Life on an Aircraft Carrier, Part 1

If there was one word to describe my reaction to the privilege of having the experience to spend 24 hours aboard the USS Carl Vinson as part of the Navy Distinguished Visitor program, it would be GRATITUDE.

I’m generally very pro-military in my outlook and have, on occasion, met military personnel in various situations and said “Thank you for your service.”

Now, however, I have a much greater sense of appreciation for the sacrifices they make on a daily basis to do their jobs.

It’s not really possible, no matter how many words I use, to do it justice…but that won’t stop me from trying.

Gratitude for…

I overheard a German tourist in NYC a few weeks ago saying to his son that “America was the world’s policeman” with a sense of mild scorn. Well, you know what? I’m grateful that we are.  When you think about 95% of world commerce going over oceans and the communication links between nations that run under them, I’m appreciative that the US Navy is on the front lines keeping it safe.  Not like I trust anyone else to do it better.

 

The mission is critical, of course, but the stories I heard of people being away from loved ones for key life milestones and for months and months at a time, you realize that this isn’t a job that is 9-5 and it’s not even like a job where people ‘travel a lot” for work, it’s all-encompassing and all-consuming. I met one female officer who had given birth 4 months before and now is looking at a possible 10 month deployment without seeing her first child.

And this is true all the way from the top (that’s Capt. Kent Whalen (call sign of “Torch”) who briefed us when we first arrived to the C.S. (Culinary Specialist team) that prepared and served a meal in one of the Officers’ Messes. And everyone in between.

 

The promise of the military to give people a leg up.  I met so many young people who had come from challenging environments. A guy from East LA who had been expelled from high school for fighting, bounced around, and could easily have ended up dead, as he said. Instead, with a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work, he’s manning part of the ordnance/munitions department.

 

The engineers and scientists who figured out how to keep a moving city of 5,000 people within a self-contained vessel and even give them the chance to not just function and survive, but thrive.  The systems and forethought that have to go into something like this….honestly, I can’t get my head around it. Maybe not now….maybe not ever.

These men and women work very hard. Long hours (12-14 per day) in fairly cramped conditions. Not only that, but they need to then eat, sleep, play, workout, etc. with all of the same people and while, I was told, tempers do flare, for the most part, it works.

 

When we first boarded, the Public Affairs team who served as our liaison (and reinforced by the Captain) kept reminding us that it is the people who make the ship work.

 

That’s obviously true, but I did enjoy seeing (and granted it was my little porthole onto their lives) the high degree of professionalism and respect that was evident for everyone’s contribution to the cause.

 

There’s MUCH more to come, but the first post had to be about that.

So, now I can say with a full and authentic heart (or even more so than in the past) to our military personnel…THANK YOU for your service.

my upcoming visit to an aircraft carrier

I get to spend 24 hours on an aircraft carrier next week.

For more, see this post.

Marketing Suicide Prevention

Honored that my passion for marketing is going to have an opportunity to really make a difference (hopefully).

I’ll be joining Commander Captain Aaron Werbel (USN) in presenting at the annual conference of the American Association of Suicidology on April 9, 2014.

See page 16, workshop 11 to see how it all comes together.

Kudos to Commander  Captain Werbel for seeing the opportunity and connecting the dots.

Further proof that marketing is relevant in many, many ways.

The Story of God Bless America

Thanks to my mom for sending this great story over.

Frank Sinatra considered Kate Smith the best singer of her time, and said that when he and a million other guys first heard her sing "God Bless America" on the radio, they all pretended to have dust in their eyes as they wiped away a tear or two.

Here are the facts... 

The link at the bottom will take you to a video showing the very first public singing of "GOD BLESS AMERICA".  But before you watch it, you should also know the story behind the first public showing of the song. 

The time was 1940. America was still in a terrible economic depression. Hitler was taking over Europe and Americans were afraid we'd have to go to war. It was a time of hardship and worry for most Americans.

This was the era just before TV, when radio shows were HUGE, and American families sat around their radios in the evenings, listening to their favorite entertainers, and no entertainer of that era was bigger than Kate Smith.

Kate was also large; plus size, as we now say, and the popular phrase still used today is in deference to her, "It ain't over till the fat lady sings". Kate Smith might not have made it big in the age of TV, but with her voice coming over the radio, she was the biggest star of her time. 

Kate was also patriotic.    It hurt her to see Americans so depressed and afraid of what the next day would bring. She had hope for America, and faith in her fellow Americans. She wanted to do something to cheer them up, so she went to the famous American song-writer, Irving Berlin (who also wrote "White Christmas") and asked him to write a song that would make Americans feel good again about their country.  When she described what she was looking for, he said he had just the song for her.

He went to his files and found a song that he had written, but never published, 22 years before - way back in 1917. He gave it to her and she worked on it with her studio orchestra.  She and Irving Berlin were not sure how the song would be received by the public, but both agreed they would not take any profits from God Bless America. Any profits would go to the Boy Scouts of America. Over the years, the Boy Scouts have received millions of dollars in royalties from this song.

This video starts out with Kate Smith coming into the radio studio with the orchestra and an audience. She introduces the new song for the very first time, and starts singing. After the first couple verses, with her voice in the background still singing, scenes are shown from the 1940 movie, "You're In The Army Now."  At the 4:20 mark of the video you see a young actor in the movie, sitting in an office, reading a paper; it's Ronald Reagan.

To this day, God Bless America stirs our patriotic feelings and pride in our country.  Back in 1940, when Kate Smith went looking for a song to raise the spirits of her fellow Americans, I doubt whether she realized just how successful the results would be for her fellow Americans during those years of hardship and worry..... and for many generations of Americans to follow.  Now that you know the story of the song, I hope you'll enjoy it and treasure it even more.

Many people don't know there's a lead in to the song since it usually starts with "God Bless America....." So here's the entire song as originally sung.

Humbled by my son…

On Sunday, Paco and I decided that we would go on an outing together.

I would run. He would bike.

We had ambitious of a long one. I was hoping for 9 miles.

Early on, we ran into some issues. The backpack he chose wasn’t so comfortable, so I had to fix that.

Still, it kept interfering.

Then, he elected to ride across the ford in the creek, which made his shoes slippery.

His feet were wet and at one point, he slid off the bike.

He started to cry and said his leg was really hurting. We were nearly 3 miles from home, the NFO was out, and we didn’t really have anyone to call to come pick us up.  From a close examination, I didn’t see any external signs of injury.

At this point, I was torn. I really felt the need for a long run. Yes, call me selfish and I was concerned that he wasn’t being “tough enough.”

I asked if we could go farther and he said yes.

Soon thereafter, I noticed another problem. His bike tires weren’t properly inflated, making the ride all the more difficult for him.

After a while, he said he couldn’t bike anymore.

Though I did  my best to hide it, I am sure he picked up on my frustration at having the “vision” of the outing ruined. Not really the outing, more like my exercise routine.

He offered to run next to me, but I knew that wouldn’t work, so I stopped.

We started walking in silence. I was wheeling the bike.

Both of us were just trying to deal with our emotions.

It was a really nice day (albeit a bit windy), but we were stewing in our own feelings.

At one point, he turns to me and says, “Abba [Hebrew for dad], I am sorry.”

My heart melted and I felt smaller than my 8 year old.

I immediately turned to him and said, “Paco, you don’t need to apologize for anything. I am the one who should be saying I am sorry. You’re more important than any run and I didn’t make you feel that way.”

