Is this it?!

Hope each one of you, and your families are well. I had a little bit of “different time” past 17 days as I was out of PacNW and in a warm climate out of my normal routine.

A few observations about myself and the world that I am observing

People’s heads are pointed downward a lot in public. Pointed down towards a phone, while they are running, eating with others, in a car, while driving, sitting in a cafe, sitting on the beach and more….looking at a phone.

Because of the above point – the social interaction between humans has changed in a massive way (I’m not saying you all don’t know this – I’m just observing it) – Rusty Guinn captures this idea well I think.

My previous 10+ years, my attention was on my kids, my businesses and trying to keep the wheels on. During that time, a lot has changed culturally, and of course, I have changed too.

Warm climates (Less winter) are better for me. I’m happier, my achilles is “warmed up” in 1 minutes vs 30 minutes in cold as example – I knew this already – just re-learning for the Nth time.

The world online/digital changes SOOOOO much faster than the real world (though the real world changes pretty quick too compared to what our ancestors experienced) that the 2nd and 3rd order consequences of this digital change are challenging to understand and manage for ourselves and our children (if we even can)

I daydreamed of sharing some ideas/observations on the flight back yesterday – so I did it.

Not sure if makes sense, or is helpful in anyway – oh well.

Lots of love

1 kid started high school, twins started middle school. Lots of change and new routines, growth and challenges with all of it

AirTreks

Ruptured my Achilles in August of 2024 playing Pickleball. I am walking as of a week ago, though spending time rehabbing and building it back up – takes about 1 year. I got to spend about five weeks with my father which was so fun and a huge gift.

Grateful it was my Achilles, instead of something else that is tougher to heal from.

Contemplating the difference between where my mind is, versus my body

Farming.

Managing a household and trying to be a light in the communities I am part of.

I did go a bit into Social Media while I was stuck on the couch after surgery for a month. Ugh, I am glad I shut it off 12+ years ago. The social media hamster wheel is more powerful than ever. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in life, obsessing over Social Media is not one of them thankfully.

Running a Taxi Service for my children

Farming

Considering and culling “what I work on” so the list is less when I turn 60 (turned 50 this year) – the 40 to 50 decade felt fast.

Reading, Reading, Reading (Long-form, books)

Lots of Project Managing (Not my best and highest use, but it needs to get done)

Lots of Listening – to other, my children, friends, neighbors, colleagues.

NOT watching the News

AirTreks

I’ve been asking myself this question and most folks as they share, consider goals, challenges and choices.

Optimizing for…

…Speed?

…Time?

…Money?

…Love?

…Attention?

…Health?

…Joy?

I’ve found this to be a helpful question for myself, and others as we consider paths and ways to go after things.

Something to remember…we can NOT optimize for all of the above.

Reading a lot about how interconnected we all are

Deep in nature vs the concrete of cities – it suits me.

Deep listening with people that on the outside, look and appear much different than me

2023 Business Plans for Travel and more.

Time with my children in nature and on farm. Deep listening with them. Only after some time, I’ve learned, can be 30 minutes or more will they start to reveal to bring about connection, learning and “what is the truth here really”.

Lots of Farming, which means lots of learning, and often times being appropriately scared. (via my ignorance) – Many folks are asking about hunting on Oregon Private Land

Thinking about opportunity cost and more including being intentional and having fun with the next stage of life (I turn 50 in 2023)

Love to you and those you love.

Rebuilding and reconsidering after world travel collapse of past 2 years.

Paying attention to my healthy and unhealthy habits in an effort to optimize.

Lots of movement and walk and talks with friends. I played Water Polo for the 1st time in 30 years recently.

Children are back into sports after 2 years off. I’m coaching and enjoying working with young motivated people again. It is so fun being the Rainbow Unicorns Coach for 3rd Grade Girls.

Thinking a lot about cycles and how they repeat/rythme.

