June 7th, 2012, ???, NS, JotD, AAD 7
Later rise, as I won't be doing my morning exercise routine, but a bike ride in the evening instead. A decent ride in, with a small decision made as to how/where I would drive. Experimenting with this to see if my experience of the ride is different - I'm not so concerned with the duration, but the experiential quality.
It looks to be another full day, which is good.
"Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless, and add what is uniquely your own." - Bruce Lee
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A decent day at work, when all is said and done. Another shift in priorities requiring a shift in resources. This is a dance we need to do constantly, and one I've never been particularly adept at. I'm improving, but still have a struggle with feeling as if I'm always getting the short end in these situations. I'm at the boundary for my resource allocation, and there is very little slack - these additional requests and priority shifts tend to drag at my resources, or so it seems. In saying this, one can see that I'm certainly posessive, if not identified, with the resources and the work. A better way of handling this today was to let go of that possesiveness, and communicate out the impact - ensure that since the priorities had changed, so should the expectations on other projects. For now, this seemed to have worked, but people have short memories and I can expect to deal with this again next week, when the original delivery date passes.
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Head out from work directly to a bike ride with my friend D. Catching up on her situation(s) and things in general. A solid ride of about 14 miles at a reasonable pace, n the occasional downpour. One event of note: as we rode out, we were accosted by a screaming furball of terror: apparently a fisher cat had a kill or babies it was protecting. At first, what was happening didn't register: is that a large ferret, or a small bear? What is that noise? Pretty funny in retrospect.
Home to dinner and practice, then to bed, earlier than the past few nights.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Running Man
Wednesday, June 6th, 2012, ???, NS, JoTD, AAD6
Difficult rise this morning, allowed myself a bit of a lie-in until 6:30. Exercise options shifted from the normal morning routine - I'll be doing a run with part of the Wednesday dinner crew prior to dinner.
In to work, and a continuation of the fullness of the prior day. I do have a sense that it is still not past the edge of control. It will be important to maintain this throughout the day. Fortunately, I don't have many meetings, and with some personal presence and attention, I should be able to carry through.
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Home to dinner preparation, then out for a run - came to about 3.6 miles, more than I normally do at one time (I usually do a 1/2 mile or 1 mile run as part of my morning workouts). Slogging pretty badly at the end, but that was to be expected.
Decent dinner - a sort of carbonara, with peas & fresh pasta from the farmer's market. Fresh strawberries from the maket for dessert.
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Practice this evening was a bit iffy. Either too much run, or too much pasta.
To bed about midnight.
Difficult rise this morning, allowed myself a bit of a lie-in until 6:30. Exercise options shifted from the normal morning routine - I'll be doing a run with part of the Wednesday dinner crew prior to dinner.
In to work, and a continuation of the fullness of the prior day. I do have a sense that it is still not past the edge of control. It will be important to maintain this throughout the day. Fortunately, I don't have many meetings, and with some personal presence and attention, I should be able to carry through.
-------------------------
Home to dinner preparation, then out for a run - came to about 3.6 miles, more than I normally do at one time (I usually do a 1/2 mile or 1 mile run as part of my morning workouts). Slogging pretty badly at the end, but that was to be expected.
Decent dinner - a sort of carbonara, with peas & fresh pasta from the farmer's market. Fresh strawberries from the maket for dessert.
--------------------------
Practice this evening was a bit iffy. Either too much run, or too much pasta.
To bed about midnight.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Fullness
Tuesday, June 5th, 2012 189, NS, JoTD, AAD
Normal rise & sitting, then off to work. Catch a few things, as well as a quick discussion with my manager about one of my projects. I find it interesting how the network of executives works: an executive at a vendor we're considering called one of our execs. I'm sure there's some discussion of where things stand, is there any other information we can get you, etc. 15 years ago, I would have had a very different (and outward) reaction to this. Now I have the capacity to respond - I may not feel any differently about the attempt to influence the business customer's process, but I can respond to it with a measure of presence.
Gym this morning:
3 super-sets of 10 barbell presses (75#) & 6 pullups
3 super-sets of 6 dips & 10 one-arm rows (60#)
1/2 mile run
Opted for the upper body today, since my legs are still sore from hiking pallets up the back hill.
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A full day today. It felt like it was on the edge of being out of control - just pushing my capacity. As usual, contact in the limbs is a necessity, and my feet are still flat on the floor. Now to head home, and do some shopping for tomorrow's dinner.