From there on, we had a great time, talking about things that we never would have had he been biking and I been running. We both were able to look on the proverbial bright side.

I think every Father wants his Son to grow up to be better than he is.

I am glad that it my boy is on that path.

Is Solar Worth It? The Not So Conclusive 2 Year Report

So, I’m about 2 years in with my solar panels and the burning question is: Was it worth it?

The answer: It depends on how you look at it.

I sent the raw data to my friend, Pesy Hollander, who did the analysis for me.

FINANCIAL
From a pure FINANCIAL perspective, it seems like I am slightly behind (by about $100). Pesy had discovered a $210 delta, but I did get a check from Solar City last year to make up for underperformance (and, for all I know, I’ll get one this year, so perhaps I should wait, but well, I’m here now).

Also, a part of that is because the panels had a small technical issue upfront and it could be a function of the number of sunny days and/or an increase in consumption.

ENVIRONMENTAL
From a GREEN perspective, I am ahead. Way ahead. It’s a great feeling on a sunny day to know that I am doing a small, bit part for the environment. I am willing to pay $25 a year for that feeling. Plus, the offset of mature trees in CO2 helps.

TECHNOLOGY
From a TECHNOLOGY perspective, I am also ahead. I like having them on the roof, seeing the inverter, monitoring the output via the wi-fi/mobile apps and marveling at how it all comes together. I’ll also paid $25/year for that experience (heck, I do that all the time).

I’m ok with this, for now. I suspect I’m willing to pay the $25/year “green” tax well into the future (if I have to.). Think about it…Prius owners do it anyway, right?

As for the tech tax, I would hope that goes away.

I invested with the Long Game in mind, so I’m fine where we are.

If you are interested, you should use my referral code (and get a saving yourself). That would help my costs as well

Let me know via the comments if you have any quetsions.

If you’re not on this phone plan, you’re an….

I can’t say this any more softly than I am about to.

If you are on a contract plan for your phone with less than 5 months to go OR are out of contact but with one of the major carriers, well then, you are making a huge mistake.

Why?

1. Buy a Google Nexus 4 or 5 (unlocked) for $200-$400 (depending on what you want)
2. get a monthly plan (all you can eat-data/phone/text) from Straight Talk for $45

That’s it.

What do you get?

1. the most advanced phone operating system around (Android 4.4). Yes, it’s better than iOS.
2. arguably the best phone around. If not number 1, then pretty darn close
3. LTE speeds (see screenshot)

The era of contract phones is over. Even the big carriers have realized this.

May as well make the move and reap the benefits.

Kids in New York City

The mythic appeal of New York City begins at an early age.

Our kids were fascinated by it and, despite some of their other travels, had never made it into Manhattan.

We decided to rectify that by doing a short weekend visit to the Big Apple.

As always, the kid travel philosophy is to shoot for one major activity per day.

Day 1-Midtown Stimuli

The NFO had secured tickets to the Observation Deck of the Empire State Building, but since no time was specified and it was “first come, first serve,” we decided to make it our first destination of the day.

Originally, we were thinking of taking public transport in, by my brother-in-law, with whom we were staying in Teaneck assured us that traffic was insignificant. And he was right. We were in the city in about 25 minutes, but I erred in the selection of the best parking garage and ended up with a $48 bill for about 5 hours. Ouch. Including the “minivan surcharge.”

Anyway, it ended up being the right call…if only judging by the lines going out the door in frigid NYC weather when we exited. Fortunately, our wait which was about 1 hour or so it seemed, was all inside.

After a lot of moving, hustling, and bustling, we made it along with tourists from pretty much every other country on the planet, to the top. Not a crystal clear day, but enough that the kids got the “WOW” element for which we were looking and we were able to lay out the geography of the island and surrounding areas.

And, of course, we enjoyed their newfound perspective on height and relativity.

We grabbed lunch at a nearby restaurant and took it to the Sprinklr offices (which are 1 block away from Empire State Building) so we not only had a touchdown location, but they could see where I spend a nice chunk of my time.

Afterwards we walked up 5th Avenue so they could see of the Xmas decorations (they also had seen Macy’s windows on the way in), culminating with a visit to the tree and ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center.

Then, we took them through Times Square on the way back to our car.Transformative Moments Require Transformative Leaders

Bottom line: Mission accomplished. They got a sense for the hustle, bustle, and energy of New York.

Day 2-Bits of NYC History

Waking up to pouring rain, we knew we would have a challenging time, but we were determined to visit the 9/11 Memorial and the Tenement Museum.

The NFO had secured the “free” tickets beforehand for 11am and paid the “convenience” fee as well. We drove in, I dropped them off, and went off in the naïve belief that I could find parking for free, since I was still smarting from the $48 hit on Friday.

Good news: I was successful.

Bad news: I had to run for about 15 minutes through the chilly rain, only to get to the memorial and not be able to reunite with my family because of the snaking lines and security.

I ended up waiting in line for about 20 minutes, during which I was sandwiched between 2 German families, one of which was giving their kids a version of semi-revisionist history about American hegemony…in German.

I debated for a long time about whether I should interject and, surprisingly, I chose not to. I’m not sure why.

Anyway, as I neared the final checkpoint, the NFO called and said that the kids were very cold, the memorial wasn’t really open (save for two reflecting pools designed to inspire introspection) and that it was time to go.

I jumped out of line and ran all the way back to the car, so I could intersect with them and minimize their outside time.

Bottom line: I had a 30 minute run through the lower Manhattan rain to/from the Memorial. Oh well, another time.

The beneficial part is that the kids had a chance to see it and the NFO are pretty good partners when it comes to providing the perspective/education/background on things of this magnitude (granted, there aren’t that many), but the overarching important thing of having them have a sense of history was delivered.

We drove from the Financial District to the Lower East Side and stopped for lunch at the Shalom Chai Pizzeria and then to pick up bagels and bialys at Kossar’s.

Once the center of Jewish life in NYC (and, America), most of the Jewish landmarks are now gone…a sign of the times, I suppose, and judging from what we saw about life in the early 20th century via the “Sweatshop” tour of the Tenement Museum, it’s probably for the better.

Cramped, crowded, poor lighting and sanitation, really difficult working conditions, you really get an appreciation for the type of sacrifice that so many immigrants have made over the years in pursuit of a better life for themselves and their children.

Speaking of appreciation, my hope for our kids is that they not only appreciate what their ancestors have done for them to get them where they are, but also a better sense of appreciation of what they have. We’ll see.

The tour itself (and the very knowledgeable tour guide) were really first rate, perhaps my favorite thing on our NYC trip, even though the tickets were quite expensive. Yes, I know it’s NYC and everything is expensive.

Either way…well worth it.

It took a while to get out of Manhattan, with pouring rain and traffic, but we eventually made it to our heated-pool equipped hotel in Elkton, MD.

Day 3—Potato Chips and More

We also love seeing how things are made, particularly when there is machinery, scale, and automation involved (oh yeah, free food samples never hurt either), so we stopped by the Herr’s Snack Factory tour on our way back.

We want the kids to get a sense of appreciation for entrepreneurship and overcoming adversity (the founders), marketing (hey, what can I say), production, and where things come from.

Plus, fresh potato chips that literally are coming right off the production line never hurts.

Highly recommend it if you are in the area.

