Been a while... Random thoughts.

What has been going on? Well, I have been busy with a few things. With so many people out of work and me in a very stable position, I almost hate to say I had a job interview in another state. It was a fluke opportunity when I took my son to school and met an old friend who told me about a position that would be a huge move up from where I am now. I am comfortable where I am, but it may be time to move on. I am still determining... I am one of 5 finalists, so a ways to go.

Today, I read a post from Steve Quick, who was upset about lamps. In his words, it was a rant about something minor. Although it may have been minor, it brings much of what we have become as a society to a new light. (Steve often makes me think, which is not bad.)

It made me think of how, 40 years ago, someone started working for a great company and spent their entire life at one job. Steve talked about how society is a disposable society with material goods. Made me think of my career. This is the longest I have ever been in one job, 14 years. In total I have had over 12 jobs in 35 years.. Now, I am considering moving onward again. Nothing like my father or his father. Besides being a disposable material goods society, we have become a transient society as well.

I often read a website that addresses this issue as well. Patrick Deneen has a blog called What I Saw in America. He also has a site called Front Porch Republic. He has a post on disposable society. Many of his comments make me think. But then again, there is the other side of the coin, Margaret and Helen. I digress.

However, that lack of employee dedication is also caused by the other side. Companies no longer have loyalty to an employee. People have become a commodity dependent on stock performance as well. Is this all wrong? I do not know. It is just a thought I have had over the past weeks.

I was excited (and for iPhone users) to find a diet and exercise software I like better than Fit-Day. It is called SparkPeople nutrition. It allows you to track what you eat and get all kinds of nutrition analysis.  It is web-based with an app for the iPhone, which works great. I can sit in the restaurant and add my food immediately upon eating rather than write it down and enter it later. Really is nice.

I was supposed to go to the doctor yesterday for the knee, but the out-of-state interview stopped that appointment. So, I am hoping next week it all looks fine. I no longer have pain and feel pretty good. Although I think I will do little running until I get my weight down just to minimize the impact on the knee, it might be a good idea as the cold is setting in and the days are getting shorter.

The UMTR fest is this Saturday. I'm looking forward to it, but as I wrote in an earlier Blog post, my favorite local artist is having a CD release party at Bunkers, and I really want to go see her perform. So I will leave at 8 PM and probably miss some great awards and presentations. These Ultra folks are all just happy and fun to be with!

I hope all is well with everyone. This is my last weekend free until I have four solid weekends of tennis, followed by two weekends off, and then five weekends of tennis to kick off the new year. I thought I was going to cut back. Well, tuition is expensive.

I want to close this post, the night before Veterans Day, to say thanks to all those who risk their lives and the loved ones who live on after the loss of a soldier. I went to Fort Snelling Cemetery and took a few pictures. This one just struck me, and I decided to post it here. I could have spent the entire day there... It is much larger than I ever thought it was and has many stories to tell.


This post should be shorter. I must add a story to the post if you hung on this long. After I left the cemetery where many people had their lives cut short, I thought of and read a favorite story of mine. It is about how we cherish many things, but we often forget that time with friends and loved ones is the most precious. The story goes:

It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. In the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday."

Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

"Jack, did you hear me?"

"Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said.

"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him, he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence,' as he put it," Mom told him.

"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.

"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.

"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important... Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said.

As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he returned home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door again.

Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time.

The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture... Jack stopped suddenly.

"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.

"The box is gone," he said.

"What box?" Mom asked.

"There was a small gold box he kept locked on his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

"Now, I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day, Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read.

Early the next day, Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention.

"Mr. Harold Belser," it read.

Jack took the box out of his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.

"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. Inside, he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.

He unlatched the cover by running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing. Inside, he found these words engraved:

"Jack, Thanks for your time! -Harold Belser."

"The thing he valued most...was...my time."

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his assistant, asked.

"I need some time to spend with my son," he said. "Oh, by the way, Janet... thanks for your time!"

Thanks much for your time, my friends... Carry on.