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Shopping completed, with the added bonus of a roasted chicken to break down for sandwiches. Some frivolous computing, then to the practice room, and finally to bed.
Normal rise & sitting, then off to work. Catch a few things, as well as a quick discussion with my manager about one of my projects. I find it interesting how the network of executives works: an executive at a vendor we're considering called one of our execs. I'm sure there's some discussion of where things stand, is there any other information we can get you, etc. 15 years ago, I would have had a very different (and outward) reaction to this. Now I have the capacity to respond - I may not feel any differently about the attempt to influence the business customer's process, but I can respond to it with a measure of presence.
Gym this morning:
3 super-sets of 10 barbell presses (75#) & 6 pullups
3 super-sets of 6 dips & 10 one-arm rows (60#)
1/2 mile run
Opted for the upper body today, since my legs are still sore from hiking pallets up the back hill.
-----------------------------
A full day today. It felt like it was on the edge of being out of control - just pushing my capacity. As usual, contact in the limbs is a necessity, and my feet are still flat on the floor. Now to head home, and do some shopping for tomorrow's dinner.
-----------------------------
Shopping completed, with the added bonus of a roasted chicken to break down for sandwiches. Some frivolous computing, then to the practice room, and finally to bed.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Completion Without an Ending
Monday, June 4th, 2012 ???, NS, JoTD, AAD
Rise later then normal, closer to 6:45. The late night and long weekend took their toll. I'm also very sore from the combination of the Friday workout and the weekend of pallet moving and deconstruction, therefore, no morning workout planned. This is fine, since I really didn't take a physical break this weekend.
In to work and preparing for the day. Finding both feet on the floor, rather than in their normal "wrapped-around-the-chairleg" mode. Still carry-over from the course which, with some attention, I should be able to maintain.
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A fundamental question for my everyday worklife: how to adequately prepare the day or week, while still remaining available for the inevitable changes in plans? Even beyond this, with the constantly changing landscape of work, how to provide a sense of completion, even when something nearing its end is halted for a new priority? I sense in this one of the keys to my (and my team's) success and well-being.
To put it another way: An ending can be a finish, a conclusion or a completion. Can we have a completion without actually ending something?
----------------------------
AAD practice completed (notes are here), full list of repertoire for the 6/9 taping posted, with above/below the line recommendations. I don't have a good handle on the flow (building tempos, piece-to-piece communication, etc.), so I'll have to leave that to Dev and Victor.
Begin a download, and to bed.
Rise later then normal, closer to 6:45. The late night and long weekend took their toll. I'm also very sore from the combination of the Friday workout and the weekend of pallet moving and deconstruction, therefore, no morning workout planned. This is fine, since I really didn't take a physical break this weekend.
In to work and preparing for the day. Finding both feet on the floor, rather than in their normal "wrapped-around-the-chairleg" mode. Still carry-over from the course which, with some attention, I should be able to maintain.
---------------------------
A fundamental question for my everyday worklife: how to adequately prepare the day or week, while still remaining available for the inevitable changes in plans? Even beyond this, with the constantly changing landscape of work, how to provide a sense of completion, even when something nearing its end is halted for a new priority? I sense in this one of the keys to my (and my team's) success and well-being.
To put it another way: An ending can be a finish, a conclusion or a completion. Can we have a completion without actually ending something?
----------------------------
AAD practice completed (notes are here), full list of repertoire for the 6/9 taping posted, with above/below the line recommendations. I don't have a good handle on the flow (building tempos, piece-to-piece communication, etc.), so I'll have to leave that to Dev and Victor.
Begin a download, and to bed.
First Market Day & Auditions 2
Sunday June 3rd, 2012, ???, S!, JoTD
Rise at 7:30, and out to The Flea for 8:15. This is always an exercise in discrimination for me, especially this early in the season. I have a natural predilection for collecting, so wandering through rows of other people's stuff pulls me. This time of year there is a pent up supply of castoffs, estate liquidations and tag-sale detritus from the winter. I have a few tactics to manage this (beyond the basic awareness exercises), so I was able to walk away with one small purchase - an unusual, but useful, set of sockets.
After this home to a quick snack, and then to the first farmer's market of the season. As expected, a bit of a madhouse, but we arrived early, so parking and navigating the stalls was pretty straightforward. We had a plan, and pretty much stuck to it. Got a few things for the Wednesday dinner, and studiously avoided the amazingly good anginette tea cookies from Meriano's.