Headed for Home

Another trip in the books (and when you think about the fact that in 1 month, we’ve hit Israel and NYC as a family, I’d say we’re doing ok) and I like how our team is coming together. For the most part, we travel well. Like others, we have our moments and 3 iPads certainly doesn’t hurt, but seeing them ask questions and get excited about new things is why we do it.

Plus, with mobile connectivity, though one argument is “you aren’t focused on your kids,” the other argument is “it’s easier to take time out and do things with your kids.”

Balance, as always, is never simple, but I am grateful that we are fortunate enough to have to confront this particular challenge.

Doctors on the Social Firing Line

A few years ago, I had an experience with a urologist (Dr. Robert Sher of Urological Associates) that made me cringe.

And, no, I don’t mean the exam (though that wasn’t fun).

What I mean is that he suggested that I invest a chunk of money in a supplement which he didn’t disclose he had a financial interest.

That ticked me off.

So, I blogged about it and sent a letter to the Maryland state Board.

They basically told me to go away.

I had essentially forgotten about this incident until last night when Gary commented (3 times) on my blog post and sent me an email.

It seems like he had had an equally unpleasant experience with the physician.

On the one hand, this irritates me (perhaps even more than the original exam itself). That Dr. Robert Sher of Urological Associates continues to seemingly abuse his power and the fact that people, for a long time have simply trusted their physicians.

On the other hand, when I think about how I/we can fight back on something like this—and it’s clear that the “authority” approach of writing to the State Medical Board gets us nowhere, Google serves as the great equalizer.

When Gary commented on my blog, he did so because he found it by searching for Dr. Robert Sher of Urological Associates and my blog turned up on page 1 of the results.

This gives me hope.

As more and more people blog/share their experiences with doctors (at whatever level) AND as people google their physicians before going to them (like people checking each other out on FB or via Google before a first date), the sunlight brought upon these practices will be an equalizer.

It’s true for medicine…and any business.

Caveat Venditor. Let the seller beware.

Classic Israel Moment

For those of you who have been, this will make sense. For those of you who haven’t, it kind of sums up the Israeli mentality.

And, oh how I wish I had a picture. I’ll do my best.

Tonka and I were walking along Pierre Koenig St. in Jerusalem (a fairly busy street).

Coming down the street, on the outside lane, was a disabled woman (she had very short arms) and was smallish in general in her motorized wheelchair.

Again, this wasn’t on the sidewalk, it was ON the actual road. She was probably going 10-15 mph.

She was navigating the wheelchair using a joystick on one hand (which I think had a cigarette in it as well) and in the other hand, she was holding up the microphone part of her headset because she was talking on her cell phone.

Israel to London via DC

Isn’t that how everyone does it?

Just makes sense.

Get home on Thurs. night from Israel. Leave on Sat. night for London.

The thought of going straight crossed my mind, but then I saw the worst-case scenario.

We fly as a family from Israel to Istanbul.

The flight to London leaves 20 mins before the flight to DC (or whatever).

I go to London.

Then, there’s a mechanical failure on the DC bound plane and the NFO and kids are stranded in Istanbul for 2-3 days by themselves.

Better: just fly home, get them settled and use the plane time to my best advantage.

Israel—Crossing the country…in 60 minutes

Intellectually, I know that Israel is really small. We’re talking the size of New Jersey roughly.

Still, it’s pretty dramatic to start on the Eastern side of the country and then, about 1 hour later, get to the western side. It reminds you of the stark reality of the precariousness of the situation. The distance that a missile can cover in about, what, 10 seconds?

Zippori-Layers of History

We were based in Zippori, where we stayed at the guest houses of some 60-something, Baby Boomer, Americans who moved to Israel 30+ years ago. Not religious, but believers in the Zionist idea. What struck my brother-in-law and me was that this particular genre of person…grew up with a strong Jewish identity, but not religious per se is really almost a relic of history now. Fact is, there just aren’t that many American Jews who fit that mold anymore.

Panorama of inside of Crusader fort (Zippori, Israel)

A very short drive from the guesthouses (which we really liked save for the dogs that chased me like crazy when I tried to run and the rooster that didn’t get the memo that he is supposed to wait until dawn to start crowing) is the ancient ruins of Zippori.

It’s one of those places in Israel where the multiple layers of history all coincide at the same point. A Jewish settlement that was destroyed by Romans, the Roman town, infrastructure, mosaics, the fort built by French crusaders….all coming together.

What’s more, it was the home of the Rabbinic court, the Sanhedrin, for a time and it was where Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi codified the Mishna…some heavy stuff.

Add to that is the hill from which you can see for miles in many directions and really appreciate the geographic landscape of the Galilee.

Nahariya—German Jewish town gone askance

We decided that our best option for lunch would be in the seaside town of Nahariya, about 6 kms south of the Lebanon border.  I had been there in 1991 and remembered it as a very quaint, well-kept town. As I recall, it was founded by German immigrants for whom organization and cleanliness were important and the town reflected that. I also remember a boardwalk that was very pleasant.

Well, either my memory was incorrect or the town has changed dramatically. It’s not kind of run down and drab. It’s unfortunate. A lot of Russians seem to be living there—not saying there’s a connection between the two—just an observation.

The most remarkable part of the city—and arguably the entire trip-was on our way into town. I was telling the kids about the city’s German origins and began by saying, “ok, we all know the bad things about German culture, what are some of the good things?”

Which is how I introduced things like organization and punctuality.

As we were talking, however, Nadia (age 5.9) said, “You know, I was reading in my book about Anne Frank and she was hiding in Germany.”

“Actually, it was Holland.”

She continued. “And there was a man, his name was A-dahn Hitler.”

“You mean Adolf Hitler.”

“Yeah, right,” she responded. “He wanted to be an artist, but he wasn’t very talented. Then, he decided he wanted to kill all the Jewish people.”

I turned to the NFO and said, “Did that actually just happen?”

Amazing what kids pick up.

Rosh HaNikra—Lebanese Border

A short (very short) drive up the coast and you reach Rosh HaNikra which is on the border with Lebanon.  It’s also the location of some magnificent grottos through which you can walk and admire how the sea and land have crafted some majestic pieces of art.

I had been there before, but wasn’t aware of some of the historical significance to the place until we watched a movie about it…located on a railroad track in a railroad tunnel.

Apparently, the British had designs on creating a rail network from Beirut (after they got it w/the fall of Vichy France) all the way to Cairo. The coast made the most sense, so they blasted 3 tunnels along the edge of the mountains separating Israel from Lebanon and where Rosh HaNikra is. They also built a small bridge over one gap in the land.

On the eve of Israel’s independence, some members of the Hagana (the pre-state militia) performed a stealth operation right under the noses of the British troops and sabotaged the bridge. The reason? There was concern that an invading force from the north would use the tunnels, bridge, and train tracks to transport weapons and materiel.

Now, the first tunnel (on Israel’s side) is open. The 2nd tunnel (at the border) is walled off—and a movie theater. And the 3rd tunnel? No idea.

From what they told us, it’s also the only place in all of Israel where it’s not a sandy beach, since the rock goes directly into the sea. And, I’m told, but not sure, that it’s the steepest cable car in the world (though not particularly long).

Kids loved it. We loved it.

Adventures on the Way Back to our Base—thanks to Waze

As I wrote, everyone in Israel uses Waze. Which is great, because you get reliable, real-time traffic information. You can also share information about broken down cars and speed traps.

However, after having Waze announce 4 times “Warning! Speed trap ahead” and seeing nothing, we simultaneously made the observation that maybe the police are using Waze and just letting it do the speed monitoring work for them.

