1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
The holiday season…
It’s been a struggle.
It seems that each year it is more difficult to get into the Christmas spirit. Stores start putting up Christmas items in August; radio stations start playing 24/7 Christmas music after Halloween; snail-mail is filled with ads and charity requests starting in September… I find myself so frustrated by the early flood of the Christmas season that it takes me longer to relax and enjoy it. It doesn’t help that no one is saying “Merry Christmas”, instead settling for “Happy Holidays.”
The social networking sites and email are filled with a movement among Christians to “put “Christ” back in Christmas”. I propose we put “Christmas” back in the “Holidays.”
My wife and I have tried to make it a point this year to say “Merry Christmas”, even when first told “Happy Holidays”. Don’t get me wrong… I have nothing against other holidays but why not honor the holiday you happen to celebrate? If one wishes a person of Jewish faith a Merry Christmas and they wish a Happy Chanukah in return, we should both appreciate the fact that we are celebrating a religious holiday and not point out to each other that we don’t believe or celebrate the other’s religion. Isn’t it obvious by the fact that both parties wished their respective holidays? Why dwell on it and cause issues?
What if, by not recognizing the holiday, we forget them? If we don’t call out and recognize (and have others recognize) our religious holidays and instead we mold them into a conglomeration, years from now they could become a generic holiday with all religious aspects completely lost. By not calling out the religious significance of a holiday, doesn’t it disrespect the religious beliefs of those celebrating?
I don’t mean for this to be a “why can’t we all just get along” type of entry but, really, why not? It’s not about any one religion, it’s about all religions. I’ve taken cursory looks at several religions and found a common thread. That commonality is to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Now, these exact words are not necessarily used but the general meaning is in there. Religions advocate this behavior, most countries have laws that can be traced back to this sentiment (don’t kill and don’t steal being possibly the most universal), and I think most people want to be treated with respect and dignity. This means allowing others the same courtesy. If you don’t celebrate Christmas, don’t try and stop me from celebrating it. Instead, let me celebrate my holiday, you celebrate your holiday, and we can both appreciate each other’s preference.
As we continue through this time of year, let us all be aware and appreciative of the many different religions in the world but let us not forget our own. Embrace your religion, regardless of what it is, and allow others the same privilege. Don’t say Happy Holiday’s, pronounce your own religious sentiment.
I would like to wish all that read this a very Merry Christmas filled with peace, love, and the remembrance of the birth of Christ.
It seems that each year it is more difficult to get into the Christmas spirit. Stores start putting up Christmas items in August; radio stations start playing 24/7 Christmas music after Halloween; snail-mail is filled with ads and charity requests starting in September… I find myself so frustrated by the early flood of the Christmas season that it takes me longer to relax and enjoy it. It doesn’t help that no one is saying “Merry Christmas”, instead settling for “Happy Holidays.”
The social networking sites and email are filled with a movement among Christians to “put “Christ” back in Christmas”. I propose we put “Christmas” back in the “Holidays.”
My wife and I have tried to make it a point this year to say “Merry Christmas”, even when first told “Happy Holidays”. Don’t get me wrong… I have nothing against other holidays but why not honor the holiday you happen to celebrate? If one wishes a person of Jewish faith a Merry Christmas and they wish a Happy Chanukah in return, we should both appreciate the fact that we are celebrating a religious holiday and not point out to each other that we don’t believe or celebrate the other’s religion. Isn’t it obvious by the fact that both parties wished their respective holidays? Why dwell on it and cause issues?
What if, by not recognizing the holiday, we forget them? If we don’t call out and recognize (and have others recognize) our religious holidays and instead we mold them into a conglomeration, years from now they could become a generic holiday with all religious aspects completely lost. By not calling out the religious significance of a holiday, doesn’t it disrespect the religious beliefs of those celebrating?
I don’t mean for this to be a “why can’t we all just get along” type of entry but, really, why not? It’s not about any one religion, it’s about all religions. I’ve taken cursory looks at several religions and found a common thread. That commonality is to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Now, these exact words are not necessarily used but the general meaning is in there. Religions advocate this behavior, most countries have laws that can be traced back to this sentiment (don’t kill and don’t steal being possibly the most universal), and I think most people want to be treated with respect and dignity. This means allowing others the same courtesy. If you don’t celebrate Christmas, don’t try and stop me from celebrating it. Instead, let me celebrate my holiday, you celebrate your holiday, and we can both appreciate each other’s preference.
