You got to laugh.

yesterday, i had some drinks with some friends from networking.   we are all in the same boat of looking for our next  opportunity.   i am amazed at how comfortable we are with each other, and just how funny we all are.   maybe, that is what we all have in common...an ability to continue to laugh and find the joy in life.    at several instances all of us were in tears.   IS THERE A BETTER FEELING THAN LAUGHING SO HARD YOU CRY?   if there is, i don't know what it is.

last nite was a reminder of how important it is to take the time out to decompress, especially in this environment.   but, we all need remember that.   if you can't laugh, then what is the point of it all.

anyways, i just wanted to remind everyone to LAUGH every once and awhile.  it will help.  trust me.

-thanks

SO WHAT IF YOU DON’T KNOW

It has been awhile.  Maybe I just didn't have anything to say.  Not sure if I ever do.  Well, here is a speech I am giving to my Toastmasters group.  Maybe it can help somebody. Feel free to let me know what you think. 

This year has been a very educational and challenging year for me, both personally and professionally.   My focus, priorities, and energies have all shifted.  The shift has been of my own doing, as a response to  uncomfortable and albeit slightly painful situations.   Now, this is nothing specific to me, as everyone is dealing with uncertainty these days.  The most challenging part has been the uncertainty that hovers over me and clouds my thinking.   I like to picture it as a storm cloud, albeit not to far away.   Is it going to rain, is it going to thunder, will there be lightning?   I don’t know.

 

The unknown has always been a source of fear for humanity.  

How scary was it for Columbus and his crew to sail across a “flat world”?   OR, how scared is the little child of the monster that MAYBE under the bed?

 

Dealing with the unknown is a very scary thing because you MAY have to try new things, learn new skills, meet new people, or even take a good hard look at yourself and most folks are not going to like what they see.   When we get out of that comfortable space in our life, things look scary.   And, for the first time in my life, I know that I am in that unknown space.   But, it does not have to be scary.  It was, but I am getting more comfortable with it.

 

You never know what will happen, but something always does.   Spirituality has always been a way people have dealt with the unknown or fear.   Sometimes that has been in the form of religion.   I see spirituality as the process of finding your own being or essence. For me, I have found my spirituality through meditation.  Meditation can be defined as an attempt (and that is the important part, the attempt) to achieve a deeper state of relaxation or awareness.

 

My path toward mediation started when I wandering through the library, likely in a bit of a haze, stumbled across the book titled, “Comfortable with Uncertainty” by Pema Chodron.   It felt like a smack to the back of my head, like a HS teacher does in study hall to that sleeping student.   HEY, YOU.  WAKE UP!

It completely summarized where I was in my life, lots of questions and no real idea where to look for the answers.

The book deals with meditation and is a collection of concepts, themes, and practices of Buddhism. The main focus of the teachings is to help us cultivate mindfulness and awareness.   WE TRY TO BE MORE IN THE PRESENT, WHILE BEING AWARE OF OURSELVES AND OUR INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS.

Both IDEAS are key to helping us minimize the perceived impact of not knowing or uncertainty.  The real focus of Pema’s teachings is to become comfortable with the uncertainty, because UNCERTAINTY is all there truly is in life.

 

One concept that really struck me was tonglen.  This is a practice where you send out happiness to others and you take in any suffering that others feel.  In layman terms, think of it as allowing ourselves to be there to help others.  Everyone needs help, a shoulder to lean on, a listening ear, a hug, or a kind word.

 

A second concept that really struck me was ‘getting to know fear’.  They say that anyone who has stood at the edge of the unknown, without a reference point experiences groundlessness.   It is at this most vulnerable and unnerving place where we are able to possibly achieve a greater understanding.    Now we can start to get familiar with fear (not comfortable) and we start undo our old ways of how we sensed and experienced things; see, hear, smell, taste, and feel. We become humbled.  If we commit to that place, things will become very vivid. When there is nowhere to escape things become very clear.