But, that wasn’t all of it.

As we came down Road 6, Waze suggested an alternate route that would “save 4 minutes,” so of course, we took it.

After about 25 minutes, we came to a guardpost, manned by soldiers with a huge gate. We asked the soldiers if it was ok to go to Hashmonaim and she replied, “yes, you’re just going through the ‘Shtachim” which is the Hebrew word to describe the lands conquered in the 1967 war (with a few exceptions.)

We both had the same reaction…nervous. And “is this really a good idea?”

The soldier said, “it’s fine. Don’t worry about it,” but the NFO and I know enough to know that on any given day, it could be the day when some people decide to throw rocks (or worse) at cars with Israeli license plates.

It was dark and there were fewer cars. No houses, villages, stores, or gas stations. For about 12 minutes, we rode in total silence…my heart was definitely beating faster and my senses were fine tuned to both the road and the surrounding areas. I was on full alert. When you have moments like that, you are ridiculously focused. And I was.

As we came to the checkpoint on the other side, we saw about 10 men in their late teens, early 20s cross the road in front of us. Even though we were in site of soldiers, we held our breaths. It’s just the sad reality of life in the neighborhood.

Nothing happened and we made it back to our base, but it’ll be a while before I forget that feeling.

The 3 Israels

After the trip through the “Shtachim,” the visits to Nahariya and Tiberias, and the base of operations in Hashmonaim and meetings in Herzliya and Tel Aviv, it dawned on me that there are-at least-3 Israels. Maybe more.

Of course, it’s not universally true, but in general

1. the high-tech, modern Israel. Advanced, everything you would find anywhere else in the first-world and even more so. Cutting-edge.
2. the “left behind” Israel. Places that are sorely in need of economic development and just a paint job.
3. the “other” Israel. Which includdes:
   1. some Israeli Arabs
   2. the ultra-Orhodox Jews with 7, 8, 9 or more kids who are on welfare and live in poverty
   3. many of the Arabs who live in the Shtachim (but, I need to be clear, I’m not saying there plight is all Israel’s fault-it’s not)

The Peace Process, John Kerry, and Jerusalem

The NFO had to fly home a day early, so I was on point with the 3 kids alone. More on that later.

But, we took the opportunity for Paco and Nadia to reconnect with some classmates who had moved from Maryland to Jerusalem for a playdate. That gave me the chance to hear what their dad, Jack Kustanowitz, had to say about his perceptions of the Peace Process.

He had read my earlier post saying that “no one talks about the Palestinians. People are focused on Iran” and he agreed with it.

The sad reality, in his opinion, is that outside of Israel and the Arabs, no one really understands the situation, nor why it is intractable.

In fact, the night before, after my run, I was just thinking, “you know, there is just NO solution whatsoever.”

When all is said and done, it comes down to the question of: Can the Arabs who want to destroy Israel succeed or can Israel succeed in preventing that from happening?

Jack’s observations were spot on.

On the one hand, when “things are quiet,” and there’s no terrorism, most Israelis are of the mindset of “hey, things are good, why should we rock the boat and give the Palestinians a state?” Which leads to stalemate with Palestinians…which is what we are seeing now.

It’s only when terrorism occurs that people get frantic are inclined to talk (not all, of course, but some) because the same terrorism emboldens the hardliners even more. Which leads to a stalemate w/in Israeli society, so no progress occurs.

In either way, no progress occurs.

But, that’s not it….because the same lack of understanding about the Palestinians is at play.

Most Westerners think “it’s about settlements and it’s about Land,” but when they think about it, they think it’s about the land captured in 1967.

What they don’t realize is that it’s about the land “occupied” since 1948…that is all of Israel.

It’s just such a foreign concept. No one can comprehend that the US would come out with a position tomorrow of, “you know, we don’t want Guatemala to exist. And we mean, just erase the country. Give it to its neighbors and change the map.”

But that’s exactly what is wanted.

So, I suppose, in some respect it does come down to Settlements…if you are of the position that Tel Aviv, Haifa and Be’er Sheva are settlements that need to be uprooted.

So, in Jack’s estimation, if the relations between Israelis and Palestinians is like a repeating curve (think Sine wave), the objective for Israel is simply to reduce the altitude of the curve so that the periods of intensity are not as intense and just modulated.

Call me a pessimist.

The First Station and a Long Walk

Tonka and I left the Kustanowitz residence and headed to Emek Refaim where I said to her, “if there’s one place in Israel where there’s a high probability of my running into someone I know, it’s here.”

5 minutes later, straight out of ‘Father Knows Best,” I ran into Devorah Plotkin Walder. Yay.

Tonka and I then set out to follow the refurbished train tracks between Emek Refaim and Baka that are now a first-rate pedestrian area (it used to be an eyesore) and walked to the terminus which is called “the First Station,” because as difficult as it may be to believe, it was the First Train Station built in Israel (well, British Mandate Palestine) in the late 1800s. Now, it’s a great mall with shops, restaurants, etc.

We then walked back to Talpiyot (about 3 km) to vist a friend, Isaac Hassan, who has founded a co-working/incubator space designed to inspire all Jerusalemites (Jews, Arabs, etc.) to become entrepreneurs. You should check it out www.picojerusalem.com

Headed for Home: Appreciating the Kids

I always enjoy traveling to Israel. And, after the fact, I’ve always enjoyed traveling with kids. In the past, there have been moments of huge hassle—strollers, diapers, fighting, etc.

This time, however, was different.

Sure, they had their moments, but pretty much from start to finish—and I’m including plane rides, these guys were world-class troopers.

This trip was about and for them…and I feel like we succeeded.

I could see their wonder, their curiosity at every turn, their appreciation for the sites (ok, mostly) and the joy of the overall experience.

I could FEEL the family bonding taking place. And it was worth it.

It’s not easy-especially for someone who loves his work as I do-to slow down for this period, but I am so glad that I did. This was about creating a memory for a lifetime.

Most nights, when they eventually conked out, I found myself just staring at them as they slept, appreciating the people they were becoming. Similar in some ways, very different in others.

I love seeing the sibling partnership and camaraderie forming. Like the time when they were bickering in the backseat and the NFO said, “let them resolve it.”

Within minutes, they had reached the conclusion that it was more fun for them to sing songs together than fight and we were regaled for an hour with their chorus. A mental snapshot.

Even flying back with them (though I got them up early and the day was long) was fun. Sure, the 3 iPads helped, but when push came to shove, they moved when they needed to (e.g. our short transfer in Istanbul) and even slept in their clothes the night before our depature, thinking it would save us time during our early morning departure.

As you all know, in any travel experience, there are so many variables. In Israel, because of security, there are even more. Anything can throw you for a loop. There’s always waiting, no matter where you are, and no matter what, you have a choice.

You can whine and complain or you can open your eyes and look at the world around you, wonder why it is the way it is, and share your questions and opinions.

When you do that, you become richer.

And I really feel like that is something that my kids started to really understand on this trip. It is something I hope they take with them on the great trip through LIFE.

 

appreciating kids

Israel in 2013-Hannukah in the Land of the Maccabees

Unlike my personal and professional life, I take a very laid back approach to travel, particularly with kids.

Long ago, in my backpacking through Europe days, I gave up on the notion of “trying to do it all” and instead take a mentality of “whatever you are doing, you are doing in <place you are visiting>.”

