmother
• The Queen is full of vanity and is satisfied only when the mirror reveals the she is the fairest in the land
• SW "comes of age" and now over takes the Queen in "fairness." (This on her 16th birthday)
• Enraged, the queen orders her huntsman to take SW deep into the forest and have her killed. In fact, "bring her heart to me," she says. Reminds me of an Indiana Jones movie.
• The huntsman, evidently conflicted, cannot kill her in the forest because she is so "pure, innocent, and lovely."
• Disobeying his Queen's command, the best thing he can think of is for her to live in the forest. OK.
• SW is eventually discovered by seven dwarfs, and decides to move in with them. (scandalous!)
• SW continues being the maid she was in the palace, cleaning and preparing meals for her hard-working, growth-stunted roommies.
• The Queen/Witch, when revealed that SW is still alive, comes up with a clever disguise and goes to the forest (evidently knowing just where SW lives) and tries to eliminate her by giving her a poisonous--yes, comb.
• When SW combs her hair, she's out. What a comb.
• Alas, once the dwarfs return, the comb falls out, and SW is back to cooking and cleaning. Good for the dwarfs.
• Undeterred, the Queen disguises herself again and gives SW a poisonous apple.
  
• The ever-gullible SW eats the apple and is down for the count. Not Dead, just in an apple-induced coma, evidently.
• But wait! The prince comes by (out of no where, I might add) and decides that even though SW is not respondent, she must be kissed. After all, she is so fair, and so pure, and so innocent. This he can deduce by looking at her.
• He kisses her, she is awakened, and on the basis of her beauty (even though she's only 16) he pledges his life-long devotion to her (they kiss again) and they live happily ever after.
• The queen/witch is somehow dreadfully caught in the world of her "ugly old lady" disguise and can't for some reason shake free of that.

OK, so what have we learned? 1) the Queen is evil 2) The Queen is deceitful 3) the most important thing to the queen is her own looks 4) The huntsman is dumb 5) Snow White is naive 6) the prince only cares about getting the babe, 7) in the end everyone looks good except the evil queen who had it coming.

In all this what role does the mirror play?

So--my gripe? I cannot point to any redeeming aspect of any character. I cannot tell my kids, "this is why this story is so important, so true." or "You should be just like ______ in this story because they're so full of virtue."

Why has this story survived for the last couple centuries?

Web Fads

On a recent podcast of TWiT (This Week in Tech), one of the guys commented that blogging has polluted the net with redundant information. Several members of the panel echoed the idea that a Google search on any topic can yield an enormous amout of results, many irrelevant in part due to the rants and raves of so many people on these silly blogs discussing the same or similar subject. They complained that so many people just copy and paste content from other's sites that it becomes more and more difficult to trace to the source.

So with all that in mind, I'm going to link to a very interesting commentary I recently read regarding web fads that have come and gone. When I think of a "fad," I think of the 1970's. I think of bell bottoms, pet rocks, "un-" somethings, disco, etc. (I was born in 1972, so I can't say I actually remember any of these fads, I just heard about them in the 80's). Or maybe the 1980's with the shirt collars turned up (I'm happy to say I never did that--wasn't nearly cool enough), parachute pants, and of course, electronic drums in top 40 music (not that I ever listened to any of that).

"Fad" and "internet" are two words that don't seem to belong together to me. It doesn't seem like the internet has been around long enough to have earned the word "fad." But everything in computers and the internet moves much faster than real life, and actually in some ways makes "real life" seem faster.

I think the first time I actually used the internet (Old man voice: "when I was a kid...") was in 1992 or 1993 at Cedarville College (now Cedarville University). It involved a walk to the "computer lab" where we could send e-mail to one of the two or three people we knew that had an e-mail address. I think the first person I ever e-mailed was my buddy Brian Yates. (You still out there, Yates?) Ohio to New Jersey. How cool was that? I don't remember having the "web." I only remember connecting to a less user-friendly "gopher" system. That system didn't let you go from place to place very fluidly. You had to keep back tracking up the menu. All I remember looking up on that system was the weather.

The web has changed so much in the last ten years since it's explosion into every day life, and has evolved so quickly that I have forgotten about so many of these things listed in this article. Things such as page counters and award banners have fallen by the wayside, (thankfully) but I've hardly noticed until he pointed it out.

Happy reading.

A Storm in Flanders

As I mentioned in my previous post, context interests me. I like to see how we arrived at where we are now, and I'm fascinated with the cyclical nature of history. Sometimes it seems like we are encountering the very worst of times, or the most interesting view on life and culture, only to find that it's just new to us-- that really, people have experienced similar things in centuries gone by, just in different, well, contexts. Sure we have technology and all these other "advances" that puts us in a unique time, but really, we're just more sophisticated (or so we think) in how we experience similar life events.