Some Readings:

Short Video of Dalio’s Book

Thich Nhat Hanh (RIP – children and I regularly read the How To books)

I will be 50 in 15 months so being intentional with my time is something I’m reflecting on and looking at the man in the mirror to evaluate, “Am I being intentional” and aligning my action, words, and time with my values and purpose.

I hope so.
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– Enjoying being a parent and all the learning that they are teaching me. When I sense frustration, or impatience bubbling up during a chaotic moment, I’ve been able to breathe, and ask myself, “What is this moment here to teach me” – This enables me to be more curious vs reactive and the love and empathy that flows from this is amazing.

– AirTreks is still trucking along almost 2 years into Covid. International Travel and Around the World Travel has drastically changed and the market for around the world travel services is much smaller than it used to be.

– I continue to spend as much of my time in “nature” as possible. Nature being away from cars, concrete and ambient noise that humans make. I enjoy the city still, just do my best work and living being more vicerally connected to the earth.

– The past 15 months I have been interviewing farmers and working on a farming oriented start-up. As I write that, I realize Farm and Start-up are not 2 words that I historically see together.

Happy Fall to you and those you love.

– Studying love and intimate relationships. The social science on this has matured in my lifetime, and how our parents “did it”, what works, and doesn’t has evolved. Reflecting on my choices and how I want to show up in this part of life.

– Helping kids transition back to in person school, and supporting them as they just finished a year+ of remote school and very few in person interactions with friends. Thinking and exploring ways I can best serve my children AND the next generation (other children)

– Exploring and investing in many new ventures the past 6 months including a carbon farming enterprise.

– Meeting with many farmers, listening, learning and wondering “why is it done this way” – learning how inefficient and seeing lots of super challenging opportunities around farming, community and education

– fasting – did a 6 day fast, 4 day fast and a few more multi-day fasts the past quarter. I feel good and intentional when I slow down and think vs “it’s breakfast time!”

– Lots of time outside, in nature/away from concrete/roads/man made noise.

– I paid attention to the news more in the past year, than the past 7 years combined. I felt like it might be helpful – not sure it was. Shutting it down again and feeling more connected and action oriented.

– Continuing to take online classes in places and areas that I am weak – A Decision Making and Anti-Fragility Course

Whatever you are doing, and thinking about….the light in me, sees the light in you.

Here’s a start

Ourselves – Take care of yourself, so you can take care of others.

Our Families – Once ourself is cared for, guide, help, and empower family members – especially children. Siblings, parents, etc have already made choices in life once adults and may or may not want to be on the empower train with you.

Our Friends – For some of us, friends are our chosen family and we have energy and resources and needs to feel human connection with people that we feel sympatico with in values, purpose and fun. Friendships in my experience leads to more experiences, opportunities for learning, laughing and growing our net worth (how we feel about ourselves) and net assets (The balance sheet version)

Our Communities – This can be your neighbors, Sunday morning coffee with friend(s), an internet affinity group, or whatever “thing” helps you feel in community to be seen, heard and understood. Be careful with which communities you choose to be a part of? Politics and Large communities like Countries are often dysfunctional and it’s members are yelling, politicking and building community in the context of power, control and being the ultimate arbiter of right and wrong.

Our Planet – this is the most obvious one, yet, in today’s digital culture – maybe the most not seen, despite us living in/on it. In our growth as a species to almost 8 billion of us – we are using resources at an alarming pace that may not be sustainable on the current trajectory. Care for the planet, however you can as it is part of you.

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Any time I spend time – not on these 5 things – I ask myself, “Does it matter?“

– Enjoying and challenged on being with Kids and the Digital Learning Experience. In the old model, we dropped them off and went about our day. This model, as a parent we have the opportunity to participate, learn ourselves, help and be an integral part of the learning day.

– Lots of listening, learning with and among friends, colleagues, peers, family and other community members.

– Exploring Doing vs Being

– Thinking about my 1st 50 years on this planet – I’ll be turning 50 in 2022.

– Trying to not get sucked into the “news”. I have a few times and I don’t think I am any better for it vs not paying attention.

– Lots of walks and talks

– Grateful for all that is here, even the uncomfortable.