It now seems that barefoot running is picking up steam. I first started experimenting after I read the book "Born To Run" last year, and am still working at building up my calf and achilles muscles as well as my distance. As anyone who has read about or tried barefoot running, you know that once you get past the adjustment period, it's more comfortable and less painful than running in shoes. Aside from the dangers of glass, rocks, and the like, the posture adopted while running barefoot is, especially for me, much more comfortable due to the lessened impact on the heel, which had always caused me pain.

So I was very happy last night when I caught a segment about barefoot running on NPR on my way home from work. As I've learned first hand, and as the anthropologist in the NPR segmente found during his studies, "runners in shoes usually landed heel first. Barefoot runners landed farther forward, either on the ball of their foot or somewhere in the middle of the foot, and then the heel came down — much less collisional force."

I am happy to see that with each passing week that it seems that more research, stories and dialogue are coming into the mainstream about barefoot running. So I'm happy to share this NPR segment from last night with those that are interested.

Study: Humans Were Born To Run Barefoot


Related Links:
Barefoot running update plus Vibram Five Fingers

Labels: barefoot, lifestyle, running

For maybe 4 or 5 months now I've been experimenting with barefoot running. I've written about this before, so I won't bore you with any old details. However, I am happy to report that after nursing my calf injury back to health, I've been able to get out and run 4-5 days a week now, mostly on rocky trails in the canyons near my house. I've not been going totally barefoot, but instead until last week have been going with just a pair of Speedo water socks. They provide adequate protection from the ground (from both the rocks in the trails and from the debris on the roads) and also are minimal enough that I've been able to adapt my running style and moderately strengthen my feet, ankles, and calves.

Because I'm still fairly new to "barefooting", I haven't been going more than 3 miles at a time, but the runs are feeling good, and for the first time in basically my whole life, I am able to enjoy running and am also able to do it pain free. I used to have all sorts of issues, tight calves, shin splints, muscle cramps, and the only way I was able to put any miles on was by stetching like crazy and slowly working at it.

So now come the Vibram Five Fingers. Initially I wasn't going to buy them because I just didn't want to spend the money, and figured the water socks were a good cheap alternative. But now after finally breaking down and buying the Vibram KSOs, I know this is not really the case. Let me tell you, the difference between Five Fingers and water socks is definitely noticeable, as was the difference between running shoes and the water socks.

The reason that I finally caved and bought them is because of my upcoming trip to Thailand. I really only want to bring one pair of shoes, and had read the the Five Fingers make great travelling shoes because they are so minimal. Addionally they are easy to pack and can withstand city walking, light trekking, beaches, and water. So rather than buy shoes for travel, I opted for the Vibrams and now can use them for running too. It took me a while to make my decision, but I finally decided on the KSOs (Keep Stuff Out) in the grey color.

Before purchasing, I dutifully followed the sizing directions on the Vibram site, which tell you to measure your foot, and go by that rather than a standard shoe size. After finding my size, I saw that Vibram was out of the grey color I wanted, but I was able to find them at Summit Hut. The price was perfect, and even free shipping!

So here is my review thus far:

First of all, don't assume your size. As noted, use their chart. My feet measured at just over 11", so I bought the size 44 which are for foot size 11 1/4". I first put them on and thought "Oh no", they seemed way too snug, and I was tempted to send them back for a bigger size. But I did some googling and found that a snug fit is standard, and actually what you want. Several people noted that the ones that felt too snug at first soon adapted and perfectly. So far I am finding the same. So rule #1 is follow the chart and wear them around the house for a few days before you give up and return them for a different size. Barring any strange circumstances, their chart will likely be more accurate than your judgement.

Having first worn them around the house a few times to get used to them, I've now also worn them out for one long walk with the dogs and two runs. They held up great and the snug feeling has gone away and I forget I have them on. My only problem so far (besides foot fatigue) is that I have a big dog that likes to be so close to my side that she steps on my feet, and obviously, the Vibrams provide no protection against that. I can't fault the Vibrams for this issue though, because their goal is to be minimal. But this does lead to some concern about the durability of the tops of the KSOs. Will roughness and scratching from the top cause the material to rip or tear? Also, I have already stubbed my toes twice, once when my dog got too close, and once on something random. I guess you take for granted how much shoes (or water socks for that matter) actually protect your feet. But with these two exceptions, I am overwhelmingly impressed with these Five Finger shoes so far.

