The No Impact Man

Have you heard of this book? This blog? This guy?  Well, now you have!  Check it out.

The book was a great read but more than that, I really appreciated Colin’s honesty about this project.  It definitely makes you look within and see how you are living your own life.  I was impressed in so many ways and shocked too.  I dog-eared a ton of pages and it had a profound impact on me.  I hope you will read the book or check out the blog. Or even go see the documentary from their yearlong journey.

His wife and child also participated and to read his wife’s perspective on this via a column in Business Week (reposted on his blog) was also brutally honest about her life and the changes this yearlong experiment had on her as well.

I am sure some of you wonder about my latest movies and books. Between Food Inc., Better Off, and now The No Impact Man, you would consider me a very organic, vegetarian, of the earth kind of person. Well, I am trying to be. I don’t often eat meat and never cook it.  I do wish to be more reliant on farmers markets and other similar farm options year over year.  I think it takes each of us to make adjustments and just keep making them.

What is your theme?

I have received a few emails lately from readers asking in different ways what my specific blog theme is and where I get my ideas for topics. I thought they were both interesting questions and got me thinking.

What is my specific blog theme? Do I have one? I read quite a few blogs and am an active subscriber to at least 30 or more.  I love to read their posts via Google Reader over breakfast. Some I get via email.  Some folks have very specific themes, like productivity, marketing, saving money, home organization, workplace issues, leadership, etc. All of their posts are specific and refer back to their main blog theme in a very consistent way. It is in large part while I subscribe; I like hearing their perspectives on certain themes or issues.

It’s interesting, I do have a blog for my company that is specific to leadership coaching and related topics. So, I understand the questions I received.

But my personal blog is more about life in general. I tend to write about things that have happened to me or things I have observed. From my perspective, I just want to have the opportunity to share my dorky view of the world based on my own experiences or just things about myself in general.  This really comes in any form and is not predetermined by a specific topic or issue that every post revolves. What do you think – is that distracting to you as a reader that my posts can range from talking about the greatness of the holidays, or books, or movies, or school supplies, or life and whatnot? Feel free to share your comments or email me!

NOTE 9/19/09:

Read a post via email today from Write to Done talking about blog theme’s in which his lead into his post stated “Blogging and writing shouldn’t be just about talking about what you did today, or rambling about things in general — at least, not in my mind, not if it’s done well”.  I found this interesting but it is a sentiment I don’t agree.  I think the point of blogging is based on the writer. If you are like Leo Babauta, his desire with his blog is enlighten but what seems even more prevalent to me over the past few months, is his overwhelming desire to sell things especially his books and ebooks.  That is his prerogative and I don’t dislike him for it. It has however changed my personal desire to read his blog and have done so with much less frequency due to this feeling like I am being sold to.

What you choose to do with your blog and its content are entirely up to you.  Do what you want and be happy with what you do.

Books, books, books

As many of you know, I am avid reader of books. I read a variety of genres, from mystery to non-fiction to fiction to history to plays, not to mention a plethora of topics within those genres.  I am huge fan of Tom Stoppard and wrote an undergrad thesis for graduation on Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.  I was able to see one of Horton Foote’s plays in production in Chapel Hill and meet him after. Good stuff. To say I read a lot is really an understatement.  But to see a recent blog post by Seth Godin and how much he reads, well, he puts me to shame. I feel no competition and it will not spur me on to read more than the average 3-5 books/week I usually read.

In fact, for the past month or so, I haven’t been reading very much at all.  The call of nature has been too strong and I have been outside enjoying the fall-like weather intermixed with some nice summer days.  The allure of such beauty has been hard to ignore or stay away from and therefore, harder for me to think about reading, even on my deck.

