A Mentor

I told a good friend, colleague, and mentor of my decision to seek employment elsewhere. He said he was shocked and I found that comforting. Unfortunately, he is just one - a very important one - of the people I will need to say goodbye to over the next several months. This won’t be the first time.

I said goodbye to Seattle in 2005. And although it was my intention (shared by many others) that I not return, I didn’t rule out the possibility - which was really just a way not to commit to “the dream.” But, I’m not the same person I was in 2005 either. And now when I imagine my “future life”, it feels real because I can see the steps in front of me (I know that Step 3 is not very clear and that is intentional… my desire is to be lead on this journey). These last few statements are rich with history and much deeper meaning - but, I’m trying to keep these posts “bit size” and more importantly on topic - which is my mentor.

So, tying these two concepts together “mentor” and “being lead” it should be clear that I place this person in pretty good company - throughout the time I have known him, he has been my embodiment of patience. There were many times that he could have given up on me and a particular Saint Patrick’s Day I’m sure he wish he had, but he didn’t and I want him to know that his kindness and his patience has sustained my in times bad… and good (if that makes any sense).

Rest

Arriving home around 7:00 PM, I decided I wanted to watch the “Colbert Report” again because I nearly dropped my iPod on the bus several times, as I began to dose off while trying to keep up. I sat down at the laptop (after giving it its mandatory twice weekly reboot), I’m pretty sure I started the episode… because the next thing I remember is the TV Shows Library is flickering on the screen as I turn to see it is now 9:30 PM (it does take my tortoise Dell Inspiron 600m, Pentium M 725 (1.6 GHz) a while to boot, but it is a matter of minutes not hours).

Still wearing my black city boots and other accouterments (awesome Word-of-the-Day, By the Way), I tumbled over to the bed and laid down my head. Next thing I knew, it was 5:00 AM and I decided to stay there awhile longer (even though the boot strings were biting into my foot by now). I awoke at 7:00 AM feeling as good as I can without the assistance of the C-PAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine.

Blade Runner

Last night, a friend and I went to Seattle’s Cinerama theater to see “Blade Runner: The Final Cut” (I guess a clever play on “blade” and “director’s cut”). I remember seeing this movie with my father when it opened twenty-five years ago… And, I remember not liking it. I have seen it many times since then (I own the DVD). Like most things of substance, it is an “acquired” taste (and not to say that those that don’t like it don’t have taste).

My point is that motion pictures can be transformative art - works that the audience can experience, not just observe. In the case of “Blade Runner”, there is enough “space between the notes” to allow the audience to ponder the questions being posed (unlike “The Matrix”, in which the audience is never given breathing space - because Keanu Reeves can not hold an audience that long as witnessed in “The Matrix Revolutions”).

Fall Day

It was a beautiful Seattle fall day. The leaves have turned, the sun is low on the horizon, the air is crisp, and you could find sunshine if you went looking for it (I found it at Alki Beach - a usually reliable source).

Before that, I had a great workout and felt “strong.” Strong for me is being in alignment - physically (mostly), mentally, and spiritually. The physical is the foundation and yesterday my body was working with me (instead of having it fight against me). In fairness to my body, if I don’t quite the mind to let it work, then I can’t except it to “behave.” When the body and the mind are together, the spiritual can flow and it’s a good thing… thus the truth behind the adage “at least you got your health.”…