After two runs in them, I have to say, "Wow!" I thought the water socks were minimal and let me "feel" the ground, but these Vibrams simulate barefoot so much better. (In fairness, water/aqua socks are cheap and closer to barefoot than sneakers, but it does not simulate barefoot like the Vibrams). The trail has never felt so rocky, and I had to be careful not to step on big stones since it actually was hurting the bottoms of me feet, something that I only rarely experienced with the water socks. But in time I think this will be fine as my feet toughen up. And as others have noted, it is certainly amazing that I was able to feet sand and grass between my "toes", and even the mud squish under my feet!

All in all, my "barefooting" is going well, but after my conversion from the water socks to the Vibrams, I realized that I still have a ways to go to stengthen my feet. My leg muscles feel fine, but I am noticing significant fatigue in my feet and arches, something I briefly noticed when I switched from sneakers to the water socks as well. I guess this is phase 2, one step closer to real barefooting!


Related Links:
Barefoot running update #2
Barefoot running update

Labels: barefoot, lifestyle, running

I consider myself to be a pretty eco minded person, I wouldn't go so far as too say I'm extreme when it comes to conservation and minimizing waste, but I do exert a fair amount of effort to try to minimize my impact, especially when it comes to over consumption and blatant waste. And I certainly would consider our (Americans) use of plastic a blatant waste.

For my part, I always bring my reusable bags when I go shopping, and I even go so far as to use an empty bread loaf bag to pick up dog poop rather than throw it out unused. These days when I make my lunch I reuse one ziplock bag for several weeks, rather than dispose of it daily, and I also use a tupperware to pack my sandwich and vegetables. Right there, assuming that I make lunch 3 days (and eat out 2) per week, multiplied over 49 weeks (52 minus a measly 3 for vacation), that would ordinarily be 294 bags if I used one for chips or snack, and one for sandwich. But typically I reuse one bag for three or four weeks in a row before it becomes too nasty, and my use of a tupperware removes the need for half of them right away. So that puts me down to only 37 per year for 147 days of lunch. Not great, but a significant reduction from average.

But we all know that you can be the most efficient person in the world, and it's just a drop in the bucket compared to the waste of a business. So I now have a way to save another 245 plastic bags per year by doing nothing. How do I do this? I realized a year or so ago that the cleaning people swap out the bag in the trashcan at my desk if there is anything it.

So the solution? It's simple. I bring my trash to the office kitchen to dispose of it. And just like that, I don't use my trash can and they don't change the bag. (I've experimented to ensure that this is the case.) Just like that 245 bags removed from the landfill.

So above and beyond the hundreds (likely thousands) of plastic bags I save per year by carrying my reusable shopping bags and implementing these simple strategies, I now can include another 500 bags (a low estimate combining lunch and work strategy) that I am saving from our landfills.

If every person made these three simple adjustments, we could save hundreds of thousands (probably millions) of plastic bags from the landfills. Even at a small company of 20 people, these three virtually unnoticeable lifestyle changes would save 10,000 bags from our landfills over one year.

As you can see, making a difference is not that hard.

Labels: conservation, consumption, eco-friendly, how-to, lifestyle, resources

I've been thinking and reading a lot about this topic lately, and about how ordinary people are learning to monetize their existing skills, and ultimately employ themselves. Is it really possible? And do I have any skill or knowledge that people would pay for?

Often I'll find myself browsing random job postings or gigs on Craigslist for non-traditional types of employment, and I'll look and think, wow, I wish I had the skills they are looking for, then I could hire myself out rather than work for someone. (By non-traditional I really mean any jobs that won't require me to sit and get paid for my time rather than my work, like most jobs in my field do)

My goal has been always to be self employed, but my major stumbling block is that I don't feel like I am an expert at any one thing or skilled enough to get paid the big bucks. I feel like I know enough to do my job and my hobbies well, but not enough to consider myself an expert. But as I mentioned, I keep reading more about success stories of people monetizing the current skill(s). Rather than going to school or getting trained in some new field that they may have been curious about, they are simply using what they already know and are learning how to simply make money doing that.