As I looked over Seth’s one-page review of books, of which one I had read review about a week or so again for The No Impact Man that is high on my list to read, I was caught by the realization that I hadn’t been reading as much.  Then I realized that my blogging has become sporadic and not as consistent as usual. It made me wonder about the ebb and flow of life.   Is this a product of trying to enjoy the last bit of summer?  I am not heading back to school, so I don’t necessarily need to squeeze out the last bit of freedom before the hum drum life of school starts.  I am always in school (or so it seems).

Is this a reflection of where my mind is now?  Are my thoughts not as defined not as they usually are and my mind is taking a bit of a vacation? Maybe. I can’t say I haven’t need a mental break.  Ultimately, I chalk it up to the ebb and flow of life. We all go through it at different times.  We are on the hamster wheel then we take a step off for a while. Sometimes we are very engaged; other times not.  I don’t think my taking a little time to change normal routines is a bad thing actually. Change of perspective can be a very beneficial thing. I have had many ideas percolating and maybe they are not ready to gestate yet.  I don’t know what is the reason; but I know this, it’s another fantastic day out there and despite the work that will be done today, my lunch will be spent outside as will my evening.  Hope you can do the same.

It was a very good year …

1969. It was a VERY good year.  Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. Huge.  Out of this world huge.  The space program was supported by the country and it was a time of great pride.  Then there was Woodstock. How could you not think of Woodstock, especially with the new movie coming out. By the way, the book it was based on was a good read.  Another big event – I was born. See, told you, it was a very good year!   Here are some really cool facts about 1969 that you know, with a few thrown in you might not know:

• The first men on Moon, Neil Armstrong & Edwin Aldrin, Apollo 11
• Woodstock Festival held in NY August 15 to August 18th
• Supreme Court rules that the 1st Amendment applies to public schools.  Pop quiz – what’s the 1st Amendment?
• 1st temporary artificial heart
• The first test flight of the supersonic Concorde
• 1st flight of the Boeing 747
• 1st Wendy’s opens
• Last public performance of the Beatles, Paul marries Linda, John marries Yoko
• Last issue of Saturday Evening Post – no more Normal Rockwell covers
• Phil Esposito becomes first NHL Player to score 100 points in a season
• Golda Meir becomes Israel’s 4th Prime Minister
• New York Yankees’ Mickey Mantle announces his retirement from baseball
• Hurricane Camille strikes U.S. Gulf Coast kills 255
• Charles Manson commits Tate-LaBianca murders
• Mary Jo Kopechne dies at 28, in Ted Kennedy’s car
• “Sesame Street” premieres on PBS
• First ATM
• Wal-Mart incorporates
• GAP is founded

That’s right, 1969 was a very good year indeed and these are just some of the big highlights. There are many, many more.  Looking back at history can be an educative experience and not everyone likes those. But it can also be incredibly fun and enlightening too.  Hope you enjoyed the trip down memory lane with me!

Wild About Omaha

The weekend is coming!  Come out this weekend, July 24th and 25th!

Don’t Miss Mutual of Omaha’s Wild About Omaha Weekend!

Join Mutual of Omaha in celebrating 100 years! Wild about Omaha Weekend will be two days of fun-filled events at several Omaha arts & entertainment venues. Whether you’re young, old, somewhere in between, single or want to bring the family – there’s something for everyone. And – it’s FREE!

Thanks to SPN for the great picture!!

Automakers, listen up

I think this is a great time for automakers to go out and find out what consumers really want.  Go hit a few malls, a bookstore, a tea bar (ok, coffee, but I am a tea drinker), or even the local grocery store.  You don’t need to be completely scientific about it.  Pick a few places and visit those same types of places in Anytown, USA (yes, there are more than you think, and they aren’t necessarily Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, or Dallas). I am talking about Fort Wayne, Indiana or Harrisonburg, Virginia, or Wexford, Pennsylvania, or Huntington, West Virginia, or maybe Omaha, Nebraska.  These are great cities with some great people who are brimming over with ideas.