 

The 2 ideas of mediation that I mentioned have helped in my journey.  They have helped to quiet my mind, and allow me to hear my real voice.   Just like normal “conversational” listening, it is much more difficult than one would expect.  But, I truly believe it is about the journey rather than the actual destination.   I see my Toastmasters as an extension of my meditation.   Maybe, because their starting points are similar OR maybe because both are helping me to express my true self to others and more importantly to myself.

 

I hope that I was able to pass along abit of knowledge.  They say when you can teach something, and then you truly understand it.  I hope that has been the case today.

Good luck.

My first time leading a Toastmasters Meeting

Today, was a really good day.   It was the first time that I got to run the weekly session of my Toastmasters group.   It was a really great experience.   Leading meetings isn't a completely new experience for me, but it was definitely with a different purpose.   Before, it was about how to fix a problem, collect some data, or generate some sort of consensus with other engineers or managers.    Today, was a pure joy.   It was just to keep a meeting on track,  introduce speakers, and just have a good time.  I almost felt like Chuck Barris, but I was dealing with people who had talent.     

It was really quite an enjoyable experience, and I look forward to doing it again.    

So, with that said.  Let me talk the time to plug Toastmasters.   It is a really great venue to work and develop leadership, public speaking, and listening skills.   God knows, we need more people in this world that know how to truly listen.

Well, let me get back to watching my Detroit Tigers...who are getting worked as I type.

 

Improvement comes after pain, unfortunately.

I find it hard to believe that I am actually glad that this year has been tough for me.     Getting knocked down was a really good thing, it caused me to REALLY evaluate myself and where I currently was.   And, I wasn't really happy with what I say.   The best part has been making changes for the better, and not just accepting where I was.    But, based on my experience in manufacturing, things never get fixed/resolved until the pain level of doing nothing becomes to much.  You see it everywhere, business, government, squeaky hinge, piles of dirty laundry...you get the idea.

My pain has been both professional and personal, and the changes I have been making have been dealing with both.   It might have been better to deal with my issues before but I am not sure the lessons would have truly stuck.   We humans have to feel that pain... take the hand on the stove..ouch... but you learn and remember.

So, I am glad that I am making the changes.  I feel like I have made just a minimal amount of progress but that is good because it is just a start.  The other thing has been getting feedback from new friends, old friends, and family that there is a new side of me.  And, the feedback is good.   All I hope to do is continue my growth, and pass on what I can to others who want it.

I guess that is it.   Just wanted to get a thought down.   Later.

Gotta stay positive

It never ceases to surprise me how my mindset effects my day.   When I feel good, I have a good day and vice-versa.  Now, that in no way means it is easy to have a positive outlook...it is hard, but you just have to try.    Look to friends, family, or even that new acquaintance you meet at some networking event.  

For me, I have tried to do something that is new for me.  I feel that it has been really helpful and educational for me.   I have started to read about meditation, and started yoga.   And, I have also started to try and put my thoughts to virtual paper.   

Well, I think that is what I have for today.   

My first day as a 36 year old.....

Good news, I was able to get out of bed and I did not feel like I was senile.   All kidding aside, it just seemed like another day to me.   But, it got me to thinking about some of the changes I have gone through in the year so fall.   I have to admit, this has been a pretty bad year  BUT it really is all about how you choose to deal with it.   So, I have looked at those events as chances to recognize areas within myself to make changes.   And, I feel that I have been making real progress, and I guess that is what it is all about.  You only have to answer to yourself, but that also means that you have to take responsibility for yourself (and that includes your actions).

That tends to get me thinking about stuff, especially with our current crisis.  But, it really seems to me that the problems stem from people (individuals, political parties, companies, governments...) not being accountable for their actions.   Mistakes happen.  Really they do, and it sometimes drives me crazy how we think that nothing will ever go wrong.   We get so caught up in perfection, that we forget that it is really about how you deal with those problems or mistakes.   I know we would be much better off, if we could just say, 'OOPs, I F*'d up.'   And, then we start the process of fixing the problem or better yet the root cause.

I guess the process engineer in me came out.   But, I really do think if we applied some of those basic concepts (including common sense) we could really get this country back on track.

Thanks for your time.

Power BACK to the People...The Founders Party

The goal is to rise awareness, and hopefully generate a groundswell to pull the power back to the people of this country. So, let's see how this goes. I really need to get a job...