So this has gotten my wheels turning a bit. For one, I have been a software engineer for the past 8 years, and three of them have been with a small company where I am doing much more than software (web, database). But still I feel like I don't know enough to try to market myself in this field. However, I will admit that this could simply be a confidence issue rather than a skill issue, because in talking to other people it seems that plenty of people who employ themselves don't know everything prior to doing a job for someone. The difference is that they pretend that they know everything and then learn on the fly.

Here are a few other things that I could possibly market or monetize:

• I have in one form or another been hosting and running my own (and family member's) websites for the past 5 years. This includes setting up the hosting, doing all the coding, the design, fixing browser compatibility issues, setting up blogs, and wading through more HTML and CSS code than normal people care to look at. I don't consider myself a web designer by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm sure the skills I do have could come in handy for some people.


• I can usually find the answer to any question on any topic in a matter of minutes using the handy dandy internet. To me I consider this normal, but have realized that the majority of people who aren't computer geeks can't do this. They get caught on spam pages, with non credible data, or it takes them forever. I think I first realized how good at this I was when my girlfriend saw me find something so fast. She couldn't believe it. Now she calls or texts me when she needs an answer, and I can usually find it while we're still on the phone. Trivial, I know, but I'm sure this is a skill some people wish they had. I guess maybe I am an expert at using the internets.


• I read way too many books, magazines, blogs, and other articles and now have acquired a vast array of knowledge on a wide variety of topics.

Moving away from the geeky stuff now...

• I have had people tell me I am extremely knowledgeable about trails and hiking spots near where I live. I have been to and seen a ton (but not nearly all) of the things to do and see in San Diego, and apparently have ticked more things off the San Diego "to do" list than people I know that are natives here have. I know most of the neighborhoods and can point things out on a local map that people who grew up here have never heard of.
• Last summer, I managed to take my average body, casual runner's legs, and an endurance that was better for happy hour than an hour long hike, and I hauled it to the top of Mt Whitney, in one day... That includes the full 22 miles and 6000+ feet of elevation gain.

I am not putting all this up here to brag, trust me. But I am trying to convince myself that I have at least some set of skills that is marketable and can make me a living. Looking at things in this light is new for me, almost revelational. All of a sudden I am seeing that -- dare I say it? -- I just might be an expert at something.

Now I just need to hone in on what that is. And determine if there is any way to take the scope of different things I know and could be considered expert on, and connect them in a way to create something of value for someone else. And hopefully something that they would be willing to pay for.

Labels: 9to5, inspiration, lifestyle, thinking

Mt Whitney Summit -- August 2008There are days when I feel accomplished, and there are days when I feel down. Sometimes life seems to get a little boring, and the days begin to pass in the blink of an eye. So I've decided to write this post in an effort to keep myself inspired and to remind myself not to let my life get too boring as I quickly approach my 31st year. There are some things that I've accomplished that I can look back upon to remind myself that I am living, and there things I want to do to make sure I keep living. On days when life gets frustrating and starts to seem pretty boring, I remind myself of these things that I've done and can continue to be proud of. And along with that, I have to keep reminding myself of all the things out there that I want to do!

So here is my list... What are your accomplishments and goals? How do you stay motivated?

Done and/or accomplished:

• Summitted the highest mountain in the continental United States (Mt Whitney) in one day (up and back, 22 miles, 18 hours, 6000+ ft elevation gain)
• Driven across the United States (3 times, once alone, twice with a friend)
• Bicycled from San Diego, California to Phoenix, Arizona, 400 miles in 7 days
• Backpacked Spain alone for two weeks and also ventured into Morocco
• Completed a half marathon
• Left my family and moved to California by myself
• Went to the 2003 NCAA Final Four Basketball tournament at the Louisiana Superdome
• Taken a train some 3000 or so miles across the United States
• Driven the gorgeous Pacific Coast Highway up the California coast to Monterrey
• Fasted on water only for 4 days

Things I want to do: (Not limited to just this list :) )

• Finish a marathon or longer race
• Take an overnight hiking/backpacking trip
• Ride my bike up the Pacific Coast
• TRAVEL more (Asia, Africa, more of Europe, South America, anywhere really)
• Live in a van or RV for at least a month
• Hike some or all of the Appalachian Trail
• Become self employed

Labels: adventure, biking, hiking, inhibitions, lifestyle, personal development, random

Photo credit Matt HammI have been thinking a lot lately about how social media has changed how we communicate. But not in the way you might think. It is obvious that sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter have changed the game, but not only have these platforms made everyone connected in simple, straight forward and immediate way, I think they have also made the majority of people more accessible and approachable. Of course this has some obvious downsides like spam and stalkers, but now our worlds are much smaller and people who would have otherwise been unable to be contacted can now be located and contacted in less than a minute. Obviously, this has downsides too, but I'm focusing on the positive aspects. In a way, it has leveled the playing field for everyone since there are all sorts of people from all walks of life and of varying degrees of success all using these same platforms of communication.