As we continue through this time of year, let us all be aware and appreciative of the many different religions in the world but let us not forget our own. Embrace your religion, regardless of what it is, and allow others the same privilege. Don’t say Happy Holiday’s, pronounce your own religious sentiment.
I would like to wish all that read this a very Merry Christmas filled with peace, love, and the remembrance of the birth of Christ.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Music and the Mind
Several years ago, for a communications class, I delivered a presentation that included musical snippets from several films. This was done to demonstrate the power that music has to create a mood and communicate feeling to the audience. From the Empire theme in the Star Wars series and the Halloween theme of Michael Myers, the bad guys are known before they are even seen. The grand entrance of the tropical island in Jurassic Park sets an expectation of awe and wonder. Every great movie is accompanied by a wonderful score inspired by the movie yet able to stand alone. To paraphrase what conductor Jeff Tyzik said at the pops concert of the Oregon Symphony this evening, ‘the movie needs the music but the music doesn’t necessarily need the movie.’
As you may have guessed, this evening’s concert consisted of “Music from the Movies.” We were treated to “Superman”, “Harry Potter”, and many others, including an arrangement by the conductor of eight movies through the years.
What a wonderful evening! As with most music, a flood of memories and thoughts came rushing back with each piece. Thoughts of Christopher Reeve as the man of steel and the all too human man that died before his time; the joy and wonder at seeing Hogwarts for the first time; Sir Alec Guinness commanding his troops in a Japanese prison camp or, for many of us, the Comet song (they even let the audience whistle, but no singing); and Johnny Depp riding a sinking ship into a harbor all came springing vividly to mind as the music rolled out over the audience in wave after wave of rich sound. This was only the first half…
The second half of the concert started with a holiday selection. Songs from the movie “Home Alone” were accompanied by the Pacific Youth Choir and the voices of these young musicians were clear and true and truly sent chills up my spine more than once during their short stay on stage. My own memories of being in choirs over the years and the excitement of a performance gave me momentary butterflies. Once the choir was finished the music turned to a medley from “The Holly and the Ivy” which contained many recognizable songs that I did not realize were a part of any movie, let alone a single one.
The final piece of the concert, as mentioned above, was a medley of eight numbers arranged by the conduct, Jeff Tyzik. These pieces were all from movies that received academy awards and every one of them was known to me and evoked strong memories of the movies from which they originated. The pieces were, “Tara” theme from “Gone with the Wind”; “Laura” theme from “Dr. Zhivago”; the theme from “Ben Hur”; the theme from “Dr. Zhivago”; “Lawrence of Arabia”; “Pink Panther”; “The Way We Were”; and the night finished with “Rocky.” I was a little surprised at the reaction of some audience members when the strains of “Gonna Fly Now” began but even the scoffers were entranced by the final chord.
In all, this evening’s pops concert was a spectacular reminder of days gone by and an outstanding example of how important music is to my life and, obviously, the lives of others.
As you may have guessed, this evening’s concert consisted of “Music from the Movies.” We were treated to “Superman”, “Harry Potter”, and many others, including an arrangement by the conductor of eight movies through the years.
What a wonderful evening! As with most music, a flood of memories and thoughts came rushing back with each piece. Thoughts of Christopher Reeve as the man of steel and the all too human man that died before his time; the joy and wonder at seeing Hogwarts for the first time; Sir Alec Guinness commanding his troops in a Japanese prison camp or, for many of us, the Comet song (they even let the audience whistle, but no singing); and Johnny Depp riding a sinking ship into a harbor all came springing vividly to mind as the music rolled out over the audience in wave after wave of rich sound. This was only the first half…
The second half of the concert started with a holiday selection. Songs from the movie “Home Alone” were accompanied by the Pacific Youth Choir and the voices of these young musicians were clear and true and truly sent chills up my spine more than once during their short stay on stage. My own memories of being in choirs over the years and the excitement of a performance gave me momentary butterflies. Once the choir was finished the music turned to a medley from “The Holly and the Ivy” which contained many recognizable songs that I did not realize were a part of any movie, let alone a single one.