Our Positions:

1. Find the middle ground on the issue, and start on a solution from there.

2. Be aware that each solution will NOT be the homerun ball.   Small but constant improvements are what we need.

3. Let's address the issues that impact all of us: Education, Health care, Economy (jobs), and National Security.

4. Every citizen, and this includes our corporate-citizens (businesses) as well, need to be both morally and fiscally accountable.

The idea is to get the ball rolling.  We the people are starved for real leadership, and even more for real results.   If our given elected officials can not or will not do the job, then we must do something to change the process or the leadership.   I don't feel that we need to take to the streets, like an angry mob hunting Frankenstein, but we do need to do something.

So, it is my hope that this can generate some interest, and get people thinking and talking...not yelling like the pundits on television.   Ideally, it would be great if the ground swell became so much that a current third party would take notice and incorporate the ideas here.    

With that said, I welcome ANY of your feedback.  I have also created a Cause on Facebook, so if you like maybe you can join there.  That is how I hope we can track the impact.

Washington is broken, and needs to be fixed.

i figured that i needed to get these ideas out of my head. putting my thoughts here at least would get them documented somewhere. i read a few books this last week that really seemed to showcase the broken system that is our national political circus. i read a book by lou dobbs, and one dealing with senator john mccain. both men, at least in my opinion, are examples of where we need to move this country. moving away from the political left or right and moving toward a centrist platform. this country seems to be controlled by the vocal fringes of both parties.

so, how do we fix this country? well, let me list a few of the things that need to happen. the list below is in no particular order, and likely most of them would need to be done simultaneously.

1. a legit third political party. this can't be some wild, fringe element group. this really needs to be something that would probably lie between the 2 'knuckle-head' parties we currently have. they would need to leverage real and viable candidates and have a platform that makes sense and really impacts people's lives. initially, i would think they would want to focus on health care, new employment opportunities, and education. maybe, take the 'average' approach to define their positions. as progress and results are generated, more 'sticky' issues could be tackled.

2. term-limits for all politicians. this would prevent our representatives from getting out of touch with their constituents. in addition, hopefully this would also prevent the impact of lobbyists.

3. real and meaningful campaign finance reform. this has been started with mccain-feingold, but it still needs to be updated and enhanced to deal with new issues that arise. this will go a long way to reduce the impact of lobbyists and their big money clients. in addition, rules need to be clearly defined on when campaigns are to start for a specific office.

4. politicians needs to really understand the plight of people they represent. so, salaries would be the median salary of the company. if you want to really impact change, then you effect a person's wallet. to often it seems like we have career politicians, and why not. they get great health care, a fantastic salary, and incumbents have a much higher election success rate.

i have to admit that these ideas are not relatively new. they have been around (in some form) since the founding fathers created our government. first, no where in the constitution are political parties discussed and george washington warned of these entities. second, the rules that define how officials are elected clearly indicate that no all officials are chosen at the same time. this would prevent all knowledge from being 'removed' at the same time. third, the elected officials were not to be full time politicians. they were meant to keep their 'day-jobs', and be in touch with the people of their community.

this is just my take on it. who knows, maybe some political consultant will take a look and find my ideas pretty interesting. i know this is not completely error free, but i am sure that we can work through any issues. let's get the ball rolling.

I have the fix to Healthcare in this country

so, i guess i have your attention now.  :)    i mean this is clearly a huge problem and it definitely needs to be fixed.   i don't know, but it seems to be a fairly straight-forward fix.   but, i know it probably has a few sticky points for everyone.....regardless of the political alignment.

but, let's give it a shot.    there are a few items, to it and i will attempt to be complete in my thinking and documentation.

1.  this is more of a ground rule.  EVERYONE, AND I MEAN EVERYONE ( CEO, MAIDS, CONGRESSMAN, SENATOR, PRESIDENT, DITCH-DIGGER, STUDENT, CHILD) USES THE SAME 'PLAN'.   this is important, because it will insure that if problems occur, they will be fixed because the mover-n-shakers are using the same 'plan'.   we all know that problems only get fixed/resolved when the pain level becomes to much to ignore and this starts the action/fix process.

