Who Knew
So it turns out my truck tailgate is the perfect platform for a standing desk. Also, my “office views” here in San Juan National Forest outside of Durango (8200 ft) are pretty sweet as well.
Posts from the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Sep 30
Aug 26
Begrudgingly Beautiful
About two weeks ago the New York Times posted a fascinating article, focusing on work culture within eCommerce giant Amazon. One former employee offered the following juxtaposition: “A lot of people who work there feel this tension: It’s the greatest place I hate to work“. For some reason, the description immediately resonated with me – perhaps because in many ways I often feel quite the same about my job.
My job is very global – that is to say, I have multiple work responsibilities and colleagues all across the globe. On the one hand, the nature of my work exposes me to an incredibly diverse set of experiences. It’s interesting work and on a daily basis I am chatting or video conferencing with someone in another country. Further, in the past twelve months I’ve taken five business trips that have brought me to Europe, Asia, and India. Over time, these regular interactions expose me to the bigger world (people, realities, cultures, etc.) outside of good ol’ US of A … and for that I am incredibly grateful.
On other hand, earth is a big place and is composed of multiple time zones which often do not sync well with my own. Consequently, my work hours generally suck. In exchange for my paycheck, I’m regularly up late into the night (thanks India) and often up early in the morning (cheers Europe). It is what it is, and I’ve long ago made peace with the pros and cons accompanying any globally-based job.
I generally prefer to think I am the positive type, so rather than bemoan today’s early alarm, I’ll simply enjoy the beautiful sunrise that greats me this morning.
I’ll be sure to thank my colleagues in UK and France.
Aug 20
Coming Home
I’m fortunate to live a lifestyle such that I can park my mobile dwelling just about anywhere I choose. This week I am in Brookings, the small South Dakota town where I was raised. Less two high-school reunion weekends, I’ve really not been back since I left 21 years ago.
The town is vastly different these days, but at the same time fundamentally unchanged – I feel a certain comfort and familiarity here. While I would never choose to “live” here in the traditional sense, I’ve been so happy to be visiting without rush.
I have no idea where my future travels will take me, but this small town will always be home.
Nostalgic
In the fall of 1990, I found myself somewhat lost and overwhelmed … an 18yr old kid on the campus of big university. Looking for comfort, I quickly found solace in what was familiar – which in my case was playing basketball. Within this process I begin frequenting “the barn” – an old athletic facility which years prior to my arrival, university officials had retired from official sporting events, but made available for students and community residents.
I cannot begin to guess how many times I ran up and down this creaky floor as an undergraduate. Needless to say, a good number of my college friendships are rooted in this building – the result of hours of pick-up games, which may or may not have involved a lot of talking shit, arguments, and other nonsense.
Having not visited the campus since May of 1994, this morning I found myself in this relic of a building wondering how did the years pass so quickly. All these years later I was immediately nostalgic for the good times had in this too hot, too cold, dumpy, smelly place.
Wandering With Purpose 