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Afternoon back at the place with the shipping crates. Someone had already come and broken down the tops of the crates, so all I had left was the last base. Part of me was relieved, as that would have been a lot of work. I now have sufficient wood for at least one potting bench and a woodworking bench. I need to rearrange the garage space so I can store wood there, but in the meantime, things are drying on one of the wood piles.
Garbage and cat litter competed, then to the shower in preparation for evening 2 of prep work with the Circle.
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Back from the Circle. An hour delay in beginning, as one of the team, coming off a 17 hour work day, overslept. A good 2 hours of work, continuing to audition repertoire, make adjustments, and improve the quality and sense of what will be performed for the taping on the 9th. I have a sense of what I would include in the list, and need to draft a final set list and running order for Victor & Dev, as well as a rough overview of the plan for the day. Things will change in the moment, but I feel that the team is well prepared for this.
Home at 11:30, and to bed. A day off from the guitar.
Rise at 7:30, and out to The Flea for 8:15. This is always an exercise in discrimination for me, especially this early in the season. I have a natural predilection for collecting, so wandering through rows of other people's stuff pulls me. This time of year there is a pent up supply of castoffs, estate liquidations and tag-sale detritus from the winter. I have a few tactics to manage this (beyond the basic awareness exercises), so I was able to walk away with one small purchase - an unusual, but useful, set of sockets.
After this home to a quick snack, and then to the first farmer's market of the season. As expected, a bit of a madhouse, but we arrived early, so parking and navigating the stalls was pretty straightforward. We had a plan, and pretty much stuck to it. Got a few things for the Wednesday dinner, and studiously avoided the amazingly good anginette tea cookies from Meriano's.
-------------------------------------
Afternoon back at the place with the shipping crates. Someone had already come and broken down the tops of the crates, so all I had left was the last base. Part of me was relieved, as that would have been a lot of work. I now have sufficient wood for at least one potting bench and a woodworking bench. I need to rearrange the garage space so I can store wood there, but in the meantime, things are drying on one of the wood piles.
Garbage and cat litter competed, then to the shower in preparation for evening 2 of prep work with the Circle.
--------------------------------------
Back from the Circle. An hour delay in beginning, as one of the team, coming off a 17 hour work day, overslept. A good 2 hours of work, continuing to audition repertoire, make adjustments, and improve the quality and sense of what will be performed for the taping on the 9th. I have a sense of what I would include in the list, and need to draft a final set list and running order for Victor & Dev, as well as a rough overview of the plan for the day. Things will change in the moment, but I feel that the team is well prepared for this.
Home at 11:30, and to bed. A day off from the guitar.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Beginnings
Saturday, June 2nd, 2012 ???, NS
Rise at 7:30, after what is perhaps the first full night's sleep I've had since well before the course. Still a drag to get up (probably attributable to last night's Moonchesters (Onyx moonshine - a local variety, grapefruit juice, lime juice and honey). A decent sitting, though, with less fidgeting and more contact.
Out to begin the day. Collecting used pallets, which will be put to work as compost bins and places to put the many cords of wood I still have to split after the October storm. Also disassembling large shipping crates, which will be transformed into a potting bench and a work bench. The rain makes it a bit of a slog, but I'm getting through it quickly, and the Jeep is being heroic, as she always is.
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A full day, with a sense of completion. Pallets moved to their necessary locations, first shipping crate base broken into its component parts and stored under cover to dry, dishes done, bathroom cleaned.
AAD guitar practice to complete the day.
Rise at 7:30, after what is perhaps the first full night's sleep I've had since well before the course. Still a drag to get up (probably attributable to last night's Moonchesters (Onyx moonshine - a local variety, grapefruit juice, lime juice and honey). A decent sitting, though, with less fidgeting and more contact.
Out to begin the day. Collecting used pallets, which will be put to work as compost bins and places to put the many cords of wood I still have to split after the October storm. Also disassembling large shipping crates, which will be transformed into a potting bench and a work bench. The rain makes it a bit of a slog, but I'm getting through it quickly, and the Jeep is being heroic, as she always is.
------------------------------
A full day, with a sense of completion. Pallets moved to their necessary locations, first shipping crate base broken into its component parts and stored under cover to dry, dishes done, bathroom cleaned.