2.  we i say plan, what i am referring to is the overall system.   and, i guess that is really what i am going to try and layout in this blog.  the system will allow for each person to buy into a 'plan' that works best for their particular health, age, or lifestyle.

3.  employer based health care is NO LONGER allowed.   the funds that a company would use for health care would now be included in the employees salary.  ideally, this would be the full amount that was paid on behalf of the employee.  (again, this helps to insure we are all on the same place)

4a.  every person is given a healthcare credit.    when i say everyone, i am referring to anyone who has a social security number or is her as an legal immigrant.   basically, if you are a citizen and/or pay taxes then you are entitled to this credit.   

 b.  access to this credit is done through a debit like card.  this card would be used to pay for your bills when you get your monthly premium, a prescription,  an appt, or anything related to health.  some other activities could include gym memberships, massages, counselors,  health-store purchases.   now, each year there would be deposit to your account, which would be the credit.   this could take place sometime around tax season.     a simple way to look at this, would be as a health savings account.   in addition,  as you don't use all your funds,  you would continue to accumulate more in your account.   also, this is a really good way to help people start saving funds, which is a huge problem that currently plagues this country.

5.  now, that we have the funds that are needed.   what about the plans?   well, the key issue here is that people need to have choices.   this is what drives a free-market economy.   and, we need to have no pre-conditions.   with, everyone using this same system, including the insurance ceo's and politicians i think this would be resolved relatively quickly and painless.

plans could be national or regional, and that difference would be reflected with costs but that is what should the case.  if you don't travel, why get a national plan that is just not a good use of your money.

what if you don't want to get a plan?   that is entirely within your right as an American.   you will still have your health account that was linked to your social security number/ tax information.   so, if for whatever reason, you had to get emergency service but had no plan.  well, your health account would be used to pay those bills, and if you didn't have enough, then would have to be 'punished' at the time you did your taxes.  if you had a rebate, then you would that $$ used to pay your remaining medical bills, if not then you go back to owing the gov't money.    see, this sorta makes you want to have at least a minimal plan.

medical bills are so high because often we approach everything from a reactive position, instead of proactive.  that is why it is important to allow for the health account to be used to pay for things related to staying healthy, most notably a gym membership.

5.  ok, so now maybe you say what about the un-insured or more appropriately, 'those without a health account'.   as i stated earlier, the only folks in that position,  would be illegal immigrants.   first, medical service would not be denied, and this is similar to auto insurance...we all have to pay a portion for these drivers in our auto insurance bills.   and, to help with this there would be a component of you monthly premium that would deal with this.

but, as a follow-up certain items would need to be collected at the hospital, such as an address, employer, etc.   this really starts to get into a whole other issue that needs to be resolved too.

6.  people are feel to move around and change plans as they see fit.  this is same concept as auto-insurance.   so, items like customer service will be a real issue, and will force the medical insurance to get there house in order.  if you are a crappy company, people leave and go to the competition.     as of now, most folks are locked into what their company gets for them, and could be limited due to pre-existing conditions.

that is the basic idea of my plan.  i am sure there are some areas that need to be strengthened but it seems like a good starting plan.    the biggest component of this plan is how everyone has to use the same system.    politicians in washington have a plan, so they are covered.  they don't have to worry about their coverage or likely even think about it.   with this, now they are in the muck with everyone else, so i am sure that will be all the motivation they need.

so, let me know what you think.   does it seem feasible?

-thomas

Can't Sleep

So, I guess should just go to bed, but I really don't feel all that tired.

I am really at a loss for what to type here.  Maybe, I am a little gun-shy because of all the 'trouble' you could get into with HR folks, after they do a google search on my name.   

Oh well, maybe it is my hope to just try to get my eyes to shut while I type this way.

But, I was wondering about is:  Can your friends be a hinderance to a person's attempt to grow and change themselves?

Part of me wants to say, YES.  But, we are all in control of our own lives.   Maybe, what I am seeing is where I used to be.   Who knows?  Actually, it was sorta my thinking, and it was seconded by an accquaintence.    

Forgive me.   Not sure where this really went.  Nite.

-thomas