Now, that doesn’t mean I just sit in a café all day and work on my laptop and, of course, try to marry this with my philosophy of “do things that are unique to <place you are visiting>,” but it’s a balance.

In short, my goal is “one big objective per day” and then everything else is bonus. I don’t want the travel experience ruined by the “we have to get here” mentality and not being able to appreciate the subtleties of a location like “what are rest stops like here and why?” or “how do people shop?” and more.

Ok, enough background. On with it.

Background

We found the deal of the century on Turkish Airlines ($700 RT per ticket), which everyone universally agrees is a great travel experience, so I was of the mindset of “whatever we do in Israel, it didn’t cost that much to get us here “. Plus, between it being Thanksgiving time and Hannukah, the stars were aligned…or should we just say that yet another miracle occurred.

Base of Operations

One of the challenges of any travel scenario is establishing your base of operations. Fortunately, my brother-in-law lives in Hashmonaim, which is near Modi’in. The location is ideal, about halfway in between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The only downside is that Foursquare seems to think it is Palestinian Territory.

The Phrase that Sums Up Israel

I was entering the bank in Jerusalem and the security guard asked me a simple question: “Do you have a gun?”

I said “no,” and moved on.

But in that moment, you get a rich appreciation for the complexity of life here.

Agree? Discuss below.

Daily Goals

Day 1-Technology and Business

Knew it would be challenging because of kids’ jet lag (though I have to say they were absolute, 100% rockstars on the flight over. 3 iPads were deployed and the kids didn’t even get up once on the flight from DC to Istanbul—not even to use the bathroom).

As a result, the NFO was very accommodating in granting me one “business day.” Not only do I like this for the benefit of building the personal and professional network, but one of my favorite things in every trip to Israel is to understand how the Israeli business and technology sectors are evolving. As the home of Start-up Nation and the country with the 3rd largest number of public companies on the NYSE (after US and Canada), in my opinion, you can’t understand modern Israel without investigating this side of the story.

I was aided in my efforts this time by the indefatigable and unparalleled Jeremy Lustman, who heads up the DLA Piper office in Israel and is mega plugged in. He set up 2 solid meetings for me.

Israel’s prowess in technology based on military/defense needs continues (as it must) and I’ve long said that the irony of the ongoing Arab war/vilification of Israel is that its existence is what gives Israel so much potential and wealth.

Places like Herzliya reflect this. With the names of pretty much every technology company you can think of on buildings, it’s a testament to the recognition of the world’s largest companies of this reality. The proof is in the dollars.

What I also saw, however, was that Israeli companies, which historically have been very weak at marketing are starting to turn that around.  It’s something I saw a few years ago and I think is a reflection of the natural evolution of the country’s business leaders. More international experience in terms of management and understanding of the expectations of what it takes to survive and thrive.

Day 2-Jerusalem of Gold

No trip to Israel is complete without a trip to Jerusalem, the ancient and modern capital of the Jewish state and the epicenter of Judaism as a religion.

Still, that emotion is overcome by the fact that, well, it’s really a hassle getting in and out of town by car. Still, we deal with it, right?

We stopped at Mahane Yehuda, the big, open air market, where all types of fruits, vegetables, fish, and more are sold. While the NFO and the kids walked through there, I was able to meet up with some longtime friends on Ben Yehuda (the main pedestrian mall) including Noa Choritz, Neil Gillman, and Gil Kezwer. 

I like maintaining relationships…that’s no secret, but I love hearing the diverse perspectives of those who have lived here for a while. Some have become more right-wing (though I heard the best statement of all time from Gil’s wife, Randi who said, “I have become more right wing but I realize that it takes both wings to fly.”)

People and walking…those two things are fail safe ways to enjoy any trip anywhere.

After a short lunch at the Village Green (great vegan/vegetarian food), we set off on foot to the Old City, making our way down through the Shuk (market), we arrived in mid-late afternoon at the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site and the last remnant of the 2nd Temple.

For many, it’s a spiritual place and a time for reflection. My last few visits there didn’t really hit that high mark for me. This time, after stuffing a special note into the Wall, as is the custom, my nephews, Paco, and I were sitting on some chairs watching people do their thing and I had a moment of spirituality myself, one where I felt the weight of Jewish history on my shoulders. I felt like I had to impart some of a sense of history, as my friend Jen Pearlman says “of living vertically,” so that these boys would really understand why this place was of special importance and why it needed to be protected and defended.

An awesome feeling indeed and I did my best. A different type of spirituality, outside of myself, I suppose.

One of the things that always strikes me about Israel, but Jerusalem in particular is how you see Arabs going about their daily business and…no one really cares. They are a part of the fabric of life here. It’s stark primarily because of the opposite situation. I believe you would be hard pressed to find the capital of an Arab country where you would see religious Jews openly identifying themselves and walking with zero concern for their personal safety.

Day 3 and 4-Take It Easy

As Day 3 and 4 were Friday/Saturday, things tend to be a bit slower (well, hectic leading into the Sabbath) and then quiet (depending on where you are) on the actual Sabbath. We took the kids to a local park and then had a great time with my brother-in-law and his family.

Day 5-Go North, Young Man.

On this trip, I was determined that my kids learned that there was more to Israel than Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. On our previous visit, we had planned to go South, but, well, there was a war with Gaza, so we couldn’t do that.

This time, we thought our luck would be better in the North, so we went to Tiberias, on the Sea of Galilee (the lowest freshwater lake in the world), having a nice lunch on the promenade. On the way, we were struck by the beauty of the open land around it, the rolling, rocky hills and the agricultural wonder that has occurred there in the past 60 years.

Tiberias is one of the 4 holy cities of Judaism (Hebron, Safed, Jerusalem) and was the place where the Talmud (Jerusalem version) was codified because Jews couldn’t live in Jerusalem following the Bar Kokhba rebellion against the Romans in 135.

Unfortunately, for a city that has so much to offer, it really shows its age. It’s like the city got left behind by time and is stuck in the 1960s. What’s worse, in my opinion, it seems like they are leaving a ton of money on the table since the place is a mecca for Christian pilgrims (yes, I get the multi-religious semi-pun) because of the proximity of Nazareth, the miracle of the fishes, sermon on the mount, etc.

It’s a shame.

But not nearly as big of a shame as what happened to the tomb of Maimonides. Arguably the greatest Jewish mind of all time, he is buried in this city in a glorious tomb.

I was there about 20 years ago and it was marvelous and spiritual. Now, there’s a massive iron sculpture above it (which isn’t so bad), but the travesty is a white Home Depot-like fence that splits it down the middle and serves as the divider between men and women (since people tend to come and pray at his grave).

Now, I get that men and women are supposed to be separate during services and I’m ok with that, but this is a freaking grave…not a synagogue and the morons who put this piece of crap have turned a beautiful piece of art into nothing more than a utility. The opposite of how it should be.

It’s kind of like splitting the Mona Lisa down the middle and saying “ok, you can look at half the canvas and you’ll appreciate Leonardo just as much.”

Ugh. Embarrassing and silly.

Not that I don’t understand the reasons for why the fanatics who did this, did this. It’s just that I don’t agree with it at all.

That night, we stayed in a quaint Zimmer-style cabin near Moshav Zippori (itself a historic place). I really liked it.  Relaxing, peaceful…and great wi-fi.

Day 6-Onto the Heights

When you see the Golan Heights up close and think about the military challenges that faced Israel in the 1967 war, you can’t help but be in awe that they were able to accomplish what they did.