Every day I take in quite a bit of media, including blogs, Twitter feeds, news, and also good old fashioned books and magazines. In the past (before online social media), there were distinct lines of separation between people and all the different medias of the time. There were publishers and consumers, writers and readers, and most everyone belonged to some group or category, whether it was based on their career, what they read, or what they did for work. But now, no matter how we fit into the picture, most anyone who does anything online is just a tiny piece of this great social media puzzle. From CEOs to cubicle drones, Hollywood stars to high school geeks, once we starting tweeting or reconnecting with friends on Facebook, we're all in the same game.

I've had this thought several times before, but it all came together for me today. What prompted it is this book I'm currently reading, Born to Run. In brief, the book is about running, the Tarahumara people of Mexico, ultra marathoners, and the art of running. So as I'm reading, I note the different people the author mentions, then it hits me... This is a non fiction book, I wonder if I can get some background on these people online? Next think you know I find the Facebook page of one person in the book, the Twitter feed of another, and the blog of another! I mean, ten years ago could you read about someone in a book, and then go find their personal ramblings online? Of course not! There was barely even an internet then.

Another book I've recently read is Scott Stoll's Falling Uphill. In the past I would have never thought twice about how to even contact someone who had written a book that I've quite enjoyed reading, but after a blog post I wrote about the book several weeks ago, he's now following me on Twitter!

Chris Guillebeau, internet rock star and non conformist, found a post of mine where I linked to him, and he sent me a direct email message thanking me. (Side note, he replies to everyone who messages him, whether on his site or on Twitter.)

I mean seriously, when I was a kid it would take some time to work up the courage to send a letter to my favorite basketball players to ask for autographs (not to mention the time it took to find the contact info and write the letter by hand), and if I received a response within a month or two I was ecstatic. Now, I could send Shaquille O'Neal a tweet and he'd probably reply to me in less than 24 hours.

Even something as simple as a comment thread on a blog can bring together different people who have never met for random dialogue. This simple interaction is something that would have been virtually impossible years ago. There are blogs that I follow and comment on where this happens regularly, and there are people online who I've never met or even spoken to who I would consider friends.

There are a million examples to illustrate these points, and most certainly there are downsides too. I'm sure that some of this online interaction has become a substitute for just walking outside and chatting with people the old fashioned way. Hell, I'm guilty of this too. Have we lost some of our innocence in this? Is it a good thing to be a little nervous to contact someone who is very successful, or to approach one of our idols? Or is it good that the playing field is now even, and that even if it's a perverse sort of approachability, we're all equals if we want to be? There are plenty of people who don't get this online interaction and are leery of it. My girlfriend doesn't quite buy into it yet. And I know there are plenty of others out there who don't as well. To many people, there is something about being "friends" with someone you've never met, or acting like you know someone based on their daily ramblings, that can certainly be a little weird.

The internet, and especially social media, is a weird beast. It takes normal everyday people, brings some of them extraordinary success, rockets others to superstar status overnight, while allowing them to still be your neighbor in relative anonymity, and without the paparazzi. Hell, Dooce was just named number 26 on the list of most influential women of all time.

What do you think? Have our perspectives just changed? Other thoughts?

Labels: interesting, internet, lifestyle, random, thinking

Ultramarathoner Scott Jurek and Tarahumara runner
Photo credit: not sure, I think hereMy new interest. Well, an interest maybe, but that's about where it ends. I do run, but typically only 3 miles at a time. Hardly even a 5K, never mind an ultra marathon. Though I do love the idea of being able to run long distance, it is just so raw and primal and is truly the way we were meant to get around. But is it really possible for anyone to run 100 miles at a time?