For one, every time I hear about dual climate control in cars I don’t think about what they really mean, which is a way for the driver and the passenger to operate their own temperature controls (not that it’s not a good idea).  I always think about a dual climate control in which you can have one temperature for your feet and one for your face.  Have you ever been driving someplace where it’s rather cold out, so you want a bit of heat on your tootsies, but at the same time, the sun is beating down on your windshield and said heat is making you sweat (which is why many of us have our windows cracked open when it’s 20 degrees out).  This happened a lot in North Carolina because it could get darn cold but then there would be that beautiful sun baking you while you were driving.  If you turn the heat off, your feet get a little chilly, so that doesn’t work either (no matter how great your boots are).

It happens a ton here in Omaha. I seem to constantly have my window open halfway whenever I drive even though my dash says it’s 7 degrees outside.  I love the sun too so small price to pay. However, wouldn’t be awesome if there was a way to have warm feet and a cool face at the same time? Or am I asking too much …

Takhomasak

I have written prior about Omaha being the restaurant capital of the world. Or so it seems sometimes!  I have been traveling to Chicago weekly for the past month or two.  When I go, I often see Steak’n'Shake and wonder why that is not open in Omaha. It should be.  When I was a kid, I used to love going there, even more so than McDonalds.  They used to have their tag line “takhomasak” in neon letters and it would always be a bit odd at first and then it would hit me what it meant and then I would what one of those awesome steakburgers and fantastic fries.  Best fries anywhere (though Runza fries could give’em a run if they were of similar size/shape).

How incredible is it that I sat for a burger, fries and a shake a few days ago while it was snowing and probably not even above 1 degree?  Ahh, the simple joys of  a memory and reliving your childhood as an adult.

Snowbound, a chant

I know I am not a meteorologist but I happen to know that last year, the day before Thanksgiving, Omaha had its first big snow.  I believe it was the first snow of the season and it was beautiful to watch 5 inch of white noise fall throughout the day.  I remember this because I was thrilled to see it, had been dreaming about snow starting around Labor Day, and was off that day to watch it.  I also remember that my getting up before the roosters did to head out for Black Friday deals was quite cold.

Darn the luck, but that isn’t going to be the case this year. So far, other than two Saturdays ago when there was some light snow in the air (yes, in the air, barely a trace), we have seen nothing substantial in the way of snowfall. It disappoints me greatly.  Yes, I would prefer to be up before the sun on Black Friday, dressed for below zero wind chills but it won’t be happening.

Maybe a little song will help – adapted from the rain, rain, go away type of singalong:

Snow, Snow, come today,

Come again every day.

Snow, Snow, come today,

Come again every day.

Where’d the holidays go?

It amazes me that a week ago tonight we were celebrating Halloween.  It was such a fantastic night – kids could trick or treat without wearing long johns or a winter coat over their costumes.  Houses were decorated and pumpkins carved.  It seems that each year, more and more decorate for Halloween. This pleases me to no end!

Here we are a week later and it’s 20 degrees with the wind chill and I saw a number of people putting up their holiday lights!  All the stores have their holiday finery up and are counting the days til the end of the year.  Shoot, there is one radio station that is already playing holiday music. You heard me right!!  But what bothers me is where did Thanksgiving go?  We seemed to have fast forwarded from Halloween straight to the season of giving.  Interesting. We say this every year, but it seems to get worse and worse.  Two full months of holiday music is a bit much, even I can admit that!

Even though everyone else is trying to get you to think ahead, do things at your own pace.  Enjoy the weekends with family, watch football, go ice skating, share some hot chocolate, curl up by a fire, read a book, watch a movie together, play a board game, go for a brisk walk.  Enjoy each day and all that it brings to you, your family and friends.

Nip in the air

I am in heaven! It’s a wonderful 40-ish outside right now and am just loving it.  I know it won’t last but it’s the first touch of winter and it always delights me.  Football season is in full gear (sorry, bad pun). Can’t you just smell the crackle in the air?