AAD guitar practice to complete the day.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Awake, despite myself
Friday, June 1st 186, NS
Alarms at the normal times, but rise a bit late after getting home about 1:00.
Strange end of the day yesterday: I was running out of steam during a two hour meeting, working very hard to remain in my body as a strategy for not letting my head smack the table as as I fell asleep. That would be very embarrassing in a four-person meeting. Leave after my last meeting and head out to Bridgewater to meet the team for preparatory work for the June 9th video taping.
I've had my doubts about this performance; video is something very different from in-the-moment performance, and although I had a prior commitment and won't be able to attend, I was also skeptical as to whether we had sufficient performable music at a high enough quality to fill the time required. On the final evening of the course I had a useful talk with Dev and Rick, and in doing so, had a clear insight as to my role for this performance. So I have taken on the Music Director role, an impartially partial observer, whip and pointed stick to support the team getting up to performance level.
Last night was the first meeting as a team after the course (Victor being unavailable due to prior family commitments). I was probably a bit gentler than I should have been, but I was pleasantly surprised by where things stood. I honestly don't believe we were ready to do this before the course, but following this session, I'm feeling more positive. There is still a good amount of work to do, especially with dynamics, energy and presence, and only two more meetings to get there (or as close as we can). Sunday we'll have the full team together - I have a basic plan brewing for this meeting and the next.
Accepted into the latest GCE at-a-distance course. Now eagerly awaiting the web site and login information, so that I may continue the course that never ends.
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Checked out flights to Mendoza from Boston. Yikes. Argentina looking less likely, but Hope is ever present.
----------------------------
A thought regarding fear: many times, my first reaction to a new situation is fear and avoidance. Deeper in, it's a question of fear of failure vs. fear of futility: am I afraid that I may fail, or am I afraid that the effort is a futile one? How then to know the difference, be present to the fear, and turn that energy into something useful.
----------------------------
Friday workout with Rich & my fellow Mudders:
- Squat competition (increase by 2 every round; with a 35# and 44# I got up to 12)
- 3 rounds:
- 5 presses each arm
- 10 rows each arm
- 15 burpees
- 20 overhead swings
- ~1 mile run
I was pretty good up to the run and did the first two sets with the 35# and the last one with the 44#
Alarms at the normal times, but rise a bit late after getting home about 1:00.
Strange end of the day yesterday: I was running out of steam during a two hour meeting, working very hard to remain in my body as a strategy for not letting my head smack the table as as I fell asleep. That would be very embarrassing in a four-person meeting. Leave after my last meeting and head out to Bridgewater to meet the team for preparatory work for the June 9th video taping.
I've had my doubts about this performance; video is something very different from in-the-moment performance, and although I had a prior commitment and won't be able to attend, I was also skeptical as to whether we had sufficient performable music at a high enough quality to fill the time required. On the final evening of the course I had a useful talk with Dev and Rick, and in doing so, had a clear insight as to my role for this performance. So I have taken on the Music Director role, an impartially partial observer, whip and pointed stick to support the team getting up to performance level.
Last night was the first meeting as a team after the course (Victor being unavailable due to prior family commitments). I was probably a bit gentler than I should have been, but I was pleasantly surprised by where things stood. I honestly don't believe we were ready to do this before the course, but following this session, I'm feeling more positive. There is still a good amount of work to do, especially with dynamics, energy and presence, and only two more meetings to get there (or as close as we can). Sunday we'll have the full team together - I have a basic plan brewing for this meeting and the next.
Accepted into the latest GCE at-a-distance course. Now eagerly awaiting the web site and login information, so that I may continue the course that never ends.
----------------------------
Checked out flights to Mendoza from Boston. Yikes. Argentina looking less likely, but Hope is ever present.
----------------------------
A thought regarding fear: many times, my first reaction to a new situation is fear and avoidance. Deeper in, it's a question of fear of failure vs. fear of futility: am I afraid that I may fail, or am I afraid that the effort is a futile one? How then to know the difference, be present to the fear, and turn that energy into something useful.
----------------------------
Friday workout with Rich & my fellow Mudders:
- Squat competition (increase by 2 every round; with a 35# and 44# I got up to 12)
- 3 rounds:
- 5 presses each arm
- 10 rows each arm
- 15 burpees
- 20 overhead swings
- ~1 mile run
I was pretty good up to the run and did the first two sets with the 35# and the last one with the 44#
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