The final piece of the concert, as mentioned above, was a medley of eight numbers arranged by the conduct, Jeff Tyzik. These pieces were all from movies that received academy awards and every one of them was known to me and evoked strong memories of the movies from which they originated. The pieces were, “Tara” theme from “Gone with the Wind”; “Laura” theme from “Dr. Zhivago”; the theme from “Ben Hur”; the theme from “Dr. Zhivago”; “Lawrence of Arabia”; “Pink Panther”; “The Way We Were”; and the night finished with “Rocky.” I was a little surprised at the reaction of some audience members when the strains of “Gonna Fly Now” began but even the scoffers were entranced by the final chord.
In all, this evening’s pops concert was a spectacular reminder of days gone by and an outstanding example of how important music is to my life and, obviously, the lives of others.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
I’m Thankful for...
I realize my blogs have been full of rants and soapbox moments but I want to take a minute to mention some of the things for which I’m thankful.
I am thankful for a loving wife and family. They are my strength and my guide and always bring me back to my center when I get too excited about the state of things.
I am thankful for the home that my wife and I share with our wonderful dogs. It is warm; it is filled with love; and it is a joy to come home to, every day.
I am thankful that I have a job that helps support me and my wife and provides us with the opportunity to occasionally travel and to see my parents and help take care of my mother-in-law.
I am very thankful that I live in a country that provides me the freedom to worship God in my own way and I am thankful to God for everything I am and everything I will be. I hope that I will be able to be the kind of man that God and my family can be proud of and continue to love.
There are many more things to be thankful for, but these are the ones that are foremost in my mind on this day of giving thanks.
God bless you all and have a Happy Thanksgiving!
I am thankful for a loving wife and family. They are my strength and my guide and always bring me back to my center when I get too excited about the state of things.
I am thankful for the home that my wife and I share with our wonderful dogs. It is warm; it is filled with love; and it is a joy to come home to, every day.
I am thankful that I have a job that helps support me and my wife and provides us with the opportunity to occasionally travel and to see my parents and help take care of my mother-in-law.
I am very thankful that I live in a country that provides me the freedom to worship God in my own way and I am thankful to God for everything I am and everything I will be. I hope that I will be able to be the kind of man that God and my family can be proud of and continue to love.
There are many more things to be thankful for, but these are the ones that are foremost in my mind on this day of giving thanks.
God bless you all and have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Monday, November 23, 2009
What else did they think was going to happen?
Hasan, a military psychiatrist, is likely going to plead insanity in the Fort Hood shootings. Let’s see…
-He failed to die at the end of his killing spree.
He won’t get his virgins
-He is paralyzed from the chest down with limited mobility in his arms
He won’t get another chance to die in Jihad
-He is a trained psychiatrist working with PTSD patients on a daily basis
He might know a thing or two about how to fake an insanity defense and spend the rest of his life living off American taxes
The only good thing out of this would be for him to be placed on the new government healthcare plan (don’t fool yourself into thinking this isn’t going to go through) and run out of funding. Maybe he’ll be the first death-panel victim?
-He failed to die at the end of his killing spree.
He won’t get his virgins
-He is paralyzed from the chest down with limited mobility in his arms
He won’t get another chance to die in Jihad
-He is a trained psychiatrist working with PTSD patients on a daily basis
He might know a thing or two about how to fake an insanity defense and spend the rest of his life living off American taxes
The only good thing out of this would be for him to be placed on the new government healthcare plan (don’t fool yourself into thinking this isn’t going to go through) and run out of funding. Maybe he’ll be the first death-panel victim?
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Ally Bank is Mean to Kids!
You may have seen these Ally Bank commercials where they’re making the kids believe they get something cool then take it away, restrict the usage, or replace it with some piece of crap? My question is: Can the kids really act that well, or are they catching initial reactions on film then re-shooting other parts of the commercial as needed? In the one with the bigger kid getting the “cool” truck taken away, the kid looks like he’s going to clobber the guy… AND I WANT IT TO HAPPEN!!
I guess this means that Ally Bank’s point is getting across! I’m not going to switch, mind you, but I get it.
I guess this means that Ally Bank’s point is getting across! I’m not going to switch, mind you, but I get it.
Monday, November 16, 2009
What happens next? Dip our flag at the Olympics?
