A Window in Time

Captured live! No edits!!

Big Storm, New Ground

Today was one of the biggest storms we have had to date. The rain falling was more like rain flying. Winds gusting 70 mph made significant debris throughout the Presidio National Park this morning. And by mid day more damage was observed throughout the city. On my commute home, during these kinds of "blasts" from Mother Nature, I often see a car or two dented under a tree limb awaiting its owner to be rescued. This time, every city block I passed was showered with various broken vegetation-- carnage really-- that earlier beautified the streets. Curving past the Presidio golf course I noted more damaged land peppered with splintered stumps and a new carpet of finer debris under my tires. But the chaos did not seem to end upon my arrival. This is what home looked like. Speaking of trees, the Canadians departing just a few days earlier could not have left at a better time. These images show the damage incurred in just under a couple of seconds this morning. The roots here have left a surprise of there own.

(inside looking out)

(outside looking in)

So now we'll need to pour a new side porch slab, plant a new tree or two, and in the mean time at least we have a new clear view out the West of our Presidio home.

Canadians and Redwoods

What would I do with out em?



Had they not jumped at an airline deal to fly from New Brunswick to California I would not had the pleasure to remember and honor the oldest living creatures sitting right here in my back yard. They mentioned an interest in visiting the local redwood groves just north of the golden gate...who by the way as a National Monument is having their 100 year anniversary. So what a better way to celebrate these great beauties than to walk beneath them in the company of my long lost Canadian relatives from the East Coast. Did you know those trees grow to be 379 feet tall and live to be 2,000 years old?


This message has been sent from my BlackBerry

James's Fourth Job Offer

So we are sitting at Angelina's cafe this morning in the Richmond and the owner leans over and declares how amazed she was to hear our son (4 yo) rant about "Angelina's" cafe and ALL that is has to offer... she asked for James's name and then offered him a job -- to be Angelina's marketing assistant. To that James replied, "But I am really a sprinkler expert."

J and I just howled with joy. This has been our son's fourth job offer since the age of two but the first of its kind in sales (the others? Irrigation maintenance and landscape design & engineering offers from family and friends with nice yards).
(This post sent from my cell phone.)

I Demand It! Part 2

Recap from I Demand It! (Part 1) ..."Looking back, way back to January 2005, I recall imprinting in my mind the projection of how great it would be to work at a company like that."

I Demand It! Part 2
"that" company offers four essentials. One, it has a constructive and supportive environment (talented people, positive attitude, voted by Fortune the "Best Place To Work 2007" etc.). Two, it handles rich and interesting content (biotechnology). Three, it offers an excellent benefits package. Lastly, there is the opportunity to contribute towards the battle over cancer even if it is indirect (This is ideal of which I suspect I will reflect upon daily considering my wife's past condition.)

...as I jump start the next level of my career with a position at Genentech later this month.

There will be much to grow into and I am expecting a long-term process of learning and building the key relationships through which I will enable high quality training and leaning initiatives along with a like-minded team of professionals.

Until then, a little vacation is in order.
Actually, I demand it.

A Glass Half Full - Chapter 1: From James and the Giant Sprinkler

It all started one sunny Spring Day in 2005 when my two year old son (lil "jimmy-d") was plodding along the Presidio greens with his "adventure buddy" (a family friend who has been sitting him since birth) when he stumbled upon a fire hydrant with a black garden hose attached directly to one of its powerful limbs. At the end of the black hose was a "sculpture" -- as he sometimes calls it now (it was a free-standing, large headed, cast iron impact sprinkler made by the Rain Bird sprinkler company apparently). That was day one. On day ten or so, his Daddy (that would be me), after hearing much about it, finally accompanied him for a tour to this special spot.

Upon closer inspection of the hydrant-to-hose connection, I found a way to turn on the fire hydrant to demonstrate the yet untapped power of water when directed into an impact sprinkler some fifty yards away. Well, to make a long story short, considering how sponge-like young minds can be, one look at that set up and Jimmy was hooked. Now four years old, he has exceeded I think even his own expectations of what one can do with a little water pressure and some hardware. Thank goodness Santa Claus knows where to get pipes, rotary sprayers, and impact Rain Bird's. James's latest sculpture (pictured at top) is his latest creation.

Stay tuned for more updates from James and the Giant Sprinkler (as I find time to post).

I Demand It! Part 1

Growing up I was taught to use the power of 'visualization' and that superior concentration was one of the keys to getting what I needed or what I wanted in life.

Over the last three or four weeks, in pursuit of a new job, I have become filled with a unique mental energy as many pieces of my job hunt began to fall into place (I began connecting with all the right people and getting interviews lined up etc). I am seriously considering this "soon to be completed puzzle" to be my best job prospect yet. Anyhow, that unique energy was followed by what I now describe as "pay back" to me for me making the right connections -- unknowingly though. Looking back, way back to January 2005, I recall imprinting in my mind the projection of how great it would be to work at a company like that. This imprinting, what I also considered to be some from of visualization, is something that in my 38 years of life have I have seen enough success from it to convince me that is not a coincidence and that visualization (or imprinting as I have called it) is actually a tool -- perhaps like a tuning fork when used to tune a piano string or the like.

It must have been a strong desire because now I am facing an incredible opportunity...a new role, a stable company, a very nice compensation plan etc. My actions within the last four weeks have been to the likeness of a steamroller on auto-pilot plowing down a nice flat path on which to walk into this opportunity -- all based on this 'imprinting' exercise. When once jobless a couple years back, I visualized what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be. And soon I hope to validate my will in my new role.

Oh, and why the title?
"I demand it!" Well this is a new phrase my wife and I have begun to use when there is something new in the future that we are looking to create (like a job, an opportunity, an introduction, or the energy to get something really important done). And this new thing is also something that I would normally visualize or concentrate on...finally seeing it come to fruition. Lately, instead of visualizing, we get together and in unison think of "it" and say (of the universe...) "I demand it!" It has been working very well thus far.

(More next week, as I reveal what my new job will be.)