I've been reading the book Born to Run and it's just amazing. I'd heard of Dean Karnazes and ultra marathoning in the past, but sort of just figured he was some super human guy and there were only a few crazies out there who did this sort of running. But after flying through the first half of this book in just a few days, I'm wondering if it really is true that anyone is capable of running great distances. Not only does the book thus far tell the interesting story of the Tarahumara natives of Mexico who regularly run distances of 100+ miles, but there are a few profiles of other some interesting people who actually do this sort of running regularly too.

The most I've ever run at a time is when I did a half marathon three years ago, and that took 3 months of training to be able to complete. And for me that was tough, as I've never been a runner and never found running that enjoyable. But maybe there is something to it, a technique that most people just can't figure out. I know that since I've started running semi regularly, I've been able to adjust my technique to a point where I can do it a bit easier, though conditioning is still my issue.

Maybe I'll try it barefoot or with sandals like the Tarahumara. I'll get on it right after my calf heals from when I pulled it running last week...

Labels: adventure, inspiration, interesting, lifestyle, running

Photo credit: clobsSometimes life just gets too busy. Work, eat, bills, sleep, exercise, relax (for a moment) work, run errands. It just seems to go on and on. Even for someone like me who tries to keep their life simple, it doesn't always work. When I am home I seem to keep myself too busy, and fall behind on all the things I want to do. Making an hour to just sit with a book never seems to happen, no matter how little is on my plate.

Quite honestly, as my girlfriend has correctly pointed out to me, I think a lot of my time disappears into the Internets. Keeping up with my RSS feeds, following Tweeters, checking the news, the weather, brainstorming ideas for my website, following links that follow links... You get the idea. In fairness though, I enjoy it, and I do also find time for other things like working in the garden, doing yoga, and watching a little guilty pleasure TV. And also, all that time spent online does keep me up to date with the world, as I seem to just devour all types of media, from blogs to news to real paper publications, but have found myself all to often starting sentences with "I read this article the other day" or "This guy whose blog I follow" and it makes me feel a little too dorky.

So when your time just seems to disappear and you can't seem to find time for the simple things, what better than a weekend camping in the mountains?


Photo credit: °FlorianSure, more than one night would be great, but when you're on a tight schedule, taking 24 hours away from the distractions of home can be a miracle cure. Just this weekend I drove out to the mountains east of San Diego on Saturday afternoon, and returned Sunday afternoon, and getting away like that worked great. The relaxation factor is much higher than if the same time had been spent at home. There are no temptations from the computer, none from the TV, and best of all there are no bills to look over and no cleaning to be done. Only the most simple tasks need to be tended to; setting up camp and preparing food. And when you drive back into town already you notice how the pace of life is moving too fast.

After a simple night like that spent relaxing -- having a few cocktails by the fire, sleeping under the stars, and reading a book -- you can return home recharged and feel like you escaped life for just a bit.

Related Links:
How to find the job you love
Simplify and De-clutter

Labels: camping, how-to, lifestyle, outdoors, random, San Diego, simple living, tips

Thanks to Matador Life for the info below -- 6 Online Resources to Satisfy Your Inner Locavore

...By only eating foods produced in their community, region or country, adherents, known as locavores, aim to reduce pollution and support ethical farming practices.

With more and more people defecting from supermarket to farmer’s market, a number of websites have appeared to help users find local food in their own communities...

And the six resources are:

• Local Harvest
• Sustainable Table
• Food Routes
• Eat Well Guide
• Foodzie
• Bigbarn

Again, thanks to Matador Life for this info, See their article here

Labels: health, lifestyle, local foods, organic, sustainable

What is the American Dream?
Photo by hellochris.The other morning on the way to work I was listening to NPR and they were having an interesting discussion about the American Dream. What they were considering was the idea that the American Dream is now outdated in the face of current events and the current state of the economy. It was an interesting discussion and one which I am glad that I caught. And I have to say that I am happy that people are looking for the Next American Dream rather than the old one. I have thought for a long time that the pursuit of the American Dream is making people unhappy, and this conversation really was able to help me put my finger on why.

According the the discussion, there are (or were) four pillars of the American Dream.

• education and the ability for anyone to go to college
• opportunity and mobility
• home ownership
• retirement

The basic premise that they were exploring was that the New American Dream is becoming less about materialism and more about personal freedom. Which to me means choosing to live life as each of us wants to, with less emphasis on what we have and more emphasis on what we do. So the idea of trying to keep up with the neighbors and constant yearning for more "things" is less important, and people can focus on doing and experience rather than accumulating.