Today, the vistas are breathtaking (even with the fences that identify live minefields), but under heavy fire? Going uphill?

Are you kidding me?

Once you get to the top though, it’s like the Great Plains…flat, peaceful, few trees, serene. I felt so at peace when we arrived in Avnei Eitan, a cooperative of about 100 families calmly situated in, well, the middle of nowhere…and about 10km from the Syrian border. 

The reason for our visit to this outpost was the “Automatic Dairy” where the cows go through a machine called the “Astronaut” which is, well, just fantastic.

Each cow had an RFID chip around its neck and it enters a massive machine 3 times per day. The chip tells the machine which cow it is. The machine knows things such as how much milk the cow gave last time and the entire history of the cow. Frankly, it’s and Electronic Medical Record for each cow (they can do it for cows, just not healthcare.gov website).

The cow is on a scale, so the weight is recorded and the proper amount of food is distributed.

Meanwhile, 4 suction cups are attached to the udder of the cow but only after the teats have been cleaned with a brush (like a car wash) and their exact location targeted and pinpointed by laser. As each of the 4 compartments are drained, the suction cup drops away until all are done. The teats are washed with some anti-biotic spray and the gates open (even if the cow isn’t finished eating). Precisely 17 seconds later, a shock is delivered in order to encourage the cow to leave.

Of course, after the first few times, all of the cows leave at the 15 second mark. No muss, no fuss.

This technology, which costs about $150,000 has enabled the dairy to move from 10 cows to 75 with very limited additional increase in manpower. In fact, our tour guide told us that now she is able to leave the dairy, which she wasn’t able to do before (or someone had to be there) and they can manage/measure the entire process…from their iPhones!

I loved this tour as it reflects the ingenuity and spirit of innovation that is Israel.

On the way up to the Heights, I was telling the kids about the history of the 1967 War and the challenges of scarcity/resource allocation and how “necessity is the mother of invention.” (I also introduced them to the Knesset-Israeli parliament process and they quickly understood why it was such a challenge!)

The machine isn’t Israeli-made (it’s Dutch), but the point was made and they saw how the operation of the dairy could scale because of technology (something I am always happy to have them see!)

Gamla-The afternoon took us to Gamla, aka “The Masada of the North,” a secluded location that served as a refuge for Jews who were trying to escape Roman persecution. Tragically, the 9,000 people there all died, choosing suicide instead of slavery at the hands of the Romans when their situation became desperate.

We took a moment to hear from my brother-in-law about this time in Jewish history while on a 1 hour long like over the hills and terrain, absolutely breathtaking and well worth it. Joined by a longtime friend, Shmuel Goldman-a resident of the Golan-we had a chance to just soak in the earth.

Over 20 years ago, before a trip to Israel, a family friend gave me her advice about how to experience it. To this day, I remember it: “Walk the Land.”

And I do, every time I am here.

Other Observations

1. New Highway 6 is great.
2. A few people talked about Iran. No one talks about the Palestinians.
3. I still can’t understand why coffee from pretty much any shop in Israel is better than most places in US. Certainly better than Starbucks (which isn’t in Israel, btw. They gave up and left due to strength of coffee culture).
4. I popped a Golan SIM card into my Nexus 4 and had connectivity everywhere. Great stuff.
5. Waze is even better in Israel because EVERYBODY uses it. Really helpful for crowdsourcing traffic.
6. As some of you know, I enjoy checking in on Foursquare. Not only can I find friends and suggestions in the area, but it’s a diary for where I go. I was a bit disappointed to see that the Golan Heights, according to them, are part of Syria and Hashmonaim, where my brother-in-law lives is part of Palestinian Territory.

No need to worry…I sent the issue along. We’ll see what happens.

Ok, I cranked this out all in one day. Random stuff that I will realize that I forgot and report on last few days to come.

The Story of Stuff

I’ve shared this before, but it’s worth sharing again…More powerful is the one on bottled water

What does Jewdar and a Federal Department have in common?

They both were relevant connection points on my morning train to NYC.

I am an avowed train and plane talker.

That probably comes as no surprise to you, of course.

Thing is, ALMOST every time I initiate a conversation on a train or plane, it pays off.

Today was no exception…two times.

As I boarded the train at BWI, my esteemed colleague and erstwhile running partner, Eric (follow him on twitter @emarterella) had saved me a seat. Settling in, I commented that my 3 day suitcase was overfilled because “at least 50% of it is running gear.”

This brought a smile to the face of the woman in the seat next to me. (Apparently, she had been forewarned that, well, I’m the gregarious type.)

Turns out, this federal government employee is a serious runner and, since that is a common component of Eric and my trip’s to NYC, she quickly became part of the group. So much so that we invited her to join us for a run the following night. And, it turns out, that we have a mutual friend in common who used to work at her Federal agency.

Seeing as she is an ultra-marathoner and really fast, we fully expect to be embarrassed, but hey, we’ll have a new friend.

As the journey moved along and we worked intermittently while chatting, the train unexpectedly filled up quite significantly as we rolled out of Philadelphia.

A middle-aged (but very young looking) woman boarded with her grown son and his wife.  As soon as I saw her, my well-tuned Jewdar was going off. I just knew…and I was right.

She took the seat next to Eric and we quickly began to kibitz. Soon, of course, we were watching a video of her son and new daughter-in-law’s weddings (it’s really beautiful, you should as well. Here you go.)

Even more, I learned that her father was the founder of a very worthwhile organization which I support, the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces. So, needless to say, Ruth Schwalbe and I became fast friends and I promised I’d share the video of her handsome son and beautiful daughter-in-law (that would be Jason and Laura) who, I am sad to say, because of the full train were not able to sit next to each other.

But somehow they made it.

And, once again, the value of connecting with total strangers on the train proves itself a winner.

So, next time you’re on a train or a plane, start up a conversation with your seatmate…you never know where it might lead you!

Laura + Jason from Utopia video productions on Vimeo.

Recollections of JFK’s Assassination…

My dad sent this around the other day and I asked him if I could share it with you. He said ok.

Below are a few of my recollections on this occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Death of a President, JFK.

I watched part of a documentary on the JFK assassination last night, November 13, 2013, one that focussed on how the story was handled by the press, especially Walter Cronkite.

The Narrator suggested that this was the biggest story of the 20th Century or made some other hyperbolic comment.

It was big and remains big, but what about WWI and WWII, etc.

Fifty years.

I had lunch on November 22, 1963 with two friends at a restaurant named Lincoln's Inn.

One was Dan Rezneck, who, like me was an Assistant U.S. Attorney. 

Dan had actually promoted my application for the position, one that I enjoyed immensely. 

It was heady to get up and announce that I represented "The United States of America."

The other person at the lunch was our contemporary, Jack Rosenthal who was the Press Spokesman for the Department of Justice, Robert Kennedy, Attorney-General.

We discussed politics, Bobby Kennedy, etc.  Typical Washington talk.  We had no idea.

After lunch I returned to the U.S. Attorney's office and one of my colleagues, Tony Lapham, who was in the hallway told me that the President was dead.

A thought too large to wrap with my mind.  I had seen JFK once in a large room at Harvard Law School, when he was campaigning for the Presidency.

When he was inaugurated I was at the U.S. Coast Guard Officer Candidate School, Yorktown, VA. 

I had limited free time so  during lunch break I went  to the television room and listened to his stirring inaugural speech.