I saw in the news today that President Obama bowed below the level of the Japanese Emperor and lowered his eyes, which is a clear sign of subservience in any Asian culture. What?!?!
Okay, so it is an Emperor. Not like it’s a prime minister or anything, right? Wrong! The leaders of this country have always been respectful but never subservient! This isn’t about race; this isn’t about respect for elders. This is about being, or at least appearing, subservient to a foreign figure.
I remember a time in the not too distant past when the nation would be on edge at the remote possibility that a “rebel” Olympic athlete might dip the U.S. flag when passing in front of the Olympic committee during opening ceremonies. Now we have the President bowing subserviently to the leader of another country. Did his handler miss the memo? Is he that stupid? Does America even care? The results in an opinion poll are mixed but it seems many people are blasé about it. To paraphrase, ‘It’s the same old thing, what an idiot.’ Or ‘He is only being respectful. The U.S. President shouldn’t put himself above others.’ He should, however, at least consider himself equal.
I’m trying to think here… he wasn’t sure of the protocol about putting his hand over his heart during the singing of the national anthem before he was elected. He is bowing subserviently to the emperor of Japan. He is creating offices and putting people in them. He is printing money so fast it will be more worthless than the Zimbabwe currency in another year. He is bringing a catalyst for terrorism to New York for a “fair” trial.
I will freely admit that I’ve been out of touch for several years because politics pissed me off but I would have never guessed, even last year, that we would be on this path to destruction so quickly.
More and more people are looking at the current administration as a call to action. It is time to bring the country back. We must all do what we can, at every election, not just the federal level, to make sure we are putting the people that represent "we, the people," in office. We need to remove the political officers at all levels if they ignore the people they are supposed to represent and put laws in place because they think they know what their constituents need. They are not supposed to be “in power” they are supposed to represent.
Let’s get the idiots out and the representatives in, every chance we get!
Okay, so it is an Emperor. Not like it’s a prime minister or anything, right? Wrong! The leaders of this country have always been respectful but never subservient! This isn’t about race; this isn’t about respect for elders. This is about being, or at least appearing, subservient to a foreign figure.
I remember a time in the not too distant past when the nation would be on edge at the remote possibility that a “rebel” Olympic athlete might dip the U.S. flag when passing in front of the Olympic committee during opening ceremonies. Now we have the President bowing subserviently to the leader of another country. Did his handler miss the memo? Is he that stupid? Does America even care? The results in an opinion poll are mixed but it seems many people are blasé about it. To paraphrase, ‘It’s the same old thing, what an idiot.’ Or ‘He is only being respectful. The U.S. President shouldn’t put himself above others.’ He should, however, at least consider himself equal.
I’m trying to think here… he wasn’t sure of the protocol about putting his hand over his heart during the singing of the national anthem before he was elected. He is bowing subserviently to the emperor of Japan. He is creating offices and putting people in them. He is printing money so fast it will be more worthless than the Zimbabwe currency in another year. He is bringing a catalyst for terrorism to New York for a “fair” trial.
I will freely admit that I’ve been out of touch for several years because politics pissed me off but I would have never guessed, even last year, that we would be on this path to destruction so quickly.
More and more people are looking at the current administration as a call to action. It is time to bring the country back. We must all do what we can, at every election, not just the federal level, to make sure we are putting the people that represent "we, the people," in office. We need to remove the political officers at all levels if they ignore the people they are supposed to represent and put laws in place because they think they know what their constituents need. They are not supposed to be “in power” they are supposed to represent.
Let’s get the idiots out and the representatives in, every chance we get!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Fox News
The latest buzz is all about how the government is going after Fox News and trying to destroy them. I've seen some pretty compelling evidence that this is the case and I have to wonder why the other news agencies aren't as wound up as Fox is getting. Don't they understand that if they let this happen to Fox it sets a very dangerous precedent? Right now Fox is the bastard child that needs to be put in their place. Next it could be CNN, ABC, NBC, pick one! All it would take is pissing off those in power and {poof!} you’re gone! Then the paranoia sets in and all the remaining news agencies start walking on egg shells and only reporting what they’re told to report. Sound familiar?
