30 Days of Gratitude – Day #4, Right Here, Right Now

Continuing with my 30 Days of Gratitude, I am thankful for being an American, born and raised and living in the northeast, and at this time in history.

Day #4 – Living in the Here and Now

We live in a world that is not perfect – and guess what? It never was, and never will be perfect.

It is easy to lament what I missed out on: the era of jazz as popular music, the dawn of computing, and on and on.

But I got to see and hear many of my musical heroes perform live, watch important moments in history such as Watergate and the Fall of Saigon live on TV as a kid, witness the incredible growth of technology – which everyone knows is totally my bag – and many more things.

If I wasn’t born when I was, I wouldn’t have met my wife and that uncertainty is just weird to contemplate – who might I have married? Would we have had kids? Would they be the amazing boys I am blessed with?

And technology has been huge in my life – from computers to games to mobile tech and more, I have always been on the cutting edge and loved it. I loved building computers in the early 90s, compiling Linux kernels in the mid-90s, always having the latest handheld gadget from the HP200LX through the Newton all the way up through a variety of iOS and Android stuff now.

I have seen a woman on the ballot for Vice President (sorry Geraldine, in ’84 I was a Republican), the demise of the Soviet Union and fall of the Berlin wall, a black President, a serious female presidential candidate, public acceptance of interracial marriage, legal and popular acceptance of gay marriage in most places, women and people of color getting more equal representation, and on and on.

There have been many great times and places in history, but none of them were my time. My time is now; my place is here.

How do you feel about where and when you were born?

Oh, and why not a music video for the 1991 Jesus Jones song noted in the title?

30 Days of Gratitude – Day #2, Layoff Bliss

Continuing with my 30 Days of Gratitude, I take a different view. We all have challenges and hardships we encounter of various types and degrees. For me, getting laid off after 15 years at my last job just as the economy was tanking was very difficult … and rewarding.

Day #2 – Getting Laid off Was The Best Thing Ever

It was a moment that I remember vividly, Lisa coming home and me being there and her jokingly asking ‘what, did you lose your job’ and me saying ‘yes’ and her jaw dropping. But let me back up … I lost my job on the 3rd of October, the day after Danny turned 11, three days after the end of the third quarter. No one was surprised that more layoffs happened – this was the fourth straight quarter of by-department layoffs. First manufacturing, then engineering, then research, and finally quality and operations. I wasn’t even that surprised when I was pretty sure I was one of those being hit with the layoff … but that doesn’t make it easier when you have a mortgage and family and bills to consider.

But that same day I got a call from an old friend and former co-worker named Hemant, and he told me something that resonates with me still seven years later: although it is hard and shocking, you were not happy and will soon realize this was the best thing that could have happened. And he was right.

In 2004 when parent company Rohm & Haas fully took over and integrated all systems, all of the promises made when they bought out the Shipley family in 1992 went out the window. They instituted new structures and policies, and then executed a large layoff that was handled about as poorly and dehumanizing as I could possibly imagine. I never really forgave the company for that, and as I have discussed before I made a resolution in 2007 that one way or the other I wouldn’t enter 2008 at the company.

But we had also been looking at the possibility of moving towns in the Boston area, because what had started as a great school system in the early 90s when we moved there had consistently gone downhill ever since – and we knew we didn’t want the kids going to middle school there. We’d had our house appraised and were looking at selling – then suddenly we knew I would be working somewhere else and would likely have to move.

I have also talked about the job hunt and how lucky I was to have been cut before things got really bad for the economy, and also how if I had taken any of the other four offers made to me I would be in a different job now due to the other places eliminating divisions or going completely out of business.

But I chose Corning. And it has been the best move I could imagine. Lisa noted it within the first year – I am different, more happy than in years, and definitely more chatty. Suddenly I am outgoing and will talk to anyone, and that has only grown the last couple of years as I have grown as a runner. Now I see people out everywhere who see me running and I chat with them, and really in general lead my life much more integrated with everyone around me.

It is hard looking back and knowing that it took me so long to leave a job I knew I should have left long before, but I am glad I did eventually leave. And while I would love to move back to Massachusetts someday, it will be on my terms and I will carry this new outlook along with me. I still love reading about all of the great people I used to work with and how they and their spouses and kids are doing all over the country. It was an amazing 15 years that changed my life.

Is there a life moment that seemed negative that you now feel was fundamental to becoming who you are?

30 Days of Gratitude – Day #1

I very often talk about the things I am thankful for – particularly my wife Lisa and our boys Danny & Chris. They are the backbone of my life and the source of eternal springs of joy and happiness. I also write about many other things I am thankful and grateful for.

Since Thanksgiving is on my mind, I thought it would be a fun exercise to make a daily post noting something I am thankful for. Just a quickie, something I know I can do even with the very limited time I have for blogging these days.

Day #1 – My Oh-So Tolerant Feet and Legs

Look at those sorry, worn-out sad shoes above. They are the Saucony Virrata 2s I got with my birthday money back in early April. As I wore them just over a month ago for one of my normal daily runs, I could finally feel it – they were *done*.

But that wasn’t a surprise – I felt early on they wouldn’t last, but then they stabilized and held out really well. In that picture they have nearly 1350 miles on them. Yes, 1350. Given that pretty much every estimate of running shoe life says to change out shoes <500 miles, that is astounding. Most of my shoes have lasted over 1000 miles, with only the New Balance Minimus 2 dying at about 900 miles (ok, they died by 600 but I refused to give up and it was winter and I didn't want to put the weather-wear on new shoes).

These are not amazing shoes – I know many people who get only 400 miles on the Virratas (or Kinvaras or Nike Free and so on). They just work well with my body, and allow me to keep running comfortably long after the initial cushion has flattened out. My body it really great in how it allows this to happen, coupled with what is a pretty solid stride pattern – I am not a young guy, and I have friends who strike their feet away from the center of their body and really feel every mile.

So thanks to my feet and ankles and knees and hips for allowing me to push the life of my shoes without resulting in injury.

How do you deal with shoe life?