But to go back to the four pillars that they discussed, it does seem about time to consider that these all mean very different things than they did when the term "American Dream" was coined in 1931.

I think that education is still very important and should still be something everyone strives for, however the idea that going to college means success is not really accurate anymore. In the age of the technology and the internet, self learning is much easier than it ever was, and college is also a different place than it was 50 years ago. In today's market, having a college education doesn't guarantee much, nor does lacking one keep you from lofty achievement. There are plenty of successfully programmers, entrepreneurs, and multi-millionaires out there that prove that.

Opportunity and mobility, in my mind, are still mostly the same, however again, due to technology and globalization, the game is an entirely different story.

The ideal of home ownership has certainly changed just in the past year. I think it is still part of the dream, but many are reconsidering the lengths that they will go to reach that dream. With rising oil prices, urban sprawl, climate change, and the foreclosure crisis, the way that people approach home ownership is sure to change over the coming years. Some may choose to rent in cities rather than own in the suburbs, some may reconsider where they live to save their commutes, and hopefully many will pass on the McMansions and opt for modest homes that bring them happiness and enjoyment rather than headache and debt.

As for retirement, that should remain a goal, however again in the current economy and with the inevitable demise of the social security system many are having to look at the goals for their future through different eyes. I have been a long time fan of Tim Ferriss, and he goes so far as to challenge the whole notion of retirement, instead suggesting taking mini retirements throughout your life. Certainly the idea of sabbaticals is nothing new, but this could be something more people will consider when they see that their traditional retirement at 65 may not pan out, if it does at all. Enjoying life in younger years may become more important than trying to skimp and save for just the possibility of an easy retirement.

See the NPR American Dream report here.

Labels: 4HWW, 9to5, American Dream, lifestyle, work

Disclaimer: I should preface this article by saying that I do not currently have the job I love. This is really an article based on my thoughts, and one that can hopefully one day help me.

The situation

Perfect hit - Photo credit cloud_nineThe situation I seem to perpetually be in is one where my job is tolerable and pays decently with decent benefits, however I know that it is not the right place for me to be. In today's economy, conventional wisdom seems to say you should stick with something that is decent, however I don't necessarily agree with that. Sure, people are out of work and some would do anything for a job, but does that mean I have to tolerate something I don't enjoy? I'm not talking about walking out on a job, I'm just talking about actively pursuing something better. What inevitably happens with me is that I look for months and months at job listings, but I know that all would simply be lateral moves, just a band aid so to speak. And again, conventional wisdom says a job is a job, but quite honestly in my opinion conventional wisdom has never made people truly happy, it's the out of the box thinking that seems to reap the rewards. So what I want is to push my limits and find the "right" job rather than just another job that will fizzle after a year or so.

My predicament
By training I am a software engineer. I truly do not mind doing this work. What I mind is the mindset that seems to come along with most typical corporate environments. The need to keep producing and work more hours, without a concern of management for employees' personal lives. From my experience, most places that are corporate seem to expect that everyone should want to work as much as possible, to suck every last ounce of productivity out of their days. And if they are really productive, they simply get more work rather than a pat on the back for a job well done and some time off. And when it comes to time off, though I am lucky to get a generous four weeks, I also am sort of forced to implicitly think that this is enough, that most people get less thus I am lucky. And when I use it, rather than a "enjoy your time off, you deserve it", I get the wiseass comments like "Who approved this?" or am made to feel like I am getting more than I should. What it must be like to work somewhere where management treat everyone fairly and actually care about your personal life! On top of this, it seems that corporate environments seem to breed negativity, something of which I am guilty of participating in more than I care to admit. I have had two co-workers leave the company, one to attempt to start a coffee cart, and another to open a pet business, and both were not sent off with well wishes, but were chastised behind their back for doing so.


So what do you/I want?

My job - Photo credit estonMost people seem to accept the status quo, and that if things are decent that is as good as they can or will get. So as in my situation, many people say that I should be lucky or thankful to have what I have (which I truly am), but at the same time I don't think just because everyone else accepts something as a "success" that I should have to feel the same way. Sure, things could be a lot worse, I could have bad co-workers, worse bosses, less vacation, a more rigid schedule with longer hours, the list goes on, but does this excempt me from having my own lofty goals or ambitions? Just because everyone else accepts certains things doesn't mean we all have to. Certain lives work for certain people, but not everyone sees things the same way. Because most people barely even get paid time off does that mean I should start believing that two weeks is great? No, I still firmly belive that everyone should get 4 to 6 weeks paid time off.