I was station-surfing on the radio this evening on the drive home from work and ran across Glenn Beck. Now, I normally stay away from talk radio because it just makes my blood pressure go up but I heard Glenn mention Pravda and it made me think: If we allow the government to shut down a news agency simply because they disagree with the reporting or the editorials of the hosts, how long will it be before we end up with a “state news agency” that will only tell us sunshine and daisies even when it’s raining crap?
Regardless of whether you’re a conservative or a liberal, democrat or republican, you should be worried that one of the fundamental beliefs of our founding fathers is in danger of being eliminated. If we can’t speak our minds without fear of retribution from the government then we are no longer a free country.
I was station-surfing on the radio this evening on the drive home from work and ran across Glenn Beck. Now, I normally stay away from talk radio because it just makes my blood pressure go up but I heard Glenn mention Pravda and it made me think: If we allow the government to shut down a news agency simply because they disagree with the reporting or the editorials of the hosts, how long will it be before we end up with a “state news agency” that will only tell us sunshine and daisies even when it’s raining crap?
Regardless of whether you’re a conservative or a liberal, democrat or republican, you should be worried that one of the fundamental beliefs of our founding fathers is in danger of being eliminated. If we can’t speak our minds without fear of retribution from the government then we are no longer a free country.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Who did what, said who?
Frustrating week so far and it's only Tuesday! Nothing is adding up and there is a lot of effort trying to get it figured out. The only good news is that one recurring issue is being shut down from happening in the future. It's sad that it had to be shut down but it can't continue the way it is now.
Whew!
Whew!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
What ever happened to... Al Jolson?
So, Judy and I went to see the opening performance of the Oregon Symphony Pop's Series last night and were treated to a wonderful evening of George and Ira Gershwin. We heard pieces from Porgy and Bess, Funny Face, An American in Paris and, of course, Rhapsody in Blue. There was a guest baritone to sing many of the songs and a guest painist for Rhapsody. The most surprising thing for me was the song "Swanee" rocketing Gershwin to notoriety in 1919 when Al Jolson sang it in New York.
Now, I've listened to music all my life. My mom was an accomplished pianist before she married and we always had piano music, albums, etc. I was exposed to musicals; I grew up with Arthur Feidler and the Boston Pops Orchestra; I listened to The Ray Conniff Singers at Christmas and knew who Rosemary Clooney was before her nephew hit the screen (Come On-a My House is one of my favorites). I know who Al Jolson is and I know what he was famous for... his black-face routine. What I didn't know is that George Gershwin wrote Swanee.
It got me thinking. How many people know about Uncle Remus with Briar Rabbit and Zip-a-dee-doo-da? I don't discount the fact that slavery was a bad thing. I hope the whole world learns that slavery is bad and needs to be abolished globally. But, how much history are we ignoring or forgetting for the sake of other's feelings?
For years, Germany has been trying to tear down the remains of the concentration camps to remove the blight from their history yet the Jewish communities say no. They are proud of the fact that they survived and will never forget. They want the world to remember. Why should slavery be any different? A great deal of history and culture came out of slavery and it should not be buried for the sake of our egos. It should not only be allowed to be remembered by one group of people.
If we, as a species, are going to learn from the past and build a better future, we need to embrace our history and keep it close as a reminder as we move forward.
Now, I've listened to music all my life. My mom was an accomplished pianist before she married and we always had piano music, albums, etc. I was exposed to musicals; I grew up with Arthur Feidler and the Boston Pops Orchestra; I listened to The Ray Conniff Singers at Christmas and knew who Rosemary Clooney was before her nephew hit the screen (Come On-a My House is one of my favorites). I know who Al Jolson is and I know what he was famous for... his black-face routine. What I didn't know is that George Gershwin wrote Swanee.
It got me thinking. How many people know about Uncle Remus with Briar Rabbit and Zip-a-dee-doo-da? I don't discount the fact that slavery was a bad thing. I hope the whole world learns that slavery is bad and needs to be abolished globally. But, how much history are we ignoring or forgetting for the sake of other's feelings?
For years, Germany has been trying to tear down the remains of the concentration camps to remove the blight from their history yet the Jewish communities say no. They are proud of the fact that they survived and will never forget. They want the world to remember. Why should slavery be any different? A great deal of history and culture came out of slavery and it should not be buried for the sake of our egos. It should not only be allowed to be remembered by one group of people.
