Carbon Leaf

Discovered "Carbon Leaf" and their newest album "Indian Summer"... what a great treat to have on this, the last day of my business year.

Many goals reached, many not. Here's a phrase that speaks to me today,

"What about everything?
What about aeroplanes? And what about ships that drank the sea?
What about the moon and stars? What about soldier battle scars?
And all the anger that they eat?
What about aliens? What about you and me and...
What about gold beneath the sea?
What about when buildings fall? What about the midnight phone call...
The one that wakes you from your peace?
Well, I am not in need."

This is why I love art, music, literature. It has the ability to speak to one's soul on days when we most need nourishment and perspective.

The Leadership Challenge

I recently acquired the book, "The Leadership Challenge" by Kouzes/Posner along with the journal. Here's the opening lines:

"The Leadership Challenge is about how leaders mobilize others to want to get extraordinary things done in organizations. It's about the practices leaders use to transform values into actions, visions into realities, obstacles into innovations, separateness into solidarity, and risks into rewards. It's about leadership that creates the climate in which people turn challenging opportunities into remarkable successes."

With over 400 pages, it's not a quick read, but with an opening 'graph like that, it has my full attention. More later, I'm sure.

Caliente

I am getting all ready for the big Mexican adventure...ordered supplies, constantly talking to those in PV, buying more supplies.

I'm sure I'm not at all ready.

How does one enter another culture, really? I mean, especially one like myself who often can't even make sense of her own? How do you become familar with those that think differently, act differently, experience the world differently?

I don't know. I really don't. I'm sure that I am totally unprepared for so much...I may fail spectacularly. Somehow, that both terrifies and reassures me.

Mark Twain said, "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness and many people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."

I could not agree more. Sometimes, I am so weary of the same, blandness that populates my little corner of the world...everyone looks the same, talks the same, has the same opinion on politics, religion. It's almost unnerving, it's so american-white bread.

Next week, my son starts his own journey from home as he starts visiting colleges. Dan and I have re-done his office upstairs and he has displayed some amazing photos of the kids...I can hardly go in there and I start to cry...Nathan on my knees as a toddler, Nathan at the piano, Nathan getting ready for school...I want to ask, "where was I?"? I was there but so busy worrying about so many things that mattered so little. Sure, his backpack was ready and he looked adorable...but how could I have known I would be peering into those pics now in some desperate attempt to keep him here with me? I want him to go, but I also want him to stay - and it can't be both ways.

Time to grow up and let go...so hard.