So what do I want? Quite simply, I want to work somewhere that I can apply my specific skill set to help make the world a better place. Sitting in a cubilce writing code for Company X doesn't feed that criteria. A company or organization that can harness my skills and directly apply them to making the world a better place. And to surround myself with people who feel the same thing and care about work and life, and not just work. People who can share in life outside of work as friends and who can separate the need to work with the need to enjoy life, and who can inspire you to be a better person, and not just a better worker.


Where to look?

I heart my job - Photo credit cobalt123So we have now reached the point where I don't have any answers. The run of the mill job boards like Montster and Career Builder seem to be corporate breeding grounds, looking for more drones. Craigslist seems to be a bit better for interesting opportunities, but Craigslist is also notorious for surfacing people who are flakes. I don't know if that extends into the job postings as well, but I can say for sure there are always a lot of start up opportunities on there, which typically don't pay. So for this question, I don't have a good answer for where to look for your perfect job. I suppose it depends what you are looking for. I am starting to really believe that I can look and look and will never find my perfect job, I think one day it will find me. Good old networking probably is the best way to find the perfect job.

Is it possible in today's economy?
I believe it is, yes. The economy may be bad and people may be getting laid off, but if you are a self starter the claim is that economic down times can be one of the best times to start a new enterprise. You just have to know where to look for your niche. And regardless, even though times are bad when I browse the help wanted sections there are plenty of opportunities.

What do you think?
Share your thoughts. Where are the best places to look for extraordinary jobs? Are those jobs still out there right now? Are good employees staying put?

You may be interested in Idealist Cafe recommended books.

Labels: 9to5, how-to, inspiration, lifestyle, personal development, work

I am not big on resolutions, as most of them seem to just fade in time. But from time to time I re-assess my life and try to make some positive changes. For this New Year, this is what I thought to myself this morning:

I will learn to speak my mind, follow my heart, and live how I wish to live. I will be healthier and be more moderate with my vices.

Pretty simple, right?

Though I enjoy my life, and am generally pretty healthy, I could really do a lot to positively improve myself as well. There are many days where I wonder how I've gotten to this point and what I can change to improve. Most of these thoughts center on my own growth, as well as my career choices.

I talk a lot about diet, travel, and other things like that. There are many things I'm interested in, but nothing I want to go to any extremes with -- I like a life of moderation and being free to indulge extremes as well. For example, I like travel, but I like home too. I like health and my new explorations into raw eating, but I like to enjoy a few beers and dinners out with my girlfriend as well. I like hiking, exercise, and pushing my limits, but I also like lounging on the couch watching TV or reading a book.

So in the coming year my goal is to continue living a middle path, but to try to align my work and career with my interests, and also to be passionate about what I do, regardless of which extreme I am enjoying at the time.

Related Links:
An experiment with raw diet
Meat, to eat or not
Back from Spain

Labels: health, hiking, inspiration, lifestyle, raw diet, work

The one thing I want have always wanted in my life is simplicity. I have learned over the years that clutter only confuses things, not to mention keeps my mind spinning about all the things I want or have to do. I know that when I sit at my desk, if I have junk all over it, my mind somehow picks up that clutter. I don't seem to have the skill that some people have that allows them to relax their mind when they have a to-do list a mile long. So I have learned that a simple and uncluttered life leads to a simple and uncluttered mind. As much as I try to keep this under control, somehow things seem to "re-clutter". Perhaps it is because I don't have the discipline to filter the incoming items that work their way into my apartment.

I was over at Zen Habits this morning, and thought I would share with you some interesting advice regarding simplifying and de-cluttering. I am going to attempt to put some of this into practice tonight, so wish me luck!

Oh yea, as a little side note, the more I de-clutter the less my crazy cat has to play around with and make noise with when I am trying to sleep in the morning.

Here is the first link, outlining four simple rules of simplicity and how to apply them to your life, and if you are more ambitious, here is another link with 21 easy hacks to simplify your life.

Labels: de-clutter, how-to, lifestyle, simple living