If we, as a species, are going to learn from the past and build a better future, we need to embrace our history and keep it close as a reminder as we move forward.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
In between...
Class is over for this term and I'm in a two week break. I'm finding it hard to focus. I'm going through this period of feeling like I should be doing something else. I'm not used to being able to focus on work for extended periods of time so I do a little work on a project and go to look for homework and nothing is there so I go back to do a little more on the project. I've been multi-tasking for so long I'm not sure I can only do one thing.
In the meantime, I'm battling my sweet tooth. I put myself through a strict diet change and go off sugar and it works until I have a muffin for breakfast (doughnuts and muffins are my downfall every time). Now I find myself craving muffins or doughnuts every morning and candy in the afternoon.
Combine the two and I'm in trouble. At least when I had homework to distract me I didn't cheat on the diet so easily.
The next two weeks should be interesting...
In the meantime, I'm battling my sweet tooth. I put myself through a strict diet change and go off sugar and it works until I have a muffin for breakfast (doughnuts and muffins are my downfall every time). Now I find myself craving muffins or doughnuts every morning and candy in the afternoon.
Combine the two and I'm in trouble. At least when I had homework to distract me I didn't cheat on the diet so easily.
The next two weeks should be interesting...
Monday, August 24, 2009
Not having to pick a favorite...
College football season is almost upon us and I'm excited!
I have the advantage of having mutliple teams to cheer for which means I don't have to pick a favorite but it also means a bit of a conundrum when they happen to play each other.
Here are the teams and history for me:
Boise State University- Born and raised in Boise, I used to go to the Student Union and bowl or play pinball. Every high school football game was played on the BSU field and band competition every year. I followed them in the Big Sky conference and now nationally. This is my heart, my home.
Penn State- I’m a current student and love the history. Joe Paterno is so revered that case studies in the business school invent companies with his name and the school creamery named a flavor after him: Peachy Paterno
Portland State University- Local, Big Sky conference, and the alma mater of my beautiful wife. Good, hometown football.
University of Oregon and Oregon State University- In Oregon it seems that you’re either a Duck or a Beaver. I would have to say Beaver with Oregon State. Lots of relatives (by marriage) go there and since I went to Oklahoma State University for a year It’s easy to keep the OSU.
Beyond that, in no particular order are BYU, UNM, Notre Dame, etc.
On September 3rd, 2009, University of Oregon plays Boise State in Boise. I gotta go with the Broncos!
On September 5th, 2009, Portland State University plays Oregon State University. I gotta go with the Vikings, even though they’re outgunned. One never knows.
I really love this time of year!
I have the advantage of having mutliple teams to cheer for which means I don't have to pick a favorite but it also means a bit of a conundrum when they happen to play each other.
Here are the teams and history for me:
Boise State University- Born and raised in Boise, I used to go to the Student Union and bowl or play pinball. Every high school football game was played on the BSU field and band competition every year. I followed them in the Big Sky conference and now nationally. This is my heart, my home.
Penn State- I’m a current student and love the history. Joe Paterno is so revered that case studies in the business school invent companies with his name and the school creamery named a flavor after him: Peachy Paterno
Portland State University- Local, Big Sky conference, and the alma mater of my beautiful wife. Good, hometown football.
University of Oregon and Oregon State University- In Oregon it seems that you’re either a Duck or a Beaver. I would have to say Beaver with Oregon State. Lots of relatives (by marriage) go there and since I went to Oklahoma State University for a year It’s easy to keep the OSU.
Beyond that, in no particular order are BYU, UNM, Notre Dame, etc.
On September 3rd, 2009, University of Oregon plays Boise State in Boise. I gotta go with the Broncos!
On September 5th, 2009, Portland State University plays Oregon State University. I gotta go with the Vikings, even though they’re outgunned. One never knows.
I really love this time of year!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Oops!
So I wanted to try and be better about my blog entries and I've definitely done better on my school blog than I have here but, neither one is very up to date right now.
Here's the latest...
I'm three days away from completing my first year of my Masters program and am looking forward to the two week break between classes. My wife and I are heading out of town for a few days to relax and rejuvenate. We are planning on spending some time with a cousin I haven’t seen in about 20 years and I am really excited about introducing her to my wife and meeting her kids. I vaguely remember her husband but I think I only met him once.