This book is about World War One. It was written by Winston Groom whom you may know better as the author of Forest Gump. Groom writes this book for Americans who know little about the first World War. As he says, most people's reference point to war (and indeed how the world has been shaped as a result for decades after) starts from World War Two.

Part of what I enjoyed about this book is how Groom gives us some pre-history. Setting the stage briefly in Europe from about the 1880's forward, and all the political, social, and economic factors that made Europe "ripe" for an eruption.

The main part of the book, however, is about the Belgian battlegrounds, commonly referred to as the "Western Front." (The name is understood from a German perspective since they were also fighting the Russians on the Eastern Front). The area of Flanders is a below sea level region that was a far less-than-ideal place for a battle ground. It rained there a lot, and the water table was so high that battles were more often than not fought in mud than on dry ground. Dogs, horses, mules and men died from being drowned in the water or stuck in the mud.

World War One represents a collision of old style war-fare and modern war fare. The use of the machine gun was new in this war. Airplanes were first used in this war; first for surveillance, then for firepower. Tanks were first used in this war, and in the end played an important role. Yet at the beginning of the war, American civil war style troop deployment and fighting was the default. This quickly changed as men were mowed down by machine guns and heavy artillery. It was in this environment that trench warfare was born.

If you have a moderate interest in history, or wonder how WW I relates to WW II, this is a great read and I highly recommend it!

Strength #4: Context

It shouldn't be a surprise that this post appears before I write the next post about a book I just finished. I feel like I need to explain myself.

A while ago I wrote about a test I took online related to a book I read that helps reveal a person's strengths. I listed my strengths as revealed by this test and explained a bit about the strength that appeared first, which was learner.

This other strength, as determined by this test, is context. It is defined this way:

You look back. You look back because that is where the answers lie. You look back to understand the present. From your vantage point the present is unstable, a confusing clamor of competing voices. It is only by casting your mind back to an earlier time, a time when the plans were being drawn up, that the present regains its stability. The earlier time was a simpler time. It was a time of blueprints. As you look back, you begin to see these blueprints emerge. You realize what the initial intentions were. These blueprints or intentions have since become so embellished that they are almost unrecognizable, but now this Context theme reveals them again. This understanding brings you confidence. No longer disoriented, you make better decisions because you sense the underlying structure. You become a better partner because you
understand how your colleagues came to be who they are. And counterintuitively you become wiser about the future because you saw its seeds being sown in the past. Faced with new people and new situations, it will take you a little time to orient yourself, but you must give yourself this time. You must discipline yourself to ask the questions and allow the blueprints to emerge because no matter what the situation, if you haven't seen the blueprints, you will have less confidence in your decisions.

So now that I've explained that, stay tuned for a book summary that I until now knew very little about: World War One.

Managing By Values

Thanks to Doug Clark for loaning me this book. (I guess I really oughta return it now). This book was written by Ken Blanchard and Michael O'Connor. I feel bad for O'Connor because I can never remember his name when I tell people about this book. I always end up saying something like "It's by Ken Blanchard and some other guy...poor guy!"

The book, like several other of Blanchard's book is told in a story format. He uses an interview format to help teach unfolding principals and also to set up a scenario that most people would find believable. Similar to his One Minute Manager and Who Moved My Cheese, we follow the story of a character who is frustrated by the progress his company is making and how he thinks he has little respect among his team. But after a fortuitous intersection with someone who gives a speech about the "Fortunate 500" companies, his curiosity piqued.

The book reveals some interesting insights related to organizational dynamics from a leadership/managerial standpoint (an area in which I spend very little time), and shows where a lot of companies can falter because not everyone shares an agreed upon set of values.

The bottom line is, the values become the "boss" of everyone. Every decision made can be held up against the values agreed upon by everyone in the company, and even the process for conflict resolution can be achieved through the values filter. Anyone who leads people should read this book. Especially if you are in the "higher up" portion of your company from a hierarchical standpoint. A summary of the book and the principles therein can be found in an article written by Ken Blanchard himself.

One more observation. It is so interesting to me how all these guys who study leadership and people "management" keep coming back to biblical principles. If you read John Maxwell or Jim Collins, or Ken Blanchard, they all come back to the same kinds of things over and over: esteem others as better than yourself, treat people fairly, the best leaders aren't in it for themselves, etc, etc.