Washington was covered with snow and was bitter cold, as I saw on TV.   I was 150 miles away and it was cold. 

I was the only person in the room watching the Inauguration. 

I thought that was odd, as my military colleagues certainly had bright and interested individuals.

I think that my subsequent Commission as an officer may make reference to JFK or perhaps bore his signature. 

Later, I was moved by his call to come and serve in the government.   I doubt that was the only reason that I came to D.C. 

After I completed my military commitment, I did not return to San Antonio  because I thought that the prospects for finding a Jewish young woman

to suit my eccentricities were greater in the East, but that did not occur until eight years later.

In any event, during that night of November 22, 1963, I was staring into the White House grounds when the helicopter brought LBJ as the new President.

Two days later or so, when the casket was moved from the White House to the Capitol Rotunda, I was on the sidewalk outside the U.S. Courthouse  near Pennsylvania Avenue watching the procession, the riderless horse, the gun carriage bearing the body.

I went to the Capitol Rotunda at 2 a.m. to view the casket and persons were lined up for blocks waiting to do the same. 

I think that an acquaintance with a press pass got us in ahead of the line, not an egalitarian gesture.

Views of JFK as President, his accomplishments, his character and behavior, have changed over the years. 

During those three days, I was bereft.

The killing of Oswald, surrounded by law enforcement officials, by Jack Ruby viewed on live televicsion was astounding.

A few more thoughts on the sleep lab experience…

Wanted to get these last two down before I forgot

The room was really nice. More like a hotel than a hospital room. Cozy bed. Quilted. Carpeted.

And the quote of the night from Lucy (the nurse) when I was having a hard time sleeping was:

“It’s ok, some people don’t sleep well outside of their own bed,” because I was thinking “I sleep in a hotel bed pretty much every week.”

Sleep Study— Being Watched in Bed

Disclaimer: if “TMI” is something you normally say, then skip this post. I don’t need that comment

Last week’s SnoreGate kicked it off.

Then, over the weekend, I felt some sensitivity in my lower teeth.

Now, I am plagued with periodontal challenges, since this, unfortunately, is nothing new.

As luck would have it, however, I was scheduled for a cleaning at my periodontist who asked me if I had any concerns. I shared them.

“You know, it’s interesting you say that because I was looking at your chart and I am getting a bit worried about the recession on the inside of your front lower teeth. It could be caused by sleep apnea, your tongue pushing forward as a reaction.”

I shared the snoring incident and he said, “you should probably had a sleep study done. Call your insurance company.”

In a once-in-a-thousand years scenario, I got word from CareFirst that I had met the deductible for the year on our Health Savings Account so the study would be covered (who says we need Obamacare?)

Then, as luck would further have it, the hospital 2.7 miles from my house has a sleep center…and they had an opening the following night. The stars were aligned and I scheduled it.

Arrive at 8.30pm

I showed up on time, ready to go. At first, I thought, “for someone who goes to bed at 1.30am often, how am I going to go to sleep that early?” but I did feel tired and sleepy.

It took about an hour to hook up all the wires. Then, got in bed, watched a bit of TV (Kentucky vs. Michigan State), and then read a new book called “Grounded” (written by my cousin) until at 10.30pm, Lucy came in and said, “Ok, time to go to bed.”

I felt like my kids

It was NOT easy or comfortable to sleep (or try to sleep) with wires all over my head, two straps around my chest, and more wires connected to my chest and legs.

There was no clock so I can’t really say for sure, but I think it took about 45 minutes to fall asleep. Maybe the pressure to perform got to me.

I also kept wondering what they were seeing as they were monitoring brain waves as I was having all of these thoughts. Could they read my mind like “the Matrix?” Were different areas of my mind lighting up and they would see “man, that guy needs to think less about work/money/sex/whatever?”

It was like I was trying to read the minds of the people who were reading my mind.

At some point, maybe 2 hours later, my eyes popped open and moments later, Lucy came in (they can monitory my eye movements) and made some adjustments.

I told her I had to go to the bathroom.

Now, I drink a TON of water and eat a lot of fruit. I had also gone for a run at 4pm the previous afternoon and had rehydrated.

Even though she said, “don’t be embarrassed if you need to go to the washroom” and I knew she was a nurse, and I tend not to be embarrassed by these things, I couldn’t help feeling that way, probably because each time I had to, she would have to unhook me. Not looking forward to being in a nursing home.

I came back to the room and, well, nothing. I could NOT fall asleep. I was tired but my mind was racing about all things…being in a sleep study, work, home, life, upcoming travel plans. I kept having the urge to get up and either check my phone or start working, but I couldn’t.

My mouth was dry and I was a bit hot. I only had a bit of water left in my water bottle. I was also pretty hungry.

Then, maybe 90 minutes later (?), I had to go to the bathroom…again. Nerves? I don’t know. I hesitated, since I was tired and I didn’t want to have to ask again, but eventually, I decided it just had to be done.

They had a microphone in the room so I could just talk and they’d hear me (in addition to the night vision camera where they could watch me), so I just said “Lucy, I need to go to the bathroom.”

And like magic, there she was at the door, unhooking me. I asked her the time. She said, “I can’t tell you that.”

The CIA could learn from these guys Very disorienting.

Just kidding, they were nothing but professional.

Honestly, I may have gone to the bathroom a 3rd time…I’m really not sure at this point (I just got home and am blogging this while it’s still fresh and before the kids get up for school) because there were at least a few occasions when Lucy came in to adjust a wire that I had dislodged. It’s like sleeping in a stocking cap…made of metal.

I eventually did fall back asleep, but before I knew it, Lucy was back, telling me it was time to get up. At this point, she told me it as 5.20am and her one question: “Do you usually sleep this little?”

I’m kind of like a camel. I don’t sleep that much during the week, but Friday nights, I’ll go to bed at 8:30pm and sleep until 6:30am.

Anyway, results will come in about a week, I’m told.

The goop in your hair to keep the pads sticky is, well, sticky, and taking those pads off of a hairy chest…very uncomfortable.

Ok, time to go wake the kids and drink some coffee

Thanks for the support.

Another reason why it’s not easy being married to me…

 

If you had to listen to this at night…

Having A Great Partner-Lessons from the Race of My Life

On Sunday, I ran in the Army Ten Miler.

It was the best run of my life.

Back in April, I ran the Cherry Blossom 10 miler and I averaged 8:24 per mile. I was ecstatic then.

Since then, I had improved not only my training, but my diet as well. Was feeling stronger.

Except for the fact that I slept horribly on the night before, the stars were aligned. Beautiful morning. Got to the race in time to prep the body, as it were (runners know what I mean).

After I crossed the starting line, about 1/4 mile of the way in, I saw a guy next to me glance at his watch. I asked him our pace. “7:55,” he replied.

“What’s your target?”

“Right around there.”

So, I replied. “Well, I’ll stay with you as long as I can,” figuring he could pace me and even if I couldn’t keep up, at least I would have a strong start.

He said, “Sure, it’s always easier running with a partner.”

And, it was.

Not only did I get a chance to learn a bit about Nick Poulos’ life and perspective, but I had someone who looked after me-and vice versa-providing the little encouragement needed when-at various moments-your energy wanes.

Uphills, certain mileage points, and then the drive to the finish.

With Nick’s help, I was able to run the race of my life.

And it made me realize the importance of partnership in life across the board. Whether in marriage, business, or friends.