Going forward I am looking forward to this second year of school but know it’s going to be tough adding my paper on top of work, homework, and home.
Once again I will say that I will attempt to be better at my entries… only time will tell.
Here's the latest...
I'm three days away from completing my first year of my Masters program and am looking forward to the two week break between classes. My wife and I are heading out of town for a few days to relax and rejuvenate. We are planning on spending some time with a cousin I haven’t seen in about 20 years and I am really excited about introducing her to my wife and meeting her kids. I vaguely remember her husband but I think I only met him once.
Going forward I am looking forward to this second year of school but know it’s going to be tough adding my paper on top of work, homework, and home.
Once again I will say that I will attempt to be better at my entries… only time will tell.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Company loyalty: A thing of the past?
Even before the economy took a nose dive I had often discussed the change in company's perception of employees. I wondered what had happened to the days when a person went to work for a company and stayed there until retirement. Sure, there were the poor jokes about “… and all I got was this gold watch” but during the time of employment there was a sense of security, even a feeling of being trapped!
Over the last several years the professional world has changed. Companies no longer offer that sense of security and employees have become more volatile, jumping from one company to another with little hesitation at all. What happened?
I’ve recently started reading the book Only the Paranoid Survive: How to Exploit the Crisis Points That Challenge Every Company by Andrew S. Grove, the ex-CEO of Intel Corporation. Early in the book, page 6 to be exact, he makes an important observation; “Until very recently, if you went to work at an established company, you could assume that your job would last the rest of your working life. But when companies no longer have lifelong careers themselves, how can they provide one for their employees?”
Suddenly it made sense to me. Companies come and go much more frequently than they used to. Customers have become more demanding and more fickle. A small hiccup in service or perceived value can result in the crash of a company. A woman finds a finger-tip in a bowl of chili in California and people stop going to that chain. The story turns out to be a scam and the company is cleared but there are some people that never go back.
To me this means that I have got to make myself more flexible, more able to adapt and move to new ideas as well as make myself open and accepting of the fact that I may need to physically relocate in order to stay employed.
I think company loyalty still exists but it’s become more of “Love the one you’re with” type of thing.
Over the last several years the professional world has changed. Companies no longer offer that sense of security and employees have become more volatile, jumping from one company to another with little hesitation at all. What happened?
I’ve recently started reading the book Only the Paranoid Survive: How to Exploit the Crisis Points That Challenge Every Company by Andrew S. Grove, the ex-CEO of Intel Corporation. Early in the book, page 6 to be exact, he makes an important observation; “Until very recently, if you went to work at an established company, you could assume that your job would last the rest of your working life. But when companies no longer have lifelong careers themselves, how can they provide one for their employees?”
Suddenly it made sense to me. Companies come and go much more frequently than they used to. Customers have become more demanding and more fickle. A small hiccup in service or perceived value can result in the crash of a company. A woman finds a finger-tip in a bowl of chili in California and people stop going to that chain. The story turns out to be a scam and the company is cleared but there are some people that never go back.
To me this means that I have got to make myself more flexible, more able to adapt and move to new ideas as well as make myself open and accepting of the fact that I may need to physically relocate in order to stay employed.
I think company loyalty still exists but it’s become more of “Love the one you’re with” type of thing.
A new endeavor
Hello.
I’ve attempted this blog a few times in the past and have let it lapse and fail. I think it was because I tried to make it about school and wasn’t sure what all I wanted to say. I’ve since created a blog for school and am posting general thoughts on business and how they relate to studies. However, now I no longer feel that I can use that blog for personal thoughts and feelings so I thought I would try to use this space for the more personal side of my life.
I’m liable to post thoughts on politics, society, people, movies, books, etc.
I don’t know if I’ll have many followers but I try to think of blogs as mostly for me, anyway.
I’ve attempted this blog a few times in the past and have let it lapse and fail. I think it was because I tried to make it about school and wasn’t sure what all I wanted to say. I’ve since created a blog for school and am posting general thoughts on business and how they relate to studies. However, now I no longer feel that I can use that blog for personal thoughts and feelings so I thought I would try to use this space for the more personal side of my life.
I’m liable to post thoughts on politics, society, people, movies, books, etc.
I don’t know if I’ll have many followers but I try to think of blogs as mostly for me, anyway.
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