Big day

Tomorrow is a big day for me at work.  After months of working on a big project tomorrow marks the first phase to be implemented.  I won’t bore you with the details but I am already getting a feeling of anxiety.  Like most careers the more I have progressed the more the scope of my work has increased.  Hoping as I write tomorrow I have a feeling of relief that phase one is over.  That is all fir today.  Wish me luck!!

Until tomorrow….

Dave

Until 

MLK repost from 2015

Today we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I appreciate great orators and Dr King was one of the best. I once heard that his I Have A Dream speech was largely unscripted. Can you imagine the having the ability to rally tens of thousands of people and deliver a speech that will be remembered forever without writing it down? I can't. Here is one of my favorite passages:

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I suggest taking time today and watch a replay of the speech and appreciate Dr King's gift.

Until tomorrow,

Dave

Team 144

A week has now passed since the University of Michigan won the college football national championship.  I lived this team.  Since Michigan was highly ranked all year I was able to watch just about every play this year.  After disappointing losses the past two seasons this year’s team sole purpose was to win the”natty”.  Many of the top players that could have left for the pros after left season came back for one more shot.  The team battled through much adversity this year including their head coach serving two different three game suspensions.  They easily won their games this year with the closest game being in the Rose Bowl against Alabama.  

You could tell the players enjoyed each other and they played like a team.  The 2023 team had stars but no superstars.  It was a team effort with everyone doing their part.  Highlights included huge wins against Penn State and Ohio State in Big Ten play and post season wins against Alabama and Washington.  

There was allegations of sign stealing that could have put a stigma on the season had they not won a their games.  Fortunately they were clearly the best team in the country. Both the offense an defensive were exceptional all season.  Tough is the word I think of when I think of this team.

Aside from winning the championship the highlight of the season was the opportunity to travel to Ann Arbor and see the Indiana game in person.  It had been 20 years since I had been to the big house and it was a thrill.

Team 144 refers to this being the 144th year of Michigan football. This team will go down as the best of them all and help restore Michigan to a top program in the country.  

With success comes change.  Starting quarterback JJ McCarthy announced today he is foregoing his senior year to turn pro.  Head coach Jim Harbaugh will also probably leave for a pro opportunity.  I wish them well and send them off with a big thank you!  This team was incredible and a thrill to watch.

Go Blue!

Until tomorrow….

Dave

Big Year

I need 2024 to be a big year.  I turned 50 in the Fall of 2023 and I decided I need to make the most of every day in the new year.  2023 was rough professionally and consumed most of my time.  I am often in the office early in the morning and late into the evenings.  These hours help me see that I work more than most at my firm and I want to change that in 2024.  My job is demanding but my focus will be on being a better delegator and manager this year.  I will hit my 25 year service anniversary later this month which hard to believe.  That’s it for talking shop.  Since I was last active on this blog I have added a few more things to my bucket list.  I have taken up camping which I really enjoy while still trying to improve my skills.  I don’t sleep well while camping and need to fix that this year.  Back to my bucket list.  I have discovered through you tube that I have an interest in wilderness canoe camping.  The best place to do this in the US is at the boundary waters in northern Minnesota.  Someday I hope to do a multi-day trip in the Fall.  Doubt it will be in 2024 but I will work towards acquiring the skills needed and the physical health required to do a trip like this.  I’ve also decided I want to do a thru hike of the Appalachian Trail.  The time commitment needed to do this hike makes it tough to do while fully employed so I may start with some section hikes.  Fortunately there are trail access points in relatively close proximity to where I live in North Carolina.  I hope to update the blog often this year as I experience new things and undertake new adventures.

Until tomorrow,

Dave