The Great Depression and Why I Love Being a Dad

The other day, Paco said to me “What was the Great Depression?”

Not only did I love his curiosity, but I loved this focus on the answer.

And, we went through a lot…starting with WW1, Hoover and going through the New Deal.

We covered some Macroeconomic theory in there as well.

But, it wasn’t so much the information as it was the process.

I just found myself enjoying the opportunity to share and engage with him (and the girls, who were avidly listening as well).

A moment to savor.

Truer Words Were Never Spoken

Never Had a DUI…

but my gut says they aren’t like this.

HT: Barak Epstein for sending it over.

The "Ask Mom" App

Paco was looking for his shin guards before soccer.

I asked him to be a bit more focused.

He said, “I have a better idea. I am going to use the app on my phone.”

He’s 8…doesn’t have a smartphone.

But, I turned around and saw him dialing on the home phone. He smiled.

“It’s called the ‘ask Mom app’”

Sure enough, it located the shin guards for him.

Babysitter cancellation policy?

If you make a reservation for a babysitter…and then you need to cancel, what would you say is the timeframe in which you should pay him/her for the time that was set aside?

When it all goes right…

Most of us are acutely aware of days when it all seems to go wrong.

But, every now and then, we hit a day when it all seems to go right.

Yesterday, for me, was one of those days. I’m just documenting it to practice gratitude.

It started at 5.30am in Dallas.

Took the cab to the airport, no problem. Was first in line at security.

I needed a smoothie—it was right across from my gate, which was directly across from security.

The flight got in early. The whole plane was full…except for the window seat next to me (I had an aisle seat).

I had arranged a phone call with the caveat that I would be late if something went awry on my flight. I called Tim exactly at noon.

I had lunch plans in Tysons Corner. There was no traffic and I was there, from the airport in 14 minutes, early for lunch.

The weather was gorgeous, there was a first-rate salad bar, and we ate outside.

Made it home with no traffic.

Took a run and had my best run of the year.

When I got back, the kids were there and we had a blast for 3 hours (I had been away for 2 days).

Read a book with Nadia. Watched baseball with Paco. Had a fun talk with Tikkanen.

After they went to bed, I got to Inbox Zero.

Had a chance to catch up on one of my favorite shows, Sons of Anarchy.

Wanted another smoothie…the NFO had gotten wheatgrass which I wanted to try out.

Had a good talk with the NFO.

Got a haircut.

The shirt I wanted to wear the next day was clean (thanks again to NFO).

Well, you get the idea.

#CountingBlessings

Wedding Gifts as Memory Creators

I will admit, I don’t usually put much thought into wedding gifts. My philosophy is “either buy from the registry or give cash.”

That’s what people usually really need when they are starting out.

But, the other day, my friend and former running partner, Robyn, sent me a note to challenge this belief.

“I keep thinking of you and NFO, because you gave us some lovely trays as a wedding gift, "to serve each other." 

We use them all the time and, lately, our younger daughter has taken to using them to surprise someone in the family with breakfast in bed.  With reciprocation, this has generated quite a few different breakfasts in bed for different members of the family, all on the trays that you gave to us. 

It is nice to see Hilary's delight at giving the simple gift of a cup of coffee and a bowl of Cheerios on a tray, or receiving breakfast on a tray herself.  Anyways, this new "tradition" that Hilary has started for our family struck me as very much in the spirit of the gift that you gave to us, so I thought that you might like to hear about it.”

Now, it’s possible that these were on Robyn’s wedding registry, but obviously the note that accompanied it (undoubtedly written by the NFO) lodged itself in Robyn’s mind…and though we haven’t seen each other in a LONG time, still serves as a bond.

Maybe towels aren’t the way to go?

What is your wedding gift philosophy?

This Commercial Made Me Cry….

and that’s why I am telling you about the video.

What I love about it is that they realized, “we’re not in the gum business, we’re in the storytelling business.”

If you get people to connect emotionally with your brand, no matter what you sell, it’s going to help.

My Son in the Future

I have a pretty good relationship with Paco.

He’s a sweet boy. Charming. A wonderful smile. Mischievous to the point of being cute.

A great athlete. A great sports companion. He’s 8. His innocence is eternal and refreshing.

I do my best to cherish it.

For example, you know what he wants from me on his birthday?

A 1:1 drive along the length of an entire avenue named for one of the states.

Last year, we did all of Connecticut Avenue. This year, all of Massachusetts Ave.

We saw it change from urban to suburban. From commercial to Embassy Row to residential.

I took a “mental snapshot” and savored it.

In fact, he did me proud as we drove home and were instructed by the NFO to pick up one item at the store.

She told us it was at Shopper’s which wasn’t quite on the path. The Safeway was, but she didn’t know if the item was there.

I said to Paco, “ok, buddy, we have a choice. We can go to Safeway and take a chance. If it’s there, we save time and get home sooner. If not, we lose time and have to go to Shopper’s.”

You know what he said?

“Go Big or Go Home!”

So we went to Safeway…it wasn’t there, but we didn’t care.

I thought of all of this tonight as I read an article I saw on Facebook about a dad trying to relate to his teenage son.

It gave me a “flashforward” to a day in the future when my boy may not want to talk or play with me. When I’ll be an irritation to him.

I know it is part of the rite of passage. Of separation. Of preparing for life without me.

What’s the word for pre-emptive nostalgia?

Another Business Disruption

If it’s happening to cab drivers, it can happen to anyone.

Customers-in aggregate-now have more power than the businesses.

The Backstory

At BWI rail station, cabs wait to pounce on stranded or time-constrained passengers, charging exorbitant fees to take advantage of a stressful situations.

It’s cause for resentment, but what can you do?

Disruption Awakening

While waiting to pick up a colleague, I started to chat with some of the cabbies and the talk turned to their business practices, how they decided what to charge whom.

“You know that you guys have a pretty bad reputation, right?”

They looked surprised.

I pulled out my phone and showed them my recent Foursquare check-in, where the tips frequently discussed how to deal with the predatory cab practices.

They were floored. “What’s the name of this app? I need to download it.”

It Is Happening to Everyone

EVERY organization and every industry deals with people. Those people have a voice that can be heard everywhere and at zero marginal cost.

NOT hearing the voice and engaging in a conversation with it leads down a lonely path.

Note: Sprinklr integrates with Foursquare so large companies can see who is checking-in and connect that information with the same person’s behavior on other social networks. In that way, they know if someone checks in at a store, it is the same person who tweeted last week about loving sweaters (or whatever it might be. You get the picture.)

A Meeting That Took 5 Years…Brought to you by Social Networking

Every now and then, with all of the excitement that surrounds the potential for social media in business, politics, etc., you forget what makes it so amazingly powerful.

Creating and solidifying connections between people.

It’s so simple. And it’s at the core of al the potential, but it gets lost in terms like “reach” and “engagement.”

The other day, however, I had a moment that brought me back, reminding me of the inherent beauty of the democratization of communication.

Five years ago, my friend Tom Harshbarger said, “there’s a guy you need to meet. His name is Brent Leary.”

Since then, Brent and I connected in many ways…email, phone, text, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, podcast interviews, Google+, Foursquare…you get the picture.

But, we had never actually met in person.

Until August 27th, 2013.

I gave Brent the heads up that I would be in Atlanta and he joined me for the event. Here is the video commemorating the moment and serving as the reminder of why he and I are so passionate about not just the technologies, but the possibilities they offer.